Hail!

Today, after seven years, the University of Michigan’s football team beat Ohio State University in their annual fall match up 40 - 34. There have been 108 games in the series – Michigan winning 58, Ohio State winning 43; there have been six ties and one victory by Ohio State was vacated due to NCAA violations (2010). The first meeting was October 17, 1897 in Ann Arbor with Michigan carrying the day 34 – 0.

OSU's "Big Nut" visits my friends' tailgate prior to the game

In my life, the faces of the rivalry were undoubtedly Woody Hayes of OSU and Bo Schembechler of UM. Although the two’s last meeting was in 1978, their “ten-year war” still casts a long shadow that elicits emotions yet today. The final tally from those years saw Bo with a 5-4-1 record against Woody. Both of these legendary coaches have passed away.

Wandering around the stadium area this morning, fans garbed in partisan colors were evident (being a home game, maize and blue outshone scarlet and gray by about a 25:1 margin) and good-natured ribbing was bantered between the tailgates. And not all tailgates were purely UM or OSU – there were several where the grill was staffed by a Wolverine while a Buckeye was serving beers.

While bookies and sports pundits assigned Michigan as a favorite going into today’s matchup, every fan of this rivalry denied that either team had a clear edge going into the game. Several lead changes throughout the game and startling momentum shifts underscored the clear unpredictability of the game. That’s what made it so fun – despite punting my heart into my throat more than a few times!

Rivalries, with proper perspective, do something special for us. We rally behind our teams win or lose and revel when our boy’s bring one home or temper our disappointment with “wait until next year.” It’s a healthy day of emotion, fellowship, and, in most cases, sportsmanship.

Why is it, then, that personal rivalry – among family members, co-workers, or social circles – can become so ugly? It is as though the bulwarks of sportsmanship and fair play can get dismissed in a “win-at-all-costs” emotional scrum. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve been guilty of this – that beating another or simply seeing their misfortune has been of too great a delight to me.

A distinction probably is important: there is no sin in being driven to be the best – as measured by your performance and output. But to be the best based on other’s misfortune is entirely a different animal. Cutting the legs out from under one’s personal rival proves only one thing – that you are more vicious than him or her – not that you are the better salesperson, tradesman, academic, parent, administrator, sibling, etc.

While no one (especially me) likes to lose, being out performed by another can spell opportunity. Instead of going on the attack or bemoaning personal shortfalls, focus on the new day. What else can I bring to the field of battle to shine? What is deep within me that I’ve not yet found? How do I overcome self-imposed obstacles?

I have no universal answers. I will, however, share an inspiring clip that I’ll pull out from time to time when I’m faced with what seems insurmountable. I believe this to be one of the best acted scenes I’ve seen on film. Kenneth Branagh’s depiction of King Henry in the 1989 film Henry V (based on Shakespeare’s play The Life of Henry the Fifth). Produced by Bruce Sharman with the BBC and Branagh’s company Renaissance Films, the film includes a gritty depiction of the build up to the Battle of Agincourt (where the English were severely outnumbered by the French by a 6:1 estimate) that I find very inspiring – I hope you do too.



Reach within; be your best. Oh, and, congratulations Wolverines on a great victory today!