Dr. Pomade

All the issues at WR essentially allows VT to sell out against the run and make Ohio State beat them in the air, which, I think, is the only way you really beat Ohio State this year (if they play like they did at the end of last year). That it's the first game, in a hostile environment, and there is a ton of pressure for lots of reasons on the team already - this could be a recipe for defeat for Ohio State. I wouldn't be shocked if we lose. Ohio State isn't as good as what it could be (or probably was at the end of last year when peaking) and VT isn't as bad as what people think. Add me to the list of Nervous Nancy's.

For what it's worth, I have purchased several suits from Nordstrom's and have always had a good experience. I'm no suit guru, but they seem to have a nice selection, the prices aren't ridiculous, and the customer service has always been really good.

OT: Clay, I'm totally with you.

I think CC&C should have an event at Zoombezi Bay and promote it on Twitter. P.S. Ampersands are legit. P.P.S. #&&&&&

Respectable retort. *bro hug* Damn, I forgot how much respect the B10 used to get - look at all of those ranked teams. And wow, that 1998 team was so good. Thanks Plaxico Burress for ruining my life.

I've just tried searching and can't find anything on them arriving in Happy Valley on a helicopter either. So maybe I just made that up. But those socks still suck.

Also Ohio State flew into Happy Valley via helicopter in 1994, IIRC. I think they were trying to channel some kind of Miami swag of the late 1980's or something. Of course they should have remembered what happened when Miami played Penn State. Anyway, the helicopter thing was about as stupid as the socks. Just awkward.

Love the neon green leaves! Yay! Green is one of our colors and looks great with the red and the black and the gray. Wait, no it doesn't. I'm certain at this point Ohio State is just doing this to troll me.

They wore stupid black socks for the Penn State game. In retrospect, they should have worn all black; it was a massacre.

You're not missing anything. "Tilley" is a moron who likes to make people think he's important, handsome, and in shape. People who know better ignore him.

P.P.S. I saw John Cooper in a Hillard Best Buy a couple of years ago. I shook his hand and told him I was very appreciative of everything he did for Ohio State and that I was a huge fan. So, in the interests of being transparent, I want to acknowledge my hypocrisy: when given the chance, I caved and told John Cooper I loved him. So, I'm a homer - sue me.

From memory, I can recall exactly four games he won against ranked/important opponents in games that mattered: against Arizona State in the Rose Bowl, against Texas AM in the Sugar Bowl (with arguably the most talented team in Ohio State's history - the '98 squad), and both times we played Notre Dame in the 1990s. (Note: even though the homer in me doesn't want to admit it, but those Notre Dame teams weren't nearly as competitive as the Irish squads of the early 1990s and 1980s.) Here are games from memory that mattered that Cooper did NOT win: - Michigan State in 1998 (perhaps the worst lost I've ever suffered as a fan) - Michigan pretty much every year (even with far superior squads) - Penn State in 1994 (see the aforementioned massacre) - pretty much every bowl game minus the two I mentioned previously - Miami in the Kickoff Classic - Florida State in the Sugar Bowl (we got manhandled) So, no, I can't agree that he won "plenty of tough games." In fact, I'd say Cooper's legacy is the exact opposite of that - he won almost no tough games. He couldn't beat Michigan, he couldn't win a bowl game to save his life, and he lost far more than he should have with the talent he had. He was the absolute worst in-game manager I have ever seen and, quite frankly, looked either like lost dementia patient or like a pathetic cheerleader on the sidelines during crunch time. I think he was great at assembling talent but sucked at execution. The Cooper era sucked. We should have won at least one or two national championships. Instead, we choked away a ton of games. The Game - and pretty much all other games that mattered - got away from him, they were bigger than him. He tried to approach them game like a mini-NFL coach - downplay the rivalry aspect, talk up the business aspect, take away the emotion, make everything very workman-like - and, in doing so, his kids got consumed/overwhelmed when it came to the bigger stage (when so often you have to embrace the emotion, feed on it, use it, etc.). His mini-NFL approach did wonders for recruiting, putting up wonderful offensive numbers, etc., but it sucked when it came to emotionally-charged games, like Michigan and the other bigger games. I think the reason why people went fucking gaga over Tressel when he first spoke to fans at the basketball game (right after he was named head coach) is because he did a 180 from Cooper: he came right out and embraced the rivalry with Michigan, he completely and totally accepted the fact that it was all about Michigan and the enormity of The Game. I'm not sure if people realized it or not, but it was a totally different psychological approach than what Cooper had used. Cooper was all about "Hey, Michigan, it's just another game, we aren't looking ahead, this is all business" stuff, and Tressel was like, "Nope, The Game is the biggest thing in the fucking universe and you better believe we are gunning to beat the piss out of Michigan." And, I don't think it's any coincidence that Tressel has such a stellar record against Michigan. P.S. DJ, <3 you. This mini-tirade wasn't so much directed toward you as it was just springboarding off what you had said. And my pent up angst from having lived the misery of the Cooper era.

My bad we actually scored 14 that game. Final 63-14. It was in 1994. Penn State was ranked 1 and we were ranked 21. Ah yes another gem of a performance from a ranked Cooper team.

Remember that time we wore black socks against Penn State and then proceeded to get shellacked like 63 to like 9? Yeah us and black apparel and Penn State don't really go that well together.

Dumb.

It's gone.

You know what else isn't acceptable? Your negativity. Thanks for coming in, but I think the committee has all the information we need to make our decision.

I like to wear a strong musty scent. That, coupled with a firm handshake and a hearty, somewhat condescending laugh, always announces my arrival as an alpha and someone who doesn't negotiate or like liberals.

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I LIKE TO GET MY SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUITS OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE THE JOB OFFER

Michigan State would win the SEC West and would go undefeated in the SEC East.

B10 East = SEC West Ohio State = Alabama (Ohio State is better) Mich State = Auburn (Michigan State is likely better) Penn State = LSU (draw) Michigan = Texas AM (draw) Indiana = Miss State (Miss State is likely better) Rutgers = Arkansas (draw) Maryland = Ole Miss (Ole Miss is better) Seems about even to me? You have three draws, one team better than it's counterpart each way, and one lean each way. In terms of schedule this year (Ohio State vs. Alabama): Virginia Tech = Wisconsin Mich State = Auburn Michigan = Texas AM Indiana = Miss State Penn State = LSU Rutgers = Arkansas Minnesota = Georgia Northern Illinois = Tennessee (N. Illinois likely better) Maryland = Ole Miss (Ole Miss likely better) Hawaii = LA Monroe W. Michigan = Middle Tennessee Illinois = Charleston Southern (Illinois likely better) Not sure I see a huge discrepancy in difficulty between the two.

Boise State at #5? Am I the only one that said WTF in response to that? TCU too low. Michigan State too low. I predict Alabama beats Ole Miss by about 65 points.