Reason 4,592 to love Charles Woodson
So, a couple of minutes ago Charles Woodson is on an NFL pre-game show with other former NFL players.
The topic of greatest rivalry game you ever played in came up. The other guys rattle of games like Minn-Green Bay, Ravens-Titans, and so on.
Woodson's' turn comes up: He says "I gotta go with Michigan - Ohio State."
The other guys roll their eyes, but Charles don't care . . . he proceeds to wax eloquent about growing up with the rivalry and the meaning and intensity of it when he played.
When they finally pinned him down to name an NFL rivalry, he could barely come up with anything, and just threw out a couple of names. His heart was not in it.
A Michigan Man to the core.
Who's got it better than us?
November 6th, 2016 at 11:08 AM ^
Like Bo said: "You'll never again play for a team after you're done playing here. You'll play for a contract, for this and that, but not a team..."
November 6th, 2016 at 11:12 AM ^
November 6th, 2016 at 11:13 AM ^
November 6th, 2016 at 11:13 AM ^
other than Pistons/Bulls or Red Wings/Avalanche all back in the day,
there is nothing like college fooball for great rivalries, they are eternal.
November 6th, 2016 at 11:18 AM ^
November 6th, 2016 at 11:47 AM ^
given that's the case in college too (plenty of coaches these days who last 3-4 years and all players last 2 to max 5 years).
The difference is that in college the teams represent people's feelings about their hometown, home state, alma mater, that's real emotional connection.
In pro sports you're talking about the entertainment industry. Some franchises come to have a close sentimental connection to their locations but even in those cases it can't usually compare because of how city-focused they are and cities tend to be full of people from elsewhere who make them their - often temporary - residence.
But in the big majority of cases, you talk about a business that may well relocate somewhere else if you don't offer to pay for their stadium. You're just a market to them. Fans, connections and all that be damned. Even the Vikings did that blackmail and they got a good, and by NFL standards, passionate fanbase
November 6th, 2016 at 12:07 PM ^
That doesn't really make sense. You can make the case that star players fans identify with are often on NFL teams longer than college players.
The rivalries are about the fans.
November 6th, 2016 at 11:43 AM ^
November 6th, 2016 at 11:50 AM ^
November 6th, 2016 at 12:35 PM ^
For a long time, they were the only franchises in the south. (Miami is not the true south.)
November 6th, 2016 at 11:56 AM ^
I can think of is Wings - Av's. Those were some awesome games.
November 6th, 2016 at 12:03 PM ^
Bears-Packers is about as intense as you can get (although not as intense as the Cowboys-Redskins rivalry back in the day) but Sir Charles Woodson is correct and they need to stop their hatin'
November 6th, 2016 at 12:37 PM ^
Like Jerry Seinfeld said of Pro sports because they swap players and cities so often: "You're just cheering for clothes."
November 6th, 2016 at 12:20 PM ^
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November 6th, 2016 at 12:25 PM ^
Except that the Ravens used to be the Cleveland Browns.
Not exactly a cross-generational rivalry.
The Michigan Wolverines didn't used to be the Ohio State Buckeyes.
November 6th, 2016 at 12:34 PM ^
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November 6th, 2016 at 1:26 PM ^
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November 6th, 2016 at 1:10 PM ^
Disclaimer - I grew up a Lions fan, so I may not have a great frame of reference.
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November 6th, 2016 at 1:11 PM ^
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November 6th, 2016 at 2:40 PM ^
But will it remain one when Brady and Manning have both moved on?
College rivalries are intense no matter who is playing.
November 6th, 2016 at 1:52 PM ^
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November 6th, 2016 at 2:08 PM ^
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November 6th, 2016 at 3:01 PM ^
November 6th, 2016 at 6:13 PM ^
Has it better than us! Well I suppose that the whole idea is relative to who you are and what you value in life. Woodson's alma mater is back on the national relavancy stage and he has just finished a 'NFL hall of fame' career! Plus I would bet that in a few years he may get the itch to coach and hopefully in the near future he will make a stop in AA to help spread his wisdom!
We as fans really do have it pretty good right now. We are chearing on what could be (and may already be) a historic season. Bright immediate future, bright young student/athletes getting valuable play as well as elite athletes wanting Michigan! Sparty is on a ship that has taken some serious damage and we will see how quickly Dantonio and crew can plug the holes? ND is headed for disaster with this season, recruiting and purple face's future in doubt. OSU recognizes we are not going away! We do have it pretty darn good right now!
Go Blue!
November 6th, 2016 at 7:30 PM ^
This will never happen, but every Michigan fan has thought to themselves, at least once, about Tom Brady and Woodson coaching at UM. Don't lie, its crossed your mind.