Final, FINAL entry: 1/11/08

I have had several days to digest the national championship game…and I feel much better today than I did Monday night exiting the Superdome. Because I love top 5 and top 10 lists…here is my high (and low) lights of the weekend:

1. The French Quarter – it was a mixture of people clad in Scarlet and Gray and purple and gold and great to see the passion of both schools so well represented in the Quarter. The bars are as good as advertised. Just a surreal experience: streets littered with fans walking with drinks in hand, a generally pleasant ambience, especially when accompanied by the lighting and the historic architecture of the buildings, which makes you feel as if you in another country. A common misconception is the Quarter is just Bourbon Street – it is not – the following streets comprise the Quarter: Royal, Bourbon, Esplanade, Decatur, Canal, and Rampart. There are a plethora of strip clubs if that is your persuasion, one of the more risqué in name alone being Larry Flynt’s Barely Legal Club. I would highly recommend establishments such as Pat O'Brien's and The Cat's Meow. The Hurricane cocktail at Pat O’Brien’s, which is a mixture of fruit juices and rum, is delectable.

2. The food: jambalaya was consumed at the game – which was $7 for a heaping pile of rice, andouille sausage, chicken, and what appeared to be shrimp. Furthermore, the shrimp po boys were absolutely to die for. Gumbo, Crawfish and Etoufee (crawfish, shrimp or crab accompanied by a blonde roux base) being available at the tip of your finger. One shouldn’t be able to eat this well…if I lived in the South, especially in Southeastern Louisiana – I am firmly convinced I would weigh 545 pounds.

3. The Ernst Café pre game bash: an open square complete with cobblestone walkways and Abita beer (made in Abita Springs, LA) available for consumption. You can’t beat an iced cold Abita and when you accompany the live music with a crowd dominated by Buckeye fans, it felt like Hineygate South!!! Being able to walk through New Orleans with an open container was pretty cool and I think it adds to the experience, creating an outdoor cocktail party. The French Quarter is one of the few places in the US where consumption of open containers of alcoholic beverages are permitted outside (not in a vehicle of course).

4. The weather – 70 to 75 degrees everyday. It was absolutely gorgeous and in fact, on game day, Andy and I were throwing the football in the shadow of the Superdome in the media parking lot – which for an Ohio native, 70 degree weather in January is rarely experienced thus we were pumped to soak in the gorgeous weather. Not to mention being able to go road tripping through the South with one of your best friends is always a great time!!

5. Getting to see a National Championship game: which obviously would have been #1 had the Buckeyes been able to pull off a win – but to see a game of such magnitude up close and personal and to be able to do so in seats 20 rows from the playing field, I feel truly blessed and privileged for being able to experience it. The sight of LSU fans and their RVs outside the Superdome in downtown parking lots reserved for those who work downtown was a sight to see. RVs decked out in purple and gold trim, blaring the Tiger fight song whilst their inhabitants cooked pots of Cajun delicacies. Just a great area of the country to host college football bowl games.

1. #1 has to be seeing homeless people living in tents under the I-10 bridge; people who were most likely displaced by Hurricane Katrina. At first, I thought these people were camping out for the game b/c of the proximity of their tents to I-10 and the Superdome. Upon realizing that is where they live permanently, I became extremely sad. There still is a lot of work to do in New Orleans to repair all of the devastation – we saw numerous people living in trailers off of the interstate, vacant Walmarts and shopping centers too badly damaged by the hurricane to repair. It is now over two years from the storm and yet these people continue to suffer…that is a problem I wish could be fixed but I realize there is no easy solution.

2. The game outcome and the Tiger fans behind us during the game. What can you say? It was tough to walk out of there with a loss, but such is life. Things don’t always break your way. The behavior of the fans behind us was atrociously obnoxious and laced with profanity. I am sure every fan base has their idiots, it just seemed like all of LSU’s were sitting behind us.

3. The Superdome: I don’t understand how this city can host numerous bowl games (such as the New Orleans and Sugar bowls in the weeks before the game) and yet not have logistics nailed down for their media folks and the general public. I observed members of the NBC 4 media try and get in the game and it was a chaotic experience. Watching the fans trying to get in the stadium was a sight as well – only one of the entrances had clearly labeled lines – and of course, it was the entrance which was the least bogged down with lines. Everywhere else looked like a new ride at Cedar Point on opening weekend – people jostling for position, getting frustrated, all the while folks getting hot, sweaty and mouthy.

4. The trip home: watching numerous Buckeye fans road trip it back through Mississippi and Alabama, I realized that there would have been tons of folks happily honking and rejoicing on their trip home had Ohio State won. I became dejected b/c I thought that would have been a site to see – a caravan of revelers celebrating a huge win. Instead, as I gazed at the faces of the drivers, most appeared exhausted, sad, and road weary. I firmly believe had OSU won, they (and we) would have looked like a million bucks, no matter how sleep deprived or nauseous they were from partying and Cajun food overload.

5. Not having the time to get to all of the great restaurants such as Emeril’s, RedFish Grille, Mother’s, etc. I was only down there for two days and I could have spent 7 to 10 just to soak everything in….but we all have budgets to adhere to. :)

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Final entry: 1/8/08

Well, as we embark for home I have some final thoughts...congrats to Leslie Miles and LSU. They were the better team last night, even clad in that gawdawfully obnoxious purple. Congrats to former Buckeye and LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini for excellent adjustments in the second quarter.

I would love to see what would have happened had we eliminated unforced errors - such as the personal fouls and the turning point of the game: the blocked punt attempt where we flew right over the ball and somehow missed the ball and roughed the punter. I truly believe that the motivational DVD Tressel issued the players backfired, though I can't blame him for doing so: the Buckeyes were so jacked up and amped that they lost their cool at some crucial junctures in the game.

Before the game, Andy, myself and Jody (another huge Buckeye fan who sat with us at the game) accompanied NBC 4's Mindy Drayer to the Ernst Cafe pre game bash. We proceeded to buy some Abitas (beer signature to Louisiana) and drink in the live music...

After the game, we elected not to go out for the safety of us and those around us. I say that because the mixture of hillbillies and bourbon is never a good thing. For the most part, the fans down here have been more than cordial. Unfortunately, there were also quite a few people who chose to win without class (I have come to expect this from the SEC - where class is SECondary) prefering to act like ignoramuses, yelling "0-9" and "SEC"...as if the game matched up the entire SEC vs the entire Big Ten. It is absurd. One Tiger fan, who closely resembled Jabba the Hut in purple, chanted "42-10", referring to last years national championship. As I recall, the score was 41-14, further evidencing the region's poor arithmetic skills.

Let's make one thing clear: LSU won the game, not the SEC.

Also, this speed thing is a myth: Beanie Wells sure looked like he can run - yet all you are going to hear from morons like ESPN's Mark May is that the Big Ten has no athletes. It is such a fallicy. I must say that the OSU vs USC game next fall is a must win if Ohio State wants this talk of Big Ten inferiority to subside.

Back to last night: We hit up the free media postgame "party" back in the safe confines of the Marriott New Orleans....good jambalaya, good gumbo, and it was all free. I looked around and saw some of the premier sportswriters in the country: Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe, Woody Paige of the Denver Post, etc. I spoke with several of them to get their take on the game...they felt Ohio State beat themselves but LSU was the better team.

Finally, I'd like to thank NBC 4 and nbc4i.com for giving me this opportunity. I'd also like to thank Andy and Jody for sitting with me amongst the Tiger fans. EDIT 1/9/08: I also would be remiss if I didn't thank the most important people in my life: my wonderful family - thanks to Mrs Big E and the whole fam/clan!!!

It was the experience of a lifetime, game outcome notwithstanding. Special thanks to Denise Yost for all of her help!

Signing off....

The Big E

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1/7/08, 8:57 PM. It is halftime.

LSU is clearly the better team. There are no words to say: I see no chance of a comeback right now. They are dominating the lines of scrimmage. This must be what hell feels like.

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1/7/08, 28 minutes till kick off.

What a great idea it was by the BCS - I love playing LSU in the Superdome. Why don't we just play USC in the Rose Bowl? Gotta love these "neutral" sites.

I have absolutely no idea what is gonna happen in this game, but I am nervous as hell. We are twenty rows back in the end zone and surrounded by LSU fans.

The bands just came out and the LSU fans booed ours....it is deafening in here.

By the way, these Superdome people are idiots. It is a logistical nightmare just to get in the building b/c the entrance areas aren't large enough to accommodate any large influx of people.

Tigerbait is getting old....and go isn't spelled geaux...morons.

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Monday 1/7/08, 10:23 AM:

It is Game Day people. Last night, we arrived in NOLA around 12:30 AM. Checked in to the Marriott and headed straight down to Bourbon Street...ironically, one of the first people we saw was Rich Holmes, one of our fraternity brothers from our undergrad days...

We proceeded to start consuming hurricanes and $2 draughts (see pic)...after which we were heckled by some drunk Tiger fans asking "how's it gonna feel to lose to a two-loss team"? To which I responded, "how did it feel to lose to a basketball school (Kentucky)"? Not the best retort, but we are in enemy territory down here and it is best to be guarded.

Bourbon Street looked similar to Sarajevo...it is a war zone down here. Trash bags are piled up 6 feet tall in front of bars. There are beads, cups and various articles of clothing covering the streets. Surprisingly, I don't really smell that distinct odor which I recall from 2002 Mardi Gras.

I would say it is about a 60/40 split between Buckeyes and Tigers, which is pretty amazing considering this is a home game for these people. Most of the Tiger fans, excluding those aforementioned, have been MORE than cordial, and I haven't witnessed any moronic obnoxious Buckeye fans yet either.

We closed out the night...ahem, morning...at 4:07 AM with Shrimp Po Boys and lots and lots of water. By the way, if you have never had a Shrimp Po Boy, I highly recommend them - basically it is a plethora of fried shrimp on a bun...with a remoulade sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, et al - it is signature to New Orleans and a must have.

Off to the Superdome now to walk around and find lunch...

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Sunday 1/6/08, 8:45 PM:

Successfully landed in Chattanooga - Andy picked me up at the airport and I noticed his Jeep was decked in car window paint: "Go Buckeyes, Beat lsu" on the driver side and on the passenger side: "BCS bound". Also, noted the cooler in Andy's car was scarlet and gray and chock full of bronsons (beer), not to be consumed until we hit NOLA. We stopped somewhere in rural Alabama at a burger joint called Jack's and ordered up two double Jack burgers and sweet teas to go (see attached pic). It was a taste of Alabama pride and delicious... PS - props to the inventor of satellite radio. Otherwise, we'd be whistling Dixie or humming old show tunes. Should be in NOLA by 11 pm, CST this evening....

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Sunday 1/6/08, 3 PM:

Sitting in the newly designed Skybus waiting area at Port Columbus. Sidenote: this place resembles a doctors' office without the sick kids. It even has that distinct Dr's office odor - sterile yet germy.

I tried to hit up the Buckeye Corner at Easton pre-departure for the Ohio State "eye-black" - the black strips with Block O's on them - and wouldn't you know they were sold out? Nothing like waiting till the last minute...

It appears my flight to Chattanooga is slightly delayed - but we will see. I have never flown on Skybus before and I have heard good things and bad - but mostly good...the rates are so cheap you almost expect them to ask you for gas money at the gate.

Allow me to slightly digress: last night, Mrs Big E and I were watching a replay of the 2002 National Championship game from the 2002 season on the Big Ten Network. It was exhilarating to say the least until we saw the play where Miami safety Sean Taylor (now deceased) intercepted Craig Krenzel, ran for about 15 yards and then subsequently had the ball stripped from him by Maurice Clarett.

Has there been a more memorably star-crossed play in a college football game? Taylor, a future Washington Redskins Pro Bowler, was murdered in November by some sub-human pieces of garbage. Clarett has been incarcerated for some time due to numerous rather disturbing charges and for all intents and purposes, his life will be impaired by these indiscretions down the road. Both left behind young daughters...how sad...

Well...preparing to board...I will have one more entry tonight (maybe Monday AM) from Bourbon Street!!!

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Sunday 1/6/08, 1:22 AM:

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: I am departing for New Orleans today. Due to my last minute decision to go - all of the flights to NOLA from C-bus were approaching $600 and $700 roundtrip...so I am flying to Chattanooga, Tennessee (the heart of SEC country, country music, and mullets) where Andy will pick me up...then it's a 6 hour road trip down I-59 straight to New Orleans!!!

Should be in NOLA by 11PM or so...a quick shower in the Mississippi River to clean up and then it is off to Bourbon Street for a hand grenade (a drink) and a Shrimp Po Boy or two.

When I was last in NOLA...(recall: Mardi Gras in '02), the city had a distinct stench to it. I realized why when I looked around and witnessed public drunkeness, which apparently led to public urination and garbage strewn across Bourbon & Canal Streets - making it look like Britney Spears' home on days when she has the kids!

The morning after the best night of Mardi Gras, I peered outside the Courtyard on Canal and noticed street workers plugging hoses into fire hydrants and literally washing the trash down the street into the sewers. Needless to say, I am anxious to see how the city is post-Katrina...

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10 AM…Thursday 1/3/08 ...

A trip like this is best enjoyed with one of your closest friends. Thus, please allow me to introduce Andy (pictured left)...one of my fraternity brothers who will be accompanying me down to the Big Easy. Andy is a devoted and loyal Ohio State fan - he was even courtside last year to watch Greg Oden and company at the Final Four!!! Raised in the Akron area, he is a high school teacher and football coach in the Atlanta area and thus knows the game very well! Andy is also known for his love of Chinese food and an uncanny ability to snore loud enough to register minor earthquakes. Once in the Big Easy, we will be crashing in the coat check area of the New Orleans Marriott...T-minus 3 days until arrival!!!!

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4:29 PM…Wednesday 1/2/08 ...

As famously scripted in the first edition of the Austin Powers trilogy: “Allow myself to introduce….myself”.

Hi, I am Eric, affectionately (or not) known by friends and family as The Big E. To be candid, that certainly isn’t my most frequently used nickname and I am not that big…but it sure goes well with the Big Easy (and it is 10,000 x’s more appropriate than the alternatives)…hence the apt title!!!

(That's me in the middle of the photo to the left.) I am currently a grad student at Ohio State, but my admiration for OSU dates all the way back to 1986 when I was 8 years old…and I vividly remember my first Ohio State vs _ichigan (note: the “m” was underscored INTENTIONALLY) football game. OSU linebacker Chris Spielman became my hero that day, recording 29 tackles in a losing effort to that hated school up north. I remember exactly where I was when Joe Germaine hit David Boston in the end zone to beat Arizona State in the classic 1996 Rose Bowl. I recall going to the Kroger on Schrock Rd in Westerville in the late 1980s to get an autograph from former OSU hoops forward Dennis Hopson.

To be honest, most of the people in my life influential during my formative years (my parents, grandparents, and numerous uncles and aunts - my cousin even played women's volleyball for the Buckeyes) attended or graduated from Ohio State – so it was natural for me to follow their passion for Ohio State football and hoops. To prove my obsession, I once shaved my head on a bet for the Buckeyes. However, like diminutive Michigan running back/loudmouth Michael Hart after the 5^th grade - the hair on my scalp never really grew again and I now sport a closely cropped buzz cut.

I digress: in about 130 hours from now, I will be in New Orleans at the Superdome to witness what I pray is a Buckeye victory over LSU and their Ohio native coach, Leslie (what were his parents thinking with that name) Miles who just so happens to be a _ichigan alum. I will be chronicling my adventure to the land of crawfish, etoufee, and Hurricanes (no, not the natural disaster variety – rather the ones available for consumption at popular New Orleans nightspot Pat O’Brien’s.)

Feel free to post comments of any sort as you wish – I will do my best to respond live from Cajun Country as time permits! Safe travels to all going down to New Orleans and GO BUCKS!!!!