OT: Perspective and Stuff

Submitted by Brown Bear on

Hello friends. It has been a tough season and today was a tough day. While enjoyable in a viewing manner and a heck of a ball game we are all disappointed a win did not come in the end.

The players fought til the end and the coaches coached til the end and as fans that is all we can ask for. To think back to what many of us expected to happen in this game it was a nice surprise and shows at least a glimmer of hope for the future. I believe the future is bright and you should too my friends.

In the end though I have realized that there is more to life than just a game I watch on Saturdays and a team I follow throughout the year. I love Michigan and Michigan football but in the end it is just a game played by kids. Today those kids played as hard as they could and sacrificed their bodies so we could have some entertainment for 3+ hours on another Saturday in the Fall.

It's just a game and there will be more Saturdays ahead to thrill, excite and to disappoint. Don't let it ruin your day, as it all means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Sagan Time. Space bitches, space..

NOLA Wolverine

November 30th, 2013 at 9:31 PM ^

He did that multiple times today. I ended up with pretty nice student section seats down low in the endzone and got to watch the blocking unfold for him. Fantastic vision today. Hopefully he can add some more physicality on top of it next year. 

Brown Bear

November 30th, 2013 at 9:33 PM ^

Green and Smith looked good, the line looked good. Both those things are young and can only get better. The future is bright, I know people hate hearing that because we want results now but it's true. In time my friends, in time.

UnkleBuck

November 30th, 2013 at 9:28 PM ^

Major props Brown Bear.  Sure wish I could have had that Sagan video about 4-5 other times the past few months.  I've beat myself up pretty bad this season.  It can be brutal being a diehard UM alum/fan, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

Sione's Flow

November 30th, 2013 at 9:31 PM ^

The benefits of this game mentally and emotionally far outweigh the results of the scoreboard. A 7-4 Michigan team loaded with freshmen and sophomores went blow for blow with a team that hasn't lost in two years. Those kids collectively may have taken a huge step moving forward.

xxxxNateDaGreat

November 30th, 2013 at 9:35 PM ^

For the most part, you seem like a pretty even keeled poster here, which is (sadly) a refreshing change of pace from the prevailing attitude on this blog recently. While our record disappoints and losing is never fun, I'm proud of today's performance and I'm still optimistic for the future. thanks for your contribution, BB.

Wendyk5

November 30th, 2013 at 9:46 PM ^

Out of curiosity, I went over to Eleven Warriors to see how they were taking the win. I don't know why I expected more grace. Many of the comments were not only despicable, but also delusional. After all that, after the season we've had, after today, I realized I want to win really badly, but I'm also ok when we don't. If my whole life is riding on whether my team wins on a Saturday, I've taken a wrong turn somewhere. If, even in winning, I am despicable to the opponent, then something is awfully wrong inside.  

DonAZ

November 30th, 2013 at 10:20 PM ^

"If my whole life is riding on whether my team wins on a Saturday, I've taken a wrong turn somewhere."

Amen to that.

I have a buddy who's a big Florida fan.  He's in a real funk because of Florida's season.  He was spoiled during the Tebow years, and since then he's been expecting Florida to bust out and win it all just like before.  It's not happening, and he's really bummed out by it.

Earlier this year I decided to let go of my 40-year obsession with Michigan football needing to win every game.  I'm 54 years old and you know what?  It just doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.  If on my deathbed I say the best thing in my life is the outcome of some football game, then I can say with all sincerity I have failed in life.

Wendyk5

November 30th, 2013 at 10:01 PM ^

It is creepy in this little size. But when you see it full screen, it's actually funny - pictures of a friend's baby, with eyebrows drawn on in pencil. I guess cute baby + evil pencil eyebrows = super creepy horror flick baby monster. 

WMUgoblue

November 30th, 2013 at 9:49 PM ^

While the loss sucked, there was so much positive to take away from today's game. 

 

  • Jake Butt went from a solid freshman to a major weapon.

     
  • The RB rotation today was a great sight, I'm a fan of multiple backs, so seeing 4 guys contribute today was nice.

     
  • If Devin Gardner can play with that type of decisiveness over the course of a season he could be a 1st team B1G QB.

The defense obviously had their flaws today, but they made progress over the course of the season and there are still plenty of contributors coming back.



All in all, the world isn't coming to an end.

Victor Valiant

November 30th, 2013 at 10:10 PM ^

This loss was heartbreaking, but it was a fantastic building block for the future. The kids showed they are every bit as talented and driven as the players from OSU. Are they behind them as far as development, execution, and the such? Yes, but the future is bright.

Devin Gardner showed what he can do when he gets protection. He was playing way below 100% today and with the exception of the "fumble" and the interception on the 2 point conversion, he played lights out football. We have a warrior at QB. 

I think we as diehard Michigan fans need to take a step back and realize brighter days are on the horizon. The roster is loaded, a coach who cares is in place, and we have fantastic future recruits coming in. Let's all just smile and realize we are lucky to be fans of such a great team and even better young men. It will get better.

G. Gulo of the Dale

December 1st, 2013 at 2:34 PM ^

I'll not dispute that Meyer is one of the best coaches in the country, but do you think coaching was the difference today?  OSU has more upper-classmen talent than we do, had only one significant error (Hyde's fumble), and we played them pretty evenly.  I didn't see evidence that we were outcoached today.  

Just Maize

November 30th, 2013 at 11:02 PM ^

I was trying to find something to take my mind off the loss today, so I cracked open "The Pale King," which I've been meaning to get around to for a long time. I was shocked and dismayed to find that the epigraph was from a poem entitled "Borges and I" (seriously). Obviously is was referring to Jorge Luis and not Gorgeous Al, but the coincidence was still striking and unsettling. Anywho, I found the actual quote to be pretty great (and vaguely relevant) so I thought I'd share:

"We fill pre-existing forms and when we fill them we change and are changed." 

burtcomma

December 1st, 2013 at 12:04 AM ^

A turning point, a blip on a flat line, or a blip on a downward trend?  We really will not know for sure until a few years from now.  That goes for you too Ty Butterfield, so your opinion is based on projecting the past into the present.  Let's see another data point for the bowl game and for the 2014 recruiting class before we give up!

TheTeam16

December 1st, 2013 at 1:05 AM ^

The measure for myself in looking at the way Michigan plays game in and game out is what would Bo have thought. Let me tell you, today he is so goddamn proud of this team and this coaching staff for playing their asses off and never giving up one iota similar to the fan base did before the game, myself included. Truly humbling to watch the fight in these young adults.

Thanks for busting your asses every day for our enjoyment and fandom.

I echo what Rich Eisen said after the game...

My coach has serious Musbergers. My team has heart. My school has the greatest rivalry in sports. Go Blue

Better times ahead ladies and gents.

 

mGrowOld

December 1st, 2013 at 10:08 AM ^

Well said Brown Bear.  When the game was over I took a nap and then spent the evening putting up Christmas decorations around the house.  Then we made a fire, had a couple glasses of wine and visited with my daughter who is visiting from NYC. 

The game didnt turn out as I hoped but the team played infinitely better than I expected (feared?)and I had a great rest of the day with my family. It was a good day.

misterpage

December 1st, 2013 at 12:01 PM ^

That game yesterday took a lot out of me.  I'm still replaying the 2 point conversion over and over in my head.. picturing Devin rolling out, or running it in himself.  Hell I even had an option play run through my mind.  Either way, you can definitely see some bright spots with this team and with the coaching.  I'm glad to see that Hoke knows exactly what this game means.  He brought his boys to play today.  Next year, well damn, I'm really sick of always thinking about next year after watching a loss to OSU.  Its been a really rough decade in this rivalry.  Its time to go on a winning streak of our own because I can't take much more of this, I give up!  I reallly hope Hoke is the guy.