So We Beat On

Submitted by Winchester Wolverine on

As I write this, fighting back the urge to puke from last night's drinking binder, from the corner of my eye, I see a book at the edge of my desk. That damn book. I've written a ton about it the last semester for college. I'm sick of it, but The Great Gatsby is consuming my life so I must share the burden with you.

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year receeds before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter- tomorrow we will run faster, strech our arms further... And one fine morning-"

A lot has changed over the course of just a few years. Juggling school, work, and two children, things don't get much more hectic. Life has a way of shuffling your priorities for you, against your will. However, amidst the pressure of everyday life, in the forefront of a country in social turmoil, one thing remains a constant: Michigan. I make time for it. I forcably shove it into the spinning cogs that move my life forward every Saturday. Everything stops for three hours. The chaos around me is nullified to a dull hum in the background. I could search the very depths of my conciousness to find something that compares to this unique passion of mine, but it would be to no avail. No matter the consequences. I'm still here.

The Great Gatsby, if you're familiar with it, is a tragedy. F. Scott Fitzgerald writes of our passion to recapture the past. To re-create the moments lost in memory. As it goes, this passion is ultimately damaging. No matter how hard you try to grab the ever-fleeting past, you'll walk away defeated and demoralized. 

Michigan football seems to be doing the same, stuck in the realm of past glory. We as fans push this notion all the time. Perhaps if we merely accept that things are different now, we can truely move forward to capture a new essance of glory.

Forget about yesterday, forget about capturing the past. Focus upon today, where challenges await in the future. And put some damn steel in your spine.

"So we beat on".

MGoBoard
Football
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steel in your spine

dieseljr32

October 8th, 2017 at 1:04 PM ^

Yes. it's a new generation of football now. it's embarrassing for us to constantly be like "we used to be great, that counts for something right?" It's killing Texas, Florida, and Tennessee.

Joined: 04/19/2009

MGoPoints: 4792

BlueinLansing

October 8th, 2017 at 8:09 PM ^

to remember Tennessee used to revere Johnny Majors for going 8-3 every year he won 3 SEC Championships in his 11 years at UT.  Phil Fulmer won two and a national title, they haven't won one since.  I'm not sure Tennessee was ever "great"

 

I also remember when Florida was the garbage pail of SEC football .  In 1984 they won their very first SEC Championship in fooball and had to give it back because they cheated like hell to get it.  The didn't win their next first until 1991 with Steve Spurrier.  After Spurrier left UF has won 2 SEC titles and not since 2008.  Great?   They had a nice run under Spurrier and one great year under Meyer but other wise UF football history is really not all that great.

Joined: 09/01/2009

MGoPoints: 23520

wolpherine2000

October 8th, 2017 at 4:05 PM ^

It sucks to lose to Michigan State, but many of the folks on here seem to be hurt more because it means that we aren't a program that will consistently compete for national championships.

I'm okay with going 9-3. It seems that to be consistently in the top 5% of FBS teams year in and out, you are also going to have to have full institutional support, financial support, favorable geography, and at least some ethical and academic flexibility. Of all of those, we have all but the last three. We aren't moving the university, and I don't think that two more wins a year is worth the compromises that it would take to become an Alabama or an Ohio State. 

Joined: 07/10/2009

MGoPoints: 8828

George Pickett

October 8th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^

I actually find it easier to "beat on" now because the disappointment is just expected every year.  I've lost the ability to really care about Michigan football.

Joined: 03/27/2016

MGoPoints: 9928

RedRum

October 8th, 2017 at 5:16 PM ^

We will be a four loss team this year. In 2108 we can take another real shot at greatness. That is better than most programs. We are fine. Like it or not, JH has the 2016 and 2017 class here. In 2018 and 2019 we will have clear data points. Our program was in ashes in 2014. Since then we have lost some painful close games. This talk of JH being out coached is crazy. Go Blue

Joined: 08/20/2017

MGoPoints: 21505

Lakeyale13

October 8th, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^

Why am I fighting to accept the truth of this post. It is spot on though. I have now relegated myself to the fact that when we beat OSU it will be on rare occasion and always as the underdog. I need to start lowering my expectations because it really is making me nutso.

Joined: 11/16/2014

MGoPoints: 27090

corundum

October 8th, 2017 at 2:57 PM ^

I wish I could relate. I almost got to this point at the end of the Hoke era but the close OSU games kept me just vested enough to still be emotionally attached. Harbaugh has brought greater expectations and I was a believer from day one. I’m still a believer, making every one of these losses just as painful as the ones I experienced in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Joined: 05/10/2012

MGoPoints: 47323

Lakeyale13

October 8th, 2017 at 1:13 PM ^

Frustrations I didn't expect under Harbaugh: 1. Only one win verse our two Rivals. OSU game this year not looking optimistic. 2. QB play not even at the top 2 in the Big Ten. 3. Lack of elite RB recruits.

Joined: 11/16/2014

MGoPoints: 27090

1817

October 8th, 2017 at 1:22 PM ^

Yes, but where do you go now after last night?  Bo and Lloyd teams had leaders that were pissed off after something like this, said it very vocally that it's unacceptable, and went out to destroy their next opponent.  We'll see if that happens this year or if this another team like Hoke or RR gave us.

Joined: 09/30/2014

MGoPoints: 564

blueheron

October 8th, 2017 at 1:32 PM ^

Right -- Lloyd's upperclass guys really rallied the team after the Appalachian State debacle. They came out the next week and really took it to Oregon! Oh, wait.

Yes, I did some cherry picking there. Let's be honest, though. Lloyd was a very good coach. He wasn't a great coach. I fear that Harbaugh's ceiling at Michigan (despite his stellar record at other locations) will be "very good."

Joined: 03/26/2009

MGoPoints: 30559

Woodstock Wolverine

October 8th, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^

Youngest team in college football. People's expectation of Harbaugh and this team are unrealistic. We can win the big ten, but it won't be by blowing people out like last year. Totally different team and way less experienced.

Joined: 07/16/2015

MGoPoints: 15496

fksljj

October 8th, 2017 at 6:56 PM ^

Kind of reminds me of a hysterical Brady Hoke quote. I believe we had just suffered our 3rd or 4th loss of the season and during the press conference he said "I believe we can still win the championship!"

Joined: 11/27/2016

MGoPoints: -9997905

Mr. Owl

October 8th, 2017 at 1:41 PM ^

I'm still waiting for a Michigan team to finally decide they've had enough with Sparty cheap shots & say "Next play we run to show (whoever laid the latest cheap shot) what happens when you do that."

It's not like wasting a play would have really mattered yesterday.  I'm sick of seeing late hit after late hit & just being pushed around.  Complaining to the refs seems to do nothing if you're not willing to fight back.

 

Joined: 01/15/2015

MGoPoints: 346

UMfan21

October 8th, 2017 at 2:52 PM ^

I thought we did. marched it 16 plays down the field, chewed up 7 minutes of clock. we forced a 3 and out, and in the 2nd drive things were going pretty good until the fumble. this time we came out fine. the problem was our blocking, play calling, and BOK decision making.

Joined: 09/28/2009

MGoPoints: 51217

Ramblin

October 8th, 2017 at 10:38 PM ^

From another post:

Refs screw us anyway and that self righteous dick Dantonini has our number...  I'd love to see us respond to dirtiness from MSU with nastier dirtiness from us.  Talking Purdue jump on QB's back while he is sitting down to try to break his spine dirty.  This offense just looks like a bunch of choir boy pussies to me. 

Joined: 01/09/2011

MGoPoints: 1275

kb

October 8th, 2017 at 1:42 PM ^

For all the success Meyer has had at OSU he has only won one championship. As long as Satan is around he probably will not win any more.

Joined: 10/31/2009

MGoPoints: 7151

Bill the Butcher

October 8th, 2017 at 1:43 PM ^

I've let go of recreating the past. I'm looking only to the future. I accept this new reality. And in this reality I want my team to win against hated rivals and for the offense not to look like dogshit. Am I doing this correctly?

Joined: 09/23/2012

MGoPoints: 2908

greymarch

October 8th, 2017 at 1:50 PM ^

If we lose to Indiana, I'd start playing Peters no matter how O'Korn plays versus Indiana. A loss to Indiana, and all the goals this season are ruined. Start playing the young QB(s) give him (them) valuable experience for next season, because Speight isnt the answer next season.
 
UM has 5 backup QBs behind Speight. ONE OF THEM knows how not to throw an interception in a real game.
 
Best D in the country, all we need is one QB who doesnt turn the ball over.

Joined: 02/06/2010

MGoPoints: 4869

alltru

October 8th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^

When I look at any football team, I ask, does this team have the talent to win every game a be a NC. 

The only two teams I can realistically say that about are Clemson and Alabama.

So fans are delusional attending games thinking their team is going to win every game and have no idea of the ability of the players and talent. 

 

Joined: 03/13/2010

MGoPoints: 80

FLwolvfan22

October 8th, 2017 at 3:01 PM ^

Michigan fans are not delusional, they're one of the two best teams in the best conference in football and Michigan has all the means to hire the best personnel and have some of the best facilities. It's not delusional for Michigan fans to want and expect to win championships B1G and national. It would be quite delusional yes for teams above and say Western Michigan to want and expect to win national championships.

Joined: 03/03/2012

MGoPoints: 6707

FLwolvfan22

October 8th, 2017 at 2:36 PM ^

But to pull the elite kids out of the south/Texas/west coast on a regular, yearly basis, we have to win and that ain't happening this year. Need to get Peters and Mccaffrey reps so they're not completely new next season. One day our QB/offensive coordinator ship will come in.

Joined: 03/03/2012

MGoPoints: 6707