While football at any level is a great sport and a lot of fun, college football stands out as the most truly enjoyable version of the sport, at least in terms of the overall experience.  While the NFL is better played and high school is somewhat more pure, the atmosphere of a college football game is unique and it is that atmosphere that elevates a college football gameday above all others.  As Ohio State fans we are blessed with having one of the best gameday atmospheres in the country and a major reason for that is the Ohio State University Marching Band; you would be hard pressed to find an OSU fan who didn’t feel that Skull Session, the ramp entrance, ‘Script Ohio’, or the band’s halftime show weren’t vital parts of a football Saturday in Columbus.  Buckeye fans and visitors to Columbus have long known just … [Read More]

Starting Wednesday of last week, I was fortunate to get an “up close” look at the team as they prepared for and worked to earn a right to head to Atlanta for the championships. And while the weekend didn’t end with the Buckeye’s cutting down the nets, it was a memorable one for many reasons.

Due to my relationship with the host institution for the event (hence the Malibu in MaliBuckeye), I was lucky enough to be given the responsibility of assisting the teams with any logistic issues that might come up. I jokingly referred to myself as a “concierge” for the weekend- working with coaches and other university athletic staff to ensure that the Staples Center felt like a … [Read More]

Because I am a member of Block “O,” I had the luxury of sitting in the first row behind the stage and therefore, had a great view of all the evening’s festivities. And lucky for us, Coach Meyer and the team walked right past us to get to their seats, giving us high-fives and smiling at us as we cheered.

It was in that moment, when the team was standing in front of us, when the entire arena was giving them a standing ovation, that I realized it … [Read More]

Buckeye 411

• Time For Trophies- Now that the season is over, it’s time to start handing out gold stars and stickers for the best of the best, and Monday/Tuesday were B1G All Conference Awards, or as we like to call them- the “Ohio State was expected to be great, so here’s something for everyone else”.  As you may have read across the interwebs, the best team in the conference only had three players on the first team, while Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Penn State had five each. Most egregious was Ryan Shazier- the conference’s best linebacker, in terms of statistics, being bumped to the second team and overlooked for B1G Linebacker of the Year.
• Along Those Lines- Also “outstanding”? No Ohio State offensive linemen on the first or second teams, in spite of leading the conference
… [Read More]

There was so much happening after THE Game in 2002 that really the best part that I remember is being on the field with 100,000 screaming fans. I still look at the picture from time to time to play Where’s Waldo and find me. Yesterday will go down as the best day for THE Game because I got to spend it with some good friends and some awesome fans in my section.

Being two hours away and knowing the traffic would be ridiculous, I had to get up at 4:45 to head to meet Gary, Robby and Jerry in Zanesville. We got to our usual lot without any fanfare but we just missed the mayhem. We walked over to Lane Avenue … [Read More]

The football Buckeyes are 11-0 and have a chance to finish a perfect 12-0 in head coach Urban Meyer’s first season. That’s pretty remarkable if you think about it.

The basketball Buckeyes are currently ranked No. 3 in the country and have just started their run at back-to-back Final Four appearances.

I’m a Cleveland sports fan. I love and root for my Indians, Browns and Cavaliers, but they don’t win. Ever. I’m very thankful to be a fan of all things Ohio State.

But here are five things I’m thankful for that I am able to watch on the field or court:

Urban Meyer

I’ve gone on record as saying I was always a Jim Tressel fan. He and I are from the same area and couldn’t have … [Read More]

While that’s obvious to any true Buckeye, since they don’t call it “The Marginally Adequate Musical Group In This General Vacinity At This Point In Time“, for many people the tunes start during the week of the game and don’t end until we’ve sung Carmen Ohio and “wobbled in our shoes“.

And it’s not just the marching band that’s highlights our college sports experience; Buckeye fans have embraced many other songs as part of the Ohio State canon- “Hang On Sloopy” is an obvious example, but you could include “Neutron Dance” and “Seven Nation Army” to the hymnody bathed in scarlet and gray.  The “Bong!!!” that we resonate with, even on our … [Read More]

In case you haven’t noticed (and if you haven’t, please PLEASE let me know how you’re managing to pull that off), it’s election season. And you thought the BCS was complicated and overwrought… three more weeks, people. You can do it.

“But Mali- there’s never been politics on tBBC… what gives?”

That’s a fine point, but it’s the only way I could think of to lead into this week’s “marquee” matchup. Given how much they like football, I’m sure that there was some … [Read More]