Unabated Sports

There are a lot of Ohio State fans that wish Maurice Clarett bad things in life. The OSU faithful snicker with delight when they hear he's struggling in Denver. Buckeye Nation hates his guts. I understand this. He said things in order to bring down your school. Heck, I haven't been an Ohio State fan since I was in fifth grade and I'm mad at him. He tried to drag down the NFL, so that's my excuse. But I have a wake-up call for all you Scarlet and Grey clad folks. No matter how much you despise what he tried to do, no matter how disgusted you are at how he wasted his opportunities in the Buckeye backfield, no matter how betrayed you felt, remember this: You cannot hate him with all your soul. You need to have a little love for Mo.

That made you mad, didn't it? I know it riles up my friends who are Ohio State fans. The thought of preserving a kind thought for someone who inspires so much spite is infuriating. But it's true, you gotta do it. He was a major factor in the most treasured of football prizes, a national championship. You can't have that #1 year without #13.

After the initial infuriation, my Buckeye friends try to rationalize away the idea of having any positive feelings for Mo. "He was hurt for half the season. We won those games without him." That's true. But you couldn't have won other key games without him carrying the ball. Heck, all the games in 2002 are key or OSU doesn't remain undefeated and get into the Fiesta Bowl. For example, that Michigan game. Clarett rushed for 119 yards on 20 carries, scored on a 2-yard run and set up the other Ohio State touchdown with a 26-yard pass reception. Both are big deals in a 14-9 game. Numbers don't even capture the true results. Go back and watch film of any game. Even without the numbers on the back of the jerseys, you could tell when the Big Ten Freshman of the Year was in. That was the time when dynamic plays happened. Without him... not so much. Three yards, a cloud of dust, and a punt to set up field position. Clarett electrified an offense that was, at best, lethargic without him. He was a legitimate playmaker.

That team won 14 games, half of which by less than a touchdown. They lose any one of those contests, it's up to the mercy of the BCS standings to see if they still get in. And how often have those heiroglyphics been right? If one of those losses is to a league opponent, then you lose out on winning the conference. Remember, Iowa was undefeated in Big Ten play. And if that loss came to Michigan? You're tied with them and they'd win out in a head-to-head tiebreaker. So, one loss means the difference from undisputed national champs to being middle-of-the-road.

And it's not like Clarett hasn't been punished for his idiocy. I know, you're saying "not enough." But if he had kept his mouth shut, earned his stripes, and done things right he would have won a Heisman Trophy, maybe two, and been a first round draft pick in the NFL and a multi-millionaire. Instead, he was lucky to get picked up on the first day, has a bad contract, and may not even make the team.

So, if you completely disown Mo, you have to trade in that magical 2002 season for a mediocre third place finish in the conference. Return the Fiesta Bowl for an Outback Bowl. You can't have the national championship without the necessary evil that was, and remains, Maurice Clarett.