An ode to the drunk, shirtless fan at Ohio State vs. Michigan: What I’ll Remember

COLUMBUS, Ohio — I will remember Mike Sainristil planting the Michigan flag at midfield. And the slow-motion halfback pass from Kalel Mullings that somehow beat the OSU defender to its target on third-and-1. And I will always wonder why the shirtless man wearing a Michigan “M” on a rapper’s chain was corralled by the cops outside the stadium as I walked toward the elevators from Michigan’s postgame press conference.

But right now, I remember it all as a blur. My first week as cleveland.com’s rivalry beat writer came during the most important week of the year, which leaves little room for a learning curve.

On Monday, I rose at 7 a.m. to ensure I arrived early at Jim Harbaugh’s noon presser, stayed in Ann Arbor until 9 p.m. that evening – hat tip to the Ann Arbor Sweetwater – and passed out on the couch about 20 minutes after midnight.

Five stories and countless phone calls later, I woke up even earlier – 6 a.m. – to chronicle tailgaters for our pregame story Saturday (the ending of which falls incredibly flat after the game’s result). That morning, I waited 45 minutes for a Panera breakfast sandwich that lasted 10 and spent several hours agonizing over that story, which took me less than two to write.

DraftKings Sportsbook
STATES: OHIO PRE-REG
PRE-REGISTRATION
$200 BONUS
+ NEW USER OFFER AT LAUNCH

As the press box dwindles on Saturday evening, I’m dreaming of beer. But my Columbus friends, having spent the day drinking in anticipation of a Buckeye win, have already drunk too many. As of 10 minutes ago, I had 45 minutes to write and meet them at a Columbus bar before their Uber arrived. I will not meet that deadline, and I may not drink a beer tonight – not at a bar, at least.

Instead, I will live with another couch crash. The Game moved fast. So did The Press Conference afterward. And as of 7:01 p.m. Saturday, I have no idea what the rivalry beat will look like next week.

But I can assure our readers that I will harness the same frantic energy that defined my first week into coherent, hopefully-fun-to-read stories in the coming weeks. For now, cheers to the sorrowful Buckeye fan.

And, of course, to the stylin’, shirtless Michigan man. May the department frame your mugshot.

Ohio State Fanatics Revenue 2021

-

Get the latest Ohio State Buckeyes merchandise: Here’s where you can order Ohio State football gear online, including jerseys, T-shirts, hoodies, hats and much more.

More Buckeyes coverage

Michigan football players plant flag at midfield logo of Ohio Stadium after blowing out Ohio State

‘Better than Christmas’: A 365-day wait finally ends for Ohio State football fans

Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud could’ve won the Heisman Trophy against Michigan, and Ryan Day failed him

Michigan rips Ohio State, 45-23, asserting its Big Ten supremacy and deflating the Buckeyes’ championship hopes

Michigan sets Ohio State football back 2 decades by beating the Buckeyes at their own game: Doug Lesmerises

Ohio State leads Michigan 20-17 at the half, as Wolverines hang in without a run game: Doug Lesmerises halftime thoughts

Watch Ohio State football’s Marvin Harrison Jr. haul in C.J. Stroud’s go-ahead touchdown bomb vs. Michigan

Can Ohio State football flip 5-star safety Caleb Downs from Alabama? Buckeyes Recruiting

Who is Ohio State football’s starting running back against Michigan?

Who is Ohio State football’s starting right guard against Michigan?

Brian Hartline has watched Michigan ‘attack our head coach, attack our quarterback and attack Buckeye Nation’: Ohio State Skull Session

If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.