If you have the unfortunate lot to be surrounded by Ohio State fans, as I do (God help me), you probably hear something like this more often than you'd like: "Tressel owns Carr. He's in his head." This is the reasoned judgement of OSU fans now that Tressel has won 4 of 5 versus Michigan after Carr "owned" Coach Cooper over the ten seasons leading up to the glorious tenure of Cheaterpants McSweatervest.
I've always had my suspicions as to the validity of "ownership" in this context, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it until the undisputed champion of Michigan bloggers, Brian of MGoBlog, came up with this:
If you subscribe to the idea of "ownership," you are dumb. And I bet you wander by the roulette table, see four of five red, and go bet on black because it's a sure thing. Tressel's won four of five because his teams have been better over the last few years. Was it ownership when Michigan's worst team in the past 20 years was defeated with a last-second touchdown? Or when a sophomore John Navarre threw four interceptions? Ugh. The staggeringly fanciful idea that Carr, who neither goes on the field nor calls any of the plays, somehow becomes a much worse coach because he sees Tressel on the other side of the field is the sure sign of a diseased mind. Even if OSU wins this year it will be more because of that whole senior-Heisman-winning-QB thing than some sort of mystical Sith crap Tressel uses to tighten Carr's sphincter.
This pretty much sumts up why I don't think ownership is a factor either. Michigan's been on a pretty tough streak since the late '90s just at the same time as the Ohio State program has enjoyed an upward trend. Streaks of winning and losing, which, if you look back at the 102-year history of these teams, are more common than trading victories, are to me more like the natural cycles of the moon. About the inexplicable, or cosmically-ordained, but not because Tressel has mind power over Carr.
A growing number of experts appear to be unmindful of this ownership factor too, as Michigan's creeping up as the trendy pick in this game if you ask Scouts or CFN. Still, the line has fallen from OSU -6.5 to -7, which would seem to suggest that there are still more OSU fans out there believing in ownership. As a mere function of the relative size of the schools, it's not hard to imagine that's the case.
1 comment:
Cheaterpants McSweatervest? I'm pretty sure that's what the short fat kid used to say on the playground when he got beat at any sport/game/competition. Or what I would say to my older brother after he beat me at any gave ever. It's the only thing anyone can say to an opponent who is bigger, stronger, and well...better.
"Mo-om, OSU is cheating."
Regarding "MChodeBlog," I may have misinterpreted his point (I just skimmed it cause I got the impression it was about as prescient as a Special Olympics Spelling Bee) but he is definitely right. Coaches don't matter at all in footbal, or any sport, cause they don't "go on the field." Why do we even have coaches?
And the other great point that I gleaned from his broad cauldron of wisdom, a point that is deep-rooted in sports tradition, is that football is never mental. At all. Psychology, mentality, intimidation, nervousness, confidence, etc., have nothing to do with any game ever. And great analogy with the roulette table. That made a lot of sense.
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