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The clothing in Ann Arbor certainly conveyed a welcoming message to visitors from Ohio State.

(Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News)

I don’t necessarily know for certain that I was the intended target of the champagne bottle that smashed on the sidewalk in front of a house on Ann Arbor’s Church Street.

But, a University of Michigan frat boy had just given me two middle fingers. And, a lady Wolverine had just screamed a four-word sentence at me, in which the only word I can put in print was “you.”

A very nervous Kyle Feldscher.

Oh, and I was wearing a glaringly red Ohio State shirt. So, I’m thinking there’s a chance that maybe that broken bottle was a little bit of a message.

Last November, I traveled to Columbus to see how Michigan fans are treated when they make the trip to their archrival's home base. I figured it was only fair I make a return effort in Ann Arbor for this year's game.

Last year, I caught some grief for not donning U-M gear to put myself in the line of fire. So, I bought a scarlet-and-gray T-shirt, tossed it over a hoodie and made my way into the streets of Ann Arbor.

It took 20 minutes before I got my first “F--- Ohio.” Needless to say, it would not be the last.

Here's what I found out during my two-hour trek: Apparently, I’m ugly. My beard is ugly. My jeans are too tight. I’m going the wrong way. I need to go home. Columbus is that way. And, above all, Ohio apparently sucks.

Luckily, most of the things lobbed my way were just f-bombs. That champagne bottle was the exception to the rule, and honestly, I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt that it was just a drunk kid who was apparently done with his or her champagne.

Although I was a lone faux-Buckeye walking around Ann Arbor, I was surrounded by enough people in red that I never truly felt in danger of physical harm. That feeling of safety increased steadily as I walked toward Michigan Stadium.

For the most part I wasn't bothered south of the stadium, but I had my weirdest experience of the day in the Pioneer High School parking lot. Two men ran up behind me and started rubbing the promotional foam Wolverine hands against my derriere. I laughed, because seriously WHAT?, and turned around to face these two gentlemen.

The two men, probably in their 30s and wearing maize and blue, duly informed me that Michigan would be in my, and Ohio State’s, butt all day. I’m not entirely sure what they meant, so I just kept on walking.

I took the long way back to my South Division Street apartment, walking through the students headed to The Big House because I needed one last dose of abuse.

Walking upstream in this gauntlet of U-M fans on Greene Street was a little daunting for a lonely fake Buckeye.

Overall, the experience was about what I expected. When you’re a visiting fan in any college town, you should expect a certain amount of verbal abuse. And, in a rivalry as intense as this one, that amount of abuse will likely be multiplied a few times.

Some might remember that last year in Columbus, my car got keyed while parked in a garage near Ohio Stadium. I'm just hoping no one saw me walk into my apartment and will take a similar type of revenge on my home.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a shirt to burn — after all, my Michigan State Spartans gotta play those guys in Indianapolis next week.



Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for The Ann Arbor News. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@mlive.com or you can follow him on Twitter. Find all Washtenaw County crime stories here.