They say the definition of a rivalry is that one fears losing more than one desires to win. I couldn't agree more. While the game is a nice capstone to the season, it doesn't really prove all of that much. However, what it avoids is a very stinging shame for yet another year.
As for the game. I was honestly expecting one team to bring it and the other team to, well not. I thought it would be pretty obvious by the end of the first quarter. It wasn't, but we kept ahead. As for the game, if you were a Michigan fan and felt that you you paid too much for your ticket, then you are not actually a Michigan fan.
I showed up an hour early and the stands were full within a half hour. What was strange about it is that we were not just excited about the home team. We were anxious about the visiting team. I have never really experienced that. Part of what makes Ohio State a worthy rival is that they show up as the team to beat. It starts with the fans. They took over a lot of one side and peppered themselves throughout the stadium, and they made themselves known throughout the game. Their band was spot-on despite the difficulty of their arrangements, and their traditions are actually fun to watch (American flags and running on shoulders). They came in with all of the pomp one would expect. They played well, but not as well as us, for once. Braxton Miller will be force next year. However, Denard Robinson had shown himself to be a force right now.
So we won, It was odd, a seven year monkey off our back. We all knew what we were going to do. We needed it to mark the release. The celebration spilled onto the field, but it certainly took its time. We waited for the players to exit before we went on, and even then it was slow. It had something to do with the six foot drop. Still, what does one do when storming the field? Bounce up and down, sing along, take pictures, mill around, I did all of those. I joined in chants of "B-C-S" and "Bra-dy-Hoke." Then we left. Michigan Stadium is not made for rapid field evacuations. Even the teams take a while. We ended up walking up some stands on the side of the field to get back over the wall.
On matters of control, the students were pretty well behaved. Circles of police surrounded the goal posts. I did see one injured girl being carted off the field. My guess is that it had something to do with the drop. I can only hope that it wasn't because someone fell on her. Blarg!
Anyway, what does it mean? It's hard to believe that we are really on top. A ten win season, undefeated at home with a number of wins on which to hang our hats, and lacking the embarrassment of an eight straight loss to OSU, what more could we want? How about the Big Ten and National Championships? Yes, I said it. It's what we want. Still, we have to love this year. We are also confident to take on whomever we get in whatever bowl game we get.
Next year is going to be tougher. We start against Alabama, and a lot of the chaos in the Big Ten will settle out. OSU will be a tough team. Why am I talking about this? Because, I do not look at this season as the end of anything. It is not an accomplishment, per-say. It is only the beginning. I am looking forward to the long and storied era of the Brady Hoke vs Urban Meyer.
On a side note, I attended the NIU-EMU game yesterday. I of course rooted for NIU. There was everything I would want in a game, mainly, my team scored a safety and we won. Huskie stadium is pretty nice with its internal facilities (including a gymnastics gymnasium,) but it does not lend itself to the field storming because of the ten to twelve foot drop. Anyway, I am impressed that NIU kept it together even with Coach Kill leaving. I apologize to all of you who has adopted EMU as their local MAC team, since it is not bowl eligible thanks to NIU. I am hearing good things on the recruiting side of EMU. It would be cool to see them turn around what can best be described as "The Rodney Dangerfield of College Football."
Tomorrow is the Men's Hockey game against Union College.
PS. I am watching the Stanford vs Notre Dame, and their shiny helmets are just mesmerizing me.
No comments:
Post a Comment