Dan Murphy wrote an amusing article for ESPN.com on the Michigan v. Notre Dame rivalry. Murphy explains that a great rivalry needs more than just big names and big stakes. “What truly sets apart the great rivalries in college football, though, is the under-your-skin, petty arguments that keep rabid fan bases poking at each other . . .”

And the Michigan/ND rivalry has been petty from the start:

Rockne even wrote a novel in which a fictional "Coach Smith" served as the arrogant, selfish antagonist. It's no mystery as to who inspired the character.

Then again, Rockne had a point: Fielding Yost was an arrogant bastard! 

The Athletic Director who hired Yost, Charles A. Baird was also an arrogant bastard. To be fair, Baird was also a brilliant innovator who practically invented the role of modern, business-savvy college AD, but a get a load of this story . . .

The very first Rose Bowl was in January 1902 (1901 season). Since that was 117 years ago, of course it is the best team in Michigan football history. Including their 49-0 win over Stanford in that inaugural Rose Bowl, the Wolverines went 11-0, outscoring their opposition 550 to 0.

The only way that the president of the Tournament of Roses Parade could get Baird and Yost to bring their precious Michigan team to Pasadena, though, was by promising Baird a big cash advance. In addition, Baird demanded first class train tickets. 

Wagner offered Michigan $2 a day for meal money, to which Baird replied, "We won't come unless we can go comfortably and in reasonable style. We want $3 a day meal money."

Adjusting for inflation, the Rose Bowl had offered Baird, his coaches, and players, a per diem amount equivalent to about $60 in 2018 dollars. But Baird demanded the equivalent of $90 per day! In other words, these arrogant bastards have been part of the wine and cheese crowd for almost 120 years. 

A Michigan man never changes.