OT- Rivalry Psychological Dissonance Advice

Submitted by CLord on

Delete if not board-worthy, but I figure this is actually something many of you also grapple with.

I've always been 100% anti-MSU and OSU in re sports not only head-to-head, but also because any success either program achieves can have a major impact upon Michigan on the recruiting trail.  Logic being, the weaker our rivals are, the less likely they are to take prized recruits from us.  The more prized recruits that Go Blue, the more likely we are to win national championships.  Contested rivalries are fun, but national championships are more fun, so in my world, an 0-12 OSU and MSU is ideal.  Simple logic I've always lived by, and it's been easy since my father, myself and all my siblings have Michigan degrees.

But now suddenly my god-daughter has chosen to attend MSU in the fall, and my anti-MSU zen is in full disarray.  Half my brain will continue reveling at every MSU loss, but the other half wishes happiness for her, and can't help but imagine her disappointment, all clad in Green as she attends MSU losses.

It used to be saying "State sucks" was easy.  Now I always think of her and feel guilty.

What a mess. What to do.  Is part of me actually wanting to start rooting for Sparty except when they play us?  NEVER!  Or?  Help me out doc!

JHumich

June 22nd, 2017 at 11:38 AM ^

absolution to go ahead and revel in every Sparty loss anyway.

We hereby absolve you. Take full pleasure in every particle of Sparty demise! You don't even need to reason that it helps Michigan in the long run. Delight in the spite!

As far as your near relations are concerned, send them sincere-sounding condolence messages. You will appear magnanamous, and they will increase in affection for you. They don't need or have to know that you are delighting in the fact that you got to send them condolences!

The best will be every time we thrash them. What a thrill it will be for you to enjoy the dualistic contrast of consoling her while in an ecstasy of joy yourself!

Thankfully, you will not have to worry about Sparty having any nice wins until at least after she is graduated. So, you can ignore that part of the issue altogether.

Oregon Wolverine

June 21st, 2017 at 1:53 PM ^

I used to jab Sparty relatives, but now I accept and even send them short congratulatory messages on key wins "Nice win Sparty," or in the other instance "tough loss..." Makes for better family relations. The bitter Sparty vitriol that I sometimes get -- I just laugh at in the privacy of my own space. Rather be a bit humble w/fam than an Arrogant Ass from A2 as I was in my younger days.



My niece went Sparty for undergrad after she was waitlisted from Michigan. When a spot opened, she was turned off, and stayed Sparty. She's now an incredibly successful ER doctor, and I can't say she would've done better if she went to Michigan.



And to that end, I just entered a law partnership w/a ND grad. I'll post our announcement soon, has a M-ND tie in.



Love life in all its diversity but most of all GO BLUE!!!

freelion

June 21st, 2017 at 9:53 AM ^

who is a full on Michigan fan and hates Spartan sports team even though she was on their bowling team.  It's possible to separate the academics from the sports. Keep bashing Sparty athletics but try to be a little gentle on their academics even though they suck too (but not as bad as OSU)

mGrowOld

June 21st, 2017 at 9:54 AM ^

Moved to Ohio in 87.  Married into a family of Buckeyes.  All my close friends are Buckeyes.   All my co-workers are Buckeyes. My neighbors and virtually everybody in my church are Buckeyes.

Fuck em all.  Go Blue.  I hope their all miserable every Saturday in the fall.

Blue and Joe

June 21st, 2017 at 10:03 AM ^

Yeah...it's not that complicated. My wife is a buckeye. Most of my extended family are Spartys. I never ever cheer for MSU, and I only "cheer" for OSU when they play MSU. Rivalries are supposed to be fun. I love trash talking my MSU family members.

74polSKA

June 21st, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^

I live in Ohio and my 3rd grade daughter, who has zero interest in sports, has decided she likes OSU because her friends do. I feel like it's preparing me for her future poor life choices that will have me shaking my head.

FauxMo

June 21st, 2017 at 12:04 PM ^

At 5 years old my son, as we were driving to the UM-MSU game, saw a group of Sparties standing at the corner of Stadium and Industrial. He calmly rolled down his window (while sitting in his car seat), stuck his head out the window and yelled, "GO GREEN, GO WHITE, CAN'T READ, CAN'T WRITE!" No idea where he learned that... 

TheCool

June 21st, 2017 at 1:02 PM ^

My son and daughter are the same at 6 and 4. My son had interest in MSU when he was a little younger because of my pops and I wasn't going to force him to be a Michigan fan. But, I bought him shirts and talked Michigan sports and watched Michigan sports and they're both good people now.

rainingmaize

June 21st, 2017 at 9:56 AM ^

It's quite easy. Cheer for MSU wins whenever they aren't playing Michigan. If you look at it that way, you can get happy for your daughter, and it helps Michigan, the Big 10, and the local economy. if Sparty is good and we beat them. But when that one weekend rolls around, F*** them. 

I Just Blue Myself

June 21st, 2017 at 10:19 AM ^

I agree with this. I enjoy watching Michigan sports and cheer for them to win, but in general people take sports much too seriously. I know people that take losses worse than the players on the team. Cursing at fans wearing opposing colors, fighting in the stands, allowing losses to ruin a day. It's all incredibly childish. Life is short; enjoy family and friends, and don't allow sports to ruin your day. 

I realize a message board dedicated to Michigan sports isn't the ideal place for this view. Or maybe it is. 

LJ

June 21st, 2017 at 9:59 AM ^

I dunno man, is it really so bad to have different sports rooting interests that friends and family?  I have plenty of friends who went to MSU--I still root for them to lose pretty much every time, and they probably root for UM to lose every time.  Who cares?  It's just football.  If anything, our opposing rooting interests makes things more fun.  At the end of the day, it's just a game.

LSAClassOf2000

June 21st, 2017 at 12:29 PM ^

I will say this - as someone who comes from a family which, save for my father (Indiana alum x2) and my wife (Northwestern alum), is nearly uniformally comprised of Wolverines, Saturdays and all the texts and phone calls can get kind of mundane since virtually all of us cheer for the same team. Some variety would have made it interesting certainly. 

FauxMo

June 21st, 2017 at 10:06 AM ^

If she's your god daughter, that makes you the Godfather. So I would invite her over, sit her down (in a wood-panelled office, naturally), and say something like this:

"You have to answer for your decision to attend Michigan State University. You have gone against the family. Don't protest your innocence, because I know it was you. Calm down, calm down, I'm not going to kill you. No, your punishment is that you're out of the family forever. I want you to go to East Lansing and stay there, do you understand me?" 

Then, when she goes outside, have someone waiting in her car to strangle her with wire. Voila! 

M-Dog

June 21st, 2017 at 10:17 AM ^

Blood is thicker than sports.

Root for your god-daughter in life.  Root against Sparty in sports.

What is a god-daughter anyway?

 

Everyone Murders

June 21st, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^

She betrayed you by going to MSU, I think the only proper thing to do is write her off and sponsor another godchild.  Cut ties - you're not really related to this ingrate to begin with.

I suppose you could just cheer for different teams, and be happy that she's happy when MSU wins.  That's another possibility.

I'm no theologian, but I am pretty sure that Jebus would just write her off.

Wolverine 98284

June 21st, 2017 at 10:32 AM ^

A god father is supposed to guide the god child in religious education. If football Saturdays are the sabbath and football the religion, you blew it pal. That is, unless you did all that and she is an M fan and just did not get into M. Then, it is her parent's fault for not making her study more.



Take heart though, she is your god daughter, not your daughter. There is an old saying about rather having a daughter working in a whore house rather than attending MSU....

The Maizer

June 21st, 2017 at 10:56 AM ^

No cognitive dissonance necessary. You don't have to root for Sparty. Your god daughter will be happy/sad depending on MSU's sports outcomes regardless of your rooting interest.

UMProud

June 21st, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^

Sports aside I would be glad she is attending college #1 and MSU is a recognized degree.  Some of their programs (veterinary, logistics, etc) are well regarded and graduates are snapped up.

Be glad she didn't pick University of Phoenix or decide to shack up with a guy instead of college know what I'm saying?

Tuebor

June 21st, 2017 at 11:01 AM ^

Wife and I went to UM, so did my Father in Law and Mother in Law.  One of my Brothers in law went to MSU.  I actually like my brother in law that went to MSU better than his twin that went to UM.  The one that went to UM is your typical millennial, 25 and totally dependent on mom and dad for everything.  In fact they just bought him a new bike.  His twin brother who went to MSU is independent, already working his way up at his company, and has his head on straight.  We actually hangout once a week and catch up, in the fall we hunt together, etc.  So don't let where people go to college cloud your judgement of their character.  Although it probably helps that MSU brother in law isn't really into sports.