That Time Again, Folks

Yep, that time of year again. And in the event that I am the only Midwesterner you will ever encounter, I should start with an explanation.

Nothing--and I mean nothing--gets an Ohio native as fired up as Buckeye Football. We are crazy about it. We hold Jim Tressel and his trademark sweater vest to be sacred. We live for script Ohio done by the marching band, The Best Damned Band in the Land as they are called, at halftime. Woody Hayes, may he rest in peace, remains our idol. The Horseshoe is our Holy Land. We learn the words to "Across the Field" before we learn our ABC's and 123's. It is what we are all about. Surrounding Indiana and Kentucky have basketball. Because they know they just cannot do football like a Buckeye can. That's just how we roll.

And we hate--and I do mean HATE---Michigan. With a passion. With the fire of a thousand suns. And it really is a good thing I crossed the Ohio River to reside in Northern Kentucky, just outside of Cincinnati, because I did the unthinkable. I married a Wolverine.
Yep. John was born in Michigan. His whole family was, and for the most part, still is there. His parents relocated to Kentucky when he was a kid simply because of his dad's job. But they are all still Michiganders. And they hate--and I do mean HATE--Buckeyes. And to them, from the months of September through January, I will always be The Girl in the Scarlet and Gray. Because just like John's family is all Michigan, my family is all Columbus, Ohio. I was the only one born and raised in Cincinnati after my dad relocated for his job. So I was raised on the stuff just like John ws raised on Michigan football.

I should clarify that the mutual hatred between the states dates far back, and that it is based on this tremendous rivalry between the two teams. No joke--coaches have lost their jobs not based on how they performed all season long, but based on what their record is in the Ohio-Michigan saga. Seriously. And apparently it all started way back when over an argument about where the division of the states really should be.

So what does this mean? It means John and I will be fightng a lot. And at least once, we will swear we will be getting a divorce. No worries--we do this every year and have for the decade we have been together. And there will be lots of talkin' smack until that fateful day in November--always the last game of the regular season. Ohio State has a pretty good streak going on, and so John is primed and ready for a fight this year. And I am ready to gloat. A victory for my team earns me bragging rights for a entire year. And he has to shut up. Until next season. As for the kids? Well,he won't allow me to put anything Buckeye-related on them, and I am the same about Michigan stuff. So they are Switzerland.

I never request off of work, but I do for the Ohio State-Michigan game. Every year. Not for Christmas or my birthday. But just for that game.

So, on that note, let the War begin. And excuse the language in the following clip, knowing that all's fair right now.


(Incidentally, this video is a clip from a documentary done by HBO on The Rivalry. And yes, I do know the words to, and sing, the We Don't Give a Damn for the Whole State of Michigan song they sing in the clip. I am that hardcore. )

O-H.....