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Proof I Am Not a Girl
Wednesday, 2005 August 10 - 11:04 pm
Contrary to published reports.

Despite what you might read on certain blogs, I am, in fact, not a girl. I know, even some of the things you find here on my own blog might lead you to doubt my masculinity. But I'm a man, baby. Really. And to prove it, I will talk about football.

Now I know, there are women out there who are football fans. Some of them are even rabid about it. But most of the women I know either just tolerate football, or they actively dislike it. I know, that statement is a sweeping generalization, yeah, but so is the idea that men can't carry a handbag.

I went to the University of Michigan, where football is a religion. Six Saturdays in the fall, a hundred thousand people attend the Church of Bo, the Big House, Michigan Stadium.



I will not claim it is the fanciest or loudest place to watch football. It's certainly not the most comfortable. But when you're there, you can feel a hundred years of football tradition under your feet, and you know that millions of people before you have done exactly what you're doing: sung "Hail to the Victors" with the band, agonized through losses, swelled with pride through victories, and cheered with might and main for the beloved home team.

Football season begins in less than a month, and expectations are high at Michigan, ranked fourth in the pre-season polls. Michigan returns a high-caliber offense with loads of talent at the skill positions. The defense, though losing two key members of last year's secondary to graduation, is athletic and quick. Michigan is the consensus pick to win the Big Ten conference, and the Big Ten is considered to be the strongest conference in the country this year. The team is eager, hungry, and proud. They are ready.

The competition will be tough. Ohio State and Iowa are ranked in the top ten, and should also be very strong this year. Notre Dame's new coach, Charlie Weis, will revitalize a program that has been on the skids of late. Joe Paterno and Penn State will have something to prove. So if Michigan is to play for the national championship this year, it will have to earn it.

A lot of alumni are disgruntled with coach Lloyd Carr and his old-fashioned approach to football. We try to run the ball too much, they say. We're unimaginative. We need to open up the playbook. But I'll tell you, I think Carr is one of the most underrated coaches in the country. Not only does he thoroughly understand the game of football, he loves it. He loves the details. Listening to his post-game commentaries, you'll hear him talking about a particular linebacker who was a step out of position on some play, or a tight end who executed the wrong technique on a block... he revels in fixing every mistake and making sure everyone is fundamentally sound. For me, it's a pleasure to see Michigan win by out-executing the opposing team. I like it when the defense is stifling and the offense chews up eight minutes of clock time on every possession. When you win like that, it's because of dedication, not luck. And that's the right way to win.


Michigan's schedule this year:

Sat. Sep. 3: Northern Illinois
Sat. Sep. 10: Notre Dame
Sat. Sep. 17: Eastern Michigan
Sat. Sep. 24: at Wisconsin
Sat. Oct. 1: at Michigan State
Sat. Oct. 8: Minnesota (homecoming)
Sat. Oct. 15: Penn State
Sat. Oct. 22: at Iowa
Sat. Oct. 29: at Northwestern
Sat. Nov. 12: Indiana
Sat. Nov. 19: Ohio State


"Michigan's famous fight song, 'The Victors,' was written in November 1898. Louis Elbel, a music student at the University, wrote the words and the music in celebration of a last-minute 12-11 victory over rival Chicago, giving U-M its first Western Conference football championship. 'The Victors' was first played in public by John Phillip Sousa's band in May of 1899 in Ann Arbor. Sousa later called it the best college march ever written."

Now for a cheer they are here, triumphant!

Here they come with banners flying,
In stalwart step they're nighing,
With shouts of vict'ry crying,
We hurrah, hurrah, we greet you now,
   Hail!

For we their praises sing
For the glory and fame they've bro't us
Loud let the bells them ring
For here they come with banners flying

For we their praises tell
For the glory and fame they've bro't us
Loud let the bells them ring
For here they come with banners flying
Here they come, Hurrah!

Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan
   the leaders and best

Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan,
   the champions of the West!

We cheer them again
We cheer and cheer again
For Michigan, we cheer for Michigan
We cheer with might and main
We cheer, cheer, cheer
With might and main we cheer!

Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan,
   the champions of the West!
Permalink  9 Comment   Bookmark and Share
Posted by Ken in: sports

Comments

Comment #1 from liz (Guest)
2005 Aug 11 - 1:14 am : #
Oh, oops. Because we didn't meet face to face I sort of assumed your gender.

Hope I did not offend you.
Comment #2 from Cheri (Guest)
2005 Aug 11 - 1:26 am : #
Football is an AWESOME sport! I work for a Division III college in Texas, and I know what an incredible experience it is to be in the stands when your team is playing for a National title!
I can't wait for football season to start! :)
And yes, I am the atypical woman who LOVES football!
Comment #3 from Bake Town (Guest)
2005 Aug 11 - 9:50 am : #
I prefer baseball.
Comment #4 from MonoCerdo (Guest)
2005 Aug 11 - 10:44 am : #
Football gave me a reason to drink on Sundays, and for that, I will always love it.
Comment #5 from John C (Guest)
2005 Aug 11 - 11:00 am : #
Go Blue
Comment #6 from Ken (realkato)
2005 Aug 11 - 11:19 am : #
Liz, no offense taken. Just thought it was funny.

MonoCerdo, you needed a reason to drink on Sunday? I always just told myself I was taking "communion". Lots and lots of "communion".
Comment #7 from elizabeth (Guest)
2005 Aug 11 - 11:28 am : #
Go Boilers!

Growing up so close to UofM (although not as close as you) they tried to indoctrinate me from an early age. My h.s. gym teacher was on the UofM baseball coaching staff & gave us extra credit if we learned the UofM fight song. It all backfired b/c I became very anti-UofM and went to Purdue.

Purdue football Saturdays were the best! At first they were just an excuse to drink, but when Drew Breeze came to town we actually watched the game too.

Given UofM athletes propensity towards illegal activities, the name 'The Big House' is so appropriate.
Comment #8 from Jenny (Guest)
2005 Aug 12 - 5:51 pm : #
Wow, that was totally manly.
Comment #9 from olafandyjon (Guest)
2005 Aug 24 - 9:35 am : #
OK...how did I miss this blog entry? *gets his tickets from the mail and places his Michigan flag outside his house*

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