But unfortunately, the Buckeyes forgot that the word "from" has an "M" at the end. In fact, that "M" has been there for the entire history of the word "from. Needless to say, Michigan fans have had a field day with the mistake. You tried. It's time for a change. This actually makes me quite sad. Not because as a Buckeye fan I pity what Michigan has become or because I fear that they might actually make a competent hire that could swing the rivalry back into their favor.
I'm sad because it's the end of an era for the Michigan I know and another change to the dynamic of The Game and the rivalry that I hold so very dear. In one of my favorite passages, Maclean says: "When I was young, a teacher had forbidden me to say "more perfect" because she said if a thing is perfect it can't be more so.
But by now I had seen enough of life to have regained my confidence in it. More Perfect. It's the closest I will probably ever get to summing up my feelings on Ohio State-Michigan. I sometimes think I can remember every second of every Ohio State-Michigan game I've been lucky enough to see. From intermittent bursts of while fighting off chicken pox on my parents couch to the heights of C-deck during the rivalry's greatest masterpiece in Unlike Maclean's family, in my home there was no clear line between college football and religion.
Saturdays were the holiest day of the week and we worshiped in one of the great cathedrals - Michigan Stadium. Now that I've laid it out there, I'll be clear in admitting that to which I sometimes hate to admit - I grew up a Michigan fan. Not a casual one either. From the ages of 6 to 18, I missed exactly three Michigan home football games Illinois 92, OSU 93 - the aforementioned chicken pox game, and Baylor 97 - cousin's wedding.
I saw the Hail Mary, a couple Heisman winners and probably more bad loses than my memory cares to admit. I was consumed. But I didn't end up there.
And to some this will never make sense. I've probably heard it all before - I'm a traitor, a bandwagon fan, you can't just switch sides of this rivalry and fully get it. Trust me - I get it. If anyone questions my loyalty or devotion to The Ohio State University then shame on them. It may well echo around the state all week.
That day, Michigan introduced its new head football coach, a man named Brady Hoke. Hoke put the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry on a pedestal. He refused to wear red. He wanted to win this game more than any of the others.
As Jim Harbaugh leads the Wolverines near the pinnacle of the college football world, those in the fan base try to erase memories from the painful years that came before. That will be hard to do this week. Much has changed around Ann Arbor since Hoke was fired and Harbaugh arrived. Having been in the rivalry game for four years as the head coach and eight years as an assistant, Hoke understands the dynamic; even as Michigan State is ranked No.
This game is going to be one of the great games of the weekend. And if the team who wins takes care of the ball like you're talking about and they can do a tremendous job getting enough yards on the ground taking some possession time, I think it'll be a great game and that's the team that's going to win. Contact Mark Snyder at msnyder freepress. Download our new Wolverines Xtra app on iTunes and Android!
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