I’m Bored. So Watch this 8-man Punt Return TD.
I’m bored. I think we’re all bored. It seems like the only Big Ten bloggers with anything to talk about these days are the guys covering Sparty. Ohio State’s women’s team were routed by the Stanford Cardinal, or at least: that’s how it unfolded late as a 7pt lead degenerated into an 18pt thumping. The men’s hockey team, well… they’re improving. It’s a very young team that just made their way back (at long last) to the NCAA Tournament. However, I was crying uncle early into the second period. The Buckeyes ended up getting beat 8-3.
So… yeah. Umm…
Hmm…
Okay, we can all watch this. I forgot that I have the 1996 Pitt game on my person, and had it copied onto my laptop that I brought into work this morning. I had copied it for a friend (Max, actually), and forgot I had it until I got bored at work. So, rather than do actual work, I spent the better part of my post-lunch time compiling the game into a made-for-YouTube video. The full game compilation should be finally up some time tonight, but this is the 72-0 game where Ohio State played almost nobody but freshmen in the second half and never threw the ball once in the second half.
In this clip, you get to see David Boston making what has to be special teams history. Late into a 65-0 rout of the hapless Panthers, Ohio State’s special teams unit had gotten a little lackadaisacal. In fact, Ohio State fielded only 7 blockers ahead of a freshman David Boston to field a punt with about 3 minutes remaining. Gary Danielson, in his pre-SEC shill days, looks on in absolute astonishment as David Boston takes in the punt for a touchdown. It was his 3rd of the day. 11W uploaded this earlier, so apologies are in order if I’m stepping on any toes here. But I’m bored; that’s my excuse. This one is the original ESPN broadcast, though, so… yeah. That, and I’m bored.
Don’t tell my boss that I was YouTube-ing on the job. Let this be our little secret 
.
When is the Spring Game again?
this is incredible, how’d i not know about this? thanks vico
I remember a reporter asked Boston after the game, and he said something to the effect of, “Well there were only 7 guys. Or maybe 8. All I know is that it wasn’t 11″.
Cooper’s ability to bring in raw talent was amazing. They just reloaded after losing 3 first round picks and their QB from 96. Even lesser known guys like Terry Glenn and Eddie George were winners.
His in game adjustments…..not so much.
I was at that game when I was 8 years old! Incidentally, that is the only Buckeyes game I have ever attended that we actually won. Others I attended . . . Michigan State in 1998, Wisconsin in 1999, Northwestern in 2004, and USC in 2008.
Two (Sparty and USC) are two of the most pivotal OSU losses in recent memory, the NU game was the first time we lost to them in 30 years, and we got stomped 42-17 by Wisky.
Anyway, I have determined that I am cursed.
That is exceptionally bad luck—but I wouldn’t term the USC pivotal. Sure, it finally got Boeckman out of there, but I don’t think many were expecting us to win that game. No Beanie. But it definitely was a kick in the gut.
I don’t know . . . The MSU loss certainly knocked us out of serious contention for a MNC (considering we won the rest of our games and still did not make it). I think that the loss to USC is much in the same fold. We entered last season with the mentality that anything short of a MNC was a failure. The USC game made our season a failure.
I will say this. We had no chance of being national champs last year. The USC game made me realize that. The MSU game in ’98 was definitely more of a heartbreaker, because we had the talent to match up with anyone in the nation that year. Still, I consider both equally pivotal.
And goddamnit, I paid a TON of money for those USC tickets. Fuck stubhub. Fuck being an outsider @ OSU (I’ve lived in Reno, NV since 2000). Coincidentally, I recently learned that my dad had season tickets to the ‘Shoe for much of my childhood. My dad is the kind of guy who likes to watch games on TV, and so I could have spent many of my childhood Saturdays in Ohio Stadium. Instead I spent most of them on the couch, not knowing what could have been. And my record at attending OSU games is 1-4.
And BTW, I kind of was expecting a win. Especially when I got into the stadium. Seriously, 1/3 fans in the Coliseum were Buckeyes fans. It seemed that everywhere I went in LA that weekend was filled with OSU fans. My sister went to USC, and was still decked out in her Buckeyes stuff come gameday (speaking of Gameday, my whole family appeared in a shot on ESPN gameday, and I got a picture w/ Herbie. Long story short, that weekend was one of my proudest as a Buckeye. And we lost. Let’s make it right this year!!!!
That also serves as the only known Mike Burden highlight in history. The eight men on the field thing worked because Burden soiled the pants of six Pitt Panthers.