Reminder to self: never make bet with MSU fan
"There's a sucker born every minute." In this case, me. In the euphoria of our 5 - 0 start, I thought we had a good chance to beat Michigan State. This was a fatal miscalculation. In the hubris of that moment, with blind confidence in then Heisman front runner Denard and in the proud and sure confidence of Michigan's return to glory, I made a wager. A foolish wager. One requiring the wearing of Michigan State garments in a public setting, and the possible sacrifice of my first born child.
After the loss, I was required to take my senior daughter on a campus visit to Michigan State, on a beautiful Fall day. She was not swayed, and is planning to attend Kansas State. (A planned major in animal science with the goal of large animal vet school does not make Michigan a viable location for attendance.) Disaster narrowly averted . . . I can't imagine the pain and humiliation of Michigan alumni who have offspring attending Michigan State. I wonder if there are support groups for those unfortunate souls.
The second part of the bet was paid off yesterday. Needless to say, this goes down as a day of great personal shame and infamy. Sigh. At least the tie I wore was reasonably tasteful. Muted green and silver stripes with a single "Michigan State" at the bottom is tolerable. A loud, garish green and white polyester abomination with a field of leering Sparties would not have been. Lesson learned.
Note to self: should Michigan somehow get through the first 10 games next year without a loss, do NOT, repeat, do NOT, make a wager with colleagues from Nebraska, or nephews from Ohio State. Yes, I believe 2011 will be a good year. Yes, I believe that we will be in all our games. But no, this ginger does not want to take the chance of wearing Nebraska or Ohio State red.
December 6th, 2010 at 2:57 PM ^
I just gave you a moment of silence in honor of your shame.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:00 PM ^
I generally don't makes bets with MSU alums because I'm always worried they'll back out of the bet because their eyes were crossed.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:02 PM ^
Not trying to be a dick because I learned from that mistake before, but I feel as though it's been a while since there was a good "cool story bro"...
December 6th, 2010 at 3:16 PM ^
First and last wager I'll make. Knew there was a good reason I'm not into gambling.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:02 PM ^
wanted to make a similar bet, but I have a firm policy of never accepting such bets. Victory itself is satisfying enough and defeat itself is depressing enough.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:33 PM ^
Did your priest offer to be the bookie, too?
December 6th, 2010 at 3:05 PM ^
To answer your statement regarding offspring from UofM going to MSU, my gradfather went to Michigan and all 4 of his kids went to MSU. In part he is one of the cheapest men I have the pleasure of knowing so I assume that is the sole reason for this.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:08 PM ^
Quick question: To what occasion did you wear the tie? To determine the severity of that punishment we need to know that piece of info. If you wore it as part of a business suit, you could have arguably left your coat on and buttoned, serving as damage control. However, being forced to wear that tie could be considered cruel and inhumane punishment in other contexts . . .
December 6th, 2010 at 3:14 PM ^
Wore with an dark olive green v-neck sweater and a white button down. As such, not detectable or offensive. However, had to pull the tie out in front of the sweater after service so others could verify that it was indeed a Michigan State tie.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:46 PM ^
I feel for you. At least you learned your lesson, right?
December 6th, 2010 at 3:54 PM ^
Lesson learned.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:36 PM ^
Is church the new Vegas, or what!?
December 6th, 2010 at 3:21 PM ^
At least you're in good company.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:14 PM ^
That guy has great hair.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:28 PM ^
CSB: I went to U-M with a guy whose middle name was Butch, all because his daddy lost a bet.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^
I made a bet with one of my high school teacher on the mich-msu game, loser wears the other teams colors and sing the other teams fight song in front of the class. That was not a good day for me.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:55 PM ^
The only MSU fans I encounter deliver my pizza. I don't make bets with pizza delivery guys.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^
are exquisite! I guess that's what comes from avoiding manual labor your whole life. They remind me of Ray McKigney's hands. He could've had any woman in the world.. but none could match the beauty of his own hand...and that became his one true love...
He was not the master of his domain. Good luck busoflove. It must be torture living with hands so nice.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:04 PM ^
My brother is a Graduate Assistant with the Kansas State Fooball team. Acedemic counsler type of deal. That campus is amazing, love Manhattan. Go Cats!
December 6th, 2010 at 4:33 PM ^
Some state kid bet me that we wouldn't win more than 5 games this year...I won a case of beer. They always make stupid bets
December 6th, 2010 at 5:23 PM ^
December 6th, 2010 at 5:45 PM ^
I would never want green and white touching my junk unless its one of those EL skeezies that are so easy to find.
December 6th, 2010 at 5:27 PM ^
Same deal. Have been wearing the scarlet and gray for many Mondays, unfortunately.
As to college attendance, my daughter is considering the Big Ten; only Northwestern and Michigan are on the list.
December 6th, 2010 at 5:32 PM ^
probably isn't your color. Srolling around the Red Cedar with your daughter was memorable though...although she had another destination in her view.
I only dress in green on March 17 and I'm half Irish.
December 6th, 2010 at 5:53 PM ^
Having been banished from the great state of Michigan since 2002 to the god forsaken hell hole known as Ohio due to work requirements, my now senior in high school daughter grew up in Ohio and now wants to go to The Ohio State University. My shame is complete, and in her written essay for her OSU application, she ended by writing "Besides, my father is a University of Michigan graduate and nothing would irritate him more than you accepting me at The Ohio State University!"
I'm sure she'll get in on the strength of that statement alone.......
That makes me the dumbass, not you!!!
Burton
December 6th, 2010 at 6:07 PM ^
Mike, I'd give you all my "points" if I could. Wow, that hurts. Is your daughter just trying to pull your chain, or is this for real? My wife is from Cleveland, so has many sibs and relatives with OSU connections, making Thanksgiving and Christmas painful visits for some years now.
BTW, tOSU has an animal science program and a vet school, but that never entered into the equation for my daugter. Some things are too hard to do. It would be much more difficult not to consider, however, if we lived in Ohio and had in-state tuition as a carrot. She loved her visit to Michigan, and thinks it is a great campus. Unfortunately, even the Michigan admissions counselor said it wasn't the best fit for what she wanted to do.
December 6th, 2010 at 6:39 PM ^
Daughter is serious and for real, and her high school boyfriend is already a freshmen engineering student at tOSU. Truth is that it is her decision, not mine. She has friends that have gone or are going to tOSU, and it is instate and my reality is that it is her education and her future and she has to be the one to be happy about it. Fortunately, my son went to Miami of Ohio because he hates tOSU and could never even have considered going there.
My daughter was told she has about a 75% chance of getting into OSU's Columbus campus, as they have actually increased their entrance requirements in the past decade or so in an attempt to no longer be the bottom dweller in terms of academics in the Big Ten.
December 6th, 2010 at 6:51 PM ^
All kidding aside, I think I would have preferred her going to Michigan State, because it is 3 1/2 hours instead of 10 hours away. But MSU, OSU, it's her choice, and I want what's best. Hey, maybe you'll at least get to go to some games in Columbus!!
December 6th, 2010 at 6:56 PM ^
Than going into the snakepit in 2012 and watching them get beat on a cheap student ticket!
GO BLUE!