Hobbesian College Rivalries?

Two weekends ago, (the weekend of the Michigan vs. Michigan State game), I visited a few friends at Michigan State University. Since it was the weekend of the big game, we were naturally sporting our Michigan gear. My older sister graduated from Michigan State and I have quite a few friends  who are currently attending. For this reason, subconsciously, I was under the impression that this was a “friendly” in-state rivalry. Reflecting retrospectively, this was probably naïve.

Video’s like this were found all over social media leading up to the big game.

This is Not a Hoke

The University of Michigan is home to some of the greatest athletic teams in the history of America, and in the entire world. This is because the University of Michigan attracts students from countries at each end of the globe, and actively tries to bring them together in ways that involve school spirit to unite them on a common front. It is through events such as football games in the Big House, (which accommodates over 109,000 people), that the athletic culture proves to be so prevalent.

Despite the fact that Michigan football is so well revered around the world drawing hundreds upon hundreds of alumni to bars across the world to watch the game, our record over the past few years has been far from impressive. In fact, we totally suck! The last time we won a National Championship was in 1997, and the last time we even won our own conference championship is going on eleven years ago. We went from a season of eleven wins and two losses in 2006 under Lloyd Carr, to last year, in 2013, a season of seven wins and six losses under Brady Hoke.