Big 12 Champions Again, and Stan Fills the Wall
Cleveland State45
Ohio42
- Game
- 2030 Big 12 Championship
- Site
- Neutral site
- Result
- Win
- Record
- 13-0
VIKINGS 45, OHIO 42. BIG 12 CHAMPIONS.
Thirteen and oh, folks! The second Big 12 title in three years, and we beat Ohio twice in one season for the first time ever. One point in Cleveland. Three points for the championship. Ohio is a great team, a champion’s team, and twice this year our guys found a way to be just a little bit better.
On Monday I walked into Big Stan’s, and the back wall wasn’t bare anymore. Stan had hung two frames. One is a photograph of the scoreboard from the Ohio game in Cleveland: 38-37, the big lit numbers, a little blurry because Walt took it with his phone while crying. The other is the scoreboard from the Big 12 title game. Under them, a brass plate Stan had engraved: TWICE. That’s all it says. TWICE.
The counter council voted on whether that’s enough wall. It was six to nothing that there’s still room. Chester abstained, then pointed at the empty space to the right of the frames. Then he put his hand down. Chester doesn’t make promises. He makes gestures.
Bridget texted. “congrats dad. you earned it. see you in the bracket.” I’ve learned what those texts mean.
Five pierogi. I’m still retiring. Probably.
The Vikings are Big 12 champions, thirteen and oh, after beating the defending national champion twice in a month. That’s not a run of luck. That’s the best team in the conference, proven twice.
And yet, I’ve looked at the bracket. The Vikings get a first-round bye. If they win their quarterfinal, they’d likely meet Ohio in the semifinal. A third meeting. Last year the Vikings beat Miami (OH) in a third meeting after losing the first two. I’ve been thinking about which side of that story we’re on. I don’t like the answer.
Unrelated, or possibly related: I went into a jewelry store in Tremont on Wednesday. I looked at the cases for twenty minutes. A woman asked if she could help me. I said, “I’m just researching.” She said, “That’s what they all say.” I left. I didn’t buy anything. I’m a researcher. Research takes time.
Mickey does not know about this. Mickey will know about this by the time the paper comes out, because I’ve just written it down, because apparently I want him to.
Back and forth
KENNY. A JEWELRY STORE?
Research.
I’m calling Donna.
I knew you would. That’s why I wrote it. I didn’t know how else to tell you.
Big 12 champions, Ohio beaten twice, two frames and a brass plate that says TWICE, and a researcher in a jewelry store who wanted his best friend to find out.
Split Decision is fiction. Mickey Bridges, Ken Hogmanes and The Lakefront Ledger are invented; the games and scores are not.