A Fitting End
Michigan vs. Washington.
This one's special to me. I mean, it's special for all of us (except the ones bizarrely obsessed with media takes -- FFS enjoy this one a little), and definitely because of all the crap heaped on Michigan last year. But for me, it's also because I grew up in the PacNW before moving to Michigan for college. I'm a Wolverine, but my blood is a mixture of sap from Douglas fir and ponderosa pine. (Hey, no one's perfect.)
During the 1992 and 1993 Rose Bowls, I hadn't yet converted, so I rooted for the Huskies. Cheered for them when they won the national title. In 1998, having seen the light, I was decked in maize and blue while my friends & family rooted for the Cougars. Cheered for Michigan when they won the national title.
The Pac-12 (led by USC, the OSU of the West) tried to destroy Don James' Huskies, and succeeded. "Yoodub" fans have lived through their own Dark Times. But now, for the second time in my life, the Washington Huskies are playing for the national title.
In an eerily familiar tale, the crooked powers-that-be tried everything in their power to undermine Michigan in favor of OSU and the SEC. Yet now, for the second time in my life, Michigan is playing for the national title.
For the third time in my life, Michigan and Washington are facing each other in a high-stakes game, and most definitely the last of its kind. In less than a year, these programs will be conference rivals. It's the last year of the four-team playoff. Last year of the Pac-12. The landscape is rapidly changing. For me it feels like one last and long-anticipated duel between lifetime rivals. I want Michigan to win, but if it's Washington. . . I can't think of a more worthy opponent.
Wolverines and Huskies. May the fiercer beast win, but bury the defeated with honors.
LFG.
January 2nd, 2024 at 11:33 AM ^
Washington is a hard school to hate. But I still hope we demolish them to win the national title.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:30 PM ^
I'm somewhat of a mirror-image. I grew up in Michigan, attended UM, and lived there most of my life, until moving to Seattle in 2004 when my then-fiance, now wife, decided to pursue her PhD at UW. I remained in Seattle until late 2016 and became a Huskies fan--even to the point that I briefly experimented with my own UW Football blog in 2011, until deciding that was far too much work and abandoned it.
I am still 100% rooting for Michigan to win though, and honestly even though UW is easily my #2 that would not soften the blow of losing much at all.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:35 PM ^
Dear Doug fir & Ponderosa Pine, I —
• first encountered Seattle at a high school conference;
• fought forest fires in the Pacific NW (including a fire in the Olympia rain forest !), which paid for me to attend Michigan;
• worked in Seattle briefly, and had an Aussie girlfriend there;
• came THIS CLOSE to attending Washington for grad school.
So I totally understand your mixed loyalties.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:06 PM ^
I was on the field for both the 1992 and 1993 Rose Bowls (student manager), and I have always respected Washington more than just about any other PAC school... I don't exactly know why - they just feel like a mirror image of UM for some reason. Of all the new B1G schools UW was the only one I was excited about when I heard the news they were coming.
Steve Emtman, Napoleon Kauffman, Mark Brunell, Lincoln Kennedy... They all just reminded me of our own guys - Buster Stanley, Ricky Powers, Greg Skrepenak... We didn't really have an equivalent to the gunslinger Brunell but I liked him too.
Enjoy the game!
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:07 PM ^
I'm the opposite too. I'm a Michigan native who went to Michigan but I've been out here since 1985 after graduating. I've always followed the Huskies (and the Seahwaks too) but I've always stayed a Michigan fan.Should be a fun game no matter which way it goes.Two different styles of teams but both effective..
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:37 PM ^
I live in washington state and work with a few huskies. Great bunch of people. Planning to go next year upto seattle for the NCG rematch! (tickets are $350 !!!).
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:20 PM ^
Washington is my second favorite college football team (a distant second), so I am thrilled that UM and UW will be playing each other for the title. I want Michigan to win it all but if they do lose at least I will not have to watch Bama or Texas win it all as I can't stand either program.
January 3rd, 2024 at 7:11 PM ^
I started at UM in 1990. Those Rose Bowls were my early UM experience. This ending just feels right. (not to mention that the last title was capped by a win over a Washington team)
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