This is the final update before the season starts. Tomorrow, I plan on spending the majority of the day in a deep trance, consciously willing fate into submission so that things go as planned on Saturday.
There’s nothing left to be said. To be honest, there was never anything to be said in the first place. All the talk is simply an artificial stimulant that carries us to the season. The season. That’s what counts. At last we will have all of our questions answered, on the field.
So it’s time to put an end to the wretched beast known as the offseason. So many hopes and dreams rest on Saturday’s game that any analysis of what needs to be done would come off as cheap and small-minded. What will be, rests as it always did, in the hands of the coaches and players.
But there is a third aspect of Michigan football. For the Yosts and the Schembechlers, the Wheatleys and the Woodsons, and all the other legends in our history, one thing has remained: The fans. Whether you’re at the game, at home, or heaven forbid subjected to a situation where you cannot follow it live, hope and support will flow from the hearts of Michigan fans nationwide at 3:36pm on Saturday.
The coaches, the players, the fans. That is Michigan football. This is my message to each.
The Coaches
Do not falter amidst the barrage of the misguided, unsubstantiated attacks that currently befall you. Do not surrender, and do not forsake the concepts that you believe in. Whatever the media may tell you, there is massive support for you amongst the fan base. Even those who are hesitant are simply looking for a reason to believe.
You were delegated a task that was long and difficult yet you were given a timeline that was short. Do not allow this fact to cause you to question yourself. Coach. Develop. Scheme. Do the things you have always done and regardless of the trials that arise, above all else, stay the course. The only way you can fail is if you allow external forces to dictate your behavior.
I assure you, the reward will be great. Success can only be magnified beyond itself when it sprouts from a situation of doubt and negativity. And when it is magnified, fans who were with you all along, will nod their heads with pride. Fans who had doubts, will chastise themselves for their lack of faith, and then return to believing in the program with greater vigor than ever before.
You have been humbled. Saturday begins your resurrection.
The Players
No one will give you anything this year. They want to see you fail because it makes them feel better about themselves. If you want to have success, you’re going to have to march up to those who have it and take it. Even after you do it once or twice, people are going to say it was a fluke. When that happens, take more.
Analysts scouted you for 15 minutes and declared the upc0ming season a failure. They didn’t look at how hard you worked, what improvements were possible, or your natural abilities. They simply looked at last season, pegged you as one and the same, and wrote you off. Do not let that discourage you. They hate what they think you are. Even more so, they hate what they know you can become.
When the ball is kicked off on Saturday, do it for your coaches. Do it for your fans. Do it for tradition. Most of all, though, do it for your team. Because that’s what this is. It’s yours. You’re the ones that will be remembered for what happens, good or bad. When the critics start talking, force them to bite their tongues. When the discussion turns to Big Ten Championships, force them to mention your name.
You will not be defined by what was. You will be defined by what is to come. Start writing your definition against Uconn.
The Fans
It has been a rough journey. You expect the best, and as of late that expectation has not been met. But the true of measure of a fan is not determined by the success of his team, but by the loyalty of him who follows it. For many years it was easy to follow Michigan football. At worst, things were mildly unpleasant. At best? Jubilee. But the time to test the true dedication of your fanhood is upon us. Do not allow yourself to be categorized as a fair weather Wolverine.
When Michigan succeeds, rejoice. When Michigan fails, believe. Believe that the athletes brought into Michigan to perform a task will accomplish it in given time. It is this belief that makes Michigan strong, even when its win-loss record does not.
There will come a time when the current struggles seem distant memories. Success will seem to come so easy that certain fans will forget the hard work that led to it. But if you maintain your loyalty in the time of struggles, you will never forget You will stand on the mountain with full view of not only all that is, but all that was. You will remember, and you will be a better fan for it.
The time for talk now ends. Brace yourself for a season that will provide great victories and great perils. Those who stay will be champions.
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