Weekly Press Conference: U-M Concludes Season with The Game
11/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Rodriguez Transcript | Archived Video (WMV)
There is something special about the Michigan/Ohio State game, no matter what the records of the teams are. Sure, it is a clich that is used for all rivalry games, but when one witnesses the attention from the media and the passion of the players and head coach Rich Rodriguez -- the records really do not matter this week.
There is something special about this game.
The media still comes out in droves. The players talk about this game with a special emphasis and feeling. And the fans, well, U-M fans are like Rodriguez -- disappointed. But knowing there is one more game to be played and it is Ohio State. That makes it special.
Like or dislike the media, they help fuel the excitement of these games. They are looking for the one quote that will be posted on the locker room walls by one team or discussed on talk radio or internet forums.
The Columbus media makes its annual trek hoping for a Jim Harbaugh 'guarantee', while the Michigan media travels to Columbus hoping for the same. In reality, the media is looking for the one quote that will make the story bigger. They watch the players and look for what they might feel as 'that player' to ask that one question.
After Terrance Taylor left the podium, the media sensed that he might be one who can give that one quote. And on the side, they asked him if he was willing to give a guarantee quote.
Taylor played coy and then said he would. With the media gathering closer to Taylor, he said "I guarantee all the seniors will play as hard as they can in this game."
Not the quote the media was looking for, but everyone got a laugh from the give and take of the interaction.
After the presser, the media interviews each other and asks for former players and personalities that might have had a hand in covering, watching and yes, even playing in The Game.
When those discussions start, the opportunity to see what this game means to the media also becomes special.
So, while the media might frown when the clichs are tossed out, their quotes given to each other also seem vaguely similar year after year.
And while they look for the one quote that makes this particular game special for their coverage, the media keeps coming back for a special day to start a special week -- with or without that one quote.
They love it, the players love it, the coaches love it, the fans love it and the media loves it.
It is Michigan versus Ohio State. Really, what else can one say
BO
It was two years ago today that Bo Schembechler passed away at the age of 77. It was the day before the biggest matchup of The Game -- No. 1 versus No. 2, what could be bigger than that
But when Bo passed away, for many fans and media, the game was secondary.
It was incumbent on Lloyd Carr to keep the U-M team focused, and probably harder than keeping the team focused, he had to keep himself focused. Carr lost one of his closest friends.
These Monday pressers before the U-M/Ohio State game were special for Bo. As a coach, he said he disliked the day, but you could see it in his eyes that he loved to talk about The Game, Woody Hayes, and Ohio State and, of course, he especially wanted to talk about his Wolverines. And when he retired, he might have loved these Monday's even more.
Ironically, today is the media day for the Michigan/Ohio State game and Bo passed away after collapsing at WXYZ-TV in Southfield as he was preparing to do his weekly TV show on the ABC affiliate.
It is a day the men and women of Michigan will never forget.
