We Got Lucky

A strange thing happened on the way to the end of the U-M game yesterday. Michigan was down 19-0 and managed to come back and win the game 27-25 in little over a quarter's time. Unbelievable. It is now the biggest comeback in Michigan's history.

Because I've only been attending Michigan games for a short time, I'm still trying to grasp the whole concept of Michigan football. It is obviously a team steeped in history. When I mention casually to people outside of the state that I live in Ann Arbor, a lot of times they'll look at me in awe and say, "Oh, have you been to the big house?" I feel spoiled. I've been there many times. And because we live near it, I see it almost every day.

But the mystique of Michigan football still eludes me. Maybe because most of the sports teams I follow have not been winning teams. Being a Cubs or Bears fan, you learn early that you shouldn't have very high expectations. "Next year's the year" is heard after every Cubs' losing season. "Next year is here" is heard at the very beginning of every Cubs' season. It just becomes a way of life. Low expectations. Hopeful, but realistic. (And we're not going to talk about this year's season. I don't want to jinx anything.)

So when people talk about this year's Michigan team, the long-time fans are bewildered. They don't know what to say, they don't know how to act. This year, there's a new coach, and a new way of playing offense. The talk started well before the season began this year. How will they do? Will this new offense work? What about this coach? What about the tradition? Let's not forget the legacy of Bo Schembechler, the tradition of "Hail to the Victors", or the long line of players going on to the NFL. All of this is intertwined into a Michigan fans' psyche. And this year, it's just being rattled.

I noticed it for the first time at yesterday's game. The usual stuff was there - the band high-stepping at the opening, the smell of sausages and candied almonds being sold by the vendors, the long lines to get into the stadium. But when the game started and Wisconsin pulled ahead, the normally quiet crowd (I know, hard to believe with 107,501+ people, but it's true) got quieter. Most people sat with their hands holding up their heads, and were more interested in a fight in the stands than what was happening on the field. They just didn't know what to do.

I felt at home. My days of rooting for the underdog have prepared me, I guess. Sad to say, fans like Stein are not prepared. Michigan football teams don't do this. Michigan football teams don't allow a team to get that far ahead. Michigan football teams don't depress us this much.

But then we got lucky.

At the end of the 3rd quarter, Michigan came back. They scored, and intercepted, and scored, and scored. The crowd came alive, stood on their feet and cheered. I'm glad that I didn't leave at halftime or the beginning of the 3rd quarter like I wanted to. It was exciting to be there to witness it all first hand. On the way out of the stadium, people exited quietly with smug looks on their faces. One woman kept saying, "I can't believe it. I just can't believe it." I don't think any of the fans could.

If only this luck could continue. Or maybe the fans could adopt the hopeful but realistic attitude that I'm so used to. Maybe not.