So yesterday the Blob opined yet again on why it loves college football better than the pro version, and why it's way, way, better than the pro version.
Today we enter further evidence into the record.
It comes from South Bend, where Saturday night Notre Dame opens the season by hosting Michigan, with whom it has had a long and complicated relationship going back to the days of Knute Rockne and Fielding Yost. Huge gaps appear in the timeline of the rivalry, which seems odd until you consider the remarkable (and deliciously petty) enmity that has seasoned their relationship.
At one point, for instance, the two schools terminated the series for almost three-and-a-half decades because Yost accused Notre Dame of using two ineligible players in the 1909 game (and later used his influence to keep the Irish out of the Big Ten.) This touched off the sort of exchange you generally see only between feuding siblings still in the Garanimals stage.
"You cheated!" Michigan said, essentially.
"Did not!" Notre Dame replied, essentially.
"Did so!"
"Did not!"
"Did so ! So we're not playin' you anymore!"
Fine!"
"Fine!"
Anyway ... the Fighting Irish and Wolverines renew all of this Saturday night, and it's nice to know some things haven't changed. This week, to commemorate the occasion, South Bend has changed the name of Michigan Street in downtown South Bend to -- ta-da! -- Fighting Irish Drive.
This because "Michigan" is not a word anyone wants to use in South Bend this week -- an attitude reminiscent of the late Woody Hayes, who famously refused to say the word "Michigan," instead referring to it as "that school up north."
Lovely. Just lovely.
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