SPORTS

Sports editor's mailbox: Reader pays tribute to Kerry Coombs; another is a Rose Bowl poet

The Columbus Dispatch

Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs encourages players during warm-ups before a NCAA Division I football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.

On Kerry Coombs

To Brian: Aside from the infectious enthusiasm of Kerry Coombs, I will always remember the game OSU played in Ann Arbor in 2013 when the home team, trailing by 7, scored with seconds to go and chose to go for two points to win or lose on one play. During the timeout the home team fortunately called, (I am told) Coombs reminded safety Tyvis Powell to watch for a play they thought the opponent might run in that situation. They did and Powell intercepted the pass to win the game. Thanks coach and our very best wishes always.

Dennis Singleton, Dayton

To Dennis: Coombs' love for the game and for Ohio State will be missed around here, and Cincinnati is thrilled to have him. It will be interesting to watch, as Coombs basically took the job vacated by Perry Eliano, whom the Buckeyes hired from UC. How interesting? One Cincinnati-area athletic director said, "That's a good trade. We got the better end of the deal there."

Sat., Jan. 1, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) fends off Utah Utes cornerback Micah Bernard (2) as he races to the end zone for a touchdown during the second quarter of the 108th Rose Bowl Game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes at the Rose Bowl.

On the Rose Bowl, in poetry

To the editor:

Bucks in the Rose Bowl ain't everything Blue,

After playing up north WITHOUT A DAMN CLUE!

Landed in LA LA for the Granddaddee,

January 1st and it's 60 degree!

The whole state of Utah is filling the Bowl,

Thinking their Utes were out for a stroll!

14-0 it went ALL THEIR WAY,

A little Too Perfect, it just couldn't stay.

Next quarter finally getting untracked in the air,

But with the strip at the 6, our heads shake with despair.

The Sun goes down on our postseason prizes.

But then... But then OUR DEFENSE IT RISES!

And Stroud takes off on a wonderful tear,

A record 537 all in the air!

Smith-Njigba, Egbuka, and CJ too,

All together like Tupac's crew!

Like a Phoenix they rose from the 1st half ash,

Leaving their mark on the oldest Bowl clash.

Keeping in bounds with one of their toes,

Their teedees made for ONE Beautiful ROSE!!!

Tom Tuohy, Columbus

To Tom: If someone would have told me I'd have a Rose Bowl poem in my Inbox this week, I wouldn't have believed it. If someone had told me I'd have a Tupac-referenced Rose Bowl poem in my Inbox, I would have called them crazy. My new mission is to try to get Rob Oller to write all of his 2022 columns in poetry form.