Buckeyes’ supporters ‘miserable’

It wasn't on a par with Rick Pitino's infamous "the negativity in this town sucks" speech, in which Pitino ripped Boston fans during a postgame tirade when he was coach of the Celtics.

But Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel followed Pitino's lead Wednesday, describing disgruntled Buckeyes fans as "miserable" during his weekly media luncheon.

The professorial-looking Tressel said he felt sorry for the people who sent him a ton of negative e-mails after No. 11 Ohio State's 18-15 home loss to No. 3 Southern California on Saturday.

"Honestly, the thing when I read some of them is I feel terrible for them because there's no way they're happy. They've got to be some of the most unhappy people in the world, and I feel bad because we just made them less happy," said Tressel, who reportedly wore his ever-present sweater vest over his pajamas as he pored over the e-mails in his study. "And I hate to be a part of making someone less happy. I mean, they're already miserable, and to make them less happy, I feel bad."

As of Wednesday afternoon, 43 percent of respondents to an online poll by the Columbus Dispatch clicked "Yes" to the question "Are you a miserable Ohio State football fan?"

• BARKLEY'S ADVICE -- When Charles Barkley learned San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman was involved with reality TV star Tila Tequila, he was compelled to offer some advice.

"Dude. You are one of the best football players in the world. You don't get women off of reality television," Barkley said in a recent interview with ESPN Radio in Dallas.

The colorful NBA analyst also opined about Australian Rules Football, which he watched live during a recent trip to Australia with actor Russell Crowe.

"If they paid these guys NFL money, it would be different because these guys don't make a lot of money, but to play football without pads is the nuttiest thing in the world," Barkley said. "I am sitting there watching this football game, and I don't want to insult the Australians, and I am like 'these guys are some damn idiots.' ... They do it out of pride. I said that no one has got that much damn pride.

"Nobody plays football without pads every week for three, four or five months and don't make any money. At least in the NFL, you are going to kill yourself and at least you get to be a millionaire after it's over."

• A GIANTS FAN, FAITHFULLY -- Steve Perry, former lead singer for Journey, plans to faithfully attend this weekend's series between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium.

But Perry, a Giants fan, plans to go his separate way before the bottom of the eighth inning, when Journey's hit song, "Don't Stop Believin'," is played as a rallying cry at Dodgers Stadium.

"I have to (leave)," Perry told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I don't want to hear it.

"It tweaks me to know they're using the song as a rally song. I really wish we'd have hijacked it first. I think the song is about hope and power, and it's working for them, damn it."

COMPILED BY TODD DEWEY LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL