From JuJu with Love

College Football, Cuba, and the Bet That Cost My Dog Her Dignity

Some rivalries are friendly.

Some are fierce.

And some are destined to follow you all the way to Havana, Cuba.

My friend Bill, who is also my wonderful tour leader, is a proud graduate of Ohio State University—a Buckeye through and through. Me? I’m a lifelong, unapologetic University of Michigan alum. Go Blue isn’t just a slogan in my family; it’s practically a genetic trait. My parents, my sister, my nieces, cousins, aunts, uncles—Wolverines, all of us.

A few years ago, Bill and I decided to make our annual Michigan–Ohio State showdown a little more interesting. We placed a bet: whoever lost had to wear the winning team’s T-shirt for an entire day on our next trip together.

Well… Bill lost.

Then he lost again.

Two years in a row.

The punishment? He had to wear a Michigan T-shirt for a full day while we were vacationing in Cuba.

Now, to be fair, Bill absolutely refused to buy his own Michigan shirt—which I completely understood. There is no universe in which I would ever voluntarily purchase Ohio State gear either. So I bought the shirt for him and sent it along.

What Bill didn’t know was that I didn’t stop there.

Before the trip, I quietly bought Michigan T-shirts for about half a dozen other travelers—each one proudly proclaiming Michigan Friend. We coordinated. We planned. We waited.

Bill walked into the restaurant in our hotel wearing his Michigan shirt, already resigned to his fate… and was immediately greeted by a sea of maize and blue. One by one, we all stood up, smiling sweetly, Michigan logos front and center.

Bill froze.

Then—no exaggeration—he literally dropped to his knees on the restaurant floor.

The Buckeye had been conquered.

In Cuba.

At breakfast.

Of course, rivalries like this don’t end. They just wait patiently for their comeback tour.

It remains one of my favorite travel memories: proof that some rivalries transcend borders, languages, and even international politics — and that victory is always sweeter when shared with friends… Preferably wearing matching Michigan T-shirts. 

This year, Bill got his revenge.

He joined me in Ann Arbor, right in the heart of Wolverine country, for the big game—and heartbreakingly, my Wolverines fell to his Buckeyes. I will admit this once, and only once: Ohio State University won. And University of Michigan did not.

But this year, we upped the ante.

No more forcing us to wear rival gear.

This time, the bet involved our dogs.

The rule was simple: the losing human’s dog had to wear the winning school’s jersey—and photographic evidence had to be posted publicly on Facebook.

Friends, I lost twice that day.

My poor, innocent Maizey (who was named for the Maize and Blue school colors) was forced into an Ohio State Buckeyes jersey. She looked confused. Betrayed. Emotionally conflicted. And yet… adorable. I, meanwhile, had to do the unthinkable: post the photos for all the world (and my Wolverine family) to see.

Bill was thrilled. Absolutely thrilled.

And while I may never emotionally recover from seeing my dog in scarlet and gray, I will say this: rivalries are sweeter when they’re shared, revenge is best served with a wagging tail, and somewhere deep down—even Bill knows—this story still belongs to Michigan.

Because let’s be honest:

I made him fall to his knees in Havana.

That’s forever. 〽️💙💛

From Juju with love 💙✈️