11.18.2023 – those whom God wishes

those whom God wishes
to destroy, he first deprives
of reason, makes proud

Readers of this blog with know that 1) I am a fan of the University of Michigan Football team and 2) I have been tracking the accumulated wins of the football program to 1000 wins for some years.

I predicted this win would come in 2023 but along came Covid.

No matter, I figured nothing could stop the wins from piling up until Michigan was the first team ever in organized american football to win 1000 games.

Never did I imagine that HOW they won those games would be called into question.

Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat.

The saying is Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.

Literally from the Latin it can be translated as Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first deprives of reason.

Boy howdy but does that seem to fit the bill.

The Coaching staff at Michigan had to have lost their minds and all reason to embrace and allow such a nutzo-dumbo scheme for stealing signs from other teams as is being documented in the newspapers daily.

I keep asking why?

Then I remember how Tom Clancy adapted the phrase.

He wrote, “Those whom God wishes to destroy … he first makes proud.“

There it is.

Caught with no alibi and no explanation.

Proud.

Pride.

So dumb.

I have been waiting for this day for years and it’s dead sea fruit that turns to ashes in my mouth.

At one point in my life we lived across the street from Dr. Julius Franks who was the first All American Football player at Michigan who happened to be black.

I was despondent after a game that Michigan lost one weekend and he looked at me and said, “None of that. No time for that. Got to get back up. Got a game next week. No time for that.”

As a side note, Dr. Franks once took me and my sons to a Western Michigan Football game (where he was a Regent (ex-officio) and on the drive we talked about everything under the sun.

Without warning, I changed the subject and asked, “How did your team do against Notre Dame?”

Remember this was on a long drive on a fall afternoon and we had been talking about everything under the sun.

“Beat them!“, Dr. Franks responded without hestitation, “We went down there and Beat them!”

It had been more than 40 years ago.

So Michigan has won 1000 games.

It isn’t the way I planned to feel.

It isn’t the way I wanted it to happen.

But no time for that.

Nope, none of that.

So for me and the boys of 811 Packard in Ann Arbor.

And for the years of living with 4 guys in a 2 person apartment.

For all the blue books and papers.

And all the memories of what has gone on before.

And all the memories of what has gone on since.

Michigan has won 1000 football games.

I have been lucky to be a part of it.

Go Blue!