Since the time of the ancient Romans people have been captivated by sport. In ancient times the sports were somewhat different, though the devotion of its loyal fans was much the same.

They gathered in thousands to watch the gladiators, chariot races, Olympics etc. and they were as raucous a bunch as any sports fans today. Legend has it the gladiators would often times behead the losing combatant and wave the severed head in the air to the crowd’s joy.

Though sports fans have been around for centuries, what draws a person to the sport or teams is often unique. For me the year was 1992 and I was 16 years old. I turned on the TV one Saturday afternoon, and there was a football game on so I decided to watch it.

It wasn't NFL but since there was nothing else on I would suffer through it. It was Sept. 12. The Michigan Wolverines were playing the Irish of Notre Dame. It was a slugfest that ended in a 17-17 tie, and I was left very disappointed.

How could a guy who simply turned on a TV. and watched a game he cared nothing about be disappointed afterward you ask? Well during the game something interesting happened, the maize and blue had stolen my heart. Was it the uniforms?

Perhaps it was the players with names like Hayes, Toomer, Law, Wheatley and Grbac?

In fact, for me it was the winged helmet. There was something about it that simply caught my eye and by the end of the first quarter I hated anyone that stood in the way of Michigan and victory, on this day it was Notre Dame.

My first season as a fan was a great one. We finished 9-0-3 and won the Rose Bowl, thanks in large part to a massive game by one Thyrone Wheatley. In the end, he ran for 235 yards on 15 carries and had three touchdowns on his way to being named the Rose Bowl MVP.

What a season, I loved every minute of it. I couldn't imagine how I had survived the previous 16 years not having seen a Wolverines game.

The local cable companies drew my ire many a time when they would televise some ridiculous Big East matchup instead of my beloved Wolverines. Still, there was the radio. I could listen to them play if nothing else.

Loving the Wolverines while living in Nova Scotia, Canada would prove to be trying at time as NCAA football was relatively unheard of here. I ached when I couldn't watch the maize and blue go to battle on Saturday afternoons.

I would sit by the radio or gaze like a zombie at the sports tickers to keep up to date with the game. All I can say is thank heavens for the miracle of the Internet (which I was soon to receive).

No one I knew could figure out my love affair with the Wolverines. Saturday afternoons were off limits for everyone. My girlfriend was the only one that was allowed with me, and she had to wear a Wolverines jersey and sit in the exact same position throughout the game (unless Michigan started losing, then she would obviously have to change positions immediately).

I had maize and blue coursing through my veins and I was loving it.

Over the years some very big names passed through the hallowed halls of the Big House. Names like Woodson, Law, Wheatley, Perry, Brady, Griese and list goes on and on.

I lived and died with our boys on the grid iron each Saturday. I would watch each play with bated breath. There has been many good times and some bad times but never have I wavered in the face of adversity.

I would find myself on Saturday afternoons making some absolutely insane agreements with God almighty himself. "Please God; if you just let Michigan come back and win this game I will do anything.

I will start going to church or doing those ten things that are written in the bible. You know, the not killing and things."

I was never going to kill anyone anyway, how hard could that be. I would even throw my other favorite teams under the bus for them. "God please, let the Montreal Canadiens, or Toronto Blue Jays lose....even the Chicago Bulls, but just please let Michigan win."

Over the years I would pledge to give up sex, smoking, drinking, even my left testicle because hey, there was always the other one...Honestly, I would be a saint right now if Michigan had won all those games and I had lived up to my end of the bargains.

Alas, many times God saw through my schemes and the Wolverines lost. I would be gutted and no one would dare be around me for days. I would go into a deep depression and the only thing that could get me out was for Michigan to win the next week, or their rivals to lose as well.

As the Wolverines went, so did I.

Now, almost 20 years later the future is bright for Michigan fans. We have new names, new systems and new (or renovated) facilities but the same old winning tradition of Michigan. Our future rests on the shoulders of young men with names like Minor, Forcier, Graham, Warren, Mathews, Robinson and their coaches.

It is my belief that these young men will once again lead the Wolverines to glory and back to the winning tradition of the past.

To conclude I would like to go back to ancient times and resurrect one of the traditions of the gladiators of Rome. Can anyone deny how great it would be for Rich Rodriguez to parade around the big house holding Jim Tressel's head in his hands after Michigan trounces OSU (I know, a little gory but I couldn't resist).

That would make last year all worthwhile.

So to the reader I ask these questions:

1) What prompted you to be a Michigan fan?

2) How long have you been a fan of your favorite sports team?

3) What have you pledged in order to see Michigan win a game?

4) What would you give to see Michigan win a NC?