Zeal

(Photo: Greg Bartram, USA Today Sports)

It struck me when I was reading another fantastic piece from Ramzy at 11 Warriors, that there is a dirty secret to the Michigan/Ohio State rivalry.  One might argue that we don't care as much as they do.  Michigan fans don't spend this week obsessively blocking out every "O" on campus, don't constantly refer to Ohio State as "That School In Columbus" (Yes, we do the Ohio thing, but it's kind of contrived and probably isn't going to last past this weekend anyway.  We just don't feel it in our hearts)

I almost have begun to wonder in the past decade whether Michigan's interest in the rivalry is, in knowing how much it means to them, being able to beat them and ruin that for them, is what Michigan fans truly get out of this.  Michigan fans don't care less about the rivalry than Ohio State fans do, they just care about it differently.  Michigan fans like winning, period.  Michigan fans want to beat everybody and dread that there will be somewhere along the way in a season where Michigan doesn't win.  Michigan's season is not going to be made by beating Ohio in a way that Ohio's might be.  But it makes me sad to know that there has not been one game since 1999 where Michigan went in to The Game and thought "we should win this." *  Ohio State fans have thought this all too often since the Tressel era began.  If I have a sadness about this rivalry, it is that.

(*-If you want to argue 2011 with me, I'll listen, but even then, the best chance Michigan had to get a win since 2003 (when it was #4 vs #5, which is not a "should"), did not feel like a "should win", but like a "please dear God, let us win."  It's not the same.  And 2004, #7 in the country vs. a 6-5 Buckeye team, still had to go to Columbus.)

The Devin Gardner era ended yesterday not with a whimper, but not with a bang.  It ended with more conclusive proof about the kind of person that Devin Gardner is (see photo above), but also the maddening flaws about what kind of quarterback Devin Gardner, turnover prone, but flashing brilliance here there and everywhere.  There seems to be a desire to make a metaphor of this game as a microcosm of the Hoke era, and perhaps it is.  Unfortunately, like so many times in the Hoke era, we're left with more questions than answers.  If Hoke's era is coming to a close, then the book will be left to be written, but we've written so much of it.  In so many ways, we've known for months what is going to happen, but we're waiting for the actual moment, so we can move on and move forward.

My role with this blog started eight years ago.  Geoff was kind enough to ask me to contribute, and I was thrilled to get a chance to do so.  I've spent the last eight years documenting some staggering highs and some really stupid lows.  But at some point, all of this feels so cliche, that we've been here before, and instead of being filled with hope, we're filled with an impending sense of dread.  A change is gonna come, and they're gonna ask us to go along, and we will, because we've already invested too much.  But there will be others who aren't going to come back, because we've given them no reason to stay.  The zeal is dying, in part because the fuel hasn't been there.

Here's to hope we get it right this time.  We've talked us into so many ridiculous ideas that so many realities are going to seem like consolation prizes, and I hate that.  I hate knowing in my heart that no one in their right mind is going to want to come here, because tradition and history are wonderful, but the expectations that come with it are kind of insane.  There's no reason, on paper, a quality coach shouldn't be able to come in to Michigan and rack up wins, but it's a new millennium, new rules, and an understanding that the old ways aren't going to work anymore.  Let's hope we get it right this time.  Because, like this season, that's all we have left.

Finale

There is no way I am featuring a picture of the gawdawful uniforms that adidas and Dave Brandon put Michigan in today.
(Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Endings are difficult.  Arthur Miller famously once said "If I see an ending, I can work backwards."  But now, on the day meant to signify new beginnings, Michigan has one, in part by ending one of the most fascinating, mercurial, and maddening chapters in Michigan football history, the Denard Robinson era.

The oddest thing about today is I'm not even that mad.  Like, not even close.  I figured with the suspensions that Michigan was going to get blown out of the water by the Gamecocks as if they have loaded up the cannons on the Raymond James Stadium pirate ship and fired a broadside.  Early on, it looked like that was going to be the script for the day, with the depleted secondary getting gashed for huge plays by South Carolina, and a punt return touchdown by Ace Sanders.  But, as they had done all year, somehow Michigan was only down 21-13 at the half and they had a chance.  A scoreless third quarter for the Michigan defense, coupled with a field goal and a touchdown (with a failed two point conversion) and Michigan had its first lead of the day.  Carolina jumped back into the lead, only to see Michigan stake themselves back to a slim one point lead on Jeremy Gallon's second TD catch of the day.  So you need a hold, you need a stop, not letting the Gamecocks get in to field goal position.  But missed tackles, missed opportunities, and the next thing you know, Spurrier digs deep into the Fun 'n' Gun archives, pulled up four verts, and as Mike Leach famously said, well, it gets the prom queen.  Touchdown Gamecocks, and Michigan's one last chance was a batted Devin Gardner pass from behind, a fitting cap to a somewhat frustrating season.

But you know, I've come to accept that this happens.  This is what happens when you have holes in your depth from a previous regime, when you face a difficult road schedule, when you have gaps on your lines.  You can outscheme, you can maximize your talent, and sometimes, you can pull off miracles.  But you cannot expect miracles, less they become less miraculous.  But what I love about college football is as much about the flaws as it is about perfection.  Denard Robinson was never the greatest pure passing quarterback, but when I think back about him, I'm not going to remember the shaky passes off the back foot, I'm going to remember the bursts, the cuts, the way he slaps the turf every time he gets tackled, as if he believed in his mind he was just one quick cut away from breaking it for another touchdown.  But yes, there were flaws, and we can spend time pondering whether the coaches should have reevaluated the talent situation back in the spring.  But that's hindsight and it gets you nowhere.  You can make every case every which way about what could have been, what might have been, but in the end, 8-5, losses to the two national title game participants, an undefeated Ohio State team, and very good Nebraska and South Carolina teams.

So I'm not sure when I look back on 2012 if I'm going to remember the losses, because the wins gave us a couple of amazing moments.  Brendan Gibbons making good on the Drew Dileo "the threat" catch to end the losing streak to Michigan State for Win 900.  The improbable Roy Roundtree catch to set up the tie that led to Michigan's eventual win over Northwestern.  The smile on Al Wistert's face when he got an ovation for the Legends jersey that will be the #11 of the Wistert brothers.  Denard making two Ohio State players hit him simultaneously from the left and right and keep on chugging for a touchdown.  It doesn't mean that I'm happy with this season.  It's more about choosing to see the positives while acknowledging, but not dwelling upon, the flaws.

So we see the Denard era begin to take on the sepia tones of the past, the Jordan Kovacs era become part of the larger tapestry of 132 other teams of Michigan football.  April will bring us spring practice, and more questions.  August will bring us fall camp and some answers.  And on August 31, Michigan will face Central Michigan at the Big House for the start of Team 134's time in the spotlight.  There will be great moments, there will be cringes, there will be highs and lows, and a lot of in between.  But thank you Team 133.  I don't think this year was what you wanted it to be, but it doesn't mean that it wasn't something we'll remember.