Football
Rocky Horror Football Game
By John Porentas
Rocky Horror Football Game The fans of the cult movie Rocky Horror Picture Show have nothing on the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Devotees of director Jim Sharman's movie Rocky Horror Picture Show are totally possessed in their zeal to view the movie again, and again, and again, and again. Fans have the script totally committed to memory and can deliver the lines as if they were being cued by the director himself.
The Buckeyes are hoping it's kind of that way with the Michigan game this season.
The grass stains were barely washed out of the uniforms last November following OSU's 35-21 loss to Michigan when the Buckeyes started reviewing the game on tape. Since that time, most have watched that game until they can recite what happened, chapter and verse. Most of the viewing is for education, but there is bit of suffering in watching yourself fall short in an important game - over and over again.
"We've watched the film I-don't-know-how-many times of that game. It's embarrassing watching yourself out there play because it looks like we were in quicksand," said OSU linebacker A. J. Hawk.
"I haven't watched it recently, but I watched it a couple of times right after the game, then in the spring, then again early in the year," Hawk added.
The Buckeyes have been reviewing that game for a year now, but not all of the viewings are analytical. From time to time, they say they actually get caught up in just watching the game like any other fan, and they don't usually like what they see. Cornerback Ashton Youboty has viewed the game more than his share of times.
"About seven times now," said Youboty.
"I usually watch a game twice, and I think we're going to watch it again.
"The first couple of times you say to yourself 'What were you doing?' After that you just look for things that you can possibly do better," Youboty said.
"You watch the game, then you analyze. Then you watch it in film study, then you analyze, then you watch the cutups with your coach, and you analyze, but every now and then, you just get caught up in watching the game," Youboty said.
"I've watched it a couple of times," said senior tailback Maurice Hall.
"I taped it at home last year so I've watched it a couple of times just to see what we did wrong and what we did right," Hall said.
"You watch Michigan more than other opponents."
Hall said that he tries to be analytical when he watches his home version of last year's game, but there are times when the way the game played out really gets to him when he's home alone watching it.
"Sometimes you might go crazy in the house and yell at the T.V.," Hall said.
Every Buckeye we spoke said the Michigan game tape was on his box-office must-see list.
"I've watched it about five times already. Usually I watch a game once or twice," said wide receiver Santonio Holmes.
Senior cornerback Dustin Fox is definitely a big movie-goer when it comes to that game.
"I watched it last night," said Fox
"I've watched it about 10 times. That's way above normal.
"I watch it for film, and how they kicked our rear ends last year, because they did.
"We went up there and they definitely played more physical than we did.
"That's important for us this week, to get back to that physical Big Ten play," Fox said.
Fox is hoping that all that film time will lead to a happier ending this season, just like in the movies.
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