Thursday, November 16, 2006

Two days and counting

I have a hard time concentrating, eating, sleeping, or generally sitting down. The wait is torturous, and I try not to think about it, and then every time I turn on the TV or the radio or my computer, I am bombarded by OSU-Michigan talk. Friggin' everywhere. So why am I not really talking about it beforehand?

If you take a cursory look around the CFB blogs, you'll see tons of analysis (conversely, checking out the MSM leads to an array of puff pieces. Which I guess are good in their own way). And it's of high-quality, to be sure. The thing is ... this game has shown us some weird shit in the past, and while totally in-depth looks at what has happened this season can inform us of what may happen in The Game, this rivalry tends to be wholly unpredictable. Remember 1999, when the worst OSU team of the last 20 years went into Michigan Stadium and put up more rushing yards than Michigan had total offense? Remember 2003, when OSU came in with the top-ranked rushing defense in the nation and got absolutely bowled over by Chris Perry and the Michigan O-Line? Remember games like the 1995, 1996, 2001, and 2004 editions, each case an instance of the clearly inferior team on paper coming in and pulling off a shocker?

What's the most you can say about a rivalry like this, that doesn't have a high probability of making you sound stupid a few days later? "Both teams are really really good, and something strange and/or totally unexpected will probably happen over the course of the game"? Pull a Cutman and say, "One team is going to win this game, and the other will almost certainly not"? The Game largely transcends logic and expectations.

Which is not to say that IF someone has an opinion stronger than mine about this game I would not like to hear it. Please, if any of my fellow blogtributors or any of the five loyal readers have something approaching insight or any kind of gut feeling about this game, I would love to be made aware of it. Because, after all these matchups, most of what I can say about OSU-Michigan is the following:

"It's gonna be a toss-up. Because it always is."

6 Comments:

At 2:22 PM, November 16, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really can't find the words...

Scratch that. I can. I need only google the words since at this point every. single. possible. word. Has been written in regards to Saturday's matchup. What's possibly left to say? Nothing. What's possibly left to do? Nothing.

Scratch that. There's one thing left to do. And I'll be doing it Saturday morning on Ventura Blvd. As was the case for the morning of the Notre Dame game, I have a hair appointment on the books. Need I remind you all how that day unfolded? I think not. So to all you Buckeye fans I say this, "beware the power of the hair cut."

 
At 8:49 PM, November 16, 2006, Blogger Jack said...

Wow. Haircuts vs. appletinis.

It is SO on.

 
At 9:28 PM, November 16, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The game within the game, for sure.

 
At 1:32 PM, November 17, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Easy on the tini.

Well, here’s a few game related notes I had to throw out there while I try ineffectively to contain myself:

Everyone keeps talking about how whether Michigan’s front 4 gets pressure will be huge. I’m not so sure. In 2004, our offensive line played like turnstiles against Michigan. So what did Troy do? He just tucked the ball and ran like crazy. Just because he hasn’t had to do that much this season doesn’t mean he can’t still do it.

For some reason I feel like we’re gonna need C.Wells to both play and be effective.

Michigan’s offense scares the crap out of me. I have nightmares of Hart catching effective screens all day long.

Turnovers, if they happen, will be important. Duh. Getting a lead at the half will be huge too. If UM can quiet the crowd by then, their lives will be a lot easier in the 2nd. Which leads me to my final point.

That crowd had better be crazy-go-nuts loud. Note: if you are reading this and are going to the game, listen up. When Michigan has the ball, scream. Scream loud. If Henne gets his snap off without any problems, consider it a failure and scream louder on the next snap. Rinse and repeat.

All that being said, Jack is entirely and 1000% correct. Weird shit happens in this game. I’m terrified.

 
At 4:34 PM, November 17, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

In keeping with the "weird shit happens" theme... RIP, Bo.

 
At 8:25 PM, November 17, 2006, Blogger Jack said...

"Turnovers, if they happen, will be important. Duh."

This is, after all, a football game.

One of my all-time favorite Jeffisms.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home