That sucked.
But at the end of the day, the Rams assembled The Avengers to make a run at this year's Super Bowl and my team was a play or two away from beating them with a second-year quarterback and an offensive line made out of popsicle sticks and scotch tape after winning a combined six games the past two years.
I'm at peace.
Word of the Day: Sad.
BUCKEYES FELL SHORT. There has never been a team with more former Ohio State players in its Super Bowl starting lineup than the Bengals had last night, and that's not even counting Joe Burrow.
But they couldn't get it done.
Sorry we couldnt get it done. Proud of our team and our fans. Love these guys
— Joey Burrow (@JoeyB) February 14, 2022
Thank you to all my teammates, coaches, and fans who put their heart into this team. We came up short, but this feeling will motivate us every day #WhoDey
— Sam Hubbard (@Sam_Hubbard_) February 14, 2022
Sam Hubbard, Vonn Bell, Isaiah Prince, Eli Apple, Joe Burrow, Keandre Jones and Drue Chrisman won't be getting rings this year, but Jordan Fuller will – even though he missed the game with an injury.
Man God is so good!!!!! SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!!!!!!!
— Jordan Fuller (@j_fuller4) February 14, 2022
Big congrats to Jordan, who has the same "I would be successful at anything in life but I chose football" energy as Terry McLaurin.
APPLE HUMBLE PIE. I'm a known proponent of talking that shit, as they say. But the thing is, you also have to go out and back it up on the field over and over again. And when you don't, folks will start coming at you fast.
Eli Apple's learning that right about now.
After like, a month of talking endless trash to pretty much everybody, he had an extremely rough night in the biggest game of the season.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Eli Apple has been the nearest defender on 3 TD this postseason.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 14, 2022
That ties him with KC's Mike Hughes for the most of any individual defender this postseason.
Apple was the nearest defender on Cooper Kupp's TD in the 2nd quarter. pic.twitter.com/jEV74kzDRh
I think it's safe to say he was the nearest defender on Cooper Kupp's touchdown in the fourth quarter, too.
COOPER KUPP FOR THE LEAD!
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 14, 2022
: #SBLVI on NBC pic.twitter.com/PTY7GWXBig
And, as you might imagine, some people took notice.
Got heeee
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) February 14, 2022
@EliApple Its cool big bro! You might get one of these one day but in the mean time just go get better at your craft pic.twitter.com/y6ZJN5zkgS
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) February 14, 2022
Eli going to eli
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) February 14, 2022
The easy clapback here is that Mecole Hardman and Tyreke Hill sent those Tweets from their couches while Eli was playing in the Super Bowl after, you know, beating them.
Mike Thomas, though... He can probably talk all he wants after all those battles in the Woody.
THEY GOT NEXT? While one former Ohio State quarterback was playing in the Super Bowl last night, there were a couple of Buckeyes who've actually started a game at quarterback for Ohio State in the stands, hoping they'll be there one day.
Ohio State edition! pic.twitter.com/FYbGgVtdx3
— David Mulugheta (@DavidMulugheta) February 14, 2022
As my esteemed colleague Dan Hope pointed out to me, it’s kind of crazy that we’re less than three years removed from Chase Young getting suspended for his girlfriend getting a free trip to a bowl game and now an agent is allowed to openly Tweet about taking C.J. Stroud to the Super Bowl.
Times are changing.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE. It takes a lot to cheer me up from watching my team lose a gut-wrenching Super Bowl, but remembering that one time my other team slapped Michigan around on its home court as an underdog certainly helps a bit.
On Saturday night, but Buckeyes did something they'd only previously done four times in over 70 years.
Fewest points @OhioStateHoops has allowed at Michigan, since 1950:
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) February 13, 2022
46 - 1/5/53
56 - 2/18/12
57 - //, 1/21/91 & 2/12/62#B1Gstats pic.twitter.com/JoyXuPfjet
And Juwan Howard is now 1-4 against Ohio State in his Michigan coaching career.
SONG OF THE JUNGLE. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens.
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