The Mailbag is Answered!

I'm finally getting around to answering the Mailbag question posed by friend of F&BT Ross Gellar a few weeks ago after Wisconsin's monumental loss to Michigan.

Ross' Question: Which team in the Big Ten has been the most disappointing over the last 5 years?

I wanted to give myself some space from the game as I knew I would be highly emotional about the Badgers for a few weeks, and I was right. Immediately, I was all about Ross' logic: he did some research, his argument made sense, I was vulnerable and impressionable (drunk), and most of all...I had lived almost all those losses as a student.

And after thinking about it for a few weeks, I can't say that the Badgers have been the most disappointing since 2003. Sure, it has been tough being a Badger fan and being so close, but not as bad as it has been for others. Think about it for a second. Would you rather be OSU or Michigan, and get to a big bowl game only to get embarrassed? That would suck just as much. Trust me, the Badgers have been fortunate to win their bowl games, and winning that last game does wonders for the mood of players, coaches, and fans alike throughout the offseason. Plus, they have won 47 games from 2003-2007. So that's my argument against the Badgers.

Here are a few other schools I looked at:

MICHIGAN: I thought they had to have some disappointing seasons over the last few years. The Alamo Bowl year came to mind, and I thought there had to be others. But I was wrong. Michigan is 46-17 over the last 5 years. Only once did they win less than 9 games, when they went to the Alamo Bowl with 7 wins. It turns out that Michigan just suffered from the Ohio State Syndrome...pulling Suck-Jobs in bowl games.

PURDUE: They always seem to fade in the years they are supposed to be good, or at least towards the end of Orton's career at Purdon't. But the more I thought about it, are expectations at Purdue really that high that they can be utterly disapointed every year? No, they're not. Purdue is 37-26 over the last 5 years, including 21-19 in the Big Televen. I'd say that's where Purdue fans should expect them to be, thus they shouldn't be disappointed.

IOWA: If this question were only about the last 3 years, Iowa takes this title running away (...from the cops!). Sure, they're only 1 game over .500 in the last three years. Yes, they were supposed to have excellent recruiting classes that should have been paying off right about now. Absolutely, those classes have been decimated by off-the-field incidents and injury. But as bad as it has been the last three years for Iowa, they had great years in '03 and '04, with a 20-5 record in that time. The Hawkeyes are 23-17 in the BT the last 5 years, which isn't great, but certainly not the most disapointing in the last 5 years.

And the most disappointing team in the Big Ten over the last five years is....

MICHIGAN STATE!

Congratulations Sparty, you've got an award courtesy of F&BT. I know WildHawk is loving this right now, as MSU is his most despised team in the conference. And you know what, even if I were an MSU fan over the last five years...they'd be my most despised team too. There are no two ways about it, it's been rough being a Spartan fan since 2003. Your recruiting is always fairly decent, plenty of HS talent resides in your state, you always open the season with some creampuff victories, optimism resides in your heart....and then the wheels come off. Next thing you know John L. Smith is yelling at Jack Arute, you blow a couple games, and your headed to the Alamo Bowl...or no bowl at all, as was the case in 2004-6. Seriously Sparty? The only 2 bowl games you've been to in the last 5 years is the Alamo Bowl ('03) and the Champs Sports Bowl ('07). You lost both times.


Yes, being a Spartan fan has been rough. You're 29-32 over the last five years, and even worse, you're 15-25 in Big Ten games. 10 games under .500!! To top it all off, Big Brother instate rival has enjoyed a good deal of success on the other side of the state. Basically, being a Michigan State fan is like being any other female sideline reporter not named Erin Andrews. Erin is Michigan, you're anybody else. You'll never be as good looking, and while they are enjoying unparralled success, you're toiling at some mediocre football game that few people are watching. Probably a Michigan State game.

We've Got Ourselves A MAILBAG!!

Pop the champagne...we've got a mailbag folks! Our first ever question came from my college buddy "Ross Gellar". Now, typically, the way mailbags work is that someone asks us a question and we answer it...but every blog does that. I'm going to try and change this up a bit, and pose all questions to you...my 15 readers. Use the comments section to let me know your answer! And if you want to be heard in this blog or have a question of your own...email me at firstandbigten@gmail.com!!

Ross' Question: Which team in the Big Ten has been the most disappointing over the last 5 years?

F&BT fans...I want to know what you think. Look for my answer to this question in the near future, but in the meantime...give Ross' answer to his own question a little thought. Forewarning, Ross Gellar is a Badger fan and sent this in on Saturday after Michigan did something terrible to the Badgers. Enjoy.

Ross' Answer:
There are so many ways to subjectively consider this question. Look at some of the worst performing teams over the past 5 years and you could say that Indiana or Northwestern have been the most disappointing. Minnesota's 1-11 season last year was terrible and disappointing for their fans. And certainly, Ohio State laying two eggs in the last two national championship games is disappointing for the entire Big Ten. Those are persuasive arguments.

But how is Wisconsin simply not the most disappointing program in the last five years. In 2005, this team lost to Northwestern and then had two, count 'em, two opportunities to go to the Rose Bowl. Both were losses in back to back weeks to Penn State and Iowa. The year before that it was the same story. Go to Michigan State and win and you go to Pasadena at worst. In consecutive weeks they choked!

And the 2003 team underperformed its way to 7-6 record.

Last year, the team was ranked in the top 5 (admittedly way overrated, but isn't not living up to a high ranking the definition of sports disappointment?) and lost in a cataclysmic manner in Illinois. Then they got waxed in State College the next week. Show you are a second-class citizen in the Big Ten by losing to Ohio State and you have yourself a berth in the Outback Bowl (which you lose to a declining program in Tennessee). Fantastic.

Today's loss to Michigan is really just a continuation of the past 4 years. This team was given a golden opportunity...a loss by OSU opened the door for them to beat a down Michigan team then have the Big Ten's other best teams at their place. But, in typical Wisconsin fashion, we can't win the big game.

You might interject right now, haven't they won 3 Rose Bowls in the last 15 years? Yes that's true. But we haven't sniffed the Rose or any other BCS bowl since the 1999 season. Every time we have, we have had a massive meltdown. So, I don't define disappointment as being terrible (Indiana, Northwestern or Minnesota) or getting to a championship game and then choking. Hey, at least Buckeye fans got to spend their December's under the (misguided) belief that they had a championship caliber team on their hands! With the Badgers, we are good enough to have the opportunities but never quite good enough to actually seize them.

That's why, in my opinion, the University of Wisconsin has been the most disappointing program in the Big Ten in the last 5 years. And don't get me started with why...I think it boils down to not having a playmaker at the most important position on the field. Sorgi, Stocco, Donovan, Evridge....game manager, game manager, game manager. Give me someone who can win the big game, not just get me there!!!

3rd Time's a Charm - Ohio State Football

Ohio State football will be good this year. Real good. Deal with it.

Nearly every pre-season publication has them ranked in the top 3 teams in the country. They return an absurd 18 players off of a National Championship participant team. They had one of the best recruiting classes in the country last year, including landing way-too-often-talked-about Terrelle Pryor. From now on, I refuse to write his name in this blog until he does something ridiculous. We'll call him "That One Guy". As inauspicious and damning as someone's name can get.

Yes, Ohio State will be good this year. Deal with it.

If you really want an Ohio State Preview, look somewhere else...anywhere else, because they are literally everywhere. They are probably one of the most talked about teams this preseason. Instead, I'm going to give you the reason why Ohio State straight up pisses me off:

1. "The" Arrogance. Nothing bothers me more than when some idiot stresses the "The" before saying Ohio State. Why? So it's not confused with all those other Ohio State Universities? This is ridiculous, and that sense of arrogance directly affects their play.
2. National Championship Game Suck-job, First Edition. Yeah, I know that I can't talk because my team has never made it there, but come on. Respect yourselves and take your opponent seriously. Troy Smith, Ted Ginn and Co. sucked dick in the game because they got way too arrogant and didn't take Florida seriously. They probably walked around all week stressing the word "The" before describing anything...including "The" suck-job they were about to pull.
3. National Championship Game Suck-Job, V2.0. I don't discredit them as much for the game against LSU because they no doubt took it seriously, and it was closer than people think. My problem with this game occurred early, maybe the first punt return. As the OSU returner was about to head out to catch the punt, who else but "The" arrogant Ted Ginn is standing on the sideline, looking like a punk, and giving this kid advice. Hey Ted, you already effed up one title game, why are you on the bench trying to ruin another?
4. Jim Tressel. The only reason he pisses me off is because he lets idiots like Ted Ginn stand on the sidelines and mess with his players before a big game. When you're in the National Championship game that you got embarrassed in last year, wouldn't you want your team focused? Wouldn't you limit distractions? I completely understand letting former players/famous people onto the sidelines, but keep them out of the box reserved for current players. And certainly don't let idiots like Ted Ginn give them advice. Other than that, I actually love Tressel. I think the sweater vest is classy and he's never really done anything that bad...except for enable those...
5. Cheatin' Sumbitches. How does a program that had it's highest profile recruit driving a "borrowed" car with "gifts" in the back report said car stolen, then take back the stolen claim, only to have all of America know he did it because of the gifts...how does that not draw any interest from the NCAA? How does it's most recent Heisman Trophy winner have to sit out a few games because he was suspended for taking cash? How much dirt does OSU have on Myles Brand and the NCAA? Why does no one else bring this up ever?

So there you go. My rant on OSU. Despite all my dislikes for Ohio State, I will be cheering for them this year. We all should. For the sake of the Big Ten, Ohio State needs to beat USC. For the sake of the Big Ten, Ohio State needs to get back to the title game...and actually win it. Just keep ol' Teddy Ginn away from "That One Guy" on the sidelines.