The Game

There isn't as much hype or anticipation for The Game this weekend. Not as much smack on the radio, not as much on the line.

But as Lee Corso would say, "not so fast, my friends."

It's still Michigan vs. Ohio State.
It's still the maize and blue vs the scarlet and grey.
It's still Bo versus Woody.
It's still a cold, November day in O-H-I-O!
It's still friends getting together, using a game as an excuse!
It's still one of the oldest rivalries in all of sports.

It's still a game where 2 years ago I was able to experience first hand, on the field, cheering on two of the top ranked teams in the country.

It's still a game where the hits are harder, the sounds are louder, the stakes are higher.

John Cooper ultimately lost his job because he couldn't beat the team up North. Lloyd Carr? Early retirement due to the fact he went 1-6 against the Jim Tressel led team...

My first memory of Jim Tressel at Ohio State is found on a basketball court where the question was posed, "Can you beat Michigan?"

Tressel answered that question with flair at a ceremony during a Buckeye basketball halftime, saying, "I can assure you that you will be proud of your young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the football field."

Rich Rodriguez knows what kind of game it is. For him, it's his season salvaged. It's his bowl game, it's a contract extension. If this were his only win, the season goes down as a victory.

Sounds extreme? Not when it's OSU vs UM.

It's The Game...