Maize n Brew: FanPosts

Welcome Home Chris Webber?

2013-05-08T03:20:26Z

As you know, Chris Webber's long time ban from the University of Michigan ends soon. He will be officially able to contact the program again. But will Wolverine fans forgive him for his past transgressions which led to the downfall of the basketball program for years. As one of the biggest Wolverine slappies you'll ever come across, I'm willing to forgive Chris, but I would like for him to apologize to the entire Wolverine Nation. He should also reimburse the University some of the money it lost because of his sins. A good start would be the $200,000 he took from booster Ed Martin. But I can't totally hang Chris because the NCAA has been so hypocritical and unfair in passing out punishments. In the 20 years since C-Webb left Michigan, so many colleges have cheated, players took money and received other improper benefits yet the NCAA did little or nothing. It took something as tragic as the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State for them to finally act. They barely budged on the Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State Tattoo Gate Scandal and only gave USC football a slap on the wrist for the Reggie Bush/O.J. Mayo scandal. I forgive Bush as he's a Lion now, but I digress. Can Michigan fans forgive Chris Webber if he shows some remorse, offers to reimburse the university and makes amends by supporting the basketball team the same way Magic Johnson supports his beloved Sparties?

Neutral Site Season Ticket Question

2013-04-29T16:29:42Z

This is kind of a random post, especially from someone who isn't a Michigan fan, but I hope you all can answer a question for me. I've found myself talking about the sort of big, early season, neutral site game that Michigan played against Alabama last year today in light of the 9 game B1G schedule. Is there anybody here who knows how the UM Athletic Department handled season ticket holders in that game? While I know that WI, Iowa, or any other school may handle things differently I think that it's realistic to think that those schools might contact Michigan for reference or guidance. Was that game part of the season ticket package? It appears that you haven't been hit with the seat "donation" yet so that probably didn't factor into it, but if the game was part of the season ticket package was your seat location similar to your position relative to the 50 at Michigan Stadium? Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

A Michigan Wolverine in Jim Boeheim's Town

2013-04-02T16:12:31Z

This post is adapted from an article published earlier this morning on syracuse.com. Here's the link to the original article. It was intended primarily for a Syracuse audience, but I think it gives Michigan fans some perspective on the Syracuse fan base, too.

I’m a 2006 graduate of the University of Michigan, I grew up in Michigan, and I moved to Syracuse about eight months ago. I am one of a small but spirited group of Michigan fans who get together in Syracuse each week to watch Michigan games.

Upon arriving in town last August, I set out to learn all I could about Syracuse sports. Michigan and SU have rarely crossed paths during my lifetime in football or basketball (except for that football game, in 1998, of which Michigan fans do not speak), so I figured I could safely adopt the Orange as my second team.

After attending three Syracuse football games last fall, I quickly confirmed what I'd heard from many sources: Basketball is Central New York's true passion. Having grown up in a football-centered universe, I decided to try to figure out what made Syracuse tick — what made this SU basketball program so special.

A few games into the season, however, I was surprised to hear nothing but criticism from all those around me billing themselves as ‘Cuse fans. I wondered how they could be so upset, why they were constantly cursing their third-ranked basketball team, especially when it had experience, was led by a sure lottery pick and was anchored by two incredible wing shooters.

I attended and watched as many games as I could, but after tough losses like in the Big East Tournament championship affair with Louisville, I often found myself sticking up for the Orange when its own fans said things like: “This just isn’t their year. They’re gonna go out in the first round.”

Before trying to figure out why these SU fans were so pessimistic, I decided to collect some raw data, Here are some of the things I’ve learned and observed from Syracuse fans:

If Rasmussen or the Gallup ran a poll gauging Orange fans’ opinion of Michael Carter-Williams over the season, it would fluctuate more than President Obama’s numbers.
Jim Boeheim is the greatest coach of all time, but people around here will always criticize his rotation and his X’s and O’s.
Six and a half months of pure and unrelenting pessimism can turn into total confidence after one convincing win over the Indiana Hoosiers. And what a win that was.
The 2-3 zone, as orchestrated by Boeheim, is absolutely terrifying. And, frankly, I’ve never seen anything like it.
Doug Gottlieb is the worst.

But as any armchair anthropologist worth his or her salt will tell you, the first step is to observe and collect; Step No. 2 is to attempt to understand or explain.

So why was this fan base so disappointed and pessimistic about its season while my own was absolutely ecstatic about a similar one?

The answer, if one exists, is simple: The standard for basketball in this town is so high that a single loss can be demoralizing. Syracuse basketball fans have been “there” before. And when you’ve been “there” before, it’s not enough to make the NCAA Tournament or to win a few games in it. You want a championship.

For a fan of a rebuilding, up-and-coming team like Michigan, that’s a little difficult to understand — especially a perilously optimistic fan like me. In any case, despite having taken different routes, we’re both riding pretty strong waves of confidence into Saturday’s game, the Orange from its defense and the Wolverines from their offense.

My first eight months in Syracuse have been excellent. The city and its fans have been incredibly accepting of a naïve and curious sports fan from Michigan. Thank you very much for being so welcoming and I wish you all the best of luck on Saturday.

My only advice is not to sleep on my Wolverines. We may be young, and we may not have been “there” in a while, but we’re hungry, too. And as good as your win over Marquette was, ours over Florida was pretty darn good, too.

I’ve borrowed part of the title of this essay from Mark Twain, so I might as well appropriate and adapt this from him, too: “But how treacherous is fortune! In a little while (say, four days) will happen a thing, which … but I have no heart to write that. Let the record end here.”

Or maybe I do have the heart: Michigan by five.

Before trying to figure out why these SU fans were so pessimistic, I decided to collect some raw data, Here are some of the things I’ve learned and observed from Syracuse fans:

If Rasmussen or the Gallup ran a poll gauging Orange fans’ opinion of Michael Carter-Williams over the season, it would fluctuate more than President Obama’s numbers.
Jim Boeheim is the greatest coach of all time, but people around here will always criticize his rotation and his X’s and O’s.
Six and a half months of pure and unrelenting pessimism can turn into total confidence after one convincing win over the Indiana Hoosiers. And what a win that was.
The 2-3 zone, as orchestrated by Boeheim, is absolutely terrifying. And, frankly, I’ve never seen anything like it.
Doug Gottlieb is the worst.

But as any armchair anthropologist worth his or her salt will tell you, the first step is to observe and collect; Step No. 2 is to attempt to understand or explain.

So why was this fan base so disappointed and pessimistic about its season while my own was absolutely ecstatic about a similar one?

Or maybe I do have the heart: Michigan by five.

Wolverine Basketball Documentary on Kickstarter

2013-03-29T18:22:22Z

Matt Shepard and Leo Rautins are running this kickstarter campaign for a documentary about the Wolverine’s historic moments. Looks pretty cool. It's about the 10 defining moments in the Maize & Blue History and they have a licensing deal for NCAA footage already.

What do you guys think?

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1095606176/university-of-michigan-basketball-defining-moments

Matt Shepard will be the cohost for the documentary and will be selecting the plays so it should be fun.

What do you guys think?

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1095606176/university-of-michigan-basketball-defining-moments

Matt Shepard will be the cohost for the documentary and will be selecting the plays so it should be fun.

Michigan Has Been The Best Team In The Tournament According To Vegas

2013-03-27T14:32:27Z

The Big Ten badly needs to win the NCAA Tournament this year. They haven’t won it since 2000 when Michigan State cut down the nets, and even though — or perhaps because — they have lost in the Championship Game four times since, they really need to show that they are good enough to take it all down again. Since the last Big Ten win we’ve seen four different teams — Duke, North Carolina, UConn and Florida — win the title twice each. It’s getting downright embarrassing for the conference.

The conference always feels that pressure, but it is especially intense this year. They were clearly the strongest conference in the country — by a wide margin — and they have had a very good first weekend of the tournament as well. To fall short now would be very tough to take. So, is this the year that the Big Ten slump ends? Or are they going to find a way to disappoint again? Let’s look at both sides of the argument for Big Ten teams in the Sweet 16:

Plus - Clear path. Amazingly, despite having fully a quarter of the remaining teams in the bracket, Big Ten teams can’t run into each other until the Final Four. That maximizes the chances of winning — you can’t win if you don’t make it.

Minus - Tough paths. The remaining paths for the teams are tough. Ohio State’s is easiest, but they still have to beat a very talented Arizona squad. Michigan faces Kansas and likely Florida. Indiana has Syracuse and Miami looming. Michigan State really has to run the gauntlet — Duke and Louisville. All four teams face opponents that would be far from embarrassing to lose to — and that’s just what it takes to get the Final Four. They still have to win two games once they get there.

Plus - Playing well. Michigan has been the best team in the tournament so far. Michigan State has been excellent. Ohio State and Indiana faced huge tests and were tough enough to overcome them. All four teams are in top form.

Minus - Not exactly models of consistency. Michigan in the first half of the season was much better than in the second half. Indiana looked great unless they didn’t show up for a game. Ohio State and Michigan State could both check out at key times. Just because we have liked what we have seen from all four teams doesn’t mean we will see it again.

Plus - Three of four Big Ten teams have the best player in their region. Trey Burke and Victor Oladipo could be not just the best in their region but in the tournament. Aaron Craft isn’t the most talented, but he is the most clutch — that winning shot against Iowa State was ridiculously cold-blooded.

Minus - Best player doesn’t always win. You don’t have to look very far back to see that the best player in a tournament doesn’t always win. Besides, Burke didn’t show up in Michigan’s opener, and Oladipo wasn’t much of a factor in his opener, either.

Plus - The Big Ten is popular. Fans form the league travel well, and casual fans will like the Big Ten teams more than some, so the crowd support will be strong. That’s especially important for Michigan State in Indianapolis because it’s such a short trip from there to Louisville.

Minus - Arizona, Louisville, Florida and Syracuse all likely to travel better. Each of those teams — one per region — has the geographical advantage in game location, and that should translate to more crowd support than the Big Ten squads get.

Plus - Big Ten tested. Each team has unique strengths — Michigan is explosive offensively, Ohio State has Craft and his fearless and pesky play, Indiana has the best one-two punch of bigs in the country, and Michigan State is tough as nails. Those traits have been tested and forged through brutal Big Ten play.

Minus - Matchups don’t always emphasize those traits. Jeff Withey and the defensive wall of Kansas could smother Michigan’s offense. None of Ohio State’s opponents have anything to lose, so they will be just as fearless. Michigan State’s toughness won’t give them an edge against a Duke team that punched Creighton in the face all night on Sunday. Indiana faces a lot of athleticism that could prove to be an issue.

Plus - The Big Ten is in excellent form. The conference has been outstanding in the tournament. Four teams in the Sweet 16. Six in the Round of 32. Only Wisconsin was a flat-out disappointment. It has been an exceptional conference all year, and the four best teams from the group are still standing.

Minus - The teams play the games, not the conference. What the conference has done up to this point doesn’t mean anything. The Mountain West had been outstanding according to the RPI and passed the smell test as well coming into the tournament. They were absolutely terrible as individual teams when the pressure was on, though.

By Trevor Whenham

Redefining the "Student" Athlete

2013-03-20T01:25:37Z

As the NCAA tries to regulate recruiting rules and cut down on cheating many people are suggesting that these players get salaries of sorts. These players are the only ones not getting paid in a system that generates an insane amount of money and the players are being taken advantage of.

That's just untrue. The players may not get paychecks or a salary but they are not being taken advantage of. As a high school senior myself, I have been researching different colleges and a major aspect in my final choice was the tuition. To simplify this, we are going to say that to go to an in-state college university costs the average student (with no scholarship at all) $20,000. However if that student comes from out of state that tuition doubles costing those students $40,000. Any player qualifying for such a "salary" is already getting a free education costing the university anywhere from 80 to 160,000 dollars. As an incoming college student myself I would be dying to have this kind of financial commitment to my university of choice. At a school like Michigan, getting a full scholarship is nearly impossible. There are very few and they are extremely competitive. For the purpose of this argument, we will say that the school invests 100,000 into each full athletic scholarship.

Brady Hoke's contract is for 6 years totaling roughly 18 million. The salary increases with longevity and he makes more depending on the teams performance but for simplicity's sake we will say that he makes 3 million a year. All the other coaches combined make 1.98 million a year. (we are going to round up the extra 2 grand and say 2 million for simplicity's sake) The school has so far invested 5 million bucks in coaching staff. That means that the school spends $58,823 per student on coaches. Now let's multiply that number by 4 since most players will stay for all 4 years at their school which brings us to 235,292 just on coaching, adding this number to the previous 100k for admission gives us $335,292. Since we rounded up earlier we will round down this time to 335,000. (trying to be fair here)

Now let's compare this to the average investment that Michigan makes for their non-athletic students. If you are enrolled in Michigan's College of Literatture Science and the Arts(LSA) then you are eligible for a maximum of 10 grand. No more. Let's assume that this averages out to be right in the middle(I'm too lazy to reseach this however i assume that there are many people getting the minium scholarship than the maximum...whatever) this gives the average LSA student $5,250 a year. 75% of Michigan professors make about 75k. (Just for a comparison only professors in the 99th percentile at Michigan make the top salary, 200 grand. The most economical coach on the football staff makes 205,000.....just saying.) There are 27,000 students currently enrolled in the LSA department at Michigan. And dividing this number equally is about $5 per student making he grand investment totalling $5,255 per student.

This is a complicated issue. There is no easy solution. I know this coverage is not complete but i don't have access to all the numbers. I would love to include the amount of money the school spends on food, hotel rooms, airplanes and all these things. I would love to know how much money the average scholarship player generates for his school in regards to ticket sales or TV ratings(how many more people watch michigan football to watch Denard Robinson than to watch Rusell Bellomy play catch with the turf) My argument is incomplete, but to say that these players are being taken advantage of is far from the truth.

Poll

Should NCAA Student Athletes be Paid

Yes

2 votes

No

6 votes

Only the top players from each team(Denard Robinson/Jake Ryan)

1 votes

9 votes | Poll has closed

Anyone else got bad feelings about the 10 game schedule

2013-02-16T16:28:50Z

Anyone got a feeling that Emperor Delany is leading the Big Ten into a bad mistake with this one? Brandon and Smith have already said that they need 7 home games to maintain their current revenue. So Big Ten goes to 10 games and then suddenly both Michigan and Ohio State have just killed their non-conference schedule. Because it sets in stone and assures that they will never play another BCS school in non-conference. Why would even a Georgia Tech or Oregon State agree to a non-conference game if they can't at least be assured a 2-for-1. Better get used to a steady stream of MAC, then Sun Belt, and back outside of the conference schedule. This is exact opposite of the stated intended goal of improving strength of schedule. To me the 10 game schedule seems a mutual suicide pact asking for the athletic conference version of hemophilia.

Michigan's Future

2013-01-04T04:13:55Z

This year ended rough for team 133. Yes this year was rough overall for us Michigan fans. We have a very bright future ahead of us though.

1.) Brady Hoke

This guy is one heck of a coach. He is the future of this program. He's a great recruiter, he's a players coach and he gets the players to want to play. The biggest thing about him though is he's a Michigan man. A Michigan man who loves defense. He was a big part of Michigan's defense when their defense won games. Their defense will be top notch.

2.) New Recruits

Hoke's recruiting classes are shaping up real nice. Getting 5 star recruits like Shane Morris, possibly Derrick Green and adding numerous good 4 star recruits who could end up being stars like Taco. These players will be key to the years coming. If Shane lives up to the hype we may have a Heisman winner on our hands. IF we land Derrick Green that takes care of our struggling running game with the new offense line recruits. With a possibly addition of McQuay this team could have a lot of talent coming in.

3.) Greg Madison

Bottom line is he is the best defense coordinator in college football. Michigan's defense should not have been nearly as good as it was this year. Most of these kids were Rich Rods kids and we all know how that worked. But he got the kids to buy in and we ended up being 11th in the nation in overall defense (Going into the S.C. game)

3.) THIS IS MICHIGAN FOOTBALL

We will be good for the simple fact that Michigan does not put up with losing. Michigan has a tradition of winning and not 8-4 winning but more like a 10-2 winning. Michigan will not be in bad shape for much longer.

Michigan will be good my prediction is this is probably the worst Michigan team of the next 5 years. Just as long as Clowney doesn't transfer to a big ten school.

This year ended rough for team 133. Yes this year was rough overall for us Michigan fans. We have a very bright future ahead of us though.

1.) Brady Hoke

2.) New Recruits

3.) Greg Madison

3.) THIS IS MICHIGAN FOOTBALL

Michigan will be good my prediction is this is probably the worst Michigan team of the next 5 years. Just as long as Clowney doesn't transfer to a big ten school.

Jon Hoke??

2013-01-01T06:43:16Z

Knowing that Coach Hoke almost hired his Brother for the Defensive coordinator position when he accepted the Head

Coaches spot at Michigan and, that Jon Hoke only turned it down for hopes of a SuperBowl win with the Chicago Bears. It only makes sense that the elder Hoke will probably join Brady in the Maize this year. The only question will be in what regard. Coach Curt Mallory does have one of the nation best pass defenses but, we also play a run heavy Big Ten Schedule. Coach Greg Mattison isnt going anywhere anytime soon hopefully. So my question to you is How will the family connection help us,

Please not that Jon Hoke has had 4 Pro Bowl players and been responsable for what many believe could be one of the best safety tandems in the NFL(in a few years). All since 2009.

Knowing that Coach Hoke almost hired his Brother for the Defensive coordinator position when he accepted the Head

Please not that Jon Hoke has had 4 Pro Bowl players and been responsable for what many believe could be one of the best safety tandems in the NFL(in a few years). All since 2009.

Vote for Kovacs

2012-11-21T19:54:06Z

So I was reading the Big Ten Blog at ESPN and came across the following information, Jordan Kovacs is a nominee for the Bulsworth Trophy, which goes to the top player that began as a non-scholarship athlete. You can go to the website www.burlsworthtrophy.com and cast a vote. There is a link on the left hand-side of the page that takes you to the fan voting, which accounts for 5% of the total voting. As of this posting, it looks like Matt McGloin is running away with it though but hopefully Kovacs can start picking some more votes if the word gets out there.

Demetrius Stinson 2013 ATH Detroit, (MI) Highlights

2012-11-15T11:48:17Z

Check Out This Kid from Detroit Frederick Douglass, I thought he was really impressive. Demetrius Stinson 2013 ATH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_CtOqcA6ak

Demetrius Stinson 2013 ATH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_CtOqcA6ak

Check Out This Kid from Detroit Frederick Douglass, I thought he was really impressive. Demetrius Stinson 2013 ATH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_CtOqcA6ak

Demetrius Stinson 2013 ATH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_CtOqcA6ak

Is Nebraska Poised to Become the Worst B1G Champ Ever?

2012-11-14T23:16:35Z

We all know Nebraska is a mediocre (flirting with terrible) team. They lost to UCLA. They got curbstomped by O$U. They have relied on poor officiating, lucky breaks, and fluke injuries to opponent's key players. They are seldom able to win away from Lincoln. Their coach looks like an orc.

We (meaning everyone outside the state) know that Nebraska is a fraud. But I started thinking historically...has there ever been a Big Ten champ that has been this terrible? Penn State and Ohio State are both ineligible and Michigan does not have Denard...perhaps this (plus ridiculous help from the refs) is the only way Nebraska can compete with schools that boast better recruiting, coaching, and preparation.

So I'd like to hear from those a bit more well-versed in history than myself. Has there ever been a worse B1G champ than this outfit?

Also I know that Nebraska has not won the B1G championship but I'm not holding my breath for Iowa or Minnesota.

So I'd like to hear from those a bit more well-versed in history than myself. Has there ever been a worse B1G champ than this outfit?

Also I know that Nebraska has not won the B1G championship but I'm not holding my breath for Iowa or Minnesota.

Rooting Poll..

2012-11-02T17:00:45Z

AS you already know, having lost control of their own fate last week with Denard's injury , Michigan needs a bit of help now to reach the B1G championship game in the form of a Husker loss, which has me wondering how many Michigan fans will actually be rooting FOR the Spartan's this weekend . It looks to be an equally tough matchup for both teams , as both teams will probably be blitzing like crazy , and the QB who plays with the most poise will probably win the game , and at this point , I really can't really call it either way , although my sense of " local team pride " leads me to lean towards Michigan St , but who knows if they're offense can put up the 20-23 points that will probably be necessary to win . Anyways ... GO BLUE!

Poll

Will you be rooting for MSU to beat Nebraska this weekend ?, and how much?

A.) Yes ! 100 % Now dance for me Spartan !

11 votes

B.) 75% Yes , I'll occasionally check the score, but it won't kill me if Sparty loses.

0 votes

C.) 50% Meh......

0 votes

D.) 25% NO!!!!! I bleed maize and blue & despise ALL thinks green and white.

0 votes

11 votes | Poll has closed

Defenses Biggest Test

2012-10-25T13:46:32Z

http://mvictors.com/?=paul-bunyan-trophy

http://mgovideo.com/paul-bunyan-trophy-to-michigan/

Congratz once again for rescuing Paul from his East Lansing kidnappers BUT, this Saturday night, Michigan's defense faces its toughest test of the year. The Corn Huskers are averaging close to 49 points per home game, and they have a lot to play for, seeing as how both teams are 5-2 and battling for 1st place and a possible trip to Indanapolis. This game may turn out to be a polar opposite of last weeks defensive donnybrook , but I'm guessing Michigan wins 31 -21 . GO BLUE !

http://mvictors.com/?=paul-bunyan-trophy

http://mgovideo.com/paul-bunyan-trophy-to-michigan/

Turnovers, Penalties Kill Wolverines against Irish

2012-09-23T04:02:50Z

via 2.bp.blogspot.com

Michigan was hit by the turnover bug big time.

Denard Robinson threw four interceptions. Yeah, that's right, four. And if you think that's too much, he threw those four interceptions in the first half alone. There were five turnovers (all interceptions) in the first half, as Vincent Smith also threw an interception on what was supposed to be a red zone trick play.

There were six turnovers (you will read that term a lot more in this article) in all. Michigan obviously limited turnovers significantly in the second half, with the only other turnover being a Denard fumble. Michigan lost to Notre Dame 13-6, and if there was one crystal clear reason why, that was it. You simply cannot win a game when you turn the ball over six times.

via 2.bp.blogspot.com

Although Denard has been Notre Dame's nemesis for the past three years, that clearly wasn't the case this time. The turnovers completely overshadowed Denard passing Chad Henne in accumulating total yards.

The hero for Notre Dame? Definitely Manti Te'o. The All-American linebacker picked off two of the interceptions Denard threw and was largely responsible for limiting him on the ground. On crucial third down runs, it was usually Te'o who made the stop.

It might be hard to process this, but Michigan's defense actually played pretty well. They limited the Irish to under 200 yards and got two turnovers of their own, forcing Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly to bench redshirt freshman quarterback Everett Golson (who many believed would be the difference maker in this game) for veteran quarterback Tommy Rees. Ironically, it was Rees who scored the only touchdown for the Irish, on a goal line quarterback sneak into the endzone.

Michigan holding Notre Dame to 13 points doesn't mean much when you only put up two field goals. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is the final score. There will doubtlessly be tons of angry Michigan fans who put all of the blame on offensive coordinator Al Borges for the playcalling.

Was there bad playcalling? Sure. The would-be trick play by Vincent Smith which turned out to be an interception is certainly worth criticism. It's the type of play, however, that gets you a big pat on the back when it works and a big smack upside the head when it doesn't. I don't fault Borges too much for that.

Nor do I fault the offensive line, which I was worried about most going into this game. They looked surprisingly good and gave Denard all day to throw. The defensive line, too, performed moderately well against the run, up until the fourth quarter, when Notre Dame had all the momentum.

But really, the thing that killed Michigan most was the turnovers. Denard was shredding Notre Dame on his first couple of drives, moving the ball down the field by finding Devin Gardner. One interception quickly became three as Denard threw one on each of his next three passes, killing three straight drives.

I mean, what do you do going into the second half? Do you bench Denard and simply bring in a new quarterback (Bellomy or Gardner)? Or do you just run the football and never pass again? It's a tough call. I don't think you can bench Denard because he's too dangerous with his feet. The running game was sporadic at best, and you can't become predictable when the game is as close as it was.

That's another thing that needs to be considered. It's not like the game was a blowout loss. Michigan, especially their defense, stuck with Notre Dame the entire game. The only time Notre Dame even scored a touchdown was off an interception that Denard threw, putting them inside Michigan's 40. They never crossed the fifty and scored a touchdown on the same drive.

It's tough going forward. The Notre Dame game has so often been a measuring stick for where Michigan is as a program year in and year out. The Alabama game showed us that we're not ready to compete for national championships yet.

What has the Notre Dame game shown us? Our defense can make plays. They can stop the run. Our offensive line can give the quarterback plenty of time to pass. And perhaps most obviously, our quarterback needs work. Denard really needs to adjust his decision-making if we're to have a successful season.

For years I've been wondering when Notre Dame is finally going to break the losing streak against Michigan, and this year, it happened. When a rivalry starts to get lopsided, it puts more pressure on the other team to turn the tide. There was no way Notre Dame was going to overlook this game. Hats off to them, because they made great takeaways when they needed to and capitalized on Michigan's mistakes.

Michigan opens up Big Ten play against Purdue in West Lafayette. The run for the Big Ten championship is still wide open as far as I'm concerned. The only undefeated teams remaining in the Big Ten are Northwestern, Minnesota, and Ohio State, all at 4-0. That's less of a credit to their teams' play and more a credit to their teams' soft non-conference schedules.

Although we lost to Notre Dame (which wasn't completely unexpected), there are two more rivalry games left to play. And Michigan State and Ohio State both look very winnable.

Be sure to check out The Michigan Fanatic for more occasional opinion-editorials and retrospectives.