Under the Helmet – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 23, 2006
By Jamie Finnell
Complete Story in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Ohio State football is riddled with many great traditions and pastimes. They include everything from Script Ohio to Skull Session to the ringing the victory bell. There is one, however, that is relatively new to the Ohio State football team. Following each home football game the players and coaches gather near the marching band in the south end of Ohio stadium to sing Carmen Ohio, Ohio State’s alma mater. The alma mater also was sung by former Buckeye Cie Grant following the 2002 National Championship. He had become the team’s “designated singer” that year. This year, the team’s designated singer is sophomore defensive end Alex Barrow, who, as most people do not know, loves to sing.
Though singing the alma mater with the band following games has already become a tradition for Ohio State football players, Barrow hopes to add to something started by Grant, in his post-national title tribute to his alma mater he hopes also will become tradition.
“There was a competition for who will sing the alma mater,” Barrow said. “I would love to be able to do what Cie did and sing it following a national championship.”
Growing up in Columbus, Barrow had no idea the sounds of music would one day have such an impact on his life. Barrow has his mother, Patrice, to thank for sharing her love of music with him. Singing became a bit of a hobby and it gave him something to do. Now as a Buckeye, it is still something he does in his free time and helps him to relax.
“My mom always played music around the house so I sang those songs,” Barrow said. “It is something I picked up from her. She was always singing.”
The team’s designated singer is a player who sings Carmen Ohio at special events, before games and at various times throughout the season. The singer from last year, Rob Sims, has since moved on to the National Football League, leaving the spot up for grabs.
“I am always walking around singing,” Barrow said. “I have never really sung in front of a bunch of people. The guys on the team might think it’s annoying at times, but I hope they think I am decent.”
The honor of being the team singer is not something that is given – it is earned. Each year the team holds a competition and takes a vote to see who will represent the Buckeyes in front of a microphone.
“The competition was between me and Stan White Jr.,” Barrow said. “Stan is a great singer, but luckily I came out on top.”
Carmen Ohio was written in 1902 by Fred Cornell, a freshman member of the glee club. The alma mater has been sung at every game since 1906 and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this season. The song has served as a reminder of the great people and tradition associated with the university.
Barrow is proud to be the one to express this tradition and knows the ultimate time to sing the song would be following a victory in the national championship game.
This fall, when Buckeye fans see No. 78 on the field, they will see him pressuring the opposing quarterback and disrupting plays in the backfield. Hopefully, they will also hear him on stage in the middle of the Horseshoe belting out the lyrics to the alma mater at a championship celebration.
“Singing is something I enjoy,” Barrow said. “I am proud to be the one to represent our team and I look forward to possibly singing in Ohio Stadium with the championship trophy beside me.”
