As Buckeyes, when we think of beating Michigan, we think of the whole package.
First, we all know 99 percent of us will party in some way, shape or form. It doesn’t matter if you’re one of those people who get up at 4 a.m. to go to kegs & eggs or the person who sleeps until 11 a.m. and then goes to the game.
Regardless of which one you are, when we beat Michigan, the field is going to be rushed. It is a total shame there is a no-tolerance policy on a tradition considered to be one of the greatest time-honored celebrations in football.
Not to mention, we’ll have an unprecedented 13-0 season. We’re expected to not want to celebrate? If university officials think security of the players is that big of a deal, let them leave first. Then we’ll rush the field at our own risk.
I’m shocked that the incident in Marshall, by a coach, has penalized the fans. If you’re Michigan, you have the right to be scared. You’re in our house. Run off the field a little faster. We’ll be caught up with wearing Tostitos bags on our heads and buying tickets to Tempe to watch a team that has never given up this entire season.
Sure, there are going to be those people (the ones we don’t need) who are yelling obscenities at Michigan, but give Michigan personnel the police protection to get off the field. How many Buckeyes do you think will do anything detrimental to our players? Unless you consider “bad” to be the fans carrying the entire team down High Street – 150,000 people aimed at making sure nothing happens to them.
Many students just want to celebrate the win as a university. In the fraction of a fraction’s chance of us losing, I doubt anyone would want to rush the field in this worst-case scenario. I think the university and columbus police can rest a little easier and put their pepper-spray at bay. When there’s a celebration, it won’t be a mob. It’ll simply be a community celebrating an awesome win.
The skeptics are saying, “Well, even if it’s a celebration, with that many people running there’s going to be accidents.” True, there may be a few injuries, but you have to realize that if you run onto the field you are taking a risk. That’s part of the rush of rushing the field. Besides, if you’ve ever been to a good concert, things sometimes get rough there, but I’ve come back alive every time.
Those who are cut out to be rushers would only hold the highest standards of the tradition by holding our players and goalposts high. Those who wish to cheer on the side – great. Just don’t be the outdated conservative who worries too much. It reminds me of a quote from a famous college movie, “Van Wilder”: “Worrying is like a rocking chair: you can do a whole lot of it, but it’ll get you nowhere. Write that down.”
Jim Marchisiosophomore in transportation and logistics
