Jenny and I made it to the Stadium Saturday for the USC showdown. With the help of a doctor's prescription and a handicap pass from the BMV, we were able to park in the St John lot so she didn't have to walk too far. A crutch helped her get to the stadium and kept the mobs off her recovering knee.

First though, we got there early to ensure close in parking and relaxed all afternoon in the St. John lot. As chance would have it, we were parked next to Michael Brewster's family. A gang of more than 50, from all corners of the country, they were celebrating for the big game in fine fashion, complete with a roast pig that was wheeled in fully cooked on a radio-flyer wagon! They graciously offered us to join them in partaking of some, and after seeing and smelling that, well, who could resist! Thanks to Mr. Brewster for some good eats and a most pleasant chat about the Buckeyes and his families admiration for the values of Coach T.

After looking up some other friends, it was on to the show. Say whatever you want about the game, the coaching, the outcome, the score...even about that big monkey many think is on our backs... but being in that stadium last Saturday was special. I've been to many big games... the two Michigan wins that sent us to the BCS games, the Texas game, Notre Dame, several big Penn State night games, Archie's first game, the '68 Purdue game... and I can't think of any of them were any bigger in terms of noise made and the way the crowd was riveted on the game and rooting for the Bucks. It was a slugfest that hung on every play with back and forth leads, great defensive stands, razor thin margins, and a growing feeling that we were going to own that game, till their last drive sucked the air right out of that stadium and sent us to the parking lots empty and drained.

I have since had people tell me "they were glad they didn't go." Not this fan. I do feel bad for the players and coaches who gave their all, and we all agree it wasn't the outcome they or we wanted, but man, what a ride it was.