I Apologize In Advance for the Lifetime of Pain...

Sohum, Saavan, and Nana, waiting for kickoff.

There's an episode of "The Sopranos" where Tony's son, A.J., after performing particularly well in high school football practice, is told by the coach that he's earned a starting spot on the team and the additional responsibility that comes with the role. In response to the news, A.J. blacks out, the result of what turns out to be a panic attack - the same affliction from which Tony suffers and for which he is in therapy. When Tony later tells this story to his therapist, he starts to cry, devastated that of all the things that he could have passed on to his son, he's given A.J. the same disorder that he believes renders him weak and ineffective as a mob boss.

Why is this relevant? Because of what I find myself unwillingly giving to Saavan - my irrational love of Michigan football. That love, like a temperamental mistress (from what I hear), is often unrequited, and will needlessly and unmercifully break his heart. And as with me, the more heartbreak from which he suffers, the more he'll love the team. I told you - it's irrational. It's also all-consuming, and causes people ("people" = "me") to do idiotic things. For example, in 2001, Michigan lost a heartbreaker to its in-state rival, Michigan State, on a horrifically blown call that gave State one more second to run a play, when in fact the game should have ended. Jesus; to this day I get angry talking about it. Anyways, when the game was over, I needed a release for my pent up rage. Accordingly, I punched a hole in the wall of our apartment. Which was a totally appropriate reaction given the circumstance.

I hope that Saavan can exercise a little more discipline and self-control, but given that he's my offspring, I'm not holding my breath.

Saavan experienced his first Michigan game this past Saturday. And while he wasn't paying close attention (his thoughts were occupied by his new octopus toy), Michigan still found a way to break his heart, playing crappy in the first half, making it close in the second, and still losing (to Utah, 25-23).* Actually, Saavan was unfazed by this turn of events, but because it made his dad sad, I'm saying that Saav was sad too. Don't argue with me. So this is my sickness, and I've passed it along to my boy. In advance Saavan, I apologize.

Unless you get to experience what we did in 1997, when Woodson won the Heisman, and Michigan won the national championship. That was frickin' awesome.

*Saavan - you were born just in time for the Rich Rodriguez era of "spread n' shred" Michigan football, after 40 years of Bo Schembechler's grind it out style. Literally, what you are watching is not your father's Michigan football. It promises to be very exciting, even if your first game was anything but. Just hang in there buddy!