A few years ago I created a "OH how I hate Ohio State" cheer. Or maybe I heard it from somewhere, stole it, and forgot where it came. Anyway, it is perfect because Ohioans love that their state begins with OH. After becoming immersed in the OSU culture (which is the culture of 90% of Ohio), I have admired their team pride to the point where I am even a little jealous. They even played "Hang on Sloopy" at the Indians game, which is 2 hours away from campus.
As MSU grads, we have a pretty similar distaste for U-M. However, I haven't enjoyed U-M's recent downfall. It's not fun to see them lose on New Year's and it is sad to watch the final nails put into Lloyd Carr's career. I have that "nobody picks on my brother" attitude with U-M. Their loss to App State and ass kicking from Oregon makes the Big 10 look terrible (Northwestern v. Northeastern... quality football you can ONLY watch on the Big Ten Network!)
Most OSU fans, however, revel in the losses. I would say local tv and radio spends 60% of their college football coverage on U-M's downfall and 40% on OSU. It's as if they are saying "hey, we know we're going to face our own reality vs. Washington this week, but look how bad U-M is doing!" I saw a series of OSU sports drawings in Kroger... one of them was a crowd of OSU fans at a game with 2 sad looking U-M fans in the middle. The glory they take in U-M's misfortunes is pathetic. It makes me feel they envy U-M and the whole state of Michigan and seeing U-M lose gives them more self-worth.
I also heard this week a story about how cops pick up U-M fans who may have decided to spend the night in their car and allow them to sleep in a private jail cell instead so they can avoid people who roam the streets looking for cars with Michigan plates to damage. I know the story sounds like a joke, but the person was serious.
I had my mind made up until I spoke with one of my teachers. He has been teaching at OSU for years and he just had his 20 year anniversary with us. (Side note: Do the math... the guy started teaching with us when I was 4. And I'm his boss! It makes me feel like Topher Grace in the movie "In Good Company". I love it.) I asked him today if the fans at the Horseshoe went crazy over the U-M's loss. He said the OSU game was over before U-M's historic App State loss, but that he wasn't happy to see it. Then he began to compare U-M to a brother, and I realized not every OSU fan was envious.
2 comments:
Good post.
Have you ever heard Kirk Herbstreit talk about OSU? Of course he loves them and roots for them, but he gets absolutely disgusted by some of the fans. He was actually on the radio the Monday after the App. St. loss, and the radio host was reading emails sent in by OSU fans about Michigan. Herby just sat their and listened, and finally he just said, "Okay, that's enough, this is getting embarrassing. It's embarrassing to know that the school I love has fans like this." I think that any OSU fans likes to see Michigan lose, but to take it to the nth degree like some do is going a little too far.
I actually enjoyed seeing Michigan lose, but that's because I have visions of U of M stomping the shit out of MSU year after year running through my head. Kind of like the bully at school finally getting what he deserved- at the hands of the little nerdy kid.
At the same time, I know the loss does very little for the good of the Big Ten and for rivalries. With U of M down, it makes the Notre Dame and OSU game less of a spectacle. As a fan of college football, which would you rather see, U of M and OSU playing undefeated or with one loss at the end of the year, or U of M with five or six losses and OSU with a few too? Which would OSU fans prefer?
It makes me sad to think that OSU fans would actually like to face a U of M team with multiple losses. As a State fan, I know I want Michigan at it's best, because it makes those rare wins against them ten times more special. State might beat U of M this year, but it won't be anything to brag about or flaunt like in years past. I find it fascinating, from what you say, that OSU fans will still probably flaunt and brag about beating Michigan this year (if it happens), when this is obviously a down year for U of M.
I'm usually rooting for upsets, so I was happy to see App. State win. I would have been just as happy with a win over USC or LSU or any of the top ranked teams.
I do root against U of M, basically because the U of M club soccer team was our main rival. (and a bunch of assholes) And I spent a summer painting with four U of M marching band members who basically ripped on me the whole summer for MSU sucking at football. (Thank God for Tom Izzo)
Post a Comment