A storied rivalry? Maybe not.

Sports Illustrated.com reports Notre Dame is opting out of its annual football game against Michigan.  The story is presented as the end of a rivalry that "dates to 1887."

You might be thinking that it is a shame that a 125-year-old series of football games is coming to an end.  You would be wrong to think that.  The article goes on to acknowledge that the schools did not play games against each other from 1910-1941 and from 1944-1977.  By my math that is 64 years of no games.  But, 125-year-old rivalry sounds a lot more important than a 35-year-old one.  Thus the reference to 1887.

The article fails to mention that the real tragedy about the end of the series is that this game guaranteed that one of the participants would lose.  Some people will tell you that it never gets old watching Notre Dame or Michigan lose.