The Sports Truth

As a native Michigander, I feel it’s my duty to clarify something about last weekend’s excellent Michigan-Ohio State game, which the Buckeyes ended up winning, 42-39: lots and lots of people from Michigan, including myself, find the University of Michigan remarkably obnoxious and were actively rooting against the Wolverines in this game.

Although the University of Michigan obviously has a storied, impressive program, fine coaches, and quality players, the university and its fans have an age-old legacy of a$$holery that’s simply impossible to ignore. Plus, we’re Michigan State fans and our team is terrible at playing football.

Now here’s the trouble (and yes, I’ll get to the actual game in a second) - “The” Ohio State University is nearly as bad. Jim Tressel seems shady, Maurice Clarett went there, and Ohio is boring to drive through and be in (with the notable exception of Cedar Point). Moreover, they’re probably the best football program in the country right now. As the game began, I kept searching in vain for permutations that could result in both teams losing this one. No dice.

So back to the game: Two really good teams, two really good fight songs, two really sh!tty fanbases. And, unfortunately for me, two really respectable performances. I don’t think this game was ever really as close as the final score indicated, but Michigan showed a lot of spirit battling through Troy Smith’s stellar performance and keeping it close until the very end.

Michigan’s offensive line did a fine job beating up OSU’s previously unbreachable defensive line, allowing Mike Hart to run for 6.2 yards a carry and a total of 142. Chad Henne was a notch above solid throughout most of the game, and seems destined to become the next in the long line of steady but unspectacular UM quarterbacks that end up having respectable careers in the league (my prediction: worse than Tom Brady; better than John Navarre; Let’s say he’s the next Elvis Grbac).

As for Ohio State, they’re clearly the better team, both this weekend and throughout the season. I can’t root for them in the national championship game, but rest assured that if I wasn’t so blinded by illogical hate, I would surely try.

Posted in College Football