Duke Back On The Schedule - Woo! Real Opponents! Good-bye Central Connecticut State, hello Blue Devils!
The Free Press is reporting the Duke Michigan basketball rivalry will finally be restarted after a six year hiatus. Mark Snyder is reporting that Michigan and Duke signed a two year contract where the Wolverines and Blue Devils will swap home visits. Prior to Amaker's arrival, Michigan's 1997 victory over Duke was the last time Michigan beat a #1 team.
The Rivalry took a hiatus when Tommy Turtleneck took over the program because Krzyzewski didn't want to embarrass his former student (any further). Now that Tommy's gone, Martin appears to be making good on his promise to improve Michigan's out-of-conference schedule. Michigan now plays Georgetown, UCLA, BC and Duke, along with a Thanksgiving visit to Alaska to play in Great Alaska Shootout. Maybe they can split a plane ride with the hockey team.
Big Ten/ACC Challenge Opponent Announced - Speaking of toughening up the schedule, Michigan will also host Boston College at Crisler on Wednesday, at 8pm, on November 28, 2007. Unfortunately, the game will be on ESPNU. Because it's on da U I'm not sure it actually counts as a game. It does make the schedule look a lot tougher though.
Hockey Posts a Tough Schedule Too - Good Lord. Whoever is in charge of the hockey team's scheduling really needs to calm down. The Ann Arbor news is reporting that Michigan will play in the season-opening IceBreaker Invitational with Minnesota, Boston College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Michigan will also play host to Minnesota and Wisconsin for the College Hockey Showcase. Finally, Michigan has a home series against Boston University.
In two words: Brutally Awesome.
Next year is going to be a transition year for he Wolverines but it will also be a year with a lot of solid returning and incoming talent. Sauer will be a senior hoping to salvage a legacy/career and the rest of the team will need to prove they weren't just JMFJ and Hensick. This team could surprise.
Reed Baker Update - Yesterday when it was announced that Reed Baker's scholarship was not renewed it was a bit of a surprise. However, in hindsight, it shouldn't have been. When Baker originally signed on with Michigan it was due to a loop hole created by the transfer of center Zach Gibson from Rutgers. When Gibson transfered he was guaranteed a scholarship. However, because he was forced to sit a year pursuant to NCAA transfer rules his would-be scholarship sat unused for this past season.
Apparently Amaker saw the opportunity and jumped on it. He or his coaches found a hot shooting kid who seemed to be passed over. I can only assume the conversation, but it had to be along the lines of come "Come to Michigan, we'll pay your way for a year, prove you belong and we'll use a 2008 scholarship on you." Baker wasn't a high enough rated player to turn down a one year, medium program offer, so he took it. Frankly, so would I.
Unfortunately for Reed, it didn't work out. Now he's searching the Directional City Affiliated D1 programs for a roster spot and a scholarship. I am unsure of this, but it is my hope that due to his scholarship being yanked he won't have to sit a year following a transfer. Either way I wish him luck.