Football, man. I mean: FOOTBALL!!! (Pre-Game musings with Misopogon)
I didn't fall asleep last night until 2.
I was thinking too much about The Game.
I woke up this morning before 6, and couldn't get back to sleep.
I was thinking too much about The Game.
I have done this the day of The Game in many, many late November Saturdays that were and weren't 2006.
At the beginning of the season for any of my teams -- Tigers, Wings, Michigan football/hockey, et al. -- hope and imagination and the realm of possibility are X and 0, where X is the number of games yet to be played and 0 is the sum total of losses countenanced. On opening day, and until the first defeat, in some part of my mind, my team is already there, at the pinnacle, raising the cup, dancing on the pitcher's mound, skating across lined, warm, gray ice, Heisman winner, rosebud in his teeth, kissing a crystalline football.
The morning of the last day of the season, the options are much more limited, imagination duly adjusted for possible outcome.
Except with one team.
For Michigan football, when the morning dawns of the last game of Big Ten play, it is August again, because no matter how the season went, there is the chance for ultimate redemption at the end.
When I woke up today, Michigan had a chance to beat Ohio State.
It's a brand new season; hope rises with the sun.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:49 AM ^
Well said. Thanks.
I'm sad to be about to board a cross country flight but the game's being DVR'ed at my destination. I am rocking my "HAIL" shirt and M hat. And so far a "Go Blue" from someone in Oregon gear.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:51 AM ^
At the bar dwntwn Toronto last nite wearing my white long-sleeved UM Football tshirt. Not many M fans here, but I'm rockin it anyway. On my way to the pissoir, my arm is grabbed by an attractive burnette. She stops me, smiles, unzips her plain hoodie to show me her UM tshirt underneath. No words need be spoken - instant karma. Fast forward to this morning - she's got the scrambled eggs working in my kitchen right now. How's that for a good sign? I think we've got it going today, Meeeechingan Men. GO BLUE !!!!
November 21st, 2009 at 9:22 AM ^
Go buy the ring immediately after the game.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:24 AM ^
How does her current appearance compare to what you remember from last night?
November 21st, 2009 at 9:45 AM ^
I kind of hate you right now...
+1
November 21st, 2009 at 9:40 AM ^
Fuck. Shit. Up.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:41 AM ^
Born and raised in PA and Michigan grad.
My girl texted me last night (she is in DC with friends) and said she sang the Victors to an OSU fan and I didn't even know she knew the Victors?
She ended the text by saying she called him a Suckeye and she said Go Blue to me.
Needless to say we are engaged and her dad is a PSU grad like most of my family and friends but my phone has been blowing up with people saying beat the Sucks.
We can win this game and for those who don't beleive we can and say they are fans well keep saying that and we will lose. The one thing all of us have in common is we are cocky and we expect to win.
Don't lose that, 100 years of greatness doesn't die with 2 bad years!!!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Blue!!!!!!!!!!
November 21st, 2009 at 10:47 AM ^
you were a wordsmith and writer as well as a statistician there, Misopogon. I'm impressed.
November 21st, 2009 at 11:06 AM ^
Nice job. Nothing like the morning of M-OSU. LOVE IT!!! Damn, we are lucky people.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 PM ^
My friend said this game is basically Christmas Morning for Men, except there's a 90 percent chance that instead of leaving you gifts, Santa will steal everything in your house.