A wise take on professional sports fandom and the level of emotion today from Coach Harbaugh. Something everyone should hear/read and think about.

Worth pointing out it's also Tom VH, though.

There is almost no corner of popular culture right now that does not embrace self-centeredness and materialism.  

Anyway...

Yep.  And given the state of society, acting only in your own self interest seems to be the most rational response.  It's awful, and will probably be the end of our civilization but it is the logical thing to do.

Humans have always been like this. This isn’t unique to our times but a fact of life of all times.

You’ve got that right and over the years it seems to have gotten worse. People are all about themselves and don’t care if they inconvenience people and are just plain pain in the asses. Not sure why it keeps going in this direction but it’s sad 

I have a new neighbor who's a big Wisconsin/Packers fan. We make it work.

I couldn't imagine living next to a Buckeye though. It's bad enough I have to work with a couple.

sounds like you live next to an asshole

My neighbor is a Buckeye who moved into the neighborhood (Raleigh) three years ago. He watched the game with me and another Michigan fan the last two years. He stayed home for the game this year, but came over afterward to the bonfire. There are still good people out there.

Yeah I don't get it. And I consider myself a diehard fan, but I've met women who were Buckeye fans/grads who are very upfront and serious about not being able to date a Michigan fan. 

My BIL is a Buckeye fan and we have had a running bet on the game for over 30 years. We have watched many of the games together over the years both at the stadium (only once in Columbus I refuse to go back) and at each others homes. He is a good guy and we make the rivalry work. In the end it is just a game and we can acknowledge that. 

For some its just to hard to understand reality. Its their world and we just live in it.

You should throw a balls out watch party with 200 people in your yard this Saturday and set off fireworks, project a block M on the side of your house, sing HTTV every score, etc. 

That's pathetic when grown ass adults let sports rivalries get in the way of basic, friendly neighbor relations.  It's easy to blame Woody Hayes for this ridiculous hatred.  I do it for sure.  But the truth is people need to make their own choices in life and not stick to the bad example their parents set for them or follow the lead of an angry, hateful, old football coach who's long gone.  One of the big problems today in our antagonistic and discordant interactions is group think making people lazy and not willing to think for themselves.  The new neighbor doesn't have to act like a dick and not talk to fans of teams he doesn't like.  It's a choice.  A bad one, but still a choice.  

With all due respect, and I do appreciate what you told your son, I feel that what Michigan  has endured over the last 4-6 weeks is a stain on all of us with real links to the U of Michigan. In my case the link includes me and  my two sons who spent a combined time of almost two decades at the University getting degrees and then doing residencies.

Don't know about some of you, but I don't like how the rogue actions of one individual with a personal agenda allows for the level of vitriol that we are receiving.

At the end of the game I was loudly yelling "F--K You Ryan Day." Over and over.

I do not apologize for my conduct.  For what it's worth, I do not feel that way about the OSU players who played their hearts out and who also stood respecting Zak when he was being treated on the field nor would I not be friends with someone because of one's rooting interest. Day on the other hand....

This should be (and used to be) a game where both teams and fans could congratulate each other for a great game played after it’s over.  

The more recent extreme anger expressed toward Ryan Day was caused and amplified by none other than Ryan Day and his excuses.  If he could be the type of coach everyone respects that takes responsibility for a loss and says at the end of a game the better team won, then none of this anger would be with us today.  But his constant excuses of “5 plays”, “one half”, or “cheating” are what brought this on.  And when (and if) he manufactured a scandal by hiring investigators to dig up dirt (real or not has yet to be determined, and apparently every program has dirt under a microscope), that’s where he’s crossed an even bigger line. Because crossing that line undermined the respect a group of student athletes deserve from a long, intense, team oriented, and high integrity three year effort.  They don’t deserve that from anyone.  Especially from the opposing coach. 

Ryan Day should go and let’s restore honor to The Game.  

OSU is one thing, for me there’s a healthy dose of hatred but still respect. but what, exactly do you love about playing a bunch of criminals from EL every year who go out of their way to cheap shot our players?

Who's "they"? I don't talk to MSU fans who think that way. They think, rightly so, that this is just a side effect of being second chance U. They think those actions were despicable and used up that second chance. Good bye and good riddance.

Totally on board with that. 

Oh, man. I totally agree. I live in Lansing area and the hatred "they" (MSU supporters) have toward Michigan is real. They would rather see Michigan lose over MSU winning (if they had to chose).

But I also still feel like OSU and the Big Ten have acted unethically towards Michigan. I don't know all the facts, but from my perspective, this conference has something against Michigan.

I have close friends who are MSU fans/alums. They were free to rib and taunt me during Mork’s prime, but the Nassau scandal dropped and they bristled at any insinuation that Mork or Izzo would protect rapists.

 They also blamed the tunnel (albeit lightly) and hosted a playoff watch party to root for TCU. While I was not sorry to see MSU get hammered in the playoff, I would never host or attend a watch party to hate watch their game. It’s little brother syndrome through and through.

Yeah, same.  I reciprocate the treatment I get from opposing rival fans.  Most OSU alum fans are totally fine.  They've had plenty of opportunity to taunt and have by and large shown more grace that I might have so I extend the same courtesy.  Hell I even bought my coworker a little package of Buckeye candies to help him heal this morning

Online, of course, I'm a completely vile taunting asshole. :)

For the first time I was strangely calm during the game. Sort of just present and taking it all in. Amazing atmosphere and just cool to be there and be part of it. Would have been sad if we had lost but more so because of the players. These are college kids after all and it's fun as hell to watch them.  Truly impressed by the maturity they've shown this year that's above and beyond what I've seen from grown men/women. Seeing their parents out their too and Zinter going down like he did.  Pay these players and treat them like adults. They've earned it.  Couldn't agree more with Harbaugh.  Proud to have him as our coach.  

Now you don't have to defend anyone. Go Blue.