I'm not always a good Wolverine. As an alum, I'm a slightly less stellar donor than Stephen Ross. The cash I do entrust to them goes to Michigan Radio and it's about a stainless steel travel mug's worth. I like their friendly voices in the morning and they're very smart people who make me think. As a former university employee, I grumble and snipe like many former U-M employees. It can be a strange and unforgiving place to ply your trade. It's best I stop there. And finally, as a Wolverine fan, I still get excited about basketball and hockey, but I've been a little cynical and negative when it comes to football. From the black day Lloyd Carr coached us to the unspeakable horror that was the first Appalachian State game up through our current unfortunate situation, I've been wearing a heavy cloak of indifference. Though I used to cry inconsolably after Michigan losses in middle school, the years have taught me to expect the worst and to be pleasantly surprised by anything better.
In a miracle of sorts this past Saturday night, the Michigan football team succeeded in lifting that cloak from my shoulders and making me actually feel something for them again. It really wasn't about the win. It took up to the last minutes of the game for me to even acknowledge they might pull off the victory. It definitely wasn't the quality of play. Both the Wolverines and the Nittany Lions were doing their best to give the win to the other guy throughout most of the game. It was a classic battle of the powers that used to be.
The miracle was that, whether they won or lost, I was feeling pride again. It was a strange feeling. I was proud of the team on the field and the no-quit spirit so many of them displayed in battling for the win. I believe I would have felt the same way if they'd lost. I also felt pride in everyone who came together after weeks of dissent, disillusionment, and near rebellion to simply be present and engaged as Wolverine fans again. And those former players who came to teach the current ones that the Michigan team is a team for life? Well pass me a tissue. It's been a while since anything Michigan football has made me a little misty-eyed, but the Band of Brothers thing? Even my hardened Blue heart couldn't resist that! Although victory was never a sure thing, I felt an unusual calmness - but not indifference - before, during, and after the game like I haven't in ages.
From what I saw on social media after the game, there were lots of Michigan fans in the same happy condition. Thrilled for victory, but even happier for the pure joy on the players' faces and in Devin Gardner's smile after bravely leading his teammates to finish the job. Considering the mood of the mob this past month, I marvel at how quickly this win, ugly as it was, became a balm for the weary Wolverine soul. It was a welcome relief from the exhaustion we feel from the negativity and madness of the ongoing media circus. A few precious hours away from the storm, especially for the players. And it felt really good.
It won't stop the cries for change, and it shouldn't, but for a moment we were all focused on good things, unifying things. The past standing up for the present. Fans in abundance and rocking. A solid defensive line that strangled PSU's hopes at the end of the game. Leaders, like Devin Gardner, being forged before our eyes - playing over pain, taking knocks, and refusing to quit before he could finally dust off a play he hadn't run in some time: The Victory Formation.
Yes. It is great to be a Michigan Wolverine! No one ever said it would be easy.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Friday, October 10, 2014
Jimmy King's Powerful Admission on Michigan Radio's Failure:Lab Series
This fine autumn day before Michigan's pivotal Under the Lights game with Penn State, I thought I'd share a Michigan Radio story I listened to this morning that contains lessons for all of us. It's a feature they call Failure:Lab. Individuals from all walks of life stand before an audience and describe the failures they've faced in their lives. It teaches the listener and can be a much-needed catharsis for the storyteller.
The one that touched me this morning was by former Michigan guard Jimmy King, one of the Fab 5 basketball phenoms who helped lead the Wolverines to the NCAA tournament finals in 1992 and 1993. Any Michigan fan at the time will remember those games as both the best of times and the worst of times, all coiled tightly within a couple hours of exciting basketball.
As the world now knows, the Fab 5 is a fine example of both exhilarating success and heartbreaking team and personal failures. Jimmy King speaks frankly about this in the video. Even more importantly, he looks inside himself to see what his true failure has been. The confession comes near the end of the story, but is worth the wait. It's a confession that many of us could make and it's something we could all do something about if we were cognizant of it eating away at our own success.
It comes down to the failure of not expecting much. Of becoming so accustomed to having success snatched from you at the moment it seems within your grasp, that you stop believing in yourself. He imagines all he could have done or been if he had kindled that belief. We all sometimes stumble or hold back when a little belief and self confidence could propel us even further.
King's realizations seem timely as others in the Michigan athletic family struggle with meeting expectations, experiencing failure, and I'm sure in some cases, harboring much self-doubt. I hope that the football players of Team 135 do keep believing in themselves and burst past any ceiling that the failure to meet expectations has built in their minds. With the moving support of the Michigan football player alumni this weekend and what I expect to be a Big House filled with fans rallying in team (if not administrative) support, maybe all of us will begin to believe again Saturday night.
You can listen to King's story (and find other interesting stories about failure) here: Michigan Radio's Failure:Lab with Jimmy King
(from the Michigan Radio Stateside Staff - Failure:Lab October 6, 2014)
The one that touched me this morning was by former Michigan guard Jimmy King, one of the Fab 5 basketball phenoms who helped lead the Wolverines to the NCAA tournament finals in 1992 and 1993. Any Michigan fan at the time will remember those games as both the best of times and the worst of times, all coiled tightly within a couple hours of exciting basketball.
As the world now knows, the Fab 5 is a fine example of both exhilarating success and heartbreaking team and personal failures. Jimmy King speaks frankly about this in the video. Even more importantly, he looks inside himself to see what his true failure has been. The confession comes near the end of the story, but is worth the wait. It's a confession that many of us could make and it's something we could all do something about if we were cognizant of it eating away at our own success.
It comes down to the failure of not expecting much. Of becoming so accustomed to having success snatched from you at the moment it seems within your grasp, that you stop believing in yourself. He imagines all he could have done or been if he had kindled that belief. We all sometimes stumble or hold back when a little belief and self confidence could propel us even further.
King's realizations seem timely as others in the Michigan athletic family struggle with meeting expectations, experiencing failure, and I'm sure in some cases, harboring much self-doubt. I hope that the football players of Team 135 do keep believing in themselves and burst past any ceiling that the failure to meet expectations has built in their minds. With the moving support of the Michigan football player alumni this weekend and what I expect to be a Big House filled with fans rallying in team (if not administrative) support, maybe all of us will begin to believe again Saturday night.
You can listen to King's story (and find other interesting stories about failure) here: Michigan Radio's Failure:Lab with Jimmy King
(from the Michigan Radio Stateside Staff - Failure:Lab October 6, 2014)
Thursday, October 9, 2014
The Wolverines Need a Little Night Magic
Media spotlights. Microscopes. Bare bulb-style interrogations. Michigan has been under the lights all season for reasons it would rather forget. Maybe this weekend will be different.
It's Under the Lights weekend at the Big House and this year the opponent is Penn State, likely chosen because they were the only real marquee opponent on the home schedule. With Notre Dame, OSU, and MSU on the road and Nebraska gone to make room for the expansion teams, the schedule is one of the items on the checklist of sins tied to sinking attendance and fan discontent. I've been to both previous Under the Lights games against Notre Dame and while I'm not attending this one, my fingers are crossed that the energy I've felt during those night victories can return and sustain the Wolverines in this battle, too. Say what we will about Dave Brandon on every other day of the year, he did know how to get a party started with the Notre Dame night series, making them buzz with excitement on and off the field. The Wolverines always rose to the occasion, fueled by the decibel level of the crowd and the distraction all that noise caused the Fighting Irish.
Looking back, the first Under the Lights ranks as one of the most exciting and memorable games I've ever attended at Michigan Stadium and I've been going there since the days of the Huckleby, Lytle, and the Dufek brothers. It was as heart-stopping as the 1979 Anthony Carter catch to beat Indiana in the last :06 seconds. And it was as in-your-face fun as Desmond's 1991 Heisman pose against Ohio State. That first stunning night victory over Notre Dame in the year Hoke's Wolverines went 11-2 was the last time I felt like I truly belonged there as a fan, when 115,000 other people and I were a legitimate part of the victory. And the Athletic Department knew it.
Saturday's game will be a tough matchup on the field and a referendum on Dave Brandon in the stands. Ticket prices on the market are dropping and any change to the current call for fair weather might continue Brandon's ongoing attendance woes. It doesn't help that neither team is operating at the historical success level long-time fans expect and the both fan bases tend to be respectful of each other. That's not nearly as fun as the full-on Irish hate in Ann Arbor that made the earlier night games hum.
So what does this game look like? I hesitate to even bother analyzing the details of who's better at each element of the game in making a prediction. I'm not sure who either team really is this year. Penn State is 4-1 on the season, but no powerhouse. Their only loss came at the hands of a good Northwestern team that defeated Wisconsin last weekend. The Nittany Lions also edged past Rutgers earlier, 13-10, though less successful offensively against the Scarlet Knights than the Wolverines. Coming to Michigan after a bye week, they should be rested and well-prepared to meet the challenges Hoke and the Wolverines throw at them. Their ineffective offensive line, inability to establish a great running game, and inability to generate points on passes are considered PSU weaknesses this year. If Michigan's defense plays well, they can expose them and help keep the game in control for Gardner's offense.
Although it wasn't pretty and the result was a loss, I did think Michigan's offense played better against Rutgers than they did in the previous week's loss to Utah. The season-ending injury to RB Derrick Green hurts, but if my weekly desperate prayer is answered and Gardner gets adequate support from the O-line to get his passes off accurately and to buy real estate for the run, Michigan has the talent to take out the Nittany Lions. They're beatable, especially on Big House turf in what should be an electric atmosphere. Should be is the operative phrase.
The extra person on the field Saturday will be the fans. We all know that the Big House can be an intimidating venue when it's packed and rocking. If the attendance is anemic and the students carry out their anti-Brandon boycott of the kickoff (or more), a Michigan victory becomes tougher. If any game requires fan support in the form of unrelenting noise, this will be the one. The Big House should give the edge in a tight game to the Wolverines.
I really want to be a believer for once this season and say Michigan 31, Penn State 21. It makes me a bit uncomfortable to do so, though. It would require the continued improvement of the offense, the energy of the crowd, and a little night magic.
On the other hand, weak fan involvement paired with a team relapse into sloppy habits and poor decision-making, may see a final more in the range of Penn State 21, Michigan 17.
The Wolverines are certainly down, but those kids really need this one to turn around a difficult season. I hope they get everyone's support all evening long, no matter what. Go Blue and light up the Nittany Lions!
It's Under the Lights weekend at the Big House and this year the opponent is Penn State, likely chosen because they were the only real marquee opponent on the home schedule. With Notre Dame, OSU, and MSU on the road and Nebraska gone to make room for the expansion teams, the schedule is one of the items on the checklist of sins tied to sinking attendance and fan discontent. I've been to both previous Under the Lights games against Notre Dame and while I'm not attending this one, my fingers are crossed that the energy I've felt during those night victories can return and sustain the Wolverines in this battle, too. Say what we will about Dave Brandon on every other day of the year, he did know how to get a party started with the Notre Dame night series, making them buzz with excitement on and off the field. The Wolverines always rose to the occasion, fueled by the decibel level of the crowd and the distraction all that noise caused the Fighting Irish.
Looking back, the first Under the Lights ranks as one of the most exciting and memorable games I've ever attended at Michigan Stadium and I've been going there since the days of the Huckleby, Lytle, and the Dufek brothers. It was as heart-stopping as the 1979 Anthony Carter catch to beat Indiana in the last :06 seconds. And it was as in-your-face fun as Desmond's 1991 Heisman pose against Ohio State. That first stunning night victory over Notre Dame in the year Hoke's Wolverines went 11-2 was the last time I felt like I truly belonged there as a fan, when 115,000 other people and I were a legitimate part of the victory. And the Athletic Department knew it.
Saturday's game will be a tough matchup on the field and a referendum on Dave Brandon in the stands. Ticket prices on the market are dropping and any change to the current call for fair weather might continue Brandon's ongoing attendance woes. It doesn't help that neither team is operating at the historical success level long-time fans expect and the both fan bases tend to be respectful of each other. That's not nearly as fun as the full-on Irish hate in Ann Arbor that made the earlier night games hum.
So what does this game look like? I hesitate to even bother analyzing the details of who's better at each element of the game in making a prediction. I'm not sure who either team really is this year. Penn State is 4-1 on the season, but no powerhouse. Their only loss came at the hands of a good Northwestern team that defeated Wisconsin last weekend. The Nittany Lions also edged past Rutgers earlier, 13-10, though less successful offensively against the Scarlet Knights than the Wolverines. Coming to Michigan after a bye week, they should be rested and well-prepared to meet the challenges Hoke and the Wolverines throw at them. Their ineffective offensive line, inability to establish a great running game, and inability to generate points on passes are considered PSU weaknesses this year. If Michigan's defense plays well, they can expose them and help keep the game in control for Gardner's offense.
Although it wasn't pretty and the result was a loss, I did think Michigan's offense played better against Rutgers than they did in the previous week's loss to Utah. The season-ending injury to RB Derrick Green hurts, but if my weekly desperate prayer is answered and Gardner gets adequate support from the O-line to get his passes off accurately and to buy real estate for the run, Michigan has the talent to take out the Nittany Lions. They're beatable, especially on Big House turf in what should be an electric atmosphere. Should be is the operative phrase.
The extra person on the field Saturday will be the fans. We all know that the Big House can be an intimidating venue when it's packed and rocking. If the attendance is anemic and the students carry out their anti-Brandon boycott of the kickoff (or more), a Michigan victory becomes tougher. If any game requires fan support in the form of unrelenting noise, this will be the one. The Big House should give the edge in a tight game to the Wolverines.
I really want to be a believer for once this season and say Michigan 31, Penn State 21. It makes me a bit uncomfortable to do so, though. It would require the continued improvement of the offense, the energy of the crowd, and a little night magic.
On the other hand, weak fan involvement paired with a team relapse into sloppy habits and poor decision-making, may see a final more in the range of Penn State 21, Michigan 17.
The Wolverines are certainly down, but those kids really need this one to turn around a difficult season. I hope they get everyone's support all evening long, no matter what. Go Blue and light up the Nittany Lions!
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
The Michigan Man on the Field
The Michigan Man. In the world of Michigan Athletics, the now-famous label was born in 1989 during Bo Schembechler's term as Michigan's athletic director. Head men's basketball coach Bill Frieder had just accepted a new position as Arizona State's coach, but he was planning to finish the season and see the Wolverines through the NCAA tournament before departing Ann Arbor. Bo would have none of that and said the immortal words "A Michigan Man will coach Michigan, not an Arizona State man." Frieder was sent packing immediately.
Most people forget about the "...not an Arizona State man" part of that quote. The first phrase, however, has become Michigan legend and is probably second most famous of Bo's sayings behind "The Team" speech. A "Michigan Man" - for better or worse - has become the intangible, yet primary job requirement of any new hire to the Michigan football head coaching position. Sadly, I think it's being used in a manner that disrespects what Bo really meant by it that day in March 1989. It wasn't about having a history with Michigan Athletics. It wasn't about knowing the words to The Victors or understanding all the Michigan game day traditions. Anyone can learn and understand tradition without living it first if they're given a fair shot at it.
I think what Bo was really saying touched on integrity, honesty, and the commitment to the viability of the team (the team, the team) over the individual. That and a regular parade of raw, coachable talent fed Bo's winning teams. You can't coach or captain a team when your mind is on yourself and thinking of your own future endeavors. You can't motivate players or keep their trust and respect if they know you've already ditched them for greener pastures. I believe Bo fired Frieder immediately because he could no longer exemplify those ideals and lead the Wolverines with heart and soul while committed to another program. Schembechler put the team first and gave it the best shot it had to focus on practice and game play. And they took it all the way. Could they have done so if Bo allowed Frieder to stay? We'll never know.
When athletic director Dave Brandon fired Rich Rodriguez in 2010, much of the pressure he felt to do so was coming from alumni, donors, and former players who thought Rodriguez was not a "Michigan Man." He had no ties to U-M. No previous knowledge of Big House traditions or the Wolverines' style of play. His first season was abysmal (with Lloyd Carr's players), but each year, his team's records improved. (And have you seen what he's done now at Arizona?) Well, it was neither fast enough for fans nor traditional enough, and he was forced out to make way for the seemingly quintessential Michigan Man, I'd-Walk-to-Ann-Arbor Brady Hoke. Former Michigan assistant and part of the 1997 National Championship staff. Genuinely nice man. Ethical. Humble. Big lovable lug of a guy. It should've been the second coming of Bo. Right?
For whatever reason, Brady Hoke does not seem to be the true Michigan Man on the field. Or if he is, it proves that Michigan manhood is not the right criterion for the job. The good guy ideals appear to be there, but something is missing in his ability to lead and motivate these young men. He doesn't have it and neither do his high profile, high priced assistants. There is no development in some positions. No evidence of the "will to be great." The toughness and dedication in some players just isn't what it should be. We hear year after year after year that "we're young," "we're developing," and other coach-speak that you don't hear in other great programs like Alabama, OSU, Oregon, or even Michigan State. Great coaches don't need four years to bring a 5-star freshman to greatness. Great coaches find a way to start 3-star freshmen or sophomores, coach them up, and keep their dynasties rolling. There's no memory of success in this program to leave footsteps for the next class to follow.
I do think there's a Michigan Man on the field, but he's not on the sidelines unless the defense is playing. It's Devin Gardner. He takes a lot of flak from fans, including me, for getting sacked, throwing interceptions, and making questionable decisions at times. However, he stands behind a woeful offensive line and takes hit after hit, gets up, and goes back at it time and again. He plays over the pain. He never gives up. He never complains or points a finger at his teammates. He does what his coaches ask even when he may not agree with them. A leader on and off the field, Gardner has never been in trouble. He got his B.A. in 3 years and is now working on a Master's in Social Work. He's visible in the community, helping kids, motivating young people in need of a little encouragement. While the results on the field may not be what I wished for, I can't think of anyone else on the field this coming Saturday night who will better exemplify the values of being a Michigan man more than Devin Gardner. In spite of the team record, he's steadily climbing up the Michigan QB and Offensive individual stats lists, especially for career efficiency. He's 3rd behind #1 Elvis Grbac and #2 Jim Harbaugh. It sets me to wondering what he could have been with a classic Michigan offensive line and a coach (like #2 above?) who knew what to do with his athletic skills instead of wedging him like a square peg into a round hole.
Whether he'll make it in the NFL is anyone's guess. He won't be helped by the state of the team he's leading right now. Gardner will make it in the world, though, and he will be known as a Michigan Man who has a positive impact on those he touches through his life. He's a testament to his mother, his family, his early coaches, and his own personal drive and sense of honor. I can only hope the remainder of this season rewards him for his efforts and that the Michigan family remembers him kindly no matter how his final season comes to a close. I think Bo would have approved of this young man for staying and becoming a champion of a different kind.
Most people forget about the "...not an Arizona State man" part of that quote. The first phrase, however, has become Michigan legend and is probably second most famous of Bo's sayings behind "The Team" speech. A "Michigan Man" - for better or worse - has become the intangible, yet primary job requirement of any new hire to the Michigan football head coaching position. Sadly, I think it's being used in a manner that disrespects what Bo really meant by it that day in March 1989. It wasn't about having a history with Michigan Athletics. It wasn't about knowing the words to The Victors or understanding all the Michigan game day traditions. Anyone can learn and understand tradition without living it first if they're given a fair shot at it.
I think what Bo was really saying touched on integrity, honesty, and the commitment to the viability of the team (the team, the team) over the individual. That and a regular parade of raw, coachable talent fed Bo's winning teams. You can't coach or captain a team when your mind is on yourself and thinking of your own future endeavors. You can't motivate players or keep their trust and respect if they know you've already ditched them for greener pastures. I believe Bo fired Frieder immediately because he could no longer exemplify those ideals and lead the Wolverines with heart and soul while committed to another program. Schembechler put the team first and gave it the best shot it had to focus on practice and game play. And they took it all the way. Could they have done so if Bo allowed Frieder to stay? We'll never know.
When athletic director Dave Brandon fired Rich Rodriguez in 2010, much of the pressure he felt to do so was coming from alumni, donors, and former players who thought Rodriguez was not a "Michigan Man." He had no ties to U-M. No previous knowledge of Big House traditions or the Wolverines' style of play. His first season was abysmal (with Lloyd Carr's players), but each year, his team's records improved. (And have you seen what he's done now at Arizona?) Well, it was neither fast enough for fans nor traditional enough, and he was forced out to make way for the seemingly quintessential Michigan Man, I'd-Walk-to-Ann-Arbor Brady Hoke. Former Michigan assistant and part of the 1997 National Championship staff. Genuinely nice man. Ethical. Humble. Big lovable lug of a guy. It should've been the second coming of Bo. Right?
For whatever reason, Brady Hoke does not seem to be the true Michigan Man on the field. Or if he is, it proves that Michigan manhood is not the right criterion for the job. The good guy ideals appear to be there, but something is missing in his ability to lead and motivate these young men. He doesn't have it and neither do his high profile, high priced assistants. There is no development in some positions. No evidence of the "will to be great." The toughness and dedication in some players just isn't what it should be. We hear year after year after year that "we're young," "we're developing," and other coach-speak that you don't hear in other great programs like Alabama, OSU, Oregon, or even Michigan State. Great coaches don't need four years to bring a 5-star freshman to greatness. Great coaches find a way to start 3-star freshmen or sophomores, coach them up, and keep their dynasties rolling. There's no memory of success in this program to leave footsteps for the next class to follow.
I do think there's a Michigan Man on the field, but he's not on the sidelines unless the defense is playing. It's Devin Gardner. He takes a lot of flak from fans, including me, for getting sacked, throwing interceptions, and making questionable decisions at times. However, he stands behind a woeful offensive line and takes hit after hit, gets up, and goes back at it time and again. He plays over the pain. He never gives up. He never complains or points a finger at his teammates. He does what his coaches ask even when he may not agree with them. A leader on and off the field, Gardner has never been in trouble. He got his B.A. in 3 years and is now working on a Master's in Social Work. He's visible in the community, helping kids, motivating young people in need of a little encouragement. While the results on the field may not be what I wished for, I can't think of anyone else on the field this coming Saturday night who will better exemplify the values of being a Michigan man more than Devin Gardner. In spite of the team record, he's steadily climbing up the Michigan QB and Offensive individual stats lists, especially for career efficiency. He's 3rd behind #1 Elvis Grbac and #2 Jim Harbaugh. It sets me to wondering what he could have been with a classic Michigan offensive line and a coach (like #2 above?) who knew what to do with his athletic skills instead of wedging him like a square peg into a round hole.
Whether he'll make it in the NFL is anyone's guess. He won't be helped by the state of the team he's leading right now. Gardner will make it in the world, though, and he will be known as a Michigan Man who has a positive impact on those he touches through his life. He's a testament to his mother, his family, his early coaches, and his own personal drive and sense of honor. I can only hope the remainder of this season rewards him for his efforts and that the Michigan family remembers him kindly no matter how his final season comes to a close. I think Bo would have approved of this young man for staying and becoming a champion of a different kind.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Dead ball foul. No men on the field.
I'm with 11 other women in Gaylord, Michigan on our 23rd Annual Girls Weekend trip. The men in our lives surely think they know what goes on at Girls Weekend. Mud facials and mani/pedis. Hours in quaint little shops enraptured with scented candles and useless dust collecting shit (my brother in-law's term). Drinking Cosmos and watching RomComs while sharing way too much about the intimate attributes of our lives at home. You know, the type of weekend women love and men fear.
Well, I may be breaking the code of sisterhood here, but I'm too proud of my lovely and diverse group of friends not to share a little glimpse behind the veil with you. Here it is. We don't really do all that. No salon-style makeovers. No Meg Ryan film festivals. No reports on whose men pop little blue pills. No shopping. Ummm, okay, that last one was a lie. Just checking to see if you're still with me.
What did this exceptional band of sisters do? By day we went beer hunting, seeking the rarest of trophy brews, stopping to buy dust-collesting shit only when these shops impeded our progress to the next brewpub. Admittedly, there were many impediments! We took our hunt so seriously that we walked out on a bartender after learning his only tap was Bud Light. Seriously, dude? And we watched more sports all weekend than most of the men we know. MLB ALDS. NFL. NCAA.
The cottage was full of Wolverines, Spartans, Chippewas, Hurons (not Eagles!), and Badgers. Those of us not playing euchre encircled the TV, flipping between the Michigan and MSU games, analyzing the effect of Alabama's and Oregon's and Texas A&M's losses on the playoff picture. We took sides and argued passionately over who's to blame for the Wolverine's current woes. Even within our small group the loyalties were complex: Dave Brandon apologists, Hoke-Is-A-Really-Nice-Guy fans, Rich Rod-Got-Screwed supporters, long term memory-impaired Lloyd Carr lovers, and the I-Don't-Care-as-Long-as-Michigan-Sucks faction. The only thing missing was a a cloud of cigar smoke. We haven't had a good stogie on Girls Weekend in over a decade.
So there it is. Not as frightfully fru-fru as men may imagine. Basically we're everything the male voices of sports talk radio preach that we're not. The kind of women who love a good sturdy beer and a day of endless sports, not the women who give their men cold shoulders and endless whining if a game is on TV. Just try to keep up with my gang in a brewpub, with a deck of cards, or on game day. You'll hear us roar!
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| Just another Saturday night on Girls Weekend: beer, junk food, Michigan and MSU football on the telly, and a year-round Christmas tree. |
**Coming up this week, I'll delve into the ongoing tragedy in Ann Arbor. After playing slightly better in the heartbreaking loss at Rutgers, I didn't have the will to ruin my weekend with friends venting about Michigan. There will be plenty of opportunity for that all season long, won't there?
Friday, October 3, 2014
Arizona 31-Oregon 24: So how do y'all like me now?
Why does your coach clap? I'll tell you why. He claps 'cause he's making 4 million dollars whether y'alls team ever sees the inside of the red zone from week to week. He's clappin' 'cause there's leftover pizza back at Schembechler Hall if that game would just end already. I remember that. It was damn good pizza and I used to clap for it, too.
Know why I clap now? 'Cause my 5-0 team just f***ing beat Oregon, the #2 team in the country. We own'em. Killed'em last year, too, and by a bigger margin, but it didn't mean as much. They were only #5 then.
It's been fun. I smile. All. Day. Long. Have a nice weekend in New Jersey. I'll be clapping for y'all.
Best,
RR
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Will Michigan Get Stuck in a Rut(gers) This Week?
I'll be the first to admit I was both astonished and angry when the Big Ten added Maryland and Rutgers to the fold and merged them into conference play this season. I didn't know much about the schools or their teams, but I couldn't see how they fit geographically or athletically. What on earth could it do to improve the stature of the already lowly Big Ten? I still think I'm seeing a mistake when the ESPN crawler posts upcoming B1G games and I see Rutgers and Maryland matchups scroll past. Ironically, the addition of Nebraska and Penn State never bothered me, mostly because I expected them to add quality competition (and some very pleasant fans) to the mix.
As I anticipate this weekend's first meeting between Rutgers and Michigan in Piscataway, New Jersey, I wish I could still look at the Scarlet Knights and think "easy win" or new conference "patsy". I'm afraid I can't given what I've seen of Michigan football this year in addition to what I've learned about Rutgers, where college football was born in 1869.
Rutgers is currently 4-1, losing their only game to Penn State, 13-10. They do much of their scoring in the first half and are stingy with the ball. They don't turn it over often and when their opponents offer the ball up, the Scarlet Knights seize the gift, scoring 41 of their season-to-date 151 points off turnovers. Michigan, often a turnover machine, should be worried. Also, the Wolverines are 0-3 when they're behind at the half. The defense, ranked 9th nationally in total D, must keep the Scarlet Knights from racking up points early. The offense must do what it's had difficulty doing so far this year. Hold on to the ball. Make good choices.
Possibly the most concerning aspect of Rutgers is their pass rush. They currently lead the Big 10 with 21 sacks. If that doesn't set off some alarms in Ann Arbor, then the Wolverines and Devin Gardner are in for another in a series of very long days. Their Achilles heel is the offensive line. It's imperative that they show up and give Gardner and his targets time to make smart, unrushed plays.
Let's face it, taking on a more-than-respectable Rutgers team on the road is bad enough. Having to do so while a national media circus dances around you and your program will make it even tougher. I don't have a lot of sympathy for the plights of Dave Brandon or Brady Hoke right now. I don't like their nefarious night moves or the countless contradictions peppered in the transcripts of the "He said/Well, he said" game.
I do, however, care for Team 135. I do believe they want to win and want to do it in the Michigan tradition. That's what they signed up for. Do they have what it takes? Maybe. Maybe not. Whether this Saturday ends in a W or an L, though, I will respect them for going out there play after play and trying. Kind of like Shane Morris did last week. It takes guts not to give up at this point. The pressure they are under must be indescribable. They deserve better than what they're getting right now from the adults surrounding them.
And now, for a prediction I truly loathe putting into writing. My Michigan heart wants to kick my Michigan butt right now, but my well-educated Wolverine brain says: Rutgers 27, Michigan 21. (And I'm a little hopeful about the 21!)
Go Blue and prove me wrong!
As I anticipate this weekend's first meeting between Rutgers and Michigan in Piscataway, New Jersey, I wish I could still look at the Scarlet Knights and think "easy win" or new conference "patsy". I'm afraid I can't given what I've seen of Michigan football this year in addition to what I've learned about Rutgers, where college football was born in 1869.
Rutgers is currently 4-1, losing their only game to Penn State, 13-10. They do much of their scoring in the first half and are stingy with the ball. They don't turn it over often and when their opponents offer the ball up, the Scarlet Knights seize the gift, scoring 41 of their season-to-date 151 points off turnovers. Michigan, often a turnover machine, should be worried. Also, the Wolverines are 0-3 when they're behind at the half. The defense, ranked 9th nationally in total D, must keep the Scarlet Knights from racking up points early. The offense must do what it's had difficulty doing so far this year. Hold on to the ball. Make good choices.
Possibly the most concerning aspect of Rutgers is their pass rush. They currently lead the Big 10 with 21 sacks. If that doesn't set off some alarms in Ann Arbor, then the Wolverines and Devin Gardner are in for another in a series of very long days. Their Achilles heel is the offensive line. It's imperative that they show up and give Gardner and his targets time to make smart, unrushed plays.
Let's face it, taking on a more-than-respectable Rutgers team on the road is bad enough. Having to do so while a national media circus dances around you and your program will make it even tougher. I don't have a lot of sympathy for the plights of Dave Brandon or Brady Hoke right now. I don't like their nefarious night moves or the countless contradictions peppered in the transcripts of the "He said/Well, he said" game.
I do, however, care for Team 135. I do believe they want to win and want to do it in the Michigan tradition. That's what they signed up for. Do they have what it takes? Maybe. Maybe not. Whether this Saturday ends in a W or an L, though, I will respect them for going out there play after play and trying. Kind of like Shane Morris did last week. It takes guts not to give up at this point. The pressure they are under must be indescribable. They deserve better than what they're getting right now from the adults surrounding them.
And now, for a prediction I truly loathe putting into writing. My Michigan heart wants to kick my Michigan butt right now, but my well-educated Wolverine brain says: Rutgers 27, Michigan 21. (And I'm a little hopeful about the 21!)
Go Blue and prove me wrong!
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