Twitter Reactions: A Win Against Michigan Is A Family Affair

By Johnny Ginter on November 29, 2015 at 8:30 am
The party never stops
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And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what The Game is about.

Literally swaddled in the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry, the voice of that infant, which is now being used to convey basic wants and needs, will one day be used to cheer on the Buckeyes in some future iteration of a football game that stretches back a hundred years in the past. And when that happens, that voice will be joined by a hundred thousand voices, all shouting for the same purpose. It's a scarlet and grey thread that connects generations upon generations of people, starting before the Spanish-American war, working its way toward the Great Depression, winding through the Civil Rights Movement, wrapping around the rise of the rust belt, and it continues on today.

I mean, yeah, it's football. Ultimately it's a silly sport played by thoroughly (and entertainingly) silly people. The importance that we give to individual games probably shouldn't compare to the importance that we give to stuff like friends or family.

But on the other hand... football in Ohio kind of creates family and friends. In a state of almost 12 million people, from all different backgrounds and walks of life and political persuasions, the one constant that we can almost always rely on is Ohio State football. I can walk into a gym or a restaurant or a park or wherever and after a few minutes of awkward conversation with someone that I meet there, we'll inevitably shift to the Buckeyes and why isn't Braxton more involved in the offense and man Jalin Marshall is an underrated receiver and dang we're going to miss Joey Bosa. And then a connection is made, and the world gets a little less grim and a little more friendly. Even if it's for like 30 seconds.

That's the value of the Ohio State-Michigan game. It's not that we're all invested in a game, it's that we're all invested in a game. Those bonds, created by sacks and touchdowns and interceptions, mean a lot. So congrats, Screaming Baby! You're in the club! And when you're old enough to get a decent grasp on the English language, we'll be here to welcome you to the party.

Today's Twitter Reax post is going to be divided into two parts: The Game, which is the fun stuff, and Family, which is still the fun stuff but it's a little more poignant. Here we go!

The Game

Family

It's a little weird not having a Big Ten Championship Game to get pumped for, but things still look good for a marquee New Year's Day Bowl. See you guys then!

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