Spawn reader JUSTHINKING posted this in the comments section of the Five Questions post. Wanted to highlight it and thank JT for sharing his thoughts. Sorry it took me so long to get this up, I am on vacation with my family in San Diego this week.
2010 will be my 33rd year of attending Michigan football games. I'm old enough to have seen Troy Woolfolk's daddy pound the rock behind Russell Davis' lead blocking. I wanted to be Rick Leach.
Michigan ran the probverbial table for so long that it never occurred to me that it would ever be possible for them to actually have a losing season. Ever.
But T-9 Wins with her defense comment. Therein lies the difference.
Bo Era Ave Score: 29 to 11
Mo Era Ave Score: 32 to 17
LLoyd Era Ave Score: 29 to 18
Combined Ave Score: 30 to 15
Rich Era Ave Score: 25 to 28
We need to only average 5 more pts/game to reach the average of the three prior coaches, from '69 to '07.
We need to remove 13 points per game from the opposing teams to reach the same average from '69 to '07.
Offense isn't much of a reach. Defense needs some WORK.
Now, Bo really skewed those defense numbers, as 7 of his 20 seasons he kept opponents under 100 points per season (nearly 1/3 of his coaching career!) In those 7 specific seasons, opponents only scored an average of 6.74 points per game against us!! Only Lloyd came close to the under 100 mark for a season (1997) at 114 - with the average score being 27 to 10.
Bo was right. Defense Wins Championships. Bo won 13 Conference Championships in 20 years (5 outright); Mo won 3 Big Tens in 5 years (2 outright); Lloyd won 5 Big Tens in 13 years (2 outright) - not to mention a National Championship - again, in that stifling Defensive year of 1997.
In the 21 years we won the conference, the average score was 31 to 13. Actually pretty close to the 30 to 15 average scores for those three coaches over those 38 seasons. Damn, we were good.
Now, herein lies the other problem. The unthinkable has happened in our lifetimes, and it has continued far longer than we could have imagined - if we could have ever imagined it happening in the first place....which we couldn't.
What a cluster#$%^&. The insanity of all insanities. Two back to back, losing seasons after nearly 40 years of glory. Four #$%^& DECADES of WINNING FOOTBALL. All the glory. All the domination. All the great teams, great players, a few Heisman winners,and wonderful, wonderful memories of Fall Saturdays with over 100,000 of your best friends at the Big House.
Folks, it is completely understandable that we are still reeling from the shock, the loss, the unimaginable itself.
Having watched my father die a slow death from cancer at the relatively young age of 55, I don't say this lightly. It's as though a cancer has spread through our team and all we can do is sit there and watch it as it grows and destroys all the joy we once knew to be Michigan Football. All we can seemingly do is sit there and pray and watch, and hope for the best. One thing I do know - being and staying negative doesn't help a #$%^&* thing.
Many people think Rich and his system are the cancer, as we haven't had a losing season in nearly 40 years before he arrived in Ann Arbor. Perhaps there is some truth in that, but not as much as people like to think.
A new coach, a completely new offensive system, several defensive schemes, some graduations, some attrition, a shitload of young kids and not a whole lot of leadership. All in the same place at the same time.
Flashes of greatness and shades of incompetence. From the heights of ecstacy to the valley of the shadow of death, it contniues - this rollercoaster of Michigan Football. One thing I do know - speaking for myself - I'm riding the bandwagon and I'm not getting off.
I see a bunch of great kids, (most of them not old enough to legally drink a beer), with enough talent to play Division One football, thrown into a firestorm of adversity. I happen to believe that those who have stayed have bought into the new system and are paying the godforsaken BARWIS PRICE to get ready for the upcoming season. Nobody wants to win more than they do - not even us.
And I believe that the ongoing adversity that has surrounded this program over the last two years has started to unite this team in a way that perhaps winning wouldn't have. It's them against the world.
Nobody wants to return Michigan football back to greatness more than these kids that are about to take the field a month from now against UConn.
I'm going to be there in the crowd of 109,000+ on September 4th. Ready to watch. Ready to pray. Ready to believe in greatness. Ready to believe in my team. Ready to watch Brock Mealer lead the team out of the tunnel, onto the field and under that glorious Banner while the band plays the Greatest College Fight Song Ever Written - the Michigan Victors.
I'll be there yelling until I can't yell. Supporting my team from the stands the only way I can - with whatever voice I've got left.
I'm still All In for Michigan, and I hope you are too.
Here's a video I put together last weekend. I think the theme of this song epitomizes this team.
2010 will be my 33rd year of attending Michigan football games. I'm old enough to have seen Troy Woolfolk's daddy pound the rock behind Russell Davis' lead blocking. I wanted to be Rick Leach.
Michigan ran the probverbial table for so long that it never occurred to me that it would ever be possible for them to actually have a losing season. Ever.
But T-9 Wins with her defense comment. Therein lies the difference.
Bo Era Ave Score: 29 to 11
Mo Era Ave Score: 32 to 17
LLoyd Era Ave Score: 29 to 18
Combined Ave Score: 30 to 15
Rich Era Ave Score: 25 to 28
We need to only average 5 more pts/game to reach the average of the three prior coaches, from '69 to '07.
We need to remove 13 points per game from the opposing teams to reach the same average from '69 to '07.
Offense isn't much of a reach. Defense needs some WORK.
Now, Bo really skewed those defense numbers, as 7 of his 20 seasons he kept opponents under 100 points per season (nearly 1/3 of his coaching career!) In those 7 specific seasons, opponents only scored an average of 6.74 points per game against us!! Only Lloyd came close to the under 100 mark for a season (1997) at 114 - with the average score being 27 to 10.Bo was right. Defense Wins Championships. Bo won 13 Conference Championships in 20 years (5 outright); Mo won 3 Big Tens in 5 years (2 outright); Lloyd won 5 Big Tens in 13 years (2 outright) - not to mention a National Championship - again, in that stifling Defensive year of 1997.
In the 21 years we won the conference, the average score was 31 to 13. Actually pretty close to the 30 to 15 average scores for those three coaches over those 38 seasons. Damn, we were good.
Now, herein lies the other problem. The unthinkable has happened in our lifetimes, and it has continued far longer than we could have imagined - if we could have ever imagined it happening in the first place....which we couldn't.
What a cluster#$%^&. The insanity of all insanities. Two back to back, losing seasons after nearly 40 years of glory. Four #$%^& DECADES of WINNING FOOTBALL. All the glory. All the domination. All the great teams, great players, a few Heisman winners,and wonderful, wonderful memories of Fall Saturdays with over 100,000 of your best friends at the Big House.
Folks, it is completely understandable that we are still reeling from the shock, the loss, the unimaginable itself.
Having watched my father die a slow death from cancer at the relatively young age of 55, I don't say this lightly. It's as though a cancer has spread through our team and all we can do is sit there and watch it as it grows and destroys all the joy we once knew to be Michigan Football. All we can seemingly do is sit there and pray and watch, and hope for the best. One thing I do know - being and staying negative doesn't help a #$%^&* thing.
Many people think Rich and his system are the cancer, as we haven't had a losing season in nearly 40 years before he arrived in Ann Arbor. Perhaps there is some truth in that, but not as much as people like to think.A new coach, a completely new offensive system, several defensive schemes, some graduations, some attrition, a shitload of young kids and not a whole lot of leadership. All in the same place at the same time.
Flashes of greatness and shades of incompetence. From the heights of ecstacy to the valley of the shadow of death, it contniues - this rollercoaster of Michigan Football. One thing I do know - speaking for myself - I'm riding the bandwagon and I'm not getting off.
I see a bunch of great kids, (most of them not old enough to legally drink a beer), with enough talent to play Division One football, thrown into a firestorm of adversity. I happen to believe that those who have stayed have bought into the new system and are paying the godforsaken BARWIS PRICE to get ready for the upcoming season. Nobody wants to win more than they do - not even us.
And I believe that the ongoing adversity that has surrounded this program over the last two years has started to unite this team in a way that perhaps winning wouldn't have. It's them against the world.
Nobody wants to return Michigan football back to greatness more than these kids that are about to take the field a month from now against UConn.
I'm going to be there in the crowd of 109,000+ on September 4th. Ready to watch. Ready to pray. Ready to believe in greatness. Ready to believe in my team. Ready to watch Brock Mealer lead the team out of the tunnel, onto the field and under that glorious Banner while the band plays the Greatest College Fight Song Ever Written - the Michigan Victors.
I'll be there yelling until I can't yell. Supporting my team from the stands the only way I can - with whatever voice I've got left.
I'm still All In for Michigan, and I hope you are too.
Here's a video I put together last weekend. I think the theme of this song epitomizes this team.
"We stand and we won't fall - we're one and one for all - the writing's on the wall - we are the Youth Gone Wild"
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7 comments:
Although the defense has been horrible the past two seasons compared to previous eras, it should be noted that none of these other coaches were FORCED to start quarterbacks that had not taken a college snap for two years running! The past two years were the perfect storm of crap including straight up bad luck in the form of fumbled punts, etc. I am ready for a great breakout year for the Big Blue this season.
Bravo. Possibly one of the Spawn's most epic posts.
This team has gone through the fire, and one day soon they will start to kick someone's ass on the football field. I am hoping it starts with UConn.
Just want to thank everyone for the kind words about what I posted. Seeing it moved to the "front page" was a little shocking when I checked in tonight - but thank you Andy and T-9 for keeping this blog going amidst your busy lives and daily schedules.
I know it is a ton of work, but just know it is appreciated that there is a place such as this where we can come and share our passion with one another - that is Michigan Football.
I don't quite know why I'm so passionate about the U of M, it's athletics, and especially it's football program. I wasn't smart enough to get into the school using my brain, and I wasn't gifted enough with my athletic abilities to warrant a free ride with a scholarship. But my goodness, do I ever love it.
I attended my first game at 9 years old, and I immediately caught the Go Blue Bug. Listening to Ufer and MMB tapes all the way to Ann Arbor on Game Day; the gathering of friends and family around the tailgate festivities before and after the games; and the football....there just isn't anything better than watching Michigan Football played out before your very eyes inside the Big House. It is awesome.
Over the years, the teams change as the players and coaches inevitably move on, and yet every new season it's still Michigan Football. It is bigger than any one player. It is bigger than any one coach or team. It is a grand tradition and I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to have witnessed so much of it firsthand over the last 33 years.
I know all of you can tell very similar stories of how the University and especially it's football program hold such a special place in your hearts, as it does mine. Which is probably why my original post resonated with you as it did.
Here's to a victorious season of Michigan Football in 2010.
Cheers!
Every kid on the team should read something like that before each season begins.
Great post!
Only have 4 teams so far in the spawn fantasy football challenge. Need at least 4 more to match last years mark of 8. Would love to get more than 8 to have a more competitive year. Live draft is Saturday Aug 28th at 10pm eastern I believe. I know the date is correct but not sure the time without checking.
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