Michigan 34 - 24 Ohio State and My Family History

For those of you that don't know, I was BORN a Wolverine.

My father and mother met while attending grad school in Ann Arbor many years ago, and in my very first months of life while my mommy finished her PhD in comparative literature, I sat quietly with her in the library as onlookers marveled at how well-behaved a young man I was.

They still marvel, but now its because I'm Dr. Hak and I've got the medicine.

Regardless, my grandaunt Thelma Budd Jones passed away a few months ago. She was as close to me as my grandmother (her sister, my dad's mother) if not more and her insights are still missed to this day. I'm flashing back right now to the fly pictures of her and her sisters as young beautiful AKAs back in the day...

OK, so when I went to Detroit for the service, I took the opportunity to ask my dad if we could go to Ann Arbor. Its only 25 miles from DTW airport, and you know, since I live in Houston, TX, that's down the street. My dad thought it was far, so I drove.

I got to see the Big House, which is tucked inside of a hill kinda sorta, and his old apartment, which was maybe 2 blocks away - close enough that they can charge $10 for parking if they want on game day.

Well then I asked him to show me where he and my mother met, and you know what he tells me? "Oh we met in Detroit at TV station 50 while working on a show".

I was like WHAT!? All this time I thought it went down differently.

Its all good though. I got to see some of the other important landmarks on campus and the buildings they used to take class in.

If I get a PhD of my own (Dr. Hak for REAL up in this piece), i had decided a while back that I'd go to Michigan to get it. This is probably still true.

So there you have it. The only school I care half as much about as FAMU is the University of Michigan.

So you might ask, how does that affect my view on this Saturday's Game of the Century?

Well what do you think?
When I was little my dad used to sing
Hail! to the victors valiantHail! to the conqu'ring heroesHail! Hail! to Michigan,the champions of the West!

...ALL THE TIME

My mother's cousin is Ed Shuttlesworth (see fullbacks), star fullback for Michigan in the early 70s. In fact, when my mother went to school there, all she had to do "was tell people I wad Ed Shuttlesworth's family and they were really really nice to me"

If I had been a big time college recruit, in football or basketball, I'dve gone to Michigan. In 1998 I don't think another school would've had a chance...except one with a black coach and there was only one...Ty Willingham at U-Washington...umm no.

So there you have it. I'm a Rattler till I die, I bleed Orange and Green, but I love Maize and Blue so what ya gonna do

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The Big Game - A Prediction & Simulation

1st Quarter
Ted Ginn, Jr catches a 40 yard Touchdown pass from Troy Smith on a very nice play action call on 3rd and 2.
0-7

2nd Quarter

Michigan drives but Chad Henne overthrows Mario Manningham in the endzone. Rivas 26 yard field goal
3-7
19 yard field goal by Ohio State after a goal line stand by Michigan's red zone defense
3-10
Mike Hart scores on a 2 yd td run to cap an 83 yard drive featuring a trick play.
10-10 going into halftime
3rd quarter
Steve Breaston returns the opening kickoff of the 2nd half 92 yards for a Michigan touchdown
17-10
Arrington catches a 46 yard pass in one on one coverage after a Gonzalez fumble across the middle, recoverd by Woodley.
24-10
Rivas 37 yd field goal
27-10

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As i'm writing this, legendary Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler passed away at age 77. May God bless his family and us all .
I have no idea how this affects the mood of the players and coaches - especially Lloyd Carr, his mentee and current Wolverines coach...
I am saddened that he didn't get to see this game, the game of the century, one that would not be nearly as big of a deal if not for his influence during his war with Buckeyes former coach Woody Hayes.

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4th Quarter - The Buckeyes strike back

Troy Smith 14 yd TD run
27 - 17

Gonzalez 8 yd TD catch from Smith
27 - 24

Ohio State goes for it on 4th down with 6 minutes to play...Troy Smith tries to do too much and gets stopped behind the line of scrimmage. Michigan takes over and seals the game with a
Mike Hart 3 yd TD run

Final Score
Michigan 34 - 24 Ohio State