Stadium 101

So Andy and I are sitting on my couch watching tUOS bitch slap Marshall. Which is made a bit more palatable due to the libations in our glasses...

And, we got to thinking.

How can you tell that you are in The 'Shoe vs. The Big House????

1. In The 'Shoe the tailgate beverage of choice is Schlitz. At The Big House, it's Chateau St. John.
2. In The 'Shoe, the people around you are all wearing red football jerseys. At The Big House, the only jerseys you see are on the sidelines.
3. In The 'Shoe, the only one wearing a collared shirt is the gnome in the sweatervest.
4. In The 'Shoe people are standing and hollering in support of the team. At The Big House, people are hollering at you to sit down.
5. In The 'Shoe the band plays tunes the crowd loves and wants to hear. At The Big House, the band plays tunes the crowd has never heard of.
6. In The 'Shoe they haven't lost an opener since 1978. At The Big House... forget it.
7. In The 'Shoe the freshmen are on the sidelines, chilling with their red shirts. At The Big House, the freshmen start.
8. In The 'Shoe the home team can tackle.
9. In The 'Shoe the opposing fans wear flack jackets. At The Big House, opposing fans celebrate.
10. In The 'Shoe the scoreboard keeps score. At the Big House, it is a photo op.

Turn and Face the Strain

And these children that you spit on

As they try to change their worlds

Are immune to your consultations

They're quite aware of what they're going through

~ David Bowie. Changes.

In the next couple of weeks, there is going to be an announcement regarding the future construct of the Big 10 conference. There have been very strong indications that Michigan and Ohio State will not be in the same division and THE GAME will not be played as the last game on the schedule.

This change will be met with predictable disdain and a universal outcry from both sides of the rivalry. Personally, I am not sure how I feel about it. I understand that M/OSU is the greatest rivalry in sports. I recognize this contest has been the jewel of the Big Ten conference for decades. I acknowledge the historical importance of Bo & Woody. In a perfect world this would go on forever. The days of the Big 2 and Little 8 are gone and they are not coming back.

The truth is, the rivalry has lost some of its luster at the same time other conferences have spiked in national attention. In some respects, I believe we brought this upon ourselves. I can’t help but think the bright national spotlight and overwhelming hatred has become so heavy it has collapsed upon itself. To many outside the rivalry, this thing we have with the Buckeyes is just not that important compared to real conference championship games. We have certainly not been holding up our end of the deal by losing 6 straight games. Couple this one sided situation with the fact Ohio State was whipped twice by SEC teams in the BCS Championship games, and you can understand why the Big Ten Conference is seeking this change.

To the leaders of the Big Ten, this is all about national perception and responding to the competitive challenge presented by the SEC/Big12/Pac12. They are faced with these choices.

1. Place Michigan & Ohio State in the same division and leave THE GAME untouched at the end of the regular season schedule. Run the risk of creating a lopsided balance of power for a single division (see Texas & Oklahoma in the B12 South) and lose all possibility of Michigan/Ohio State ever meeting in the B10 championship game.
2. Place Michigan & Ohio State in different divisions and leave THE GAME untouched at the end of the regular season schedule. Run the risk of having M/OSU face each other two weeks in a row. I (along with many others) didn't want to see this in 2006 and don't want to see it now.
3. Place Michigan & Ohio State in different divisions and move THE GAME to another part of the regular season schedule. Allow the rivalry to continue and set up the possibility of a eventual M/OSU B10 championship game.

Yes, all this is very unsettling. In a perfect world, traditions would continue and no change would be necessary. In the real world, this change is necessary. We have been playing the Buckeyes the end of the season every year since 1935 except when we didn’t, like in 1942 (Iowa), 1986 (Hawaii) and 1998 (Hawaii). The world did not shatter during those seasons, and it won’t now.

There was a time when Oklahoma v. Nebraska was part of our last game of the season club. That rivalry game was changed with the birth of the B12 and both of those programs have moved on and have found new success. There is no reason we won't both survive and thrive.

Rather than rip my hair out and moan about the “good old days” – I am willing embrace this change and see it as a new opportunity. Replacing Ohio State with Sparty that weekend before Thanksgiving sounds like a lot of fun to me – plus if we are both good enough, the prospect of watching Michigan play the Bucks in the B10 Championship game is just too much fun to imagine.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Troy Woolfolk

The terrible news of Troy's ankle injury has me down today. We just lost our best player at a position we were dangerously thin at to begin with. I feel bad for the kid, I feel bad for the team, and I feel bad for us, the fans. The season has not even started yet.

If you feel like turning your depression into something else, take a couple of minutes and read the comments from Sparty on this thread. Pathetic. I have many life-long friends that root for the jolly green giants, so I refuse to characterize an entire fan base with a blanket declaration of hatred. But come on... 9+ pages of laughter and jokes celebrating an injury of a rival player? I can not wait to whip those mouth breathers again and listen to them cry and moan.

Head meets Explosion

Apparently, it doesn't take much more than a keyboard and internet access to become a Featured Columnist for the BleacherReport. Somehow this guy punches out about three articles a day, most of which appear to be mutated rejects from David Letterman's Top 10 think tank. Check out "10 Coaches Who Could Replace Rich Rodriguez". You have to hand it to this guy, of the 3400+ people that have read it, exactly zero have "liked it".

Warning: this is bad, real bad.

10. Desmond Howard : Exactly what Michigan needs, a new coach with exactly zero coaching experience.
9. Les Miles : He already has a "damn fine team". That ship has sailed and is never coming back.
8. Paul Johnson : I loved what he did at Navy, but I am fairly certain a run only triple option attack would work in this conference these days.
7. Pete Carroll : Now the NCAA violation seal is broken, why not go for some real lack of institutional control action.
6. Tyrone Willingham : I like Tyrone, but don't think a castaway from the wreck of the USS Notre Dame would be successful here either.
5. Lloyd Carr : Come on.
4. Chris Peterson : This is only one of the two names on this list I like.
3. Greg Schiano : Not exactly setting the world on fire these days at Rutgers, plus he already said no once.
2. Jim Harbaugh : Needs to do some bridge mending and install a brain to mouth filter, but along with Peterson, he is going to be an option should the search materialize.
1. Mike Leach : Perfect. If Rich Rodriguez did not work out, the old school alumni are sure to love this guy.

Oh Captain, My Captain

Things are already changing. For the better.

There has only been one day of official football practice, and things are already getting back to normal for the Michigan football program. Before Rich Rodriguez arrived and as far back as 1879, Michigan had season long football captains. Legendary leaders such as LaMarr Woodley (2006), Stefan Humphries (1983), and Harrison "Boss" Weeks (1902) have shared the peer leadership responsibility for the Wolverines. All this changed when the new staff arrived. Instead, beginning in 2008 rotating captains were selected for each game and permanent captains were named at the end of the season.

As a former Marine, I believe strongly in the concept of formal & structured leadership. I have lived and witnessed the value of peer leadership. Organizations need to be led at multiple levels to achieve greatness. Of all the changes we have endured with this transition, this one just never felt right with me. What kind of unit names their leadership after the battle is fought?

Yesterday, this tweet arrived from Coach Rodriguez:

Regardless of the their versus there grammar mistake (which I am sure will lead to another firestorm of ridiculous drama.... OMG!!!!! our coach can't pass a fourth grade english test!!!!) it was like a breath of fresh air for me and thousands of other Michigan football fans.

I can’t say if naming Captains before the season will make any difference in terms of wins and losses, but it sure feels right. I am sure the players feel the same way.

Congrats to Mark Moundros and Steve Schilling, you have joined an impressive and elite group.

Now go lead this team back to respectability.

JustThinking

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.

"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"

The wheels of the bus go round and round

This week has been about as exciting as a mid-May week can be for a Michigan college football fan. Without games actually being played, our unpretentious little program has once again been placed in the spot light. Regardless of your where your loyalty lies, this has been an exhausting week.

Rather than sit around and obsessively read only the Michigan perspectives, I always find it interesting to go out and read what our rivals/friends are saying about this mess. As you would expect, it is incredibly entertaining and enlightening. Here is a sample of what I found.

It comes as no surprise that our friends down south are basking in the sunlight of eternal and everlasting domination. The Ohio State football program has always dominated the Michigan football program and there is no reason to ever believe this will change.

Welcome to the Big Ten rich rod and Goodbye after this upcoming season. The spot light up there is too big for you i bet you wish you never left w virginia. Well we will always remember the 42-7 beatdown we laid on you in columbus and the beatdown you have coming in about 6 months. Go Bucks

I find it hilarious how obsessed the typical Sparty fan (and their coach is for that matter) is with ensuring Michigan is humbled. It really is funny considering they have won the last two games and haven't lost to us in basketball in a 100 years. As the direct decedents of the great King Leonidas and his heroic force of 300, I would expect a little more fearlessness from such a powerful group.

What would it take for you to feel humbled with regards to your crumbling football program? If 8-16 over two seasons and now a string of major NCAA violations didn't do it, I'm pretty sure nothing will.

Quite simply the best. Nothing sums up the hopelessly narcissistic Notre Dame fan better than this one. Yes Guilford, your loss last September had nothing to do with a pitiful defense, lack of discipline, and inept clock management.

I can't help but think how the Michigan game last season would have gone differently had the Skunkbears not had those extra hours. They were a young offense last year, and everyone knows that young players benefit the most from increased practice time. It takes a few weeks into the season for your team to gel, but perhaps less time if you're breaking the rules.

Penn State fans are not alone in turning this into a personal attack on RR. Interesting to note the recruiting edge these guys seem to think they have with a 1000 year old coach trying to lure star high school athletes to the big apple of central Pennsylvania.

I have no idea how any kid could ever actually want to play for Rich Rod He seems like the biggest scumbag on the Earth and would just as easily throw you under the bus to save his own skin as he would lie, cheat, and steal to get what he wants.

As much as I am looking forward to watching us grind Danny Hope into little tiny bits for years to come, I have to give it to this Purdue fan for his comment on Maize n Brew. This is pretty damn funny and so horribly true. For the record, if asked by the NCAA or Michigan AD, we will be honored to shut this place down for a year if it means this whole idiotic mess would go away.

How about this... The Michigan blogging legion must lose one member for one year. Come on, you guys have like 27 football blogs. I am surprised there isn’t one dedicated to kickers only. I cry Shenanigans!

And finally, this one from an Illini fan. Regardless on how you feel about Rich Rodriguez, his past record of building success following an initial transitional failure is well documented. I vote for Rising Phoenix, but then again, I am biased

I believe in some instances the NCAA finding a "lack of instiututional control" is more of Murphy's law and unintended results and consequences by the coaches and program; but with Rodriquez, it is difficult to take the high ground with him. What is the cliche, if you are going to be an arrogant rear end (based on what I have read), then don't expect much sympathy, when things go south.

Another side story to watch this season, will he be a Phoenix, rising from the ashes; or the Captain of a Titanic?

Yes, it is true, like the M compliance office and coaching staff, I proved a couple of days ago that I can't count very well. Football season starts in 100 days.

Probation

We will be very angry with you... and we will write you a letter, telling you how angry we are....

Surfing the Apocalypse

One of my favorite features in Sports Illustrated is This Week's Sign That the Apocalypse Is Upon Us. Nothing they can put in that spot can top this week's claim by SI naming Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett is the front runner for the #1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft.

ARE YOU F---ING KIDDING ME ???!!!???? I don't do facebook, but THIS popped up during a BING search. I think I would rather see Terrelle Pryor win the Heisman than that goofy mouth breather from Texarkana.

The conversation

Dave: Thanks for coming over to the office Coach. I know you are “busy with retirement” but we have another PR issue with Coach Rodriguez.

Lloyd: No problem Dave. I really wasn’t doing anything anyway today, and it is always good to see you and the athletic department staff. What is going on now?

Dave: Apparently someone wrote a book about one of your kids…. Trent…. Morgan Trent… it chronicles his path to the Cincinnati Bengals. The author is claiming that Coach Rodriguez was badmouthing Morgan’s work ethic and attitude to NFL scouts before the draft. He claims this dropped his draft status and cost him a lot of money.

Lloyd: Interesting. What does Coach Rodriguez have to say about this?

Dave: Well, Rich has told me and the media it is “ridiculous”. He claims he “said just the opposite about Morgan Trent to NFL scouts”. To be honest, I can't think of a single reason Rich would speak poorly of and undermine one of our own players. It would serve no purpose.

Lloyd: Well, we all knew this change was going to be hard. This just sounds like another salvo at Coach Rodriguez -- Nothing new. None of us should be surprised by this by now.

Dave: Wait Coach, there is more… the author is claiming you told Morgan Trent that Coach Rod was sabotaging his career in the NFL.

Lloyd: I did what?

Dave: I know, I know. The author is claiming you told Morgan that Coach Rodriguez hurt his professional football career.

Lloyd: Why would I go and do something like that? I have never even talked to this author. I had a conversation with Morgan some time ago. We discussed his disappointment with how late he was drafted. I tried to get him to recognize and take individual responsibility for his performance under Coach Rodriguez. I suggested this may have had a negative influence on the scouts view of his future.

Dave: I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense to me either. This story has been picked up by the local news and the bloggers. Do you want to issue a statement?

Lloyd: No. I didn’t care what the media said about me when I was on the sideline AND I certainly don’t care now that I am retired. I don't even know what a blogger is. I learned a long time ago that anyone can write anything they want. It does not make it true. If someone calls me, I will tell them the truth. But I really don’t care to deny something that I did not say.

Dave: What about Morgan Trent?

Lloyd: Morgan Trent is a grown man. He is a professional football player. He can say and do what he wants. It sounds to me that he wants to help his friend sell some books. In the end, he has to live with the decisions and statements he makes. If he wants to make up excuses for his performance on the field and attempt to convince people that somehow his former coach is the culprit. I can't do anything about it. The truth is the truth. There are really only three people in the world that know what was said. Two of them have made definitive statements and the third wants to move on claiming it is "water under the bridge". You tell me who is telling the truth.

No longer afraid of the dark

The Michigan athletic department today confirmed what was rumored yesterday -- we will host Notre Dame for our first-ever night game on Sept. 10, 2011 at 8PM.

"This will be an unprecedented game-day atmosphere that our fans have not experienced at Michigan Stadium," said athletic director David Brandon. "It's a great opportunity to showcase our program, University and Ann Arbor to a primetime viewing audience. This also adds a new chapter to the storied rivalry between our two great programs."

"Our players have always enjoyed playing night games and I think it's something that our fans will truly enjoy and embrace," added Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez. "I expect the atmosphere will be electric for this match-up at the Big House."

Michigan Stadium has never before hosted a primetime affair. I think it is about time.

Mercifully, It ends

As if this nightmare could have ended with any more of a painful conclusion. The basketball season is over. Sigh.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Evan Turner drained a 37-footer at the buzzer to give Ohio State (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 5 AP) a 69-68 win over Michigan on Friday in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.

Turner took the inbounds pass, dribbled upcourt and pulled up barely past halfcourt. The Big Ten player of the year left his arm in the air after the release, confident the long shot would fall.

His attempt was so close to the buzzer that the play was reviewed. When officials signaled the shot was good, the red-clad section of the crowd erupted.

Turner finished with 18 points and eight assists for the Buckeyes (25-7), who advanced to play the winner between Illinois and Wisconsin (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 13 AP).

Michigan's Manny Harris hit a jumper from 11 feet with 2.2 seconds left to give Michigan a 68-66 lead. Harris led the Wolverines (15-17) with 26 points.

MAKE THE BAD MAN STOP!!!

The nightmare that is the 2009-2010 sports calendar marches on. I honestly believe in my heart that eventually we won't stink in every sport that anyone cares about. This faith keeps me going. But for now, it really fucking sucks.

We will try again with Ice Hockey against Sparty this weekend. I am not confident in anything other than pain is inevitable. Until then I will watch this on a continous loop.

HT: NYWolverine via MGoBlog. Wow.

So long old friend

For some life lasts a short while,
but the memories it holds last forever.
~ Laura Swenson

There's a Hole In My Soul...
that's been killing me forever
It's a place where a garden never grows.
~ Aerosmith

HT: MGOBLUE photo galleries for the images.

Beware of the Angel of Death

Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.

~ Norman Cousins

Warning to all college and pro football fans reading this blog. I am the Angel of Death for any and all football teams I root for. This weekend has finally convinced me of this simple yet terrifying fact. For those that know me, I don't need to mention what has happened to the Michigan program or the Detroit Lions franchise. This weekend I cheered for, in order: Bengals, Eagles, Patriots, and Packers. Each and every one of them... GONE.

Be afraid. Very afraid.

State Champs

Congrats to the Chippewas of Central Michigan. Last night they won the GMAC Bowl over Troy. It was an exciting double overtime win. The victory was the first for a Mid American Conference team in a bowl game since 2006. CMU QB Dan LeFevour was the catalyst once again leading the team to a last minute score and scoring a touchdown in the first overtime. He will get a chance with some NFL team next season, no doubt.

As weird as this may sound... with this win Central also cemented their claim as the best football program in the state of Michigan. This year they beat Sparty, Western, Eastern AND won a bowl game. When you taken into account that Sparty beat us (again) this year, it is hard to argue. I have nightmares about what LeFevour would have done to our secondary this year if we had played them.

Braylon's intro

As promised yesterday, here it is. I had to work a little bit to find the Braylon Edwards "Lloyd Carr's University if Michigan" intro from NBC's Sunday Night Football. I have uploaded it for you to judge for yourself. I have included the Bengals intros also to compare how Dhani Jones and Leon Hall do it.

Of course the Free Press is making a big deal of this. They even go as far as taking Dhani's statement of the obvious as a shot at RR. Whatever.

Call me a Blue Loyalist all you want, but none of this will matter if Michigan starts winning football games. If I were Rich Rodriguez - I wouldn't think twice about this. Braylon is a well documented ego-maniac prone to foot-in-mouth maneuvers. He has officially stated this was not a slap at RR, but rather a tribute to LC. Win some games and all this cannibalism goes away.

BIG hat tip to our friend Whet for the cannibilism image.

Party Time at tOSU

It is 21-10 late in the 4th quarter. Tate just threw his nineteenth interception. Pryor just ran over our walk on safety. Matt Millen keeps talking. Tressell is going to win his 6th Michigan game in a row. Buckeye fans are taunting Rodriguez with signs in the stands. They are openly talking about firing him in the booth. Yippie.

Congrats to the Bucks on the win and the Big Ten title.
Good luck in the Rose Bowl.

Even if they make us cry like babies.....

The painful truth

From Stewart Mandel via Sports Illustrated.

Shortly after Saturday's Rose Bowl-clinching win, Jim Tressel told his team:

"You can have three hours and savor this, but when the clock strikes 12:00, we know what week it is....

I'm just playing with you guys...

They have no defense

...Take a couple of days off."

Edit: This got picked up by a couple of Buckeye Blogs. For the record, I know this is a made up quote. Tressel would never be that truthful or funny. I also know that if he did say it, it wouldn't matter. All the bulletin board material in the world won't make tackles or cover receivers.

Looking for an oasis: Football in the Desert

Oh, the land is bare

The glare hot,

And the way uncertain.

Stagnate and whither,

Or trudge forward,

To the horizon

of the unknown.

This is football in the desert.

This is our Michigan Difference.

Just for now.

Because,those who stay,

Will be champions.