Block M ulcer.
In my 30+ years as a UM fan, I've had my share of disappointments: The Miracle at Michigan, The loss at Oregon, the UT and USC Rose Bowls, A Thomas fumble against NW, etc, etc.. I always thought it was some higher power's hate for any team I support. Yesterday, before the half, I was sure that was the case.
I remember last year I would titter like a schoolgirl watching Notre Dame highlights and think to myself "How could any team be THAT bad?". Before the half, and the whole Notre Dame game, UM was THAT bad. I realized that this year was going to be tough, but this is a bit much. My support for the team never faltered, but doubt started to creep into my mind. When Matthews fumbled, I was pretty sure that I had done something wrong in my life that I was being punished for. The red hot fire poker that always seems to touch the side of my stomach when UM is losing started to hit the Kelvin scale. I was on the liveblog, and the comments were starting to turn from WTF to outrage(note: kudos to moderators for keeping out the very negative ones).
During halftime, the realist in me knew this game was over: 19 points down, -7 passing yards, and an offense that was a impotent as Hugh Hefner. The other half of me(read: drunk) was saying"it's only 19 points, and the D is playing pretty damn good. Cue Lloyd Christmas: "So YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE!!!"
I can't remember the last time I actually jumped as high or ran a complete lap around my house like I did when Thompson ran that pick back. My neighbor actually came by tio see it everything was OK, because she heard "someone screaming like a maniac" It's 20 some odd hours later, and I still have the "I just got laid. Twice." smile on my face.
I watched the Minny and MSU comeback games, and they were great, but those UM teams were expected to win. This one was different. This team was abominamal vs ND, and looked hapless in the first half. This win is more special to me, because these guys were dead, and didn't give up(hats off to the D and Shaffer).
All is quiet on the gastrointestinal front today.
September 28th, 2008 at 12:35 PM ^
September 28th, 2008 at 1:44 PM ^
September 28th, 2008 at 4:29 PM ^
like Minnesota. Both were different, though. Minnesota was away, and IIRC, in that game the defense was terrible and the cause of the deficit. During all of the Bo years, the greatest comeback I witnessed was something like 7 to 10 points. Anything greater, and a running team just couldn't do it. Thus the Minnesota game came as a shock as it was away too.
But this Wisconsin game, being home and practically giving them 19 points, I thought if Michigan got a defensive or special teams touchdown, they had a chance. The defense really showed character and won the game by keeping the Badgers out of the endzone (for the most part) in the first half.
A special note: the defense was on the field a lot, and late in the second half, they still looked pretty good and fresh! Hats off the the training regimine and efforts the team put in during the off season.
September 29th, 2008 at 8:28 AM ^
September 28th, 2008 at 4:41 PM ^
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