After our showing last year, I honestly have no clue how the Horns are going to treat us [Ohio State fans]. I’d like to think they’ll be nice, but everyone down here knows what shitty, trashy hosts we were, so I’m not expecting the best. We’ll see.
–Me, 08.16.06
If this isn’t the dumbest thing I’ve ever written, then I’m not sure what is.
Words cannot express the amount of gratitude I have for the Texas Longhorns fans. I want to send you the biggest THANK YOU possible for making this one of the best weekends of me and my friends’ lives. It was downright legendary, and it’s all due to being with the most absolutely awesome fan base I’ve ever seen.
It is with extreme jealousy and admiration that I write this right now, as the Texans have completely out-classed us in every aspect possible. My friends were simply blown away the entire time, and it would have been impossible for me NOT to have shown them a good time.
We were awful hosts last year, and you could easily have slung it right back. But instead, you took high road and killed us with kindness. Thank you thank you thank you thank you!
I’ve never had so many beers and shots bought for me. I’ve never seen such brotherhood and bonding. I’ve never been asked by so many people if I’m having fun, doing, or if I needed anything — this is the way it should be people.
I don’t care about the football game — Ohio State just got schooled by Texas. I hope every Buckeye goes back to Ohio and brings these lessons to central Ohio.
So at this point, I definitely have to give some shout outs, because everyone was SO incredible:
- Mo and Cory – for throwing one of the finest tailgates I’ve ever been to. Thank you guys SO much, you can crash on my couch any time you’re downtown. Oddly enough, these guys are Purdue and Notre Dame grads respectively, but I’m not surprised why Mo will don the burnt orange on Saturdays. 100% class.
- Kate – for introducing me to Mo and Cory last year and being such a good friend and great host – thanks!
- Halah, Anna, Lindsay, and the rest of the girls – too much fun. Thanks for taking in our girlfriends, playing flip (not flippy!) cup against us, and showing us how it’s done.
- Thomas – I don’t know why, but this guy totally took us in on Thursday night, got us tons of free shots, and got us to cut lines at bars on 6th. Thanks if you’re out there buddy!
- The guys and gals who read my blog and came and partied with us on Lake Travis on Friday. Sorry for the lack of sunshine, but I think we did a damn fine job! You guys rock and I hope Stubb’s and the game turned out as good for you as it did for us!
- … and of course, while we’re on the lake, Daybreak Rentals. You guys putting up with my idiocy was just incredible. Definitely happy we rented with you, and sorry about the anchor!
- The guys at Carlos and Charlies. I don’t remember any names, but one fella came up to us, said “yall treated me like shit last year…. and i’m going to… kill. you. with. KINDNESS” and bought us 2 rounds of shots. Outclassed again.
- Nate Novosel – for driving a car to the Lake even though you had a bum ankle
- Sujit, Vinay, Nick Butler (haha I work with this guy every day and still keep calling him Dan — sorry Nick!), the high school football coaches, and everyone else I chatted it up with during the game… too many to count and remember. Thanks for showing my friends so much fun!
- Those crazies who came up to me right as I walked to the tailgate and made me take a long pull on the bottle of Jack… you guys are hilarious and awesome, thanks! (by the way my liver does not thank you)
- Stubb’s BBQ – Hey, maybe they “sold out” to the Buckeyes, but someone had to put all of us SOMEWHERE. Great service, good eats, perfect venue for us! I look forward to my next show there, as always
- The Ohio State Alumni Organization, Austin chapter. WONDERFUL JOB. Great choice on Stubb’s!!
- My neighbors for putting up with me after “quiet hours” — thanks, and sorry for any disruptions!
- And most importantly, the Austin law enforcement, fire, and emergency rescue squads for keeping everyone safe, healthy, and responding quickly to any problems while everyone was out having fun. THANK YOU!
It was with extreme disappointment that I had to wake up to this article: Fan violence mars Ohio State’s big win over Texas. Reading this, we were completely dumbfounded, there was absolutely NO violence here… not even on 6th… “where was the trouble?!” we asked as we clicked the link…
Oh, of course: In Columbus, OH. GODDAMNIT KIDS. GROW UP. GROW UP RIGHT NOW. Learn how to be civil human beings. Holbrook — throw em all out. I just can’t believe it. I have nothing more to say on the issue here. Come to Austin for a week, keep your lighters in your pocket and your big mouths shut, and learn how to function as productive members of society. Jesus…
Listen people, I wouldn’t trade my 5 years at Ohio State for anything, and I’m forever a proud Buckeye — but there’s a reason I’m here. It’s times like these when I really question myself on why in the hell I’m moving away from Austin, even if only for 3 years.
So one last time – THANK YOU from all of the Buckeyes. Feel free to send this to all of your Ohio State and Longhorn friends — because we mean it.
One last thing… why the hell not… Hook’em Horns!
-berto
By Steveo September 10, 2006 - 4:50 pm
wish I was there man…I\’ll catch you back on Saturday..
By Brian Combs September 10, 2006 - 5:38 pm
You Buckeye fans are welcome back in Austin any time. Leave the team behind, though! :-)
By OSUnumber45 September 10, 2006 - 6:12 pm
Your first picture has a broken link. You forgot the .com
By TresselLikesSweaters September 10, 2006 - 6:44 pm
Believe me, I was very dissappointed we lost that game. But I do take a good amount of pleasure in knowing we played a respectable host to you guys, and hopefully word will continue to spread, that although we Texans are as passionate about the game as any fan base in America, we have class…win or lose.
Hope your fellow Bucks had a good time, too. Most of us had no doubt you guys would leave Austin with almost nothing but good things to say. Now you see why we were so shocked by the bad treatment we got in C-Bus. Maybe if we hosted you guys first, the treatment in C-Bus would have been better. Probably not, though. Too many good couches to burn in Ohio, I suppose.
Hook ‘Em
By Jordan September 10, 2006 - 7:46 pm
This sounded like a lot of fun!!! Too bad I was up at the other OSU recruiting… let everyone know that I miss them.
By Jessica September 10, 2006 - 7:57 pm
Berto,
I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful time in Austin this weekend. I agree that the Texas fans and Austin community most certainly know how to host an event.
As I was leaving the stadium after the game yesterday the Texas fans all said “great game, good luck this season.” This is something that I have NEVER experienced at a Big Ten event. Sure before the game there were some light-hearted exchanges that took place, but everyone was polite and it was all in good fun. Again, something that you do not encounter at a Big Ten event.
Thank you Austin and the entire University of Texas community for your hospitality. I hope to come back and visit “y’all” soon.
By Armadillo Slim September 10, 2006 - 8:35 pm
actually, you can bring your team. honestly, we need to do this more often.
but if you’re going to leave somebody behind, may i respectfully suggest no. freakin’ 11. he really doesn’t add much to the party :-) at least not from our perspective.
By Bobby September 10, 2006 - 9:55 pm
I got this link from a BBS I’m on. Go figure – we were set up right next to you guys (I see from the picture). My friend’s in-laws are big Buckeye fans from San Antonio, and we had some folks from y’all’s tailgate come over to chat.
It was one of the best game day experiences I’ve ever had (that’s in almost 35 years of Texas games). I thought the Buckeye fans were great – everyone was having a blast before, and I think everyone handled the end of the game just fine.
Good luck the rest of the season, and I hope we turn things around and catch up with you guys in Phoenix.
By Walt September 10, 2006 - 11:22 pm
We invited dear friends down from Columbus, crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. They were blown away by the friendliness and the game-day atmosphere, both inside and outside the stadium. OSU sent their best fans down and left the hoodlums at home. I’m proud our friends are going back home with the lasting impression of Austin and UT I think they’ll have.
By AustinNative September 11, 2006 - 8:13 am
Let me just give major props to the Ohio State fans as well. It was amazing how many of you made it into DKR for the game. I hate that some of you probably had to pay and arm and a leg to get in but your passion was evident in the fact that you had to have had over 10,000 in a seat in the stadium. Every Buckeye fan I spoke with was very appreciative of how they were treated all weekend long and had nothing but nice things to say. I told everyone of them that they were the most dedicated traveling fanbase I have seen and that includes teams such as Notre Dame, Texas A&M and Nebraska.
I am so proud of UT fans and our team as well. We don’t like to lose but I saw on numerous occasions where our guys and your guys would pick each other up after a play and pat each other on the helmet. This is what college football should be like every weekend… except for when we play OU and y’all play Michigan! Thanks Buckeyes and Thanks Longhorns.
Good Luck to OSU the rest of the way and Troy Smith for Heisman!!!
By Butler September 11, 2006 - 10:03 am
Berto,
Had no idea you ever called me Dan, but its water under the bridge…lol Glad you and your peeps had a good time…
By transplanted midwest guy September 11, 2006 - 10:42 am
I can assure you that the fans that came to Austin weren’t outclassed by anyone. I mingled with Buckeye fans for 3 days and I found every one of them to be total class and just great fans. Obviously there is a bad element back in C-bus that should be eliminated. It’s too bad that the fans I met this weekend have to be lumped in with those thugs.
By Starolis September 11, 2006 - 11:11 am
This was one epic weekend that I’ll think back to for a long time. Great times and fans all around. Congrats to the Buckeyes for coming in and taking one back. I wish y’all the best of luck the rest of the season and hope we can complete the trilogy in the BCS sometime soon! Hook ’em!
By ziggyd September 11, 2006 - 11:22 am
To Buckeyes Joe and Tony, thanks for buying me 2 beers prior to the gane in the End Zone Club and I was a total stranger wearing burnt orange.
By Jason N September 11, 2006 - 12:28 pm
Berto,
I will fight you!
By osu4brutus03 September 11, 2006 - 8:41 pm
I’m very pleased by the treatment I recieved while being in Austin. 100% welcome by the fans and it was very heart warming. I wish we played Texas more often. GO BUCKS & Hook Em Horns
By Shawn Clinger September 12, 2006 - 11:57 am
Mike,
I had a great time in Austin. Thank you for showing me around Thursday. The Texas fans, You,all of your friends were really cool and made my night Thursday. If your ever in Washington DC give me a call. It’ll be my turn to return the hospitality. Maybe I’ll see at the NC Game, if we run the table. Go Bucks!!
Shawn Clinger
By Matt September 12, 2006 - 2:47 pm
Glad you had a great time. I partied all weekend with buckeye fans and they were just awesome. Even had a few crash on my couches on thursday night(work was miserable the next day) Anyways, good luck the rest of the season and beat the hell outta michigan.
Hook Em and Go Bucks!
By Vinnie September 12, 2006 - 7:40 pm
I had to say that I was embarassed last year when my Texican friends came up here to Ohio for the game. People were rough on them but they took it as “gameday competition”. The Texas fans that were here were wishing us luck (we’re Buckeye fans).
I was glad to hear that the hospitality I know and love in Texas abounded. My friends kid goes to OSU and attends all of the games and he said that “it’s a shame this game couldn’t be on the yearly schedule”.
I’m bringing my new found friend (I think y’all know him as #11) Gonzalez to live there LOL
By Josh Holley September 16, 2006 - 10:50 am
Berto,
Just ran across your blog. SO glad you had a good time. You’re welcome back any time and good luck this year on the National Championship run. Hook’em!
A random longhorn student/fan,
JOSH HOLLEY
By John September 17, 2006 - 3:04 pm
Well, before you go putting all of us on a pedestal, if your team has the name ‘Oklahoma’ written on it, the treatment is much different and there’s no way I share a damn thing with you. But I do agree that the disparity in fan treatment appears to be legit; I’ve seen several other comments and articles backing up the point.
To Buckeye nation, I hope you don’t go f’king choking away this win to the likes of Purdue or Wisconsin, or some B.S. like that. Like UT last year, you OWE US a national championship. Unless there’s a rematch! Hook ’em!