COLUMBUS, Ohio — When it comes to the Michigan rivalry, it's hard not to think about one of Ohio State's most iconic coaches — Woody Hayes.
Although he passed away many years ago, there's a way you can still hear him.
By dialing 614-488-1910, you can hear Hayes give what sounds like a pregame speech to his football team before a Michigan game.
"This ball game will boil down to three things. Three things. Number one, the team that hits the hardest and the longest, the team that starts the fastest, and the team that's too damn smart to make mistakes. They're too smart to make mistakes and that team will win without any question. If you take it to 'em, if you don't make mistakes and you keep taking it to 'em. Hell, there's no question who will win. There's no question who will win. Now let's go out and do it."
So who's behind this? Ryan Vesler, the owner of Columbus-based clothing store, Homage, said he found the number in 2010.
Vesler said that he recalled reading a biography about Hayes and how the football coach fundamentally believed that, as a member of the community, he should have his phone number in the white pages.
So, Vesler wanted to know what that number was.
"I went to the library downtown, got a microfilm, found the white pages from that era, found the number," Vesler said.
Vesler called the number, but it was out of service.
"Then I called AT&T and like, got ratted around for like an hour. Finally talked to someone who helped me get the number. So that's how the whole thing happened," Vesler said.
Vesler plans on keeping the number for as long as he can.
"I want to make it really clear that like this is all celebratory and just to capture Woody's place in the rivalry and what this game means to people," Vesler said.
Vesler's not sure how many calls the number gets, but it's just a fun way for him to put some joy into the rivalry.
Ohio State and Michigan will play in the 120th edition of "The Game" on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.