It’s so wrong yet I can’t seem to look away.

In a column titled “Blog…Enough With The Buckeyes!!!”, College Football News columnist Barette Sallee offers a preview of what we are up against this year.

And while I don’t really want to give him the honor of my comments, it pretty much outlines what I expect to hear echoed the entire season. No matter how well we do this season, no matter how badly we beat USC, the Buckeyes will need to overcome this sort of sentiment from the BCS voters.

Naturally, while Barrette points out that we travel to USC for what he terms an “early season beatdown” against USC, we only did it six years after the SEC began adding them to the schedule. He fails to forget however, that while his beloved SEC was playing USC, we were taking on a #1 or #2 ranked Texas.

He is right on one account — we’ve blown our last two shots at the BCS and having done so, no matter how bad we rampage through the season, we will have trouble convincing the rest of the world that we belong in the big game.

More than anything, I’m as frustrated by the schedule as anyone. I think the USC series is great. I only wish our other off-season games were as interesting. And yes, I understand the need for in-state charity games, but somebody please tell me how Troy University got on the schedule. (You have to give Troy credit though, they play LSU two weeks before they come to Columbus.)

Until the BCS initiates a playoff series (don’t hold your breath), the off season schedule is the one thing that we will have to go by. Unfortunately, in BCS terms, it doesn’t look much better down the road. In 2009, we’ve got the home game with USC, an opener against Navy and New Mexico State. While the Navy game is interesting, Navy’s got Notre Dame for their old school football fix. After the USC series, we open a two game series with Miami FL. Other games include Marshall and Eastern Michigan. I’m sure that when they scheduled Miami, they were a good team.

A couple of things have to happen for Ohio State to get the respect it deserves. This year, the Buckeyes need to walk through the season unquestioned. They need to put a serious hurt on USC but even that might not be enough. The Big Ten needs another ranked team and I don’t see one on the horizon (Illinois?). Even if the Buckeyes go undefeated and all other BCS contenders come out two-loss teams, it will only be used against us in the way the SEC claims that losing games proves they have a better conference.

Down the road, the Big Ten needs to get better. It used to be that winning a Big Ten championship was enough to put you in the hunt. Unfortunately, the Big Ten has let us down lately. Teams that could be counted on for a good game - Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, even Michigan - haven’t held up their end of the bargain. Until they do, it’s only going to get worse.

Although I wasn’t the first to point it out however, the p.r. dept. at ESPN referred to two-time Heisman winner and president of the Ohio State Alumni Club Archie Griffin as “Archie Griffith.” I’m assuming that this is Andy’s illegitimate son and long lost half brother to Opie.

Those of you who read this know that I’m pretty good at making mistakes of this type myself. That has something to do with the first-draft nature of this blog (write, publish, edit in the morning). It may also have something to do with the fact that way too many of the posts you read here (this one included) are written well after I should be in bed. However, in my day job, I’m in public relations and business writing. Not really the type of mistake I would want to make in my other life.

(Oh, and by the way ESPN, if you’re looking for a good p.r. guy, I can be reached at…)

You can see the original post and press release here.

While the Buckeyes didn’t make it to number one, the writer felt the need to illustrate the post with a little scarlet and gray.

Personally, I’ve got no problem with our number three ranking. When you’re good enough to make it to the BCS Championship three times in five years and you’re in line to do it again, yeah, people are going to get jealous.

It’s also important to note that unlike many teams out there, Ohio State fans understand tradition and rivalry as opposed to some brief moment of shining glory in the national spotlight that will fade away not to return for another 20 years or so. Ohio State will always be a force, even during an off year.

Unlike those who envy however, if you’ve read this blog, you’ve probably noticed my certain…shall we call it distaste…for a handful of college football programs.

Since the Bleacher report did not properly stir my angst, I’d thought I’d present my most ha–I mean “disliked” college programs of the past 25 years. My date ranges may be a little off as I’m going on bitter, painful memories here - not researched fact.

9: Florida State Seminoles - Most of the Bobbie Bowden years but especially the late 80s.

Although Florida State is pretty much harmless these days, it couldn’t come to a better team or coach. However, during their “better” days, it always seemed as though they were running the score against a pansie for the sake of national ranking. Of course, I pretty much felt this way about all the Florida teams back then.

8: Nebraska - Late 80s/early 90s

Not a lot to say here. They were just annoying. This was also during the height of a very frustrating John Copper period so…well don’t make me go there.*

7: The entire SEC for about the past five years

First off, the SEC doesn’t deserve the honor of my ilk. And while the Buckeyes may be the thorn in the side of every SEC fan, they are a flash in the pan. Sooner or later the fallacy of “SEC speed” will be exposed for what it is, the ESPN commentators will be forced to move on and that will be about all we will hear of the SEC as a division. Sure, they’ll always have a couple of teams in the hunt but the myth that they deserve a BCS spot just because they are in the SEC will soon fade.

Meanwhile, Ohio State will always be a force in college football.

6: USC - the Pete Carroll years

This is probably has more to do with my frustration with ESPN and in particular Mark May than anything else. Sure, USC can be good but they can also be overrated. And boy, ESPN and the BCS sure love to over rank them. I am looking forward to the USC/OSU series. They are long over due for a good old Buckeye ass whoopin.

5: Notre Dame - Since Charlie Weis took over

Yeah, Notre Dame has always been annoying but I could tolerate Lou Holtz, and Tyrone Willingham was an interesting coach. However, these days Notre Dame is nothing short of pathetic. Regardless, they’ve given Weis a nice fat (no pun intended) contract and NBC has picked them up for who knows how many more years. This means that I’m going to have to watch Notre Dame get beat by Ball State (o.k. that is game I’d enjoy) instead of a college football game that actually accounted for something.

Not only that but the sweetheart deal they’ve worked with the BCS is disgusting. They can go an entire season without winning a game and they still bring in big bucks from the BCS. Not to mention that if they actually win a game, suddenly they’re contenders for a BCS Bowl game.

I love tradition as much as the next guy but Notre Dame needs to get rid of Weis now and bring this program back to their glory days.

4: Miami - no specific time period - just Miami in general

There aren’t many teams I “disliked” as much as I “disliked” Miami the day after the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. I have never seen such incredibly poor losers and crybabies as I did reading the papers the morning after. The Miami players talked as though Ohio State should never have been on the same field with them even though they got a quick, rude awakening the minute they got the ball. The Buckeye defense hit their offensive line so hard that Miami quarterback had to give his post game interviews from the hospital where he spent the night.

Even more absurd is the way people remember Maurice Clarett’s troubles yet Miami players were constantly trying to postpone legal battles until after the season was over — and Coker was known for looking the other way.

O.K. now I’m getting there. The old angst is alive and well. I’m still using the word “disliked” but I moved into hate on those last two.

3: Michigan - 1969 to 1978

What did you expect? It’s the 10 Year War!!! Even if I’m not old enough to remember all of it, I remember enough. With Bo, we take our hatred to an entirely new level. This is the hatred that I was weaned on. This is the hatred that all Ohio State fans know even if there aren’t old enough remember. They’ve seen the films. They know they story of Woody and Bo. I’m pretty sure it is tested in Ohio as a requirement of The No Child Left Behind Act. This hatred though is filled with respect. I would love to see Michigan find a coach worthy of another 10 year war. Tressel is up for it. Unfortunately, we all know Rodrigeuz isn’t.

2: Michigan - 1995 to 2007

Yeah, I skipped a couple of years in there. Does anyone actually remember Gary Moeller (even though like most Michigan coaches, he was an Ohio State grad)? Let’s jump ahead to the Llllllloyd Carr years. The early part of his tenure was frustrating not because of Michigan but because of Cooper. However, since the dawn of the Tressel era, he, along with the rest of the Michigan football team, was our whipping boy and a good one at that.

We all know that deep down inside, Carr’s biggest fans were in Columbus.

1: Michigan - 2008 to ?

Hey, you’ve dug your own grave Michigan. You sleep in it. There is no question that Rich Rodriguez is going to turn Michigan into one of the most disliked Ohio State fan’s teams. Not because they will be beating Ohio State but because it is doubtful they will be able to provide a worthy opponent for Ohio State. The Ohio State/Michigan game should be the greatest game in college football every year. It is a great rivalry based on tradition and a respectful hatred of your opponent. I want to see an honorable foe lined up across the field from Coach Tressel and his 11 warriors. However, from the way he left West Virginia and what I have seen so far at UM, it looks like he has a long way to go.

So there you have it. Feel free to let me have it. As an Ohio State Fan, who have I missed? Who is on your list? comment below.

* I actually considered putting John Cooper’s Buckeyes on this list. This took some soul searching and I’m still having trouble with it. I realized though that it wasn’t the team I disliked but the way Cooper and his coaching staff, but especially Cooper, would completely break down mentally. There was a time that if the Buckeyes fell behind, there was no hope of them coming back. He couldn’t prepare a team mentally and at that level of play, half the game is 90 percent mental (or something like that Yogi). As I said, some of the memories are just too bitter and painful.

(a big ht to my friends at the BuckeyeDome)

So with that in mind, I received a press release from the p.r. dept. at ESPN about Columbus’s chances at being named “Title Town USA.” And while we all need a good excuse to get off work once and a while, we don’t need ESPN’s seal of approval.

At the same time, what is better than joining a stadium full of Buckeye fans jonsin for a good tailgate party and in the last gasps of the long stretch between seasons. If you really want to make a day of if, ESPN is replaying the 2003 fiesta bowl later in the day.

I’m afraid I’m going to miss it but if anyone goes, please, let me know if it amounts to anything. Heck, send me a picture or two and I’ll put them up.

Update
I’m looking for a report. Did anyone actually go? If so, plesae drop a comment.

And while yes, I’m famous on this blog for spelling and other minor errors, this one wasn’t mine.

Read the complete press release beneath the fold.

ESPN SportsCenter Visits Horseshoe for Pep Rally July 17; Columbus in Running for TitleTown USA

Attention Columbus: ESPN wants you to show America why your city should be named “TitleTown USA.” And you’ll have your chance on July 17.

With Columbus named as one of the 20 finalists for ESPN SportsCenter’s interactive search for America’s top championship city, a crew from the ESPN program will be in town on Thursday, July 17, to shoot segments promoting the city’s bid to be named “TitleTown USA.”

With the Ohio State cheerleaders as part of the festivities, OSU legendary football great Archie Griffith will be interviewed by ESPN reporter Wendi Nix during a pep rally for Columbus outside of the Horseshoe. For approximately two hours starting at 10:30 a.m., ESPN will be on hand, and ESPN’s producer said that fans should take the opportunity to show their support by coming out in droves for the pep rally, just as fans in other cities have done to influence the public who will ultimately decide the winner with their votes on ESPN.com. Team gear and signs are encouraged.

“We’re the ambassador for Columbus,” said Adam Hertzog, a producer for ESPN who is overseeing the taping. “We’re going to make the case that day why Columbus should win it. The more people and the more excitement we can capture that day, the better it will look on camera.”

The 20 finalist cities were determined by a combination of 2,000 fan-generated nominations, an ESPN production content research team, and a blue-ribbon panel consisting of 19 non-ESPN journalists and 12 SportsCenter anchors. Columbus is in the running due to the Ohio State football program, which has won seven national titles and over 30 Big Ten titles and features more than 100 All-Americans. And Ohio State’s seven Heisman Trophy winners are tied with USC for most by any school.

The Columbus segment will air Monday, July 21, in the 6 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter. Also on that day, ESPN Classic will highlight Columbus with an airing of the 2003 Fiesta Bowl between Ohio State and Miami at 2 p.m., and an airing of SportsCentury: Jack Nicklaus at 5 p.m.

Upon completion of the daily series featuring all 20 cities, online polling will re-open Thursday, July 24 – Saturday, July 26. The winner will be announced Sunday, July 27.

The 20 “TitleTown USA” finalists: Green Bay, Wis.; Louisville, Ky.; Gainesville, Fla.; Detroit; Williamsport, Pa.; Boston; Los Angeles; Columbus, Ohio; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; San Francisco; Pittsburgh; Knoxville, Tenn.; Valdosta, Ga.; Parkersburg, W. Va.; and Chicago; Lawrence, Kan.; Palo Alto, Calif.; Massillon, Ohio; and New York City. Please click here to access key highlights for each city. Or click here to visit ESPN.com’s “TitleTown USA” conversation page.

Update
I’m looking for a report. Did anyone actually go?

So, as it stands right now, Youngstown State (to which luckily, along with the other 70 percent of the alumini, I scored tickets), Troy and one league game will be broadcast on the BTN. ESPN owns Ohio University and don’t worry about the USC game. ABC’s got it and I’m sure it will be available no matter where you live. It will be the premier non-conference game of the season.

So for now, I’ll tolerate the BTN. I don’t know which Big 10 game they’ve got but let’s just hope it’s a game I have to miss for some other reason (although I can’t think of any reason that would force me to miss an Ohio State Game).

But don’t worry. There are plenty of others out there who are ready to read the tea leaves for me. Granted, no one has actually seen any of the 2008 teams take the field these predictions are important. Just think where we would have been last year if Michigan hadn’t been put out there as a shoe in for the BCS Championship. It wouldn’t have been near the fun.

Anyway, in case you haven’t seen, the predictions pretty much come down to Ohio State vs. an SEC Team….go figure.

Now there is still some division on which SEC team but does it really matter. The SEC has become such a media darling that they pretty much are assured a birth regardless of who it is. For what it’s worth, most are saying it will be either Georgia or Florida. Personally, I would love to see a Florida rematch. Early on last year, I thought the season was gearing up for one but the Gators couldn’t hold up their end of the deal (but it’s hard to play in the SEC).

Both the FOX BCS page and ESPN have put up their bowl picks for the entire bowl season. Pete Fiutak at Fox is going with OSU vs. Florida although he is willing to switch USC for the Buckeyes and Georgia for Florida (come on man…take a stand). Although he predicts that the Bucks will get by USC, he doesn’t think anyone will go in undefeated.

Mark Schlabach over at ESPN.com doesn’t give any explanation. He just picks OSU vs. Georgia - along with every other bowl game possible. Just in case your interested, it looks like the East Carolina Pirates may finally take on the Florida Atlantic Owls in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. (I don’t know about you, but I’m booking my tickets tonight).

It was the Mzone that was quick to point out the incredible lameness of the dreaded key shaking in the Big House. It was the Mzone who made maze shirts that read, “Down in front is not a cheer” on the back. It was the Mzone who painted the Michigan helmet on the Hindenburg after their defeat to Ap State and it was the MZone where I first heard the term Buckstache.

Although I often found them annoying, as I do most Michigan blogs, the Mzone was always worth a good read. But after three years of pounding away at the keyboard, the Mzone has called it quits. You can see their last post here.

You can see some of my past MZone inspired blog posts below:

Ohio State vs. Michigan: Caption Contest

How Lame is Michigan; Example #357 - Buckeyes Own Michigan in Their Own House

Buckeyes Slip to Seventh; Bring on Michigan

How Lame is Michigan; Example #353

Michigan/Appalachian State post game remarks; more fun than a historic upset

I don’t know what to make of it. I thought Henton had potential but then suddenly there was this little misunderstanding with an undercover police officer and next thing you know…

But that’s water under the bridge. He was cleared and back on the team by the end of the season. All he needed to do know was work real hard and the quarterback position was his to grow into. Another year at backup and he’s in. And then along came Terrell Pryor. Suddenly, Henton is in the back of the line and a starting position as Georgia Southern is looking pretty good.

Eleven Warriors pointed out that his Facebook page says he’s going back (two days before the Dispatch mind you). Sure enough, although he’s not one of my 764,998,300,896 friends on facebook, when you do a search for his facebook page, this is what comes up. Note the logo…that’s a funny looking buckeye.

I’m sorry to see him go but you can’t knock it. He wants to play football. And it’s not like he’s a Notre Dame quarterback who is running away as an act of self preservation.

Finally, it really says something about the caliber talent we’re turning away. When a player like Henton leaves because he knows he won’t get a shot to play, think about what that says for the guys in front of him. And while a certain coach to the north would give his left nut for a quarterback that good, at least when our players leave, they don’t go to the other side. But then, taking over as water boy would be better than that.