By
David Williams
For several years now, the Big Ten has been looked down upon and considered a second cousin to other conferences such as the SEC and the Pac-10. What was once the Best Damn Conference in the Land has seemingly been reduced to the likes of the, god forbid, Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East.
But hope is on the horizon. The Buckeyes reloaded with an even better team than its 2007 squad and so have Wisconsin, Illinois, and Penn State. Michigan brings new blood into a league considered way behind in offensive schemes and the results look promising. 2008 is the year we as a conference rise to the top. And if that doesn’t happen, 2009 is the year, etc. etc.
While members of the Big Ten may be enemies on Game Day, we support each other above all others when playing against the SEC and/or Notre Dame football. This bond is only broken with one exception: the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry, where OSU fans might burn a couch if the Wolverines win a game, period.
The purpose of Scarlet Colored Glasses is to analyze the glorious Big Ten Conference from an unabashedly biased Buckeye fan perspective. We call ourselves The Ohio State University and most of the country hates us for our perceived “holier than thou” belief about our football team. People are also tired of seeing us get blown out by S-E-C teams in national championship games.
Many of us OSU fans have drawn the ire of others because our passion for this program transcends all rational thought. Additionally, Ohio State is annually one of the best teams in the country, so we'll naturally have our share of detractors.
Over the next couple weeks, SCG will take a look at the pride of each Big Ten school, including history and how each one makes us proud to be from the Midwest.
But for now, here’s the Pride of the Big Ten:
Woke up one morning in a strange, foreign land
Where the Mississippi was plentifully flowin’
I had seen a Hawkeye crossing my path
A place where Drew Tate’s fame had grown.
Then I traveled up North to Minnesota
The forest and lakes of this place were vast
Marion Barber once roamed this village
Where running backs dominated in the past.
My travels took me East to Madison,
To where I took the Midnight Train
I heard a rumble coming from Camp Randall Stadium
The fans were jumping to House of Pain.
South we go to Evanston outside of Chicago
With a beach and skyline of the land
A pinnacle of academia at Northwestern University
They love the purple people, man.
South of Northwestern in a land called Chambana
Without their Chief, The Fighting Illini ascend
Juice is on the verge of greatness
And has a Heisman contender in Regis Benn.
I’m off to Indiana, where the Hoosiers roam
Known for its quality basketball and College Football Hall of Fame
An inspirational coach changed the mindset of the program forever
But he passed. R.I.P., Terry Hoeppner, what a shame.
Also in the Hoosier state lives the Boilermakers
A safe haven for quarterbacks in this great state
With Drew Brees, Kyle Orton, and now Curtis Painter
Coach Tiller’s last hurrah will surely be worth the wait.
Up north again I travel to Michigan State
Where the Spartans clash with their conference foes
Mark Dantonio fervently seeks to get out of the shadow
Of Ohio State and Michigan, everybody knows
Now I’m in Ann Arbor, the land of the Wolverines
Located cross-state, I rested in unfriendly territory
The rivalry with Ohio State had been going on for years
With Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and a long history
From the Charles Woodson/David Boston fight
To the famous game of number two against number one
The epic rivalry between these two titans
Always gave yearly bragging rights to the school who won.
My second to last stop was East in Happy Valley
The location of a legendary coach, Joe Pa
Who gives the Big Ten purpose and meaning
With his class and dedication to academia
Finally back to my home state in Columbus, Ohio
A vast land, larger than the rest
Where Eddie George and Archie Griffin donned the Scarlet and Grey
Greater than most, almost as legendary as the Sweater Vest
Yes, Jim Tressel, the conservatively-clad head coach
Has brought the Buckeyes to uncharted water, why?
With three championship appearances in six years
Holy Buckeye! Best Damn Band in the Land just dotted the “i”
As I left this sacred land,
I took one last look at the ‘Shoe
So many great players walked through that gate
I would never see anything more beautiful, I knew
The Big Ten
We may not have the most unique of styles
And some of our coaches are beginning to rust
But we pound you in the mouth for 60 minutes of football
With our patented three yards and a cloud of dust.
Welcome, all, to Big Ten (and Ohio State) Football.
The Pride of the Big Ten, 7/1/2008
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