THE Ohio State University

"How firm thy friendship, O-hi-o."

Although The Ohio State University is located in a metropolis, the campus stands apart from the city, with a distinct, collegiate feel. And just southeast of where the river runs under Woody Hayes Drive, historic Ohio Stadium awaits – “on the banks of the Olentangy.”

Getting There
Columbus, a thriving metropolitan area of one million people, sits in the heart of Ohio, 183 miles from Pittsburgh to the northeast; 167 miles from Charleston, West Va., to the southeast; 111 miles from Cincinnati and 175 miles from Indianapolis, Indiana, to the southwest; 159 miles from Fort Wayne directly west; and 142 miles from Toledo and Cleveland, to the north.

Interstate 80 bisects the city, east to west, and I-71 cuts through the city from Cincinnati in the southwest to Cleveland in the northeast. Port Columbus International Airport is located on the city’s east side.

Not long ago, Trip Captain flew into Columbus to experience an Ohio State football weekend as a fan, walking in the shoes of Brutus Buckeye.  

Lay of the Land
"It’s one tough ticket, no doubt about that," Cap murmured aloud.  He had called in all his markers, tried every contact he knew of, and finally, he had settled, buying from a broker in Cleveland. He was sitting in the dark on a 50-seater, jetting through the night toward Columbus. The plane touched down, the lights came on, and he was holding it - “ticket in hand.”

The Olentangy River

Within minutes he had de-planed, picked up a rental car, and was wheeling west on I-670, then north on highway 315 along the Olentangy River. Cap realized that he knew absolutely nothing about what it’s like to be a fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes, on a home game weekend. But that was about to change.

As he approached Woody Hayes Dr., he saw it - looming in the darkness, through the trees, across the river - Ohio Stadium, "the Horseshoe," "the 'Shoe." On north to Lane Ave., and right on Lane to the Holiday Inn. Approaching the desk, he realized that he was famished. After checking in, he asked the room clerk about a place to eat in the area. With no hesitation, the clerk snapped back, "The Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe," staring Cap dead in the eye.

He dropped his bags in the room and headed out, back west on Lane, then south, winding to 1421 Olentangy River Road, where a valet parked his car. Valet parking is used at the Buckeye in the evenings; the rest of the time, customers park on their own.

Just inside the door, a sign announced a meeting of the Ohio State Alumni Club, with a picture of the Chairman, Mr. Archie Griffin. Straight ahead were booths and tables, then the bar, and to the right, the Walk of Fame.

Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe

TC settled into a booth with its own TV, showing the Thursday night college game, in the first quarter. Downing a Hall of Fame Burger, he began to drift into the weekend, as the action flashed on the screen before him. Then, ripping off a big bite, he looked up and saw – Woody Hayes. He stared, swallowed and stared some more. Yes it was him. No doubt about it: Black athletic shoes, gray pants, white short sleeve shirt with tie, glasses, and black hat with a red block O. But wait a minute; I thought Woody passed away long ago.

As he watched, amazed, he realized that this dead ringer for Woody Hayes was a local citizen, and he was attracting a lot of attention, with photo-ops and autographs. At halftime of the TV game, Cap startled the Woody look-alike with a stout, “Go Bucks!” as he toured the place. Past the gift shop - with game day gear, books, player bobbleheads, and plaques of outstanding plays from the 2002 National Championship season, and down the Walk of Fame, past trophy cases to his left, with displays of pictures and newspaper articles of Buckeye greats, and on his right, meeting rooms. He passed the Jack Nicklaus Room, and the Woody Hayes Room.

Then on back down the hallway to a large game room, with video and arcade games, and a wall, lit from inside, with life-size pictures of players from that 2002 National Championship squad. What a place - and Woody, too, no less.

As he headed out the door, the place was filling up and he overheard a fan, “Man, I’m ready for Saturday right now; bring on the Buckeye Battle Cry! Go Bucks!” Rolling back to the Holiday Inn, Cap knew he would be going back to the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe.

He had been in town less than three hours, and already he was hooked. He fell asleep wondering, "What is the ‘Buckeye Battle Cry’… huh?"

Countdown to kickoff

Buckeye legend Woody Hayes' philosophies still have a presence at The OSU.

Friday morning, TC arose refreshed and headed downstairs for a jog along the Olentangey River, past the stadium and back. Then, he showered and headed out, driving west on Lane Ave., and north on Olentangy River Road to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. In its display room were the six Heisman Trophies, team trophies, pictures, and high on a wall above, a Woody Hayes quote, "You Win with People."

The Ohio State University is, without question, a member of college football’s elite. Ohio State started football in 1890, and joined the Western Conference in 1913, which then became the Big Ten Conference in 1917.

Entering the 2005 season, the Buckeyes claimed 27 conference titles and five National Championships: 1942, 1954, 1957, 1968, and 2002. They have five coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame: John Wilce, Howard Jones, Frances Schmidt, Earl Bruce, and.... Woody Hayes.

Woody Hayes is easily the most influential and dominant personality ever to be associated with the Ohio State football program.  He came to the "graveyard of coaches," Ohio State, in 1951 where there had been five coaches in the previous 11 years.  He was not intimidated.  "I'm not coming here for security.  I came here for opportunity," Hayes declared.

He installed an offense based on a fundamental running game, which he labeled, "Three yards and a cloud of dust."  He clearly disdained the pass.  "There are three things that can happen when you pass, and two of them ain't good."  His approach proved successful.  His teams won 13 conference championships and three national championships: 1954, 1957 and 1958.  Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983, he had a record of 205-68-10 at Ohio State and 238-72-10, overall.

From there, Cap headed to campus. He parked in the small parking garage across the street from the stadium and struck out to find the Union. He turned east, passing University Hall – birthplace of the Scarlet and Gray.  It was here, in 1878, that a three-member selection committee chose the Scarlet and Gray as the official school colors. Committee member Alice Townshend Wing explained the choice. “It was a pleasing combination…and had not been adopted by any other college”, she said.  “Wonder what Alice would think if she could be here tomorrow and see the team and the entire Buckeye Nation decked out in that ‘pleasing combination,” Cap mused.

He headed on across the Oval - a large, open area, criss-crossed with sidewalks, ringed with trees and buildings - at mid-morning filled with students between classes.

The Ohio State University has a large campus, an enrollment of 51,000, with a strong student involvement in the football season. For example, on the Wednesday before the Michigan game, here on the campus, the students engage in the "World’s Largest Pillow Fight."  And Cap had heard about Mirror Lake... "Where is 

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