I love Michigan. Not the state. Well, the state is cool and all, but my love affair is with the school. It is 2010. I became a Michigan student in 2003. That's seven years. Seriously. I should be wanting to cheat on my school with a younger, hotter school by now. But I don't want that because, well, I'm still in love. I finished undergrad in December of 2007 and started law school in May of 2008. The four months we were apart tore into my soul.
That being said, as metaphorical girlfriends go... I wasn't great. I went to my school's football games and its club meetings. I joined groups and stayed active, but gosh if I wasn't neglectful too. The whole time I was an undergrad (and a law student for that matter), I never went to a Michigan basketball game. Truth be told, I was great about football, but the other sports I was less attentive to. I did manage one hockey game, but that was it.
This weekend, a good friend of mine was in town from Notre Dame. Though he has moved on to another school, his heart lies here as well. When he was an undergrad he was the guy that led the cheers at the hockey games. And by cheers I mean taunts. And by taunts I mean soul-crushing-mockery of the other team. He's a good guy.
Pictured: Not a stupid meanypants butthead.
He and my friend Tim (the Professional feather bowler) were going to the Michigan-Wisconsin game on Saturday and asked if I'd like to go. So I kidnapped Justin (it seemed like a good idea at the time) and the four of us hit up an Ann Arbor staple for lunch before going to the game. Anyone who's been around Ann Arbor recently should actually recognize the bench Sean (see above) is sitting on as one of the booths at Good Time Charley's. That would be the restaurant where anybody who's anybody goes to get hammer-blitzed on their 21st birthday. I went to Real Seafood and got lobster and a cosmopolitan. I didn't get carded. It was disappointing.
Now, I've never been a huge fan of basketball. I don't know why. It just doesn't seem that interesting to me. I love me some football... and hockey is fantastic... but basketball just never did it for it. Don't get me wrong though, I don't hate it like I hate soccer.
Who do you think you are?
I figured my love for Michigan would be enough to get me through an otherwise lackluster sport (as far as my taste goes). I was right, until... well... until we started losing. Badly. I want to be as unbiased here as possible so I'm going to give my honest, pure opinion of the game. In my, totally legit, expert opinion... it wasn't our fault. The Wisconsin people were like three-point shooting machines. Our guys were super awesome, but those Badgers... they were seriously, like, basketball throwing cyborgs from a hideous future where red is a fashionable color. It wasn't natural.
Look at them. Down there. Being cyborgs.
In truth, I was somewhat disappointed by the game. Don't get me wrong - I definitely enjoyed it. However, there was less of a cohesive sense of school spirit like at other events. I can't say I'm sure why, but there were significantly fewer student led cheers and I think I only heard Hail to the Victors three times that game. Sporting events are how I keep that song memorized. They serve an important purpose.
Pictured: Bemused indifference. I mean, school spirit!
The game definitely was fun over all. I enjoyed being back in the building where I graduated from undergrad. The convocation for December 2007 grads was held in Cristler Arena. I could see where I sat when I got my college degree and where my parents sat when they, ya know, watched me get my college degree.
I wore snow boots to my graduation. Jealous?
So, the final verdict? I'm still a football and hockey kind of girl... but I'm no longer neglecting my school/metaphorical boyfriend. Addendum to the final verdict? That metaphor got so awkward about halfway through the entry. Feel the awkwardness. Let it simmer and come to temp. You know you want to.
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