Buckeyes are known for three big things when it comes to sports – motivation, spirit, and heart. These three things are what help to make the athletes at Ohio State so great, but in the men’s basketball game against Michigan State this past week the team really seemed to be lacking in all three of these. This was a big game for both teams, because they are not only competing in the NCAA tournament, but they are also both Big 10 teams and are competing for a Big 10 title as well. On Saturday, before the game, Columbus was filled with people in their Scarlet and Grey as well as people in their green and white. There was no shortage of fans for either team. So wouldn’t you think that there being so many people there to cheer on both teams that the Buckeye’s would have had a little more spirit themselves when they were playing? Apparently not.

After the game, I spoke to some students and fans about what their thought was on the Buckeye’s lost. Many of them felt that the team really wasn’t playing their hardest for their game. One fan said “they seemed to have no heart in this game. It’s like they just didn’t want to be playing tonight.” This isn’t something that any athlete would want for one of their fans to be saying after a big game. Athletes aren’t only playing because they love the game; most of them also play because they love the popularity and the way that the fans love them.

I caught up with a few Michigan State fans after the game as well to get their opinion on the outcome, and I have to admit I was very surprised. A couple that I talked to said that they had planned on coming to this game and walking away with a loss. They figured that the game would be close, within 10 to 15 points (it was a 10 point difference) but they also figured that Ohio State would win. They even agreed with the Ohio State fan saying that the OSU players really didn’t seem to be all there tonight and that they were honestly kind of disappointed in that. It’s not often that fans of the opposing, winning team are disappointed in the home, losing team. So Buckeye’s where was the heart for this game? Let’s hope the players get it back for the next few games left in the season.