Deeper takeaways from Saturday

There was a bad thing that happened on Saturday and we all should feel bad.  Interestingly, these bad things come with a deepened awareness and while they may appear to be, not all things are worthless.  It’s these times of raw emotion that allow us to learn more.  I am sure that I am not the only one that has gotten introspective recently.  What greater appreciation have you learned?

I waited for about 1 second to see that little yellow “flag” box pop up or hear the announcers mention a flag.  But no, and instead of standing there bewildered, I immediately vacated the Taco Shop at Underdogs and started walking home.  I was in Golden Gate Park.  I looked around at the other people going here and there, being happy, completely unaware!  My mind could not absorb the beautiful day for it was trapped in a painful cycle.   How is it that a game can leave us so shell shocked?

That was the second time this season I felt broken inside.  The first was actually worse, the Maryland game.  I took a nice long walk after that game but I could not enjoy the victory.  My focus was the look on Mario Ojemudia face after his injury and when he walked frustratingly off the field by himself in crutches.  Mixed with these images are the words of our passionate head coach, something like, Playing football is the best thing, coaching football is second best thing.  I realize how short our lives are and how special something like playing football must be to Harbaugh and Ojemudia.  Losing the last two-thirds of your last season of college football and your chance to prove you belong in the NFL is sad.  It is much worse than losing a football game.  I would take a hundred of That Thing That Happened to see Mario get to play another down of competitive football.

As Monday morning rolled along, I felt better.  I figured that there must have been times when the tables were turned and I remembered the 2004 game against MSU.  It was a time before DVR, or at least I didn’t have one yet.  I couldn’t watch the game.  Instead I took the NCEES FE Exam, a day long test that is the first step to becoming a licensed professional civil engineer.  Upon completing the exam early, I ran out to my car and turned on the radio and listened to the end of the fourth quarter.  Michigan made an amazing comeback to force overtime against MSU!  Then the worst, being in California, the radio broadcast switched over to USC vs Cal.  I called my dad in Ohio who is a great sports fan (besides the fact he likes OSU).  As I drove home from the exam, he gave me the play-by-play for Big Blue’s triple overtime win over Sparty that day.  He called out the offensive formations and even held the phone up to the TV for the crowd noise after the Michigan touchdowns.  But what was even greater than hearing us pull out an historic comeback was the tone in my father’s voice.  I could tell that he was incredibly flattered and honored to “call the game” for me.  His life as a football fan and as a father had intersected perfectly and he seemed so prepared for that moment.

And now I must actually go back to work.  I am looking forward to running into a colleauge of mine later today, who happens to be an MSU alum.  Anthony Bell and I have been working together for the last five years, building one of our country’s greatest transportation infrastructure projects.  Anthony is a great guy, played football for MSU, and was even drafted into the NFL.  He is proof that there are many great MSU fans.  I can already predict the encounter.  He will see me walking towards him.  He will have his typical huge smile and will start to chuckle.  I can even garuntee the first words that come out of his mouth. “Oooh man, we got so lucky.”