The Ohio State Buckeyes are undefeated and naturally, their fans want their team to have a shot at the national championship, or at least a Big Ten championship.
That’s why some intrepid Buckeyes supporters have started a petition asking President Barack Obama to pardon their football team. Ohio State is ineligible to participate in the postseason — including the first Big Ten championship game — due to infractions discovered last season from a 2010 incident involving Buckeyes players receiving free tattoos for game memorabilia.
With Ohio State currently sitting at 11-0 with one game remaining in Columbus against their hated rivals — the Michigan Wolverines — the Buckeyes would be the front-runner to represent the Big Ten Leaders division in the Big Ten championship game. More importantly, they would be on pace to play Notre Dame in the national championship game — if they can win “The Game.”
The petition has been removed by whitehouse.gov for violating their terms of participation, but Black Sports Online grabbed the text before it was taken down.
The petition said:
“The Ohio State University football team is one win away from an undefeated season. However, due to imposed sanctions, they are not allowed to participate in their conference’s championship game or the following bowl season. While a punishment for past indiscretions is to be expected, a bowl season ban is too harsh for a few young men trading memorabilia for tattoos and some change. The offending players and coach who covered it up are no longer part of the program. Please exercise your executive power to pardon the NCAA’s excessive sanctions placed on The Ohio State Buckeyes to enable a rightful, satisfying culmination to the college football season for the American people.”
If it wasn’t obvious enough already that Obama was not going to pardon the football team of their tattoo wrong doings, the removal of the petition should make it clear that the Buckeyes will have to wait another year to participate in the postseason, whether the president is an Ohio State man or a Michigan man.
Due to violations by both Ohio State and Penn State, Wisconsin is on track to represent the Big Ten Leaders division despite a 7-4 record. They will face either Nebraska or Michigan.
Photo of the Night
Christmas came early in Foxboro. Was Aqib Talib wrapped up under that tree? Because he made his presence (Get it? Like, presents) known on Sunday.
Photo via Twitter/@Patriots
Quote of the Night
“He’s probably the best quarterback that I’ve played with.”
–C.J. Spiller giving Ryan Fitzpatrick probably the biggest backhanded compliment ever
Tweet of the Night
Unfortunately, the Bears weren’t playing backyard football with “dad rules.”
#Bears are going to ask the #49ers if Colin Kaepernick can be “All Time QB” #MNF
— Robert Flores (@RoFloESPN) November 20, 2012
Video of the Night
A Butler one handed buzzer beater? Did March come early?
