Root For Michigan or Washington?

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Before 2014, we enjoyed watching the traditional "big four" bowl games (the Rose, Sugar, Cotton, and Orange) on January 1st.

We will watch the National Championship Game between the University of Michigan and the University of Washington tonight.

Root for which team?

When your favorite team lost, you could root for the surviving team of the conference to win.

In this case, I, as a Buckeye fan, should root for Michigan.

I decided to break my tradition by cheering for Washington.

The reason is not why I lived in the State of Washington for four years (2012-16).

I have joined my two hard-of-hearing tennis Deaflympians, Mary Reilly (Tait) and Paige Stringer, to cheer for their alma mater, the University of Washington.

These women contributed significantly to assisting the USA Deaf Tennis Team in the Deaflympics in 1993 and 1997 and the Maere Tennis Cup for Deaf Women in 1991, 1995, and 1999.

[1997 USA Deaf Tennis Team in the 1997 Deaflympic Games in Copenhagen. - (L to R) Jay Smithley of Indiana Wesleyan University (1 Gold and 1 Silver), Paige Stringer of University of Washington (2 Bronzes), Coach Rich Pepe, Mary Reilly Tait of University of Washington (2 Silvers), and Brad Minns of University of Toledo (1 Gold, one silver, and 1 Bronze). Photo Courtesy by Rich Pepe]

Please read “Should CSUSOP Consider if TSOADA Has Disabled USA Tennis Deaflympians?”

During her recruiting trip to the University of Washington in 1990, Paige first met Mary, then a junior, at the campus, although they had not known each other before. Paige accepted the scholarship to attend the university starting in 1991, and they became fast friends shortly after that.

At the University of Washington, Mary (1989-92) and Paige (1992-96) were named to the Pac-10 All-Academic Team in 1991 & 1992 and 1996 respectively. Mary was the Pac-10 Northern Division Player of the Year twice, in 1991 and 1992. She was ranked at 75 in the 1991 final Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Rankings.

When Mary was a senior and Paige was a frosh at UW in 1992, they played as the team’s No. 1 double team. One year later, they captured gold in the women’s double event in the 1993 Deaflympics in Sofia and silver in the 1997 Games in Copenhagen.

Paige and Mary in the late 2010s.Photo: Mary’s Facebook page.

Today, Mary is teaching elementary students in the area of Everett, Washington, while Paige is traveling around the world with her foundation, Global Foundation For Children With Hearing Loss, which she established in 2008.

I have wondered if Mary and Paige will sit together inside the NRG Stadium tonight.

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