A Brief Reflection from an Ohio State fan
I would appreciate a brief dispensation to comment on this excellent Michigan team.
Today I am genuinely happy for Michigan and Michigan fans. Prior to this season, Michigan was 4-14 in its last 18 bowl games - a stretch of futility that began with a 45-17 loss to Tennessee at the January 1, 2002 Citrus Bowl. Their 4 wins during that run are mundane at best - a 2003 Outback Bowl victory to cap a 10-3 season, a 2008 Capital One Bowl victory to cap a 9-4 season, an 2011 Sugar Bowl victory to cap an 11-2 season, and a 2016 Citrus Bowl victory to cap a 10-3 season.
That's a historically miserable run for any program, let alone the winningest college football program of all time. For comparison, the Ohio State dark years under John Cooper only ran to 3-9 overall in the postseason - and one of those 3 victories was the famous Rose Bowl win against Arizona State, easily the best win Ohio State had in the 1990s.
For many, if not most, sports fans, observing a great rival being subjected to this kind of anguishing, decades-long failure would provoke a deep schadenfreude. And I have certainly experienced that at times over the last 20 years - so I am in no way holding myself above anyone else.
But, for me, this Michigan team is different. It's stocked with truly good kids who stayed through rougher times, developed their talent, and returned to school to win a national championship - JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, Zak Zinter, Trevor Keegan, Max Bredeson, Kris Jenkins, Junior Colson, Michael Barrett, Josh Wallace,.. and the delightful Mikey Sainristil. It's coached by one of the true greats of the sport as a player and a coach - Jim Harbaugh - who absolutely bleeds Maize and Blue. And it's a team that has endured multiple NCAA investigations while under an immensely critical media microscope (despite zero evidence that the sign-stealing program was a significant departure in scope or effect from what other teams already do).
And, in a still roiling college football landscape marked by immediate transfers and universities-as-capitalist-brands, Michigan has gone a markedly different direction by recruiting within the elite academic constraints of the university, developing lesser talent into elite production over multiple seasons, sticking with an old school I-formation and multiple tight ends offensive attack, and finally winning a title with the lowest roster talent of any national champion in at least a decade.
Contrast this with the Ohio State University's football program, which increasingly feels like a collection of mercenaries who happen to wear the same jersey. And, to be clear, I do not hold that against any of the players - they should do what is best for them to maximize their talent to reach the NFL, no question! But it is refreshing to see a throwback team that genuinely cares about the university, honors the deep history of the Maize and Blue, and has actively chosen to put aside individual glory for the pursuit of something greater as a collective. And, what's more, they did it with immense and carefree joy.
Brian already memorialized this Michigan team best:
"They run like my kids run. My kids do not have keys, or a wallet, or a phone. They do not have objects they carry around every day that represent demands, obligations, responsibilities. Mortgages, credit card balances, texts you have to answer from people you do not want to talk to. Unlike my kids, they do have all of those objects, and all of those demands, obligations, and responsibilities. They've signed up for an order of magnitude more than their fair share by playing football at the University of Michigan™. But they do not seem burdened by it. They are joyful. They run like there is nothing in their pockets, nothing at all."
I will never be a Michigan fan. But I'm not ashamed at all to say that I'm a fan of this Michigan team in this moment.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:09 AM ^
Well said thank you.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:27 AM ^
It's hard to say, as 2000-2020 were so difficult in the rivalry, so I'm short on sympathy for the Buckeyes, but it does feel like this is perhaps about to be a big downturn for the them. I'm skeptical that Ryan Day has what it takes to sustain an elite program in any way except great recruiting. And, well, you hate to see the rivalry becoming one-sided.
January 9th, 2024 at 1:08 PM ^
Always appreciate when a rival can see the goodness and greatness in an opponent. Such a good skill for us to be better people, neighbors, etc.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:09 AM ^
Dear Ohio State fan,
Go fuck yourself all the way back to Columbus
Love,
The National Champs
January 9th, 2024 at 10:15 AM ^
He comes in peace. Let him be received in peace.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:15 AM ^
Show some class Darker Blue. Win with character.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:27 AM ^
For 20 years I've listened to tho those folks in Columbus talk about how we're dog shit, how their gold pants dont matter, how we're a lesser program, how they're going to hang 100 on us .
Now we have this fellow who comes here to tell us how he appreciates us.... Nope I don't want to hear it.
Maybe I'm a douchebag but I'll take it. Neg away
January 9th, 2024 at 10:41 AM ^
Did HE ever say anything like that? His post gave me goose bumps it was so classy and well done. I think we should only say thank you to him.
January 9th, 2024 at 2:52 PM ^
It was so complimentary and well done that I am not sure he is even really an OSU fan...
January 9th, 2024 at 10:51 AM ^
I totally get your frustration because I heard all of that too, for 20 years.
However, this is not the thread to unleash that shit. Are most buckeye fans dumb asses and delusional? Absolutely, but he didnt come here acting like that. This guy just praised Michigan for what theyve done. It shouldnt be hard to respect that.
January 9th, 2024 at 11:18 AM ^
As a long-time high school coach (and whose Michigan football fandom dates back to my first game when Michigan beat Duke on a last-second field goal in 1967), let me repeat what I stress with my athletes:
Win with grace, lose with dignity.
January 9th, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^
When you mirror a 11W poster that is not a good thing. Dont mirror what we all identify as horrible behavior. Its not bringing them down its bringing you (us) down.
January 9th, 2024 at 3:17 PM ^
Bad behavior toward you does not need to be an instruction manual on how you should behave in return. You can easily choose to be the better person. And when you do that, you become invulnerable to their vitriol.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:15 AM ^
Keep it classy - this is not the RCMB...
January 9th, 2024 at 11:55 AM ^
Or eleven warriors for that matter.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:20 AM ^
Between you and him, you sir, are by far the bigger douche bag.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:21 AM ^
This is not representative of how I, as a Michigan fan, feel at all.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:28 AM ^
Did I say it was...
January 9th, 2024 at 10:35 AM ^
It’s not this guys fault 11ws has a gazillion posts about “the vast network”. He just roots for the same team.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:35 AM ^
Darker Blue, it's not necessary to be a perfidious rotter amidst such great success- if this is how you feel after winning it all, I truly and warmly suggest you seek therapy.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:45 AM ^
Or get a new therapist.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:50 AM ^
I upvoted you because you made me laugh.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:59 AM ^
DB, love you man, but the guy comes across as sincere and gracious of a rival as you could ever hope to find. lots of folks over there deserve your ire, but not this guy, not this day.
January 9th, 2024 at 11:20 AM ^
Darker Blue, ypu sir, need to step away and get some perspective. Enjoy the championship and give credit where it's do.
That being said, you are a bigger douche than Paul Finebaum. Just go away. Bolivia seems like a good vacation spot for you.
January 9th, 2024 at 1:05 PM ^
I would say you’re better than this but I really don’t think you are.
January 9th, 2024 at 1:30 PM ^
Ironically, those with a reaction such as this are proving that they have exactly the same mentality as that they despise in others.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:09 AM ^
Wow! Thanks for sharing. I think you encapsulate Michigan pretty well and give me hope that there are a lot of Buckeye fans out there that not only respect the rivalry but respect greatness when they see it.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:10 AM ^
Thanks for your perspective, I'm just happy that The Game isn't just a matter of "how much will OSU win by this time?" and is actually competitive again. Go Blue, see you in November!
January 9th, 2024 at 10:12 AM ^
Seriously. tl;dr. Looked like a diary. But thanks for the kind words (I assume).
January 9th, 2024 at 10:14 AM ^
ope. should i have made it a diary? happy to delete it and repost as a diary if that makes more sense.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:19 AM ^
All good. I didn't find this tl;dr and I appreciate you putting your thoughts down for us to absorb in this amazing time. This kind of thing only strengthens a rivalry, IMO.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:37 AM ^
It wasn't too long, esp for this board. I appreciate the thought that went into the OP. Had the replies about the post been funny or not heavily overplayed 'jokes' I might have appreciated them too. But as far as things that are worth my time and things that arent... I'll take a nicely thought out OP versus a 'joke' that was basically not worth the Reply button.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:24 AM ^
Is this a wolverine in a bag rdt type scenario?
January 9th, 2024 at 10:33 AM ^
You're fine. No worries.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:44 AM ^
It's excellent as it is and where it is. Thank you for posting. As I am sure you can see, the vast majority of Michigan fans here appreciate what you said and were happy to read it.
January 9th, 2024 at 12:48 PM ^
It's perfect. Unfortunately, there are people who pride themselves on not taking 3 minutes to read and understand something. I get neither the impatience nor the pride at appearing vacuous. Thanks for sharing.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:58 AM ^
Seriously, the twitter generation is really sad if they can't read a couple of paragraphs.
January 9th, 2024 at 11:18 AM ^
It is lengthy but you should still read it. Thoughtful, sincere, and very well-written.
January 9th, 2024 at 11:32 AM ^
Okay. I read it.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:11 AM ^
Thank you.
Fuck off
January 9th, 2024 at 1:04 PM ^
User name checks out.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:12 AM ^
Ahhh fuck you, and see you next year. https://tenor.com/bWoE4.gif
January 9th, 2024 at 10:14 AM ^
Thanks.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:18 AM ^
Thoughtful very well done essay. Thanks for posting.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:19 AM ^
The fact that you say they have the “lowest roster talent” to win in at least a decade proves you, are indeed, an OSU fan. You should have said star rating. They are not synonymous and saying they’re talent-lacking shows you have a drastically different view on what talent is. Overall though I’ll give you props for admitting water is wet.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:23 AM ^
I should've been more specific and said "247 Recruiting Roster Talent" because that is what I meant - wasn't meaning to suggest there is a lack of talent on this Michigan team, quite the opposite actually. It's that there's immense talent because they stuck around and DEVELOPED as a team. Those who stay will be champions, indeed.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:20 AM ^
Thanks, themostbrian. Your sentiment is appreciated, and respected. Everything a rival deserves.