The Cradle of Coaches

Why Ohio Makes the Best Coaches.

Ohio football is unique, probably because Ohio is a unique state and one I am proud to be a citizen of. Lately, the Bengals - the ill managed, loss-plagued heir of one of the greatest football legends of all time (Paul Brown) - have been giving their own infamous history a run for its money and have succeeded in taking public respect for big cats to an all time low. With that being the case, football fans throughout the southwest of the "most American" state have been turning in droves to follow the rising star in college football world: Brian Kelley and his University of Cincinnati Bearcats.

The turn from one to the other has been quite astounding. Local sportswear stores are selling U.C. gear in weeks which would have taken years to move if it were orange and black. Many, especially those from outside the Midwest, look at this situation and blame it all on Cincinnati being "a bunch of fair weather fans." They claim the switch is because Cincinnati will take a winner, any winner, but won't stick with a team that's "down on its luck" (and in the Bengals' case, I use that term loosely).

But I prefer to see it differently. When the Bengals burst onto the scene in 2005 with their first AFC north title and a return to the postseason for the first time in 15 years, people were excited. But it was not like this. The Bearcats are popular for the same reason that Ohio produces more amazing coaches of football than any other state. Its because the Bearcats stand for something much more important to Ohioans. A perennial underdog, the Bearcats are the 5th oldest football club in NCAA football (all divisions), but are only 58th in total wins. They have been written off time after time in the school's history, and their return to glory under Minter, Dantonio and Kelley in the past decade has been nothing short of climactic.

With the University's greatest basketball coach now at cross conference WVU and the basketball program shaken to the core, with years of controversy surrounding the academic ability of many athletes at the school and just after stepping into the Big East Conference; the football team delivers a Big East title and BCS berth, and they do it with one of the best GPA's in the Big East and with a coach who stuck with an underdog rather than move for money.

The Bearcats football team is Cincinnati's hero not because Cincinnati will take anyone, so long as they win, but because the Bearcats are exactly the kind of hero Ohioans have been searching for - they are dedicated to teamwork, loyalty, pride, spirit, selflessness and hard work. They are a symbol for the people they play for; not just a "team."