Compliment Becomes Innocuous Insult
A visit to Planet Hollywood in Costa Mesa beckoned after Sunday’s practice for the players, who wore red and white sweats and some toted cameras.
But it seems as though the Buckeyes can not escape Michigan, not even here.
Spotting the players on the steps outside the restaurant, a woman smiled brightly, and said, “Congratulations against Michigan.”
No, it wasn’t some sarcastic, cruel remark about what was arguably Ohio State’s most-devastating loss in years, a defeat that ended the dream of an undefeated season. The woman sincerely believed Ohio State had beaten Michigan last month.
The players who heard the remark, being polite Midwesterners, smiled wanly and said nothing. Good thing it wasn’t the Miami football team being insulted.
Disaster averted, the woman gave it one more shot . . . and missed.
“You guys are smaller than I thought you’d be,” she said.
Orlando Pace already must have been inside eating.
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Freshman Andy Katzenmoyer’s rapid development at middle linebacker helped senior linebacker and co-captain Greg Bellisari move back to the outside this season after he had started in the middle last season.
“The thing that separates him [Katzenmoyer] from some of the other linebackers we’ve had here is speed,” Ohio State Coach John Cooper said. “Greg is a natural outside linebacker, and by playing those two players at those respective positions, it helped our football team.”
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Sunday was the last tough workout at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa for the Buckeyes, who will go through a walk-through today. Tuesday is reserved for a team photo and a chance to check out the field and the sidelines at the Rose Bowl first-hand.
