OT- Most Likable Rivals
This is a thread I've been wanting to get started for a little while now, hopefully now it gets some good responses because we're in peak OT season. Simple Question:
Which rival player is the most likable?
Which Buckyeye/Spartan/Irish/ or other opposing player that played on a rival team is it just too damn hard to hate? Can be in any sport, at any level. Would love input from some of the Buckeyes on this board.
For me it's Cardale Jones. I remember an Ace tweet about his opinion of Michigan fan's was determined on how they felt about Cardale. If he were a Wolverine, I would love him to death.
Other players I can't/couldn't hate: Mike Weber, Marshon Lattimore, Mike Sadler RIP, Kalin Lucas, Golden Tate, and Greg Oden, though he may be revisionist history.
None
Rutgers
Don't forget about Illinois!!! Plus I think the Rutgers fanbase and staee are really a great match as likable rivals go....
I had a lot of respect for Manti Te'o. It's got to be tough concentrating on football when your girlfriend is dying of leukemia. What a gamer.
Worth another look, I think:
Those Asian animators also did a great job a few years ago of destroying Penn State and the NCAA.
For me it was Luke Fickell. Guy was their Brady hoke waiting to happen and I loved every second of it. Wish they would've given him more time :)
This is the best way to get "like" and "rival" in the same sentence.
You can't hate Mike Weber? The guy who cried about how Harbaugh lied to him then acted like a total punk during the game last year?
That's basically how I determine my athlete rankings.
Fat Guys who score touchdowns.
Take Refrigerator Perry, for instance.
I don't hate Mike Weber. I don't mind that an overrated player wound up elsewhere. I would take Higdon over Weber every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Not to mention his eye gouging incident against Sparty this year that went "unnoticed" by the Big Ten's finest. As well as his cheap shot/out of the play/ late hit on the Peppers pick(that the refs also shockingly missed). Yep, seems pretty easy for me to dislike!
The eye gouging shit isnt cool. I won't fight you on that one.
but since they haven't been much of a rival for 75 yrs I guess theyre all dead now.
Miles Bridges. But he is everything that we all wish college basketball is/was.
It's ok. You don't need to hate Miles Bridges, there's plenty of Adreain Payne to go around.
Well said.
or dryamond. god he continues to haunt my cavs dreams. How can such a fat, awkward man be so good. It's so frustrating
Golden Tate is your likeable Irishmen?? Guy always seemed like an arrogant ass. Always jawing. And i'm a Lions fan and still think that when i watch him play for them.
the Michigan State band after scoring the game winning touchdown. That ain't arrogance, that's confidence.
Bravo sir, bravo.
The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy but kind of a friend for one trolling moment? I guess that works.
Always hated him. Those Irish teams with him and Floyd at the same time were some of my least favorite ND teams all-time.
Archie Griffin and Chris Spielman have always seemed like great guys
Ditto this. Actually, I grew up thinking of Chris Spielman as a Lion and I have to be reminded he was a Buckeye. And it's not like I see Archie Griffin in the spotlight that much, but when I do he always seems like the consummate gentleman.
Eddie George and Ezekiel Elliott. Two mercurial talents, an absolute joy to watch when they weren't playing Michigan. I also loved George's personality off the field when he was with the Titans in the NFL, a very interesting character. Zeke, not as much since he's with the Cowboys but damn he was good.
But he's currently under investigation for some bad stuff, so I felt it best to leave him off for now. Thought he was cool as shit up until he got drafted though.
But I just remember after the OSU-MSU 2015 game where he started complaining about how he didn't get enough touches really annoyed me.
in the NFL draft, and one of the best RBs in college football only got like 12 touches in a big game that they lost. He was absolutely right, he didn't get enough touches what's the problem with that?
love the guy. stud. clean. loyal to a fault.
It's impossible to not like Spielman. Plus, if you saw the HBO special on the rivalry, he practically said he preferred to go to Michigan but his dad insisted he go to OSU. There seemed to be a little easement in his voice when he told the story.
Spielman wanted to commit to Bo and Michigan, but his father's job was threatened.
That is a distortion of the truth. He showed up for his visit knowing full well he was young to Ohio State. As a matter of fact, there's a rumor he sat in Bo's office with his hat on backwards and a big chew in his lip - two things Bo loathed.
I just realized that resentment somehow autocorrected to "easement." I don't think Spielman's commitment to OSU had anything to do with property contracts.
impressed by your vocab - easement has a lesser known meaning of being at a "sense of peace" which made your sentence kind of deep.
so, thanks, autocorrect!
Loved the guy.
Loved his game.
Love the way he's a family man.
Despite his OSU'ness he's one of my favorite athletes period.
stupid, forgetful Michael.
Grant Hill, Dook. I hated dook, but always thought he was good. Loved him as a piston. Hated it when he left.
Nothin from msu, osu or nd. They all suck.
in LA when he retired. He was a super nice guy. Probably one of the nicest athletes I have ever met.
I can't sponsor Grant Hill as a member. I'll take this opportunity to remind the selection committee of the bitchy, name dropping letter he wrote to WSJ after the Fab 5 doc ("I worked hard and Duke is a good school!").
MSU - Aaron Burbridge
ND - Brady Quinn (Loved the '06 beat down but he seemed like an alright guy)
OSU - Antoine Winfield
I'll second the Winfield pick. That guy could lay the wood for a smallish db
In all my years as a Vikes fan, I can't recall a better tackling corner than Winfield.
ND: Bill Laimbeer, Kelly Trypucka, Golden Tate, Theo Riddick
MSU: None (loved Gibson as a Tiger but I have the feeling he was and still is a jerk though I feel bad about his health problems; also awful as Tigers analyst)
OSU: Spielman natch; plenty of great players over the years but no others stand out as favorites
Many OSU fans will tell you that Winfield is their favorite OSU player, or is in th top 2-3. Unbelievable tackler.
I can't think of any of our rivals that I like, sorry
Troy Smith gave me $10 tip about 10 years ago when I was a valet. Guess he's okay... ish.
Sure he didn't drop an envelope with $500 for you? /s
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I had a hard time hating the guy. Never seemed bad. Same with Braxton Miller and Barrett. They are both good players that seem like decent guys.
drawing a blank on sparty and ND.