My name is Cheryl, and I am an Ohio State fan.

I've said this several times before and am proud to admit it. But lately I have felt that, as an alumna of Ohio University, that I need to justify my desire to cheer my heart out for the scarlet and gray.

A column Tuesday by the sports editor of my college paper (which also is my former employer) blasts the Bobcat-student/Buckeye-fan, whom he presumes will be cheering against the Green & White when they play Saturday in Ohio Stadium. He complains a lot because people attending school in Athens happen to cheer for a team for a college in Columbus. I suppose he expects all Ohio U students to have so much university pride that they couldn't imagine cheering for anyone else, and he's tired of it.

I'm tired of people making assumptions about why I cheer for my favorite football team.

Many people grow up cheering for the hometown team -- as did I. I loved going to Columbus Clippers, Columbus Chill and Columbus Crew games, and quickly became a fan of baseball, hockey and soccer. (And because I grew up watching the AAA affiliate of the Yankees, I don't hate that New York team as much as I probably should as an Indians fan.) My love for football came later. And when I started to pay attention to football, I watched my hometown Buckeyes. The state capital, after all, had just one major league sport before the Blue Jackets -- and I don't think most people consider soccer to be one of the big leagues anyway (N-H Sports Writer Chris Lillstrung excluded).

The Northeast Ohioans I have met seems to be split between loving and loathing the Buckeyes, and personally I could care less if anyone else cheers for the team I want to cheer for. But you can't blame people for latching on to a good team when they don't have a professional team in their own hometown. So maybe people cheer for Ohio State because it's state pride or state unity or whatever. Or maybe they just found a team to watch in the fall.

So this Saturday I'll be watching my alma mater vs. my hometown team. I'll be wearing an OU T-shirt and hoodie, and cheering for the Green & White to score enough to prevent the Scarlet & Gray from covering. That's right, I'm picking the Bobcats this week -- even though I really hope the Buckeyes go undefeated so they can return to the National Championship game.

Speaking of my picks this week ...

I went 12-8 again in Week 2. I should have gone with my instinct to pick Virginia in their game against USC because the Trojans only won by 3, when they were giving 19.5. I said last week that it was going to be a tough game to pick. But two weeks in a row with 12 wins? Not too shabby of a start.

Tough games for this week include BYU getting 9 at Florida State, and Air Force getting 17 at Oklahoma. I love picking BYU. I pretty much always pick BYU. But lately the Cougars have been letting me down, and I might have to go with the Seminoles this week. The point spread in Air Force-Oklahoma seems far too big, after the great two weeks Air Force has had. And TCU giving 21.5 to Baylor? That's more than three touchdowns, but the Horned Frogs have been smashing their opponents. Here's hoping to keeping my 12-point weeks going ...


-- Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com