His cousin, Joe Metzger, an Alter graduate, played for Ohio State from 1988-92. Stathopoulos, 50, is a 1993 SNorth High School graduate. He grew up a Buckeye fan and now is one of the biggest around if you judge fans by how serious they take game days.
Stathopoulos not only dresses the part, but he has turned his basement and garage into premium viewing areas. He calls his basement “The Urban Underground” in honor of former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. It has a framed Braxton Miller jersey, an Ohio State lamp, Ohio State bobbleheads, etc.
There’s a bar, a big-screen TV, surround-sound speakers and everything a fan needs to enjoy a game. He has 17 seats and fills them up for games. That’s where Stathopoulos will be watching Monday when Ohio State plays Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship game.
“It’s going to be amazing,” Stathopoulos said. “I think if we go in and play average, we’re going to win. I think if we go in and play above average, we’re going to run them out of the stadium.”
An Ohio State victory would come at the expense of former Buckeye Marcus Freeman, the Wayne graduate in his third season as head coach at Notre Dame.
“I do have a ton of respect for Marcus Freeman, of course,” Stathopoulos said. “Absolute class act. I think the world of him.”
Stathopoulos will be one of thousands of Buckeye fans dreaming of a national championship Monday. The Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal News asked fans to write to us about why they root for the Buckeyes, what makes them a superfan and how they watch games. Here are some of the responses.
Duane Pullins: A teacher in the Centerville School District, Pullins will attend the game Monday in Atlanta.
“We are an OSU super family!” he wrote. “Our twin boys’ middle names are Tressel and Hayes. I am a 1995 graduate of Ohio State and have my basement and classroom decorated in Scarlet and Gray. Our current beagle is named Carmen after the alma mater. Our previous beagle’s name was Sloopy. We also had a gray and white cat named Scarlet. On one of our vehicles, we have a custom license plate of OSU and UD to show where my wife and I graduated from college.
“My dad raised me a Buckeye fan and we used to lay on the floor in our dining room and listen to the games when they were not on television every week. We would then get up early on Sunday morning to watch the replay on WOSU-TV. I still talk to him at halftime of every game, and he occasionally goes with me to a home game.
“Many of my students are not sure if I own any clothing that does not have the Ohio State logo on it and truly believe I wear scarlet or gray every day of the week. While I am watching the Buckeyes at home, I often pace if the game is close and am generally pretty loud during the games. My students love Buckeye Fridays during the football season where they receive two points of extra credit if they wear any Ohio State clothing the day before the game.
“ ... I love my alma mater and have been an OSU football fan for more than 45 years. Even though the games can sometimes be very hard on my heart, I am always ready for the next one and will never stop watching.”
Bruce Call: He lives just outside Fairborn and will watch the game Monday at home with 10 close friends.
“I have rooted (and lived, and died) for the Buckeyes since 1968,” Call wrote. “I have been a season-ticket holder with my brother-in-law since 2001. I have seen four to six games in person per season for many years, including road trips to Indiana for games. Our tailgates off Ackerman Road (in Columbus) are legendary, and we have hosted as many as 50 people there. Although I am partial to Buckeyes from Ohio and the Dayton area, specifically, I have such great memories of great players and teams through the years — what a blessing!”
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