No. 7 Michigan State just defeated No. 12 Michigan in a close—razor's-edge close—rivalry game. The game ended with a miraculous Michigan State touchdown after recovering a fumbled Michigan punt. Emotions ran high and every moment counted.That's why, in the third quarter, when the Wolverines' defensive tackle Willie Henry came in with a late, belly-flopping hit and received an unnecessary roughness penalty, things got, well, contemplative. Sad. Beautiful. Poetry.After the whistles blew and flags were thrown, safety Jarrod Wilson found one of those flags, drifting, weightless in a place of suspended gravity. Like the armpit between waking life and dreams. He sees the flag and takes it, cradles it, wonders what its true purpose is.It's almost as if he knew what was going to come later in the game: anguish, tragedy, defeat. He even looks to his teammates after catching the flag, thinking to himself, "My God. What have you done?" Then gives a pause and corrects himself, "My God. What are you about to do?" It's as if he's having memories of the future. "But how can you have memories of the future?" he asks himself.Here, take a closer look:Jarrod, take a bubble bath tonight. Light a candle. Give pause to the beauty of this world. Because after a loss like that, the only place to find meaning will be in a wadded up piece of yellow cloth and sand.
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