Eventually you hit a point when you know that all is lost. You realize that your once great football program is in a complete and utter shambles. The reality that you have finally succumbed to a much more powerful force is painful and when you’ve got nothing left, you find yourself grabbing at any last straw in one last ditch attempt at defiance before accepting utterly complete and total defeat.
While most Ohio State bloggers are picking apart every minute statistic, running every possible scenario and preparing for what looks like a third run at the BCS championship, at least one blog from our slowly sinking rival to the north has apparently given up all hope once and for all. Instead of researching the new offense that will be implemented by Coach Rodriguez or trying to determine how a young offensive line is going to protect an inexperienced quarterback, the bloggers at “Michigan Against the World” spent what must have been a ridiculous amount of time researching the discipline problems of the Ohio State football program under Coach Tressel (whom for some reason I’m not going to take the time to find out, they refer to as “Cheaty”)
They actually went so far as to list and explain every charge against any player who ever played under Tressel at one time. It doesn’t seem to matter if the player was a former Buckeye when charged (ie. Maurice Clarette), just the fact that he was a member of a team that beat Michigan is enough for them.
I’m not going to give this the honor of a rebuff. Unlike the bloggers at MAWT, we still have a team to get excited about. Our friends at Eleven Warriors do a pretty good job and answering the charges.
And while you would think a post like this would make me angry or get me fired up to dig deep into the closets of the Michigan football program, I find it somewhat sad. There used to be great honor in defeating a rival such as Michigan. You knew when the game was over, win or lose, you had met a worthy opponent — whether across the field or across the stands. You knew that you were facing a kindred soul. You knew that your opponent carried the same respect for the game as yourself and that they understood the value of the great rivalry that is Ohio State/Michigan. You knew that the only person who could understand the raw, unbridled passion that this and only this rivalry breeds was sitting across from you decked out in their Maize and Blue, veins boiling with the same desire for victory. You knew that one of you would walk away from that fateful November afternoon condemned to a dark year consumed with the pain and yearning for redemption.
It appears for now at least that those days are gone. And while I still hold out hope that there is some respectful life still left in Ann Arbor, if the fans at MATW are what we’re up against, my hope is fading fast.
Michigan is the school we love to hate, largely because they have been so good. Holding them to a handful of rushing yards in last year’s game was so amazing because Hart is a machine.
When we were #1 and they were #2, it was the game of the century because they were a powerhouse and we came out victorious.
I don’t want us to lose to Michigan, but having a Michigan that doesn’t have a chance at winning is in someways worse.
FYI, we didn’t compile that list. It was sent to us (and credited in the article) by a reader over the years. He pointed it out, and we found it noteworthy.
As for not having anything to look forward to, well, we’re probably more excited about this year and some well-needed changes to our program than we have been in years. Congrats on hitting the “stale” point in the rivalry. That was 1999 for us, beating an OSU team that wasn’t even going to a bowl. As bad as it sounds, the Tressel era is good for us, too, because beating OSU (ok, at least the one time that we did so) means something again.
I’m afraid that since you site an anonymous source (”Bluesteel”)you were the ones left holding the torch. At least stand by it since you did report it in detail.
I’ll give you the much needed changes - I believe I even said last year that Michigan needed to clean house.
I’m glad to hear that you’re up for the challenge of beating Ohio State. We’re looking forward to handing you yet another disappointment.
I will say again though that going after Tressel for his discipline problems reeks of desperation. Without putting in the time and the depth of research of your source, I would suggest with confidence that Tressel runs one of the cleanest programs in the country.
I only hope Michigan can say the same after a few years of your aptly named DickRod.
I feel, and enjoy Michigan’s pain.
michigan is waiting for that one guy to take them to the top, ole richie boy wants nothing more than a quarterback, they are only 18th in the conutry because of their name they are a weak team this year and need a quarterback.
Quarterback…aw come on. Why would they need a quality quarterback with a spread offense. I mean come on, Chad Henne was such an amazing palyer and all…they’ve been known for their quarterbacks the past few years.
Of course, the question I’ve been asking all along — how do you run a spread offense without a quarterback or an offensive line to protect him.
I can’t wait to see…
[...] Eventually you hit a point when you know that all is lost. You realize that your once great football program is in a complete and utter shambles. The reality that you have finally succumbed to a much more powerful force is painful and when you’ve got nothing left, you find … Go to Source [...]
Michigan is switching there offense thats a big mistake. I enjoy there pain and suffering because I am a Notre Dame fan and I can’t stand Michigan or there silly helmets.
we didn’t compile that list. It was sent to us (and credited in the article) by a reader over the years. He pointed it out, and we found it noteworthy.
The fact that you didn’t compile the list doesn’t get you off the hook.
You are the ones that published the list. You are the ones that attacked the Ohio State program. You are the ones that are trying to spin the idea that Ohio State is a somehow a program filled with criminals.
The problem is, no matter how hard you spin the story, it doesn’t hold up. Ohio State has one of the cleanest programs in the country and the one of the highest if not the highest academic records in the Big Ten.
Your attempts are pathetic and now you try to put the blame on someone else. At least have the backbone to stand by what you’ve said.
As I said in the original post, the Michigan football program is in bad shape. There was a time when we could look across the field to our rivals with respect. Unfortunately, although I’m trying hard, you are showing how it is getting more and more difficult.
Clearly it wasnt noteworthy afterall, you should pay more attention instead of just posting any old crap.
Ste