WSJ writer continues homage to UM football

Submitted by BlueinKyiv on December 30th, 2022 at 8:17 AM

Like the weekly Michigan Monday posts, always entertaining reading WSJ sports writer Jason Gay's efforts to deal with a victorious Michigan team:

"For this grumpy, grudge-carrying Wisconsin graduate, the idea of Big Ten rivals Michigan and Ohio State winning their semifinals and then meeting Jan. 9 for a national championship is a bone-chilling nightmare. 

The thought of my already insufferable Wolverine colleagues at the Journal crowing about beating the Buckeyes twice in one year.…I may need to watch Saturday’s semifinals sedated, inside a sealed plexiglass box filled with my favorite stuffed animals and childhood blanket."

 

Behind paywall:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/college-football-playoff-ohio-state-georgia-michigan-tcu-11672328298?mod=hp_listc_pos3

 

 

 

True Blue Grit

December 30th, 2022 at 8:33 AM ^

He, and all the other semi-rational Big Ten team supporters should be thanking us for curb-stomping the Buckeyes after the years of beatdowns they've endured at OSU's hands.  

BlueDad2022

December 30th, 2022 at 9:03 AM ^

In his defense, this is his third or fourth column on the Michigan football team starting pretty much with 42-27 and they have all been pretty humorous and good natured from another Big Ten 10 school alum’s perspective.

Blinkin

December 30th, 2022 at 10:22 AM ^

At first I wondered why he was worried only about "insufferable wolverine colleagues," then I realized the WSJ probably doesn't hire OSU grads. 

Underhill's Gold

December 30th, 2022 at 12:41 PM ^

The cultural differences between fanbases is one of the most interesting aspects of college football. You're missing out greatly if all you can see shaping that are the wins and losses.  Might as well switch to the NFL (though even there, enduring culture can be found in fanbases - it's just a lesser extent than with college teams). 

StephenRKass

December 30th, 2022 at 12:03 PM ^

Historically, almost every team at the top has gone through a significant valley, and some are still there. Think about it:  Michigan, USC, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Auburn, Penn State, Clemson, Miami, UCLA, Texas, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Stanford, Georgia, all of them have had significant "down" periods in the last 50 years. Some of the teams on the list are still there, and may never come back up to the heights of success they once enjoyed. Historically, there are yet other teams who have been "down" for a yet longer time. Minnesota, MSU, Rutgers, Army, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc. If I am correct, OSU, is virtually the ONLY team that has NOT had a significant and prolonged down period in their teams success.

OSU is more than due to experience some real suffering. And, imhe, some of their fans are the most insufferable.

Michigan fans have also been pretty arrogant, but the last 20 years have temperred that, at least a bit. Be thankful for success when it comes, but don't let it make you a royal jerk.