not gonna do it
Freddy! That's huge for continuity!
Kevin Ruf, my M rugby skipper and M Law, is acting lead and writer in the Comedy Central series Halfway Home.
He's not half as funny as the Tom Harmon relief above, though.
Ron Kraemer stories I have in abundance. Kraemer-gesic stories pervade my fraternity, Sigma Chi.
Hope to see some of you on the beaches and off the wall in St. Croix USVI soon.
Cheery holidays all. Let the Florida loss go, the 2008 season should give our opponents plenty pause for concern going forward.
That football card is awesome, but why is does the Michigan logo look like a fox? No way is that a wolverine.
Bring me my McGuffie, Freddy. Bring me my McGuffie.
I like the thought of having a 4.3 guy(McGuffie) and a 4.4 guy(Brown) rotating in every other play. Then you've got a bolt of lightning like Avery Horn, and a couple of guys like Minor and Grady to grind it out in the redzone. Not bad.
What would Gregory House say about Rich Rod?
McGuffie not in the Rivals250. Discuss...
http://rivals100.rivals.com/view...asp?
ra_key=1738
if we get mcguffie AND TP, i am definately coming out of retirement in NCAA0X.
have a great Xmas, Brian.
Mdan,
Racism.
MDan - maybe Rivals watched that game on ESPN, when McGuffie finished all of his runs by running backwards into people? That was strange.
McGuffie is a 5 star on scout.com
screw a playoff....tho maybe i should read that link and then comment.
Folks, we've got a new idol in fucking Rich Rodriguez. He may not fully grasp Michigan's tradition or history (or tradition of heritage), but he instinctively knows what's best for the program. Re-hiring Jackson was a great move.
How much is McGuffie's downgrade by Rivals a function of his injured ankle?
Does anyone know how likely it is Barwis comes with Rodriguez?
The virtue of a playoff is that it applies only one, very unambiguous standard under uniform circumstances, and a very adequate one: win. The team that accomplishes this has performed the best, and therefore is the champion. Ipso facto.
not a bad arguement...but i would add this:
The team that accomplishes this has performed the best, and therefore is the champion, ignoring the previous 12 weeks of the regular season.
I think the "who needs a National Champion anyway" objection is the one that ultimately pulls me against a playoff. I mean, sure, having a National Championship game is nice and all. And if nothing else, this all gives us something to debate. But at the end of the day, the madness that is the regular season is just more fun and more important to me than any method designed to pick a "real" national champion (and playoffs are no guarantee of that, as a one game sample doesn't tell you anything), and I push back on anything that threatens to rob me of freaking out about Kentucky-LSU during the regular season.
""I don't know if it was ultimate fighting or what, but he did something crazy and he was always wrestling with us," Beilein said Wednesday. "We thought we could catch him off guard and go get him."
That was a mistake.
"Bad idea," Gansey said. "We both jumped on him and you know how every part of his body is like a rock? He had me on his back and gently put me on the ground and gave me a neck strangle and blacked me out for like 20 seconds. No lie.
"All my teammates saw it and at the click of his fingers I was back to normal. Crazy, huh? But that showed how strong he was and all the stuff he can do - and nothing was wrong with me afterward.""
whoa.
A playoff probably can't even begin to address the inherent disadvantages of playing games several states and/or time zones away from home. So just like the bowls, there will always be controversy.
I'd say about a 70% SC coach comes
I think the "who needs a National Champion anyway" objection is the one that ultimately pulls me against a playoff. I mean, sure, having a National Championship game is nice and all. And if nothing else, this all gives us something to debate. But at the end of the day, the madness that is the regular season is just more fun and more important to me than any method designed to pick a "real" national champion (and playoffs are no guarantee of that, as a one game sample doesn't tell you anything), and I push back on anything that threatens to rob me of freaking out about Kentucky-LSU during the regular season.
AAB | 12.21.07 - 4:42 pm | #
I agree with this. #7 Duke played #8 Pitt last night in college basketball on national television at Madison Square Garden. Odds are, few of you saw it. The fact is, March Madness and the NCAA tournament, while great, have stripped the college basketball regular season of much of its luster. There's no way that a game like that between equally ranked teams in college football would (1) ever sneak up on the public or (2) have such little impact on the eventual championship. I'd hate to see a game like 2006 OSU be reduced to a mere trifle if both teams were essentially playing for who would get a first-round buy in an 9-team tournament.
"Bad idea," Gansey said. "We both jumped on him and you know how every part of his body is like a rock? He had me on his back and gently put me on the ground and gave me a neck strangle and blacked me out for like 20 seconds. No lie.
I'm all for a new S/C guy, but I'd prefer one who isn't potentially going to murder our players.
I think that a playoff system will be ushered in within the next 4 years. I mean every other devision in college football has a playoff system that seems to work/generate more excitement. All these mock tournys prove that we can keep the bowls in place with two play-in games and it would be a lot of fun. But on the contrary, I like the bowl games set beforehand and that's because I like to bet the games with 3 or 4 team parlays so I'm in favor of keeping the system the way it is, although I believe the change is coming in soon.
@ Meeechigan Dan
Pretty obvious why,he's not black
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Just realized something; bet I'm the only one in here taking a bath...
for everyone talking about a playoff, KEEP DREAMING. Come on, do you seriously think the NCAA is going to do away with the bowls? The only way it'll happen is if hell freezes over, and pigs fly, and these both have to take place on the 6th tuesday of Febuary.
I personally don't want a playoff, heck I don't even want a national championship game. I wish it went back to the way it used to be, where the team that finished #1 in the polls after the bowl game was the champion.
Wouldn't there be some sort of qualification for the playoff? I think the regular season would be important in the sense that the teams would have to make the playoff, similar to other sports. I doubt anyone thinks there should be a playoff including every single team in every single conference.
@AAB
"But at the end of the day, the madness that is the regular season is just more fun."
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Then watching the playoffs for the national championship?
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I want you to think hard about what you just said,then maybe, we'll allow you to return.
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Howdy!!
Going on break fellas so I thought this would be a great time to offer a fucking recap. I know, I'll use small words with few syllables.
1. Great fucking hire man. I totally feel coach-jacking WVU. In the words of "O-dawg" from one of the greatest movies ever (Menace II Society): "Break yo self fool".
2. Hey has anybody did analysis yet of RR record before Miami, Va Tech, and BC went all George Jefferson on the Big East and found that delux conference in the sky? I'll save you the trouble 27-22. Hey does anybody know his record vs the greatest game day coach on earf since George Halas, Dave Wannstadt? Its 4-3.
3. Merry Christmas in all seriousness and be safe fellas..
32nd!!!
please come to Ann Arbor, S&C guy. please
any other guesses on who gets rehired? MNB Dave wants Campbell. can't say i disagree.
Bring on the Aqua Net!!
Until somebody can show me how teams from the Big Ten (and other Northern climes) can have Home Field advantage in a playoff, I'm not buying it.
(voice of Keith Jackon)
Well folks have we got a burn burner for you tonight,this ones not only a burn burner it'll probly burn a few rows of corn as well.We've got Michigan vs. Oklahoma for the national championship.
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WHAT COULD BE BETTER?
So ESPN Classic is running the 84 holiday bowl vs BYU. Zergbroff looks hilarious at quarterback. He doesn't look to have any arm strength.
There will never be a playoff. The best we can hope for is a "plus one" system.
Anybody want any Frog Holler Stew?
Corretion (voice of Keith Jackon)
Well folks have we got a barn burner for you tonight,this ones not only a brn burner it'll probly burn a few rows of corn as well.We've got Michigan vs. Oklahoma for the national championship.
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WHAT COULD BE BETTER?
My my.
Dammit, sorry i cant spell
(voice of Keith Jackon)
Whoa Nellie,Touchdown Sam McGuffie's that little bastard can sure run!
agree with chicagoblue-----in addition, i think the increased focus on a playoff will come close to destroying games like indiana-purdue, western-central, etc.,
Well, I'll be gone for the next week and a half. You guys stay classy. Don't go rehiring Mike Debord or anything. That would not be a happy new year surprise.
The NCAA President already supports a plus one system.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/ne...tory?
id=3163681
Oh no, aint nobody leaving this fun old fashion christmas.
SOJ,
He beat VT in back to back years while the Hokies were in the top-10..those were in years 2 and 3 of his time at WVA..he was still rebuidling WVA at the time....i'm pretty sure at WVA now, he would own the Canes, beat BC more often than not and hold his own against the Hokies.....you have to put it in the proper perspecitve....he did win a co-champ when those guys were in the league, by the way..basically, he has three years when that trio was in the league. He took his lummps in year 1, but in year 2 and 3, he was 12-2 in big east play, with both losses to the Canes. Those were some pretty powerful Cane teams. So in his frist year he struggled, but by his second/third years he was breaking even against league powers VT and Miami and sharing league titles...just some "facts" to go with your perspective....otherwise, merry christmas to you, my scarlet and gray friend.
MDan,
Who care where Rivals puts him. RR will do well with him if McGuffie comes here, and thats all we care about.
Alright guys, have a good night. Maybe check in later.
I'm recording the Holiday Bowl... I know how it ends but seeing Bo will make me happy.
Okay Gentlemen I'm out,Everyone raise their glass of vodka to the new GO BLUE tonight. Adios
Anyone have any thoughts on other QB targets if we miss on Pryor?
The Rivals no. 2 ranked dual-threat QB is a four star named MarQueis Gray from Indianapolis, IN. He is uncommitted. I wonder if we would go after him. Or would we just not bring in a QB this year? Is it Pryor or bust?
Anybody got a camel non filter and 3 fingers of jack?
Tough day.
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formerly anon,
Wow, thats for pointing that out. I dont think I have seen that game since it happened. Hey, who says UM does not play in national title games??
For those we are up on history, We sucked that year, went 6-5. Harbaugh was a first year starter, but was lost for the year in game 5 w/ a separted shoulder. When he went out we were 3-1 with a win over #1 and defending champ Miami, but lost the next week to Washington, a team who eneded up in the Orange Bowl and in the top 10 that season, Losing Harbaugh killed yus. Chris Zurburgh and Russel Rein alternated at QB the rest of the year and were brutal!!
Now, I am really out!
@Anonymous
Yes. I think LSU-UK, UM-OSU, Oregon-USC, USC-ASU, LSU-FLA, LSU-ARk etc. etc. etc., in short, the madness that is the college football regular season, is more fun than a playoff for the national championship could ever be.
Remember the Poll ESPN had a while back that ranked the best rivalries in sports? Most of them were in College Football. I would hate to have that change because of an ill-conceived notion that we "need" a "clear-cut" national champion. Besides, what's wrong with half the good teams finishing the season on a high note?
My final thoughts before I jack out for the holidays:
1. I'm very 'meh' and somewhat negative on the entire M coaching staff, including Fred Jackson. When he was OC in the mid-90s, he was awful, IMO. The very next season after he was demoted to RB coach (and [NAME REDACTED] was named OC), Michigan won the national championship. Chew on that for a bit.
2. I don't have any knowledge about McGuffie and whether he's worth keeping Jackson on staff. I intend to stay ignorant of specific recruits, because I refuse to emotionally invest in 18 year olds that may or may not play a f--king down of football for Michigan.
3. (political whining alert) Sanjay Gupta can kiss my ass. I haven't forgiven that little fucker since his hitjob on Michael Moore's film "Sicko," where it ended up that Sanjay Gupta himself had to offer a retraction and correction. Fuck you, Sanjay, and I'll continue to say that until you advocate for universal health care. Until then, Michigan Man or not, you're a whore for the health insurance companies.
4. Happy Holidays everyone, and have some nog on me!
Peace out.
Re: Playoffs.
If they come up with something where the southern teams have to come up north once in awhile to play a 1st or 2nd round game then count me in. Granted, this year I don't think it'd do much to slow down Tebow, but most years I think USC, UF, etc. would struggle to play an outdoor game in Michigan or Ohio in December.
Beyond that though, I really like the bowls. Best trips EVER are getting in a car with a bunch of your college buddies, spending a week somewhere warm, partying and finally watching a football game at the end of it all. Maybe some of you guys had more of a silver spoon growing up, but I know that financially I couldn't go to two or three playoff games and then a bowl game as a student. With one game to plan for and a few weeks of notice though it's easier to get a group together, find a cheap place to stay, etc. I'd rather have the stands filled with students and alums of the actual schools than what we have with the Final 4 where you need to win a lottery months (a year?) ahead of time, or be a high roller.
Happy Holidays Brian and all the regular Mgoblog comment posters.
Here is to a better 2008.
Cheers.
Michigan fan in the heart of Notre Dame.
I'm giddy about the S&C changes. Giddy, I say! I shudder to think how dominant Jake Long could have been with a modern S&C coach.
Barwis is coming.
SOOOOOO happy about Jackson. Even though he could still function as the theorized "mole" on the staff, given the firings, I think that RR won't really care if Jackson goes running to Carr. And Scotty would just be icing on the cake.
MVictors has the Huge Show interview with Bill Martin. Some interesting nuggets on the famous meeting in Toledo...
http://www.mvictors.com/
BTW...
DJ Woods runs a 4.35. McGuffie, 4.3. Stonum, 4.35. Brown 4.4, Hemingway, Avery Horn. RR should have some nice cogs to plug into his system.
Will our defense be fast too?
With Cissoko and Warren too, this team should be special in 2009.
Anyone for driving thru Morgantown and playing hail to the victors?
freep is reporting that Cissoko has decommitted to UM
cfaller - what the hell was that?
ncaa basketball regular season games are meaningless because (1) there are so many games and (2) so many teams get into the tourney.
in a football 8-team tourney, the games would matter MORE, not LESS. example from this year: Mich at Wisc. UM ranked #12 going into that game. No way you throw a game like they did if being in the top #8 gets you in.
so please, no more comparing the two sports and their regular seasons/tourneys. it is a red herring.
No Cissoko is recommited: "Yesterday I believe I said I had decommitted, but now I am holding court with my commitment after talking with the staff," Cissoko said. "I'm feeling pretty strong right now with my commitment."
"One of the new assistant coaches called me today, Coach [Tony] Gibson. He's the cornerback's coach so we talked not too long ago, about 5:00. He said he was excited about me. He said he believes I can come in there and shake things up and I have a chance to win a job early. It felt good talking to him."
Relax, people. Once these boys start talking our commits off the ledge, all will be well.
Ahhhhhh Mike Martin ND!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH ND Martin!!!!!
(until Stripling is rehired)
Just checking in to wish everybody a Merry Christmas (or religious holiday of your choice) and Happy New Year.
I wouldn't worry about the recruiting class too much. A couple people will probably de-commit. We'll probably pick up a few nice players we otherwise wouldn't have. Everything will be fine.
Take care and try not to overreact to the inevitable thrashing we're going to get from Florida. Nothing you see there is likely to have any relevance to next season!
Universal health care? Man, get off the pipe. Nxt thing you'll be wanting is free Gittle S&C.
Stripling was never fired. Did Martin decommitt?
I checked ND's Rivals site--no listing of Martin. The UM Rivals site says only that he is considering ND. I have not seen that he is a decommit.
why do people post things without any link?
Maybe Barwis can work with Grady until he gets pipes like Vernon Gholston and we can turn him into a LB or DE.
The archive stuff is way cool.
I'm looking good in this shot:
http://mvictors.com/WordPress/wp...am%
20heston.JPG
Is the director of football operations for UM being retained?
Anyone listen to the Dan Patrick interview with RR? Patrick has become such a dick. I think he confuses aggression in his questioning with "hard-hitting journalism." All of a sudden he's just sort of an asshole when he's asking questions. He did the same thing with Miles a few weeks ago.
God I'm sorry. I'm still listening to the interview, and now I REALLY want to punch Dan Patrick in the face. He just said, "I'm sorry coach, I'm just upset because this kids get hung out to dry in all this."
WTF? Since when is Dan Patrick college football's moral compass? Didn't he just leave ESPN for a better job?
And Patrick still doesn't understand the purpose of a buyout in a contract. Jesus. Sorry for the piecemeal posting. I didn't realize how long this interview is...
is there a link for the dan patrick interview?
Patrick seemed to be largely giving voice to the whining of the WVU fans. Rodriguez kept saying that his reasons for leaving were "complicated" (code for "I don't want to talk smack against WVU"), while Patrick seemed determined to try to get Rod to say something he would regret and turn the whole thing into an ugly soap opera.
Not a particularly pleasant interview.
is there a link for the dan patrick interview?
www.danpatrick.com
Select "Interviews".
RRod is third from left, top row.
thanks TennBlue
My sources tell me that Fred Jacskon will not be retained by Rich Rodriguez on the Michigan coaching staff....
My sources tell me that Fred Jacskon will not be retained by Rich Rodriguez on the Michigan coaching staff....
EEErhole | 12.22.07 - 12:41 am | #
My sources tell me that West Virginia fans are idiots.
bob davie speculating that mach Schellenberger to break out the pipe tonight after big NO bowl win over the U of M(elvis). no word yet as to what substance(s) that are in play here.
Bo was experimenting with Demetrius Brown back in Howard and my L-ville days but would not partake at coaching conventions. Frankly, it might have helped.
My sources tell me that West Virginia fans are idiots.
TennBlue | 12.22.07 - 12:49 am |
But my sources are never wrong....didn't they get the Rich Rodriguez thing......never mind.....
Sorry, too late at night. Didn't get the joke. DP interview had me cranky.
Barwis, is top notch. I spoke on the phone with him multiple times, one of my former players Tyler Relph (basketball) was at WVU for a year. I like his programs and he was always available to consult, good sign. I remember talking to him while we were in the gym, intense.
Listen to the interview with Dan Patrick (as mentioned above). What an asshole. He seems completely out to lunch and asks questions in a rude and bizarre way. Completely have lost respect for him.
I'm not a fan of Patrick's but I understand, to a degree, where he was coming from. It's never seemed right to me that athletes and coaches sign contracts when they only believe should be honored if they underperform and the owner/administrator fires them. RR had some other circumstances, I realize.
The most interesting thing in the interview was that Michigan contacted him a week after the Pitt loss. It's pretty amazing how much crap was written to attack Martin and predict candidates.
dan patrick is in idiot. you would think after the les miles interview that someone would have explained to him what a "buyout clause" is....
Son of Jorel: You can be skeptical all u want about RR and his big game ability but the last couple years have shown that you dont need a big game running the spread option to beat Tosu. And by the way that Florida coach that whipped you with it credits RR with creating it as it is today. GO BLUE
Didn't hear the Patrick interview, but I stopped listening to him when he had a regular gig on ESPN. He's an insufferably smug, full-of-himself asshole in love with his own hair.
Doesn't Dan Patrick have a producer or someone else who can explain what a buyout clause is? How long is he going to continue to make an ass of himself as he incorrectly makes accusations of people on incorrect premises?
Fellow Posters,
Have an enjoyable holiday season, and a healthy and prosperous New Year!
Anybody a subscriber to Scout.com? "surprising changes in the wee hours of the morning" concerning the coaching staff.
BooBoo is Gonzo - Ouch!
- BooBoo is not gonzo. He's talked to his new position coach (Gibson) and is feeling better. He'll still visit PSU.
- Stripling was "fired." He'll probably be re-hired according to the Detroit News (which has been wrong before - see below).
- Martin is just looking at ND. May visit.
- Today's Detroit News said that Beilein has asked RR about football players that may be able to help out the team. It may have been said in jest, but it was not reported as such. This would seem to disprove the theory that Beilein won't take FB players on the team, thereby slightly hurting our chances with Pryor.
- Today's Detroit News also called Cissoko "Cassock" which I thought was a Turkish article of clothing or mercenary. I'm not up on my Turkish culture.
Chris, where are you getting your info?
Little Henne, Hart update at the end of this one-
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.d.../712220381/
1054
And is there a follow up to this one? I thought he reaffirmed his commit later but I can't find it...
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.d.../312220003/
1054
WVU OC/our new OC, Calvin Magee, named Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Ass'n. He is also one of the five finalists for the Broyles Award.
Ahhh. MDan @ 8:50. Still can't find the article though.
I think this is the article: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.d...1/1054/
SPORTS06
Thanks. Weird they don't feature that one above the DEcommit. At least not where I looked.
@dougie -
Thanks - I like that article much better than the one I read about him leaving. I think BooBoo is very important to this recruiting class.
I see what I did.
Iiiiiiiii'm dumb.
coach rohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH59wUi8b-4&
feature=relatedds defense
What about a college football playoff that:
Keeps All Current Bowl Games In Place
Includes 16 Teams
Limits Additional Games
Reduces the Need/Desire for Teams to Schedule Non-Competitive Games
Retains most traditional bowl match ups
MRG, a "cossack" is a mercinary or member of a militant group from somewhere in Europe and Asia. If memory serves correctly, I think they're also good horseman and wear a hair style that is a shaved head with a long pony tail coming from the top of their head.
I have no idea why I know that, but it's one of those things that stuck in my mind from World History.
Also, my dad has PSU's Scout insider, and I'm reading their premium board. Those people are completely delusional and totally misinformed on all things Michigan (which they discuss kinda frequently). They're railing Rodriguez and writing that the only reason he rehired assistants was "because of the outcry" and that "this shows he has no integrity".
They all believe they're going to take Cissoko from us, when pretty much most of the evidence suggests otherwise. They're talking about their "system" and how Justin King is a "first day pick". It's total insanity.
Anyway, take that fwiw regarding the Scout insider sites. I think it's mostly crap.
This is great great news on Fred Jackson and likely with McGuffie coming and possibly Pryor, we could see Michigan turn stereo types on their head with the possibilty of a black qb and a white rb.
I'd hate to see a game like 2006 OSU be reduced to a mere trifle if both teams were essentially playing for who would get a first-round buy in an 9-team tournament.
While I'd hate that too, I think that it would be great to have a 4 team playoff. It's small enough not to interfere with traditional rivalries (usually). This year we'd have USC, Oklahoma, LSU, and my Buckeyes face off for supremecy. How awesome would that be?
Alternatively, we could have the 6 conference champions face off while giving the top two teams first round byes. It doesn't interfere with in-conference rivalries either. (Can you imagine how fast Notre Dame would join a conference then?) The only problem is that I don't know how fair that is to the Boises and Hawiis of the world.
* Hawaii (because I can spell).
Oh, football, where art thou?
Save me from this depressing basketball...
Beilein must know something we don't by taking the Michigan job. This team's talent level is HORRIBLE. You can see the players are playing hard, but there is scant talent on this team. UCLA is playing like crap and yet they're still way ahead.
Please take out Ron Coleman...
Gotta love Amaker's smarmy chuckle after beating his old team (shown in the pregame show)...
Give it a couple years, Michigan will massacre the Ivy-League cellar dweller Harvard will become... Amaker is a destroyer of dreams... for his own programs.
Did Deshawn Sims just make it rain?.. Starting to like this belein guy
Alright, basketball.
You've regained my interest.
I'm so sick of watching Gibson put up bricks...
But I can't see anything wrong with a 3-point lead at the half over UCLA. I love the hustle, love the effort, all we need to do is make our open looks. YES.
Win or lose this game, Beilein's coaching style and system is going to work wonders on that court in a few years. Just be patient folks.
Maybe if we put Gibson in cement shoes he'd stop taking the jumpers?
i like the way #2 moves with the ball... athletic
Anyone else hear Packer say that, even though Michigan was going to get beat, they weren't giving up at the 11:00 mark of the FIRST HALF??
No wonder I usually watch with the sound off.
Can anyone on this team shoot? Seams like we work the ball around well and get good looks- just can't hit them. Can't realyl complain at this point though.
If you weren't aware that Michigan couldn't shoot, you must have missed the entire Amaker era.
damn it.
1) it's Hawai'i
2) my problem w/ a playoff isn't the great formats (4-6-8-10-12-team) people present. it's that, if we do get a playoff, it will be 16 teams. there is no way the smaller conference teams will agree to anything but autobids for their conf. champs. plus, there needs to be plenty of room for ND. that's just the way it is.
We're hurting for shooters, but I'm not seeing many great looks either. Grady seems like he can get to the hoop - would like to see him driving and dishing more.
On a positive note, the defense looked good for three-quarters of the game, and you can tell the kids are giving it their all.
8 team playoff makes much more sense.
basically, 4 BCS games picked in a similar way to today, and seeded. play first round at all the different locations, play semi-finals in one place (two games), and the play the championship on the saturday before the superbowl. the hype would beyond amazing.
thoughts?
stuff starting to float in that it looks like Jackson to coach the rb's after a change of plans by RR and Loeffler likely to stay at qb coach......I wonder if this had to do with the meeting with RR, Mallett and Malletts dad?
Re: Penn State delusions, just imagine what Justin King may have been drafted had he come to UM. I've read several times NFL position coaches regard Michigan corners as the most pro-ready CB's to come out of college. If I were a star corner coming out of HS, my school choice would not be difficult. U of M education combined with pro-readiness at my position would be unbeatable.
I just talked to a UM fan who lives in FLA. It seems all her Gator fan co-workers are a bit worried the RR will help the current coaching staff stop (well, at least slow down) the spread they run. They don't seem worried about losing, but a few of them said they could see this being a preview of a MNC game in a few years. I have no idea how much they actually know/follow cfb, but she says they all wear gator ties on fridays before games, and spend all monday morning discussing the game. I hope this thinking is going on elsewhere. Just FWIW. Happy Holidays er'ybody.
RRod would only have Mallett around long enough to recruit his own QB. RRod has never coached a lumbering passer other than his first year at WVU (Brad Lewis), and they finish 3-8.
I think this whole NEED for a national championship takes away from the college football mystique. I enjoy watching who is the best in each conference and then waiting for the bowls to see how each conference matches up one on one. I agree that your season should show how good of a team you are instead of a one game and your out playoff system. Just go back to the bowl games and let us debate like we all like to about whose team is better than whose. The way it stands now, there are at least five teams that aren't even in the "NCG" that have a right to be there. Just scrap the whole BCS and get back to doing business the way they used to.
3 visitors? fuck this.
A Cossack is an Eastern European/West Asian ethnic group, traditionally associated with military service, mostly within the borders of the former Soviet Union.
A cassock, on the other hand,is the robe Catholic priests traditionally wear.
Basketball team could have used Barwis today in the second half. However, this team will be VERY good in two years.
Yo, anonymous, some of us have to make sure that Christmas comes. Having spent the early part of the season glued to this site, I've got some catching up to do!
1) Standard American English-Hawaii
-http://www.gohawaii.com/
- 2nd source: wikipedia
2) Dan K- I don't really like the idea of playoffs that are based on poll ranking over conference championships. It steals the meaning of games like 2006 tOSU-M*ch*g@n. Maybe the whole non-BCS conference objection could be remedied by wildcard slots, but I fear wildcards for the same reason I fear a poll ranking basis (For example,a wildcard this year would probably go to Georgia, making the fact that they didn't win their division meaningless). Also, conference championships carry more credibility than poll rankings, at least for me.
On another note: Wooooooooooo! We finally beat Florida! Yes!
The only visitor? fuck this.
Why do I have this confident feeling Michigan will beat Florida,and Henne will out play Tebow? Crazy
Hello Jim Tressel here,wanted to give my impressions of your new hire...what the...hello....where the hell everybody go....hello....I'm sacred...
7 people online, give me something for christ sake
Got the shopping done, grabbed a smoke and 3 fingers of Jack Daniels(neat,no ice)get on-line and no one wants to talk.
Just me huh?come on guys bars open and I'm buying,tell me what you're drinking.
Anonymous, I don't know how interesting it is to everyone (all 9 of us) but I did get an email from Bill Martin last night.
Dewars
Hey Carmen O. This is a Michigan board. It's okay to spell out Michigan - really. Notice the lack of juvenille OSuckU or O$U here.
Peace, out.
ok what did it read?
THE Glenlivet.
Dinner's eaten, I've had a lovely glass of wine. Entertain me, people.
It was in response to my "sorry I doubted you--you're obviously a damn genius" mea culpa after his hire of RR. I told him if he's ever out my way I'd even buy him a drink.
He thanked me for the note and said "so where are you buying?" I thought it was pretty classy given the tone I'd taken in several previous emails.
What are the chances that Cissoko stays with UM? How worried should I be about this Penn State visit?
I'm impressed he bothered to respond,but he's proably feeling pretty good about himself now.
Meeeeichigan dan made me feel a little better with this....... No Cissoko is recommited: "Yesterday I believe I said I had decommitted, but now I am holding court with my commitment after talking with the staff," Cissoko said. "I'm feeling pretty strong right now with my commitment."
"One of the new assistant coaches called me today, Coach [Tony] Gibson. He's the cornerback's coach so we talked not too long ago, about 5:00. He said he was excited about me. He said he believes I can come in there and shake things up and I have a chance to win a job early. It felt good talking to him."
Are the re-hires done or could there be a few more coaches that are kept? I understand why RR fired everyone but a shock like that to the coaching staff can't be good for recruiting.
New T-Shirt:
Michigan Football
Where The Weak Are Killed And Eaten
May lose a few. but what are you going to do?would you rather have Carr and all our recruits,or Rodriguez and lose a few?
....and the 2008 season began and Coach Rodriguez stood and said 'Cry Havoc!, and let slip the dogs of war.
I can't believe that people want to "go back to the way things used to be" regarding bowls. I take it, you enjoyed and completely agreed with the split national championship in the 1997 season?
The whole point of sports is to find out who is the best, and the way to do that is by haveing some kind of tournament. By voting in a popularity contest, college football is like ice skating.
*having
I'm definitely in favor of giving some members of Carr's staff the axe. I think it would have gone a little smoother if RichRod had decided who to keep in the beginning instead of doing a mass firing and then rehiring some coaches. I don't mean to complain b/c I'm still psyched about RichRod. Just a minor observation.
wassaaaaaaaaaaaaabi
Carmen O. This is a Michigan board. It's okay to spell out Michigan - really. Notice the lack of juvenille OSuckU or O$U here.
Dude, I'm already breaking all the laws of God and man by rooting for you guys in the Capital One bowl.
One of the two interviews Brian linked said he hopes to have this wrapped up by January 7.
He said in his presser that some staffers would be "rehired" which of course implies that they'd have been let go. Considering the way people bitched about the coaching all year, across the board, I can't really understand the consternation.
Wow, multiple mentions of Chris Zurburgg!
Nice that someone called Cissoko - hope it wasn't an NCAA violation, isn't this a "dead period"?
Also nice that the basketball team gave UCLA a game for a while - it's been too long since they've scared a ranked opponent. When they beat Dook one of these years I'll be official sold on Belien.
Time to go drink spiked eggnog, woo Christmas!
Schools can still call recruits during dead periods. They just can't meet face-to-face anywhere.
This is not hard to look up, if you aren't clear on recruiting rules, but it isn't as interesting as being scandalized.
Sorry if that came off grouchy -- I was looking at a WVU board and they are all pissy about "their" coach calling recruits and isn't this an NCAA violation? Woo!
How stupid do they think he is? No one's going to do anything that can be even faintly misconstrued while under the microscope.
"Dude, I'm already breaking all the laws of God and man by rooting for you guys in the Capital One bowl."
Carmen O
Me thinks you protest too much,are you secretly a closet Michigan Fan...I thought so.
Nah, I just like the blog. Emo week was classic.
Relax Cissoko's coming to Michigan,he just wants a little attention.
Bobby Bowden just called me. He wanted to know if I could fill in at nickel back for the bowl game. I guess they have a few spots to fill.
Read a Articial about Rodriguez a couple of his coaches he's bring with him fron West Virginia, were taking a tour of the stadium ,and as there walking though the tunnel one of the assistants,under his breath starts whistling the victors.Sounds like their excited to come here.
you remember where the article is from?
I haven't been this excited about Michigan football in a long time. Even last year, it seemed like I was just waiting for the impending end-of-season doom. I can't wait to see the spring game!
Can somebody give me a quick rundown of the Donovan Warren transfer rumors? gonna happen?
Does anybody know anything about D-Warrren?
Griese,
I live in Colorado and I'm thinking seriously about coming back for it. I think the contrast between it and the Crapital Bowl will speak volumes about what to expect next year. Though I think I'm a realist about what RR can do in the short run, I am excited to see what changes come in the next 4 months.
Have three fingers of Macallan and won't get as much sleep as I'd like between now and national signing day. I have visions of Barwis turning Slocum into Glen Dorsey.
I also can't wait for RichRod to open up a can of whupass on Dantonio and his countdown clock.
Harmon-izer:
Where are you in CO? I'm in SW Denver (Littleton).
This is the first I've heard of Warren leaving. Hopefully, it's just a rumor. I was actually looking forward to our secondary next year with Warren, Trent, and the addition of Cissoko.
Googling "donovan warren" and restricting to blogs gets the comment from the restricted board at Scout that a friend of his says it's just a rumor.
ColoradoBlue,
Louisville. We're off McCaslin, just north of 36.
"The whole point of sports is to find out who is the best,..."
Does that include Little League? It is virtually impossible to determine the best in college football. It is a marketing ploy by the networks among others. I, for one, loved having the Rose Bowl as a final destination because it gave a clear verdict as to who is the 'best" in those two conferences. The current system is obviously flawed and always will be, no matter what system is plugged in. The hype is worth money to the schools, conferences,and the networks so it is promoted.
The old system did produce a final champion and considerable room for discussion among other bowl winners. the subsequent polls added to the fun. It did, however, produce a smaller payroll. Now talk about extending the season for a few more games and a decisive champion will always be flawed and will extend the season for no educationally-valid reason. There are simply too many teams to allow such a system. Go back to the old system and enjoy a realistic and undisputed champion and still be on campus for second semester classes.
UCLA has got a hell of a field goal kicker.
UCLA has got a hell of a field goal kicker.
Other Chris | 12.22.07 - 11:14 pm | #
Too bad his line can't block for him when it matters.
Too bad one of Rich Rod's main guys is a db coach. Our secondary has always been impressive under Vance Bedford. Note the Morgan Trent transformation in the last year. Also, how about D-War being a ready starter as an OMG shirtless frosh.
We at least owe him recognition and a pat on the back on the way out.
Thanks Vance.
I would have liked to have had Bedford for the 2006 season in place of the woefully inept Ron Lee...
I personally thought that our secondary was sluggish and couldn't play the ball. Guys like Morgan Trent & Leon Hall come along with so much potential and are good, but never GREAT. Maybe just need some S & C help.
Morgan Trent came with potential .. at cornerback?
Dude was a 4-star lanky and fast WR coming out of high school.
Also, Leon Hall was not great? What is your definition of great? Charles Woodson? A guy like that comes along once every 20 years.
And Leon Hall was a 3-star corner - so anything he did probably exceeded what people thought his potential was. Regardless, 1st-team all-america corner would, I think, qualify as "great". Marlin Jackson also achieved that honor.
Trent and Harrison, FWIW, while not "great", are, IMO, perfectly solid corners. Heads and tails better than say, Markus Curry, Todd Howard, Jeremy LeSeur, Andre Weathers, James Whitley, and the slew of similar corners we've had since Woodson.
alex legion to illinois?
Wow, lots of interesting stuff in the Free Press today. One long profile of Rodriguez has his dad saying "I wouldn't be surprised if Rich goes to the NFL someday. Because that would be the next level."
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.d.../712230543/
1054
Another article saying that Les Miles called RR to say that if Pitt hadn't beaten VWU, he would have taken his "dream job" at Michigan.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.d...&
theme=COACHROD
Looks like Shawn Windsor gleaned a bunch of info by interviewing RR's parents.
I am ecstatic about the RR hire overall (as the second member of the RR Mafia), but I do wish that he had more passion and interest in Michigan tradition. Hopefully he will get there over time as he learns more about the program...between that comment that UM-OSU is "one of" the good rivalries to this stepping-stone-to-the-NFL stuff to the housecleaning with assistants (which I'm not that bothered by), it paints a picture of a guy for whom Michigan is just another job, but with more money and a bigger stadium.
Walter,
What you just said is my biggest fear, that we will regret not hiring a Michigan man. Look what RRod did to his alma mater... you don't think he'll leave us in the dust?
I think Coach Rod will have a much better feel for the OSU rivalry after he goes through the game for the first time.
I think there is a difference. They expected him to be happy with where they were at WVU, and were unwilling to keep working and spending to take the next step. For a competitive guy with ambition, it was unrealistic to stay there if they weren't going to keep up with him. It definitely sounded like the AD felt that RR should shut up and be happy with what he had, and doing more would be "giving in."
Leon Hall was a 4 star top 100 guy.
What you just said is my biggest fear, that we will regret not hiring a Michigan man. Look what RRod did to his alma mater... you don't think he'll leave us in the dust?
That sounds exactly like the crap that the WVU fans have been posting. Let's stay above that.
If RichRod bolts for the NFL in 5 years, then so be it. We'll get another coach and move on. I would love for him spend the rest of his career here, but we don't own him.
Other Chris,
I've heard RRod's side, that WVU admin wasn't willing to work with him, and I've also heard the other side of the story.... that WVU would have given it to him if he had just calmed the f*** down. They gave him everything he wanted when he threatened to leave for 'Bama the year before. They were going to do the same this year, but told him to chill out and focus on Oklahoma first. I'm guessing they were probably a little pissed that he was flirting two years in a row.... like a kind of: when will this end? type thing.
I thought that the things that were mentioned, though, were things that had been promised in the Alabama contract and not delivered on. And I'll see if I can find the quote from the AD about not giving in to him all the time.
If RR leaves in 4 or 5 years it means he will have had HUGE success, not just BT championships but BCS wins and maybe a NC...the Pro's are going to be pretty leary about hiring a college coach.
Now go beyond that if he goes pro he would likely need a pro staff, not a college staff elevated to the pro's. Is he going to leave all his friends out to dry? I would also imagine RR is more a small town kind of guy, and his family as well, not sure a move to say south beach is what he is looking for!
Chance yes, maybe 10% but I think its highly unlikely, he has a 20 year job here if he wins, its a gamble in the pro's. Heck just thought of another reason, in 5 years or so his son is going to be starting in jr high and high school, usually the worst time to jerk around a family.
Let's worry about beating Ohio St. once or twice before we starting getting concerned about our coach hypothetically leaving for the NFL.
Amen.
What you just said is my biggest fear, that we will regret not hiring a Michigan man.
Bo was not a "Michigan Man" when hired, and that turned out alright. Give RR a chance to get his bearings. We hired a a good, established coach. Let's be happy about that.
Listened to the Beano Cook podcast, and I think Beano is a goof ball but he is knowledgable...
Will RR win at Michigan?
BC "He is going to win huge, I think he is a extrodinary football coach in a conference of mostly average coaches"
You know what? Even if we don't get Barwis, I still think that we could get someone like him. Hopefully RR has become familiar enough with the training regimen that he knows what to expect of an S&C guy. Plus, Barwis could probably refer RR to other good S&C experts that he knows.
@Gnarls Woodson --
Bo wasn't a "Michigan Man" but he was a Big Ten guy and knew what Michigan stood for, much more than RR. I'm not saying this to bash RR -- as I said, I hope that he does get his bearings and becomes more rah rah about Michigan. And perhaps he's just trying to be humble, not act like he's a Michigan Man before he's paid his dues.
After reading the Windsor article I do think there is a greater chance that he bolts for the NFL. Mainly because the consensus view is that the spread option can't work in the NFL and he may be motivated to try to prove people wrong. If he does leave, hopefully it's after he's groomed some high-quality assistants who are ready to take his place without missing a beat.
If Michigan is looking for a new coach after X number of years, I'd rather have it be due to leaving for the NFL vs. poor record.
One implies a good legacy and strong foundaton, the other, not so much.
If Michigan is looking for a new coach after X number of years, I'd rather have it be due to leaving for the NFL vs. poor record.
Definitely. And although we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves talking about RR bolting for the NFL, the fact of the matter is that 1) he runs a spread option-type offense, that has never really translated well to the NFL, and 2) the college-coach-to-NFL paradigm has failed miserably in the last few years (thanks Saban and Petrino!). So hopefully, even if RR can establish a record of sustained success, it's not a slam dunk that he's going to have the NFL clamoring for him.
What? I leave for a couple days and people start losing their minds? Walter, relaaaaax. If the NFL comes calling for Rodriguez, as so many have said, we will have enjoyed a monster run in college football. And the NFL coming calling is a damn big IF. College coaches are proving every year in the NFL that they are a crappy gamble.
sup boys
Hello to the other two people on line. Maybe the three of us can pool our resources and get a life.
You know its bad when you're not even acknowledged as a visitor. 0 current visitors.
HaloScan, you dirty scoundrel you.
I'm feeling marginalized because anonymous has discriminated against me.
I'm enjoying having a quiet moment here.
7 visitors now. 8 I was on here last Sunday morning at about 4 a.m., and there were 40 or 50. We were having a pretty good conversation too. We need something else exciting to follow.
Hi, Guys,
One of the events surrounding the RR hire that makes me want to be a fly on the wall is the moment when MSC meets and chats with Mrs. RR. How different could two women be and what does her persona say about her husband's and what does the whole scenario say about MSC and BM?
How different could two women be and what does her persona say about her husband's and what does the whole scenario say about MSC and BM?
It says "great hire!"
All I can say is it is a relief knowing that everyone that plays Michigan next year will be wondering what our offense and our defense will look like. Also, any news on who our placekicker will be next year?
15 visitors online at Sunday night before Christmas. We all need to get a life.
I hope our studs are healthy for this bowl game. I am tired of hearing about Tebow and how Florida is going to walk all over Michigan. Have we been healthy at all this year? Hopefully RR is giving our defense Florida's playbook!
Well, I could be watching the Hawaii Bowl. I could be wrapping presents. Both of these things are a little difficult to do. So my choices are to help the wife do laundry or blog. Which would you do?
tOSU something that we want R2 to care about, however, I think it is far better to have him say what he said about it, basically that it is important, but so is Michigan State and ND and he is basically, just concerned with Michigan. To me this is far better than what Dantonio did, make a big focus of Michigan, putting up a clock, etc. Why do we want to give tOSU the enjoyment of thinking that we think they are worth a second thought from our coach. I am a bit worried about the 3-3-5 stack Defense though, one miss (by at team that misses a LOT) and we are toast.
Trust me, the wife does not want help with the laundry...ha!
Dan - yeah, I'd like to be a fly on that wall too. Some people can get along with just about anyone else who isn't trying to screw 'em.
I think MSC sincerely believes in the value of diversity in all its facets, and I'd bet BM is the same. I read the WVU scouts board today and a few were slamming MSC and M for promoting diversity. Here's a case where hopefully the Rodriguez's different background and perspective can be welcomed and integrated into the Michigan family. And hopefully RR picks up on our traditions at the same time.
My previous observation about RR, his wife, and BM and MSC (as well as LC) remains quite intriguing to me. The hire indicates that UM wants and probably feels it needs a top team for financial reasons. I don't believe winning is that important to MSC. I have always heard UM and its athletic department are independent entities with regard to finances. I have never understood how the athletic department could achieve this status. UM gives the athletic department no financial support? If so, what does this tell us about the football hire? Is this a quick fix? Is RR a somewhat unpalatable but necessary addition? I guess I am saying that money trumps winning for MSC and BM. Winning is nice but cash is king for most schools
Dan - no doubt the finances are huge part of the equation for MSC and BM and M sports in general. It's huge. I have no doubt the BM believes winning is important. MSC? I dunno, but I see a competitor in her. I would guess she does care about M football winning.
I wouldn't call the RR hire a quick fix, although I think most of us think he will indeed be a quick fix. First year might be rough, but he'll have M kicking butt pretty soon. But I don't think finding a quick fix was the reason for hiring him ... I think it was that he's a top 10 coach right now, maybe a top 5?
I've read some rumors on the WVU scout site about RR's closet skeletons. If true, unpalatable wouldn't be wrong. But I don't put any credence in the rumors. So I don't see anything unpalatable about the hire. I do hope he picks up the traditions and such pretty quickly, and deeply. I hope he learns about the history, the brown jug, etc., all of it.
East Carolina is manhandling Boise State right now. Peterson looks mortal.
@Dan
Doesn't hiring Rich Rodriguez in the face of a 2.5 million dollar buyout mean that they wanted to get the best coach available (which RR was), and didn't mind paying for it if they had to?
One other thing that is bothering me is I do not feel RR is an educator. I have always felt UM would seek a coach-educator first. UM wants more than victories, they always have. They want to be "Leaders and Best" Yes, they want to win games but they also want to do it the right way led by coaches who do more than rack up W's. RR's hire bothers me now. He lacks something. I cannot say for sure what it is, but I do hope it is nothing and all will be fine. His "hyperbole" pronunciation indicated a few things to me. Perhaps I am being unrealistic and too picky, but to me UM is an institution of learning first and foremost. If RR or any coach is directing and advising young men and women should he not also be a role model they can follow in a academic setting?
I think MSC sincerely believes in the value of diversity in all its facets, and I'd bet BM is the same. I read the WVU scouts board today and a few were slamming MSC and M for promoting diversity.
No, they were laughing at the "diversity" comment because Rich Rodriguez is about as "ethnic" as Mitt Romney. He has a Hispanic surname because he is descended from Spanish immigrants, many, many generations back. Unless the definition of "diversity" includes coal miners.
I think at Michigan, that socioeconomic diversity is more important than a bunch of well-educated upper-middle class people of different skin colors diversity that you end up with at the higher-ranked institutions.
And I'll bet that MSC *does* care about winning. You don't get to her place in the world without wanting to win. I'm not an athlete and I love my teams regardless, but I have been told by more than one person who claims to love me that I am the most competitive person they know. And I'm a woman in academia. But by god, I'm a winner in my field! And I'd rather have Michigan sports teams winning than losing, though it doesn't really have anything to do with me a much as it does with MSC.
Anonymous: I believe it was Rodriguez's grandfather/grandparents who emigrated from Spain. I don't know much about his specific background or life story, however as the child of immigrants, I can guarantee you that my children will have a different perspective on matters due to the ethnic heritage which they will have inherited.
As an aside, I'm *really* enjoying watching Todd Collins play really well on national television.
Dan,
Truth is I have some concerns about RR too. But I've also seen some signs that make me think he could be great here, in numerous ways. Read on ...
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." (Aristotle)
"Man's mind, once strengthened by a new idea, never regains its original dimension." (Oliver Wendell Holmes)
"It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best knows in the end of the triumph of high achievements; and who at the worst; if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither defeat nor victory." (Theodore Roosevelt)
Those quotes come from the 2005 WVU playbook. I think Bo would approve.
With reference to winning at UM, I can speak only based on comments from my two children, who both graduated from UM. My son would tell me that the vast majority of students were at Michigan Stadium for the party-like atmosphere and that the game, although exciting, was not as important as meeting girls and drinking in the student section. For the average student at UM football is big, but not as big as it is to others. It's nice to win and see the excitement permeate campus life, but the average student still looks upon UM as a school where your primary focus is an education and not football games. Michigan is a school large enough to absorb marginally qualified athletes. It is not, however, ever going to be able to conceal the shortcomings of a marginally-articulate coach. That bothers me. LC was apparently not the coach this guy is, but LC was a man I would not hesitate to have my son follow. I am not so sure I would want him to follow or emulate RR.
Hello friends,
Enjoying the Hawaii Bowl and the (so far) 38 - 14 beatdown by East Carolina. Indeed, if there is a community in the world that deserves such a win it's Greenville, North Carolina. Anyway, I predict Greenville burns if they score 50 and pull of the win. But I am digressing here...
Well, how about that Chris Petersen at Boise State? I do recall quite a bit of push for him to be interviewed (I suspect he's currently questioning turning down UCLA so quickly...oh well Chris, there *may* be WVU. Thinking of coaching candiates...how about everyone's favorite Brian Kelly at Cincinnati struggling so mightily against 7-5 Southern Miss. Clearly Brian Kelly remains some distance from actual Major College work so the Kelly fans out there can enjoy the likes of the PapaJohns.com and Meineke Car Care or Poinsettia Bowls with Cinci for some years to come.
I will say it only once: I cannot believe that there was a Kelly mafia on here after watching 4 quarters of Brian Kelly coached football against b level opposition. The idea that he should have been working the M sideline is tantmount to Brady f'ing Hoke as the head ball coach. God help us all.
Anyway, back to the ECU game...
Best wishes all; happy holidays.
Mimuckdog,
I feel better after reading those quotes from the WVU playbook. I hope RR decided upon them. I am beginning to feel I have gone too far too soon in my criticism. My daughter was in the Marching Band for four years and loved the experience. Every year the band and the football team would have a tea at the art museum. It was an event designed to get together socially the two school groups participating in this Saturday event on a regular basis. She met and spoke with a number of athletes as well as with Bo and believed the idea to be a great one. I hope this is still done. It benefits everyone.
Down 38-21, it would not surprise me if Boise found a way to win this game.
Plus, ND would be better off firing the Fat Man and replacing him w/ Skip Holtz.
Otherwise,
Is everyone enjoying their Xmas, Holiday Weekend? I am way up in northern Michigan, and there's not much to do tonight, but watch these games.
Oh, and I agree w/ MDan....if RR evers get a pro job it is only because he has taken his spread offense and kicked serious ass at UM......I will take that outcome in a second!
Dan -
I feel very strongly about winning the right way, with integrity. If RR didn't uphold that, I'd want him gone. The WVU board has accused him of being an unsavory person, to put it mildly. I'm willing to reserve judgement, and in the interim, to give him full support. Here are a few more items from the playbook:
_______________
"GENERAL RULES:
1. Don't embarrass the program!
6. Class attendance is mandatory whether teacher says so or not. Don't drop classes without seeing academic advisor and informing position coach. We will check classes and punish absentees.
7. No hats, sunglasses or headsets are to be worn in meetings or study hall or training table.
11. Dress code --- for banquet - coat and tie unless Coach Rod says otherwise ... No jewelry - during practice, workouts & interviews or team travel ... Pants need to be worn at waist level; Dress code rules apply to class attendance.
13. Press - always be complimentary (especially to an opponent).
TRAINING RULES:
9. Always run from drill to drill - BE FIRST!
10. Do not talk back to a coach or a staff member. I will always back the staff. Come to my office if you feel we are unfair or you need to discuss something.
11. Never bend over when you are fatigued.
12. Never berate an official. Be courteous and just do your job.
16. Remember out motto - The hardest working, most disciplined, best conditioned team in America!!!
___________________
Very nice.
@jamie mac
Bucks fan here. Yes, enjoying the holiday. Troy looked crappy vs Seattle, but, not much to work with.
A peruse a few of the Buckeye boards and I think you guys need to give a college 101 cheer in rooting for MIchigan. Many, many of us would like to switch for the Cap 1 Bowl but need some coaching on the cheers;
JM - what part of up north, and how much snow is there?
Pecos,
Way to ruin the Browns season!
To say Troy had little to work with today is an understatement. Glad to see him get a shot; too bad it was with a shitty team. Hopefully he'll get another chance to prove himself.
What Buckeye boards should I peruse...do they need help w/ lyrics to the Victors or something for the Florida game??!?!
Can't imagine you aren't suppporting a team you thought was great in Sept vs a Florida team. Now you are healthy. Not good on YOU FANS.
@Jamie Mac, oh yeh we need help with "hail to the victors.". PS. See Basketball results from this weekend. I like this blog so I refrain from the silly remarks.
mimuckdog,
Burt Lake, Emmet County, Town of Brutus..20 minutes away from harbor springs/petoskey, upper lower penisula..we've had a cabin on the lake since 1982. Spend every Xmas up here....had lots of snow, but it was warm all day and rained over night....still a few inches on the ground.....snowmobile/Xcountry ski trails around here are still ok, but have lost a lot last day or two.
Pecos,
I guess I was confused with your post....it read like the Buck fans needed a primer on how to be UM fans for the Florida game? Sorry, my friend, I just did not understand what you meant by your post up thread.
For sure, a nice win on Saturday vs the Gatorturds.....p.s. you'll hate me more to know i am an indiana alum, so you cant really get me with any basketball taunts, although you have beaten IU two times in a row....wont happen this year, though.
Thought UM played better than expected vs UCLA; of course, they still failed to cover the spread.
Cannot you grasp the importance of winning vs the SEC???
Helllllo!
Big 10 (+1, we can't apparently count)
JM - very nice - we spent a lot of time around Petoskey, Harbor Springs etc. a number of years back. Great area. A Merry Christmas to you and yours.
@jamie mac
Sorry got distracted with kids,argh!
Pecos,
Football or basketball, it is always good to see the Big 10 beat an SEC team.....if both UM and OSU win, (and, geez even Wisco), it sure would be interesting to hear how the college football maintstream media would spin that.
Fact is, though, in the Cap-1 and Outback tie-ins, the Big 10 is 6-4 SU, 7-3 ATS the last five years vs the SEC, but nobody mentions that. I guess facts are too much to deal with when spreading the meme that the SEC is God's gift to football conferences.
I figure in the three marquee games between the SEC and Big 10, out conference will at least go 2-1 ATS, if not outright.
Pecos,
Not a problem.....you did confuse me upthread....I, myself, thought it was the wine I had been drinking.
Still cant believe your Bungles rained on the Browns parade today! And, it was a great win for the Bucks yesterday....still not sure which way that team is going to go, but I am a big fan of Matta, so you guys will do will in the league this year.
A I have been on a few Bucks threads where we are having a quite a time with:
" GO Blllllluuuaaaaaa:
Go Bllllluuuaaaaaaa
...and seem unable to finish the "ewu" thing, although we have the script. It just hurts our teeth.
Just jangle your keys.
@Jamic Mac,
Nope I fully agreed & dumped the Bungals, so I am a loser 2x over. But, I did watch the Seahawks/Ravens game and I think Troy Smith has a chance next year ...basically because so many of the NFL other quarterbacks stink.
Damn, and where is all the love for Henne & Hart for the BIG GAME! Bucks fans would not have bolted like this with their 2 heros!! Hey; There's your incentive, where are the fans???>>>>
Pecos,
I think most UM fans are nervous about how many yards Tebow is going to gash us for and talking about it does none of us any good.....if Hart/Henne can plan at full strenghth, I think we can score all day on Florida, but our D has been shredded in half the games this year and facing a spread team, with all its weapons peaking..not good...we've seen this act before; we need at least 31 points to win.
Its funny, though, the coaching search saga and subsequent hire, has taken all focus away from the bowl game.....even if we had beaten you guys and gotten the Rose Bowl bid, it still would not be talked about....i'm with my family up here and two straight nights at dinner we talked about what future seasons could look like w/ RR and rarely does the bowl game get brought up.
Its bizarre....as the game gets closer, I am sure they will more talk on this board about the actual game.
Ya might remember: Earle Bruce's last game: Chris Spielman wore a headband that said in big letters "EARLE" remembering the outgoing program . So, are you going down like wimpering ladies or are you going to make Henne & Hart PROVE THEIR WORTH!!! Dammit,want the Big 10 to WIN 'Em ALLL!!!
@jamie mac,
Feel your pain. I can understand looking for next year, but WTF, our Bucks were totally discounted. Take your time to look at what I believe is a "beatable" Florida team, you just have to believe. And, UFR, Florida does POORLY with a good running back on the opposing line. HINT HINT>>>>
SHEESH< HINT>>>>(insert Healthy Hart))) But, sadly, your defence better get better, like NOW.
Obviously we are all rooting for a win vs. Florida. But at the end of the day, this season is a throwaway for us -- does it really make a difference whether or not we end up at 9-4 vs. 8-5?
On the other hand, RR leading us to multiple MNCs is something we salivate for. Finally, after a lifetime of watching other teams win the MNC under Bo, Mo, and Lloyd, we have the coach to match up with the USCs, Miamis, and FSUs of the world...
For all the talk about how great Bo was, my salient Bo memory is his 2-8 record in the Rose Bowl...watching all those other teams win national championships while we were the "best two-loss team in the country"...instructed to be content with just being Big Ten champions.
Those days are over!
Merry Christmas to all....
And to all....a GOOD NIGHT!
Have a great and safe holiday. And rest assured that not too many coaches change zip codes or star recruits commit from Dec 24th to Dec 31st.
See Ya in the bowl games. I'm still workin' on my "EMmmm Go Bllaaaaaa..." can't seem to finish that off but I have a bevy of Bucks bretheren that absolutely hate all things Florida who are working diligently on the cheer:
FYI: Going shooting at the practice range tomorrow: pretending all the targets are from the South.
@Walter,
I hope you are right.
@JM:
that is a nice vision. our family has/had a house on Lake MI no of Elk Rapids by 10 miles and one of my fondest memories was a Christmas spent at the house up there, complete with hunting for, cutting and tabaggoning our tree back to the house to decorate.
Every year we would spend New Years up there and ski at Shanty Creek.
During summer, my bro and I would hitchhike into Charlevoix for the day to pick up chicks. One time we motored across the bay to Old Mission to see what that area had to offer. Now, when I go up there on vacation in the summer, I always hit the winery.
Hard to explain the northern lights to your kids when you live in Texas.......
Thanks for the memories
PS my bonehead siblings have that house up for sale at a steal of ~$550k--been in the family for 45+ years--idiots.
I'll buy your house. I live in Cadillac, that'd be a nice 2 hour away vacationland. Love the area
All-American Bowl '08 recruits:
Notre Dame: 14
Ohio State: 8
Michigan: 2
WTF? Better luck next year...
Merry Christmas.
since no one is here and i'm finishing up my 4th last drink of the night... i'm in love with rich rodriguez.
there, i said it.
Those top 10 rated classes have sure done alot for ND in the past 2 years, I wonder why ?
Scalz1, I am shocked to see a top class going to ND again this year....wtf? Sure, there is a chance that Charlie could pull it off and ND could be a decent team in the future (as with all CFB, the web and tide and all) but seriously, if you have a choice of going to ND this year, or say any other elite school in the nation, why would you chose ND??? Boggles the mind!!
Yeah, I'm really lost on that. I have no idea why they're still pulling recruits, other than the fact that they're getting promised playing time and national exposure. You see how well that national exposure did them this year.
Maybe bad press is better than no press? I am probably biased, nevertheless, if I were a recruit I would be excited about Michigan with R2 here. I suppose that could go against us, for the simple fact that it might take a season to make adjustments, but still the potential that this change has to create a dynamite college career has me wondering why we would not start picking up additional top class recruits.
As much as I hate to say it, ND will be an ass-kicking machine in two years. Weis will correct the mistakes he has made and bring in new assistants (other than Corwin Brown). With the ridiculous amount of talent they are bringing in, they will be very good.
From the Dec. 24 edition of The Washington Post:
"A Charleston radio personality was suspended from his job for refusing to tone down his on-air excitement over former WVU head football coach Rich Rodriguez's decision to take the head job at the U of M.
Coach Kidd, a Michigan native, co-hosts the morning talk show on Electric 102.7 FM. For the past couple days, he's dominated the show's content with his feelings on how Rodriguez's job change will be a boon to the Wolverines football program - much to the dismay of listeners.
After playing the Wolverines' fight song for a fourth time this morning, Coach Kidd was yanked off the air."
Don't let the man keep you down, Coach Kidd. This is from the Dec. 24 edition of the Washington Post in Sports on page E3 if anyone needs to laminate the story...
Scout front page says Christian Wilson will take an official visit to UNC.
Murl, didn't he have talent this year? The best QB recruit from last year? Meh. It will suck when they rise again. I have a friend who worked for ND and he says that this is justice. ND treats their employees terrible and because they are a private school the discriminate in the worst way in their admissions process. People accuse us of being elitist, ND is far more that way, in a much worse way. I value our integrity.
To correct my own post above, Scout says Wilson has "softened" his commitment to UM and is considering taking an official visit to UNC.
I also note that MSU is doing surprisingly poorly in recruiting at this point, with only one four-star recruit (Fred Davis...I would like him to be Blue); and the Zooker is, as expected, kicking ass--with with commitments from 7 four-star recruits thus far.
It sure would be nice if RichRod could bring in another four-star tackle in addition to O'Neill. Zebrie Sanders perhaps? With Justin Schifano having quit the team, we need more depth at tackle.
As much as I hate to say it, ND will be an ass-kicking machine in two years. Weis will correct the mistakes he has made and bring in new assistants (other than Corwin Brown).
I'm not buying it. Certainly ND will be better than it was this year. That's not saying all that much. But the suckitude of this year's team wasn't just a lack of talent - it was horrific coaching. Certainly that team was more talented than Navy and Air Force. The team never got any better as the year went on, and they young guys out there appeared to lack basic fundamentals. Weis can get all the talent he wants, but if he can't teach them how to play, they aren't going to be any good. And the idea that he needed to "learn" how to coach college football, after two years, is ridiculous.
MDan should be able to shed some light on this ND situation, but my impression has been that ND has had top-10 if not top-5 classes almost every year and still went 3-9.
It goes to show that good coaching makes a huge difference (just look at Brian Kelly in *one season* at Cincinnati), and that X-O ability alone is not the same as good coaching.
i'm hungry
(for some more recruits)
@ Murl
DO YOU EVER HAVE ANY GOOD NEWS?
@ Murl
We do need more depth at tackle, but Schifano was a guard.
Katie:
I am with you...I don't want to think about how good ND will be, but it is inevitable with the talent surge. Clausen, who may well have been very overrated coming out of high school, was a true freshman playing being an offensive line that was absolutely dreadful. His receivers and RB, Allen, were also very young.
If we had put Mallett behind an offensive line that did not have Long, started Clemons and Hemmingway at WR instead of Arrington and Manningham, and started Brown and Minor the entire season instead of Hart...that may roughly approximate what ND fielded this year.
Once their young players get some experience and they build some depth, they will be a legit top-10 team.
MICHIGAN 32 FLORIDA 24
Bank it
Magnus:
I defer to you. Thanks for the correction.
RichRod will try to pull that four-star OL Josh Jenkins to UM, but he is a guard as well. Maybe Mitchell can be put on the Riemersma/Mignery diet and moved to tackle.
Mitchell needs to order Nutri-System. If it worked for Mike Golic's fat arse, it can work for anyone.
For only $11 a day.
Carrs pregame speech:
Ok guys, I want you to go out there and kick their ass, punch'em in the face,but will you do me a favor?Leave Urban Meyer for me.
Ed Martin in today's Free Press:
"[RR] had a lot of interest in the weight training facilities and he has a very specific program and a strength and conditioning guy, so they wanted to look at those."
Overhauling the strength and conditioning program was one of Rodriguez's goals and something he asked Martin about during their interview. He received an assurance that changes could be made if necessary and they will, as the previous strength staff will be replaced.
Rodriguez has significant faith in his strength coach from West Virginia, Mike Barwis, who has trained athletes in every conceivable sport and has been nationally recognized.
Sorry, Monday brain cramp, obviously I meant Bill Martin!
Here are Notre Dame's recruiting class rankings for the last 7 years (including this year's current ranking).
As you can see, they had two top-10 ranked classes on their team for the 2007 season, and they still sucked.
2008 rank: 1
2007 rank: 8
2006 rank: 8
2005 rank: 40
2004 rank: 32
2003 rank: 12
2002 rank: 24
Too early to rank them #1 for 2008
Front butt can't coach college
Magnus:
Weis has been dreadful, but don't you think it is safe to assume that he will be able to correct his mistakes and that, at some point, superior talent (combined with playing time/experience) will begin to assert itself in spite of meh-level coaching?
No Murl No
Can't respect a coach with twinkie wrappers all over his desk.
I thought Ed Martin died a few years ago? Its amazing how many times his name is substituted for Bill Martin.
Weis Sweat Shirt Size Was xxxl But Had To Upgraded To "Oh My God It's Moving This Way"
At some point, you can't deny talent. Despite bad coaching, sometimes players will show out after a lot of experience.
I do think Notre Dame will be pretty good in about two years. I don't know if they'll be national championship caliber because I haven't seen anything that makes me think Charlie Weis can coach college athletes.
If anything, they should have a good running game and a stout defense by then. I think the passing game will continue to be mediocre. But if Weis were a great coach, he could have coached up his upperclassmen by now and made his freshman and sophomores serviceable. His record this year was inexcusable.
Magnus,
So from what I see ND's 5th year starters sucked, their seniors and juniors had little talent. The only talent were frosh and sophmores, and some of those are redshirts. On paper they were going to be a 6-6 team and Weis and his brillance led them to 3 wins instead.
He sucks as a coach so I doubt they ever get to a "great" level program but they are going to be competitive in 2 years. Next year their goal should be to make a bowl. I have not looked at their schedule but it seems soft from my memory. They easily could be us next season at ND if they win their first game.
that was "beat" us....
I tend to agree with the thought that Charlie can't coach college, they had enough talent to do better than they did.
I am really curious what you guys think about the 3-3-5 stack that R2 is likely to bring. Aside from our LBs, we do have a fairly good Defense. I guess there is a part of me, that although I am thankful for the house cleaning that R2 has done, I wonder if we shouldn't have kept English and see if he could do something with R2's input. It makes me nervous to mess around with the Defense.
@ gmb
I agree.
The 3 3 5 stack is just the base, my guess is with our d line talent and depth they easily adjust to a 4-3 alignment when they need more muscle up front. I would look at it a little bit like Beileins 1-3-1, that defense is meant to change the game not slow teams down, its gambling and turnover based. There could be some games where we give up points and need the offense to win, but there will be alot of games where we force turnovers and get teams out of their rythim.
@ Katie
I think the 3-3-5 will help us stop the spread offense. I'm unsure if we have the personnel to implement it effectively for 2008, but sometimes you just have to make the switch and force your players to adapt.
My biggest problem with it is that it will leave one of our talented defensive linemen on the sideline. Our biggest strength should be our defensive line, but it's going to force one of the seniors (Johnson, Taylor, or Jamison) to the sideline at all times. I don't think Brandon Graham will come off the field now that he knows he has to get in the weight room to fight off run blocks.
We also don't have enough DBs to run with 2 cornerbacks, 2 strong safeties, and 1 free safety. I think there's a possibility Mouton could play some SS, with Logan (or a freshman), Thompson, and Ezeh playing linebacker.
There are definitely going to be some position switches, and I think we'll have some growing pains.
good post Magnus, I agree completely.
We REALLY need to get some safeties in this recruiting class. I wasn't sold on Brandon Smith as a SS in English's 4-3, but I think he would make a good one in Rodriguez's 3-3-5. I also think Herman Davidson from Cal-Poly would fit in the 3-3-5, but it sounds like Michigan is slipping for all of the current safety prospects.
"good post Magnus, I agree completely."
says gmb as he wags his tail and jumps up on Magnus's lap
That makes me feel better. However, the majority of the teams that we play do not run the spread, even Illinois barely ran the option on us this year. Do you think that we are going to see more of the spread offense in the Big Ten now?
I think its probably 50 50 that we get smith...it will be the in home with RR that lands him and retains fitzgerald.
Katie,Katie,Katie...Go back in the kitchen and make us a sandwich.
@ Anonymous
Stop being a dick. You don't seem to be offering anything of value, so I don't know how you can toss out disaparaging remarks and not feel like a douchebag.
I dont respond, its not worth the effort
Remember folks, that Lloyd took Herron and Evans as projects - speed projects - in the last class. I get the feeling these two are exactly the type of raw material that RR and Barwis and Gibson thrive on. Look for those two to play a significant role in the fall.
@ Katie
The majority of the teams don't run the spread, but the majority of teams we play also aren't good.
No matter what defense we use, we should be able to beat Notre Dame, Iowa, Northwestern, Penn State, etc.
I think we will continue to see more spread teams. It's been slowly on the rise for a while. I don't think any Big Ten team is going to implement the spread as their base offense soon, but elements of it will creep in.
Sorry Katie,just kidding,can I buy you a drink?
Will Penn State be any good next season...you figure we will lose to them now that Lloyd is gone, he friggen owned Penn State....
I think its probably 75% JT Floyd is coming to Michigan. Throw in Woods and maybe Pryor and thats three guys we were likely not to get that RR may deliver. I am cautiously optimistic about TP.
@ Meeechigan Dan
Good point. I'm not as concerned about the DBs for 2008, because we have enough upperclassmen to fill those roles (Warren and Trent at CB, Stewart and Brown and Harrison at the safeties). I'm more concerned about building depth and being ready for 2009. Maybe Evans and Herron can help out in those SS spots.
Thanks Magnus. I guess that is why I am nervous about messing with the Defense, that typically is our strong suit, why change that? Although, I would like to see us defend against the spread (particularly on January 1st). I suppose that is why I like the thought of keeping English, marry the old with the new. Anyway....I have a few sandwiches to make up......later.
PSU and MSU will have to bite us eventually. Just hope that next year is not the year. To be honest, I think one great dividend of RR coming is that he is going to confound two relatively traditional defenses.
@ gmb
I don't think Penn State will be good next year. I think they'll probably be around 8-4, respectable but not great. Their offensive line and running game are both poor. And if Darryl Clark couldn't get any PT over Morelli, I have a hard time believing he can be an effective starter.
Their defense is always good, so they'll win some low scoring affairs. But they'll be a bore to watch.
And also recall that Ryan Mundy is a productive starter at WVU. We may cringe and shudder when looking at names like Stewart and Dutch and S. Brown and Chambers, but I guarantee THEY don't. Those guys would be excellent raw materials for a WVU dbackfield.
"Anyway....I have a few sandwiches to make up......later."
Katie
Perfect response....I like her
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Ryan Mundy could have been a productive starter for his entire college career...if he played in the Big East.
I think Dutch is a permanent bench-sitter, but I think Stewart, Brown, and Chambers will all be decent players by the end of their careers. Like I said, I'm more concerned about depth for the future than 2008 performance.
i wouldn't totally discount PSU next year. joepa is married to upperclassmen...morelli was just good enough not to get benched...i don't see the QB play dropping that much for PSu next year. a tough game on the road w/ a very young offense == trouble.
I don't see the QB play dropping much next year, either...
...which makes me think the rest of the QBs also suck.
Adios pinche madras
Magnus, that is load of horse$)%t. The Big 10 sucks. The Big East and the Big 10 are damn close at this point in time. If you don't think that a head-to-head round-robin showdown between West Virginia,
Connecticut, Cincinnati, USF, Rutgers and Louisville would be very tight with OSU, Michigan, Illinois, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Iowa, you do not know football. Not to mention the Big East runs more wide open football (by far) that stresses DBs. Not a good comment.
Katie,
I'd like to add you to my recruiting class. Put mustard on my sandwich please.
Connecticut -- A JOKE
Cinninati --- OVERRATED
USF -- TOTALLY UNDISIPLINED
RUTGERS -- 1 MAN TEAM HORRIBLE
LOUISVILLE -- COULD NOT BEAT ANYONE
--
Meeechigan Dan you disappoint me.
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Think before you post brother
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I agree Dan, I think the big east would matchup with the big ten very well. I mean Michigan Cinci would be a great ball game. OSU and West Viginia as well.
gmb see post above
The Big Least Was A Joke
Big East --- Mid America About The Same
i think alot of the BEasts cred this year comes from the relative wackyness of the 2007 season. plus, the increasing lack of decent OOC games played. what's the BEasts record vs BCS conferences? what are the opponents records in those conferences?
DanK....Finally a man of wisdom
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Meeechigan Dan, you could take some lessons.
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Anon, you look at half the equation, which I guess would make you a half-wit.
OSU - good
Michigan - not very good
Illinois - on par with USF, maybe
PSU - huh? No offense.
Wisconsin - average
Iowa - sucks
That was the point. Not that the Big East is great, but that the Big 10 blows.
Quality Non-Conference Wins, Big East
Oregon State, Auburn, North Carolina
Quality Non-Conference Wins, Big 10
Uh...uh...Washington?
Did the Big 10 or Big East have ANY even decent out of conference wins this year? Big East: Mississippi State, Maryland (2 bowl teams). None really from the Big Ten. Washington? Notre Dame? (trying not to laugh).
In terms of bad OOC losses, Big 10 is looking at: Oregon, Florida Atlantic (bowl teams), North Dakota State, Appy State, Western Michigan, Iowa State, DUKE.
Big East: Virginia, Kentucky, Navy (bowl teams), no real terrible OOC losses.
Head to head: State beat Pitt, Iowa and Illinois beat Syracuse. This doesnt say much.
So basically, Big Ten is 3-0 against the bottom of the Big East, Big East has two wins against crappy bowl teams to Big Ten's zero. Big Ten has much worse OOC losses IMO.
To conclude my very rudimentary analysis: both conferences suck this year.
@Meeechigan Dan..A half-wit?I would have expected a little better from you,man of your education.
@Meeechigan Dan...Not So Fast My Friend,
According To Your Logic Games Should Be Played On Paper Only.Do You Predict The Big Easts Bowl Record Will Be Better Than The Big Tens?....I'll Take That Bet.A Sucker Born Every Minute.
I saw Cinci in person dismantle a pretty good Oregon State team.....whats funny is I had warned my Oregon State alum buddy to watch out as this Kelly guy can flat out coach and it was a national tv thursday night game.
@Meeechigan Dan...Somebody Wake Dan Out Of His Drunken Stupor.
What was OSU record again
@Meeechigan Dan (aka Big Eaaaaast Dan)
* BET* ...Big East Bowl Record vs Big Ten Bowl Record. Any Takers?
The problem year after year with the BT bowls is because of our TV exposure and fans traveling we have negotiated very good bowl tie ins where we usually play a better team from another conference, and its compounded by usually having two teams in the BCS. Often times our #3 is playing the SEC #2 in the Capitol One bowl.
Has anyone broken out the bowl payouts by conference? I believe the BT has a huge advantage over most schools this year and in most years. The Pac 10 gets very little money for example with the second place team almost always getting the BCS shaft and getting the holiday bowl. That affects every school down the line with their budgets.
...Big East Bowl Record vs Big Ten Bowl Record. Any Takers?
******
we usually play a better team from another conference, and its compounded by usually having two teams in the BCS. Often times our #3 is playing the SEC #2 in the Capitol One bowl.
so yea...i'll take the Beast to have a better W%. that's an easy bet.
numbers:
Beast vs BCS OOC opponents: 7-8
records of those opponents in their respective BCS conf: 57-65
B10 vs BCS OOC opponents: 5-4
records of those opponents in their respective BCS conf: 24-48
the B10 blows.
NOTE: Neither Navy nor ND were considered a BCS level team for this analysis.
the saddest thing about this is that the B10 has played half the number of games vs BCS teams as the BEast...but has 3 more teams in the conference. however, the ND thing makes up for that, and the BEast HAS to play 5 OOC games b/c they can only schedule 7 conf games.
Buckeye fans:
I always root for the Big Ten in the bowls, especially against the SEC. It pains me to cheer for OSU to win a Natl Champ, but OSU is Big Ten and they've got to represent.
As for what to say? I have trouble saying "Go Bu..." Usually I say, "Come on (insert team I don't like but am cheering for anyways)!" or "Just score already you bastards."
Jan 1st at 4:30 PM ET, I will without a doubt be a big Illini fan. I hate USC. The Condoms are to us what the Gators have been to the Buckeyes lately. Only the Bucks have also struggled against USC in the Trojans' home game known as the Rose Bowl.
Don't forget, USF beat Auburn on the road. Very impressive. IMO USF is a great team that fell apart at Rutgers.
To the B10's credit, we did schedule ND 3 times, and they usually don't suck so bad. can't really knock a BCS schedule with ND as OOC except for this year, and all 3 B10 teams won.
In terms of the SEC in bowls, do they get credit for their #2 beating Hawaii and Kentucky playing FSU's practice squad? to me, these two games should be taken off the overall bowl record. I hate bowden and FSU, but I'm really pulling for them this week.
@ Feelin' Really Blue, and everyone else that wants OSU to win...
Don't know about y'all, but I'd be perfectly happy seeing the B10 go 6-1 with OSU losing on a last second field goal. Maybe with a crap pass interference call thrown in to set up the final score so the SEC/B10 conspiracy theorists have something to yell about all offseason.
So, yeah, we hate OSU, but come on, LSU is totally overrated and doesn't deserve to be the "mythical national champions". Plus, I am not feeling kindly toward LM because of his disgraceful performance during the coaching search and the somewhat lame "two overtime losses = one regular loss" argument. So, since they can't both lose, you have to pick one, and why not the Big Ten one....
We hate FSU with a passion (in a similar ACC way) but hell yeah we'll be rooting for them, as much as it pains us. Well, at least I will -- my husband is more conflicted there.
I always root for the Big Ten in the bowls, especially against the SEC. It pains me to cheer for OSU to win a Natl Champ, but OSU is Big Ten and they've got to represent.
As for what to say? I have trouble saying "Go Bu..." Usually I say, "Come on (insert team I don't like but am cheering for anyways)!" or "Just score already you bastards."
My rooting strategy exactly. Although I was pulling for App St. earlier in the year because the blow to the Big Ten was totally worth it. Call it classless if you wish, but I think you'd pull for such a huge underdog if it was any other school. Remember Boise?
Anyone (other than me) watch the Utah game on Friday to scout our first opponent next year? Their QB look reeeeally good...and he was supposedly still only %75 back from his shoulder injury. Thoughts?
I don't pull for them, but I don't resent it quite so much when they win, if you know what I mean.
I think right now, with both the ACC and the Big Ten, the national perception is more important than in other years, especially against SEC teams.
That Utah game is going to be a very good test. Utah may well be ranked to start the season.
My rooting strategy has two simple rules:
1) Pull for OSU in every regular season game except the Michigan game.
2) Pull for OSU in every bowl game except the NC game.
@otherChris:
"somewhat lame "two overtime losses = one regular loss" argument"
^^Yeah, it was lame...but you can't blame the guy for trying. Remember how Lloyd got all proper and refused to 'campaign' last year? Well, Urban Meyer had no issue with it and his team wound up jumping us to get into the MNC game.
Next...
"I am not feeling kindly toward LM because of his disgraceful performance during the coaching search"
^^What else would you have wanted him to do? There are no set rules--no "playbook"--for how to handle a situation like that. He was literally caught between a sweet coaching situation (& chance to play in a MNC) and the prospect of taking his dream job. Talk about a precarious situation. He did what he had to do in order to avoid 'losing' his players while also keeping the Michigan job opportunity alive. I can't fault him for how things played out. All I can take from the whole ordeal is the fact that throughout, his love for Michigan never waivered and he repeatedly made that known loud and clear. So, I will root for Les Miles no matter what (unless LSU is playing UofM), and doubly so in this year's MNC.
Also...consider this:
In terms of perception, all major conferences will have their UP years and their DOWN years. These things are cyclical and go in stretches. So, rooting for OSU (i.e. rooting for the Big 10's public perception) is flawed logic if you are a die-hard Michigan fan. In 10 years, no one will remember how mighty or how lowly the Big 10 was as much as they will remember that "OSU went to 3 MNC games in 6 years and won 1 (or possibly 2) of them while Michigan was trying to revamp itself." Yet another reason why I could never root for OSU in ANY situation.
Hate to say it, but I bet against every Big 10 team in my office bowl poll this year. With the exception of Purdue vs. Central Michigan.
OSU had the weakest schedule of all-time. Illinois has no business being in a BCS bowl, USC should dominate. Wisconsin will be utterly embarrassed by the Fulmer & Co.
And nothing tells me, except the blue kool-aid, that we can stop Tebow, Harvin & all those 4.3ers. Tebow is the perfect storm.
I'd love to think we have a chance (and I will watch and pray), but I see no hope. It would be a massive upset. Beautiful, but surprising as hell.
"Wisconsin will be utterly embarrassed by the Fulmer & Co."
^^I was thinking that too, but now not so sure. Half the offensive staff for Tenn. has already bolted...and they've suspended like 6 starters (and counting) due to academic ineligibility. Plus, Fullmer is a legend for his ability to lay an egg in big games while Bielma seems to relish those big opportunities and produces accordingly.
@ Meeechigan Dan
Notice I said Mundy could have been a productive DB his entire career (as in the last 5 years) if he had spent it in the Big East.
To steal a theme from you...
If you think the Big East could have competed with the Big Ten consistently over the past 5 years, you don't know football.
Has there been another game since the 69 OSU game where Michigan fans (and the entire college football community for that matter) had less confidence in Michigan pulling out a victory than this Florida game? Certainly can't think of one in the last 15 years. FSU in 91?
@CoachBrabbs:
Maybe not in the '69 category, but I personally felt the 2004 Rose Bowl vs. USC was going to be an absolute slaughter. It was. Although, the 28-14 score made things *seem* a lot closer than they actually were. If you recall, USC should have been in the MNC game that year. And even though we had a good year (beat OSU, etc.), it was a mismatch from the get-go.
Chill --
What else could he have done? He could have shut the fuck up and not looked like a moron, and made his alma mater look like morons.
LM was the textbook example of how not to be. Too much talking, too much drama, and for what? Well, more money for him, that's for sure.
Don't get me wrong, I thought there was still a chance he could have ended up as coach at Michigan. And I wouldn't have been displeased. However, I'd have had reservations about his behavior -- more than I have about RR, for sure.
Coach Brabbs -- a rational rooting strategy. I still don't like LSU as "national champions" though. Frankly, I don't know if anyone deserves it this year, general Buckeye animosity aside.
@Other Chris,
Agree- not too happy with anyone winning this year. As a true umich fan, is there worse scenario than OSU vs. SEC? Maybe OSU vs. ND?
Think the only way I'll be happy is with a controversal OSU loss. Sort of like that crap pass interference call on Miami in overtime a few years ago, but this time against OSU. This way, OSU doesn't get their championship, but the SEC's superiority complex can be taken down a few notches.
OSU vs. ND for the national championship -- oh, man, can you just IMAGINE what Brian would have to post on that subject?? It would be painful in the extreme.
I do not want to see either LSU or OSU win the NC. So if I have to chose, I will side with the Big Ten and just deal with my tOSU friends ribbing me all year, I have a feeling that at least within 2 years, they won't be so high on their horse! Call me spiteful, but after the drama that Miles helped to create, I would really prefer he not win this game.
Since people asked about it, the 3-3-5 is a talent equalizer in my opinion. One of the advantages of a team like Michigan is their access to elite defensive linemen, in terms of size and speed. A team like WVU is going to have access to far fewer genetic freaks. But they have plenty of guys that run about 6'0'' and 200 lbs. So why not run a scheme that gets 8 of them on the field instead of 4-6?
Meanwhile, Michigan has a surplus of players who can rush the passer from a 3 point stance.
I appreciate not running systems that rely on having the best players on the field, but when you've actually got them, you really ought to use a system that takes advantage.
Fuck it, I don't think I'm going to watch the NC game. I'm still heartbroken, and I just hate to see OSU in the position they're in after we lost in such a disappointing fashion. I don't get it. Michigan played well against MSU and Illinois. I knew that the team should have tried against Wisco because that would maintain the rhythm and help get Henne and Hart back in shape.
Carmen O, there's a warm place in hell for you. (I'm kidding) It was fine rooting for Boise St since OU is not in the Big 10! Besides, last year's BSU was a good team that flat out beat OU, in addition to destroying a decent Oregon St team that beat USC. We should have beaten App St. It was a disaster that never should have happened.
Schiano here. Just wondering: is that job still open? Schiano wants it now.
That's it. I want to start a support group for Michigan fans still heartbroken over this season. Yeah, we whine, but this season sucked and we were let down.
Alternatively, I want to find a way to cryogenically freeze myself or induce a deep coma so that I can just sleep through the offseason and wake up for the beginning of the 2008 season.
Schiano here. Just wondering: is that job still open? Schiano wants it now.
Schiano | 12.24.07 - 3:38 pm | #
If someone offers you a coaching job, just say, "SCHIA - NO"
Wishing all of you a very Blue Christmas and an Amaizin' New Year.
It could be the fact that I have the IQ of a pair of socks (Central Michigan student here) but what in the world does the "M" in MNC stand for? I know it's M-something National Championship, but what?
Paul, "Mythical" because its not settled by a playoff
Shiano
You made the biggest mistake of your life...
By the way, back to RR for a second. While it warms the cockles of my heart that RR holds clinics for other college and high school coaches on the spread-option, do we really want him doing this now that he's our guy? Do we really want our opponents to get the inside dirt on RR's schemes and approach?
Walter Camp,
I read somewhere that RR has said something like, "I think that I'm giving away too much of my strategy."
I also saw him analyze the spread option on ESPN. I don't like how he does that. I wish that he would be more tight-lipped. I hope that his offenses can be unpredictable.
Also, I read a pro-OSU article saying that OSU will benefit from UM hiring RR because once it learns how to defend the spread, they'll continue to beat us.
I disagree. Even if they figure out how to defend against the spread, what matter are talent, gameplan, and execution, from what I understand. I've read that RR is good at adapting to game situations. Plus, why does the pro-style continue to work? Why doesn't the spread always work?
Besides, last year's BSU was a good team that flat out beat OU, in addition to destroying a decent Oregon St team that beat USC. We should have beaten App St. It was a disaster that never should have happened.
But Oklahoma was a blown call away from title contention last year. Add to the fact that Peterson was back, and you would have thought that Boise was supposed to be ritually sacrificed. They proved everybody wrong, and that was awesome, but going in they were HUGE underdogs.
Yes, you should have beaten the Mountaineers. I'm just saying that the fact that App St. was supposed to get pasted combined with the fact that it was M*ch*g@n in the Big House made me okay with the subsequent Big 10 embarassment. I happened to be on High St. that day, and you would have thought it was Christmas in September. Fun day in Columbus.
Oregon, I pulled for you guys, saw the performance given on the field, decided that they'd tricked me into pulling for them and then lost just to spite me, and swore never to do such a thing again.
However, this time you're playing the Gators, and we don't get along. That is to tOSU what a tOSU vs. ND game is to M*ch*g@n (at least this season). The strain is about to cause a psychic break, I can tell you that.
Paul - I believe the "M" in MNC stands for "mythical" national championship.
oh sorry gmb...didn't see your explanation.
First, Merry Christmas to one and all. I will be sitting down to a beautiful Christmas Eve dinner with my wife, son, and his girlfriend and then be off to sing with my wife at midnight mass in my church choir.
I read somewhere today that the S&C situation was previously agreed upon and that the guru from WVU (Berwis??) is set to come here.
My feelings about RR were originally a bit negative, but I am beginning to turn around. I like his decisiveness and in charge attitude. It reminds me of Bo.
Here a question: If Mallett transfers, who takes the snaps?
Here a question: If Mallett transfers, who takes the snaps?
Threet? I know very little about him, other than the fact that he was a 4-star recruit a couple of years ago...
Wow, Carmen O. I guess Buckeye fans like you are shitty Big 10 fans.
I root for the Big 10 when it counts (bowl season). That doesn't mean I have to like it.
have to root for the big ten- it makes us all stronger
and if anyother conference had to face teh type of bowl schedule we do they would do at least as poorly
not only are we typically facing higher ranked teams, our opponents are basically playing at home
lsu
usc
florida
even central michigan is in the same frickin state
"Paul - I believe the "M" in MNC stands for "mythical" national championship."
It's always someone.
when google fails
"I knew that the team should have tried against Wisco because that would maintain the rhythm and help get Henne and Hart back in shape."
Really? It wasn't totally apparent that both were injured in the OSU game? How would playing another game beforehand help that? They didn't get re-injured during the game.
@Feelin' Really Blue --
This is exactly what I'm talking about. Even some OSU assistants have been down to Morgantown to learn about the spread option. RR boasts that he's an "open" sort of guy -- but exactly what does he think that he gets out of being so open? I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it would be nice to have an explanation of how he feels this helps his team.
Sparty's chances just took at hit: the Sack Master is out for the game:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs...PDATE/
712240431
same with SirDarean.
I wouldn't root for OSU in the tiddlywink national championship
Wow, that sure looks bad for Dantonio.
Masters degree my butt...
LOL - the Spartys always make me feel better about myself and my study habits in college.
Saint-Dic told the Lansing (Mich.) State Journal that he failed a math class, his final requirement to graduate with a degree in sociology.
"I only took two classes this semester, a sociology class for three credits and a math class for five credits," Saint-Dic said by phone from his hometown of Elizabeth, N.J. "I need six [passing] credits to play in the bowl game, so if I would have taken more classes I would have been fine. But I came up two points short in the math class."
"I studied and studied, but I came up short. It's a shocker. This is something I'm going to learn from, I'm not going to let it put me down. I'm praying for my teammates and I'm going to get my degree, and then I'm going for my master's degree."
I thought the "M" meant "Money" or, "Maybe!"
This year, there really wasn't that single outstanding team especially with so many QB's getting banged up followed by the team disintegration until their return.
OSU ends up there due to the schedule.
At first, I figured Tebow would hang 100 points on you guys but maybe if you are healthy and everybody comes out with "Lloyd" headbands and Hart's attitude you have a shot.
I especially liked the post where Carr comes out and punches Meyer. Can he punch him in the throat?
Did anybody else see Carr at the basketball game and think "Man, does he look OLD." The shot on TV elicited the same comment from both the hubby & I.
(sorry if the thoughts aren't connected...I'm making Streudel (sp?) and I'm on a break w/ it.
Good night & Merry Christmas!!!
To you, too!
I'm trying to decide whether to load the dishwasher. I've always told the kids they have to clean up or Santa won't come....
Im rooting LSU... Miles is a Michigan Man, and he would have been there for us... How can you root for OSU and look yourself in the mirror? F*** conference allegiance... the maize and blue is all that needs to be rooted for.
We're getting our own chance to show how we match up to the SEC.
Tressel is a phony dirtball that dresses like a child molester.
@ Walter Camp
Coaches share information ALL the time. It is an age-old tradition. In the offseason, coaches visit other programs to learn new offenses, new defenses, new techniques, etc. I remember suggesting after the Oregon game that Ron English should visit LSU or Auburn to pick up some tips on defending the spread option.
Other teams will learn things from Rodriguez, but Rodriguez will learn things from other teams. Eventually, defenses might catch up to him and he'll have to tweak his offense.
But the thing about the spread option is that if it's run correctly, there's really no way to defend it. It has so many OPTIONS that you can't just shut down one thing.
Let's say you line up in shotgun, two RBs in the backfield, and twins right.
Based on reads, you could do any of these things on that one play...
-fake to one RB, hand off to the other
-fake to the OTHER RB, hand off to the other
-fake to one, run the QB
-fake to both, run the QB
-fake the handoff, run the option with the slot receiver
-fake the handoff, throw a bubble screen to the outside receiver
There are many variations, and I'm sure I missed some ideas, but you can get the picture.
A defense can't say, "Well, we'll put a spy on the QB and we'll shut them down."
@ Mike:
These are fair points, on the defensive side of the ball. But on the offensive side, does it help us if other teams can upgrade their offenses to keep up with us?
What I read about R2 is that he has made changes to his offensive plan every single year. Overall it is much different the his original version. This is a true innovator. In order to keep ahead of the pack, you must continually make changes. If this is not done, you become stale and it appears to me that R2 has done this and will continue to do this. A nice change of pace from the stale program that Michigan has become (in some ways).
That was kind of the point...
While they're "upgrading" their offense by visiting Rodriguez, Rodriguez can "upgrade" his defense by visiting other teams.
It's an ever-evolving game. Keep in mind that if a team spends more time practicing the spread option, they spend less time practicing, say, the counter trap. Or the screen. Or the power. So while they're developing a strength, they're also developing a weakness. No team will ever be good at everything.
Really, it all comes down to execution. Nebraska's option game was very successful for a long time because they did it so well. If Rodriguez can get his players to execute at a near perfect level, it doesn't matter what the other team does.
@Walter Camp,
Does it help us not to run the spread and to run what has been (to an extent) figured out already? I don't think so. It is better to be ahead of the curve IMO.
@ glenn mason's hot wife
if miles is a michigan man why did he vote for florida last year and not us for a chance at the title- because he's an sec man.
There is that.
I, for one, will be rooting for LSU. Miles is a Michigan man, yada yada yada, but my main reason is that if OSU wins, a MNC will give them more recruiting clout in battles for recruits in M and Ohio that we often have with the vest. As much as I hate hearing all the SEC bullshit down in Atlanta, go tigers.
if miles is a michigan man why did he vote for florida last year and not us for a chance at the title
There is, of course, the possibility that Miles thought that Florida was actually a better team than Michigan, and thus more deserving of the spot opposite Ohio State in the MNC game. Given that Florida proved that it was in fact the better team, I don't see anything wrong with Miles voting the way he did.
No, I have a problem with Les voting UF #2. Florida was not a better team, at least at the time of the voting. They proved people wrong, of course. Plus the Buckeyes were hungover and hadn't played in 2 months.
Les claims that he will always root for Michigan. Where was he last year, though? And who will he be rooting for on New Years Day? I'm sure his heart is actually in it and that he loves Michigan, but he hasn't done that great a job of proving it.
The coaches' poll is not right. Bob Stoops and other coaches always vote their teams #1. (Much to his credit, RR voted his own team #9, demonstrating some integrity. Other coaches even voted WVU higher than he did.) I think that Tressel did the right thing at the end of last season by simply not voting. You don't get to choose who your own opponent will be, except in the offseason.
I also don't understand this conference allegiance B.S. as well. Are we all that deluded to think that if OSU beats LSU people will think the Big Ten is somehow superior to the SEC? The only thing I care about is Michigan. I hope OSU implodes just like last year.
Florida was not a better team, at least at the time of the voting.
There's no way to make that statement objectively. If Miles thought Florida was better, then his vote was appropriate.
I'd agree with all that voting last year as well. Its more about who you think is the appropriate team to be in the MNC.
My guess is Les felt that M had its chance versus OSU. SEC is the conference he coaches in and he felt Florida was very good and deserving of a shot. I really dont think it was bad for him to vote for Florida. Voting for M just out of pure loyalty would not have been appropriate.
Also about Tressel not voting, I think that was a total disgrace. He has the power to vote and him not doing so is just wrong. Either vote for M or Florida, but he needs to vote. He is a coach and a part of the system. Whether or not it would have influenced anything, I just think he should have becuase it is his duty to do so.
Other than that. GO BLUE! Kick Floridas ass. Merry Christmas! and let the Rich Rod dynasty begin!
Gnarls, that's funny and true, but I am pretty sure that he didn't think the Gators were better. But then again, his team lost to the Gators and never played Michigan.
I remember hearing that Vanderbilt players and coaches had said that Michigan was better. Does anyone know if this is true? Ha, like it matters at this point.
I'm bored. I'm at work today (my choice).
During procrastination time, I looked at past WVU recruiting classes. It's absolutely amazing what RR did, albeit in a conference that is either the weakest BCS conf. or one of the strongest due to good OOC records but we just can never tell. But both Steve Slaton and Pat White were 3-star recruits rated at something like 5.5. (Mike Hart was also a 3-star recruit.) That's developing players. Look at how little Michigan has accomplished with so much talent the last few years. We'll see what RR can do with all that talent.
"I also don't understand this conference allegiance B.S. as well. Are we all that deluded to think that if OSU beats LSU people will think the Big Ten is somehow superior to the SEC? The only thing I care about is Michigan. I hope OSU implodes just like last year.
wolvrine5 | 12.25.07 - 1:54 pm | #"
I think it is more that if the Big Ten loses, it is more ammunition for the SEC to say how superior they are. I for one am a bit tired of it. OSU and Michigan winning, at least puts a cork in it until next season. Then we can let R2 fight that battle. I think that R2 coming to the Big Ten is going to help the conference all around, they will have to step it up to compete, the Big Ten will be the winner, with us at the top of course :o)
Hey everyone, I hate to be the bearer of sad news (especially on Christmas), but Michigan OL commit Elliott Mealer lost his father and girlfriend in a car accident yesterday. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family...
http://blog.mlive.com/thediag/
20...her_girlfr.html
Why the hell was a 90-year-old man driving, especially in bad weather???
It's a terrible tragedy that never should have happened.
OSU can only take so many players. If we're worried about how an MNC will give them recruiting clout, let's ask Notre Dame how well their recent MNCs have been working out for them. They're beating out OSU and Michigan for titles and they have sucked for the past 10+ years unlike UM and OSU who both have MNCs within that time period. The SEC wins more and more players might want to stay and play for an SEC team instead of being "slow" Big Ten players.
Side Note : Merry Christmas to all and I'm praying for Mealer and his family. That is absolutely tragic, especially to, from all accouts, an outstanding kid.
More on the OSU recruiting clout thing: they've beaten us for the past, what 5 out of 6 years now? We beat them out for a few good players and they beat us out for a few good players, it happens every year. Another MNC to their name will be annoying, but I could care less who wins based on recruiting clout. Especially because we have a new coach and philosophy...an MNC for OSU won't make much of a difference in that dept. I hate the SEC crap, I wouldn't mind if OSU wins this one...although I'm not really rooting for anyone, Les as a "Michigan Man" or not. Right now, he's a LSU man that pimps the SEC. I don't blame him, but he doesn't help the annoying validation that the SEC fans get on a constant basis that they house the only teams that could beat the Patriots.
Very sad about Mealer, my thoughts go out to him and his family. It is a crappy time of the year to lose someone unexpectedly.
At dinner today I was talking to my nephews about how ND is likely to get the #1 recruiting class this year. I said, seriously, if you were a 3-5 star recruit would you even consider ND? He said "no, but I wouldn't consider Michigan either, I would be going somewhere south where it is warm." Certainly this is why the SEC gets a few recruits. Our weather is not exactly a huge draw. Nevertheless, I believe that R2 is going to be a huge draw for us in the next few years.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/...e/
s_544368.html
Rodriguez can and should be judged on one game and one game only:
i stopped reading after this sentence.
The fact that they're making such a big deal about losing to Pitt shows that they still see themselves as a small-time program.
It screams, "We blew the one and only shot we're going to have for generations!"
If they really thought their program was top notch, they'd be far less histrionic about it, confident that they would have another chance next year. It doesn't hurt any less, but stays in perspective.
Regarding the author of the article from PittinPitt:
Biased much?
...And I'm one of the few Michigan people that is critical of Rodriguez screwing his alma mater, and skeptical about how quickly he'd bolt ann arbor.
My favorite point in the article "Forget 60-26"
Yes, let's forget trivialities such as OVERALL RECORD; and focus on two individual games he should have won.
While we're at it, let's assume Bellein is of the same line of thinking, just because he happened to make the same school jump.
And by the way, if I were PittinPitt, or a Journalist in Pittsburgh, I'd be far more concerned with my school giving a coach who just went 16-19 a three year extension, claiming the program was "going in the right direction"
We are all terrible people for being on here during Christmas Day.
My prayers go to the Mealer family. Good Night all.
Can't wait for '08 version of the Wolverines. Should be nice to see a different product on the field. Hopefully Henne, Hart, Long and Co. can show some pride and make it a game. I don't expect a victory, but I think the Blue show something.
It is totally wrong that 90-year-olds are allowed to drive. But unfortunately they vote, and 16-year-olds don't.
Rodriguez can and should be judged on one game and one game only
I couldn't agree more.
I would also like to add that Caroll should only be judged by the Stanford game, Stoops by the Colorado game, and Meyer by the Auburn game. Any of these wins against unranked opponents would have likely put their respective teams in the NC game.
Caroll, Stoops, Meyer. RR. All worthless.
On a serious note, does anyone know how to reach out to the Mealer family?
What's with the Pittsburgh writer's hatred of Michigan? That seems a bit unfounded.
Gnarls, that is the most laughable excuse for journalism I have seen in a while. And that's saying a lot.
He doesn't allow any consideration that RR was treated unfairly by the current AD. Is coaching indentured servitude where you are unable to improve your situation no matter what the circumstances?
He doesn't consider the achievement that RR was on the doorstep of a NC with talent actually less than Pitt.
He doesn't consider that every team this year had its choking moment, with far greater talent in play.
He doesn't consider that Beilein has inherited a team devoid of talent; that, aside from the freshman, this team could be in the bottom three of the MAC as far as talent level.
Not too bright, that guy.
MDan -
Yeah the article was ridiculous for a variety of reasons. The notion that RR's overall record should be ignored is absurd, as is the mind-boggling comparison between RR and Beilein. I just didn't understand the attacks at Michigan, unless he thinks the University's approach to the hiring was inappropriate (I'm not sure what he wanted UM to do). It seemed bizarre and a little out of left field, considering the article for the most part seemed to be an RR hatchet job.
I imagine the guy figured that he could throw some crap on a piece of paper so as to get a column filed without exerting any effort. Which is fine, I suppose. It's his reputation on the line. My respect for the MSM, at least w/r/t to sportswriters, rapidly decreases with each passing day. Though they all argue otherwise, there isn't that much more accountability amongst newspaper writers when they're offering "opinion."
@Gnarls,
We do recruit W PA fairly well. Maybe they're bitter because that's "their turf?" That's about as plausible as I can figure. I'm not full enough of hot air to think that we're still the team that EVERYONE wants to beat.
"...I am pretty sure that he didn't think the Gators were better."
Really? You talked to him? or exchanged emails? Or you're telepathic? Wait, I know, you know someone high up in the LSU athletic dept who told you this.
Aside from your amazing ability to see into Les Miles' mind, you're also expecting him to put a bullseye on his team for the rest of SEC, especially Florida, by voting for a B10 team? Miles' first duty is to his current team, not his alma mater.
I also would gather that you think Bo Schembechler was a turncoat, too, since he said before the game that he was dead set against a rematch. From an ESPN article by Ivan Maisel on 11-16-06:
"On the possibility of a BCS Championship Game rematch: "I swear to you, I don't even think of that. I don't think of that as a possibility at all. They're not going to do that. Of course it [would not be] fair. Once you beat a team, it's over I would not be in favor of that under any circumstances."
My favorite is this article titled, "RR is a good hire...for OSU." It goes through the typical BS basically assuming that Tressel is invincible and he'll figure out how to defend the spread and then UM will continue to lose to OSU.
Whatever. What really gets me though, is that when you go to the bottom of the page, it says that the author is a pastor at a church! I'm sure he had some time to throw in a few Fuck Michigans for his Christmas sermon.
Don, how about the line after:
"But then again, his team lost to the Gators and never played Michigan."
Do I still sound unequivical about what I think about Les's decision? I, and many others, felt that Florida was not better. They didn't appear to play better, and they had a "worse loss" than Michigan. But I realize that Les's team played and lost to Florida, so he probably saw something that I didn't. And yeah, I do realize that it would be unethical for Les to vote for his alma mater.
But your statement that I would think that Bo was a turncoat is absolute garbage.
"And yeah, I do realize that it would be unethical for Les to vote for his alma mater."
...unless he really did think that Michigan was better. I don't know what he thought.
\Rodriguez can and should be judged on one game and one game only://
The 2006 Sugar Bowl vs. Georgia, obviously.
You know, the Rivals message board is really horrible. It will be nice when Brian tees up MGoBoard again.
courtesy of Vijay, referencing a Business Week article:
"Apparently, the ratings on ND games were so bad this year that NBC is handing out free ad time to sponsors to compensate them for the fact that no one saw their paid ads. The average rating this year for NBC-ND game? An embarrassing 1.8."
sweet.
"ORLANDO, Fla. -- Defensive standouts Jonal Saint-Dic and SirDarean Adams are among five Michigan State players who will sit out the Champs Sports Bowl on Friday against No. 14 Boston College because of academic or other violations.
The Spartans said Monday that Saint-Dic, a senior defensive end, and three other players are academically ineligible for the bowl game. Adams, a senior linebacker, violated unspecified team rules.
The other ineligible players are wide receiver and return specialist Terry Love, wide receiver/cornerback T.J. Williams and offensive guard Abre Leggins." - from ESPN
Nice.
Good grief...can people in West Virginia even say 'spiteful'?
http://www.dailymail.com/Opinion...ne/
200712260100
"But your statement that I would think that Bo was a turncoat is absolute garbage."
FRB, I was making a purposefully inflammatory statement to make a point. I'll grant that you don't really think Bo was a turncoat, but do you disagree with his view of things? Yeah, it would have been interesting to see what Bo's opinion would have been after the game, but he didn't have the opportunity.
I didn't say that voting for Miles' alma mater was unethical, but rather suggested that it would cause problems with LSU's SEC rivals later on. If Miles truly thought that Michigan was better than Fla. but voted for the Gators, then he could be called a hypocrite but he could be called smart, too. It's generally risky for a coach to publicly cast such a meaningful vote against a major conference rival. Just look at what the vote of MSU's AD in favor of OSU after the '73 10-10 tie provided Schembechler for years afterward: a unique motivational tool. Miles may be a bit of a meathead, but I don't think he's dumb.
I think it all came down to how the M-OSU game went down. After Michigan led 7-0, OSU quickly tied the score, and Michigan never had the lead again. During significant portions of the game they were down from 11 to 14 points, and were in frantic catch-up mode the entire game. There's no doubt that Michigan made a heroic effort to keep pace, and the call on Crable was a key play of the game, but it's hard for me to consider a team that gives up over 500 yards on defense a slam-dunk, no-brainer lock for the championship game.
I have no idea if Miles watched the game or not, but it's not unreasonable to think that he concluded the Michigan defense was not truly national championship in caliber, and if nothing else, the outcome of the Rose Bowl would seem to vindicate his vote, whatever his true motivation was.
It has struck me in coach's polls in many sports that the SEC votes as a block. They must have a stylebook they hand out....
Can anyone explain the newest scout.com headline?
Apparently, the Free Press is saying that 3 or 4 Michigan players are ineligible for the Capital one Bowl.
Some of you may have spoken too soon in lambasting MSU...
Link ?
NOthing on Freep.com about this. What Scout.com headline?
carr said a few players wouldnt be making the trip.. i read it this morning
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...o6ssn+Ndghac%
3D
NOTEBOOK: Carr said three or four players did not make the trip because of late grades and a shift in NCAA rules. A few others were late because of travel limitations. He declined to identify the missing players but said he was "hoping" they would join the team today. He said there are no other new significant injuries. ... Carr said Michigan came later than its usual two weeks ahead of the game so that the players could spend some of the Christmas week with their families. ... Carr would not estimate how healthy quarterback Chad Henne and tailback Mike Hart are but said "they'll be better, the question is, how much better
Re: UM players not making the trip. At the bottom of this article:
http://www.freep.com/apps/
pbcs.d...e=BOWLGAMES0708
It's a little unclear based upon Carr's statements as to whether the players might make it down for the game...
hmmmm .. Carr be vague .... weird
Hey Scalz.. did you see that CFN actually predicts a Michigan win in the bowl game? 23-20 whatever they smoked over Christmas.. i want some
No, I didn't see that. And, I wouldn't know where to get any of that stuff. Especially here in Fl.
You ever find a ticket Scalz?
Still in a holding pattern. I checked stubhub, and they're more reasonable than ebay. I'm gonna see if my buddy comes through, or probably just scalp.
Anyone have a scout.com subscription that can update the rest of us about andy new Michigan info, especially about recruiting. I am jonesing for some content here at work. Man, I hate having to work the day after Christmas. I should be at home playing Assassin's Creed on my new PS3, dammit! Thanks in advance. GO BLUE!!
This is the scout article I'm referring to.
http://michigan.scout.com/2/714302.html
Doesn't seem like academic issues to me.
While i think it's overly-optimistic, how unrealistic is the following:
Offense clicks on all cylanders against an average Florida D with a finally-healthy Hart and Henne, a Manningham/Arrington combo looking to impress the scouts. We see the offensive production we thought we'd see coming into the season, but was always limited by injury or MM's tendency to take plays/games off.
Take away the first two weeks (maybe we just weren't game ready, etc.) and the Defense wasn't abyssmal this year. Except for one big play against OSU, we did relately well against the run and put pressure on Boeckman. We were also able to shut down Juice's spread attack.
From an intangables perspetive, Florida has to worry about the Heisman jinx, while Michigan wants to play hard in Hart/Henne/Long/Carr's last game.
All this being said, I am still not very optimistic. However, the media and college football fans in general have basically written this game off as a blowout. I'm just saying, maybe we should be a little more optimistic about this game. Stranger things have happened.
I'm expecting a not so healthy henne. No inside info or anything. I separated a shoulder 2 years ago and I still have trouble making a throwing motion with my arm. He'll get his injection, but best I thnk we could hope for is a 90% Henne. Good but still fragile.
Hart on the other hand I'd expect to be 100%.
We still don't know who's supposed to be missing. If its anyone who has seen time on the defensive side of the ball, I worry about the impending damage that may cause.
mgoblue.com has a long bowl preview vid...it insinuated that henne would still be less than 100%, but was getting stronger. i don't recall anything about hart.
@ formerlyanonymous
I think Henne should be pretty good to go, as far as his health is concerned. I separated my shoulder on July 31, 2003, and I was back to quarterbacking my IM flag football team by the end of September. I still had a shooting pain every once in awhile, but it didn't really affect my throws.
(Yes, I realize IM football is different than Division I-A football. I'm just sayin'.)
Coach Brabbs,
I hear you on that. Michigan does better as the underdog (except against OSU, goddammit). In 2005 UM started out ranked in the top 5 or something. In 2006 and 1997 the Wolverines began ranked around #15. This year...well, we all know what happened.
I just don't know this time. H&H will be healthier, but will the coaching staff really come up with a winning gameplan that absolutely stupefies the Gators? Will Ron English have the D ready for Timmy Christboy? For the last one, I believe that the D wants to remove the stigma of not being able to defend against a mobile QB. It's also possible that RR has been advising the team on that one, but I doubt it. He's trying not to destract the team, and this is Carr's show right now. Ron English might also want to impress RR with a good defensive showing so that he ends up being rehired, but I'm not sure if that's what he'll be thinking.
@Feelin' Really Blue
Sadly, I don't see our coaching staff coming up with any sort of new game plan that will somehow give us an edge over Meyer and Florida. Just don't see how this game would be any different from the last few years under this staff. If we win, i think we will need to rely on huge games from our stars combined with some breaks (turnovers, penalties, etc.). Don't see us getting any edge from our game plan. Hopefully this changes next year.
Florida does not have the defense they had last year, but we don't have the offense we had in 2006, either. Our d ain't as good as last year's, and neither is our kick return game with no Breaston.
However, if this season overall has showed anything, being a prohibitive underdog doesn't necessarily mean squat. If Florida just mails it in while Michigan plays with a sustained fury and intensity, we can win.
If Florida takes the game seriously and Heisman Timmy doesn't turn the ball over 5 times, I'll be surprised to see us within 14 points at the end.
i'd like to know what this means too... anybody?
http://michigan.scout.com/2/714302.html
I think we're in for typical Lloyd Bowl. The first half to three quarters will see us in contention. The lack of any star returner totally slipped my mind. This may be the worst matchup for Michigan. Brandon James has a few TD's on special teams this year (I believe 2). Michigan's coverage has gotten better toward the end of the season, but returns still lack an explosive guy.
My prediction:
UM 7 0 3 7
UF 10 0 7 14
Final: 31-17
The last touchdown for UF at the last minute to put the game out of reach.
Immediately after Bo died last year, I believed we would win the Ohio State game because the universe was fair and winning the game in Bo's memory was right.
In August, before the Appalachian State game, I believed Lloyd was going to retire at season's end. Because Lloyd is a good and decent man, I believed we would run the table and play for the national championship because the universe was fair and Lloyd going out on a high note was right.
Right before the Ohio State game, after Brian's announcement that Lloyd would retire the following Monday, I believed that we would beat Ohio State because the universe was fair and Lloyd winning his last Game was right (not to mention Henne, Hart and Long all needed a win).
Now, as we approach the Florida game, the last of Lloyd's career, I believe we're going to win because the universe is fair, and it's only right that Lloyd win his last game and salvage his legacy, which has been legitimately been tarnished a bit in the last few years. Lloyd going out with a victory against a team that runs a spread offense, with the prototype running-QB, would be only fitting.
Therefore, we're probably going to get housed. Sigh. Damn you, unfair universe!
@ wolvrine5
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.....o6ssn+Ndghac%
3D
NOTEBOOK: Carr said three or four players did not make the trip because of late grades and a shift in NCAA rules. A few others were late because of travel limitations. He declined to identify the missing players but said he was "hoping" they would join the team today. He said there are no other new significant injuries. ... Carr said Michigan came later than its usual two weeks ahead of the game so that the players could spend some of the Christmas week with their families. ... Carr would not estimate how healthy quarterback Chad Henne and tailback Mike Hart are but said "they'll be better, the question is, how much better
Mallett Fumbles Snaps | 12.26.07 - 12:54 pm | #
Gravatar Re: UM players not making the trip. At the bottom of this article:
http://www.freep.com/apps/ pbcs.d...e=BOWLGAMES0708
It's a little unclear based upon Carr's statements as to whether the players might make it down for the game...
Gnarls Woodson | 12.26.07 - 12:54 pm | #
Should have known copy and paste wouldn't work too well.
So anyone else think the "higher" chance of rain might hurt us even more? There's a 40% chance compared to the normal 20% common with the gulf coast every other day of the year. If S. Florida is anything like where I lived in Houston, 40% should be the heavy afternoon rain that last an hour the disappears leaving one hell of a hot and humid game. Hopefully it leaves a semi mud bowl that Tebow can't move well in.
Who will the assistant coaches be for the bowl game? Will we see Ron English on the sideline?
Seeing as there is no one to replace them, and they are still being paid by the University, I would imagine, unless they get a new job between now and then, you will see all of the previous assistant coaches.
100 cocktails to the person who gets an "I don't care if he's already fired, DeBord should be fired right now" sign into the C1CB and make it on tv.
Gulf coast and Orlando are 2 entirely different things. And, from march until October, 40% means it WILL rain. From Nov-Feb, means about a 40% chance. Not really humid, so not a big chance of rain.
We must/will establish the run!!!
Run or die trying!!
We must see to it that we don't give up the big play!!
He is a tremendous football player!!!
I just don't see them not scoring if they get close to the red zone. A healthy Henne and Hart would mean a couple of scores instead of just 3 points! We will probably let their speed rushers beat our Oline pretty good to the tune of 4 sacks and tons of QB pressure. We will have some success in running against their front 4 but when it matters we cannot/will not do much.
Seems awfully pessimistic but hey we all have been disappointed before, so will hold out some hope but why should things be any different now? Would be a pleasant surprise if the outcome is any different!!
35 - 17 Florida!!
So whats the over under on undergrads leaving the team.
I think its three NFL declares and a couple transfers. Combine that with the seniors next season and man are we going to be thin the next few years.
Which three underclassmen will declare?
Magnus:
I can't speak for Anon., but I assume his three would be MM, AA, and either Terrence Taylor or Morgan Trent.
Hee Hee Hee Fiutak actually picked us to win, here you go.....
http://cfn.scout.com/2/711252.html
The last couple of lines are the best "This isn't last year's Florida defense, and this isn't last year's Michigan. It won't be next year's Michigan, either."
Whatever Pete, keep smoking that thing you have been smoking..seems to keep you in good spirits!!
Have to imagine MM would be it. We will probably officially lose Antonio Bass to injury by next season. After that, there isn't much lost.
For his sake I hope TT stays in school. While he's been a solid guy along the D line, I don't think that he's established that he's some sort of can't-miss NFL prospect.
If nothing else, he could probably benefit hugely from a 21st-century S&C program, especially in relation to performing at the the combines.
I am trying my best to be optimistic about the game w/ Florida....after all, we have beaten four different SEC programs in the last eight bowl seasons, including Florida....but I cant shake the fact that this sets up to being closer to the Tenn. debacle after the 2001 season.....we have the talent to score all day on Florida, but will we have the gameplan to do so? I just dont trust this coaching staff to have the offense firing on all cylinders from the start or to have solid and money enough red zone plays to score TDs and not settle for FGs.....will we wait until we get behind to muster up some play calling aggession? That will be deadly against this Florida team....in the end, I could see us falling behind, making a spirited, prideful fight, ultimately covering the spread, but losing the game 35-27....and we'll look back at a pair of FG drives, and wonder, why, in his last game ever, LC did not just go for it, rather than settling for PAT-lenghth 3-point attempts.
I hope I am wrong because, for so many reasons, I want UM to win this game.....we'll see if my optimism grows at all this week.
Scout front page is saying that Josh Jenkins, WVU's top recruit, is no longer a Mountaineer. Anyone have any info on whether he's switched over to the Wolverines? That would be a nice catch of our Oline.
I'm sorry, but I cant see TT or Trent turning pro.....if somebody is telling them their stock is high, and that it cant get remarkably higher w/ one more good year in college, then those kids are getting very very bad advice.
I cant see Trent being drafted, period. Or TT, for that matter. Maybe the second day, at best.
MM and AA are different stories. Each could put themselves in the first round with a MVP-type performance in the bowl game. Think they both would improve their stock higher than it is today if they come back, but being picked in the first round would be hard to pass up.
I'd have no beef with MM going pro - there's not much left for him to prove at the college level - but AA needs to come back and be the #1 receiver next year. He has a LOT to gain by coming back *if* Mario leaves - he'd be a mortal lock for 1,000 yards if RRod utilizes an offense similar to the one he ran at Tulane.
Murl,
Unfortunately, for the time being we are not on his list. tOSU, FSU, PSU, Pitt.
Maybe a call from RR could change all that...
If we do anything in this game from a strategic or tactical standpoint that's not already well-established on tape, it will be a first in the Lloyd Carr era.
There's not a single bowl game under Carr in which we've done anything truly new that has prompted opposing players or coaches after the game to say "boy, we thought we had Michigan pegged but they threw a bunch of new stuff at us and we never could make adjustments quick enough."
Unfortunately, it's been our players saying that kind of thing about opponents, notably USC in the last two RBs. I would be surprised if Meyer doesn't extend this tradition.
Inca Kola:
Thanks for the info. I'm sure our new coaching staff is all over Jenkins like a cheap suit.
Is there any concern that RichRod's success in running the football over the past several years was tied in significant part to the fact that he had Rick Trickett as his OL coach--until Trickett went to FSU last year? I would feel much better about our OL if we could woo Trickett away from FSU, though there is probably little chance of that happening.
TP's acads are being run through the system to see if an offer can be made (std procedure for borderline acads).
I am very optimistic (if everything checks out..verbal commit should be coming shortly).
TP's acads are being run through the system to see if an offer can be made (std procedure for borderline acads).
I am very optimistic (if everything checks out..verbal commit should be coming shortly).
I hate being cynical, and I have nothing but undying love for my alma mater, but if the above is true, I think everything is going to "check out" no matter what.
If there was ever a reason to root for OSU over LSU, then this is it.
http://www.thesuntimes.com/artic...ts/
sports14.txt
What a piece of crap. Why do these people get paid to write stuff like this. Its okay to write trash in your "blog" but not in a newspaper...pfftt whatever. I am really interested in seeing what this moron is going to write in 3 year's time when Petrino leave Ark for some "bigtime" program.
My favorite part of that article defending Petrino was this line:
Petrino was reluctant to leave Louisville for Atlanta
WELL THEN WHY DID HE FUCKING LEAVE?!?
Sorry for the profanity. I must have thought I was on Deadspin or something.
TP's acads are being run through the system to see if an offer can be made (std procedure for borderline acads).
I am very optimistic (if everything checks out..verbal commit should be coming shortly).
xyz@umich.edu | 12.26.07 - 4:49 pm | #
BS. He hasn't even made a visit yet.
Maybe he comes eventually, but quit with the immodest claims.
Does anyone have any new information on Mallett transferring or who was a no-show at practice today? There's front page article on Scout about it.
Article on the Elliot Mealer accident stating he and his mom were not seriously injured - no update on the brother.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/...RTS06/
341484557
"Does anyone have any new information on Mallett transferring or who was a no-show at practice today? There's front page article on Scout about it."
FWIW, the reliable folks in the Scout forums are implying that he is staying.
there were rumors (people who had access to the site) that there were 3-4 people who were arriving later than the rest of the team due to travel conflicts. I would imagine that is the case. Anyone with a subscription, I'd love to hear a recap.
seize the night.
McGuffie lacks the physical gravity to dominate Div. IA FB. Good riddance, McG. Listen to the promises and accept the consequences. This is all.
Purdue better not piss this away. We watched most of the first half in a restaurant, drove home with Purdue way ahead, turned it back on just now and it's 41-34. What the heck?
_________________
Damn you, unfair universe!
Gnarls Woodson | 12.26.07 - 2:53 pm | #
_________________
Gnarls - I felt just the same way ... we'd kick tOSU's butt last year because the universe is fair. Eff. The universe may not be fair, but it is no doubt balanced. If Lloyd doesn't win his last game, then it is inevitable that M will kick everyone's butt under RR, because the pendulum is due to swing back our way.
Purdue single handedly screwing the big ten before bowl season really gets underway....this is brutal, except for those taking the points, I guess, but otherwise the chattering class will kill the league over this.
What is this thing you call defense?
Can they at least block the extra point?
ohmigod, if WVU hires CMU's head coach they are retarded like no other.
What does this word defense mean? I no understand. 51 points??? holy shit
Nice job Purdue. great clock management at the end. also, your defense sucks golfballs through gardenhoses.
jb
I knew that Purdue would make this a close game. This was the best that could have been hoped for, a close win. Playing the same team twice but this time there was incredible negativity all over campus. I am very surprised that they survived.
Losing to Indiana is by far the worst thing that Purdue can do. Purdue's little brother syndrome is deep and the only thing that they have been able to hang our/their hat on is being better than IU in football since Tiller started. The team is in a complete rut and next year will be brutal.
Carr's late night,
Where the hell did that come from? The kid can run--4.3 40. That's pretty damn fast.
the crazy thing about Butch Jones is that he called the offensive (no pun intended) plays at CMU under DeBord. Then he went to WVU and got re-educated by RR for 2 years before coming back to CMU.
Makes me like the RR hire even more.
The Motor City Bowl was one hell of a game. CMU is no joke.... besides their defense... But seriously, That just shows what happens when you take your foot off the gas. Even if you are a big ten team vs. the MAC. Big props to CMU and the MAC for giving a hell of an effort. I wish it was MSU playing in that game.
CMU is no joke. 90% of the starters are underclassmen, no wonder why their defense sucks. They'll break Top 25 within 2 years, especially with LeFevour, Bryant, and Andersen.
Scratch Bryant and make that Brown. Duh.
so, unholy UFR today? oh, goody.
McGuffie lacks the physical gravity to dominate Div. IA FB. Good riddance, McG. Listen to the promises and accept the consequences. This is all.
Did McGuffie kick your dog or something? If not, "good riddance" is an awfully harsh thing to say about an 18-year old who hasn't said or done anything that reflects poorly on the University.
To echo Gnarls, why the anti-McGuffie calls?
I have not read that he is bailing on us...but even if he does, he has destroyed the highest level of competition in Texas for several years--he certainly has what it takes to dominate in college at the Div. IA level.
Did I miss some news on McGuffie? I'm not seeing anything anywhere--not since the comment about waiting to see what happens with Jackson. I don't understand the "good riddance" thing.
Speaking of McGuffie, I just found this article about Mike Hart's impressions of Sam from back in August.
http://blog.mlive.com/jim_carty/
...m_mcguffie.html
Oh wait, I think that that guy might be a Texas A&M fan, who lives in Texas, of course.
Yeah, what;s with the Mcguffie hate. I looked everywhere and didn't find anything about a decommit.
I somebody had $100 to burn, should they subscribe to Scout or Rivals? Who has better/more accurate premium content?
Mcguffie's coming to Michigan,these guy's just have there head up there butt
McGuffie, rated the No. 1 running back prospect in the country by Rivals.com, is expected to compete for Hart's job a year from now.
"That's all (Michigan running backs) coach (Fred) Jackson talks about," Hart said, laughing. "Coach Jackson would get rid of me to have him right now."
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Jackson won't let him get away
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McGuffie still appears very solid, especially in light of the Jackson rehiring.
He should be able to thrive in RR's offense.
Mcguffie's impact is going to be amazing,he will be one of those backs, that every time he touches the ball he can take it all the way Will open up a lot of different things.
Look at the impact Reggie Bush had on USC,same thing.
The one thing that really concerns me about McGuffie is injury. He was prone to injury in HS this year, and his acrobatics, especially against a more physical college defense, could potentially lead to some tweaks, twists, and pulls. Other than that, I think he is an exciting addition, if he sticks to his commit.
McGuffie should redshirt, but I don't see it happening. If he does not, then either Grady or Minor should switch to LB. Alternatively, since Carlos Brown was a high school QB, perhaps he could move back there if Mallett transfers and Pryor goes elsewhere.
"McGuffie lacks the physical gravity to dominate Div. IA FB."
It's true... Carr's Late Nite has inside information that NASA-directed testing at the JPL has revealed a mysterious and very localized reduction in gravitational mass envelops McGuffie. He has to wear lead weights in his boots to keep him from floating away. The concern of the Michigan coaching staff is that a hard hit might send Sam flying out of the Big House altogether.
Check out the 2 tables here. Note 40 time, size, bench, yards & carries.
Real deal folks.
http://www.logictimes.com/Blue/P...n-
Profiling.htm
@Huge Nerd.. "if he sticks to his commit." Why add that at the end? show me evidence that he's wavered on coming to michigan,other then the standard line from all the recruits"I want wait and see who's coaching".He's coming,his dad wears a Michigan cap at all his sons high school games for christ sake.
The thing McGuffie has that just about all great backs have(see Adrian Peterson) is the ability to reach full speed after 2 or 3 steps (some call it a burst).So when they see that glimpse of daylight boom there gone.
McGuffie's mom likes Texas A&M,his dad likes Michigan.You get your religion from your mom and your sports from your dad.
-
-
-When you were a kid did you really care what sports team your mom liked?
Anybody have info on where UM fans might be able to send a note of condolence to '08 commit Elliott Mealer after the horrible car crash that killed his Dad & g/f Monday nite? If so, please post. . .
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.d.../312270021/
1054
Mom go in the kitchen and make us another sandwich,the michigan games about to start.
Are recruits allowed on the sidelines during bowl games?
Just listened to a Pryor interview on rivals. He's pretty f-ing annoying to listen to.
I heard Berry Switzer called Billy Simms from the locker room of a bowl game.He said Billy was impressed.
@ mgobleu...Why?
@ Anonymous...
Wow, you must be bored at work or something... I am not saying he will not come to Michigan, and don't need evidence to prove it either way. If we learned one thing from the coaching search, it's that nothing is over until it is over. People change their minds, information is miscommunicated, surprise developments abound. I was simply saying I was concerned about injury potential, but was otherwise excited.
Go pick a fight elsewhere.
He sounds like he just woke up from a bender. Don't get me wrong; I'm not making judgements about him. The way he speaks annoys me.
another article on Mealer's deadly car crash:
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/...EWS01/
712260393
@ Huge Nerd "Go pick a fight elsewhere"..Leave it to a nerd to consider asking a question, to be cosidered picking a fight.I can picture you curled up in the fetel postion sucking your thumb.Come on son, this is Michigan Football, grow a pair
Big words coming from somebody who calls himself Anonymous. Of maybe it's herself. Who knows.. you're too big of a pussy to let anybody know who you are.
That's what I thought... the Nerd prevails once again.
I'll be back when something interesting actually happens.
@Huge Nerd...Another keyboard warrior,Do me a favor clear all the cheetos and twinkie wrappers off your work station.Then wipe the sweat off the rolls on your fore head,with one of your stubby cigar sized fingers.And leave this post Immediatly.
@Huge Terd...Your Threats amuse me
Sorry folks, kids will be kids
All clear now, you can resume posting
@ Brobee
I've heard that Scout has a lot better info. I have a subscription to Rivals. I'm probably going to switch to Scout at some point, but so far I've been too lazy to pull the trigger.
@ mgobleu
I saw Pryor interviewed, and you're right. He was kind of annoying to listen to. He's not very eloquent and he wouldn't look at the interviewer; he kept looking down at his feet.
Five days before Lloyd, Hart, Long, and Henne's last games in the maize and blue, and instead of any posts on it, we're going to get the OSU UFR.
This is like sitting with your family on December 20th, and instead of talking about how grandpa is flying in from Arizona to see the family one last time, you discuss all your relatives who have died from cancer.
Please, no UFR.
Not really sure if you've checked, but not a whole lot of 17 year olds are eloquent, and tend to not look people in the eyes when they talk. I think if I was in the national eye, I might be a little gunshy myself. Anyway, he's eloquent on the field. The PR stuff can be learned.
Henne isn't the best interview, either, but I do enjoy him being the QB at Michigan.
RichRod on 1130AM WDFN in the D right now. www.wdfn.com
@ scalz1
Yeah. I've checked. I'm a high school teacher. Thanks, though.
I'm not saying it's a detriment to him on the field. Let me restate it so you can understand.
He's less eloquent than a lot of 17-year-olds that I know, and he stared at the ground during the interview. I've seen lots of kids interviewed for the newspaper, TV, etc. and, really, not a lot of them stare at their feet.
I'm just saying he's not a great interview. He's obviously a great player and I've heard he's a leader.
IMO Henne never lived up to his potential and has actually regressed some over his years at Michigan
@ Mangus
I'm glad you could "dumb it down" for me. Thanks.
You're welcome.
Yeah. I've checked. I'm a high school teacher. Thanks, though.
I'm not saying it's a detriment to him on the field. Let me restate it so you can understand.
Magnus, you have got to stop being so fricking condescending to people when you post.
He was condescending to me when he suggested that I didn't know 17 year olds might not be eloquent. You get what you give.
Hey come on guy's break it up,before some one starts crying.
I wasn't condescending, I was being snide. There is a difference.
Anyway, kids today.... well, let's just ay the personable ones are getting harder and harder to come by. Most of the teenagers I've come across are pretty socially inept.
." Most of the teenagers I've come across are pretty socially inept."
-
-Amen Brother
@ Magnus...Didn't i see you in the worlds strongest man competition?
My first chime-in since before the holidays:
I don't put much stock in the "likability" of a kid in an interview. First, he's a kid...cut him some slack. Second, as someone else already mentioned, Chad Henne and countless other high-profile Michigan athletes (cough Desmond cough) don't have great audio/video presence...let it go. Third, leadership at the QB position doesn't require great interviewing skills...if the QB plays hard, and everyone else plays hard for the QB, then we really shouldn't care.
Just my $.02.
Just Kidding,seems theres always a magnus van magnus or some similar name in there.
For that comment you owe us $.01. back
@ Anonymous
Yeah, there's a Magnus von Magnusson or something like that.
@ cfaller96, et al.
Nobody ever said the kid was a fucking retard or that we didn't want him to come to Michigan. All I said was that he isn't eloquent and that the ONE INTERVIEW of him I saw was painful to watch because he looked at the ground all the time. Nobody's bashing the kid, for Christ's sake. A bad interview doesn't mean he's a horrible person/bad player/mentally disabled. Get off it. Stop blowing things out of proportion.
Could be the ebonics thing also.....come on ,I just said what all of us were thinking
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I haven't seen any Pryor interview so I can't comment directly on him, but some kids are just plain inarticulate and very ill-at-ease when speaking in a formal public situation. It can be due to a variety of things, but unless in Pryor's case it indicates a lack of facility with basic language skills I'm not going to worry about it from a Michigan football perspective.
To me, the large majority of college-level athletes are tremendously uninteresting interviews, and it's painful to listen to the majority of them, regardless of what background they come from.
Holy flame wars!
I'm looking forward to the UFR. Sample:
"Boren (-1), Long (-1), Kraus (-2), and McAvoy (-1) over run on the play, allowing Henne to be killed. Schilling (-5) disembowled by Gholston."
jeremy B, beautifully said. I second the "No OSU UFR."
99% of the fucksticks who want that depressing thing are Buckeye trollers.
NOT a Merry CHristmas gift, Brian. More lump a lump of coal.
I too humbly suggest you exert your fine talents on a retrospective piece.
But it's your blog and all that....
RR and a new S&C. Happy New Year Indeed!
"To me, the large majority of college-level athletes are tremendously uninteresting interviews, and it's painful to listen to the majority of them, regardless of what background they come from."
Make that every athelete ever, and I agree. Jon Kitna speaks well, but I'd rather gouge out my own eyes than listen to it.
Cfaller -
You don't like Desmond ? Come on. He slips every once in a while, but more often than not, he's entertaining. At least he's not a PC robot like evryone else on ESPN.
Heard on WTKA this morning a rumor that RR offered Debord the tight ends coaching position, but MD turned it down.
It would be more than a little ironic if RR ended up with MD on his staff, considering how a large portion of the fanbase loved the hire in part because they assumed it would mean the departure of MD.
Why do they let players introduce the rooster, very annoying.
Did anyone see the Emmitt Smith/Adrian Peterson interview following the Vikes/Bears Monday night game? That's exhibit #1 in why no athelete should ever be given a mic.
"McGuffie's mom likes Texas A&M,his dad likes Michigan.You get your religion from your mom and your sports from your dad."
I happened by off chance to catch the TX HS minute down here on FSN Southwest and they had an interview with SM. He had his M cap on the whole time and I didnt catch a whiff of uncertainty about his decision to attend UM (not sure when it was filmed though).
His mom it seemed was pretty tore up about him going away to school so far away--that, I think, is the main reason she wants him to stay in-state to go to school (and not some rabid pro-Aggie fanaticism).
On a side note: Has anyone seen an interview with Charles Woodson recently?
Man, the strides he's made in public speaking are very gratifying.
He's all growns up.
It's a nice thing to see and hear from a once-unpolished Michigan Man.
There are some athletes who turn out to be good sports correspondents. I really liked Harold Reynolds when he was ESPN. I also think Steve Young is exceptional.
But I do agree that most of them are turds.
Why do they let players introduce the rooster, very annoying.
I agree. In my opinion, the rooster should never be introduced. Stupid fucking bird.
OOOf -
You ever seen Derrick brooks in an interview? A sa lifetime Bucs fan, I Loooooooove Derrick. He should never be allowed to speak on TV, though.
@Willie Heston...I think it's pretty much a lock he will be wearing maize & blue in the fall
Woodson, though, was always pretty smart. I had to give a presentation with him in a freshman Sociology class I took, which required 4 or 5 meetings to organize. He did his share, and did it pretty well.
If you're McGuffie and you're weighing TA&M vs Michigan, you're also weighing Mike Sherman versus Rich Rodriguez.
I'd say that's a mismatch made in heaven for Michigan fans.
I was a big fan of Steve Young, but as an announcer, he's very whiny and aloof. I don't like him as an analyst at all.
I agree, and what's up with the damn thing always waking my ass up, too?
@caup '91 ok everybody pile, on one slip of the keyboard and your the whipping boy
@scalz1
It's not that I don't like him, it's that I just don't believe he has a great TV/radio presence. The pitch of his voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me, and his smile is always more of a smirk...it's the "I just banged your wife" smile.
When you just listen to the words that Desmond says, he's fine. But the pitch and the smirk just make me want to change the channel. Eh, perhaps I'm just overly negative on that whole clownshow that ESPN calls "College Football Gameday."
all right it's a slow day at the office and on this board so a dumb question: how do I italicize text in my posts? I'm envious and inept. Please advise.
"99% of the fucksticks who want that depressing thing are Buckeye trollers."
I disagree.
I think Brian's analysis could prove beneficial moving forward b/c it is an objective analysis of the data and will serve as a useful data point for next season.
We all know it sucked, but I think he should get it up as part of the historical record.
You can't move on until you first look at and acknowledge the wreck.
Click on the little "?" next to comment to get a list of possible tags and smileys. Italics open with a [i] and close with a [/i]. (only use brackets instead of the square brackets).
@caup '91...We could tell you,but then we'd have to kill you.
"" to open and close. HTML keeps pulling them out.
@Don -
DeBord is an example of the Pter Principle - he is a fantastic recruiter and probably knows a good deal about football. However, he was promoted to a level (OC) that exceeded his competence. That's all. I don't care if he is retained as a position coach if he is actually good at it.
cfaller -
Did you see the HBo special on UM-OSU ?
That interview gave me a new appreciation for him. When he was talking about doing the pose, and said:"Fuck it", I saw the light.
What other ESPN douche would say that ?
No DeBord..PERIOD
willie,
You make a great point...for MY argument of NO OSU UFR. Considering the fundamental shift in coaching philosophies we're about to undergo, the OSU UFR is even MORE worthless.
But cheer up, you're a 1%er!
What I'm saying looks important.
the Purdue guy who introduced their rooster was even more awfuller than usual. That whole thing is just a stupid gimmick... worse than sideline reporters... like any of us give a fuck who introduces the team. Just get to the broadcast and leave the crap out of it.
@ chitownblue 00..But it isnt
EVERYTHING I SAY IS IMPORTANT. GIVE ME SOME CHEESE DOODLES
@Don ...Could not agree more
This is the a /a combo.
This is the b /b combo.
This is the i /i combo.
This is a br
in a line.
Here are some smileys that I don't think work:
:) ;) :( :lol: :o( 8) :?: :+: :-:
I've never been able to attach an image, either.
It's even more important when in bold
thank you?
This post would be great if you could post an image.
HAH! THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT!!!
thank you!
Does this work?
Then again if you could post an image there would have been alot of Bill Martin with his head up his ass.
BOLD CAPS ITALICS ARE ONLY FOR SUPER-DUPER IMPORTANT THINGS
"Considering the fundamental shift in coaching philosophies we're about to undergo, the OSU UFR is even MORE worthless."
I guess I will be looking to measure effectiveness of tackling and blocking with the same guys who will be back next year.
I know the offense will change, but I am hoping as most of you are that the improved S&C and implementation of proper technique will result in something positive that can be measured.
I've never minded being in the minority.
To me, an even more distubing thing to look at will be how we stack up against Florida. I cant find many bright spots there, but will still be curious to read the pregame analysis.
If you use multiple tags, just make sure to clear them in the opposite order you set them.
b i a TEXT /a /i /b
Ok, I'm officially a tool.
Mike Hart was just on Jim Rome. I'm sure it'll be on his pod-cast site later today or tomorrow. Good day for UM interviews on Sports talk radio. GO BLUE!
@ Willie Heston "To me, an even more distubing thing to look at will be how we stack up against Florida. I cant find many bright spots there."-
-
-
-Not so fast my friend
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MFan, you're dead-on with the Peter Principle reference to MD. Don't know about his recruiting skills, but he can't be a complete football ignoramus. The football coaching field at the college and pro levels is essentially a vast graveyard of highly-regarded assistants and coordinators who were complete failures as head coaches. The skill sets required to succeed as an assistant and as HC overlap only partially, and it's the rare guy who's got enough of both to truly succeed over time.
The Detroit Lions have made a significant contribution to that graveyard over the last 40+ years.
I could be mistaken but if you forget to close it, you're name retains the formatting.
@scalz1
Again, I like Desmond, and I like what he says. Maybe I just have a big problem with ESPN Gameday, and the assclown that is Lee Corso. I hate seeing a Michigan Man legitimize that crap by participating in the Corso-craptasticness.
In 1997/1998, DeBord was actually an effective OC. He came back completely changed. We completing something like 70% of our passes to RB's and TE's in 1997, and since he's come back, we basically haven't called a screen. Odd.
okay, thanks?
have you ever hit preview with the field blank and seen a page full of this?
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Debord name is be stricken from all michigan history books ...so it is written ,so it is done.
Some interesting headlines on Rivals for recruiting. Anybody have info/access? TP discussed Michigan on rivalsradio, and this WR from Virginia has jumped back in the picture, along with some other guys.
@samsoccer7...Yes TP is coming here, and bringing every OSU recruit with him
Anon - That wasn't my question or my inference.
(Deniro in his role as capone) I WANT TRESSEL DEAD,I WANT HIS FAMILY DEAD,I WANT HIS PETS DEAD,
No word specifically yet that I've seen.
Can anyone forward anonymous's IP address to Brian so he can block it. (that is possible with haloscan already).
@ samsoccer7.....Could happen
chitown blue, and others,
Yeah, Debord's second stint here is a head scratcher....you pointed out the throwing to RBs and TEs, our offense looks so different now than it did during his first stint as OC.....not to mention the implementation of the zone blocking and zone stretch plays.....brutal addition, if you ask me.....count me as someone who never was in love with DeBord, but expected the 97/98 offense when we re-elevated to OC prior to last year.....i've hated everything he has done since he's been back.
I found this Maize and Brew article pretty funny:
http://maizenbrew.com/
@ formerlyanonymous...HOW DARE YOU,ok formerly the gloves are off.
I know Corso's a clown, but I think he's an essential part of GameDay. Fowler the straight man and Herbie the alleged insider wouldn't be enough to pull it off by themselves.
I heard that Pryor interview. He said he's gonna wait to make his decision public until signing day. He doesn't even take a trip to UM until late Jan, so I doubt we're gonna know anytime soon. He did, however, say that basketball's not that important to him, so that looks better for Mich.
I now have my team of geeks trying to locate "formerlyanonymous's" postion.They have orders to work day and night.Rest well my friend.
This also warms my heart. The Diag links an article reporting that State players are still upset about the "little brother" remark.
"Guys were (ticked). But that just varies from player to player. Some players, that's still eating them to this day.
"And the rest of us ... it still eats us, but we're just good at hiding it."
That comment was just the gift that keeps on giving.
In the future lets make OSU our red headed step child.
Corso is a clown, and he embraces the role. He doesn't try and do anything else but be hype man, really. Corso and Herbie are like Flav and Chuck D. If the show was all straight reporting, you'd get bored way too easily.
I'll take 3 Corso's instead of one Speilman any day of the year.
That comment was just the gift that keeps on giving.
MSU football or a 1 year subscription to the Jelly of the month club....what's the better Xmas gift?
'93 Rose Bowl's on ESPN Classic. It's one we won!
I'm just watching and I can't help but notice how innovative and interesting Moeller's offensive plays are. The last two touchdowns were really sweet. The first was scored on a TE streak that was opened up by motioning the back out wide AND faking to the fullback. The second was a sweet draw that motioned Wheatley into a pass block position (that offset behind the tackle spot Hart takes on 3rd and long) only to give him the ball after it looked like he was set to block. Well designed and well executed. I feel like recently all we've had is the latter.
Elvis, btw, was more deft than he's given credit for.
OMG, Spielman's an idiot.
My daughter is Spartan,I have to do alot of acting,like i give a damn about MSU football.
@Willie Heston
To me, an even more distubing thing to look at will be how we stack up against Florida. I cant find many bright spots there, but will still be curious to read the pregame analysis.
Ok, I have a theory about how Michigan has a chance. All but 2 or 3 of the Michigan coaching staff are going to be out of a job come January 2nd, and are busy floating their resumes. But it's possible they won't be hired until after the bowl games. So, in order to maximize their chances at gainful employment, the coaches have to come up with a superduperkickass gameplan, and will do their damnedest to motivate players to execute that gameplan. And Urban and Tebow will be absolutely shocked that Michigan CAN stop the spread. Who woulda thunk it?
Sadly, a victory over Florida will only serve to remind me that our current coaching staff only does a good job when they have to, and thus I can't wait to see them go. And yes, I had to hit the eggnog pretty hard to come up with that theory.
Michigan 31 Florida 24
MSU football or a 1 year subscription to the Jelly of the month club....what's the better Xmas gift?
Hands down MSU football. No matter how bleak things look in AA we can always make ourselves feel better by looking down 96.
Although I'd take the Jelly of the Month club over a Christmas bonus any day.
Tebow torn acl injury first quarter.
Manningham:Career day
...That's not to say the running QB didn't give them hell. Damn Brunell.
Also: Vermeil is a really enjoyable analyst. Bo...not so much. I'm sure he was just sitting there trying to keep himself from shouting.
Message to lloyd:PASS ON FIRST DOWN,PASS ON FIRST DOWN,PASS ON FIRST DOWN,PASS ON FIRST DOWN,PASS ON FIRST DOWN,PASS ON FIRST DOWN,PASS ON FIRST DOWN,PASS ON FIRST DOWN,
Why'd we stop putting stickers on our helmets for accomplishments? We did it in '93...
Something about not rewarding individual success but a team effort.
And because they look tacky as hell and we're better than tOSU. Same reason we don't have a hokey ass mascot.
- and what he said.
Lloyd Carr and Rich Rodriguez
By The GoBlueWolverine Staff
GoBlueWolverine.com
Date: Dec 26, 2007
There might be a good reason to keep checking back over the next couple-few days ... but don't hold the TJBlog to it ...??????
the buckeyes look good, the footballs really didn't add much aesthetically. i kind of like them for the hokeyness though.
I never had a problem with helmet stickers... after all, Bo was the ultimate team guy, and if stickers were good enough for him, they're good enough for me.
It's basically the same thing was wearing a scalp or the amputated fingers of your vanquished enemies, but the officials would frown on that.
Colin,
Michigan Football Saturdays agreed with you in '06.
http://thosewhostaywillbechampio...met-
decals.html
Although his argument is basically that they look cool.
I can't help but disagree. The winged maize and blue just seems to be cheapened by the stickers whereas I can understand how a shitty gray helmet can be enhanced by them.
If we just had a silver helmet with an ugly ass red stripe down the middle, that's one thing. But I think our helmets are too cool to muck up with stickers.
Curtis Painter and the Boilermakers survive a huge Chippewa comeback with a last second field goal...Big 10 1-0
Scout also reports the Will Fitzgerald got a call from RR and is intent on keeping his commitment to us.
I am also in the camp the doesn't have the extra $100 to shell out for a rivals/scout subscription so any updates from someone who does would be greatly appreciated.
Finally, I am also in the camp of preferring not to have a breakdown of the OSU game, especially in light of the new era of Michigan football starting. Kind of like celebrating your birthday and someone bringing up how grandma died.
Nothing wrong with helmet stickers. I miss 'em. It's another thing that separates college ball from the pros.
I could be wrong but i remember that the stickers that were on the helmets during Desmond's years were of Wolverine heads. GO BLUE!
Matt Flynn is a mediocrity. In the end I think that's what will doom LSU. You don't start for the first time as a 5th year senior if you are special.
Tell that to Jason White.
On the TP decision.
Logically it has to make sense for TP to come here.
All he has to do is remind himself how RR took a less talented Pat White and turned him into a Heisman candidate at WV.
RR's offense, coupled with the fact that Michigan is a more prestigious program garnering more national attention should prove more attractive to TP than anything other schools have to offer.
Am I missing something and being a total Michigan homer or does this make sense?
LSU shouldn;t even be there. They are by far the mosr OVERRATED team in the country. They could have and should have 4 LOSSES!!!!OSU will tear them a new A@!#!@#!@
Hate to say it but i have to root for OSU
(Big 10 thing and all)
I'll never root for osu. The SEC dominance thing will eventually fade but being reminded of another MNC would last forever
\Am I missing something and being a total Michigan homer or does this make sense?//
No, you pretty much nailed it. A guy like Prior playing for RichRod is like George Harrison studying sitar under Ravi Shankar. If you're "that guy", how do you not take that chance if you have it?
LSU shouldn't be there...but as much as I hate pulling for the SEC to win something, I can't pull for OSU to win anything.
Capital One Bowl Tickets (Michigan vs Florida) 1/1 1-1-2008
Tuesday
1:00 PM Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL $180 - $465
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-Stubhub
LSU shouldn't be there...but as much as I hate pulling for the SEC to win something, I can't pull for OSU to win anything.
Agreed. I'm between a rock and a hard place.
On the one hand, seeing OSU get pasted by an SEC team for the 2nd year in a row in the MNC game would be too sweet. On the other hand, I would seriously like to get the SEC idiots to STFU.
Maybe OSU could win on a blocked field goal in a turn-over loaded, defenseless, WAC-ish garbage game. That way, whoever wins it will leave a bad taste in their mouth.
About that whole Terrelle Pryor thing, I just feel that if he is a good kid and has smarts, then Michigan will turn him into a man. Unfortunately, Lloyd wouldn't be the one to do it, but hopefully RR can.
And the whole fair/unfair universe thing: my verdict is that the universe is unfair. Don, I know this because I spoke to God Himself about this. I understand that the Buckeyes suffered during the 90s, but they don't deserve all this, because they are rude fans and there are allegations of cheating there. Plus, H, H, & L are all good men, and it sucks that they have to leave UM without having beaten OSU. I mean, there's all that crap about Mike Hart having heart and so on, and the day that Michigan fans rolled out the "Hart 4 Heisman" banner during the game against Purdue, down went Hart with a sprain. Is there no justice in this world?
Michigans need for safeties in the class of 2008 remains the same after the coaching transition. The need is for at least one immediate impact freshman and possibly several more for adequate depth. Keanon Cooper is one of the holdovers from previous recruiting efforts that is still being pursued by Rich Rodriguez's staff.
I personally like Herbie. I think that he is the most objective of the Gameday crew, and I also think that he happens to be a pretty good CFB analyst. I know that everyone thinks that he fucked Michigan over with the whole Les Miles story, but I think that he didn't mean it and that it was just poor journalism. Besides, Les Miles isn't all that great a coach.
@scalz, I was surprised by Desmond swearing, but I did like how honest and candid he was. In a strange way, he doesn't look as restricted as other cfb announcers.
It looked like the recruitment of Reston (Virg.) South Lakes wide receiver A.J. Price may come to an end as soon as this week, but a little advice from mother has the 6-4, 180-pound prospect planning to wait a couple more weeks. That's good news for Michigan who was able to make contact on Wednesday.
Desmond apparently was a good student at Michigan and didn't party too much. That's what I read in the Greg Emmanuel book on The Rivalry.
I read a comment somewhere by someone saying that he had a class with Chris Perry and that Chris Perry was quite intelligent and well-spoken.
Jake Long is supposed to be pretty smart, I think.
Mike Hart is smart. I read that he did well on his SATs, probably without having taken an SAT class. And I think that I might have read that he took the test as a junior in HS, but I'm not sure about that one.
I love Braylon.
Scout has A.J. Price at a one star. Am I missing something?
@cfaller:
In theory, I like your theory. I am just too down on the current staff to hope for anything kickass anymore. It'd be great if I am wrong.
I am still demoralized after last year's OSU loss. I had hoped THAT game would be the one where they pulled out all the stops to win--for the memory of BO (and a nice bonus of getting into the MNC game). The staff showed me little that day and even less on New Year's against USC.
But, historical caveats:
1. Didn't Lloyd beat Urban once in a close game when Utah came to the big housee?
2. We were sneered at in 2002 regarding our chances of beating the mighty Rex Grossman---yet we prevailed with the help of a little creative playcalling (fumblerooski); so, anything is possible, right?
*What the hell happened to MBD--was he kidnapped and lobotomized or is he really a fembot? WTF?
Agreed on the whole not wanting OSU to win anything deal.
Here's hoping for Wells and Boeckman to have a freak collision on the first play from schrimage, knocking both out for the game. Even without its starting QB and RB, OSU hangs tight, losing on a last second field goal. We also learn that before the game, 5 key LSU starters were involved in an alleged assult/burglery/indecent exposure episode, but all are allowed to play.
After the game, all props goto OSU for hanging tough w/out its key starters, and there's a public outcry over LSU's insistence to play its criminals. LSU wins a tainted championship while the college football community is in agreement that the title would have gone to OSU if teams were at full strength. CBS praises the valor and glory of the SEC while all unbiased news outlets are outraged.
I'm reaching here. Would be much happier if the title game was Oklahoma vs. Hawaii.
Am I missing something and being a total Michigan homer or does this make sense?
While Michigan under RR has a lot of plusses for a player of TP's hype, you are being a total homer to suggest that we are the only school that makes sense for him.
He is considerig OSU as well. While RR was turning Pat White into a Heisman contender, the Vest was turning the Michigan Killer Troy Smith into a Heisman WINNER.
We do not own this race and Terrelle Prior could very well be the next Michigan killer in Columbus.
Great point J
Gotta love the integrity of your new coach. Keep raising the bar!
"WVU sues Rodriguez, seeks $4 million contract buyout"
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/c...ez_N.htm?
csp=34
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