WHY CAN'T (WON'T?) TV CALL OUT FOOTBALL'S BAD ACTORS?

 Just when you think there couldn’t possibly be more lack of civility and sportsmanship than displayed by those overpaid slugs in the NFL … along comes college football’s Ohio State/Michigan game Saturday from the Big House … which, under the circumstances, seemed appropriate.

“A little chippiness already. To be expected,” said Fox TV 

analyst JOEL KLATT … later (but not much) amended 

to “a LOT of chippiness.”

A better, more accurate description would have included 

“cheap shots, mayhem and/or assault” You almost felt 

sorry for the game officials. Almost.

On every snap there was, at a minimum, holding and/or 

players getting in each other’s faces, exchanging 

obscenities. And a lot worse. At one point a player head-

butted an official and wasn’t tossed from the game

Wonderful.

Of course, just about every call that went against a player 

or team was met by prolonged indignation. Whatever the 

coaches are teaching players nowadays it can’t possibly 

be the right stuff … no matter how much Fox lead yapper

 GUS JOHNSON, Klatt and fellow TV types look the 

other way and pretend these wonderful leaders of young 

men really care about them.

TO THINK Ohio State football coach RYAN DAY is 81-

6 against everyone but Michigan 2-4.

WHY IS IT, when a team rolls downfield on its first possession then settles for a field goal, it probably won’t 

win? A 9.5-point underdog, Michigan opened with a 36-

yard run by JUSTIN MARSHALL to the OSU 39 then 

got a pass to Marshall for 10 more … Back to back first 

downs and still had to kick one from 45 (yards) for three.

Shortly thereafter, the Wolverines did it again, 

intercepting a pass in State territory. Marshall ran 22 

yards to the 11. This time they kicked a 25-yard FG for a 

6-0 edge over the country’s best defense.

“OH, THEY GAVE it to him?”: Johnson’s reaction to 

pass-run ruled touchdown after booth agrees with rules 

interpreter MIKE PEREIRA that OSU receiver

 JEREMIAH SMITH, who bobbled the ball crossing the 

goal line, did not have control before stepping on the 

sideline (barely). In other words, a touchback, no TD, 

Michigan ball.

Instead, with 11:44 left in the first half, top-ranked Ohio 

State led 10-6 and never trailed again.

“I feel the Buckeyes got a break on that one,” Johnson 

said. Oh, really?

Earlier, Klatt noted Michigan’s JAISHAWN BARHAM

 “was lucky they didn’t throw him out of the game” … 

after we saw a replay of the helmet-wearing Maryland 

transfer headbutt an official, drawing an unsportsman 

conduct penalty. (Guess he only made insignificant

 contact.) 

IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, where Virginia romped over 

Virginia Tech Saturday night, there were some brief 

confrontations (and the usual four-letter words 

exchanged). This is, after all, one of the country’s great 

rivalries.

And when it was over, the players and coaches exchanged 

handshakes and, in some cases, hugs. In Ann Arbor, what 

will be most remembered was Ohio State’s Smith, an All-

American football player, giving Michigan fans the 

middle finger as he left the field.

FINALLY … if I was CURT CIGNETTI, whose No. 2 

and unbeaten Indiana Hoosiers meet Ohio State for the 

Big 10 championship, I’m thinking “I know we can … I 

know we can.”

Until next time ...

To comment, please send to mbl749@comcast.net