Notre Dame's dismantling of Michigan last Saturday in South Bend has Wolverines fans in a quandary.
That's because this was supposed to be the year that the "Michigan Difference" would grab hold of the football program and elevate it to the level of the very best teams in the country.
It has been an extremely difficult decade for Michigan fans. The Wolverines have been sinking in the public eye, and all they can cling to are past glories and meaningless legacy jerseys.
Being a fan of Michigan football is still a badge of honor. Unless you're a Michigan fan, you probably think this statement is more Ann Arbor arrogance, but as I've tried to explain for years now, Michigan fans only care about Michigan. They believe what Michigan is selling -- hook, line and sinker.
The team, the team, the team is the beginning, the middle and the end. It's the Michigan mantra.
Michigan football fans are in it for life. They will never abandon the team because they love Michigan. The Wolverines are an obsession.
So it was with captivating interest that I tuned into Brady Hoke's post-game press conference to hear what Michigan's head man had to say about Saturday's embarrassment.
Hoke didn't offer much, but I chalked it up to him being as shell-shocked as his fan base. What could he say? Michigan was outclassed every way imaginable by the Fighting Irish.
But at his Monday press conference in Ann Arbor, Hoke had a message for Michigan fans when he was asked whether he thought they had already given up on his team.
"If they're truly fans, they'll believe in these kids and what they've done and the hard work they've put in," Hoke said. "If they're not, they won't."
Unfortunately for Hoke, the fans' ire and loss in confidence has nothing to do with the players. They're wearing the Maize and Blue and giving it their best.
It has everything to do with the coach.
