Forgot to post this yesterday. Part III of my look at the 2019 Bearcat season through the lens of 2009. Revisiting the total mismatches of week 2 (and spending some time on past UC/Ohio State games).
Quote: I found out my father had been diagnosed with cancer about a month before my thirteenth birthday. He battled it for nearly five years before passing away on Valentine’s Day of 2002. I was two months shy of 18. My dad was from Wilmington, North Carolina but came to Cincinnati to pursue his Doctorate’s Degree in Sociology at the University of Cincinnati. He worked for UC throughout my childhood as an administrator in the college of business, while also teaching some night classes in Sociology. To this day UC football is one of the things that makes me think of him. He loved the university and I was lucky enough to get follow the Bearcats with him. He took me to nearly every UC game until he was diagnosed with cancer and we continued to get tickets even when he could not attend. He never got to live the glory years of UC football, but because of him I was able to fully appreciate the journey from mediocrity to something beyond comprehension.
Maybe the most impactful paragraph in your blog Mark. My mom is an ovarian cancer survivor and I am blessed that she is still here. Your Dad is always with you in memory and in your heart and that is something that you can share with your kids. He lives on through you. A great legacy to his credit. A great reflection of your character as his son. Thanks for sharing.
Part VI. I think you'll like this one. I discuss UC@Houston 2009, UC@USF, QB injuries, whirlwind road trips, Fall Weddings, and how well the season is now set up for amazing things. https://bearcatmark.blogspot.com/2019/10...games.html
Haven't updated my look at this year through the lens of 2009 in a while. Today I go lightning round through the last 4 games against the bottom of the conference (and a 3 game stretch from 2009 against the same) all setting up a huge stretch at the end.
Spent my lunch watching UC v. West Virginia from 2009 and finishing up my piece on that game and this past weekend's Temple v. Cincinnati game where the Bearcats locked up the East and a spot in the AAC Championship.
10 years ago today. The greatest day in UC football history. The greatest game I ever attended. Here's my account of the game and my trip to Pittsburgh for it.
(12-05-2019 11:02 AM)bearcatmark Wrote: 10 years ago today. The greatest day in UC football history. The greatest game I ever attended. Here's my account of the game and my trip to Pittsburgh for it.
I drove to the game from Toledo by myself after my friend (who was from Pittsburgh) overslept and was unreachable by cell when I went to pick him up that morning.
After arriving to Heinz just after kick-off and getting cussed out by hordes of drunk Pitt fans on my walk to the stadium, I decided not to go to my assigned seat in the upper deck and just watch from a railing over a mezzanine with a handful of other Pitt and UC fans.
Your breakdown helped me recall a lot of the fine details of the game. The Pitt fan (older guy, probably in his 50s) who I was chatting all game was in a pretty good mood and confident all game and abruptly left without a good-bye after Binns scored his touchdown. Like you, I exploded high-fiving and hugging UC fans standing on the rail with me who I really hadn't said a word to all game after the touchdown and XP. Hands down the most exciting sports feat I've witnessed in person.
After the game, I walked along the stadium area/riverfront for like an hour by myself just smiling and calling lots of friends and family back in Cincinnati and NY. Not a single Pitt fan said a word to me.
What an exhilarating day.
(This post was last modified: 12-05-2019 11:21 AM by BrooklynRocket.)
(12-05-2019 11:02 AM)bearcatmark Wrote: 10 years ago today. The greatest day in UC football history. The greatest game I ever attended. Here's my account of the game and my trip to Pittsburgh for it.
I drove to the game from Toledo by myself after my friend (who was from Pittsburgh) overslept and was unreachable by cell when I went to pick him up that morning.
After arriving to Heinz just after kick-off and getting cussed out by hordes of drunk Pitt fans on my walk to the stadium, I decided not to go to my assigned seat in the upper deck and just watch from a railing over a mezzanine with a handful of other Pitt and UC fans.
Your breakdown helped me recall a lot of the fine details of the game. The Pitt fan (older guy, probably in his 50s) who I was chatting all game was in a pretty good mood and confident all game and abruptly left without a good-bye after Binns scored his touchdown. Like you, I exploded high-fiving and hugging UC fans standing on the rail with me who I really hadn't said a word to all game after the touchdown and XP. Hands down the most exciting sports feat I've witnessed in person.
After the game, I walked along the stadium area/riverfront for like an hour by myself just smiling and calling lots of friends and family back in Cincinnati and NY. Not a single Pitt fan said a word to me.
What an exhilarating day.
Awesome. I love hearing other accounts of the game. So many things about that day stand out in my mind.
They talked so much trash, but it wasn't even good. I had one guy making fun of me, because they had three rivers and we only had one. He also was yelling about Larosa's pizza for 3 and a half quarters. I was in the upper bowl of the enclosed endzone. I could have swore the people around me left through a trap door after the TD. Stopped at BW3's in C-Bus on the way home to see Mac Brown get one second put back on the clock somehow.
(This post was last modified: 12-06-2019 09:47 AM by Z-Fly.)
(12-06-2019 07:45 AM)Z-Fly Wrote: They talked so much trash, but it wasn't even good. I had one guy making for of me, because they had three rivers and we only had one. He also was yelling about Larosa's pizza for 3 and a half quarters. I was in the upper bowl of the enclosed endzone. I could have swore the people around me left through a trap door after the TD. Stopped at BW3's in C-Bus on the way home to see Mac Brown get one second put back on the clock somehow.
UC could have easily done the same thing against Alabama that Texas did. That was a waste of a second.
I didn't really have any bad experiences with opposing fans other than a little friendly banter, but I too remember not being able to wipe a smile off my face for almost the entire ride home. Looking at any vehicle on the way home sporting C-paws, the looks on the occupants' faces was almost always the same as mine. Like Mark, still the greatest football game I've ever attended and made not being able to feel my feet the whole 4th quarter 100% worth it.
To me the Gilyard touchdown is still the play that sticks with me every bit as much as Pike to Binns.
Quote: The air had come out of the sail of the Bearcat fans at Heinz field that day and I have no doubt everywhere else Bearcat fans were watching the game. My sister was texting me about the game. I remember her texts being fairly resigned to UC losing. My response to her down 31-10 was something to the effect of “they’ll find a way to win this game.” Did I really believe it? I don’t know. I had faith in this team. They could explode in a hurry. Maybe I was trying to convince myself. However, a few seconds later I would believe. I would fully buy in. Mardy Gilyard would make sure I did.
Mardy was a force of nature in his time at UC and always had huge plays on the biggest of stages. He ran back a kickoff against Oklahoma. He ran the opening kickoff back when UC won at WVU in 2008 setting up their championship run. He ran back a kickoff the week before against Illinois. However, this was the one everyone will always remember. He takes the kick, sprints forward, makes a couple quick moves then darts to the left corner of the endzone, outrunning every Pitt defender trying to cut him off. I was at the game, but in the many times I have seen it since McDonough’s call remains one of the great calls I have heard. “Here comes Mardy Gilyard. Free at last!” I picked up my phone and sent another text to my sister barely a minute after my last one. I remember exactly what it said “We’re ******* winning this game!” This time, I know I believed.
(12-06-2019 02:16 PM)bearcatmark Wrote: To me the Gilyard touchdown is still the play that sticks with me every bit as much as Pike to Binns.
Quote: The air had come out of the sail of the Bearcat fans at Heinz field that day and I have no doubt everywhere else Bearcat fans were watching the game. My sister was texting me about the game. I remember her texts being fairly resigned to UC losing. My response to her down 31-10 was something to the effect of “they’ll find a way to win this game.” Did I really believe it? I don’t know. I had faith in this team. They could explode in a hurry. Maybe I was trying to convince myself. However, a few seconds later I would believe. I would fully buy in. Mardy Gilyard would make sure I did.
Mardy was a force of nature in his time at UC and always had huge plays on the biggest of stages. He ran back a kickoff against Oklahoma. He ran the opening kickoff back when UC won at WVU in 2008 setting up their championship run. He ran back a kickoff the week before against Illinois. However, this was the one everyone will always remember. He takes the kick, sprints forward, makes a couple quick moves then darts to the left corner of the endzone, outrunning every Pitt defender trying to cut him off. I was at the game, but in the many times I have seen it since McDonough’s call remains one of the great calls I have heard. “Here comes Mardy Gilyard. Free at last!” I picked up my phone and sent another text to my sister barely a minute after my last one. I remember exactly what it said “We’re ******* winning this game!” This time, I know I believed.
I agree. When Mardy took that kick back I clearly remember for whatever reason we would make it a game and most likely complete a great comeback (youngster dreams).
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Experiencing Bearcat Football: A Decade Apart
