I’m wondering what people’s thoughts are on this USA Today article. I live in Columbus and the article maybe correct in that the insane pressure being put on the team regarding Michigan in that it is causing the team to lock up. And if what the article says about threats to Coach Day and nasty things being said to his wife by random people on the street are true, I think that’s pretty appalling.

From the article:

“It’s clearly affected Day, to the point where the entire organization locks up when it sees Michigan across the field. When you hear Day compare losing to Michigan to the death of his father, you almost feel sorry for him. That’s no way to live, man. It’s just a football game. 

Now, what Day and his family have experienced the last few years is real. If you talk to folks around the Ohio State program, you’ll hear about threats and random people approaching his wife in public just to say impolite things. 

That’s not good either. It’s the symptom of a sick society that takes football way too seriously.

It seems, though, that Day’s reaction to the environment he lives in is to double, triple and quadruple down on showing Ohio State’s fan base how much he cares about beating Michigan. It’s all the "That Team Up North" stuff. It’s the countdown clocks in the Woody Hayes center reminding everyone how many days until they play Michigan again. It’s Day raising the stakes to impossible levels when he calls losing to Michigan one of the worst things that has ever happened to him.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/columnist/dan-wolken/2024/...