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Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > November > 21 > Entry
OSU-Michigan — Curses, tears and a heartfelt remembrance
ANN ARBOR — Here are some images and comments I heard and saw after Ohio State topped mistake-prone Michigan 21-10 Saturday before a crowd of 110,922 at Michigan Stadium:
— In the final minutes of the game, there was as real rabid back-and-forth exchange going on between some vocal Michigan fans seated in the front row just behind the Ohio State bench and a few equally-zealous Buckeye players, most notably fireplug freshman fullback Zack Boren, whose brother Justin started his college career as a Michigan offensive lineman, then transferred to Ohio State — he’s from Pickerington — and stated at left guard for the Buckeyes Saturday.
Both the fan and Boren were red in the face from all their yelling. I can’t print what was said — I can tell you it was pretty profane and sometimes pretty funny — but I will say there were some gyrations and hand gestures to go with it. And it went on for a while.
— A much nicer scene was involved Kurt Coleman — the Buckeye safety and team captain from Northmont High who had two interceptions — spotting his family in the stands, then pulling himself up to them and crawling over the blue railing so he could hug them and tell them he loved them.
He gave his dad the rose he was holding and “Pops,” as he call his father Ron Coleman, an assistant principal at Stebbins High, gave him his scarlet newsboy cap which Kurt put on backwards and then wore proudly off the field.
“What a way to go out,” Ron Coleman said of his son. “He had two interceptions, he probably could have had four and mostly he just made us so proud…Again.”
— I walked off the field with Michigan’s sophomore running back Michael Shaw, whose prep fame came first at Alter High and then at Trotwood Madison.
He had rushed for 13 yards on 7 carries and he was in tears:
“This is a tough pill to swallow, especially being from Ohio. I hate losing to Ohio State, but they got the best of us.
“I love Michigan though/ This is where I’m supposed to be and where I’m going to be. And I think the rebuilding is over here. I honestly believe Michigan will be back next season.”
— Another Wolverine from Trotwood Madison — sophomore receiver Roy Roundtree — will play a big part of Michigan ascension. He had nine catches for 119 yards Saturday. A teammates’ injury thrust him into the starting lineup four weeks ago and he’s responded with 26 catches for 393 yards and two touchdowns since He ended the season as the Wolverines leading receiver.
Coming off the field, he accepted a few hugs from Bucks players, then spoke briefly as he made his way toward the stadium tunnel:
“It felt great being in this game —I think our team fought the full 60 minutes — but you got to give O-State credit. They got the better of us.”
— The Ohio State players all wore a white decal bearing a black “SS” on their old school throwback uniforms that were reminiscent of the look of the 1954 Buckeye team.
The SS was a remembrance of Stefanie Spielman — the charismatic 42-year old wife of former Ohio State and NFL star Chris Spielman — who died Thursday after a long and quite public battle with breast cancer.
Coaches wore the emblems, too, and Jim Tressel talked about the heartfelt tribute.
“We talked about that after the game,” the Bucks head coach said. “We thought about how excited we were, but also how — when we get back home and have a chance to reflect a little bit — we need to send some love to the Spielman family. Some vibes.
“We know what kind of Buckeye she is and Chris is and the whole family is. They are part of our family.
“What she and Chris have done for the Columbus community — the example she had given us — was extraordinary.
“Going into this we talked about how the toughest team wins this game. And we said if we could be half as tough as Stefanie, we got a chance.”
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