I flew into Detroit with a pretty good feeling about the game. Why not? Michigan has a history of rebounding from bad losses. Not this time, I think the realization that this is going to be a very dark season has finally settled into my brain, the hope and belief have been crushed. Crushed by a coaching staff that is just out of sync with the rest of the nation, a team that is obviously not in any condition to compete with athletes from around the country.
The App. State game was shocking, yet not a big surprise. The loss to Oregon was a real kick in the jewels and yet it didn't really hurt quite as bad as I thought it would. A better description would be
embarrassment.
When the starting players were announced it is always a moment of pride, that is until they announced Lloyd Carr and the whole stadium booed. ( I do feel bad for Lloyd, yet I do feel a change is needed) At that moment I had the feeling that this game may not go well.
No matter how bad the team plays, I will always get a chill as I walk through my tunnel out to my seats, then sitting in the stands at the Big House, I watched the team rush out on the
Field and that is always a great moment. But my feelings, along with over 100,000 others were about to change drastically, the game was about to start.
Oregon really showed its
superiority right from the beginning. Hitting players hard, making tackles, while Michigan looked lost and slow, on offense as well as defense. Michigan was arm tackling, getting beat left and right. Then in the second quarter I noticed just how out of gas every Michigan player was, they just didn't have anymore to give, and they limped into the locker room at halftime down 25-7.
When I went out to go to the men's room I had an overwhelming realization that I may be witnessing the biggest blowout of Michigan I have ever seen in the Big House (in person).
I felt a vague sickness watching all of the Duck fans reveling in the fact that their team had just rolled up one of the most storied teams in history. The Maize Rage was now a Blue Lump, the Duck fans that were outnumbered by more then 90,000 Michigan fans, were filling the stadium with cheers as we all sat there (those that stayed until the game ended) with long faces and realized that the dark clouds that rolled in to block the hot sun on this
Saturday were a symbol of what is to come.
A dark period of Michigan football could very well be upon the Michigan faithful. I pray that things change and this period of shame does not last very long.
The hopes of the National Championship shot down, now the possibility of winning the Big Ten seems like a distant dream. When Michigan loses it always hurts but I am almost numb and I don't like that. I never want to get numb to losing.
*For the record, I will be critical but, I would NEVER boo a coach or the team. I support them in loss just as much as in victory. I was in my seat until the final whistle and so was my family. GO BLUE! We still support you!
