The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/90932
OLYMPIC SPORTS PROFILES Sibling Rivalry Fuels Latif Alashe Sibling rivalry is a normal thing, but most brothers don't make history while partaking in such. It is clear, then, that Northville, Mich., natives Latif and Fatai Alashe are not your normal set of brothers. Latif is a senior midfielder at Michi- gan and Fatai a sophomore midfielder at Michigan State. The two are the first set of brothers to ever compete against each other in Big Ten men's soccer play. But the two didn't necessarily butt heads growing up, despite each other's competitive passion cultivated through- out their childhood. "It is really funny when I look back as the older brother, we never really had the opportunity to play against each other much, and actually played to- gether at times in high school, "It is crazy that we are playing against each other in real games for the first times in our lives, especially in a rivalry like this. "It definitely makes for some fun family dinner conversations. " Latif said. offensive facilitator who consistently makes the correct decision with the ball at his feet, mealtime discourse has been less than enjoyable following a 1-0 loss to Michigan State and Fatai a year ago. "He has always been a funny guy that likes to crack a lot of jokes," Latif said. Although for Latif, who is an intelligent " return to him next year. He tried not to be too bad about it, but it is still a huge rivalry and he definitely gave it to me a little bit. In the weeks heading into the clash in East Lansing a year ago, the brotherly love remained, but so did the fact that the two were lining up against one an- other for the first time of their collegiate careers. But immediately following the start of the game, they became merely members of opposing sides trying to win an important conference contest. "We talked a little bit about what we " "There was a lot of teasing after they beat us last year, but it was all in fun. "It is something I hope to be able to Alashe is a senior midfielder at Michigan, while his brother Fatai is a sophomore midfielder at Michigan State, making them the first set of brothers to ever compete against each other in Big Ten men's soccer play. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS tinations, their treks were similar and started locally. Both were a part of win- ning club teams and both were stand- outs at Northville High School. While the older brother had the first shot at picking a school, he understood the importance of letting his younger brother make the decision for himself. "Being from the state, we both knew the tradition of Michigan and how great of a school it was, While both ended up at different des- expected to happen heading into the game, obviously we both expected to win," Latif said. "It was a little more inter- esting than any other game, but hon- estly it was surprisingly normal. "He met up with me on the field before the game, and we talked for a little bit. Once the whistle blew I didn't really no- tice him very much, he was just another opponent. " 114 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2012 bit of lobbying, but not too much. I put in a few good words, but at the end of the day it was his decision, so there was not much I could do. "Ultimately, I wanted him to do what was best for him, like I did before him, and think he did. I am happy for him." And what made the most sense for " Latif said. "I did a little team a year ago. Latif earned the same accolades in 2009, and was a second- team All-Big Ten honoree in 2011. The brothers will once again meet on the pitch Nov. 3 in Ann Arbor. The ri- valry will certainly transcend the broth- erhood, especially considering Latif's increased leadership role after being named co-captain for his final season as a Wolverine, and the lofty expectations both have brought into the season. "I think the sky is the limit, Fatai was to deviate from the path of his brother, something Latif foresaw while the recruiting process progressed. The decision paid dividends when Fatai was elected to the Big Ten All-Freshmen about his team, which will compete in the Big Ten Tournament Nov. 7-11. "We want to win the Big Ten title, and that goal is still attainable. "Myself, and the rest of our seniors, came here to be a part of the tradition that is Michigan. Our coach has talked about our legacy when we leave here, and if we can continue to win games, we can have a positive impact on this program. That is my personal goal and focus. " Latif said " — Kevin Minor