OSU 27, Toledo 22.
Now that may be the final score, but in no way does the agate type here at FRM truly capture the essence of one of the finest moments in the storied history of the program.
The moment when we saw a TRUE demonstration of humanity, compassion, and Ohio student athlete-to-student athlete solidarity from the unstoppable scarlet and gray juggernaut, that Independence Day (1996)-esque force of city-smashing mayhem and modern analog to the Mongol Horde of the 13th century.
Yes, every year one or more teams from the off-brand non-OSU football programs of the Buckeye State come in to the horseshoe in September. And every year - until NOW - said unfortunate program gets served up a dose of devastation comparable to what our boys the Mongols laid out on Baghdad in February of 1258.
But unlike in years past, and unlike in 1258 (when the Mongols stuffed poor caliph Al-Musta'sim in a sack and trampled him with their horses), THIS time the great and omnipotent Buckeye program showed something you never see in major collegiate athletics: humanity.
So enlightened, so kind, so gentle, and so CIVILIZED were Fickell's men that they magnanimously allowed the helpless Toledo players to believe that they actually had a chance. That maybe, just maybe, they would someday be able to sit in their crumbling hovels within the City of Toledo, ducking random bullets, grandchildren on their laps, and be able to tell of that wondrous afternoon in 2011 when they actually did the unthinkable and BEAT the scalet and grey Horde.
Ah, cruel fate, that in the end this was not to be.The cold and cruel realities of major football factory "machine" athletics dictated that the door had to be eventually shut on this dream in the 59th minute of play. But still, that was 59 more minutes of hope than the Horde usually gives to its September opponents. The Monkey chokes up with emotion at the thought of so much compassion, so much kindness to shown to these hapless Toledettes.
NEXT UP: at Tha U, where the players in the pregame warmups can compare who got comped more in the way of hookers and blow during the recruiting process.
