Which team?

Last night I was suddenly faced with a quadary: who do I root for? The two teams that I- a Michigan football fan- despise the most are Ohio State and Notre Dame. And here they were playing each other in the Fiesta Bowl. Not some lowly down under game, but a major BCS bowl game. As I watched the game I could not choose. And then, of all things, the announcers bring up Woody Hayes! Ugh!! I almost lost my wife's Mexian dinner!

So I considered the coaches. I actually like both guys. Charlie Weiss is a good man with a great football mind. He obviously loves his players and believes in them. Jim Tressel is the same. Which one will I choose? Neither man gives me any good reason to not like him. Weiss dresses kind of like me- for the sake of comfort. And Tressel reminds me of my preppy college roommate- for the sake of success. I like both styles.

Notre Dame is Catholic and I am a protestant minister. Should that make a difference? No. I like Boston College among other Catholic schools (my favorite player from there being Mike Ruth). I even have a few (very few) friends who are Notre Dame nuts. However, I just don't like Notre Dame.

Ohio State is one of our border states. Our state almost went to war with them over Toledo, 150 years ago. I like Toledo University football. I actually sat in the jacuzzi with their quarterback, Bruce Gradkowski, in Clare, Michigan one time. A very polite fellow. I have a good ministerial collegue who is from Findlay. Yet, I just don't like Ohio State.

What did I do? First, I wished for the game to end in a tie. But with the overtime rules in college football that would not be possible. Second, I wished that a thunderstorm would move in and the game be called off because of lightning. Not likely. Finally, I decided that I needed to "fall of the log." So I chose Ohio State. Yes, I, being the consummate football fan during the holidays, and a Michigan fan, rooted for Ohio State.

After all, Jim Tressel dresses like my college roommate.

But I still despise Ohio State.