Ohio State - Penn State games are melancholy events


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By George Bland on 11:28:38 10/27/12

In 1996 My son Jason and I attended the OSU-PSU game at Ohio Stadium. Jason had graduated from high school in 1995 but had no idea what he wanted to do. Sleeping through 2 ACT exams convinced his mother and me that he was not ready to go to college. So he got a job and started working. In the year off he became motivated to go to Ohio State hoping to play in the band.

For Jason, the band was always a high point of our trips to the Shoe. We took in the Skull Session and were in our seats for the band entrance. What a spectacular day. We returned to my house, I gave him a hug and he was off for home. That was our last day together. He died in a car accident 6 days later.

Jason is always with me when I watch the Bucks. Even when we were in different places he'd call happy or to complain about the "Suckeyes" performance against that team up north. It was one of the things that tied us together, win or "suck."

I understand Tressel's "It's not about the football." That is just the vehicle. It is about the ties that bind us to others. My grandparents, father, mother, sisters, daughter and Jason. And now my grandkids.

For the1998 PSU game Jason's mother arranged for his trumpet to be played by a member of the OSU band. He was mentioned during the Skull Session just before the playing of the Naval Hymn and I watched as his trumpet made it onto the Ohio State field.

Blessed be the ties that bind...


Edited by original poster [11:31:49 10/27/12]
Edited by original poster [14:56:42 10/27/12]


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