Maize n Brew

Big Ten/ACC Challenge: Michigan vs. Maryland

2008-12-01T20:33:23Z

I, The Big Ten Conference, challenge thee to an honor du-all.

Swagger. The Big Ten doesn't have it. In fact, since its inception in 1999, only one Big Ten team has a winning record in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge: Michigan State at 5-3. The Big Ten has never "won" the aggregate challenge, going 0-9 over the past, um, forever.

This year's schedule looks like this:

December 1 (that's like, tonight)

Wisconsin at Virginia Tech

December 2

Duke at Purdue

Clemson at Illinois

Ohio State at Miami (Florida)

Virginia at Minnesota

Iowa at Boston College

December 3

Indiana at Wake Forest

Michigan at Maryland

Florida State at Northwestern

Penn State at Georgia Tech.

FWIW, North Carolina State was the worst team in the 12-team ACC last year; they don't get an invite.

Michigan, obviously, plays Maryland on the 3rd. For its part, Michigan hasn't done too poorly in the challenge, posting a 3-4 record to date (ed - discrepencies in number of games vs. number of years is due to various tinkering with the number of teams in each conference). 3-4 may not be considered "good" but it is the 2nd highest winning percentage of any Big Ten team behind the aforementioned Michigan State. The ACC dominance has been terrifyingly thorough.

Maryland finds themselves in the early malaise that many teams encounter at this time of the year. They've played 6 games, 3 against what I would consider quality opponents. The results:

Bucknell	W	81-52
Youngstown St.	W	73-49
U. Virginia Madison	W -OT	89-74
Michigan State	W	80-62
Gonzaga	L	81-59
Georgetown	L	75-48

That's 3 tournament quality teams against which they've gone 1-2 with blowout losses to the two "more better" of the three. I'm not saying that Maryland is bad; Michigan would likely have the same record against this schedule. Looking at this table, however, it is clear that Maryland is not an unbeatable ACC team for this Michigan squad. So far this year, the Terps have won when they were supposed to and, largely, lost when they were supposed to. Michigan has one nice win againts UCLA, but we've played one fewer quality opponent. The result is probably a push.

Offense against Maryland

Somewhat troubling for this Wolverine squad is the reliance on Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims for offensive production. Harris is averaging 22.3 PPG, with Sims chipping in 15.2. Nearly everyone else is hovering just under 5 PPG. Balance ain't exactly our game here, folks. Case in point:

Against UCLA (Michigan's best game in...decades?)

Sims: 18 points

Harris: 15 points

Douglass: 10 points

5 others chipped in with at least 2

Against Savannah St. (Michigan's worst game this season?)

Sims: 23 points

Harris: 22 points

5 others chipped in with at least 2

Against UCLA, Harris and Sims were largely contained, but Michigan presented a more balanced attack with 8 different people contributing offensively. Against Savannah State, Harris and Sims scored at or above their season average, but the rest of the team struggled even with an overtime period. Michigan is a better team when they are getting "role players" involved, even at the expense of our "star's" production.

Maryland will likely use some combination of man and zone defenses like they did against Georgetown (to no avail). Maryland would ideally stay in straight man, but will pull out a zone, or an alternating man-zone-man scheme as events warrant. I look for Harris to penetrate/kick against the man, run backdoors off picks, and for Belien to try to shoot over the zone.

Defensively

A lot has been made of the 1-3-1 zone/trap that Belien runs. Against UCLA, it worked so well that I actually wondered out loud why every NCAA team wasn't using this defense. It turns out that it does have its flaws.

Penetrating Guard

Against UCLA, Michigan was able to trap the penetrating guard at the elbow, often times forcing a turnover. I doubt that Maryland's Greivis Vasquez will be caught so unaware. He will try to "drive the gaps" between the "1" and the "3" of the zone. In so doing, he will create a mismatch as the zone must collapse around him, leaving outside shooters or underneith men uncovered. This only works if you've got a guard with the penetrating ability to drive and the wherewithall to kick it to the open man. It's a tough task, and I expect that Vasquez will only be marginally successful at it.

Gapping

Maryland will, more likely, place players in the established gaps in the zone from the start, looking like this:

via 2.bp.blogspot.com

When the ball goes to the highpost, the other post drops down providing ball carrier to

a) shoot

b) pass to the dropping post

c) pass to the corner for a 3

via 3.bp.blogspot.com

With Maryland running primarily 3 guard sets, I expect them to run this offense to try to get quick shots off the corners, maybe a few dishes to their athletic forwards in the paint.

What Michigan lacks in balance, Maryland more than makes up for, with 6 players averaging over 6 points per game. Michigan will not be able to key in on just a few players to shut down this offense.

Summary

This is a game that Michigan should be able to win. Statistically, they match up very well against the 'Terps, and the defense has shown that they can be very, very frustrating when they get the chance to play that zone. Maryland's backcourt has shown signs on competance, especially against Michigan State, but has also shown that it can stagnate against good defenses. If Michigan can present a balanced attack and play the kind of defense they were able to against UCLA's athletic guards, they should win this one handily. However, if Maryland starts getting good dribble penetration and/or starts shooting the lights out from behind the arc, Michigan will be in trouble.

Key Points

Michigan:

a) Contain penetration

b) Offensive Balance

c) Win turnover margin

Maryland:

a) Break the zone - force Michigan to man-up.

b) No long scoring droughts

d) Contain Harris

Michigan Basketball Routs Norfolk State 83-47, Prepares for Savannah State Before ACC/Big Ten Challenge Match-ups with Maryland and Duke

2008-11-26T16:06:25Z

"We want to stay focused and play every game like it's a national championship game."

Just another reason why Manny Harris is the best thing to happen to Michigan Basketball since Glenn Rice was rainin' three's twenty years ago. Just like Rice, Harris led the way again with 16 points and 15 boards in Michigan's runaway victory over the Norfolk State Spartans Tuesday night.

Despite a cold start, Michigan ran away with Tuesday Night's game halfway through the first half. When all was said and done, Harris was just one of five Wolverines in double figures and the Wolverines had led by as many as 35 points in the blow out. Anthony Wright, Zack Novak, DeShawn Sims, and Air Canada himself Jevohn Shepherd all pitched in double digits.

Another encouraging sign was the play of the defense. Michigan held the Spartans to 30% shooting from the floor and forced 15 turnovers, including 7 steals. Equally important the Wolverines only turned the ball over twice. I'll repeat that. Equally important the Wolverines only turned the ball over twice. Wow. That mixed with stifling defense = awesome.

via detnews.com

If there are concerns, it's three point shooting. Anthony Wright posted double digit points but went 2-6 from three, and Stu Douglass went 2-5 from beyond the arc. Equally concerning is that Kelvin Grady hasn't seemed to find a shooting rhythm yet, going 1-4 from beyond the arc and only taking two shots inside it. These are, of course, minor nit picks in a blowout win. Wright shot 40% from the floor. Douglass was 3-7 overall. Grady dished a team high 5 assists.

Michigan is firing on all cylinders following its outstanding run in New York. They'll look to keep the momentum going on Saturday, November 29, 2008, when they welcome Savannah State to Crisler Arena for a 2pm tip off. Get your tickets here.

Momentum is going to be key over the next two weeks. Michigan travels to College Park, Maryland to take on the Terrapins on December 3rd in the ACC/Big Ten challenge. Then on Saturday, December 6th, the host Duke to close out the tournament.

While the UCLA win was a nice start to the season, Maryland will be the true measuring stick of how far this team has come and where it fits in the NCAAs, the NIT, and Big Ten. Maryland draws No. 5 ranked Michigan State in the Old Spice Classic on Thanksgiving Night. The Terps have started relatively strong on the season, going 3-0 and posting a blow-out exhibition win. The only oddity on the score sheet is a 89-74 overtime win over Vermont. It was a game Maryland probably should've lost before the Terp's Greivis Vasquez hit a three pointer at the buzzer to force overtime. The Terps then proceeded to run the holy hell out of the Catamounts, allowing only a single bucket in the extra session.

Maryland is also a lot like Michigan; they are really, really young. There is only one senior on the roster, a grand total of four upperclassmen, and nine underclassmen (6 sophomores and 3 freshmen). Like Michigan they're a bubble type team that will go as far as their best player and their coaches' abilities to get the most out of their young talent. Like Michigan, the Terps lean on a special player, Greivis Vasquez, whose name I challenge you to pronounce correctly on the first try. Vasquez is Maryland's unquestioned leader and most dangerous player. Vasquez is 6-6, shot 43% from the floor and posted 2nd team all ACC honors last year. Another thing to keep in mind, Vasquez is a member of the Venezuelan National Team and led the ACC in assists. If there's a better one-on-one match-up for Manny Harris, I can't find one. This guy will be a true test for Michigan's defense all by himself.

But it's not just one player, the Terps are getting balanced scoring out of their starting five. The Terps have four players averaging 10+ points on the season, and the fifth at 9 a game. Like all Gary Williams teams, this year's Terrapin squad shoots the ball well, with all five starters over 40% from the field. For more Maryland related info, check out SB Nation's outstanding Maryland site The Testudo Times and their Vermont wrap up.

So with that in mind, Savannah State will be a good tune up for the Terps and for a lurking Duke team that looks as good as it's No. 4 ranking. I expect the Terps to give Michigan State a fairly good run on Turkey Day, so watch it and take note of how they play the Spartans. The Maryland/Michigan matchup promises to be a great test for both young teams.

Go Blue!

Poll

How Are You Taking Michigan's Early Season Basketball Success?

Silence Amid the Rancor: Michigan Football Quietly Slides into the Offseason While Michigan Basketball and Hockey Clamor On

2008-11-25T16:00:40Z

As Monday came and went a strange calm settled over me. Normally at this point in the season I'm all atwitter with various scenarios for bowl bids, watching the polls fevorishly for highs and lows, and generally over hyping my expectations of Michigan's bowl chances. But on Monday my head was clear of these things. It should've been. After Saturday, for the first time since the '60's, Football season ended in November rather than New Year's day or late December. So it appears I've got some time on my hands.

A complete season wrapup would probably be a good idea, but that's going to take some time. There are lots of other things to do. For instance, the new Bond movie is out and I hear Judi Dench is doing partial nudity. Wait... no. I mean player evaluations. How well the coaches faired. Who's staying. Who's going. Who's replacing whom. Who's walking through that door with the expectation of starting. And what we can expect from a MAC heavy schedule, a Notre Dame club that will be substantially better than its loss to Syracuse indicates, a slate of Big Ten games against steadily improving teams, and of course Ohio State in 2009.

There are also other sports to celebrate. For the first time since the early '90's Michigan basketball is relevant and not just a case study in fan masochism. The Wolverines are 3-1 with a win over No. 4 UCLA to pin on their resume, as well as a runner up trophy in a tournament they were supposed to be fodder for. Manny Harris is absolutely on fire, scoring 96 points in his last four games and was named to the 2K Classic all Tournament Team. DeShawn Sims has given Michigan an inside presence on both ends of the floor, Anthony Wright has been surpriingly effective distributing the ball, and freshman Stu Douglass and senior David Merritt have contributed both defense and much needed scoring. All the details on the season so far can be found here.

This is a fun team to watch. And they're playing tonight as the Wolverines host 1-1 Norfolk State. The Spartans are led by senior guard Michael Deloach, who is averaging 25.5 points per game. The Spartans are new to DI basketball, existing on the big stage for just eight seasonsas a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Tip off is scheduled for 8:30 EST and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Enjoy.

Another team worth tipping our cap to is the Women's basketball team who just posted win over No. 13 Vanderbilt, the biggest win of second year Coach Kevin Borseth short tenure at UM. The Lady Wolverines are 2-2 on the season and head into the Southern Mississippi Thanksgiving Tournament starting on November 28, 2008.

For you hockey fans, Michigan's Hockey team continues to pull in the country's top talent, inking three members of the US National Development team to scholarships. New commits Chris Brown (Flower Mound, Texas), Kevin Lynch (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) and A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) will lace up their skates for the Maize n' Blue come 2009. So the future remains bright. On the ice, Michigan's had some tuff sledding, dropping two games to Miami this past weekend despite strong games from Billy Sauer and Brian Hogan. The team stands at 8-6(5-5) on the season and is preparing to face Minnesota and Wisconsin in the 16th Annual College Hockey Showcase in Minneapolis and Madison. Puck drop 7:05 CST in Minneapolis on November 28, 2008.

So there is plenty to grab our attention as football fades into the baskground until March and spring practice roll around. And we'll get to wrapping up the Football season in due time. But for now, enjoy a little peace and quiet on the gridiron front and let yourself enjoy a pair of resurgent Basketball program often forgotten about until mid February and a preinial power in our Hockey program. They'll help you transition from football to back to normal life.

Hiatus

2008-11-25T14:49:09Z

I sat, on my floor, with my thousand mile stare, and watched through the TV. I wasn't really watching the TV, per se, I was literally staring through the defocused images of white, and red, and yellow that seemed to be bouncing off one another in random, chaotic spurts. I wondered, amongst desperate pleas from the girlfriend to come back to reality, whether Michigan would ever beat Ohio State again, and where, when I chose my collegiate alliance so many years ago, I had screwed up. I also pondered the inevitability of it all; if I could quit Michigan football, I would have - probably sometime around the Notre Dame game. I would have just quit, said I didn't care anymore, and lived my fall Saturdays the way they were meant to be lived instead of standing at home with high blood pressure and hurling various swears at a television. At some point in my life, Michigan football had become important enough to voluntarily go through the pain of this season. It's sick, really.

Then, I think:

Like Mike Hart before him, Brandon Minor stayed on the field and witnessed through what I imagine to be tears of anger the Ohio State players celebrate with the student section. My pain is not his pain. His pain is best left to be endured by men such as him.

Brandon Graham guaranteed a win over Michigan State, and then did everything that could have been possibly asked of him to back that up. His teammates did not live up to his expectations. He has recently stated that he intends to return, to make amends for this, the lost season. My pain is not his pain. His pain is best left to be endured by men such as him.

Remember, as you sit at your keyboards, that this product, this drug that we've all become addicted to called Michigan football does not come free. Sure, it's free to you, the benefactor, sitting on your couch, but it is paid in full by the clanking of weights at 5 AM, the soft sound of rubber meeting cement as stairs are climbed in the July heat, and the darkness of a film room. It is most assuredly paid for by young men who are asked to do what many of us cannot. Before we criticize, let's not forget that we are not the ones paying for this drug; it is paid by the players doing the work.

I will be out of town, eating turkey, sleeping, or otherwise incapacitated for the remainder of this week. Please, enjoy the holiday, and be safe.

Turn the Page: Ohio State Throttles Michigan 42-7

2008-11-24T16:25:50Z

There are only so many variations of words and phrases that can describe the all 'round butt whuppin' Michigan received this past Saturday in Columbus. To save you the trouble, just use Maize n Brew's trademarked Michigan post-game column Mad Libs:

On ______, 2008, Michigan dropped another (horrid, close) game to ______. The offensive was ineffective in the red zone despite (Minor, Shaw, McGuffie, Brown) running for over 100 yards. (Nick Sheridan, Steven Threet) looked lost running Rodriguez’ spread offense. The majority of (Sheridan’s, Threet’s) passes were under thrown or over thrown, and of the passes that found hands only Greg Mathews seemed capable of holding onto the ball. Drops by (Odoms, Stonum, Clemons) killed several drives. Michigan managed only (one, two) conversions in the Red Zone and looked out of sorts the entire game.

Defensively the Wolverines generally stood firm, but their problems with 3^rd and long continued. Michigan gave up (1^st downs, Touchdowns) on 3^rd and (6, 8, 10, 15, 25, 30, 31, 75) on (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) occasions. While the Line was stout, the Wolverines’ pass coverage was victimized again, surrendering (40, 50, 60, 70, 80) yard (touchdown, touchdowns) in obvious passing downs. Making matters worse the Wolverines problems on special teams continued, as (Shaw, Odoms, BooBoo, McGuffie, Minor, Trent) fumbled (a punt, multiple punts, the kickoff, multiple kickoffs) resulting in (3, 7, 10, 13, 14, 17, 20, 21, 24) points for __________. The loss (damages, puts in serious peril, digs a deep hole and buries, continues to make a mockery of the passing of) Michigan’s bowl hopes.

Sure this leaves some things out, but it's pretty accurate.

As much as I'd love to pen some heart felt opus about the trials and trivails of this team, my heart truly isn't in it. Like so many in the Michigan blogosphere, this blog has attempted to explain the problems with the Michigan offense, defense and special teams over the past three to four months. It's attempted to bring some solace to the disenfranchised fan and bring a little sanity to the fan ready to climb the bell tower with a .22. This is, after all, just a game.

The issues that put Michigan in its 3-8 tailspin were evident and well chronicled prior to Saturday's game. Saturday just reinforced what we already knew. This season Michigan possessed a good, not great defense. Michigan had a horrifically bad offense. An offense so bad the Captain of the Exxon Valdez probably could've piloted it with the same level of success. Michigan had a good punter and a gigantic question mark in the return game. A question mark that basically turned into a giant meat cleaver that cut Michigan off at the knees more often than it inflicted any pain on the opponent.

So on Satruday, another chapter in the Ohio State Michigan rivalry as well as another chapter in the history of Michigan football was concluded. These will not be pleasant chapters to re-read. But they are part of the story, and sadly they are more memorable than any of the mid-tier bowl seasons of the past twenty years.

The next chapter will begin with the fall out from this season. Who left. Who didn't buy in to the system. But it will also begin with optimism. Optimism for the new players on their way to Ann Arbor. The guys that are returning with a chip on their shoulder.

The Game is over. Michigan lost. The season is over. Michigan finished 3-9. You can talk about the historical firsts, all the bad things that happened so you make your deadline, the question marks, the problems that never got fixed. Or you can move on. You don't have to forget the past year, ignore it, or pretend it didn't happen. You shouldn't. There are lessons to be learned. But you don't have to dwell on it.

The most recent chapeter in Michigan's storied history concluded Saturday night. The newest chapter starts today. You can be a part of it.

All you have to do is turn the page.

'The Game" Open Thread: Michigan at Ohio State

2008-11-22T14:18:39Z

Game notes:

For Michigan Nick Sheridan starts at QB, Feagin is second string, Threet is out. Brandon Minor, Carlos Brown, McGuffie and Mike Shaw will all play at tailback. Perry Dorrestein will start in place of Steve Schilling who is out with a bum knee.

For Ohio State only DB Jermale Hines is doubtful. Beanie Wells has a tight hamstring but it isn't expected to be an issue.

On to the Game! Go Blue!

Now for a cheer they are here, triumphant!

Here they come with banners flying,

In stalwart step they're nighing,

With shouts of vict'ry crying,

We hurrah, hurrah, we greet you now, Hail!

Far we their praises sing

For the glory and fame they've bro't us

Loud let the bells them ring

For here they come with banners flying

Far we their praises tell

For the glory and fame they've bro't us

Loud let the bells them ring

For here they come with banners flying

Here they come, Hurrah!

Hail! to the victors valiant

Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes

Hail! Hail! to Michigan

The leaders and best!

Hail! to the victors valiant

Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes

Hail! Hail! to Michigan,

The champions of the West!

We cheer them again

We cheer and cheer again

For Michigan, we cheer for Michigan

We cheer with might and main

We cheer, cheer, cheer

With might and main we cheer!

Hail! to the victors valiant

Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes

Hail! Hail! to Michigan

The leaders and best!

Hail! to the victors valiant

Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes

Hail! Hail! to Michigan,

The champions of the West!

2K Finals: Michigan v. Duke

2008-11-22T00:45:12Z

Myths and Legends

2008-11-21T19:31:41Z

I wrote a text message to SCM after the miraculous (even more miraculous now, in hindsight) comeback against Wisconsin earlier this year. In it, I lied, saying that seeing this team celebrate on the walls of the Big House had made them mine. I was no longer cheering for laundry, but cheering for the young men wearing the laundry. Then they proceeded to lose the next billion games (it wasn't that many?) and I reverted back to being a fan grasping in the dark for something, anything, to hold onto. I think a lot of fans have felt that this season; a disconnect from the teams of the past; a searching of something that felt familiar.

Then, in the third quarter of a meaningless game played for a meaningless jug, it happened. A Minnesota defender, a full 3 seconds after the whistle blew and continued to blow, dove at Martevious Odom's knees in an attempt to recover a "fumble" that had, as stated before, been blown dead. I was livid. I jumped out of my chair, yelling something eloquent like "not fair!" It wasn't that I wanted the flag. Michigan didn't need the flag or the 15 yards. There was no tactical reason that I was upset; I was merely upset that a player on an opposing team had done something dirty, and one of my players could have been hurt.

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A filmmaker is a teller of stories. Sometimes, these stories are fictional and, when they are told really well, they make us learn something about reality. They don't have to be overblown and "artsy" to do so. "The Sandlot" continues to resonate with me, and I don't think that makes me a shallow person. It's simply that some people get messages out of stories that others will never ever get, or that the author never intended. That's the beauty of art, in all its forms. Once it is created, once it leaves the artist's mind and becomes a thing, it is up to us to experience on our own. The artist's original intent is lost as the grubbing masses of ordinary people interpret and misinterpret the creation.

And that's life.

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This weekend, Michigan plays Ohio State. They do so for the 105th time ever. The two teams, when met on the playing field, will add a chapter to the story of those clashes. This is not a fictional series, this is not a film. It's a story told over generations who each have their own myths and legends. John Boorman, notable director of Deliverance, has said that he would define myths as stories that have survived. The myth of Michigan vs. Ohio State has survived 10 decades, been told and retold millions of times, and has its own set of legends and heroes. It is a story, a myth, that continues to be told, with a new chapter being added each November on a frozen field that was once grass in Ann Arbor and Columbus.

There has been, and will continue to be speculation as to what this chapter contains, but the truth is that nobody knows what will happen because, you know, that's impossible. It is up to the authors of this chapter, the players and the coaches on the field to make up a piece of art and release it to the public knowing that what they did, the legends they've created, are no longer their own. Rather, they are a part of the larger story, the myth, of Michigan vs. Ohio State.

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This Saturday, a young man who was never designed to play quarterback at this level will line up behind an undersized center and, god willing, receive the ball in a timely fashion and do his best to ensure its safe delivery to the endzone.

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This Saturday, a large man who has an even larger smile will attempt to pick up Beanie Wells, thrust him into the air, and slam him to the turf. This will be attempted in the last game he ever plays under the winged helmet.

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This Saturday, a young man having doubts about this entire program will lace up his shoes, put on his helmet, and, if he plays, will undoubtedly play for a relative who was buried earlier this week, in Texas.

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This Saturday, a coach who has been beset on all sides by accusations of inadequacy from those wouldn't, couldn't possible know what it takes to be in his shoes will fight for a redemption that he knows isn't necessary.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Barring an unforeseen injury, or a piece of breaking news, this is the last that you will hear from me until after the game tomorrow. What else is there to say? I have my team. I have my players. They are the ones I will take into battle; I will not want for more. These are the players who will write the next chapter of the myth that is Michigan vs. Ohio State. These are the players who will become the legends.

----------------------------------------------------------------

There is no statistical breakdown that leads to a Wolverine win except for one: You are Ohio State, and We're going to beat your ass.

Patience is its Own Reward: Michigan Travels to Columbus to Face Ohio State in Season Finale

2008-11-21T18:12:24Z

via Washingtonpost.com

If you replace the number seven with an eight, then exchange the word "basketball" with "football" there would be little difference in the commentary between Michigan's 2007 basketball season and its 2008 football season. Lots of young faces. No true leaders. Seniors from a bygone administration doing what they can in a system they were not designed for. Transfer rumors. Attrition. A new coach from West Virginia trying to revive a moribund program with more happy memories than recent success.

While the season finale has yet to be written for the 2008 football team, the basketball team's 2007 season mercifully closed on a 10-22 note back in February. A season of turnovers, mistakes, embarrassing losses, frustration, and a coach clearly not comprehending the mess he'd gotten himself into.

As the 2008 Michigan Football season draws to a close a lot of things are very different from what we have known in the past. Michigan is not ranked. Michigan is below .500. Michigan will not go to a bowl game. Michigan will enter the off season with even more uncertainty this season than last, albeit for very different reasons.

But then again, some things are very familiar. On Saturday Michigan will face Ohio State to conclude both team's regular seasons. Michigan is banged up. Smarting from losses it can't explain. Facing a highly ranked, rested and ready Buckeye team in Columbus. And looking across the field at a coach who has lost to them just once in seven years.

On paper, this game won't be, shouldn't be, remotely close. The Buckeyes sport one of the conference's, if not the country's, best defensive units. They also possess a legitimate All-Pro calibre running back in Beanie Well, a first round tackle in Alex Boone, and young quarterback name Terrell Pryor who has the potential to make Vince Young look like Elvis Grbac when all is said and done.

Michigan will play a banged up offensive line; battered running backs; young, hurt, and mistake prone receivers; and a quarterback who frankly should not be playing divison one football. Defensively, Michigan has proven all year it can't defend the pass, is suspect against the run, and basically inept on special teams. It is 2-5 in conference, 1-3 in nonconference, and running on fumes.

So, on paper, it shouldn't be close. As Tim from Varsity Blue said in his preview of Saturday's game ...

God, this is going to hurt...

He's right. It will. I would love to look into my crystal ball magic eight ball pants the future and tell you Michigan will win this game. I can't. I simply don't know the answer. If you put a gun to my head I'd tell you OSU will win in a rout.

But pride is a powerful motivator. it allows you to do things you normally wouldn't. Gives you strength you didn't have before, no matter how fleeting it is. And if there's anything the past few years of Michigan football has taught us, anything can happen. A year ago a mediocre Michigan team dismantled the reigning National Champions in the Citrus Bowl. It's not like any of us saw that coming. But that is college football.

This year alone Oregon State was spanked by PSU but got up off the tarp to punch USC and its national championship dreams in the mouth. Iowa booted Penn State's National Championship aspirations on a last second field goal.

Strange things happen when you are motivated.

And regardless of the outcome the future of Michigan Football is bright. Look no further than the raised fists of John Beilein as time expired last night. A year prior Michigan was a mistake prone turnover machine that set new standards in bad jumpshooting and poor decision making. This year, after a year of work, a full off season to prepare, and the opportunity to recruit players to fit his own version of the "spread offense," Michigan is an entirely different team with largely the same players. they play with chemsitry, instinct, and forethought. They play like a Michigan team.

Objectively we should've known last night's win over UCLA was coming. Beilein has been a tremendous success everywhere he has hung his whistle. Look at his records. Look at his character. Look at him as a coach and as a man. He pleaded for patience, and we begrudgingly gave it to him. We were promised he was a great coach and we didn't see great coaching. We saw a mess. But against UCLA, and in every game this season, we saw a disciplined well executed team. We saw what we were promised.

Now our eyes turn to Columbus, where we will likely see a mess. A turnover factory. A lot of small mistakes or a few major ones that will cost Michigan a football game. But things can change over a season and over the course of two years. We have seen positive changes in the Michigan offense as the yards per carry are up, even though the line and quarterback are inexperienced and frankly not that good. Little things belie improvement and promise.

Last night our patience with the basketball team was rewarded with a signature win we haven't seen in over a decade. Maybe, just maybe, if we remain patient with Rodriguez and the Football Team we will be rewarded again.Maybe it will be Saturday. Maybe it won't happen until next year.

But what we saw against Minnesota on the gridiron or UCLA on the hardwood wasn't an aberation or a mirage. It was a picture of things to come. Things that will appear at the unlikeliest moments if we are willing to wait for them. If we are willing to be patient.

Risen

2008-11-21T14:34:37Z

Madison Square Garden, in its current incarnation, was built in 1968. It is situated at 7th avenue, between 31st and 33rd street in Manhattan. Known as a city with severe sleep deprivation, New York is about as diametrically opposed to Michigan as two places in America can be. In Michigan, people are afraid to go to work on Fridays, because that's when they notify the lay-offs. In Michigan, folks are glued to their TV's, not watching football or Survivor, but watching for any movement on the auto-industry bailout that could save their jobs. In Michigan, people are getting up very very early in the morning to go sit on an elevated platform in a tree somewhere hoping that a deer walks by. They will then kill that deer. This is considered a good day. This does not happen in New York.

It's odd to consider, given that the distance between the two cities can be measured in sentiment just as easily as it can be measured in miles, that New York would be where Michigan Basketball came back to life.

The last time we heard from Michigan Basketball there were 5 young men wearing their shorts low and playing a brand of college ball that had formerly only been seen on playgrounds and in crowded gyms in city highschools. One of those young men, it would turn out, was being paid a significant amount to wear his shorts low, provided that those shorts had a block-M on them. Michigan basketball disappeared after that, buried under sanctions, fallen banners, and Ed Martin. The beast lay on the hardcourt, content to be ran over, around and through by those who it had once slain. All was silent.

Then, last night, in front of a half full arena in a place far, far from home, the beast got up. It picked itself off of the court, and shook off those fallen banners, and the echoes of the past. And it fought. For the first time in a long time the beast fought with a tenacious 1-3-1 zone and a freshman guard from Indiana who looked like he had emerged from Hickory High School to take the big stage in New York. It fought with a point guard named Manny Harris who, when he realized that UCLA was not going to let him score at will, played within the system to find those that the Bruins were content to let go. It fought with great 2nd half shooting, and forced turnovers, and transition points. And finally, with 14 seconds left on a backdoor cut by DeShawn Sims - the 6th man off the bench - Michigan basketball roared again.

There will undoubtedly be struggles this season. Michigan will still be a heavy underdog when they face Duke tonight. But no longer can you say that Michigan basketball is an afterthought, content to be roadkill in the Big Ten. This team may not win a championship. They may not go the the NCAA's. But they will play hard for 40 minutes, and they will fight anybody who gets on the court with them. That is Michigan basketball, and Michigan basketball is back.

2k Roundball Classic in NYC: Michigan v. UCLA

2008-11-21T03:14:06Z

Man. This team can't rebound, but they're a lot of fun to watch!

Go Blue!

Comma Please

2008-11-20T19:55:15Z

There is nothing that can change the fact that this Michigan football team has lost more games in one season than any other. That much is set in stone. Years from now, 2008 will be remembered as one of the true nadirs of this storied program regardless of what happens this Saturday. The statement "worst record in the history of Michigan football" is already etched upon the history books. So what is left for this squad to play for? Well if you were to ask Chris Spielman (2-2 against Michigan) or Kirk Herbstreit (0-3-1) the answer to that question is decidedly simple: there's nothing left to play for, and given the choice, Michigan would rather sit at home than travel to Columbus. Clearly that's not the case, and good natured Buckeye bashing of the Wolverines aside, both of those guys know that deep down there is everything to play for, because it's THE GAME.

It's easy to wax poetic about the grandeur and import of this rivalry. If you're remotely involved on either side, you have that innate understanding of just what this week and this game means. Beauford and I had the opportunity to meet and converse with Billy Taylor the night before the 2005 game in Ann Arbor. He talked about 1969 and we listened like we were being read our favorite bed-time story as little kids. He recounted Bo's pregame speech and the hitting and the atmosphere in the locker room at halftime. You could just see on his face that even after 36 years, every detail was still as vivid as it was the day it had happened. Suffice to say it was a chilling experience, and it drove home a very clear point: the result of this game stays with you. Regardless of record, regardless of how the rest of the year treated you, this game and its outcome will be recounted through the years, good or bad.

What this Michigan team is playing for isn't a chance to save the season, the season is already lost. What they are playing for is the opportunity to write another storied chapter in the long history of these two football teams. They're playing to beat Ohio State, not because it will make us forget 2008, but because it's Ohio State and Michigan for the 105th time. There does not need to be any other added incentive.

The question that remains is can this much maligned Michigan team pull off the unthinkable and provide a stunning addition to the already-written "worst record in the history of Michigan football". What all Michigan fans are hoping for at this point can only be deemed a miraculous comma followed by one hell of a "but".

"Worst record in the history of Michigan football, BUT they beat Ohio State"

Somehow, that statement sounds infinitely better than the first. It wouldn't erase the pain of this season, but it'd certainly do its best to make it fade into the background. I'm not saying it will happen, but I'll be cheering my heart out hoping for it to, and here's the thing: there's nothing wrong with that. There comes a point where no amount of self-effacing humor or forced objectivity can cover the fact that you're a fan goddamnit. We may be 3-8, we may be outmatched by a more experienced and talented football team on paper, but I don't care. It's high time we had a little homerism, a little enthusiasm, and a little passion about this team and this game... whether you think so or not, they deserve it, and I think at least one person would be proud.

via www.umgoblue.com

GO BLUE!

The Other Big Game: Michigan takes on No. 4 Ranked UCLA in Madison Square Garden

2008-11-20T18:00:06Z

Tonight at 9 Eastern Time Michigan tips off against the No. 4 ranked UCLA Bruins in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer at Madison Square Garden. Wooooooooooooo! Get Excited!

Woo!

Ahem....

Michigan has started the season strong, posted a pair of 20+ point wins over a pair of cupcakes in the regionals of the 2K "classic." While usually it's hard to get too excited about wins over a D-II school and Northeastern (who is much better at hockey than basektball), last season Michigan was choking on these cupcakes rather than swallowing them whole. Baby steps, right?

Actually the season truly has started off well. Budding Big Ten superstan Manny Harris has led the way with a 28 point/game average while DeShawn Sims has made life miserable in the paint for the Wolverines' opponents, posting 14.5 points and almost 10 boards a game. And this is coming off the bench.

Michigan's biggest weakness so far this season is its dependence on Harris and Sims to carry the load. Only Gibson's managed to hit double digits this season besides those two. I know its just two games in, but you'd like to have at least one more person capable of filling the cylinder. Still, this team is averaging 76 a game, and everyone is putting in a bucket or two and contributing time on the floor. As long as everyone's working hard and putting in the time, man, I'll take that over last year. the team truly seems to have settled into Beilein's 1-3-1, and is playing more naturally, not fighting or thinking every move on the court. There's a more natural flow, whether it's in practice or in a game, and it's truly noticeable.

A sign that things are turning around in Ann Arbor is the deference the guys at Bruins Nation are paying Beilein, and the Wolverines' effort last season. Hell, there's even a giant post on Harris and Sims! This morning they're a little worried becuase of the Wolverines' spread offense. No. Not that one. This one:

JS need to watch out because the Wolverines run a spread offense, which gave the Bruins a lot of trouble when they took on Beilien’s well drilled West Virginia teams from few years ago (remember we lost both of our matchups against them in Westwood and then in Morgantown). Bruin Basketball Report gives us a glimpse on how Beilein runs his offense:

On offense, Beilein’s teams like to spread the court and utilize a combination of crisp backdoor cuts and kick-out precision three-point shooting, a combination that usually gives Howland’s help-defense type teams problems.

Last year the Wolverines struggled to learn the offense, and its too early to tell whether they have the right talent to make this offensive system effective in Michigan this season.

In the first two games, Michigan has attempted 38 three-point shots per contest making them at a 34.2% clip, however, if you remove Harris’s shooting then the rest of the team has shot just a mere 29% from beyond the arc.

Nonetheless, the Michigan starting line-up is littered with players who can and will make the three-point shot a weapon.

As for defense, BBR has more on their vaunted 1-3-1 zone:

Beilein has installed the same 1-3-1 zone defense at Michigan that he used at West Virginia. Its a zone that has been problematic for Howland to solve. Its not the type of defense that a UCLA team sees often and the lack of experience against it has shown up with usually Bruin players either getting trapped on the sidelines or attempting long soft lobs over the zone that allows the defense to easily recover and defend.

At times Howland has tried stationing a guard at the high-post to attack the 1-3-1 but it hasn’t been very fruitful. The most effective Bruin offense against this zone has been by attacking the zone at the seams by dribble penetration, exactly what Darren Collison did successfully last season against Michigan. The Wolverines didn’t have the quickness in the backcourt to stop Collison. But this year may be different as the Wolverines have added quality and speed to its line-up as well as the return of its two best players from last season.

This isn't to suggest that the Bruins shouldn't be heavily favored. They should. The talent differential is that vast. However, there are chinks in the armor. UCLA is Top and bottom heavy. The Bruins have a load of outstanding, but very green freshmen on their roster who are seeing significant minutes. At the top, they've got four seniors who went to the final four last year. But there ain't a lot in between.

The early season results have shown UCLA can be a tad inconsistent. Led by their seniors Darren Collison and Josh Shipp, the Bruins dispatched Prarie View A&M easily, blowing them out by more than 20 points. But the Bruins struggled to put away a scrappy Redhawks team, eeking out a 64-59 win over Miami (OH). The Redhawks did what Michigan have to do to keep this game close, hit a high percentage of threes. Miami went 7-15 from three, and you can expect that Michigan will double those attempts. What's lost in the boxscore is that Miami is a verteran team, and that experience and age gave them a little boost over the inexperienced uber-freshmen allowing the 'Hawks to actually take a one point lead with less than a minute to go. But that's when the seniors took over and willed UCLA to the win.

Other than Shipp, and obviously Collison, keep your eyes on veterans Alfred Aboya and Michael Roll. The freshmen to watch are Malcolm Lee and Jrue Holiday.

The Wolverines will like start with Manny Harris and David Merrit at the guards, Anthony Wright and Stu Douglass at Forward, and big man Zach Gibson down low. FYI, I've heard good things about Gibson effort this season and he could turn into a pleasant surprise. Off the bench expect to see A LOT of Sims, and plenty of sniper Zack Novak and Kelvin Grady (who I really, really hope takes a big step this year).

Win or lose it's good to see that everyone seems to think Michigan's back on the right path. I certainly do. I had the great pleasure of meeting Beilein in person last winter. He's as good a man as you could hope to meet, and the kind of guy you hope coaches your kids. In a lot of ways he reminds me of Lloyd Carr, and I mean that as the highest possible compliment. Michigan basketball's coming back baby.

Oh yeah, the best thing is we get a double dose of hoops before kickoff on Saturday. Win or lose, the Wolverines will either face No. 10 Duke or Southern Illinois on Friday night. Not a bad start to the season if you ask me.

McGuffie Back in the Fold?

2008-11-20T16:22:00Z

Some news, updates, etc. on the PANIC OMG PANIC moment of the week, via Scout($) and ESPN:

Wide Receiver Zion Babb was kicked off the team for violating rules. This is not a transfer, it's a dismissal. I can't find the exact rules that were violated, but suffice to say he is no longer with the team.

Sam McGuffie is EXPECTED TO PLAY this Saturday against Ohio State after attending a funeral in Texas. I fully expect him to be staring ice-daggers from his helmet at anyone who so much as talks to him this weekend, friend or foe. Welcome back, Sam. We'd all love to get ice-daggered for the next 3 years if you don't mind.
Now go kick some Ohio State ass.

Steve Schilling, arguably the most talented and certainly most experienced offensive linemen has injured his knee and is questionable for Ohio State. More Arg.

Steven Threet is practicing, but in a backup roll to Nick Sheridan who continues to get the first team snaps. I also expect to see Feagin in an expanded roll because, really, what do we have to lose?

Finally, defensive tackle Jason Kates has left the team voluntarily after not playing much this year. With Mike Martin expirimenting with various levels of awesome this year as a true freshman, and with a whole slew of very talented DT's coming in next year's recruiting class, the transfer is probably not unexpected. I wish Kates the best as he continues to pursue life, wherever it takes him.

Also of note, Orson Swindle of EDSBS had a dream last night that Michigan beat Ohio State. Why is this of note? Because of this statement:

Remember, though: someone’s getting their head kicked in on Saturday. It’s probably [Michigan], but sometimes, people are wrong about those foot-to-head roles.

Keep. Hope. Alive.

Keep. Hope. Alive. Indeed.

One season?

2008-11-20T11:53:32Z

Bumped to the front page for awesomeness - MnB Dave

"True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise --- the other, loyalty." - Fielding H. Yost

2008 is a blemish, but Michigan Football isn't one season. We may have lost some streaks, but you can't take away Bob Ufer, The Big House, the #1 uniform on a the top receiver, the Big Ten Titles, Yost, Shembechler, Moeller and Carr, "The Victors," the Rose Bowl, "Meechigan Football," the M Club banner, Ann Arbor, "The Game," the Winged Helmet and Maize and Blue. Michigan Football transcends what is a program, it's a tradition, a way of life.

Stay strong guys, it WILL get better.

Pistols at Dawn

2008-11-19T21:07:59Z

Respect and honor. Since the dawn of civilization these two things have caused normally sensible human beings to try to kill one another. Respect grants persons leverage to do certain things, or a certain amount of deference from others when they do the things they do. Honor represents forthrightness, conscientiousness, truthfulness and that a person indeed does what they say they will. This truly is the foundation of any society, civil or otherwise. Unless persons earn respect through honorable conduct, no one can be trusted and nothing can get done.

As a result, for centuries outrightly questioning someone's honor or disrespecting them before others meant a fight. And not just a back-alley, bare knuckle square off. Rocks. Swords. Pistols. It meant someone was going to die. It wasn't truly until the 1900's that the practice of the duel was erased from polite society. the funniest thing about duels was that the "wronged" party would as often as not lose the duel. Instead of protecting his honor, he'd end up in a wood box without honor, without diginity, and without the opportunity to prove anyone wrong.

The loss of the duel has become a net positive for society. Its demise has meant that the slightest insult no longer results in a pile of bodies and that people can disagree with one another without society calling for actual blood.

Without the threat of death looming over someone wishing to voice a contrary opininon, the world has become open marketplace of ideas. Just about any opinion, from the ridiculous to the sublime, can be heard anywhere a person opens their mouth, puts pen to paper or types upon his keyboard. For every point, a counterpoint. For contention, a rebuttal. This forces us to think, to adapt, to hone our argument to be as persuasive as possible. It's a good thing.

Unfortunately the side affect of the open marketplace is sometimes we are exposed to ideas and positions we find offensive, slanderous, and sometimes outright wrong. These opinions to not mesh with our world view, or in the case of Michigan Football, how we see things.

The last year has been as difficult as any living Wolverine fan has ever experienced. For young and old alike, this season is new ground. When you lose your eighth game in a season for the first time in 129 years of football, it's fair to say that everyone's starting from scratch. Even so, the resilience of Michigan fans, their strength and sense of humor have shone through the darkness that a 3-8 season brings.

But when things go this bad, it gets to even the best of us. And when it does, we all find different ways of venting that frustration. None of these methods are right, and none of them are wrong. They are what they are. The sounds of a tired and frustrated fan base searching to make sense of something they can't.

When there is sufficient hurt, anger, frustration, and desperation to go around people can turn on one another. Over the last few months there's been a near civil war on the message boards over Rodriguez' tenure, the play of the team, individual players, and the opinions expressed on the "major" Michigan sites. I once felt Michigan fans were above these sorts of things.

One of the great things about college football is the endless debate it creates among its followers. Almost like a religion, it inspires so many different beliefs even among its core followers. There are 119 different beliefs in the greatness of college football at the Division 1 level alone. What's even more amazing is there are even more different view points among those different "belief" sets. No group professes their faith in their team the same way and no supporter believes in their team in the same manner that another fan does.

A perfect example of this is diversity of view points in the Michigan blogosphere. MGoBlog, The MZone, Me, Joey, Johnny, Michigan Against The World, and all the rest all have very different takes on our team and how to react to what they do. We all react in different ways to the actions of our team and the way our team is perceived by the outside world. However, we all react similarly when asked why we support Michigan. The answer is simple. It's because Michigan is the best!

I have disagreed in print and in person with just about every proprietor of a Michigan site on the interwebs. MGoBlog and I had a running fisk duel over the hiring of Coach Beilein. However, the tenor of the conversation never rose above the facts of the matter and never resorted to name calling or questioning each other's "fan-ness." How could we? We consume our free time watching, reading and writing about Michigan, so to say one or the other isn't a fan because we disagree would have sounded hollow. Worse, it would've sounded stupid.

What troubles me are the visceral and mean spirited reactions of people toward different expressions of emotion during this season. Somehow it is okay to be angry, but not okay to long for happier times. Johnny's recent post, After the Gold Rush, spawned reactions from supposed Wolverine faithful that I was appalled to read. Johnny's writing has always been my gold standard. Many pieces I have written on this site and on my previous home on Blogger were inspired in some way by his gift for linking letters and words into abject prose. This is not to suggest that I have always agreed with him, or his sentiments, but I have always respected him and considered him an honorable young man.

If you are looking for a reason Rich Rodriguez said the following, it is what was contained in the comments section of Johnny's piece.

This is a public position. It's not like a politician, I'm not running for office. I mean, God bless them. They choose to have that public scrutiny. As coaches, we know it's part of the job, but we don't choose to have it. Most of us would rather not.

But the biggest thing that is disappointing is when somebody, not necessarily the media, but when a fan or somebody would make it personal to your coach or to your players. Especially to the players, because those guys are amateurs. When they would make a personal comment or say something that's not related to coaching or not related to playing.

I don't get on message boards. I don't think anybody, any of our players or family should. But it's amazing some of the things that people would say or amazing things people will yell at you of a personal nature. You almost want to tell them get a life. I mean, there's a whole lot bigger problems. You lose a ballgame, and then you look at the economy or after every game I usually get to meet one of our veterans or somebody. You know, to take it personal on a coach or player to me, I don't think it's ever right.

But I'm glad fans have passion, but it's still kind of I guess a lot more bolder. You all would know. It's a lot more bolder what people would say and write. Not you all, but bloggers or whatever, than it used to be. We've seen it coming for a few years.

Further, it's bad enough for MGoBlog to comment on it as well,

The saddest thing about the internet is this sort of anonymous hatred. I love the internet. It gave me a writing outlet and a job and online scrabble. But, man, trawling through message boards after a loss in search of some scrap of useful news and/or analysis is depressing. It kills my productivity. It makes me want to do something else. And it's because of these little hate factories that just lose their head and spew.

I've always maintained that civility among fanbases is something that is critical to our enjoyment of sport. It's absence creates a hostile environment for everyone, friend and foe alike. Further, it diminishes the ability for those two groups to speak to one another a civilized human beings. Without civility we are forced to yell and scream at one another in an effort to communicate even the most basic things. There is no respect. No honor. No discourse.

How can we truly enjoy something if we are so mad, so angry, so seething with rage at an opponent or their fanbase that we forget that this is just a game? We lose a piece of humanity when rage and anger are our subsuming emotions. It is even worse when that rage is directed inward at people who actually share our love of our team, but chose to express it in a different manner. We cease to offer support to the ailing in favor of proving how tough we are, calling them weak, less of a fan for not toughing it out or being "more supportive." Our ability to feel joy is diminished when vengeance or self-righteousness becomes our primary objective.

Every team has its supporters that will go over the edge and say things that bring the whole group down with them. Intolerance is not confined to organized religion. It can rear its head in all manner of unsuspected ways and one of them is supporting a football team. If someone doesn't like my team then they must be blind, deaf, dumb or all three. And inbred. Yeah. Inbred bastards.

The ability to agree to disagree some how got lost in the morass. This is where college football and religion collide. We cannot accept that there is another path to the Valhalla we all believe in (BCS Baby!). Because our core belief that our team is the best is deemed insulted we must respond in kind. We must tear down the infidel. Yell at the blasphemer. Degrade ourselves to prove our team/belief is better.

Perhaps it is time to rethink our responses a tad. Remember that this is a pastime rather than a matter of life and death. Remember that the people we accuse of being mindless idiots are thinking the same thing about us. Remember the best way to convince someone you're not all bad, is by pointing to the positive rather than peeing on them when they disagree. Perhaps it's time to raise the level of discourse above our guttural instincts.

I think as human beings who are members of a civil society we must act better, treat fellow fans among us with more respect, and require those around us to do the same. If you take this as preaching, fine. It is. I will lob rocks from my glass house with impunity in the name of better discourse. I am not perfect. I have said things in print and out loud that I regret. I will be the first to admit that I am largely full of crap. But that will not stop me from at least attempting to state a critical point.

Telling someone to F themselves because they feel differently than you do demeans us all and makes you look like an intolerant jackass.

Respect is a word tossed around lightly in today's society. To some extent "honor" has a bit of a hollow ring to it as well. But it does not mean that the true meaning of these words should be lost on us. We should respect one another's view points, no matter how different they may be. And we should honor the school and team we root for by not sinking to the lowest common denominator in our discourse.

Leaders and the Best means, to me, that even in times of trouble Michigan fans and graduates are at their best. Finding solutions to the problems that beset us and leading the way toward those solutions.We must rise to that occasion rather than sink into the muddy waters of what basically amount to anonymous internet duels.

We must learn to tolerate differing view points. Without that there is no respect, no honor, and we might as well go back to pistols at dawn.

Feagin to play QB?

2008-11-19T19:52:20Z

Threet is probably not going to play this weekend, leaving the role previously defined as "quarterback" to Nick Sheridan. Or maybe not.

Take what you want out of this:

"Justin's gotta be able to do all the same plays that Nick and Steve are doing and we're gonna practice him that way this week,"

"He couldn't grab the ball," Rodriguez said, adding, "He can make all the throws."

Feagin is much healthier now, Rodriguez said, increasing the likelihood that he'll play against Ohio State.

The most interesting bit? "He can make all the throws." I doubt that Feagin starts this weekend, but I do think that we're going to see him in an expanded role. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead type stuff. It will be interesting either way, and merits keeping at eye on.

Will somebody please teach The Buckeye Blog how to read?

2008-11-19T15:20:24Z

It's easy to prove your point when you've already got your mind made up on something. Since the dawn of the Tressel era, Buckeyes have convinced themselves that their years of futility against Michigan under Cooper was a direct result of Cooper "not getting it." "He never emphasized the rivalry!," they'll claim - all justification for losing. It's never "Michigan teams were better," which was true in many instances, or "Ohio State players didn't execute properly." Nope. The sole reason for the losses against Michigan under Cooper was simply because Cooper didn't get the rivalry, as if it's something to obtain, stuff in your pocket, and pull out in case of emergency.

Tressel came in and made a cryptic statement at a basketball game, and immediately got it. Finally - this man understands the rivalry. Simultaneously, Lloyd Carr sat in his office and reached into his pocket. It was gone. He had lost It. Lloyd no longer had the magic of "understanding the rivalry."

Does this sound dumb to anybody else?

I thought it might.

Now Buckeye fans point to Rodriguez, claiming that the man "doesn't understand the rivalry." They'd love to believe that we've hired our own version of Cooper who, remember, lost because he didn't get it. It's what they want to see, so they've got their minds made up. Well, once you've got your mind made up about something it's pretty easy to prove it. Case in point, the latest from The Buckeye Blog, who's tag-line is, to their credit, "College football analysis and opinion with a heavy Ohio State bias." At least we know who we're dealing with. The latest post, entitled Will Somebody Please Teach Rodriguez About the Michigan Ohio State Game is, however, a bit over the top. And by "a bit" I mean "really really" and by "over the top" I mean "dumb."

Let us begin with Rodriguez press conference quotes, followed by Buckeye Blog commentary.

Rodriguez: On why he hasn’t made this game the ultimate priority of the season?… "Well, I don’t know, maybe I have and you all don’t know it. I don’t think everything that I’m thinking or telling the team is made public, but I didn’t make any public statements or declarations or anything like that, because there are a whole lot of things that we’re trying to do. [emphasis added by Buckeye blog]

Buckeye Blog: Is it just me or does he sound like he’s hedging?

Hedging what? What on earth does he need to hedge? Here, I'll give you a definition of "hedge:" Making a statement to offset the potential adverse developments in the future. Potential adverse developments? They're expected to lose by 20 points! Why would he need to hedge that?

A reporter asked a question: why he hasn't appeared to have made this game the ultimate priority. His answer, maybe he has, is good enough for me because I don't get to attend team meetings. I don't get to attend practices. Do you? Because unless you do, you have no idea what goes on behind closed doors. But wait - I forgot - you already have your mind made up.

Even if Ohio State hasn't been priority #1 and he's "hedging," I'm ok with that. I would think that this year, the "ultimate priority" would be getting you quarterback to complete a downfield pass. Or maybe installing an offense that was foreign to these players. Or maybe, just maybe, WINNING A FEW GAMES BEFORE THE OHIO STATE GAME. To suggest that the Ohio State game should be the priority for this particular team is ludicrous - it's like asking a baby to run a marathon before he can walk. Well this Michigan team is still tripping over itself on the "walking" part of things - Rodriguez never had the luxury of being able to prepare for Ohio State. The priority this year, as full of fail as it has been, was to get this team to look like, you know, a real football team. I know you think that is somehow showing disrespect to the game and to the Buckeyes, but believe it or not there are other games that Michigan had to play and worry about this season. How much emphasis on the Michigan game did Tressel put on during Penn State week this year? Too much?

Rodriguez: "I’ll never diminish the importance of a Michigan-Ohio State game ever. Never have, never would. It wouldn’t be smart to do that. I wouldn’t do it anyway. First day I got on the job, somebody sent me a "Beat Ohio State" button, and it’s sitting next to my phone. I see it every day. [emphasis added by Buckeye Blog]

Buckeye Blog: You’re kidding right? You mean the only reason you wouldn’t diminish the importance of The Game is because you realize it wouldn’t be the "smart" thing to do…as in the Michigan fans would hand you your pink slip before the end of the first half.

And like I said, Tressel didn’t need a button.

Look at his first sentence, you dolt. The one that YOU BOLDED. You want so badly to believe that Rodriguez "doesn't get it" that you're willing to throw out the thesis statement in that quote and focus on a supporting argument. Even the supporting argument that you find so damning is qualified in the VERY NEXT SENTENCE. He states that even if it was the smart thing to do he wouldn't do it anyways.

Rodriguez: Just because I don’t say something about that on my first day on the job, doesn’t mean I don’t understand the importance of the game. It’s just we’re in a process now of trying to build a championship program, and there are a whole lot of things on our plate.

Buckeye Blog: Is it just me or did he just diminish the importance of the Ohio State/Michigan game?

No, he didn't. What he is saying is that when he arrived on campus, there were other things to do besides go to a basketball game and make a cryptic statement about being proud of players. He is trying to build a championship program which, since you're so inclined to scream "disrespect," goes through Columbus at the end of every season.

Rodriguez: For right now, the most important thing is Ohio State. There’s a lot of work we’ve got to do to get this program where I want it to be and where our fans want it to be.

As important it is to Jim (Tressel) and his program and his staff, it’s just as important to us."

Buckeye Blog: No really…it’s true…I want to be just like Jim Tressel and his program and staff.

Again, look at the first sentence. Right now the most important thing is Ohio State. Did you just not read that part?

And yeah, Tressel's won 3 consecutive Big Ten championships and gone to 2 consecutive BCS Title games. Yes, I think that's pretty much what we're after. You can't scream disrespect out of one corner of your mouth, then jeer when respect is given. Oh wait - you can because you've already got your mind made up about this, and even if the evidence is contradictory, you're going to use it anyways.

Rodriguez: On the players teaching him an appreciation for the rivalry?… They don’t need to help me. I’m trying to — I told them last night, I don’t think I have to explain to them the importance of the game and the intensity of the rivalry. I think if you follow college football at all you understand that.

Buckeye Blog: Yeah…if you follow college football you’ve got to know how important this rivalry is…just ask any SEC fan.

Where in this statement are fans even mentioned? He's talking about his players who came to Michigan. Not SEC fans. Where do SEC fans even factor in to this? His players know how important the rivalry is; it's one of the main reasons that many of them came to Michigan in the first place. Bringing SEC fans into this is like saying "yeah, I know this quote is about the players, but how do the Kenyans feel about this rivalry? The Martians? The French?"

Rodriguez: On preparing for the game?… Well, I would hope at least in particularly with rivalry games and Michigan-Ohio State, that it’s easiest for them to focus on the preparation. You’d like for them to take that mindset in every week because every game is so important. That’s why everybody wants to play college football.

Right now, the regular-season games have so much importance on every game that you hope they take that championship preparation into every week.

One thing about a rivalry game, in particular this game, you would think their intensity and preparation is at an all time high, so the coaches shouldn’t have to worry about it. I can tell you better after we practice a couple of days, but yesterday was pretty good. I think our guys will be extremely focused as they should be."

Buckeye Blog: Why golly, I really think the Michigan players will be excited for it…won’t they?

You know why Ohio State players get their intensity up for The Game? It’s not because of some coach has a hope that they will get themselves up for it. It’s because from the minute they walk into the Ohio State locker room and dress for their very first practice, they are ingrained with the importance of this game. They are taught the importance of tradition. They know the words to Carmen Ohio before they know how to sign out equipment. They understand that those little gold pants represent the highest honor an Ohio State football player can earn.

If for a moment, an Ohio State play has a lapse of reason and forgets, the training center features a giant countdown clock counting the seconds to the kick off of The Game. And if that’s not enough, there is also a giant sign with the score of the last game we lost to Michigan.

And that about sums it up. Coach Tressel spent the better part of his press conference talking about how even though Michigan absolutely sucks, this will be a tough game, it is always a tough game and it will always be a tough game because like us, Michigan understands the intensity of this rivalry and they will always play better than their best.

Coach Rodriguez, however, spent the better part of his trying to convince everyone that sure, it’s an important game but not really that important.

You can tell when teams take a game seriously - they install a countdown clock. I'm very happy that Ohio State players know the words to Carmen Ohio [Michigan freshman are required to learn, and sing, Hail to the Victors before practice begins as well, but they do it in an "Ohio State isn't important" way]. I'm also very glad that Ohio State gets gold pants, which apparently is a higher honor than, say, a National Championship trophy.

Rodriguez prepares every game like it's the Ohio State game. He understands that the biggest factor to having a championship team is preparing and executing like every game is the championship game. He has expressly stated that this game IS important, and that he expects his team to prepare like it. He expects his team to be extremely focused this week and every week. He expects his team to work, prepare, and play like Champions EVERY DAY, not just for Ohio State. Maybe if Tressel had adopted that attitude recently, you wouldn't see lapses like Illinois last year, Penn State and USC this year, and some recent national title games.

But you've already got your mind made up about the guy. He doesn't "get it," as if that's something that leads to actual wins and losses. Nowhere in the above press conference was anything said that remotely diminishes the importance of the game if, you know, you actually read the quotes. The Buckeye Blog is really reaching at best, and really dumb as worst.

Right now, I'm leaning towards the latter.

McGuffie, Chambers to Transfer (maybe)

2008-11-18T20:17:32Z

via blog.mlive.com

You've undoubtedly heard that McGuffie and LB Artis Chambers have told coaches that they plan to transfer next year. While the first reaction is panic (go ahead, panic, it's fine) some mode of rationality must be maintained.

1) Mgoblog has been wrong. Brian was wrong when he posted that Cox was going to transfer. He was wrong when he said Ferentz had been dubbed "next." However, I will say this: despite being unofficial, Brian is aware and is very diligent about the fact that his site is important and does serve a purpose. He takes that as a responsibility to try to simply give you what he's heard. He's not in it to start rumors. If he says that, right now, McGuffie plans to transfer - then that part is at least right. Where it goes from here is anyone's guess.

2) piggy-backing onto the previous segment - nothing is official, nor is it likely to become official for a few weeks. These players will go home. They'll talk to their families, friends, and highschool coaches. They can still change their minds and decide to stay. Anthony Carter himself was set to transfer until Bo pulled him out of the airport and talked him off the cliff.

3) If McGuffie and Chambers indeed decide to transfer, wish them well, and move on. I've seen a ton of posts/comments about how McGuffie was too small anyways, and he wouldn't play hurt so he's a wimp, and that he shy's away from contact. Well we weren't saying that when he was wearing the winged helmet, so don't say it now. I understand it's a natural defense mechanism, but all it does is make you sound bitter and...well...kinda stupid.

4) Losing talented players hurts no matter where they are in a prospective depth chart. Saying "RB is at least a place we can afford to lose a guy" doesn't help matters. McGuffie, I still believe, is a talent that will serve this football team well headed into the fast undertaking that is "rebuilding." Losing him hurts - there is no other way to put it. Don't sugar coat this.

5) I honestly believe that if he chooses to stay, he will choose to be a part of something that is special. This team, this future team, will continue to be special with or without him. Remember that.

You Got the Touch. You Got the Power.

2008-11-18T17:00:08Z

Ed Note - If you knew what this was just by reading the title, you're just as big a dork as I am.

Laurinaitis: Come out Wolverine, we all must die someday.

Sheridan: Not today Laurinitis. *smacks Laurinaitis in the face*

Sheridan scrambles right for no reason. Laurinaitis chases after him, with Sheridan extending a right stiff arm. Laurinits catches Sheridan, and beings to choke the life out of him.

Laurinaitis: I will crush you with my bare hands! Die Wolverine!

Laurinaitis: First Hart, then Henne, now you, it's a pity you Wolverines die so easily, else I might have a sense of satisfaction now.

Sheridan grasps the locket with Bo's picture in it around his neck and Laurinaitis is flung off as a stunning transformation occurs to Sheridan, becoming Tom Brady.

Bo's Voice: Arise, Bradimus Prime.

Bradimus: Bo....

Laurinaitis: No! *Shoots the locket out of Bradimus' hands.*

Bradimus: That's right motherfucker, this is the end of the road.

Bradimus picks up Laurinaitis and simply throws him out of the Horseshoe.

Bradimus: *Opening the locket* Now light our darkest hour.

Light from the locket expands to fill the stadium, the cockroaches fans flee, Greg Mathews breaks free and Bradimus finds him in the endzone for the game winning touch down.

Tressel: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo! *Explodes*

If only.....

Yes. It's just as creepy as you remember...