YFD In a Bit of a Tizzy

I'm not so sure where to start this week. I've discovered many things. But questions remain. Consider:

• The Tigers traded for a top-five starting pitcher out of absolutely nowhere.
• Top 25 rankings are out, and Michigan isn't in it.
• Things that happen in less than one month: Oktoberfest beer starts coming out and football shall soon be played.
• I can't find an appropriately shitty cover of the Sound of Silence right now to convey my emotions.

I hate this month. It's the lull. It's the time where you're trying to cling to summer but all the good shit's already gone down. Kids are about to go back to school, you're probably sick of summer beers, and I've been throwing up terrible listicles. Don't worry, I'm going to predict the season soon. I've never been right. This isn't my year either. But at least we'll have some good beer recommendations along the way. But one point bears reiterating:

THERE IS LESS THAN ONE MONTH UNTIL THE BEST PART OF THE YEAR.

Michigan football's in the middle of another period of uncertainty. Is Brady Hoke the coach Michigan needs? Is Dave Brandon determined to turn away students at the hallowed gates of Michigan Stadium? Questions worth asking. But one isn't: Some folks are calling for a quarterback battle/controversy/change. Those people are misinformed. Anyone see Ohio State last year? That game was DG on one leg. I'm more confident in Devin Gardner as a fifth-year senior quarterback than I've been in anyone since, well, probably Chad Henne. Who would you rather have?

• Player A: 61.9% Completed, 22:8 TD:Int, 2508 yards, 12.4 yards per completion, 22 total td
• Player B: 59.2%, 24:10 TD:Int, 3331 yds, 12.3 ypc, 24 total td
• Player C: 55%, 20:15 TD:Int, 2173 yds, 15.3 ypc, 36 total td (1349 rush yds)
• Player D: 60.3%, 21:11 TD:Int, 2960 yds, 14.2 ypc, 32 total TD

These are the final full seasons of the four last Michigan quarterbacks most of the blogosphere is old enough to remember. Player A: Junior Chad Henne. B: Senior Navarre, one of the greatest passing seasons ever. Player C: Junior Denard, pre that dreadful senior year nerve injury/Nebraska. Player D?

2013 Devin Gardner.

He doesn't have a single stat that's the best, but consider - playing behind an offensive line made of cheese, dude had the second-best comp%, yards trailing only the all-time single-season Michigan leader (outgained him counting rush yds), had more touchdowns than anyone save Denard, and had the best yards/completion of any of the pocket-passing Michigan quarterbacks. That's pretty solid. You know I'm jonesin' for some footbaw when I get into stats. I might have misread them, because I'm drinking the Beer of the Week:

Atwater Brewing's Purple Gang Pils.

I had this at a beerfest last weekend and went back for more. I generally don't love pils because I'm not sure what to make of them, but this one's good. It's crisp, hoppy, and has that pure taste that you want a proper German pils to have. Really good for a summer's afternoon. I'd also mention their vanilla java porter, but it's super sweet and it was at least 90 outside when I tried it. It's good, but it'll be better in six months. Didn't try any of their seasonals but I really like Atwater, so there ya go.

In hono(u)r of the big game tomorrow at Michigan Stadium, here it is, your BrewShot of the week: