March Madness
Michigan storming back from seven runs down in the bottom of the 9th to beat Michigan State is the madness March truly deserves
Do you remember October 17th, 2015? Chances are you don’t. Some fall day, over half a decade ago. Who cares? Michigan Wolverines fans, that’s who. You see, on October 17th, 2015, the 12th-ranked Wolverines lined up to punt on 4th and two from the Spartans' 47, leading their 7th-ranked in-state rivals 23-21 with 10 seconds remaining. Barring a catastrophe/miracle (a catastracle?), the Wolverines had the Paul Bunyan Trophy in their paws. Then disaster struck.
For six long years, the Wolverines have waited to avenge that heartbreaking loss, and on Sunday, on a different field in a different sport, they finally did. Ladies and gentleman, we give you March madness.
Unless you’re the Edwin Diaz-era Mets, there’s no reason to sweat a seven-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. Statistics would tell you to simply turn off the TV and use that extra 12 minutes of your time to floss your teeth and take out the trash. But every now and then something special happens, and Sunday was one of those now-and-thens.
The rally starts innocently enough, with a groundball single to left. Even the Michigan play-by-play announcer sounds like he would rather be on the moon than in the booth for the next three outs. But when the bases load at 7-2 with nobody out, the mood has brightens considerably. Michigan cuts the lead to four with an infield bloop (“a real man makes his own luck - Billy Zane” - Derek Zoolander) before making it 7-6 with a bases-clearing double. The Michigan dugout and broadcasters go wild. Then, fatefully, DH Jimmy Obertop (real name) steps to the plate and goes oppo-taco to walk it off. Comeback confirmed. Revenge complete.
Will this be the moment that saves Michigan athletics? Will the Wolverines take this momentum and roll LSU in the NCAA Tournament on Monday and make a run to the Final Four? Will Jim Harbaugh get that elusive dubya against Ohio State Wisconsin? Only time will tell, but after this comeback, anything seems possible.