We're just one hateful day away from the annual festival of animosity that is the Michigan-Ohio State game.
Suffice to say, the traditional rivals are deviating from the script where both of them are, for lack of a better word, good. Ohio State is holding up their end of the bargain, coming in with a 9-2 record and Rose Bowl aspirations. Their neighbors to the north have won exactly 25 percent of their games under first-year coach Rich Rodriguez, who wishes people would get off the message boards and find a life.
Ignoring the trite adage that records need to be throw out in rivalry games, there is little to suggest that Michigan has any chance against the Buckeyes.
But, in the words of the always calm Chris Berman, that's why they play the games.
It's matchups like these that bring to light one of the most misunderstood, elusive questions that plagues the thinking man's sports enthusiast.
Why all the hate?
I'm not naive. A good rivalry, one steeped in utter distrust and sickening disdain makes for good theater. It's the classic 'us vs. them' story that arouses blind loyalty to teams and vengeful vitriol against foes. No one is going to argue that it should completely go away, but still, have you ever stopped to think about why you hate the other guys so much?
As a Michigan State alum, I'd venture to say I took more pleasure in Appalachian State's shocking upset of Michigan in 2007 than I have in the Spartan's surprising 9-2 start this season. More joy in the Wolverines hapless basketball teams recently than in Tom Izzo's successes in East Lansing, Mich.
That's probably not healthy.
Then again, it's not at all out of the ordinary.
Red Sox fans root for the Yankees to go 0-162. Yankees fans root for the Red Sox to go 0-162. But what's weird is when the desire to see the opponent fail more than your team succeed.
The questions I'll pose to you are the following:
1. Which team do you hate the most, and why?
2. What is the furthest you've ever seen disdain for a team go?
3. Would you rather see your team succeed or your rival fail, and why?
4. Do you think Michigan can keep it within two touchdowns?
Suffice to say, the traditional rivals are deviating from the script where both of them are, for lack of a better word, good. Ohio State is holding up their end of the bargain, coming in with a 9-2 record and Rose Bowl aspirations. Their neighbors to the north have won exactly 25 percent of their games under first-year coach Rich Rodriguez, who wishes people would get off the message boards and find a life.
Ignoring the trite adage that records need to be throw out in rivalry games, there is little to suggest that Michigan has any chance against the Buckeyes.
But, in the words of the always calm Chris Berman, that's why they play the games.
It's matchups like these that bring to light one of the most misunderstood, elusive questions that plagues the thinking man's sports enthusiast.
Why all the hate?
I'm not naive. A good rivalry, one steeped in utter distrust and sickening disdain makes for good theater. It's the classic 'us vs. them' story that arouses blind loyalty to teams and vengeful vitriol against foes. No one is going to argue that it should completely go away, but still, have you ever stopped to think about why you hate the other guys so much?
As a Michigan State alum, I'd venture to say I took more pleasure in Appalachian State's shocking upset of Michigan in 2007 than I have in the Spartan's surprising 9-2 start this season. More joy in the Wolverines hapless basketball teams recently than in Tom Izzo's successes in East Lansing, Mich.
That's probably not healthy.
Then again, it's not at all out of the ordinary.
Red Sox fans root for the Yankees to go 0-162. Yankees fans root for the Red Sox to go 0-162. But what's weird is when the desire to see the opponent fail more than your team succeed.
The questions I'll pose to you are the following:
1. Which team do you hate the most, and why?
2. What is the furthest you've ever seen disdain for a team go?
3. Would you rather see your team succeed or your rival fail, and why?
4. Do you think Michigan can keep it within two touchdowns?
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