The rivalry between the Ohio State and Michigan football teams is a HUGE one. Although we’re already slated to go to the Rose Bowl after beating Iowa last week, this is still a HUGE game. As I said, it’s a HUGE rivalry. Some even say that it’s the biggest rivalry in college football, perhaps even in all of North American sports. And today, we beat Michigan 21 – 10. Their quarterback threw several interceptions, one of which I’ve started calling a “Jay Cutler,” named after the current Bears QB. The throw is one that would be a touchdown pass but is intercepted in the end zone. In Cutler’s case, it was the last play of the game last Thursday against the 49ers. Barf, Jay Cutler. Barf.

I have never been a sports fanatic. (When it comes to hockey, to be honest, I’d rather play than watch.) Before grad school, I watched the Bears occasionally because I liked football OK, but was never a fan of college football. Plus, DePaul, where I went for undergrad, doesn’t have a football team. When I chose to go to Ohio State, I had no idea how HUGE the culture surrounding Buckeye football really is. When I received an option to buy student season tickets, I just figured what the hell, why not?

According to GQ magazine’s list of America’s 25 Douchiest Colleges, Ohio State comes in at #19 for having “excessive school pride.” And according to SPIKE, Ohio State is among The Top 10 Teams With the Most Annoying Fans. Yes, Ohio State fans are fanatic. And now, this former non-fan of college football is a die-hard, Ohio State fanatic, though I draw the line at painting my face. However, I wear my buckeye beads to games (yes, they’re made of buckeyes, poisonous nuts that grow on the state tree) and own all sorts of Ohio State gear, and most importantly, the Official Ring, which my parents gave me when I graduated. Oh, and Brian and I are lifetime members of the Ohio State Alumni Association.

Going to Ohio State was like being converted into…almost a religion! And I’ve embraced it. The school is steeped in tradition and I’m all about tradition. I think it’s because I always felt like a loner as a child and needed a sense of belonging. Maybe I still do. I think that playing Women’s Club Hockey, even though it was during the team’s lean years, sealed the deal for me as a Buckeye.

Brian and I even did “The Long Walk,” which, according to the The Oval Walking Tour, states:

Rumor has it that if you walk hand-in-hand with your significant other across the length of the Oval, you’ll be together forever. Start on the Oval’s east side and walk west to the Main Library.

Yet another tradition is that of the Gold Pants that began in 1934: after beating Michigan, the players and coaches are awarded a pendant of a pair of football pants made of gold. So, to this year’s Buckeyes, Coach Tressel, and staff, wear those pants well! Congratulations!

And if anyone wants to buy me a pair of tickets to the upcoming Rose Bowl, they go on sale December 8! Thanks!

I had a really good post for this week, but we’re leaving Cedar Falls this morning for a 5 – 6 hour drive home. So, the festivities will just have to wait for next Friday!

We just returned from seeing The Men Who Stare At Goats, but since Robin, who’s a huge Kevin Spacey fan hasn’t seen it yet, I won’t write a review but I’ve included the trailer. And I will say this: though based on a true story, the movie spoofs the Jedi Order, which is especially funny because Ewan McGregor, also in the movie, plays young Obi-Wan who’s a Jedi of course (see right), in TPM and AOTC. But you don’t need to be an SW fan or know anything at all about SW to appreciate the movie.

Also, there was a bunch of teenagers, mainly girls, sitting in a line outside the theater, and I was like, “What the fuck?” Brian said they were camping out for the new Twilight movie, which I’m not even bothering to link to. Turns out they’re showing it at like midnight or something. Barf. On our way out, Brian wanted to ask them if they were waiting for the new Harry Potter movie.

photo [via]

Brian and I just returned to our hotel after having lunch with a good friend (“Kurt”) who teaches at the University of Northern Iowa (where Brian went for undergrad), Kurt’s wife (“Amy”), and his colleague (“Ted”). We haven’t seen each other in at least 5 years, so it was a really special time and lots of fun, even though we’re pretty sure the 2 ladies sitting near us at lunch disapproved of our scatological conversation. Inappropriate talk at the table most definitely, but it all started after Ted visited the men’s toilet. Let’s just say that if a play is ever written about shitting and pissing and things that you just shouldn’t be doing while shitting or pissing, then you’ll know that the seed for that as-yet-unwritten play began with us.

After several trips up and down the aisles of one of the campus lots because Ted couldn’t remember where he parked, we wished him goodbye and a safe trip to Minneapolis where he was headed immediately after lunch for a John Fogerty concert. We then took a tour of the greenhouse on campus and saw a monkey cup or, pitcher plant (scroll down after clicking link), which is a carnivorous plant I never knew existed (see pic — they look like organic condoms, don’t they?). I dared Kurt to stick his finger inside, but he wouldn’t. We toured more of the campus while walking Amy back to her office, and afterwards, Kurt took us on an extensive tour of the various new and remodeled buildings since Brian’s time there.

I wish I was able to take pictures, but it was too cold and sprinkling out. The campus, while certainly not as large as Ohio State’s, is very pretty and has many neat sculptures sprinkled throughout the grounds. We even walked on the field of the UNI-Dome, which was the highlight for me. I touched the end zone with my finger! We took a couple of pictures there, but they were with the point-and-shoot, the cable of which is lost, and the gadget to upload pics from the memory card is at home. Kurt also took a picture of Brian and me under the conference titles sign and I’ll post those later. I wanted them to take a picture of me lying on the UNI Panthers logo on the 50-yard line, but we continued our brisk pace. As we walked back through the football field after visiting the Wellness Center, I noticed that the football players were just coming out to start practice. Kurt suggested I have my picture taken with them but Brian thought it was inappropriate and was basically a spoilsport.

All in all, it was a wonderful visit and I regret not being able to take pictures. That just means we’ll have to return during the summer and prowl the campus again.

photo [via]

Mom is an avid quilter and made me this quillow — a combination quilt and pillow. In this picture, it’s in pillow form. You can click on each photo to see larger versions. And when you do, you should be able to see the detail on the fabric, which consists of hockey pucks, shoulder pads, skates, jerseys, sticks, and helmets — even goalie sticks and goalie helmets. Hmm…. This quillow can be opened up and…voilà — it’s a quilt!

I absolutely love it! But part of me wonders if this is Mom’s way of encouraging me to play hockey again. Perhaps, but mainly she knows how much I love the game.