Should We Thank Wisconsin?

First posted on Inside The Shoe

Something came to my mind earlier today. Along with the fact that some of Ohio State's best players are going to be suspended for 5 games, and maybe the Sugar Bowl (depending on what Tressel decides), maybe Buckeye fans should be thanking, yes thanking,  Wisconsin. The tatgate has hit OSU hard, and hit the legacy of Terrelle Pryor even harder. Ohio State plays in the Sugar Bowl on January 4th, but what would have happened if they were playing on the 10th, for the National Championship? The NCAA and Ohio State would be in a pickle. Say Auburn was our opponent, would the NCAA still suspend these Buckeyes after letting Cameron Newton go free with money in his pocket, simply because he "didn't know"?

If they did, maybe it's time to be gracious we aren't in a position to win a National Title this year. If we had to stick the ball into Bauserman's or Guiton's hands without our starting left tackle, without a starting wide receiver, and without the leading rusher, could they really pull out a win? The defense might be fine, other than the mind game they would be playing while trying to tackle the best player in college football in Cam Newton. The mind game would overtake their minds simply because they have no offense backing them up. Who knows, maybe they would take that into a good way, maybe they like taking the load on their shoulders, but really, you can't win with just a defense. You can come close, don't get me wrong, but you have to have some sort of an offense.

This being said, what about the TatFive? Pryor, Posey, Herron, Adams, and Thomas would be standing on the sidelines with hecklers behind them and an NFL future seeming inevitable all while their teammates and good friends for the past 2-3 years are on the field trying to overcome what they've done and churn out a desperate victory. If we lost, that would move the Buckeyes to 0-10 against the SEC and another Buckeye debacle in the National Championship. Sure, some media would stick up for the Buckeyes saying their best players were sitting down, but over at Arkansas Expats, they're already viewing this as an excuse in case we lose the Sugar Bowl.

Who's to say that the rest of the country won't see that, and not just in the Sugar Bowl, but if we hadn't lost to Wisconsin, in theNational Championship. Tressel would be hit hard, moving to 5-5 in bowl games, and 4-4 mark in BCS games, and don't forget 1-3 in Championship games.

Ohio State's suffering comes back to the Tat Five.

These records might move Tressel's job into danger. I'm not talking hot seat, but this not only hurts Ohio State's and his own records, but it also taints the programs view. I've said it before, Buckeye fans have been on the outside looking in, which is where you want to be, on the whole NCAA investigations/suspension mode. So once again, even if it's wrong to think like this, I have to thank Wisconsin because I would much rather be in this situation at the Sugar Bowl then the National Championship.

I can only hope that somehow, some way, Tressel can pull out a win in New Orleans. Last time he was there he had all the tools, but LSU dismantled the OSU offense with all the starters. Arkansas's defense isn't as good, but if Tressel decides to sit his Tat Five, then it doesn't matter what kind of defense you have, you're probably going to have a successful defensive game facing a back up QB. I would sit Pryor anyway, but at the same time, can we win without him?