Mailbox: Too much ‘ear-splitting’ music at Ohio State ballgames?
Brian: I was at the Tulsa game, and I agree with a lot of the reasons Rob Oller gave for the low attendance. With every OSU game being on TV, it is just so much easier and cheaper to watch at home. But after attending the Tulsa game, I now know that my home viewing is missing one key element. Beginning with Saturday night’s game against Akron, which I will watch from home, I am going to have one of my kids play the most obnoxious rap music at ear-splitting levels after each play and during every commercial break. This will prevent my guests from having any type of conversation and will make them want to head for home at halftime with a terrible headache. Just like they were at the stadium. PS. I heard a rumor that Ohio State has a great marching band. Too bad I cannot confirm this as the band was drowned out the entire game by the afore mentioned rap music.
Dave Dudley, Lewis Center
Dave: Thanks for not inviting me over to your house for the Akron game. Not enough Advil in my house to ease the pain. Though I think I’d rather hear the music than most of the commercials, and some of the announcers.
Editor: Oh, for the good old days when the band would play during an OSU football game! The new movement of loud, awful music during timeouts has taken over, to the point that it’s impossible to hold a conversation with the person sitting next to me. I have been a season ticket holder for 42 years. Between the gouging, new price structure and the annoying music we are subject to, this may be my last year! Dave Stock
Dave: It’s too bad the music has taken away your game-day enjoyment. Warning, though: If you stop going, think long and hard before you accept an invitation to Dave Dudley’s house to watch a game.
Brian: The OSU marching band has performed so remarkably well over the years and hasn’t lost a step even after missing a season. College football is
America’s tribal ritual largely because of the pageantry and energy the bands provide. I thank these young people, who also do so well academically, for adding so much to a Saturday afternoon. When watching on TV, I can see the game better than from seats I get in the stadium; but everyone at the game can sure feel it so much better. If I were the director of a high school or college marching band, I’d find a place on a wall entering the band room and write “Without The Band, It’s Just A Football Game.”
Dennis Singleton, Dayton
Dennis: Nice note about the band, and I agree those great musicians add so much to a football Saturday. And I predict you’ll really love a band feature package we have coming in The Dispatch next week. Stay tuned...
I wouldn’t get breathless over Treveyon Henderson just yet, if I were you. His 277 yards (an impressive total, I grant you) came against 0-3 Tulsa, with Uc-davis accounting for one of the losses. Archie Griffin compiled his 239 yards against a North Carolina team that went 11-1, defeated Florida in Jacksonville and won the Sun Bowl. I was in Athens, Georgia, watching North Carolina State play Georgia that fateful 1972 day and recall vividly my excitement when they announced over the loud speaker the 7-0 Carolina lead. (In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Carolina grad.) Clearly, Griffin’s performance is infinitely more impressive, but Henderson has three seasons to make his mark. How he stacks up against Griffin will play out over these three seasons. Go Tar Heels!
Richard Lupton
Richard: Fair points, and our Bill
Rabinowitz made similar comments in the column you are referring to. It’s nice, though, to sometimes sit back and appreciate such a great performance, even if it ends up being the peak of Henderson’s career. My favorite line from Bill’s column: “I can only hope there was some 8-year-old in the Horseshoe with the same wonder I felt almost a halfcentury ago watching Griffin. That kid will never forget it.”
Mr. White: I enjoyed seeing my letter placed immediately after a gentleman complaining about comparing C.J. Stroud to former players. Well done.
As one of the few fans in attendance wearing a mask to both the Oregon and Tulsa games, I say with confidence that attendance is down in part because most people are caution-to-the-wind maskless. People wearing a mask, and looking out for others, feel ostracized. Part of the problem with COVID, and the rest of our current politics, is that there isn’t any reasonable middle ground when it comes to interacting with one another. There can be. The Columbus mask mandate allows us to patronize our favorite restaurants and keep the economy moving without subjecting others to unnecessary risk. We walk to our tables, sit, take off the mask and enjoy a nice dinner exposed only to the few in our vicinity. When we get up to use the restroom or leave, the mask goes back on. Similarly, I wear the mask waiting in crowded lines and moving through the stadium. When I get to my seat, I remove it, outdoors and exposed to only those in my immediate vicinity. Wearing a mask some of the time is no sacrifice to be able to enjoy live football again, not to mention having our kids back in the classrooms and playing sports. And it’s really about looking out for others, which includes setting a good example with our own behavior. If those in positions of leadership would show moral courage and just require masking in traffic areas, rather than chasing short-term profits and votes, then our citizenry will be less belligerent about altering their behavior out of concern for their neighbor. Profits will be higher in the short term when more people of moderate sensibilities show up and in the long term when further shutdowns are avoided.
Bob Young, Columbus bwhite1@dispatch.com