Weekend miscellany gives Mike Lanese his just due
One of the most utilized ways to bump up a post count and keep a blog in an RSS reader is through a generic wish of a happy weekend for all persons reading (excepting those from Michigan). I’m just as guilty of doing this as the next blogger. That said, I thought I’d extend these Weekend posts to try to incorporate a fresh YouTube for all to enjoy.
My old man happened to find this game, and I’m indebted to him for making it possible for me to get my first Earle Bruce-era YouTube up. The year was 1985. I was still in diapers, Reagan was president, gasoline was disgustingly cheap and Earle Bruce roamed the sidelines with some up-and-comer named Jim Tressel assisting him with quarterbacks and receivers. The Buckeyes had a Rose Bowl run the year earlier and featured a team of Jim Karsatos, Cris Carter, Jeff Uhlenhake, John Wooldridge, Tom Tupa, Chris Spielman, and Pepper Johnson1. Those are just the names I spotted that are of note, though I do know of the name of Terry White, who started in the secondary.
The person who gets the accolades in this post is Mike Lanese. Lanese was a two-time Academic All-American, Rhodes Scholar and veteran of the armed forces. He was also only one of two starting wide receivers on the Buckeye team in 1985. Cris Carter was the other; maybe you’ve heard of him. In the Colorado game, Lanese hauled in an exceptional touchdown grab in the first quarter to get the Buckeyes knotted up with the Buffs at 7-7. The Buckeyes eventually won rather easy by a margin of 36-13.
Readers unaware of Mike Lanese can read this article on him. My dad and I had the opportunity to hear him speak at a function associated with my graduation. Much to our chagrin, Lanese mostly talked about politics.
I’ve watched this game through and I’m not sure if I’ve spotted a young Jim Tressel. I know he was an assistant on this team, and arguably the star assistant at that. That said, I don’t know if he’s in the booth or on the sidelines.
- how did we not go to the Rose Bowl this year? And how in the hell did we lose to Wisconsin in that year as well? [↩]
Written by: Vico |
Great videos. Lanese was one of my favorite Buckeyes growing up.
There’s one absolute gem from this game, but I’m saving it until Father’s Day.