2010 Tournament of Roses - A picture collage

The video below is a collage of many of the pictures we took during our trip to Pasadena. It begins with a picture of the Hyatt Century Plaza where we stayed and a picture of Archie Griffin, our Alumni Association president and of course our two-time Heisman Trophy winner.

We also toured two of the locations where the floats were being assembled and attended the Buckeye Bash at the Santa Monica Pier--along with an estimated 30,000 Buckeyes.

The morning of the Parade, we left our hotel at 4:30 a.m. (PST) and arrived at our seating area on Orange Blvd. about an hour later. We opted to get out of the bus and stroll down the boulevard where the floats were lined up for the start of the parade. It was a great opportunity to see all of them close up and talk with some of the folks who were in the parade. Not only that but we saw the diehards that had camped out all night in sleeping bags to get the best views (for free). Some had grills and were cooking breakfast!

Our seats for the parade were great although there were two floats that were ahead of our vantage point that we didn't get to see. "Sully" Sullenberger, the grand marshal passed by in a golf cart on his way to his decorated antique ride that was beyond us as well.

Still, it was quite a show only to be followed by a spectacular performance of the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl stadium. It's always more fun when you win.

Put on some marching music (preferably the Buckeye Marching Band) sit back and enjoy the show!

Tournament of Roses - OSU Marching Band

Apparently there were some places in Ohio that did not get to view the OSU Marching Band during the broadcast of the Tournament of Roses Parade. Can you imagine?! Ohio TV stations going to commercial as the band approached the broadcast point!

For those who may have missed it. Here is what they looked like from our vantage point on Orange Blvd. just at the start of the parade. (Still assembling the float pictures and will have those up tomorrow, hopefully.)

Time Out For Buckeye Football and Chocolate!!

In honor of the beginning of the OSU Buckeye's football season, here's a recipe for Buckeyes, those mouth-watering chocolate covered peanut butter balls so near and dear to our hearts. By the way, if anyone figures out a good way to get the toothpick hole out of the top, let me know.

BUCKEYES

2 lbs powdered sugar

3 cups smooth peanut butter

1 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 lb (24 oz) bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 bar edible paraffin wax (optional but helps hold the shape)

Whip first 3 ingredients with mixer and chill for 1 hour. Roll into one inch balls. Set on parchment covered baking sheets and refrigerate while melting chocolate.

Melt chocolate in double boiler (mix in wax if used). Keep warm. Dip balls using a toothpick and leaving one spot uncovered on top. (This makes it a buckeye). Dry on wax paper. Chill in refrigerator.

Buckeyes can be frozen if well wrapped and hidden deeply in freezer where the little morsels can't be seen and stolen.

GO BUCKS!!

Go Bucks, Beat Michigan!!

It's that time of year again. And this promises to be a win for the Buckeyes. Of course, with Michigan, you can never be sure. But it is all fun and I'm looking forward to Beat Michigan Weekend!

As you can see below, we are always developing new Buckeye fans.

O-H-I-O !

I had no idea those folks in the late 1800's were so rowdy. Apparently, according to all that I could find on the matter, that's when the O-H-I-O cheer began.

Now there are several ways it is done. At the beginning of the game, the Horseshoe is divided up into four sections and each one yells out a letter in turn, round and round, until the ball is kicked.

Then there is the shout, "O-H!" answered by, "I-O!" Often this is shouted back and forth between the closed end of the Shoe where traditionally Block O sits and the South Stands where faithful alumni who can't afford better seats sit.

O-H! I-O! has become a recognized greeting among Buckeye fans--true Buckeye fans. As we travel we often see someone wearing an Ohio State shirt and we immediately yell out "O-H!" We can tell if they are wearing the shirt with pride if they yell back "I-O!" So, a word to the wise: If you're gonna wear the shirt, know the right response!!

By the way, O-H-I-O is showing up in some strange places. Take a look here.


Hang on Sloopy and let's go Bucks!!

The Shoe--the Ohio State Football Stadium

With all of its expansion and remodeling, The Shoe still resembles a horseshoe and is the center of all activity on football Saturdays in Columbus, a city that lives and breathes Buckeye football.

Back in 1913, when OSU joined "the big nine," officials at the university began to talk about replacing the old Ohio Field that fronted on High Street. It wasn't until August 3, 1921 that ground was broken for the stadium after a quite vigorous campaign to raise funds.

At the same time as the building of the stadium the bridge over the Olentangy River which many fans cross today to get to the games was also constructed.

The site chosen for the stadium was subject to flooding so there was a seven foot high earthen wall made along the Olentangy. Eventually the river was also straightened some and a dike built along the east bank.

The stadium was completed in time for the 1922 football season at a final cost of almost $1.5 million. Expansion projects have included field and box seats and the addition of the south stands which brought the seating capacity to around 89,000 from the original 66,000. Lowering the field and adding onto a few other places brought seating capacity to 98,000. But on football Saturday, more than 100,000 usually pack the stadium.

My husband's fondest memories of the Horseshoe--aside from the wins over that school from the North--are of the ham radio club that had their equipment in one of the towers at the open end of the Shoe.

O-H!

Brutus is Back!!

It's just about time to unpack Brutus and set him up again. The first Ohio State Buckeye football game is August 30 against Youngstown State. Our neighbors know us as the people who put that inflatable in the front yard during football season. Most of them are intelligent enough to know that it is the Ohio State Mascot--except for the Michigan fan who lives down the street.

The real Brutus has been around since 1965. Originally he was just a big buckeye made of paper mache (obviously not a good choice for outdoor weather) with holes cut for the student's arms and legs. The next year he was made of fiberglass. Eventually his appearance was updated to a large head shaped like a buckeye with a face and the scarlet and gray outfit with the block "O" cap.

Brutus had the honor of being inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2007. As it says in his bio there, "As a nut, he of course, is the life of the party, and loves being with people – especially fellow Buckeyes!"

Go Bucks!!

The Handwriting on the Football Field

When Ohio State University Coach Tressel first arrived, it was rumored that he had a difficult time explaining what TBDBITL meant. Somehow saying "The Best Darn Band In The Land" doesn't have the same impact. That band however, impacts the football season as much it seems as who are chosen as starters in the game.

Tressel has strongly encouraged the football players' participation in tradition and part of that is showing up for the band's pregame Skull session at St. John's arena. He also gathers the team at one end of the field postgame to meet with the band and sing the alma mater.

One thing the football team does not participate in though is Script Ohio. It is a tradition that has been around for 72 years now. Begun back in 1936, the band's original formation had a trumpet player in the last position who strutted out and dotted the i. It didn't take them long to realize that a sousaphone would be more visable from the stands. The honor goes to a different senior sousaphone player each week and has been surrounded with great fanfare including "My son dotted the i" tee shirts.

While the team may read the coach's handwriting on the wallboard in the locker room, the handwriting on the field belongs to the band and is read by over 90,000 fans on a football saturday in Columbus. Can't wait! Go Bucks!!

The Scarlet and Gray

Yes, we were among the thousands who went to Columbus even though we had no tickets to the Ohio State/Michigan game. I have never seen so many people gathered for a Buckeye game in my life!

Everyone wondered how the death of Bo Shembechler would affect the way Michigan played. I don't believe it was a factor. He was remembered fondly before the game at both the band's skull session and during the pre-game show. One can only imagine the two legends, Woody and Bo, together once again, wearing their respective colors while they cheered on their teams.

So, it is on to Arizona for the Buckeyes. The only question remaining is the name of the opposing team. And, of course, the Heisman.

Go Bucks!

TBDBITL

A true Buckeye fan/booster/alum knows what those initials stand for: The Best Damn Band In The Land. Every football Saturday played in Columbus starts with the "skull" session in St. John's Arena on the OSU campus. Actually, rather than a last practice for the band, it turns out to be more of a last minute pep rally for all.

The seats fill up fast (it's a free event) with the band parents and alum band members taking front and center. The excitement builds as the familiar "O-H" is answered with "I-O." Then the tingling begins in your spine as you feel the reverberations of the percussion section as the band assembles for their entrance onto the old basketball floor. Your pulse begins to match the tempo of the drums as they strain to be let free to the cheers and applause of all the scarlet and gray clad fans.

Tradition. There is much to be said for tradition. During his tenure at OSU, Jim Tressel has established a few of his own. First, it is mandatory for the team to attend the skull session and for one of them to speak to the crowd. At first I think some of them resented the intrusion on their pregame meditations, but now you see them getting as excited as their fans.

Then, after the game is over--win or lose, the team gathers at one end of the field in front of TBDBITL and sings the alma mater. Lately I've also noticed a few moments of prayer/meditation as well. That explains a bit about the problem Tressel had when he first got there and learned how to address the band. Unlike Woody, he had difficulty with the word damn. Listen closely when he says it. Does it sound more like darn band than damn band?

Go Bucks!!

Woody Hayes Lives On. . .

As we watched the Texas game on TV earlier this fall, I suddenly sat up straight and yelled, "Honey! It's Woody!" There beaming out at us from our television screen was the indomitable Woody Hayes--or so I thought for a fleeting second.

Woody Hayes went on to football heaven back in 1987 where I'm sure he's coaching a team again beneath a grove of buckeye trees. He was a complex man, dedicated to his football team and, believe it or not, education. I remember his passion as he spoke to encourage our future teachers group to strive for better education--to be a part of the solution--and yes, I'm sure he said something about winning the game.

Mr. Roger Thomas, a soybean and corn broker from Tipp City, has found himself in the uncanny position of being a look-alike Woody Hayes. And he's having all kinds of fun with it! Thanks to a Cleveland Plain Dealer story, the mystery behind the look-alike has been solved. I thought maybe some well-meaning booster had hired him to evoke the spirit of Woody football but it turns out Mr. Thomas is doing it all himself. A big "Thank You!" to him for resurrecting some wonderful memories to spur us on to victory.

Three yards and a cloud of dust! Here we come! Go Bucks!!

That School Up North

This is the big week! The big game! The one all Buckeyes look forward to for the whole season no matter what the standings.

We went to school in the days of Woody Hayes. He never called it M-m-m. . . (gosh, just can't say it). He always refered to that other university as "that school up north."

I watched last week as Indiana played "TSUN". It was in Indiana's stadium. Our game with Northwestern was played in their stadium. Both were televised at 3:30 and we switched between the channels to watch the scores almost copy each other. What amazed me though was that the Northwestern stadium had a tremendous amount of scarlet mixed in with their purple. While Indiana's crowd had little blue and maize that we could see. As a matter of fact, at one point the shot of the crowd showed a lot of empty seats. Hmmm. Could the Buckeyes be better fans?

Buckeye Tradition

I went to school in the Woody Hayes days at OSU. I know that's dating myself. It's okay. I've learned to live with growing older; after all, what's the alternative? The Michigan game at the end of the season always sent the campus into a frenzy. It still does. As a matter of fact it usually sends our household into a frenzy. This weekend was no different.

Flag flying and Brutus standing proudly in the front yard, our neighbors have come to accept that we're a little, well, you know...nutty. Last year we used Brutus for Halloween decoration and dressed as OSU fans requesting our "beggars" give the OH-IO cheer before receiving their candy. It's great fun, that rivalry with "that school up north". We have some friends that graduated from Michigan. We forgive them.

No OSU coach has survived the Michigan games quite as well as Tressel has though. No matter this year was not a stand out, everyone agrees, he won the important game today.

I especially appreciate Tressel's emphasis on the traditions of a college campus. The skull session (the band's pre-pregame show) is required attendance for the team. The crowd shows their appreciation and support before they head out to suit up for the game.

After the games there is the gathering of the team members with the band and those still left in the stands to sing the alma mater. Perhaps not all appreciate the gesture but as they look back to those college days it will ring in their memories. And someday they will return as we do and feel the thrill of those youthful days when the stress of higher education was put aside on Saturday as the band played, the crowd cheered and the alma mater was sung. "Time and change will surely show how firm thy friendship...O-HI-O."