There are people in your life whose mere existence brings you joy and laughter. They spend time thinking about ways to irritate, I mean, engage with you, just to make you laugh. We have such a person in our circle and we feel so fortunate to call him our friend…most of the year. Fall is hard, though. You see, not only is this guy not a Buckeye, he often roots against our team. Now, if you ask him, he will tell you he wants to root for OSU, but he’s a family man and he has an obligation to cheer for the opposing team, if he has a connection. You guys, our friend Mike, has lived everywhere, gone to school in multiple states, has brothers, adult children, parents, uncles, friends of friends who have also lived in every single state so I can’t recall a single game he has rooted for Ohio State in the 20+ years we have known him. I’m just saying, that is not a fan.
No, this guy is not a Wolverine, but his Uncle Bob is indeed a Michigan fan and therefore Mike must cheer for them. No, our dear friend, Mike is an Air Force Falcon and a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. You wouldn’t think someone with his pedigree would really care about a team of nuts, but he does. He really, really does. In fact, I would say his infatuation with our beloved Buckeyes borders on obsession. I mean, I get it. Who doesn’t want to be a Buckeye? Nevermind, keep your Michigan devotee lifestyle to yourself, I don’t want to hear about it.
Seriously, I do get it. Our circle of friends consists of the Big 10, the Pac 12 and there Mike is all lonely in the Mountain west conference. I mean, is that even a real conference? Sorry, Colorado State, I know you are a real team which is why you are moving to the Pac 12 in 2026. You know when someone is jealous and they have a tendency to make fun of other people, but it’s because they really just want to belong? I’m pretty sure his incessant banter about Ohio State and the over /under, the betting, the petty comments are really just an insecurity on his part.
I bet you’d be surprised to also know that this guy, who is not an OSU fan, has a lot of posts about the Buckeyes on his Instagram. In fact, out of 40 posts (yes, he’s an avid poster), twenty of them are about Ohio State. Yes, I counted. I would call that an unhealthy obsession on his part.
Every August, our group of friends begins getting text messages from our mutual friend about the “easy” schedule Ohio State has, which games he would like to bet on and if anyone wants to get together to watch any of the big games, like Akron, Western Michigan, or Marshall. Who can deny his obvious cries for help? So, we continue to take the high road and make bets (that he never pays), let him roast us for the fun of it and buy him lots of OSU gear to help him feel like he is one of us. The one I really feel sorry for is his wife, Gina. Just today, she sent me the following text:
“I was trying to have a conversation with Mike while he was at the airport and he said, ‘I can’t talk right now, I have to study for this flight exam.’ Then 10 minutes later he has all the time in the world to trash talk Ohio State and their schedule in a group text. I see where I rank.” Gina L.
If you or someone you know suffers from Buckeye Fever but continues to be in denial, you’re not alone. There is a whole group of us out here who support you and understand what it’s like to have a trash-talking secret buckeye in your midst. Our best advice is to love them, go along with their delusions, pay your debts when you lose with a fun-loving attitude, and know that our day will come around again.
The following videos show how I always pay my debts when I lose a bet with my dear friend.
Lowi & G 