Being a sports fan in Ohio, particularly in the Cleveland area, is an interesting experience. Our state has little to show for the efforts of its professional sports teams; the state is ringless in Superbowls and NBA Finals. We’ve had a rough history, from being abandoned by one of our own football teams in “The Move” (you’re welcome, Baltimore Ravens fans) and by our own favorite son in “The Decision” (don’t worry LeBron, I never burned your jersey) to just plain awful seasons, or even worse – coming so close to glory and barely missing it. Following sports in Ohio is a little like riding a roller coaster.
We’ve had some pretty high highs, like LeBron’s glorious return to Cleveland in 2014 that catapulted the Cavaliers to an NBA finals run in 2015, and some pretty low lows, like seeing that run end in a loss at home (thanks a lot, Steph Curry and your adorable family). However, Ohio sports fans all have one thing in common: we stick by our teams, even amidst tough seasons and we’re still proud of them in defeat, even the casual fans like me.
In Ohio, we take football very seriously, whether it is at the high school level, or the NFL. If I had to pick my favorite football team (besides the 2013 OHSAA state championship winning team from St. Vincent-St. Mary high school), the Ohio State Buckeyes would take the title. I prefer college football to professional football anyway, and the Cleveland Browns are too difficult to watch after years of unsuccessful quarterback and coaching changes, and the team is even more sunk after Money Manziel’s latest antics have him moved to third string. The Buckeyes, however, I can get behind. I’m not an avid fan – I’ve never been to a game inside the Horseshoe, I didn’t even apply to OSU, and I definitely don’t bleed scarlet and gray, but as the daughter of an Ohio State alum, I was born a Buckeye fan. I still remember being seven and being so excited that I was allowed to stay up late to watch the kickoff of the 2002 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. I remember seeing my dad’s excitement the next day after his alma mater became National Champions for the first time since 1970. Even more recently, I remember my own excitement just last winter year when OSU defeated Oregon and was crowned the National Champion once again.
There’s something about Ohio State football that brings every Ohioan together, whether you attend classes in Columbus or not. We’re often the underdog and we want to prove that our state is capable of something special – illustrated by the “Ohio Against the World” mantra that took off after the 2015 Sugar Bowl. It’s practically a sin not to tune in to the storied rivalry game against the University of Michigan each year. However, it isn’t always easy to root for the Buckeyes. After all, they’re still an Ohio sports team and they have had their fair share of controversies -- from the tattoo scandal that resulted in a bowl game ban in 2012, to last season’s quarterback shuffle finally ending with Cardale Jones, and the recent drama of J.T. Barrett’s DUI and Ezekiel Elliott’s decision to forgo his senior season to enter the NFL draft next year. Despite all of this, the Buckeyes still stand tall in my eyes and the eyes of Ohio.
