Every True Sports Fan Should Be Able To Relate To Both Radio Calls From The Michigan/Michigan State Game

See, that's the funny thing about sports, because as much as we use the term "Cinderella story" in reference to athletic competition, there was no one that got the life ripped out of them in Cinderella's story. Michigan State may have found their glass slipper, but it wouldn't have been possible without Michigan tripping over the curb, breaking their face, and dropping it at their feet. It's sports. It's euphoria. It's heartbreak. One doesn't happen without the other. The feel good moments just don't feel as good without someone on the other side feeling equally as bad. The bad times wouldn't feel nearly as shitty if there wasn't someone on the other sidelines celebrating. With that said, let's do a little dissecting of these radio calls from, quite possibly, the most unlikely ending in college football history. Probably best to start the Michigan call just in case there are any Wolverines fans reading this. Wouldn't want to help the ink dry on their suicide note by subjecting them to Michigan State's happiness before their own misery...

Oh man, have I been there. Well, not exactly there. I have never had to remain professional while watching my team viciously murder my spirit as a sports fan. However, I have been in a situation where something so tragic happens in a sporting event that you go into immediate denial. The first half of this call was exactly that. Just conducting business as usual, announcing it like it was any other play. Not acknowledging how crazy, or how meaningful, it actually was. You want to know the exact time that this guy realized what happened? When he paused for a second and said "...on a punt". That's when misery and reality teamed up, reached into his chest and pulled his still beating heart directly out of his body. You can tell from his change in intonation. Thats when it became real, and if you have never had an instance like that in your life then stop claiming you're a sports fan.

Okay so, slightly less professional, but honestly who could even blame them? This feeling right here? The unbridled, childlike joy? It doesn't get any better than this. The involuntary screaming of "ball" like a Tourette's patient that went off his meds? The short pause, that seems like it lasted forever, where the announcers were in utter disbelief of what they were watching? Looking for flags and asking "are you kidding me?" because what's happening is simply too good to be within the rules? Screaming the same thing over and over as they were undoubtedly jumping up and down with the enthusiasm that can only come as the result of being far too invested in the performance of college athletes? That right there is why we deal with all the bad times. That's why we deal with all the heartache. They make times like this so much more enjoyable. Sometimes you go to feel like Michigan before you ever get the opportunity to feel like Michigan State. Sure, these kids in Ann Arbor might drink themselves into an early grave tonight, but if they don't, surviving today will make for a better tomorrow. Well, not actually tomorrow, that was a figure of speech. Tomorrow they are probably still going to be in a deep, deep depression, but regardless it should pay off in the long run. Either that or it's just something that I tell myself, as a Rutgers fan, to keep justifying my purchase of season tickets.