Ohio State - Michigan apocalypse

I've posted my thoughts on how the league should structure a few times and most recently a few weeks ago.  Since then there have been a few comments made from the athletic directors of both schools since that time. Here were the comments from the local papers (link attached) and I'm going pretty much to post them in full as they speak for themselves:

Below the break....




Gene Smith:

He said his comments were misconstrued. He said the Big Ten has not reached a decision about divisional alignment or the timing of the OSU-Michigan game. All he was doing was laying out the possible scenarios involving the future of the OSU-Michigan rivalry -- that the schools either would be in the same division or wouldn't and that that would still play the final regular-season week or not. He said when he answered a question about the possibility of OSU and Michigan being in different divisions and playing earlier, the student must have misinterpreted that as being the scenario that had been settled upon.

Smith said he had "no clue" which scenario will be adopted and that a decision is expected to be reached by the end of this month or early September. School officials had a conference call last Friday and are still in the data-gathering stage, Smith said. He said his overriding concern involving the Ohio State-Michigan game is that the game be played every year. That is unlikely to be an issue. It's virtually a given that the Big Ten's biggest rivalry will be played every year. "All I know is I went into this thing (insisting) we've got to play every single year," Smith said. "I was going into the meetings open-minded to ensure we do what’s best for conference from that point on."

David Brandon:

Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon, appearing Friday morning on WTKA 1050 AM, was asked by host Sam Webb if he thinks the rivals will be in the same division, when the breakdown is revealed, more than likely within the next month. Brandon answered after a long pause.

"No," Brandon said. "Because we're in a situation where one of the best things that could happen in my opinion in a given season would be the opportunity to play Ohio State twice, once during the regular season and once for the championship of the Big Ten."...

"I think there's a distinct possibility that that game will be a later game in the season, but not necessarily the last game of the season," Brandon said on WTKA. "And that's simply because ... I don't think the coaches, or the players or the fans or the networks or anyone would appreciate that matchup to happen twice within the same seven-day period. "However the divisional alignments occur, and I think we're getting closer and closer, I don't get to make the decision but I get one-12th of the vote. "We've been working a lot on this topic. I like the way it's coming around. I think it's going to be really exciting. What you're really going to want is the last game of the season to determine who's going to be the champion of that division and go to the championship game and play for all the marbles. From a scheduling, timing perspective, it's a new ballgame. And although I love playing Ohio State the last game of the year, I don't think it's necessarily a slam dunk that's going to continue."

Words escape me at this moment but I'm going to try to explain how I feel about how the two most powerful men in the Big Ten are treating the most important rivalry in college football. It is akin to losing a loved one and I feel like I'm going through the 7 stages of grief. As such I decided to look the 7 stages to see where I am on the chart. Here they are:

• SHOCK & DENIAL - You will probably react to learning of the loss with numbed disbelief. You may deny the reality of the loss at some level, in order to avoid the pain. Shock provides emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once. This may last for weeks
• My post two weeks ago might be construed as denial though in my defense I couldn't believe the Big Ten could be that stupid. 
• PAIN & GUILT - As the shock wears off, it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain. Although excruciating and almost unbearable, it is important that you experience the pain fully, and not hide it. 
• After seeing David Brandon's post that he'd prefer the teams to be split up I was definitely here.
• ANGER & BARGAINING - Frustration gives way to anger, and you may lash out and lay unwarranted blame. Please try to control this, as permanent damage to your relationships may result. This is a time for the release of bottled up emotion. You may rail against fate, questioning "Why me?" You may also try to bargain in vain with the powers that be for a way out of your despair.
• The more I think about it the more I see this is my current state. Unwarranted blame would be blaming the cheerleaders. I know exactly who to blame and their names are Delany, Smith, Brandon, Gee, and whoever is running that sorry @$%@$% excuse for a university up north.
• "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS - A long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you. This is a normal stage of grief, so do not be "talked out of it" by well-meaning outsiders. Encouragement from others is not helpful to you during this stage of grieving. During this time, you finally realize the true magnitude of your loss, and it depresses you. You may isolate yourself on purpose, reflect on things you did with your lost one, and focus on memories of the past. You may sense feelings of emptiness or despair.
• Does frequent instances of uncontrolled sobbing count?  If so then this one actually seems appropriate too. Perhaps I'm bouncing between 3 and 4.
• THE UPWARD TURN - As you start to adjust, your life becomes a little calmer and more organized. Your physical symptoms lessen, and your "depression" begins to lift slightly.
• OK I'm definitely not here.
• RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH - As you become more functional, your mind starts working again, and you will find yourself seeking realistic solutions to problems posed by life. You will start to work on practical and financial problems and reconstructing yourself and your life.
• I doubt I'm to this stage but I'll give it a shot ... problem -- the athletic directors at Ohio State and Michigan are idiots. I should put together a letter writing campaign to punish them for their stupidity. Hmmm... sounds like I'm still in Stage 3.
• ACCEPTANCE & HOPE - You learn to accept and deal with the reality of your situation. Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. Given the pain and turmoil you have experienced, you can never return to the carefree, untroubled YOU that existed before this tragedy. But you will find a way forward.
• Here's the thing. I do realize my words can do little to change the inevitability of what ever the leaders of the Big Ten decide but it shocks me how little they seem to care about tradition. Or the fact that they act like they are holding a pair of 2's when they have a freaking FULL HOUSE!!! Yeah... I'm definitely in stage 3. I've decided to buy a house there cause I can see I'll be staying a while.

Posting this really didn't help much but I've spent too much time on working through my grief.  It's time for action. Anyone know where to find tar and feathers????