Definition of a die-hard Buckeye: You considered learning to play the tuba in hopes that one day you'd get the chance to dot the "i" ...
TBDBITL, for you foreigners, is the Ohio State Marching Band, aka "The Best Damn Band In The Land." Yep, it's that time again. Football season. When wearing scarlet and gray isn't optional. First season in Buckeye Country? Here's all you need to know: We back the Bucks and whoever is playing Michigan.
Now, commit these songs to memory and remember, no matter what the score, don't ever, ever,
ever leave a game early.
Buckeye Battle CryIn old Ohio there's a team, That's known throughout the land;
Eleven warriors, brave and bold, Whose fame will ever stand;
And when the ball goes over, Our cheers will reach the sky;
Ohio Field will hear again THE BUCKEYE BATTLE CRY --
DRIVE! Drive on down the field, Men of the scarlet and gray;
Don't let them through that line, We have to win this game today.
Come on, Ohio! Smash through to victory; We cheer you as we go
Our honor defend, so we'll fight to the end for O-Hi-O!
Gets your adrenaline going, doesn't it? For the next song, good Buckeyes switch from beat-'em-up football cheering voices to teary whispers. I tear up at the first few notes of "Carmen Ohio"-- it is a beautiful, beautiful song no matter how badly we sing from the bleachers.
Carmen OhioOh come let's sing Ohio's praise,
And songs to Alma Mater raise;
While our hearts rebounding thrill,
With joy which death alone can still.
Summer's heat or Winter's cold,
The seasons pass, the years will roll;
Time and change will surely show
How firm thy friendship O-Hi-O
(Visitors note: Ohio etiquette demands that you look the other way when your football pals blink back tears at the sweet refrain of this song. Be a sport, would ya?) Visit TBDBITL and the rest of The Ohio State University at
http://www.osu.edu
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