OT: To Sum up my Weekend: When a Wolverine Converts to the Dark Side.

Submitted by WingsNWolverines on

I've personally never encountered a friend or family member who switched from Michigan to tOSU as a fan so I had no idea what the feeling would be like should it happen. This weekend I sadly experienced it. My friend Patrick has been a close buddy through high school and I've know him for 6 years now. He's been a die hard Wolverine since I first met him with a block M on his hockey helmet and a Michigan jersey during game day on Saturdays when we would watch the game. He's been away in USAF basic training and just returned not too long ago.He's leaving to base soon. It was great to finally talk to him again and hang out like we use to. I called him this weekend and since he has Verizon he's got a ringback tone but this one was different and what I heard through my speakers made me drop my phone and not pick it up for a good 5 minutes I was so shocked.

A song came over the speakers that I never would expect him to have or listen to. Some hip hop song with the words "buckeye nation" "ohio state buckeyes" and "oh-io" escaped into my ears. I couldnt call him back because I was so stunned and pissed off at once. The only words that left my mouth was WHAT THE FUCK?. I sent him a text saying "what the fuck is with that ringback?" he like always was cool and texted back "I'm no longer in Ohio bro I gotta represent." Represent? Represent a hated rival as YOUR college when it never was? I was in shock and I'm still in shock. What would make a person do this? I know it seems silly that this is an issue but when you know a person for 6 years and cheer GO BLUE with them then they decide to be scarlet and grey the next day?

I felt betrayed. Seriously I gave him one of my old Michigan jerseys. Should I ask for it back because I'm seriously considering it. I can understand wanting to represent Ohio but representing your once hated rival as Ohio?! He couldn't of picked the Browns, Bengals or hell even Bobcats for God sake. I'm pissed. I'm sorry but I'm really pissed. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

Roachgoblue

May 12th, 2012 at 11:50 PM ^

Common sense? You may want to get some. This is an entertainment blog on an unencrypted site.

In reply to by Roachgoblue

Roachgoblue

May 12th, 2012 at 11:59 PM ^

Dear blog poster,



Should you lack any common sense (see below); a hit man would be for protection only to take the jersey back. Please don't hire one, regardless. It would be illegal I believe, since we are not in a mob movie. I am sorry for joking like many on here have in the past. When people say crush the Buckeye players, I hope we kill that team, etc, they don't mean it literally.

ChuckieWoodson

May 12th, 2012 at 11:24 PM ^

Friend obviously got hit in the head with some shrapnel and needs medical attention. Best thing to do is take him to the u of m hospital and get that poor man the help he needs.

jackfl33

May 12th, 2012 at 11:34 PM ^

My best friend and fellow die hard Michigan fan chose State when we graduated high school (due to scholarship situation and music school profs). Anyway, here we are one year later, and he completely drank the kool-aid and is a hardcore Sparty. Obviously, this is less extreme, but I have some idea how you feel.

DCAlum

May 13th, 2012 at 12:54 AM ^

My buddy from high school grew up a diehard Michigan fan, went to state (due to similar reasons, scholarship and programs) and never switched over to the dark side. In fact, the State marching band had to vote a new rule into their constitution so they could kick him out for not participating in their anti-Michigan cheers.

 

Basically what I'm saying is A) It's possible to hold strong in enemy territory and B) My buddy is a badass.

xxxxNateDaGreat

May 13th, 2012 at 8:28 AM ^

My family has been Michigan fans for three generations (not bragging because we aren't exactly die hard, watch-every-game-of-every-sport fans but consistent state & Ohio hating fans). I'm not going to all of a sudden declare a MAC school as my favorite just because they have lower admission standards & cost less to attend. I can see your point if maybe someone wasn't a serious fan of their childhood favorite thegrower up with and/or the school you chose made a large positive impact on your life (which it usually does), but a hated rival? No. I would not attend Ohio for several reasons and if I had been somehow given state as my only option, I would have trolled the fuck out of that school.

WolvinLA2

May 13th, 2012 at 12:16 PM ^

Totally different.  If you go to Western, say you can be a WMU fan and a Michigan fun.  My brother is this way - we both grew up huge M fans, I went to Michigan, he went to Western, but he's still an M fan because Western doesn't really compete at that level.  If you go to Albion, you don't have to renounce your M fandom and cheer for the Fighting Scots only. 

However, Michigan State is different.  You can't say you're an MSU fan only when they're not playing Michigan or vice versa. 

I had a lot of HS friends who were M fans, ended up going to MSU, and are now huge MSU fans.  And I would think it was weird if that wasn't the case.  That's their school, I'm glad they support it.

xxxxNateDaGreat

May 17th, 2012 at 10:12 AM ^

Now we are getting into a question of fandom. If they were always a casual "oh, Michigan is playing right now? Who's winning the match?" type of fans, then switching to a different school or a "hated" rival isn't a big deal. I guess I was referring more to self proclaimed die hards and "huge" fans who not only attend the university of a hated rival, but switch allegiances. For instance, someone who grew up watching all these Michigan games and has tons of UofM gear, and then comes back from freshman year at OSU(!!!) rocking a sweater vest, some tats, and an outfit of pure scarlet & grey... That would bother the hell out of me. I'd get over it if it were my best friend (kind of) but I would never be able to understand it.

sammylittle

May 12th, 2012 at 11:35 PM ^

He probably sustained a concussion during basic. Either this or he lost a bet. Before ending the friendship, I would send him to hypnotherapy and hope that the condition improves.

WolverineinSB

May 12th, 2012 at 11:38 PM ^

Get ur jersey back. And btw what number is it? I could not imagine having anything of Ohio. I go to IU so I like IU but UM always is my team. And I'm really drunk btw if this doesn't make sense.

flysociety3

May 12th, 2012 at 11:41 PM ^

Happened to a douche-lord contigency from my high school....

I grew up with these kids, and they were die-hard Michigan fans, but when MSU's open admissions let them in and AA wasnt a realistic option.... they turned HARD..

Its almost like they resented Michigan even more because they cared about it and couldnt get in....

Now they act like theyve been MSU fans from Day 1 and that Michigan is a group of piss-ons... oh well

WolvinLA2

May 13th, 2012 at 12:20 PM ^

So wait, their allegiance turned HARD when they actually started attending a school with a major sports program?  And you find that weird?  Look, I'm a very big Michigan fan, and was so growing up, but I'm sure if I got denied from UM and attended MSU instead that I'd be a huge MSU fan right now.  People have a lot of pride in the school they attend, and they should. 

archrival

May 12th, 2012 at 11:49 PM ^

I was raised by a single mother that didn't watch sports at all. My grandpa only watched golf. So growing up in Ohio I became an OSU fan. Until I watched them lose to Iowa at home in 1987. I was 8... Been a diehard Michigan fan ever since. Talk about being fickle.

ScruffyTheJanitor

May 13th, 2012 at 12:18 AM ^

GTFO.... if you weren't born with an innate love of Michigan AND a birth mark of Bo on your gargantuan genetalia, than you aren't a real fan. 

Seriously, though: I moved to NWOhio when I was in third grade, and even though I was a socially awkward giant nerd with huge glasses, all the popular kids in school tried to get me to become either a Michigan or OSU fan--- it seemed like all the popular girls were OSU fans, and the guys were UM fans, and I am not even kidding-- and I finally told them, "Who ever wins, I will be a fan of theirs." Thank God Michigan won... in 1997. Yes: The first Michigan game I really watched was THAT game. No wonder I became a fan. 

weasel3216

May 13th, 2012 at 7:09 AM ^

I was born and raised in Toledo and most of the area is split 50/50 on Michigan and Ohio.  My family were all huge Ohio fans, except my Dad who doesn't really care too much about sports, but Ohio was engrained into my brain since day one.  My Grandparents and Mom still have photos of me wearing an Ohio jacket.  

I was in second grade and i remember my best friend was a Michigan fan and i decided i was going to be a Michigan fan too.  The weird thing is that my family bought me all of this Michigan stuff for my birthday and Christmas instead of trying to "save" me.  I would think today if i would have made the change they wouldn't have done the same.

Anyways, today i hate Ohio with every ounce of my body; so holidays and gatherings are always fun, epecially during football season.

ClearEyesFullHart

May 12th, 2012 at 11:50 PM ^

The military changes people.  Not always for the better.  Tons of respect for those who protect our country.  But its not an easy life, and few leave it with everything they had when they enlisted.