Bullies. Sometime, somewhere everyone has had an experience with them, and they come in all shapes and sizes.
When you're young, they're the older kids at school who pick you up and stick you head first into the garbage can and/or toilet bowl.
Now that you're older, maybe the bullies are grouchy bosses who control your every move, professors you can't seem to please or those girls who live down the street and always beat you in flip cup, no matter how much you practice your technique.
There are bullies in the sports world, too. Three times during the mid-'90s the Dallas Cowboys bullied the Packers in the playoffs.
The Yankees and Red Sox seem to enjoy bullying the professional baseball world, smacking teams with both their bats and their uncommonly thick check books.
Bullying is so ingrained in sports that there are patented attack moves. There's the Bob Knight choke hold, the Kenny Rogers camera chop, the Ron Artest power punch, and, of course, who could forget the Dennis Green Go Ahead and Crown 'Em"" podium slap?
Traditionally, two bullies have dominated the Big Ten Conference. One wears maize and blue, the other scarlet and grey.
Every year from 1968 to 1980 either the Michigan Wolverines or the Ohio State Buckeyes won the conference title and went to the Rose Bowl. This stretch of dominance prompted many pundits to label the conference the ""Big Two and the Little Eight.""
During the 1980s and 1990s, the balance of power shifted. The George McFly's of the conference finally mustered up the courage to beat the Biffs. Only Indiana and Minnesota have not claimed at least a share of the Big Ten title since 1980.
In recent years, however, the Big Two have returned to power. This point was most evident a year ago when the teams met in the final regular season game ranked No. 1 and No. 2. Now, in a 2007 season marked by upsets, Michigan and Ohio State have quietly remained atop the conference.
To put their dominance in perspective, let's look at the stats. Over its last 21 conference games, Ohio State is 20-1. During that same time span, Michigan has posted a Big Ten mark of 17-4, with two of those losses coming against OSU.
Since 2002, the Big Two have combined to play in seven BCS bowl games. The Little Eight have managed to send just two to BCS competition. Iowa lost to USC in the 2002 Orange Bowl, and Penn State defeated Florida State in the same bowl three years later.
Of course, most fans will remember the 2005 Orange Bowl for Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno's legendary, two-hour postgame discussion on whether the Cracker Barrel or Bob Evans serves better ""down home cookin'.""
So without stepping too far out on a limb, I'm going to say the era of the ""Big Two and the Little Eight"" has returned. Except with Penn State now in the conference, it's the ""Little Nine.""
Some of you out there probably think I had a little too much Old Thompson (I only drink the best) during Freakfest this weekend. After all, since 2004, the Badgers have won 38 games. That's four more than Michigan and tied with Ohio State over that same time span.
It also should be noted that Wisconsin has won two straight and four out of its last six contests against the Buckeyes. Then again, UW never had to face Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith.
How many Big Ten titles do the Badgers have since Ron Dayne graduated? Zero. The Buckeyes have won three and the Wolverines have taken two.
I'm not trying to belittle the accomplishments of recent Badger teams. Schools across the country would kill to have 38 wins in three-plus years. And having only one home loss in almost four seasons is amazing.
But how many of you would give up a home win here or there if it meant you could see UW play in Pasadena?
Right now the Badgers are a good Big Ten program. With coach Bielema at the helm, I believe Wisconsin could soon become a great Big Ten program. And while the players might only be focused on going 1-0 each week, the first step to becoming a great team is dethroning the traditional powers of the conference.
Wisconsin showed it could stop a scrappy, up-and-coming Indiana team last weekend. Now it's time to pick a fight with the Big Ten bullies.
E-mail reszel@dailycardinal.com if you are currently being bullied.
