Is Ewers new Flood? Did refs let Michigan get away with holding?
Editor’s note: Unfortunately, we don’t have room in the print edition for all of the great reader feedback we’re getting. For more of the letters, go to Dispatch.com. Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com.
On Quinn Ewers
Dear Mr. White: Someday we might remember the Texas high school phenom and Ohio State tourist Quinn Ewers the same way we remember Curt Flood. (For those under 70, Curt Flood was the St. Louis Cardinals player whose suit against MLB 50 years ago paved the way for baseball free agency.) Turns out Ewers, as a fivestar high school QB, was offered equity in a beverage company only to discover Texas law precluded name image and likeness profiteering for high schoolers. Solution: Graduate high school, enroll at Ohio State and head back to Texas in December. Both Quinn and his father have said “We don’t need the money; it’s the principle,” and by some accounts Ewers will depart Columbus with a million principled Buckeye bucks that he didn’t have before.
While ADS, coaches, fans and the press pine for the halcyon days of the “amateur student athlete,” NIL (and the transfer portal) are here to stay and represent (wildly underreported) seismic changes in high school and college football. Curt Flood would be pleased. Jon Armstrong, Columbus
Dear Jon: Ewers is indeed the first quarterback to make millions while participating in merely two handoff plays. But he didn’t force any rule or labor changes. He either made a bad choice in schools or underestimated his own impatience. Or both. He could have gone to any school, but picked one where waiting in line and learning is required.
On Ohio State vs. Michigan
Dear Editor: Yes, our guys both coaching and playing didn’t have a good game at all, period. We had championship type players without having the heart of a champion. However, after reevaluating that loss it did appear that TTUN’S offensive line did in fact get away with multiple holdings that were never called. Coach Day should’ve been on the officials all game for that mess. No excuses, but it’s no wonder those running lanes were so wide open. Our young team will be back with the heart of a champion along with the championship type players!
Robb Price
Dear Editor: I guess no one noticed that Michigan wasn’t called for holding even though they were holding on every play. It is hard to get a sack when your players are being held.
David Bishop
Dear Robb, David: I don’t buy holding as an excuse for getting pummeled. But if holding was being allowed, perhaps the Ohio State offensive linemen should have started grabbing blue jerseys.
To Brian: My favorite section after the OSU games is The Bottom Line (leaves awarded). I noticed more coverage/criticism for the officiating of the game. As if that would have made a difference. The holding call, and the pass interference call can be debated. But we still lost the game. For future columns on The Bottom Line, how about giving leaves for the results on how the guest sportscasters predict the outcomes of the OSU games. Wonder how many leaves they would have received after this game.
Chris Beale, London
To Chris: By my count, only Bob Stoops would have gotten five leaves. (That’s not counting former Michigan players (Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard), whose picks are not free of predictable bias.)
On the College Football Playoff
To Brian: The CFP committee often gets a lot of complaints each season for their picks. Usually, things work out and time erases any “mistakes.” But this year the issue is with retaining Georgia. Alabama has now beaten them six straight times. I say throw away the rankings and avoid this possible matchup. I always wonder why teams (e.g. Oklahoma State, Utah) would want to play the same team that they had previously defeated in the same season. I know the answer is m-o-n-e-y. (I call it greed). However, there’s really no one else that can fit in and win the playoff.
I don’t think Cincinnati, Michigan or others like Baylor or Notre Dame would beat Alabama. Ohio State was equally thumped last year just as Georgia last week. But, for me, Baylor is the best choice, provided their starting QB, Gerry Bohanon, has recovered from a hamstring injury. I realize the committee would have to check his status before deciding on the final four teams — perhaps an unusual request — but otherwise, ratings could drop if it’s Georgia again. Zzzzz.
Larry Cheek, Dublin
To Larry: There aren’t many who don’t think Georgia is one of the four best teams in the nation. Doesn’t seem fair to exclude them because they have trouble beating Alabama.