For most seventh graders,life doesn't get much harder than a history test.But for Grant Reed of Bellville,Ohio,it's his own current events that are so painful."Honestly,I don't want to die,"Grant says.Last year,doctors at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus found a tumor in Grant's brain.They cut it out,but the surgery left him with stroke--like symptoms.Plus,he had to go through months of radiation and chemotherapy to try to stop the spread of the disease.     Yet,through it all,Grant has shown remarkable determination,which he owes, partly,to Ohio State football.His parents,Troy and Denise,were both in the OSU marching band and fell in love during halftime of the Michigan game.His cat is named   after the team Buckeye.His wardrobe is painted scarlet(the color1 of the team's sportswear).The point is,almost nothing mattered more to Grant than Ohio State  football-until he got sick,of course.     ''I didn't like the word cancer,"Grant says.So he decided not to use the word.Instead,the kid named his cancer Michigan and insisted everyone in his life refer to it as such,because Ohio State always beats Michigan.That was something he could understand and make it into a competition.He was going to beat this disease.     It's now been more than a year since Grant issued that announcement."And if you look at his scans,"Dr.Randal Olshefski at Nationwide Children's says,"There's nothing there.There's a big space,but there's no tumor.''     "Grant is beating Michigan.And although much of it has to go to science,don't discount the semantics .You have to do something to make it a disease you can fight.And for Grant,that was naming it Michigan."his parents say.     This weekend,Ohio State and Michigan will be battling like their lives depend on it.But in this house,the Reed family will be watching with a calm insight:it's just a game. Why did Grant name his cancer Michigan?
Because he dare not face it. Because he doesn't want to die. Because Michigan is his favorite team. Because his favorite team can always beat Michigan