Finding humor in Miami’s Frozen Four collapse
Written by Matt Sussman | | news@toledofreepress.comDid you see the NCAA hockey national championship game Saturday night? Wasn’t that amazing? Boston University, a heavy favorite down 3-1, scored two goals in the final minute of the Frozen Four final en route to a 4-3 overtime victory over the Miami University. While watching BU’s winning goal float over the Miami goalie’s shoulder and into the net, I had but one definitive thought:
“Ha. Ha. Hahahahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.”
Allow me to explain.
As a Toledo native, rooting for Boston is tantamount to supporting former Toledo Goaldigger star Mike Eruzione, a BU Terriers alumnus, who gave the team a pep talk before the championship game. Perhaps it makes up for omitting him in my NW Ohio Mt. Rushmore of Sports candidates.
Okay, that’s a small reason, but if we were playing “Family Feud,” I guessed the sixth most popular answer. Here’s the No. 1 answer.
While I traditionally envy and cheer on all things related to the Mid-American Conference — as well as the CCHA, the conference featuring many teams including BGSU, Miami, Ohio State and Michigan — I just couldn’t help but laugh at perhaps the most glorious collapse in championship history, because Miami’s athletic teams have simply aggravated me this decade.
UT may be BGSU’s prime rivalry, but for some reason the hatred toward Miami sports is more warranted if not more historic.
Those who remember the Falcons’ great 2003 football season may know of the team’s ultimate demise stemming from the hands (and arm) of Ben Roethlisberger, who led the Miami RedHawks to two victories over BGSU. In fact, Miami football has beaten the Falcons in five of the last six matchups by an average of more than 17 points. In that same span of time, BGSU mens basketball is 3-7 against Miami, with one of those losses coming in the MAC tournament.
It’s personal, too. When I participated in a college curling tournament back in 2003, I remember losing to Miami in the round-robin play that prevented us from playing in the championship game; our team had to settle for third. (In all fairness, we won our third place game by default, because our opponent — another Miami team — never showed up, probably because they were hung over from the night before. These things happen in non-varsity collegiate sports.)
While the men and women being sculpted educated down in Oxford, Ohio may have tremendous character, I have no sympathy for those crestfallen over MU’s chance to finally hang a national championship banner in their rink. Instead, Boston U. will rise their fifth banner up to the rafters, 25 years after BGSU also won a hockey championship in overtime.
My only fear of publicizing this schadenfreude is that it will result in another 27-point defeat to the RedHawks in football next season.
Matt:
When was the last time that the University of Toledo played for a national championship in anything?
Ask someone outside the 419 area code about Toledo and they’ll either bring up your idiotic mayor or some hairy actor from a 1970’s era TV show.
Since Toledo has been in decline for decades, I guess you have nothing left except hoping other people feel as miserable as you do. Sorry, no chance of that.
This comment was posted on April 14th, 2009 at 7:22 pmMatt:
1. Trying to make others smaller does not make you bigger.
2. Invoking Eruzione as a Toledo connection to root for BU is ridiculous, seeing you were not even born when Mike was a Goaldigger.
3. Miami didn’t collapse. BU, the #1 team in the country all year, simply executed (somewhat amazingly) in crunch time.
4. As a BGSU fan, you can expect more aggravation from Miami’s teams, with the possible exception of men’s hockey, of course.
Love and Honor.
This comment was posted on April 15th, 2009 at 7:50 pmHave fun rooting for BG in 2010-11…if they are still around.
This comment was posted on April 15th, 2009 at 10:19 pmMatt,
Look in the mirror: you are a loser living in a decaying city.
This comment was posted on April 17th, 2009 at 5:06 pmMatt – You write like a second grader who’s got a monthly column in the elementary school newsletter. You’re a product of the failing Toledo public school system, right? That would explain it.
This comment was posted on April 18th, 2009 at 12:10 pmI’m guessing Matt Sussman never played competitive sports. Matt looks like your classic, garden variety geek.
[Sorry, Matt, but playing Dungeons & Dragons in your parents' basement doesn't count.]
This comment was posted on April 20th, 2009 at 7:53 pmthis is much funnier: “Finding humor in Matt Sussman’s pathetic existence in Frog Town, USA”
This comment was posted on April 21st, 2009 at 3:42 pmOuch! Sussman, you’re getting destroyed on here!
This comment was posted on April 29th, 2009 at 4:12 pm