One Frame At A Time: Illinois
So, confession time. I’ve said this on this here website before at various times, but probably not super recently. I’m not a UM alum. I’m just a kid who grew up in Flint and fell in love with Michigan football in the late 90s/early 2000s, possibly partly because I went to Kearsley and we shared the same colors. I didn’t have the grades or ambition to cut it at Michigan, so instead I went to a not-known-for-very-good-reasons-school in Liberty University (who?). I’ve thought about burning my degree since graduating in 2014 and everything going to shit, but honestly I don’t know where it is; probably in a box in the basement somewhere.
I met my wife down here. She also went to LU and also has her degree hidden away from public view in our basement, where it belongs. I’ve lived here now for 13 years. In my mind, I always thought that I’d consider myself a Michigander until I’d been in Virginia longer than my 17 years in Flint. And in many ways, a giant piece of my heart will always belong up north. But also, pieces are already missing. 2 years ago my folks left Flint for GR and some stranger now lives in my childhood home. My connections in the Vehicle City are very sparse. All I have left are my memories and my undying loyalty to my Wolverines and somehow all 4 Detroit teams (moving to a state without a team certainly helps remain a Lions fan I guess).
So I think I’m calling it early. After this week, I think I’m officially declaring myself a Virginian. My wife’s family introduced me to UVA as my sister in-law worked there and dragged us to games. While my wife gives absolutely zero shits about football, we all have some UVA shirts and hats and know the chants and when to say them at games. While I was at LU, my closest to being a part of the UVA community was watching the Sugar Bowl against VT in a bar (re: Bdubs) in Lynchburg and being one of 3 people there rooting for UM: me, another Michigan fan, and a UVA fan in a Chris Long jersey. More recently, I switched careers (along with everyone else) and began working for UVA myself. So I guess I was kinda a Wahoo already. But after last weekend… after 1, 15, 41; after I found myself grieving along with this community, my heart is finally here. I’ve cried with my fellow Hoos. Every time I see a tribute by a rival school, I feel touched, and I’m realizing it is because I am a part of the community touched by this tragedy. It hit even closer when we realized that we’d seen one of the slain students at my son’s little league games this past spring. I was saddened when Virginia Tech had their tragic shooting years ago, but I was still in Michigan, and from far away it was just simply sad. But now that this is my town and my people, this isn’t just sad, it hurts.
The Commonwealth Cup has officially been cancelled for Saturday. Tech played at Liberty a few days ago and both teams ran out with a UVA flag. LU wore blue unis, Tech wore orange. Though I was excited to see what other kinds of healing tributes would be made if they let the game go on, I understand not playing it. Virginia and Virginia Tech are now inextricably linked through two tragedies 15 years apart. While as a Wolverine, I love The Game and hate week and to hell with Notre Dame and the Little Brown Jug, there’s a new place in my heart for #HokiesForHoos and #VirginiaStrong.
Wa-Hoo-Wa, Wa-Hoo-Wa
U-Ni-V Virginia
Hoo-Rah-Ray Hoo-Rah-Ray
Ray Ray UVA
Honorable Mentions
Bell WOOP
CJ Stokes Anti-Butt-Fumble
This Should Be In The Top 10 But I Ran Out Of Room
Wanted To Include This Too, Ugh
Of Course. Another One. I Really Wish Liberty Taught Me How To Count To Ten
Laser Beam Returns!
Scary Shit, Jedd
Harrell Channeling His Inner Paige
10. Cold Or Anxious?
My guess is both. As a Michigan fan, I understand being like “it is cold, the only reasonable option is to hide my face to cover the only skin I have left exposed to air.” But I also understand being like “I’m gonna have to sit this 3rd down out.”
9. 4th And 4
Unnecessarily stressful. Not sure I caught this one live, a la #10.
8. Kid Is Gonna Be Fun
The way he got upfield and covered 20 yards in a flash was impressive for a TE. Very excited to watch Loveland continue to develop into an absolute monster.
7. Blake’s Last Play Of The 2nd Half
also
Blake’s First Play Of The 2nd Half
Complete with an ovation and a spin-move into a leg churn. This will have to do for our Mike Hart play of the day.
6. Let’s Just Focus On The Catch Though
Nothing else happened during this play. Just your typical one-hander.
5. Every Wolverine (Besides JJ) Scored A Touchdown
Now that’s what I call some push. They must have called this play Party In The Endzone. BYOB (ball). Everyone drive separately and we’ll all just meet there.
4. 4th And 3
If you don’t want to get taken out of the play, don’t let us block your guys 10 yards downfield.
3. Without Instructions, That’s Six
Corum was clearly playing it safe after being instructed to do so. I understand. But also damnit I wanted a 93 yard touchdown for the Heisman reel. I get those saying he was about to be caught, but since when does Blake Corum getting caught mean a damn thing this year? Dude was about to attempt to trip him up with a dive. Are we really banking on Blake not breaking that tackle?
See, Look:
Blake can do this sort of thing almost every single week, but you don’t think he can not fall down to a chihuahua nipping at his ankles on a dive? Nah, he was gonna score. No doubt in my mind. Also JJ heard me and went for 2 guys again. +3 but also please don’t die.
2. No Henning, No Problem
Loved Harbaugh’s postgame comments about this. He acknowledged that it may have been a little traumatizing asking Ronnie to return a kick again given the circumstances of his injury last season (which Jim got wrong but whatever), and said he told Bell to just fair catch everything. And then this happened instead. Fuck trauma coach, we’re winning this game!
Frames of the Game: $$$$$
Make that 37/38. Go ahead and celebrate you goddamn legend.
No no no no, not you. That’s not… I didn’t mean… sorry Bert, you’re not a legend. Maybe in Madison for losing 3 straight Rose Bowls, but not here.
That’s better.
Winner from last week: Mike Sainristil, AKA Fat Ann Arbor Squirrel
Wait what the…..
Well then.
November 22nd, 2022 at 7:51 AM ^
I was sure JJ crossed the line on #6. Guess my angle wasn't very good! Or I'm just getting old and losing my wits.
November 22nd, 2022 at 8:52 AM ^
Not that it matters, but I'm not sure Corum scores on that screen pass even if he stays in bounds. That gif is zoomed in, but Illinois had a safety in the middle of the field closing down the angle. Regardless, it was interesting for him to go out of bounds on his own.
November 22nd, 2022 at 9:29 AM ^
Probably true. Live though, I was feeling pretty good about his chances. Expected a little hurdle. Ah well, very proud of his season and I appreciate everything he did to minimize injury risk.
November 22nd, 2022 at 11:23 AM ^
Pictures aside—I'm waiting to look at them later—wishing you the best in your UVa community. I've been there, guest-taught there, have friends there AND graduated Michigan, then lived in Flint, taught at UM-Flint, so I have a sense of both sides of your loyalties. But more important is your feeling part of the Virginia community. Wishing you well as your focus shifts to UVa.
November 23rd, 2022 at 12:22 AM ^
My heart goes out to the Virginia community. A lovely tribute, thank you for sharing.
November 23rd, 2022 at 2:19 PM ^
Wow I am blessed to get your first comment in 4 years. That’s fantastic.
November 24th, 2022 at 4:32 PM ^
Loved the comments about hiding the Liberty diploma. Lol. At least you work for a solid academic university now.
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