Blank, redux

The old anecdote goes that when the upstart Continental Army defeated the British at Yorktown, Cornwallis refused to meet Washington after the battle and sent an aide to present his saber to his American counterpart. It is said that the British band started playing “The World Turned Upside Down”, a song that I have never heard, and perhaps never will, but I can still somehow sing in my head right now. I have never sympathized with Cornwallis, not until now… I feel like nothing makes sense anymore, a issue that is only further emphasized by the fact that the Lions actually didn’t completely choke this game away, that a last minute fumble actually went their way. Michigan is winless and the Detroit Lions are undefeated… I’m not sure I can explain any further.

In 2003, I was in High School and my dad was cooking duck on a September day that was supposed to be a good joke, a little arrogant celebration after Michigan defeated Oregon. The duck was still good, but it was tasted bitter with irony in my mouth. This time there was no duck, only Free Hot Dog man hurling frankfurters in the student section of the Big House. Sadly, the best part of the game, but fittingly ended when stadium security came and took him away.

I don’t know what part of the day was the saddest, but it wasn’t the performance on the field or the lack of adjustments b the Michigan coaching staff. I’m not sure how it happened, but the loss didn’t hurt as much as it should have, it simply left a hollow feeling in my gut. I don’t know if it was shock, some sort of defense mechanism, or the fact that deep down inside I saw this coming. I swear I thought they would win, but maybe I didn’t believe it deep down inside. So another running quarterback shredded Michigan’s defense, that’s nothing new, but the complete and utter domination was. I feel numb to it all, despite all my efforts not to. It’s Notre Dame week now and I don’t even care. I’ll be in the Big House on Saturday, but I think I’ll sit in section 22, with all the old timers instead of sneaking into the student section like last week. I want to sit there and quietly take in the game, instead of stand amongst my peers and curse.

I realize that my writing has deteriorated into gloomy musings, but I don’t really have a timetable for when I’ll write about anything else. Sorry all.