My White Boy, Minus White Boy

So going into this 2009-10 college season, more so than any previous year, I was totally wound up for Michigan sports. This blog had something to do with it. But it was also this thought that a Ninja offense with Michigan-level talent would finally be unleashed upon the Big Ten. That our Lazarus of a basketball program would do something with its resurrection other than walk headlong into the next speeding train. That the fall of MSU and retention of a sick collection of talent would propel Michigan Hockey from an elite CCHA program to the elite NCAA program. I was marrying this program, and planning the reception. But someone forgot to invite the groom: (original: http://www.mywhiteboy.com/?p=451) Am I starting to sound like a bandwagon fan? Well, how do we know if any of us are bandwagon Michigan fans, really? I mean, we're talking about a wagon that's been rolling along for like 150 years. I know I've been guilty of bandwagonism in the past. Certainly I do it with the Pistons. I can trust my Tiger loyalty because I held tough through some really bad years. I know I have no Lions loyalty because I've never really cared. Red Wings: same boat as Big Blue. All I know is that something broke inside me this week. Something about Vincent Smith tearing a ligament, while our best defensive player says he really really really hopes to be in the NFL, and one of three dire remaining spots in the 2009 class is filled with a Kovacs clone (no offense to the new guy), and for the first time in my life, I wondered if the M fandom was causing more pain than I could reasonably expect to be repaid in joy. And this was keeping me awake, when I have to be up really early tomorrow for Adopt-a-Shelter, wasting away precious sleep hours on my favorite corners of the Web, doodling around on GiMP, and pondering ultimate goods of M fandom. And here's where I came down: I don't have a choice. If Donovan leaves, and Vincent Smith can't play, and the recruits are weenie-sized lost puppies, and Ohio State wins a 7th game in a row, I'm still going to be rationalizing and cheering, and convincing myself each week that Michigan will never lose again, because, hell man, I've been through 3-9 and 5-7 and I still haven't had a whiff of ennui. If Michigan goes down the toilet, I'm going to feel really shitty. So at least I've got that settled. g'nite