At the end of a tumultuous tenure, most rational Ohio State fans can agree that The Team Up North finally did something right when it hired Kyle Whittingham. The new head football coach is as classy as they come, and in the twilight of his career, he'll stabilize a program that has been riddled with controversy for the past several years. Buckeye Nation may dislike the guy because of the colors he'll wear on Saturday afternoons, but it would be a stretch to hate the man.
The new head coach at Michigan comes from a different era. One where you let your play on the field do the talking. An era where you played as hard as you could, and at the end of the game, you shake your opponent's hand after a hard-fought competition. No flag planting. No shoulder checks in the tunnel. No standing at midfield hoping for a brawl. Just respect for the game. And that's exactly what Whittingham brings to this next edition of the rivalry.
When asked about the hatred that has boiled over in recent years, Whittingham didn't hold back. It was a response that some fans on the fringe will scoff at, but a refreshing response for those of us who love the game and love this rivalry.
"I've learned how intense that rivalry is and how important the game is," Whittingham said at Big Ten media days. "Hate is a strong word, but I want to win that game as badly as anybody in Ann Arbor."
What an outstanding answer. This is what athletics was meant to be. Leave it all on the field and let the chips fall where they may.

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