If you see reports of strong winds down in Columbus, it’s not the freezing cold. They probably rose from Ryan Day taking the biggest sigh of relief ever. Coach Day was under duress to save his sanctity, his reputation and his reverence within the Buckeyes faithful. The National Championship changed the climax of this season into a “happily ever after”. However, at one point, it seemed like the clock would strike midnight before this fairytale accomplishment.

Ryan Day and everybody of an Ohio State persuasion probably want to flush this out of their collective memories now. But one fateful Saturday in November, coach Day’s self-proclaimed “worst thing that’s ever happened” took a familiar maize and blue form. For the 4th consecutive year, he had to live out the transcendent horror of losing The Game to Michigan. This time though, the reaction to this loss was much worse than previously. Not just externally but internally- from his own “fans”. Ryan Day was chastised in the aftermath, and his family were caught in the whirlwind. One aspect of what this chastation transpired into, though, was not absolvable under any circumstances.

Every fanbase has a lunatic fringe. The Buckeyes’ version can sometimes be a little more lunatic and a little less on the fringes, just ask Kirk Herbstreit. It’s borderline disingenuous to say otherwise. This blueblood program has one of the biggest followings in the country. After the Michigan loss, a faction of them crossed the line. Ryan Day had to hire armed personnel to ensure the safety of him and his family in the wake of death threats. Football is life out in Columbus, but this was a step too far. Now that things turned out how they did. He’s a hero. However, revered analyst/reporter Bruce Feldman doesn’t want people to lose perspective of exactly what Ryan Day has overcome. Not just this, but from way back as a kid. He even spoke, in detail, about what his family went through. Fair warning for the morbid themes.

Bruce Feldman reminisced about speaking to Ryan Day’s son RJ after the Michigan game and ensuing death threats, which Feldman confirmed were a real thing. RJ is a sophomore in highschool that plays QB. Guesting on The Rich Eisen Show, Feldman said “Talking to [RJ], he was like, you know, school was really rough. He didn’t go out much till after the Tennessee game. You gotta remember, that’s like three weeks [later].” In addition to this, Bruce Feldman also spoke about Coach Day’s daughters’ experience, Ourania and Grace, as well as his wife, Nina.

Even though the two daughters are younger than high schooler RJ, Feldman acknowledged that “they knew what’s going on”. “I think that’s mind-blowing,” he said, in the negative sense of course. While these two revelations were horrifying, what Feldman said about Nina Day and the conversation they had after Natty goes to show the emotional side of this ordeal. If you’re aware of Ryan Day’s childhood, you can sympathise. If not, you will after hearing this.

Ryan Day’s wife gives an insight into exactly how much this must’ve ate at him

“I give a ton of credit to Nina Day for how she handled it,” began Bruce Feldman. “She told me she was really worried, because in this day and age, you have to take everything seriously. Especially when it comes to things of that nature.” It’s truly abhorrent how a minority of the fans acted and blemished his historic program. Feldman then relayed a dark reality of the National Championship win brought up to him by Nina Day.

Feldman, with a sombreness to his voice, recalled, “She pointed out to me a symmetry. The day of the National Title Game was Monday, January 20. It was also the anniversary of when Ryan Day is a little boy [and] he loses his father by s*****e. I mean, the gravity of all that is just remarkable.” 

The adversity that Ryan Day and, by extension, his family have gone through and then made to go through is egregious. For him to now stand on top of the CFB pedestal is highly deserved. He’s shown his character, his coaching acumen and his love for Ohio State within the last month. The beats of this story aren’t akin to a fairytale at all. But at least he got his happy ending. All while throwing eggs on the faces of those few shame-ridden “fans”.