Shakespearean Opponents: Michigan Wolverines
by Lukateake on Oct 16, 2010 12:06 AM CDT
Email
Print[Bumped. As if we'd ever keep this off the front page this season. --AJ]
"Richard III"
Rich Rodriguez: Richard III
Lloyd Carr: Edward IV
Tate Forcier: Buckingham
Denard Robinson: Tyrrel
Honor and Tradition: The Princes
Jim Harbaugh: Richmond/Henry Tudor
The parallels are striking to Iowans conversant in the Bard.
His coat of arms is a hirsute boar and that heraldry elicits a fitting visage of the misshapen and manipulative Richard (Rodriguez), who fiendishly plots his path to the throne despite his older brother, King Edward IV (Carr), currently ensconced. The feeble sovereign is quickly toppled, hastened to his demise by Richard's rapaciousness and impatience, and thus sets in motion a maelstrom.
Piggish and pregnant with designs on the crown, Richard employs the serpentine services of his sycophantic confidant, Buckingham (Forcier). Together they mete out their unattenuated vengeance on those who would prevent Richard's ascendency, namely the Princes (Michigan football's honor and tradition), babe children of the deceased king.
When Buckingham balks at committing such a particularly heinous monstrosity, Richard enlists the services of the criminal, Tyrrel (Robinson), to smother the rightful heirs to the throne and bury their bodies in the Tower of London. And for Buckingham's apprehension to do Richard's bidding, it ends up costing the former cohort his head.
However, much like the sum total of the universe is zero, untamed aggression can only go unchecked for so long before a backlash. In a distant land the nobleman, Richmond (Harbaugh), consolidates his power to counter the now wildly amok Richard. Those courtiers who are either disaffected or disgusted by Richard's Machiavellian pursuits accrete at Richmond's side to rally for battle against the usurper.
Justice is swift for the ugly Richard as his army is overrun by superior numbers and strategy. In the fog of war, Richard having now lost nearly everything cries:
A defense, a defense, my kingdom for a defense
The just and righteous Richmond crosses swords with Richard and the Boar is vanquished; he is delivered unto Hell putrescent and grotesque with the nickname Dick.
# # #
Previous Chapters
IV: Penn State Nittany Lions -- "Julius Caesar"
III: Ball State Cardinals -- "As You Like It"
II: Arizona Wildcats -- "Macbeth" [sighs]
I: Iowa State Cyclones -- "Much Ado About Nothing"
Unless otherwise expressly indicated by BHGP editors, this FanPost is strictly the viewpoint of the author and is not endorsed by BHGP in any way.
11 comments
|
5 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I totally would use
the “that’s racist” gif in regard to Robinson being cast as the criminal Tyrrel, but I’m not insensitive and ignorant enough to defy the limitations that have been placed upon everyone due to the use of…. well, the “tricked-out” version.
Anyway…. phenomenal as always. My thoughts came down to either this or The Tempest.
Templeton Rye'd the Lightning.
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Oct 16, 2010 12:41 AM CDT reply actions
It was either Tyrrel or the shape-shifting Proteus...
… but the later selection required a dream sequence and technically, the Richard makes the reference to Proteus in Henry VI pt. 3, the prequel to Richard III. It was late, I punted.
I did like and take very seriously your suggestion for The Tempest. But I felt Richard III was a stronger match.
This ender up working better
than The Tempest would have. And you can save that for the tOSU matchup maybe. So many choices…
Templeton Rye'd the Lightning.
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Oct 17, 2010 2:04 AM CDT up reply actions
Perfect way to end the comparison
A defense, a defense, my kingdom for a defense
Richard will be saying this a lot today
"I shoot, I score. He shoots, I score." - Dan Gable
He'll be saying that a lot all year.
"I want to be a cowboy. I don't want to be a panda. Pandas are boring, stupid and boring. Bad panda!"
It wasn't my finest work, ReadingRambler.
Not that Shakespeare’s Richard III is obscure by any measure but this selection isn’t one of those that’s in the layperson’s consciousness. Having said that, I don’t want to go all 6th-grade Lit. with Romeo and Juliet either. Or maybe I should.
I’ll up my game this week. In high school, my amorous advances were spurned by a girl who went to Wisky so I can draw upon the fires of unrequited young love.
Jebus, now Romeo and Juliet doesn’t seem so pedestrian now that I think about it. Stay tuned!
It's tough to justify to myself Rec'ing
so many things… I don’t want to hand them out frivolously but with so much great content coming out lately I think I may have to be a little more generous. With all that said, I did Rec this
"I shoot, I score. He shoots, I score." - Dan Gable
by ClaybornSmash on Oct 18, 2010 3:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Black Heart Gold Pants
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
