I really should have written this post right after the Michigan game rather than wait until the day before MSU's next game against Purdue. But since I'm a fan--and not a player or coach--I'm allowed to dwell on the game that happened six days ago.
As I've written in here previously, MSU/UM "rivalry week" (or, as some call it more accurately, "hate week") is not enjoyable for me. Absolutely the only aspect of the week I ever find enjoyable is when time expires and MSU has--if all has gone well--beaten that team down the road.
I don't enjoy the back-and-forth trash talk between the fanbases. I don't enjoy the endless pre-game analysis. Often, I don't enjoy the games much while they are being played.
Late Saturday morning of the Michigan game, I went for a run in the neighborhood hoping it'd calm my nerves--and it seemed to have worked for the most part. I got back home at about the 11 minute mark of the first quarter, right after Anthony's 94-yard touchdown reception that put UM up 7-0.
The rest of the game was a back-and-forth heavyweight slugfest, with each team delivering haymakers. After MSU went up 37-33, the tension completely destroyed any "calm" my earlier run may have instilled. My heart rate was so high that my FitBit gave me credit for "active minutes" even though I was barely moving.
This was a great game, and one I can say I actually ENJOYED watching.
In an ideal world, both fanbases could shake hands (or at least "virtually" shake "virtual" hands) and marvel at what a great game this was, how hard both teams played, and how lucky we were to have such an important game in our state's backyard.
Unfortunately, that never happens in this rivalry. We can't have nice things in this rivalry.
Michigan fans--not all, but many--resort to their favorite post-loss pastime, complaining about officiating. This is because, as we all know, Michigan never loses games. They only have wins taken away.
It's funny hearing Michigan fans complain about the Payton Thorne non-fumble*--as if that call is essentially the main reason their team lost. Forget about blowing a 16-point second half lead or getting consistently shredded by Kenneth Walker III.
It was an exciting and joyous win, and now I must post this before the Purdue game starts.
