Mailbox: Dispatch's Ohio State football 'best plays' bracket guilty of recency bias

Mailbox: Dispatch’s Ohio State football ‘best plays’ bracket guilty of recency bias

Posted by Admin January 19, 2025 Football

Spread the love

Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com. Letters are lightly edited for clarity.

On Ohio State football

To Mr. White: Please advise your staff that OSU football players have been making “jump-up-worthy” memorable plays for generations. Your recent voting contest included only three out of 16 total plays that were from prior to 1990. I understand the bias towards recent games, but I submit the following are arguably more consequential than most of those on that list:

1916, “Chic” Harley 80-yd pick-six vs. Wisconsin (OSU 14-13).
1954, fourth-quarter goal-line stand vs. Michigan and resulting 99⅔-yard TD drive (OSU 21-7).
1968, Ted Provost 35-yd pick-six vs. unbeaten Purdue (OSU 13-0).
1972, two goal line stands vs. Michigan (OSU 14-11).
1979, Jim Laughlin fourth-quarter blocked punt for Todd Bell TD recovery vs. Michigan (OSU 18-15).

These plays refute Mr. Oller’s assertion that the defense chokes in the clutch. Also, Jack Parks’ “OSU Football Encyclopedia” is a much more useful reference than Google AI.

Steve Sova, Galloway

To Steve: Those are all good candidates that were not on our list. There were many that got cut from the list that folks could make arguments for.

To the editor: Since OSU did not defeat Michigan, they did not get the gold pants. If they win it all, I would suggest that they get platinum helmets (charms) as a reward.

J Thomas Jones

To Brian: Rob Oller’s wrap-up of OSU-Texas was like listing the pros and cons of a new toaster oven. The toasting was plenty good and lightning fast like the standout plays of Sawyer and Henderson. And Will Howard shined, getting a personal win. However, the second half of his story was discouraging as though the same oven had trouble with a meatloaf. It wasn’t quite “done” as desired.

TreVeyon was lucky he wasn’t tossed. Jeremiah not open? The perfect decoy (vs. ND). I question the wisdom of waiting 10 or more days; the result being rested or flat. Could we have avoided the “clown show”? Are more schools better? This isn’t basketball. The Buckeyes won the inaugural CFP championship, and now two storied heavyweights. Will it prove Ohio State as the most enduring and endearing program in history? It’s almost destiny.

Larry Cheek, Dublin

To Brian: However Monday’s game ends, Ryan Day will quickly pivot to focusing on signing new mercenaries − oh wait, I mean free agents; no, I mean student-athlete transfers. That’s it. − to fill the many vacancies he will now have in this brave new world. Good luck, coach.

Dennis Singleton, Dayton

To the editor: Hats off to coach Day. Despite the social media tar and feathering after he lost to Michigan, he brought the Buckeyes back to the brink of a national championship. It is the true character of a man of how he gets back up after he is knocked down. Coach Day has the John Wayne true grit, and I tilt my 10-gallon to him.

Michael Oser, Columbus