First, the quote by Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee heard round the college football world:
…[H]aving been both a Southeastern Conference president and a Big Ten president, that it’s like murderer’s row every week for these schools. We do not play the Little Sisters of the Poor. We play very fine schools on any given day. So I think until a university runs through that gantlet that there’s some reason to believe that they not be the best teams to [be] in the big ballgame.
TCU’s athletic director, Chris Del Conte, had this to say in response:
Anytime. Anyplace. Anywhere,” he said. “Buckeyes against the Horned Frogs. Tee it up. Let’s go.
Oh really, because TCU declined to play Ohio State within the past three years. Anytime, anyplace, anywhere could have been last year if TCU had wanted it.
In late December of 2007, Ohio State said it had reached a deal to open the 2009 season at home against TCU. Army had recently backed out of a planned series, and the Horned Frogs, coming off an 8-5 season, were set for a one-game trip to Columbus. According to Ohio State, the game had been agreed to but the contract wasn’t yet signed.
And remember, this story was written a year ago, before all of this hullabaloo about Gee’s quote hit the airwaves, so it’s not like OSU made those statements in response to the Del Conte’s boasting and chest thumping.
And Boise State? Their president Bob Kustra seems to think their schedule is as tough as any school, Ohio State or otherwise.
First, that is obviously baloney. But maybe it would be less baloney if Boise State had Nebraska on their schedule. Oh wait, they had the opportunity to play Nebraska and they declined to play for less than a ridiculous $1 million payout?
Nebraska called. Nebraska tried.
In the past year, NU tried to put together a series with BSU; two-for-one, home-and-home, one-way trip to Lincoln. Whatever. It ended up fizzling out. Why?
Because, according to NU Assistant Athletic Director Jeff Jamrog, Boise wanted a minimum $1 million to play in Lincoln.
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere indeed.
The timing of Gee’s statement was terrible. The Game is in less than two days and I have to waste my time writing this story.
However, Gee looks pretty smart in comparison to the idiocy that Del Conte and Kustra have spewed in response. Facts are facts, and the facts say you are chest thumping hypocrites.
Now let us get back to more important things, The Game awaits.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
