Thank You: From A Wolverine Stuck In Columbus
I cannot put into words the amount of sports anguish I have felt in the past 20+ years. Living in this city, surrounded by these cult like, mouth breathing, lunatic fans. It has been hell on earth, literal hell.
For years in the 90's, I never felt like I had to worry. My juvenile mind could not comprehend what was about to be unleashed upon me for the next decade and a half. Pure. Unbridled. Anguish.
There is nothing I could say, nothing I could do, nowhere I could go. Wear my beloved teams logo in public? Sure, why not endure painful comments I had zero legitimate refute to. It wasn't worth it.
I have been to every Michigan game in their stupid "facist auditorium" since I was 12 years old. The agony was getting to be too much. I truly wondered if it was worth it anymore, hopelessness set in just as Brian described in his post. The season was as an exhibition, for the eventual guillotine sitting at the end of the path was ever present.
But no longer.
I sat and cried, by myself, on my couch at the end of the game. I don't know how long, I don't care. All the words, all the anguish, all the heartbreak...App state, RR, Hoke, 2016...it was gone. I still cant describe the feeling. I know, I know...we had beaten osu three times in a row, amazing. This was/is different.
Thank you Brian, thank you Seth, Alex, everyone and anyone that has had anything to do with this site. At times this was all my sports fandom had yet to hold onto when it came to Michigan athletics. I have never met you, and I probably never will...but goddamnit I love you all.
Now and forever, GO BLUE.
January 10th, 2024 at 1:52 PM ^
Enjoy it. Soak it in. Savor it like the finest of wines.
GO BLUE!
January 10th, 2024 at 1:56 PM ^
Let me know if you get permanently stuck I can shoot up there and save you on the way to the BIG HOUSE!
January 10th, 2024 at 1:56 PM ^
I was wondering this; does the title help or hurt a Michigan fan in Ohio?
Does winning it all give you enough “f-you” cred to walk around proudly or does it stir up more hate?
January 10th, 2024 at 2:07 PM ^
I walked around costco today with my block M hat on, eye daggers everywhere. One guy yelled "cheaters."
I don't even care, and they know it.
It was killing them.
January 10th, 2024 at 2:08 PM ^
Checking in from the Cleveland area I can say up here the OSU fans are seem to all be in one of two very distinct places right now.
Group 1 - Represents about 70% of their fan base. Acknowledge we are the best team in college football and focus on the fact they only lost to us by 6 points, on the road. Arent going out of their way to send us flowers but arent claiming our season was tainted either. This group seems have above average football knowledge
Group 2 - About 30% but much, much louder than group one. These are the OMG Cheaterz contingent that are absolutely 100% convinced that every win we had this season was through the efforts of Conner Stallions and Conner Stallions alone. Believe in their heart that any day now the NCAA will strip us of our title, vacate every win from 2020 onward, will give Jim a 10 year show cause, issue a bowl ban and reduce by probably 25-30 scholly's for the next three to five years. Honestly believe we masterminded the greatest cheating scandal in the history of collegiate athletics. Learned everything they know about football via ESPN SportsCenter.
I'm guessing the MSU fans up your way are all solidly in group 2.
Edit: I'm sitting at my desk wearing my M Alumni zip up and I proudly wore my M varsity (like) jacket to work. And in my driveway sits a giant inflatable block M and on my flagpole flies the Michigan flag.
January 10th, 2024 at 2:09 PM ^
This.
January 10th, 2024 at 4:00 PM ^
A large contingent here in Columbus are "Enjoy your week, because it's all over when Harbaugh and McCarthy leave"
January 10th, 2024 at 2:10 PM ^
Since Monday it’s been prominent a lot more people in public are sporting UM down here. Most are repping it down here cause almost all of osu fans believe they’re in the “dark ages” and the sky is falling for their team.
January 10th, 2024 at 2:04 PM ^
TheTeam16 - I lived in Columbus from 2004 to 2014 and can fully appreciate what you have endured over these past 20 years. The influence of the Ohio State fans during those years has only made my support and belief in our Team that much stronger. While it easy to feel you pain, the best thing we can do as Michigan fans and/or alums is to stay classy. We can be proud but do not have to be boastful around Ohio State fans.
Without them, our success would not be what it is today.
January 10th, 2024 at 2:08 PM ^
Buddy, I live in Grove City. Osu friends asked to hang out and watch the game but told them no, stayed in and watched it cause I know tears would flow. For me, this was more than just sports. UM ball was an avenue to escape from the struggles that life throws at you. To get this redemption through the dark ages, it’s been nothing but surreal.
Living down here, you get every emotion by the stupid fan base. Most are nonsensical. But, you get the fans who felt bad because of the disarray that was Michigan football during the hoke/rrod years. You have the ignorant ones that text/call/berate you if Michigan loses at all. No more. I have confidently walked into my office the last two days, wore my UM gear to my customers I sell to, and have been the loud Michigan fan telling them to eat shit as most want to claim they got the natti by cheating. Living down here, a UM fan had bleak outlooks because the entitlement down here is ridiculous and how much osu fans want to shove it down your throats on how/why they’re better when you’re in public swearing UM gear.
2024 is my year. It’s University of Michigan’s year. It’s all of our year and we’re just getting it started. Hundreds of dollars I just spent buying 2024 shirts and attire so I can rep it daily and remind these morons when im out in public Michigan are the 2024 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. The trials and tribulations the UM fans had to endure prior to the 2020 season makes this championship the absolute best and it’s not even close!
GO BLUE from Columbus Ohio. The National Champions!
January 10th, 2024 at 2:10 PM ^
Makes it much sweeter for sure! Go Blue!
January 10th, 2024 at 2:08 PM ^
Same! As someone else who lives in the Columbus area, I appreciate everyone here.
Don't worry; my classroom is fully decked out in Michigan gear, and the kids have been quite silent the Monday after Thanksgiving, which has been SOOOOOOOOOOOO much fun!
January 10th, 2024 at 2:09 PM ^
I don't know how you guys stomach it down there. If I was offered 5x my salary to move there I'd have to give it a good think.
Happy for you OP. For all you guys down there.
January 10th, 2024 at 2:16 PM ^
I lived in Columbus from August 2013 - May 2015. I will preface by saying that Columbus as a town isn't too bad, if you can manage to separate the university from the rest of the city itself. They have some good restaurants there that my wife and I really liked, and High Street / Arena District can be a fun place for young 20-somethings.
That having been said, save for the 2013 basketball season and Stauskas and Co. beating OSU in Columbus for the first time in forever, there was a whole lot of nothing to cheer about when I lived there, and a whole lot of EVERYTHING for OSU to cheer about. I did not want to come out of my apartment for about a week when OSU won the title. Even Harbaugh having already been announced that he was coming back wasn't really enough to make that stench go away for a while.
Moved to Atlanta afterwards and have never looked back once.
January 10th, 2024 at 2:28 PM ^
Also a Columbus resident.
Honestly while the existential angst over The Game has been.... not great for obvious reasons, most people are fine. I generally reciprocate the treatment I get, and the normal people who happen to have graduated from OSU are generally fine. One co-worker is a football fan and I've had cordial interactions with him. I bought him some buckeye candies after 30-24 for healing purposes, which was appreciated.
In my case, I don't go to sports bars or frat row or meth labs, so am able to avoid the worst of Buckeye fandom. It also helps that most of my friend group are, like me, antisocial geeks who, unlike me, don't give a shit about sportsball. But, yes - I wear a M hoodie jacket a lot and have honestly gotten more sotto voce 'Go Blue's during my time here then tobacco-laden loogies. My experience is only my own, and of course it's not the case for everyone. But the dirty little secret about Columbus is this:
Yes, it's of course a hotbed for OSU fandom. But there's a silent minority of people who are closet Michigan sympathizers as a reaction to the rampant Buckeye boosterism, and an even greater segment of the population that does the true hipster thing of just not caring about OSU football.
(ps - for Perkins-Size-Me's edification in case you ever do come back here: the Short North basically sucks now. Franklinton is the new hot neighborhood. Yeah, I know)
January 10th, 2024 at 3:50 PM ^
Meth labs--lol.
What the heck is Franklinton?? I lived in Columbus in the late 90s/early 2000s--I don't remember ever hearing about it.
January 10th, 2024 at 4:19 PM ^
It's the neighborhood right across the Scioto River from downtown, to the west. I dunno if COSI was there when you lived in Columbus, but it's basically right behind COSI. It was pretty rundown for much of this century, but they'd already got done spiffing up (going counterclockwise) German Village, (kinda) Olde Town East, Italian Village, the Short North, and Victorian Village, so the only downtown-adjacent neighborhood left to gentrify was Franklinton. You likely wouldn't recognize much of Columbus, having been away for two decades, but I've been here the last two decades, and **I** don't recognize Franklinton now.
January 10th, 2024 at 5:12 PM ^
COSI was there, but I didn't get to that area too much. I think the Clippers played somewhere around there as well. Short North was definitely the happening place when I was in Columbus. I lived in Clintonville, which seemed to be populated by grad students, young faculty, and some "regular" folk. Not sure what it is like now.
January 10th, 2024 at 2:30 PM ^
The challenge with being a Michigan fan anywhere in Ohio is that it's fundamentally a "company" town. OSU is really the only college in the state with a large and dedicated alumni and fan base.
Unlike in Michigan, where loyalties are divided, everyone in Ohio is raised to be an OSU fan...which I believe contributes significantly to the situation.
We were at the 2018 version of the The Game in Ohio. The energy level and level of fervent devotion was like nothing I've ever seen...even at Michigan Stadium's best.
January 10th, 2024 at 2:41 PM ^
...but not really literal.
January 10th, 2024 at 2:51 PM ^
Im continuing the party and celebrate come Friday. Going to rewatch the game.
I dont drink during week, makes work even suckier than it is lol, but I got a nice bottle of whiskey waiting for me Friday.
January 10th, 2024 at 3:34 PM ^
Very happy for you! We all know this has been a long time coming. But it does make this even sweeter! Enjoy!
January 10th, 2024 at 4:07 PM ^
13 year veteran of living in Columbus here as well. Cheers. Great post.
January 10th, 2024 at 11:23 PM ^
As one who is born, raised and still living in Columbus, this has been such a great moment! A long time coming. My director told me to take Tuesday off so he didn’t have to deal with me. I still came into the office proudly wearing my block M.
Thank you Team 144 for such a great season, a lifetime of memories and bring home a national championship!!
GO BLUE!!