Gameday Eve Eve

Currently, the "Countdown to Judgement Day" Clock on ESPN.com reads:

01 Days, 16 Hours, 26 Minutes

The media swarm around this game is still in full blast, but not quite as overpowering as it was on Monday. I'm sure it will get totally ridiculous tomorrow, though. Yesterday the debate on "Cold Pizza" was over the spread being 6.5 points, and which team would win. Skip Bayless was on Michigan's side again as he made a great argument for why Michigan has a good chance to win. (1) Clearly Michigan's schedule has been tougher than OSU's; people think Ohio's ability to score more points makes them better, but they've played more cupcakes than Michigan. A win against Texas was big in week 2, but Michigan stomped on Notre Dame and beat a Wisconsin team that is sitting there at 10-1 and no opportunity to go to a BCS bowl.
I'm hoping tomorrow will be when everyone finally gets out into town and gets pumped for the game. I'm skipping my lecture tomorrow to do work/watch ESPN Classic and listen to WTKA in the morning. Lloyd Carr was on ESPN Radio this morning on MIke & Mike, and he gave a great interview, probably one of his better ones. He normally doesn't like appeasing a lot of media, especially anyone who works for ABC/ESPN, but I think Mike Greenberg buttered him up by singing "Hail to the Victors".
Currently, I am watching the 1973 game that I downloaded off iTunes -- they have a 3-game pack to download that also will allow downloading of Saturday's showdown, it includes 1997 and 2002 as well. This 1973 game is legendary though. Michigan was down 10-0 and came back to tie in the 2nd half, and they drove down the field to have Mike "Supertoe" Lantry kick the game-winner, and he missed -- twice. The game ended in a tie and 10-0 Ohio State and 10-0 Michigan left the field with a tie on their records. Michigan was in line to be sent to the Rose Bowl, but the Big Ten athletic directors voted 6-4 to send Ohio State instead, all because they all hated Michigan so much. If it weren't for some old school football politics, Michigan could have gone to the Rose Bowl, and given Bo Schembechler his first Rose Bowl win, and maybe even a national championship. This is just one of the many things behind Saturday's game.

Jim Carty's Wednesday column
Cart's Thursday Column
ESPN's Judgement Day Page
Ivan Maisel on the UM 'D'