2010 M Football- Ann Arbor is a….

So says Michigan Athletic David Brandon.  But all change isn’t progress.

As two of the most popular sports programs in the country both Michigan and Ohio State have made concessions to other Big Ten schools.  Surely, both could have held out for a bigger piece of the revenue from the Big Ten Network but to do so may have jeopardized the entire endeavor.

So sometimes you make a concession for the good of the whole.  Sometimes you need to look the big picture.

But whenever you head into a negotiation you need to have a firm understanding of what’s in play and what’s not.

From this fan’s perspective, it’s hard to imagine what’s worth trifling with the greatest rivalry in all of sports.

Exaggeration?  Not according to ESPN.  Not according to most fans of THE GAME.

So let the Big Ten have their made-for-TV, neutral site abomination otherwise known as the Big Ten Championship game.

Let them split the league into two divisions and institute some BS cross divisional protected rivalry scheme where some league games count in the division standings and some don’t.

But leave THE GAME out of it.

To leave the Michigan and Ohio State as cross division rivals, scheduled randomly cheapens the rivalry.  It reduces the game to little more than an exhibition with the hope that if everything works out right, maybe, perhaps they’ll meet a several weeks later in a game that really matters.

If the cheapening THE GAME is negotiable what isn’t?

The AD’s at Michigan and Ohio State will tell us that these changes are necessary but some things should be non-negotiable.

Meanwhile Ohio State recently announced for the second season in a row, that they would be wearing Nike throwback uniforms for THE GAME.

And the store is open in Ann Arbor…