Schadenfreude: OSU last week vs. UM this week

Submitted by StephenRKass on

I find it deeply ironic to glance at the forum posts and the tone of many titles, the angst, the handwringing, the anger, only one week after the OSU/Purdue debacle. Et tu, Brutus? We can gleefully rip OSU fans for their response to Pryor and to Tressel, but then only a scant seven days later, see the same thing from many posters when we lose.

That is bad enough, but what is worse is the similarity here of some UM posters to many of the typical "Little Brother" fans. Specifically, Sparty has often been high as a kite after beginning the season winning 3 or 4 cupcake Non-Con games and one against Northwestern or Indiana or the like. After losses to Michigan, PSU, OSU, et al, they come crashing bitterly back to reality.

What has Michigan done this year? Beat two directional schools, a glorified high school team, a Big 10 bottom feeder, and Notre Dame. I'll gladly take the five wins to date, but the reality of Freshmen QBs, and a woefully raw defense, learning under the 3rd DC in 3 years, is NOT going to be pretty. And honestly, I think that Brian and crew have been pretty consistent in their assessment of the team.

Three final thoughts.

I still love watching this team, and am excited about the future. Yes, they make mistakes, but I see good things coming. I am so glad that we didn't settle for what I'll call "good mediocrity." That sounds like an oxymoron, but I'm talking about the 8 - 4, 9 - 3, and rare 10 - 2 teams. Often in the middle of the top 25, but not at the top.

I really don't think you can overestimate the affect of Freshman QB's, and experienced and skilled QB's. To have a full playbook available makes a huge difference.

I still like our chances in many, if not all, of the remaining games.

uniqenam

October 26th, 2009 at 11:00 AM ^

Meh, the difference is that we got thumped this week and OSU at least put up a fight. But, I'll take our shadenfreude over theirs any day, because I would assume that losing to Penn State is more respectable than losing to Purdue.

Hemlock Philosopher

October 26th, 2009 at 11:10 AM ^

Seeing any YouTube videos challenging players to fights. Yes, there's a lot of concern over the state of the team, but there is a general lack of vitriol. I think we have more of a "where do we go from here" attitude around here than what was being espoused in Mordor this time last week.

wolverienstra

October 26th, 2009 at 11:18 AM ^

+1 on this post

I admit I also found myself guilty of some "irrational exuberance" about this team after the first couple games. But, you are spot on -- this team is still a work in progress, and we just can't expect a team this young to have it all together every week. It's also unfair -- and unrealistic -- to expect the kind of 2nd-year turnaround in W-L record RichRod had at WVU, etc.

This team *is* still making progress, but that may not translate into more wins this season. Sure, 8-4 is still a possibility, which ain't shabby, but 7-5 for this team would still be a big step forward. All they really need is 1 more win to get into a bowl game, and that would still be huge -- 4-5 additional weeks of practice with RichRod's system will do a world of good building toward next season.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

October 26th, 2009 at 11:35 AM ^

Until we have a skinny featherweight of a "Redneck Rocker" posting a YouTube video challenging our quarterback to a fight, we have not reached OSU levels of schadenfreude-giving.

Secondly, not one person here said "I feel like we just won" after Sparty lost to Iowa. So we're also not MSU fans.

StephenRKass

October 26th, 2009 at 11:53 AM ^

You never know what's floating around Youtube. I will fully agree we haven't reached OSU levels of schadenfreude-giving . . . yet. Here's hoping we never do.

Yeah, I don't care what Sparty does, it doesn't feel like a win. But the irrational exuberance after 4 - 0 and the cockiness were just setting us up. "Pride comes before a fall."

VictorsValiant09

October 26th, 2009 at 2:31 PM ^

It is fitting how the tables do turn.

However, our expectations were basically nil this year, while OSU was expected to compete for the Big Ten. They're underachieving, like we were in 2007.

Hopefully, we can give them what's been coming to them for the past 5 years soon enough.