Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com. Letters are lightly edited for clarity.
On Ohio State football
To the editor: Ages ago — from 1957 to 1963 — one of the Westerns on TV as I was growing up was called “Have Gun – Will Travel.” It featured a “gentleman gunslinger/investigator” named Paladin, who roamed the badlands working as a mercenary for hire. He would help defenseless people living in the Wild West solve their problems — which often meant killing bad guys.
Jim Knowles strikes me as a modern-day Paladin. Nobody, of course, is harmed in his travels from campus to campus, serving as one of the most brilliant defensive coaches in memory. But as a college football fan and observer, I was left wondering why he made the lateral move to Penn State. I doubt it was about mere money − Ohio State would have written a check for any amount he wanted. Getting closer to his sweet home, Philadelphia? Maybe, I guess. Was he insulted after the Oregon game in October, when Ryan Day said the defense needed to improve? Eh, Knowles doesn’t strike me as that sort of buttercup.
In the end, perhaps he just enjoys fixing things that are broken — like the trouble PSU has when playing OSU. To that, I simply say … don’t “break a leg,” coach Knowles. Literally or figuratively! Otherwise, best wishes. And thank you.
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John Meyer, Worthington
To John: Nobody in the Ohio State program is talking, but there’s something very odd about Knowles’ departure. Leaving to be a head coach would make sense. Leaving for the same position at a lesser rival sure smells like there is something he doesn’t like about Ohio State and the way he was treated.
Dear Mr. White: Thank you for your response to James’ letter. Any so-called OSU “fan” who sent or posted threatening messages or mentioned suicide to Ryan Day, his wife or his children should be begging for forgiveness. Not from Ryan Day, but from God. They should be seeking help from a counselor or their clergy. Their families and friends should be holding them accountable for their despicable, unacceptable actions. If I were Ryan and Nina Day, I’d consider taking legal action against them. There is no excuse. I don’t care if they claim “temporary insanity” or they bet their house or a lot of money on the game. I repeat, get help. It is a game and NOTHING justifies that kind of behavior. It is OK to question the game plan, the play-calling and whether or not Day and the coaching staff got “tight” before THE game and that translated to the players. Had OSU lost to Tennessee, it would have been OK to question whether he is the right coach for OSU, because we certainly had the talent this year to win it all.
One has to wonder if that loss and the egregious behavior of a small percentage of certifiable people created a bond among the team and coaching staff that helped to propel them to the pinnacle of college football. Perhaps the loss to TTUN was exactly what was needed. It is my sincere hope that Ryan and Nina know that there are only a handful of people among the Buckeye faithful who need serious help. I commit to holding those “fans” accountable on social media and I ask the friends and families of those seriously disturbed individuals to do the same. On behalf of the vast majority of OSU fans, I ask Ryan and Nina to stay in Columbus and give the rest of us a chance.
Diana Lewis
To Diana: My puzzlement with Ohio State fans goes beyond the lunatics who would threaten a coach’s family. It’s easy to be disgusted at that fringe. What I don’t get is the many, many more who wanted Day fired because he lost to Michigan but beat nearly everyone else. Fire Day and hire whom? That’s the question that doesn’t bring a sensible answer.
To Brian: The Columbus Dispatch writes that Ohio State football has won seven national championships and that Ohio State recognizes nine. Lori Schmidt wrote in her column that The Dispatch only counts championships awarded by AP or UPI polls and “This has long been The Dispatch’s policy.” Question: Does the NCAA count? They acknowledge nine OSU football championships.
I guess The Dispatch knows more than the rest of the country. I understand some of the logic of omitting the other two titles, but the national standard should be set by a national acknowledged standard, not by a local policy.
Jeff
Hello Mr. White: I would like to tell you about the importance of marching band and how great of a influence that it makes during football games. Each game, every year, when halftime comes, the marching band steps onto the field to do its halftime show, which is never really appreciated as you can’t even see it online when viewing it from the television. I think that in order for the bands to get the recognition they deserve, there should be time during halftime online where the reporters just let the band take the spotlight as if the people watching were there. It shouldn’t be up to the audience members to have to record the band in order for them to get recognition at all online. The more that we show the band, the more fans there will stay for halftime. Doing that will attract people who, while not necessarily caring for the actual game, will be there to support the band, which boosts morale within the band and fans from both sides of the arena.
David Van Bruggen
To David: We agree that it’s a large part of the game-day experience, and that’s why Dispatch.com offers a video each Saturday showing the performance. It’s quite popular among our readers.
To Brian: The football Buckeyes have had high praise spread all around – except, however, to one group, the group always overlooked: the offensive line. If they don’t do well, it doesn’t matter who’s handling the ball. It looked bad when Josh Simmons went down and after Seth McLaughlin, who had transferred in and was sensational, also went down as the team scrambled to make do. Make do they did, as I’m sure players and coaches worked tirelessly to re-tool and affectively created a cohesive unit that allowed the offense to click once again and bring joy throughout the land. Thanks o-line. Your story of overcoming adversity is the best story of the season, and you are why the Buckeyes are champions.
Dennis Singleton, Dayton
To the editor: I am giddy over the Buckeyes being national champions, and without Jeremiah Smith the Bucks probably wouldn’t have won it all. However Mr. Smith is not worth $4.5 million per season, as recently rumored on the never-reliable internet. Mr. Smith is one injury or temper tantrum away from the bench. I believe the Buckeye brand can survive losing Mr. Smith and play the next-player-up game. Who knows? The next player up may be LeBron seeking his OSU diploma.
Michael Oser, Columbus
To Michael: If the internet is never reliable, why are you repeating unsubstantiated rumors you see there?
More from the Mailbox
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Ohio State football fans still trying to figure out ‘genius’ play-calling
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