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 2:51 PM ^
OSU fan #2 is prone to believing fairytales and conspiracy theories. I would give zero trust to his judgment in professional situations.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
Well I'm not going to get my hopes up that Michigan and/or Coach Harbaugh get a fair shake in the days and weeks ahead. Regardless of the facts, most people believe what they see and hear in the media. Jumping to conclusions and into judgment seems to be the way of society these days. It's hang'em first, then trial by my peers later. I think the Michigan fanbase should prepare itself for some major disappointments from the ncaa and the big10. I'm not very optimistic.
This whole ordeal has taken so much of the joy out of this season for me. I love a good rivalry. But this? I hate this.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:53 PM ^
I have made a point of using my Michigan Stadium zoom background since this story broke. It drives my OSU colleague nuts.
(Customers are mostly ambivalent, although the Oklahoma State guys were on our side).
November 15th, 2023 at 3:08 PM ^
I saw this today and it made me laugh. Note the misspelling is not mine!
November 15th, 2023 at 3:13 PM ^
Hilarious. We took our ass-kickings like a man for years. Now that they've lost two in a row, they turn into crybabies.
This makes me more than ever want to leave the Big Ten and never play them again, except for the occasional playoff match-up.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:16 PM ^
The whole country is paying attention, one way or another.
It will be the highest rated game of the season by far.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:17 PM ^
If that fan is so adamantly against Michigan, maybe he shouldn't watch it... But we all know he will.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
Nice job. I was at the UM - St. John's hoop game on Monday and twice there were "Free Jim Harbaugh" cheers.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:26 PM ^
I live and work in the lion's den and I can tell you for certainty most osu fans with any football knowledge know it's going to take M laying an egg for osu to win this year....signs or no signs. the anger over the signs stuff is to try to stop the bleeding in the hearts where they know the torch has been passed yet again.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:51 PM ^
Just had a patient show up to my office here in Reno wearing his scarlet and grey OSU shirt. He didn't see the signed Harbaugh photo I had on my wall and didn't realize I was a Michigan grad. He was definitely like OSU fan #2. I had to recite the Hippocratic oath a few times...;)
November 15th, 2023 at 3:58 PM ^
let me guess who Fan #2 voted for
November 15th, 2023 at 4:14 PM ^
I loved walking through London and getting Go Blues from people. We are everywhere. also tell #2 to go suck big dick.
Go Blue
November 15th, 2023 at 4:15 PM ^
You know, Urban Meyer has told us that he hired a coach strictly for Michigan, that was his entire purpose. Can anyone tell us where that coach was on Michigan game day? Do you believe he wasn't at every single Michigan game? Do you think for one minute he wasn't advanced scouting?
Ohio Sate had (has) a God damn spread sheet of Michigan plays.
Eat shit Ohio.
November 15th, 2023 at 4:25 PM ^
Making this such a big story means a lot of money to be made for people in charge.
TV, digital media, Big 10, opposing coaches and ADs. Probably many more not listed.
November 15th, 2023 at 4:34 PM ^
I'm wondering if you work at Bacardi because the second guy sounds like he's been drinking.
November 15th, 2023 at 4:42 PM ^
I live in Nashville currently and wear my UofM gear all the time. I've yet to get a 'cheaters' chirp hurled my way. And I do see a fair share of OSU gear around town.
November 15th, 2023 at 4:47 PM ^
Pettiti is fan number 2.
November 15th, 2023 at 5:00 PM ^
#1 lives in the real world, #2 probably thinks the moon landing was faked and 9-11 was an inside job.
November 15th, 2023 at 5:37 PM ^
I live south of Nashville (Franklin/Brentwood area) and so far have gotten only "Go Blue"'s.
Our local high school is Ravenwood, where Junior Colson and Myles Pollard are from.
Games at Ravenwood are highly attended, and it's $8 to get in. I went to one to see Myles Pollard play after he committed to Michigan. I dropped off my wife and kids, who paid and were in. When I got to the gate, I couldn't get the payment app to work on my phone (payment there is all app based).
The person at the gate noticed that I had a Michigan shirt on and asked me if I went there, which I did. She smiled and said, "Go on in."
Go Blue!
Go Ravenwood Raptors!
November 15th, 2023 at 6:04 PM ^
OSU fan #2 is basically 99% of all OSU fans on elevenwarriors.com.
November 16th, 2023 at 9:00 AM ^
Guaran-fucking-tee OSU Fan #2 privately does not actually think this is even close to the worst scandal in college football in his lifetime, he just REALLY wants Michigan taken down because his dogshit team can't beat them anymore and won't this year.