It’s been a while since I have posted but it’s hard not to follow along with this thread and the epic nature of Michigan’s alleged misdeeds. Many thoughts have rolled past as I have eagerly consumed the posts for the past week or so. I wonder what those who have questioned whether or not OSU vs UM is the greatest rivalry in sports think about our little feud now? So too those who may have wondered why the “old timers” still remained devoted to their disdain for TTUN. “Surely your disgust has lessen over these years of dominating them on the field”. Eh, not so much. If you think it’s not possible for Michigan to be more annoying or infuriating … you simply haven’t lived long enough. I remember a time when this hatred (dare I say it) was born out of respect for a worthy opponent and the competition of equally matched teams. A single competition that would deny one, or the other, any satisfaction or joy for a time lasting no less than a year and sometimes more. And now it seems they have seen fit to defile what both teams used to revere … the competition … on an even playing field … to see who would be deemed most deserving. Of course it’s possible I’m being naive, and those memories of youth were never as noble as I recall.
I have been blessed thru the years to have played many sports and to have coached many as well. And I’ve come to realize that the greatest gift an athlete can be given is the opportunity to measure oneself against the best. To understand that only by risking the greatest of anguish in loss, can you also be blessed with the greatest of joy in victory. Anything that lessens that experience lessens the game, certainly for the athletes, but also too for us, the fans. An to be clear, “loss” and “victory” are not always evident on a scoreboard. If you doubt this, you only need to ponder your feelings about the past 2 Ohio State vs Michigan scores now, against what you felt about them before you knew of Conor Stalions.
Go Bucks! Beat Blue!
And now I’ll have some fun at their expense…