R.I.P. Bo — Liquidate Ohio State
This morning, the day before the biggest Michigan - Ohio State game since 1973 (#1 vs. #4 - a 10-10 tie), Bo Schembechler passed away.
Bo was one of the last one-name, old-school football coaches, in the same group as Woody, Bear, & JoePA. You can have any of the legendary coaches you want, and I’ll take Bo over them all. Growing up as a Michigan fan in the 70s & 80s, Bo was the MAN. His Michigan Replay recap show was appointment TV during the era when televised games were the exception, not the rule (I still have the videotape of the 1980 Michigan Replay season, which built up to Michigan winning the first Rose Bowl of the Bo era…).
There is, I’m sure, some sort of meaning and/or irony to Bo’s passing the day before the “Game of the Century” - aka #1 OSU vs. #2 Michigan. I just don’t know exactly what it is at this moment.
Screw the Dead Schembechlers (who’ve gotten an unfortunate amount of press in the past week or two)! The definitive, and appropriate, parody statement on this, the ultimate rivalry game, is the following little ditty, penned by longtime Detroit morning rush hour DJ Dick Purtan around 1977.
Thanks for everything, Bo — give Woody some hell when you watch the game with him tomorrow!
Liquidate Ohio State
(Sung to the tune of the OSU Fight Song)
Liquidate Ohio State and turn the Buckeyes blue.
They breed a lot of cattle in Columbus,
It looks just like a zoo.
Knock them off their ivory towers,
Send them crawling into the showers,
Down with Ohio State,
It’s a know-nothing party school!
They say the girls who go to O.S.U.,
Are husband hunting dames,
They dig the jocks who got the killer instinct,
Not the boys with brains.
At Columbus you’re way ahead,
With straight A’s in Physical Ed,
Down with Ohio State,
It’s a know-nothing party school.
Bust your guts for Tressel!
Move your butts for Tressel!
Liquidate Ohio State and turn the Buckeyes blue,
They breed a lot of cattle in Columbus,
It looks just like a zoo. Rah! Rah! Rah!
Knock them off their ivory towers,
Send them crawling into the showers,
Down with Ohio State,
It’s a know-nothing party schoooooooooool!
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[...] permane in his quae didicisti et credita « Let the Thanksgiving Season Begin Buckeyes Win Big Ten November 18th, 2006 at 10:45 pm My sympathies to those who wished Michigan to win on Saturday.It was one slobber-knocker of the game, one that wasn’t over until Ohio State got the last first down of the game with 30 seconds left. [...]
One of my husband’s favorite sayings is “A Michigan man is a Michigan man.” I think that he’s got it a little mixed up, but I saw the press conference way back when. Our son, on the other hand, one day asked Rob what the saying meant. It was neat to listen to my husband explain the concept of loyalty to a team to our son.
Ah, yes. The 1989 sacking of Bill Frieder that kicked off the wondrous run to the NCAA title.
“I don’t want someone from Arizona State coaching the Michigan team. A Michigan man is going to coach Michigan.”
Classic Bo.
Bo taught more than football. He taught more than football players. He taught more than his players to be men. He taught a generation of young Ann Arborites how be men — how to play the game of life to win, how to motivate others, how striving for excellence in all you do is what life is about: family, friends, commitment, honor and being sportsmanlike (fair).
For those of you too stupid to know it (or to immune to his positive brainwashing) when the man took the field in the big house, class was in session. I hope you were watching. I had perfect attendance until I grew into a man and moved away from home to find work.
PS– I doubt you’ll get tossed from heaven just for using the Woody Hayes toilet paper I faxed up to you! Go for it!!