So I wore a Michigan hoodie last night to a company outing
This week my firm held a sales meeting in Nashville and last week we all went to the Predators hockey game, and I wore a white Michigan hoodie. Before the game we had dinner at a restaurant not far from the arena where I was seated at a table with two OSU grads and season ticket holders and after a couple of beers the conversation turned predictably to our current situation with the B1G.
OSU fan #1 thinks the entire situation is borderline hilarious. He thinks we were turned in by an insider and whole thing is much ado about nothing BUT he’s loving that we’re going through it. Thinks Day probably got everyone spun up and doesn’t think much, if anything, will ultimately come of it. Thinks Harbaugh’s suspension will get lifted on appeal on Friday.
OSU fan #2 is quite different to say the least as he honestly thinks this is the worst scandal to hit college football in his lifetime. Believes Michigan will get all wins for the past three years vacated, believes Harbaugh will get a 10-year show cause, thinks CJ Stroud not winning the Heisman last year was because of us “cheating”, doesn’t believe OSU has ever stolen signs legally or otherwise, doesn’t think signs change unless cheaters like Michigan force teams to do so, says there’s “tons of proof” that Harbaugh himself authorized the vast network and that Michigan paid for the game tickets and travel expenses, thinks Friday the suspension will not only be upheld but that the B1G and the NCAA will ban Michigan from the B1G Championship game and post-season play THIS year. I’m not making this up, any push back from me on any of his thoughts was met by him turning to another co-worker where he’d explain basically why Michigan fans are delusional for not understanding just how bad this is and will ultimately be.
The game itself was also interesting. I got four or five random “Go Blue’s” with a fist bump from people just walking by me. I also got multiple drive-by’s saying “cheaters” and pointing at my sweatshirt. One guy who was laughing stopped to talk to me, he was a Tennessee Volunteer’s fan, who acknowledged that everyone did it but like OSU fan #1, thought it was beyond funny that we were in the media & NCAA crosshairs for enforcement. Said we had one hell of a team too.
For the record, I’m 64 and have been wearing Michigan gear out and about for about 50 years or more and this is the most interaction I’ve gotten from strangers seeing the block M in my lifetime. Regardless of the outcome Friday, and ultimately from the NCAA, I believe our current situation has fundamentally changed the way Michigan is viewed by the average fan. Give the devil his due, whoever paid the private investigator to leak information detrimental to the Michigan football team, coach Harbaugh and our brand in general did one hell of a job.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:30 PM ^
Most mid- to high-end restaurants will provide two forks with your meal. One is for your entree, the other is for stabbing OSU Fan #2. Violence is the only language these people understand.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
some have high chairs as well or booster seats which this infant might find useful.
And they may need a cork for the first fork so they don't hurt themselves while eating:
November 15th, 2023 at 2:18 PM ^
may I go to the bathroom?
(sound of water flowing)
thank you
November 15th, 2023 at 2:43 PM ^
it is a comedy movie that has held up very well over the years (released in 1988 - that's crazy)
November 15th, 2023 at 2:19 PM ^
I'll let Corum do the stabbing for me. It will be the most effective 😈
November 15th, 2023 at 2:37 PM ^
Do not commit violence in real life. Troll OSU message boards if you have to get out your aggression. Maybe do some pushups and eat an apple.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:44 PM ^
and since chickens are no longer just nervous birds there is room for them on the menu too!
November 16th, 2023 at 10:59 AM ^
this is good legal advice.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:50 PM ^
I'd like to stick them right here...
November 15th, 2023 at 3:56 PM ^
The problem is, most mid to high end restaurants are devoid of OSU fanatics...
November 15th, 2023 at 1:32 PM ^
We have a vast network of alumni who attend games. Get the signs that way, unpaid. That is what everyone else is doing legally. Some may say we shouldn't ever again but I disagree. Just make it unpaid. Keep up with everyone else.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:33 PM ^
90 percent of Bucknut fans are OSU fan #2. 98 percent of Sparty fans are OSU fan #2.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:37 PM ^
My osu buddy (one of my best friends, actually) is definitely in your 10%. He hasn't even brought up the scandal to me b/c he knows it's a sensitive topic. We just talk about actual football and other stuff. Good dude.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:44 PM ^
My best friend (a Buckeye, alas) was giving me the fan #2 treatment. I told him he sounded like a Sparty--he went quiet and hung his head in shame.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:56 PM ^
It is rather amusing that one of the few ways you can get certain fanbases in the Big Ten to shut up sometimes is to tell them that they sound like a perpetually aggrieved Spartan. It certainly does put things into perspective when you phrase it like that for some people.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:55 PM ^
They will change their tune if we take care of business Nov. 25. They're now in rationalization mode, talking themselves into believing that we won the last two years because of Stalions (never mind that this makes no sense, it's what they want to believe) - but if they lose again in ten days, that goes out the window. Then they'll go back to calling for Day's head and begging Meyer to come back.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:31 PM ^
Didn't work for Sparty. We beat that ass and they still whining.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:01 PM ^
The Spartan fan is its own breed, still largely unexplained by science.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:32 PM ^
"But if they lose again in ten days, that goes out the window"
Wrong my friend. On 11 warriors, a large percentage of their fans are already putting disclaimers out there about this years game being tainted as well. Here are a couple of arguments I read; Im paraphrasing but;
-"Im still not convinced that michigan isnt going to cheat this year via cameras in the big house picking up their signals"
-"Theres no possible way that OSU can change ALL of their signals before the game"
-"Believe that Michigan has copies of their practice footage"
November 15th, 2023 at 2:58 PM ^
If you're a Buckeye and you accept those arguments, you're effectively absolving Ryan Day of blame for losing.
The OSU masses may be willing to do that right now, with their team undefeated at the moment, but if they lose a third straight year to us, most won't want to anymore. They won't carry water for a coach that's 1-3 against "That Team Up North."
(Not to mention that there's a decent chunk of the OSU fanbase that hates their Big 12 offensive scheme and looks longingly at our offense.)
November 15th, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
Whats funny is how the narrative for these folks will change, depending on the outcome.
If OSU wins: " See what happens when you cant steal our signs?" "I told you the last 2 years don't count"." Back to reality for sCUM"
If OSU loses: "This loss doesnt count either because once a cheater always a cheater. How do we know they havnt cheated in other ways?-are they bugging our coaches headsets?' We had to spend extra practice time changing our signs. We had to use wrist bands, and that changes our offensive pace.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:32 PM ^
And this right here - this fork in the road - is why this edition of The Game will be IMHO the most important ever played when you combine the teams' records, what's on the line (conference and CFP) and the off the field stuff. There is no scenario where The Game will be bigger. MUST WIN!
November 15th, 2023 at 5:10 PM ^
I have a subset of OSU Fan #2 people here at work (lots of OSU alums). I wish I could have a Venn diagram that showed the amount of overlap between OSU Fan #2 types described on 11W and people who are flat-earthers. The reticent nature of both groups to be willing to discuss facts have some real parallels.
November 15th, 2023 at 4:47 PM ^
Nah. They are delusional. They will blame it on something else. Can't wait to see it though.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:34 PM ^
The manner of the leaks did the damage. It wasn't a dump. There was a clear-cut strategy to inflict maximum damage over time. Just enough to get it rolling and keep it going. An anesthesiologist would be impressed by the ability to finely walk that line.
[ed: I stand corrected. An anesthesiologist is not impressed. ;)]
November 15th, 2023 at 1:54 PM ^
I hope to hear all the details some day.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
I'm pretty sure John U Bacon is drafting an outline for his book.
November 15th, 2023 at 4:01 PM ^
Red Zone: How Ohio State failed to stop Michigan
November 15th, 2023 at 2:06 PM ^
Also screw Petitti and big 10
November 15th, 2023 at 2:11 PM ^
Nothing more terrifying than having to put your life into someone else's hands. Thanks for commenting!
November 15th, 2023 at 2:08 PM ^
I am an anesthesiologist and I am not impressed. Screw Ryan Day and the entire OSU soft ass program. This entire fake scandal has me livid.
Had a patient yesterday who came in wearing a buckeye shirt. Of course signgate came up. He seemed more like the above OSU fan #1, but perhaps he was just being polite because he knew I was going to be putting him to sleep.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:20 PM ^
Ha. He did not want to wake up with “go blue! “Written on his face.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:11 PM ^
He wanted to wake up. Period.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:56 PM ^
Well...did he?
November 15th, 2023 at 6:25 PM ^
Yeah, he pulled through. I was stingy with the pain meds in PACU, though. “No dilaudid for you until you admit that Ryan day is a soft little bitch.” :)
November 15th, 2023 at 7:50 PM ^
Attaboy! Although that really isn't much of a confession since it is common knowledge.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:38 PM ^
Who ever imagined that by attending an opponent’s game and snapping pictures from the stands I could provide my team a 3(???) Touchdown advantage and completely swing the balance of a game!
Why has no one mentioned this before?!
November 15th, 2023 at 2:11 PM ^
Yeah, I've been wondering what kind of phones the vast network have. With my phone (samsung a42), videos of things 50+ yards away are very hard to see and zooming in just makes it worse. I couldn't tell you what was going on across the field in any videos I take.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:22 PM ^
If this dumbass issue ever goes to trial, airing the out-of-focus cellphone footage that NCAA/Big10 claim are the smoking guns should be like the OJ/gloves moment.
“If you can’t see, set Harbaugh free”
November 16th, 2023 at 5:51 AM ^
My phone can take crystal clear videos from accross the field. The hugherend phones with optical zoom are insane. Could probably read the words on the wristband
November 15th, 2023 at 2:29 PM ^
If we all do it Michigan should be winning games by MASSIVE scores!
November 15th, 2023 at 1:39 PM ^
I think I know OSU fan #2, his name is Stewart Mandel
November 15th, 2023 at 1:55 PM ^
Do you mean Pete Thamel??
November 15th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
I can't stand people like OSU #2. There is absolutely no way to get through to them with rational takes and facts - they inhabit the darkest corners of the web and believe with unshakeable conviction all the conspiracy theories that align with how they view the world.
So generally, I just smile politely and walk away from them. Engaging is not worth it.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:04 PM ^
Smart. As the saying goes, don't get in a debate with people like this. They'll bring you down (way down, in this case) to their level then beat you with experience.
November 16th, 2023 at 2:30 AM ^
“I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed man.”
November 15th, 2023 at 2:33 PM ^
Same thing in the political arena with 30% or so of the population today. Rationality, facts, logic, or common sense do nothing.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
First off you need to choose better dinner guest. Second how were you able to keep your food down?
November 15th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
I love that the majority of Buckeye fans think the only reason they lost was sign stealing. That'll just make this years loss even more devastating for them.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:45 PM ^
I actually asked him that, what excuse will they use this year when they get throttled yet again by us.
His response? All the time they've had to waste changing their signs because of this has robbed them of needed practice reps. And he honestly believes this.