It feels funny to say "Thank Goodness for Maryland Football"

[dlgood]

The subject line says it.

As may be noted, I am an alumni of the University of Maryland and did grad school at the University of Michigan. This weekend, while Maryland - a doormat during my time in school - was whipping up on a Division 1-AA patsy (Villanova), perennial National Power Michigan lost to tiny Appalachian State.

In an office with Virginia and Notre Dame fans, whom also saw their alma maters get whipped, it's swell to have that retort:

"Well yeah, I went there for grad school, but Maryland's always been my team"

Really, I do root for Michigan, but that's a ready-made out for me. And beyond which - Michigan folks tend to react to each loss - particularly the season's first loss - as though someone had died. Rooting for what was a perennial loser teaches one an ability to appreciate. Some perspective.

Some lowered expectations...

Expectations like: "hey, we looked pretty decent against that glorified High School team" and "our new QB didn't make too many awful throws".

Sitting through a bunch of 2-9 years teaches you to not say things like "I guess the season's over now that we've lost..."

Thank goodness for Maryland Football...

Comments

[ladyoneill.livejournal.com]

Substitute Kansas for Maryland and that's me and my love/hate and mostly tolerant relationship with Jayhawk football. *g*

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Noting that our feelings regarding our respective college basketball squads are markedly different...

Although it is sad to say that the one year Maryland made the Orange Bowl, I couldn't go as I'd already had a long planned a trip to New Orleans. What sane Maryland fan would leave New Year's day open on the off chance we'd make a BCS Bowl? I just hope we win more than half our games.

[ladyoneill.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's kind of how I feel every year--can we just win half our games?

I'm hoping for a couple winning seasons in a row and then shelling out for season tickets. Just, living here for over forty years, I've learned that's pretty rare. I'd just like to go to any bowl game. I have no hopes for a big one. *g*

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

See, at this point if I were to be presumptuous, I'd root for a cool bowl game over a good one. Like, if we finish in 5th or 6th place in our conference, we could go to Nashville. That'd be neat.

[thelastgoodname.livejournal.com]

I still think of myself as a fan of a perennially awful team, even though we are clearly not anymore. But at least we don't think we're unbeatable (Notre Dame, I'm looking at you).

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

When I was a callow youth, Maryland was a pretty good team (who could never beat Penn State) with a succession of NFL QBs (Esiason, Reich, Neil O'Donnell). Then Bias died and everything went to pot. We've got a big streak of fatalism.

[thelastgoodname.livejournal.com]

The last time Cal was good for a sustained period was in the 1920s. Even when we were good (four Rose Bowl trips between 1949 and 1959; no Rose Bowl wins since 1937), we were bad. This is three (and sometimes four) generations of people resigned to 3-8 or 4-7 seasons, with extremely rare bouts of life (two Pac-10 co-championships since 1959!). At least when you were young, Maryland was good. We had Steve Bartkowski, Chuck Muncie, and the guy who died of cancer (Joe Roth).

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

I've always been a little uneasy about doing much rooting for Ohio State. It's like rooting for Napolean against Luxembourg, except when they play Michigan. I smile when they win and laugh when they lose.

[ann1962]

Michigan folks tend to react to each loss - particularly the season's first loss - as though someone had died.

I always thought that too until I moved here. Michigan fans come no where as close to the drama that is here for football. You could live in Ann Arbor and never really notice football if you weren't a fan. You can't escape it here. Every store, every restaurant, it is even piped over loudspeakers outside sometimes. Inescapable.

[alleynyc.livejournal.com]

LMAO. Glad you are having fun!

[yseultdb.livejournal.com]

Not sure how I managed to miss this post last weekend. In my defense, school started on Tuesday, and my football team lost their home opener.

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Not sure how I managed to miss this post last weekend. In my defense, school started on Tuesday, and my football team lost their home opener.

<iMichigan folks tend to react to each loss - particularly the season's first loss - as though someone had died</i>

And then there's today... I am (almost) ashamed to say that I root for the Wolverines.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

This is just embarrassing.