Sports Page Bar and Grill is becoming a family affair. Top picture of Buckeye Bob, Cat and Brett toasting our champagne in front of NEW large screen TV, compliments of new owner Misha. Middle picture is Buckeye Bob accepting gift from visiting President of Las Vegas alumni club Christopher Burke, a small silver flask. Above picture is of our new family of Buckeyes, thanks to Misha new owner of the Sports Page Bar and Grill. Those pictured are Giselle left with all the beautiful hair, Melissa our waitress (she is great), behind her is Brett, next is Cat and Buckeye Bob behind her, Misha the new owner of The Sports Page Bar and Grill and Steve on right. Steve has been the TV man, who knows what team is on what satellite or channel for the past 10 years. Steve also let our group in early at 5am for our 6am games many times even though the Sports Page has never officially opened until 8am. Steve also helps with the cooking when needed. Thanks to all of you for making our Saturdays very SPECIAL during the football season.
The first person I met this past Saturday at the Sports Page was Larry Baber who is on the Holiday Bowl committee and responsible for the Team Selections. I told him the way Ohio State is playing we may be back in that bowl this year. He said that cannot happen because Ohio State no longer has a contract with that bowl.
Ohio State performed the way I expected them to against Colorado. With the new QB Braxton Miller they played well enough for an easy victory. Yes they got some big breaks, the defense did not look stellar and Braxton's arm throwing the ball was below average. However on a few tosses he did show that he had the potential to be average or above somewhere down the road.
What we are looking for is a steady improvement each week in all factors of The Ohio State football team and I believe that will happen. Just a little better each week. Michigan State is only an average football team with an above average QB in Cousins a senior. However, I believe Ohio State can squeak by them. Next is Nebraska?
My hope is, that Nebraska will beat Wisconsin this Saturday night. I know the chances of that happening are very slim, since the game is at Camp Randall and the Badgers do appear so far to be the standout team in the Big Ten. Strange things do happen occasionally!! So if Nebraska beats Wisconsin and we beat MSU this week and beat Nebraska at home the week after, it will be Ohio State looking the best in the Big Ten or at least in the Leaders Division. It could all happen. However, if Ohio State does not beat Wisconsin on October 29, we will be out of the Big Ten Championship game, since both Wisconsin and Ohio State are in the Leaders Division, unless Wisconsin looses two games and Ohio State only looses one. So even if Wisconsin does beat Nebraska this Saturday, if we beat Wisconsin and do not loose another Big Ten game, we will define our own destiny. This conversation has too many if's, so lets put it on hold for the time being.
After the game against Colorado and after the Champagne my good friend Dan called me from Ohio, where he attended the game. He went to the game with his Uncle Herb and my sister Ann. During our phone conversation, we somehow made a bet. I said Ohio State would win the next three games and he said No, so we have a $20 bet on for each of the next three games. Below is what Dan said about our game against Colorado:
"The game Saturday was not a good one and I think they would have been better off scrimmaging with themselves. Jordan Hall should have been kicked off the team just because of his association with TP. He should be benched when the TAT5 returns. What I did see that was good was the O-Line sustaining their blocks. But the whole offense looked like a version of the single wing. And that decision to go for a Field Goal from the one yard line was vintage Tressel. I'm figuring how to spend that $60."
Dan is from Laurinsburg, North Carolina and this is what he said next:
Dan is from Laurinsburg, North Carolina and this is what he said next:
"Laurinburg is in Scotland County and they are having the annual Scottish Games on Saturday. It might be better to watch a bunch of guys in skirts compete than watching MSU/OSU. I actually don't think MSU is anything better than mediocre so you may have a chance. "
Next Dan was trying to give me a chance to get out of the bet we made for the next three weeks.
Dan did not care for my e-mail reply to him where I was doing my best job of building the Buckeyes up. I also told him if the Buckeyes go to the Big Ten Championship game at Indianapolis I expect him to pay for my ticket to attend that game. Here is his reply:
Next Dan was trying to give me a chance to get out of the bet we made for the next three weeks.
"Because I like you and you're sorta family, I'm gonna offer you a buyout. Agree to paying me $40 now and I'll let you out of the bet. My advice is just write the check and blame it on the Champagne you drank on Saturday. You sounded sloshed. Hell, you must have been to make the bet you made. Don't hesitate on this. I might change my mind I've gotta go; Las Vegas is calling, they want to get my input for setting the lines for next week."
Dan did not care for my e-mail reply to him where I was doing my best job of building the Buckeyes up. I also told him if the Buckeyes go to the Big Ten Championship game at Indianapolis I expect him to pay for my ticket to attend that game. Here is his reply:
"Try to keep up. You are delusional about the Suckeyes. Just show this ranting email to your psychiatrist and they will agree that you have a problem. But be careful, you may end up in a straight jacket. As far as the so called bet for a ticket to the Big Ten Championship, it is an invalid bet. There is nothing offered to me if I win the bet. In Business Law it's called a "lack of consideration". You should know this. Oh, I forgot where you went to school. Besides that, OSU and Wisconsin are in the same division and you've acknowledged that OSU will likely lose to Wisconsin. Ergo, even if Wisconsin loses a game, they will still represent the division because of the head-to-head win against OSU. Again, try to keep up. Your statement about your QB being "the best on the field" only would be valid if Braxton Miller were throwing footballs in one of Joanne's pastures (referring to his wife's horse farm). Bob, it's becoming clear that Assisted Living is in your near future. Dan"
Dan was telling me about his son and the possibility that he may apply for Med school soon and if that happens the possibility of his son helping me. Also, a comment about his Bull dogs and a slur against our beloved Buckeyes. Lucky we Buckeyes have thick skin. Ha!
Correction from my last blog: My friend Bob Garner from Indiana, I said only held jobs for the railroads his entire life. That is incorrect, sorry Bob. He did work for the Indiana Department of Transportation as Deputy Director-Division of Railroads from 1984 to 1988. Even though he did not work directly for a railroad, he was working with the railroad operations connected to the Indiana Department of Transportation. When we met last Tuesday Bob and I hit it off just like we had when we first met 39 years ago. We must have been put on Earth to be friends.
Buckeye Bob until preview of Michigan State game.
Dan was telling me about his son and the possibility that he may apply for Med school soon and if that happens the possibility of his son helping me. Also, a comment about his Bull dogs and a slur against our beloved Buckeyes. Lucky we Buckeyes have thick skin. Ha!
"My son got his MCAT scores yesterday and he did quite well. He scored a 30(80th percentile). He will wait till June to apply to Med School because that's when the new classes start to be filled. Otherwise, he's competing for fewer slots. If he decides to study gerontology, he could possibly help you. Oh, no, wait-by then you'll be strapped to a Nursing Home bed, drooling and yelling Bring Back Tressel. One of my Bulldogs is having a real flatulence problem. To an OSU alum, that means he's farting. Speaking of OSU alums, I need to go to Walmart to do some grocery shopping."
Correction from my last blog: My friend Bob Garner from Indiana, I said only held jobs for the railroads his entire life. That is incorrect, sorry Bob. He did work for the Indiana Department of Transportation as Deputy Director-Division of Railroads from 1984 to 1988. Even though he did not work directly for a railroad, he was working with the railroad operations connected to the Indiana Department of Transportation. When we met last Tuesday Bob and I hit it off just like we had when we first met 39 years ago. We must have been put on Earth to be friends.
Buckeye Bob until preview of Michigan State game.
