Are you kidding me? Can it be?

Ok, ok – let me back up.

Saturday night was meant to be all about hanging out with some friends of mine in celebration of my friend Tom’s birthday. They’re not a huge sports-loving group, though. So? Well, you see, at the start of the day, Ohio State was ranked #3 – and would not be playing that day or any other day until their Bowl appearance. So, for them to make it to the BCS Championship game in New Orleans, alot of things would have to come together. Namely, to be confident, Missouri and West Virginia would both have to lose.

Anxious with anticipation, I hailed a cab and made my way to my buddy Tom’s brother’s apartment in the E. 30’s here in New York for a celebration of Tom’s birthday.

I was hardly surprised, upon my arrival, to find the crew playing Nintendo Wii – oblivious to what was going on in College Football Land. Fortunately, Marcus, Dave and Marcus’s buddy Fergle, rolled right in just a few minutes after me. Despite having growing up outside Indianapolis and otherwise being a fan of pretty much anything Indy-related, Marcus was born in Kettering, OH and is a die-hard OSU football fan. He immediately fired up the laptop and logged onto ESPN’s website, where we could see real-time updates of the games.

Pittsburgh and West Virginia are scoreless after the 1st Quarter? Whoa – that’s a bit of a surprise. (ok – back to the Beer + wii bowling)
WV is up only 7-3 at the half? Man – this game is going to be tighter than anyone would have guessed. . .And at the end of the 1st Qtr of the Oklahoma/Missouri game, Missou is only up by a field goal? Wow! (beer + wii golf)
Oh good lord! Pitt just got a touchdown in the 3rd? Oh man! Okla and Missou are tied at the half? What!?! (bourbon + back to wii bowling)
Pitt beat WV? What? Seriously? Woo hoo!!! And now Oklahoma is up by a touchdown? And now another one? Oh my lord – is this really happening (back to beer + wii boxing)
YES YES – it is! Oklahoma and Pittsburgh both won! The Buckeyes HAVE to be going to the BCS championship game!

I got my confirmation via a painfully long BCS “hype/announcement” show on Fox following that Sunday’s NFL coverage. The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Louisiana State Tigers for the BCS Championship.

Thanks, Hal – great apartment and excellent party! Happy b-day, Tom!

. . .and GO BUCKEYES!