It's been a while since Maize n Brew had a Happy Hour to catch you up to date with the goings on around the internets. Honestly, time has not been on my side recently and I've been a little lax in keeping you updated. In order to remedy this I encourage you to sit back and enjoy a frosty helping of what's:

ON TAP

1.    Jim Harbaugh is Kind of a D-Bag
2.    We're playing Utah, Which is Sort of Close to Texas/Oklahoma/Georgia
3.    Some Nicks and Breaks at Fall Practice and Trouble Off the Field
4.    Believe It or Not, Basketball News
5.    Looking Ahead At Michigan's Season
6.    Blogpoll is Back!
7.    This is the Single Funniest Thing Ever Written
8.    If you hate Stewart Mandel...
9.    If you love good writing
10.    BGS Continues Their excellent Break Downs
11.    Et Cetera

Is the Best Way to Get an Interview To Slam the People You Want to Work For? - A lot of people have made a considerable amount of noise over the nonsense coming out of Jim Harbaugh's mouth recently. Mike Hart went so far as to say Harbaugh isn't a Michigan man and he wished Harbaugh had never matriculated to Michigan. While I don't fault Mike for his sentiments and applaud his honesty in answering a question most people would've danced around, I can't say that I wish Harbaugh never went to Michigan. He was one of my favorite players when I first started getting into college football as a teen/adolescent. So as much as his comments irked me, I can't write him off entirely.

That doesn't change the fact Harbaugh shot his mouth off. He made himself look like an ass, made the school that pays his salary look bad, and smeared the institution whose diploma he has on his wall all in one fell swoop. I was in the process of drafting a response when I read the Destroy Harbaugh piece on MGoBlog. Brian's response to his comments is one of the best written and well researched responses I've read on the subject. It's lesson 1A on how to respond to stupid people. His piece states my feelings just about perfectly. Brian followed this up with a piece on Michigan's football graduation rates for minority students, specifically Michigan's black athletes. Again, Brian deserves credit for a well researched and articulate argument. While I don't agree with everything he says, I support his position on Michigan's efforts to ensure a culturally diverse academic experience and the schools efforts to ensure that it's students, black white, or purple, graduate. I highly encourage you to read his article and draw your own conclusions.  

Texas Must've Been Busy That Weekend - You've seen the news, Michigan will open its season against Utah in 2008.

Sigh.

I honestly hoped we'd get a bigger name on our schedule. No offense to the good folks at Block U, but my preference was for a Texas, Oklahoma, or SEC power for a home at home. Utah's been a very good team, but they're not the top tier BCS conference team I was hoping for. That said, I'll welcome the Utes with open arms when we meet up August 30, 2008.

The grill and tailgate will be waitin' fellas...

Michigan's Troubles On and Off the Field
1. Carlos Brown - Brown broke his hand in practice the other day. The internets are atwitter with reports he'll be back and fine within a week or two, however, per usual there is nothing coming out of Schembechler Hall to confirm or deny when Brown will return. Speaking of returns, Brown's injury places Michigan in somewhat of a difficult position in dealing with return duties on kicks. Brown was the odds on favorite to over the return duties left vacant by Steve Breston's departure. Jim Carty lists off a pile of Freshmen and Sophomores who will have the chance to step up. My uninformed guess would be Zion Babb simply based on his athleticism and on the fact Michigan can't afford injuries to people like Sears, Stevie Brown or Brandon Minor. Autumn Thunder is reporting that Brown is back, stronger than ever, and now searching for Sarah Connor.

2. Um. So What The Hell is Up With All The Arrests This Year? When Did Barry Switzer Take Over? - Joey's not happy about the spate of recent arrests that have put the program under a bit of a cloud recently. Exposing yourself, DWIs, the dead rising from the grave, beating the crap out of someone (again), cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria. Joey's right, for a program and coach that prides itself as being clean, the summer has been an embarrassment. Savoy whipped out his Johnson, Ezeh had one too many then drove home, and Quentin Patilla (schl.) and Robbie Thornbladh (walk-on) beat the hell out of a townie at Touchdowns. Ezeh's boozing offense was, according to MGoBlog, dealt with internally and won't affect his playing time at this point. As for Savoy, Patilla and Thornblash, McDonald's is hiring. If charges are successfully brought or a plea is entered, Bye-bye.

Basketball Re-Enters Our Consciousness - The Schedule is out! Circle December 1st on the calendars people, Tommy's coming back with his new Harvard squad. A grudge match of epic proportions. I can't wait to watch 11 unathletic white guys dribble themselves out of shots the way talented kids like Horton and Harris did. Academic bragging rights on the line.

In terms of other games worth noting, don't schedule that MSU/UM party you were planning when the Spartans come to town, because THEY'RE NOT COMING. Stupid Big Ten. They with the switch to an 18-game season, where each school plays eight teams twice and two teams once, and they blank out a traditional (albeit currently lopsided) rivalry. Michigan will only play MSU in East Lansing this year, hopefully this screwup will get fixed in the future.

In other news, Beilein's had a tough summer. He's been recruiting his brains out and is still dealing with the loss of friend and fellow coach Skip Prosser.

Michigan Predictions Aplenty - Blah me to Death has a great look at Michigan's Defense, going into the start of fall practice. Hart on the SI cover. Following up on that, SI sucks. The writers put up a 20 games you have to watch segment and took three big ten games. For the record USC appears 3 times. SMQ takes Michigan to win the Big Ten. Sportsprojections.com has a pile o previews up on the Big Ten, including an overview that picks Michigan to win the Big Ten too. The Diag points out The Sporting News has Michigan at No. 3. There is also a bizarre Free Press article putting Michigan 3rd in the Big Ten and a 30-1 shot to win the MNC behind Wisconsin and OSU.

Regardless, Sean at MSC is a little excited about the season.

Blogpoll Returns - And returns in style. Kyle and Doug already have their ballots up. Mine will follow shortly.

Required Reading - This is the Single Funniest Thing Ever Written. Kyle eviscerates Mandel. Johnny reminds us just how much we all wish we could write like him. His piece on Chad Henne is worth reading over and over again. On a more, "whodeygunnaplay" kind of vibe, the guys at Blue Gray Sky continue their excellent break downs of their opponents.

Et Cetera - The Ramblin Racket gives you a brand new college football drinking game. Be warned. This particular game will kill you. Hockey won't be ignored by the BTN. Really? Holy crap. I guess that makes the Big Ten Network relevant after all.

A couple of blogs I have been remiss in not bringing to your attention. 1) A legitimatre Northwestern Blog about football. Really! Lake the Posts is an excellent read and draws its name from an interesting source. Go there and laugh when you see it. 2) Hooiser Report covers Indiana as well as anyone possibly can, and is reporting injuries are racking up at Indiana's fall practice. 3) Paging Jim Shikenjanski covers Minnesota and Da U, and put up an excellent ethics post up for bloggers. I'll copy/steal most of it soon enough...