ESPN SAYS Brett Favre, the Green Bay Packers quarterback who is just a few years from collecting Social Security, is considering coming out of retirement.
No. Dear God, no. Anything but that.
I'd like to think this is some kind of sick joke, but I have no doubt it is genuine and that Mr Favre is really and truly thinking about throwing his hat in the ring for Year No. 18. He'd better not. The last thing we need is yet another year of the goddam Fox Sports morons blathering on about Favre, the only semi-likable player in the entire National Football Conference. This would undoubtedly lead to more blathering on from Joe Buck, who should stick to ruining baseball.
So I would beseech Mr Favre to give it a rest. Take a year off. Coach a high school team or something. Heck, coach a college team -- I'm sure Michigan State or some other program will fire its coach soon. But don't come out of retirement only to go back into retirement a short while later, and then consider coming out of retirement, and so on. Time for everything and all that.
Posted by Benjamin Kepple at July 4, 2008 12:37 AM | TrackBackSo I have read through your blog a bit, and there are a few things I feel it is absolutely necessary to point out. Multiple times you point out that the Michigan state and Michigan rivalry is a lopsided one where Michigan sees Michigan State as an annoyance. But yet you take every opportunity to smack talk MSU, so I ask you why do you feel the need to trash talk us in every article if it wasn't a rivalry. I mean really MSU is happier with their coaching staff than UM, but yet you suggest Brett farve come coach here. I would challenge that Michigan State is just as much a rivalry than any other in the country, while we have had some bad blood in the past; we still all know the other side. We all have friends who went to each school, that is unless you are part of the typical UM fan base, which means you have absolutely no association with the school besides the abundance of their YELLOW and blue shit at Wal-Mart when you make your weekly trip there. anger and pride aside any honest UM fan would give their real view of MSU, the place they go on the weekends to get away from the terrible parties and the general asshole population that inhabits Ann arbor, or a^2 to any douche bag who actually uses that terminology. But then again hating UM wouldn’t be so fun if you guys didn’t think you were so much better than us because your parents know somebody and you’re got full pockets, so enjoy your exaggerated education and the most underachieving football program in the NCAA. Hail, hail to Michigan, the assholes of the world.
-A Proud Spartan
Posted by: Jeff at September 21, 2008 05:44 PMJeff --
Thank you for your letter. I can assure you I am an alumnus of the University of Michigan, having graduated from that institution in the late 1990s. If I was not associated with Michigan, I would not root for it the way I do.
That said, it is perfectly understandable that Michiganders who have no connections with either Michigan or Michigan State would side with Michigan in our football battles, given our superior performance in them over the years and our excellent reputation in pretty much everything but basketball. (God help us, but you have us there).
However, the uncouth tone of your letter demands that I correct certain misconceptions you apparently have of the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor. Although it is true some Michigan students may venture to East Lansing to seduce your women and enjoy the novelties of Michigan State's campus -- such as a nice post-game riot -- the idea that one would do so to "get away" from Ann Arbor is completely absurd. Ann Arbor is a perfectly pleasant and enjoyable place, and so are its inhabitants.
I also take exception to your argument that the benefit of a Michigan education is "exaggerated." I would note that Michigan is world-renowned for several of its institutions, including its business school. I would also note that according to the ultimate arbiter of collegiate excellence -- that would be US News and World Report -- Michigan is ranked No. 26 nationally, while Michigan State clocks in at No. 71. It is undoubtedly true that both colleges are under-rated due to the publication's bias against public universities, but one cannot escape the fact that Michigan is better on the academic merits.
Also, for the record, none of my friends went to Michigan State, except for one who completed his undergraduate work at Michigan and then went to Michigan State for graduate work in the school's top-notch veterinarian program. Despite this graduate affiliation, my friend remains true blue in his loyalties. As such, I must caution you that any suggestion that I have friends who attended Michigan State for undergraduate work may constitute libel.
As to the core of your argument -- that Michigan and Michigan State are in fact, "rivals," I would disagree with this sentiment. Michigan and Ohio State are rivals -- we hate each other with a passion and for either side, a loss to their adversaries bears the ultimate shame and humiliation. Michigan students and alumni do not hate Michigan State the way you guys hate us. Although losing to Michigan State would be mortifying and embarrassing, there would not be the same sense of loss that accompanies a loss to the Buckeyes.
However, perhaps you are right after all. Since Michigan considers itself optimus maximus among all colleges in the state, we do look over our shoulder to see if others are gaining ground. In that regard, we will always work to protect our position of primacy in all things. That is the nature of competition.
And speaking of competition, little brother, we shall see you on Oct. 25. Hail.
P.S. Oh, one more thing. The Paul Bunyan Trophy. In the unlikely event you do win it this year, it's going to take some time for us to get it out of storage and dust it off. We'll put it in the post as soon as we can.
Posted by: Benjamin Kepple at September 22, 2008 12:25 PM