But instead of trying to answer questions today, I thought I’d pose some.  These are simply food for thought, highly speculative, and in the end worthwhile only in the entertainment you get thinking about them.  Translation:  If you want some great insight into what will happen on Saturday you won’t get it from this. (Or probably anywhere else for that matter…)

Nevertheless, I think it’s fun.  Maybe not if you’re a Debbie Downer who only enjoys raw statistical analysis, but there are other types of fans who consider the speculation as worthwhile (aka meaningless) as any other “inside info” you’re going to get before Saturday.

I’ve neatly grouped the questions into three categories to make it easy for you.  Feel free to respond with answers if you’d like, or just mull over the questions for the next few days until you discover the meaning of life.

Questions Concerning Notre Dame
1.  Against Notre Dame, what is the lowest amount of points I could tell you Michigan would score that would make you willing to guarantee a Wolverine victory?

2.  By what percentage does Brian Kelly’s presence affect your opinion concerning the outcome of Saturday’s game compared to what it would be if Charlie Weiss was still there?

3.  At this exact moment, who do you think will be a tougher opponent for Michigan:  Michigan State at Michigan or Notre Dame in South Bend?

4.  By what percentage would Michael Floyd not playing on Saturday increase your predicted odds of Michigan winning?

5.  In your opinion, what single player, not including a QB, RB, or WR, must have a big game for Michigan to beat Notre Dame?

6.  If you could have the Wolverines excel in only one of the two statistical categories against the Irish, would you choose turnovers forced or rushing yards gained?

7.  If last year’s Notre Dame team from the week it played last year’s Michigan team played last week’s Notre Dame team that played Purdue, who wins and what is the final score?

8.  By what percentage would your confidence for the Notre Dame game increase if it was at the Big House?

9.  What would you rather have me guarantee you:  Michigan has 0 turnovers against Notre Dame or Denard Robinson rushes for exactly 100 yards?

10.  If you could ensure that one opposing player was virtually shut down against Notre Dame, what player would you choose?

Questions Concerning Other Teams
1.  What is the worst overall win-loss record you would accept if it guaranteed a win over Ohio State?  For example, would you be willing to go 6-6 if it meant we beat the Buckeyes?  If not, 7-5?  8-4?

2.  Removing from the equation the payout that the University would receive for its appearance, would you rather see Michigan make a BCS Bowl (Not the national championship game) and get beat, or a higher class non-BCS Bowl (Think Outback and Capital One) and win?

3.  If Michigan played Boise State this Saturday at Michigan what do you think the final score would be?  What about TCU?

4.  Who do you consider the most overrated offensive player in the Big Ten?  Defensive?

5.  Who worries you more:  John Clay or Terrelle Pryor?

Dumb Shit
1.  If you took all the men in the world, would a higher percentage beat Denard Robinson in the 100m dash (low to mid 10 seconds) or Mike Martin in a bench press competition (505 pounds)?

2.  If it would ensure that Michigan would win back-t0-back national championships right now, would you be willing to never sleep with any form of sheet or blanket for the rest of your life?

Technorati Tags: michigan football, michigan notre dame, michigan notre dame questions, michigan questions, michigan wolverines football

“When a boy turns 16 he is given one chance to take the journey of enlightenment.  He has three days to complete the odyssey and during those days he can neither eat, drink, nor sleep.  The trek is to a remote mountainside located somewhere in the Himalayas.  No one knows exactly where it is and it seems that everyone who has looked for it in the last forty years or so has wound up dead/missing.

On this mountainside, a magical flower is said to bloom once a year for 7 seconds before wilting and turning to dust.  It is allegedly located between a lake of fire and a sea of ice, and guarded by the very embodiment of death itself.  Still, if the date of the bloom happens to fall within the three days of the boy’s birthday, and he can survive the treacherous trip, and he can elude the clutches of death, and he can pluck the petal of the magical flower before it withers, then he is given the opportunity to take it to the University of Michigan and…get on a waiting list.  Of course it goes without saying that the boy must then develop an anti-aging serum in his free time and use it on himself because he won’t reach the top of that list for another 107 million years.

However, once all this is accomplished, the boy is given the secret location of a garden known only to David Brandon.  In this garden,  he faces one final test, which is composed of a single impossible question:  Could the 1997 version of Charles Woodson run a pass route so clean that he himself would get burnt by it? If the boy somehow manages to correctly answer the question then trumpets sound, a legion of angels descends, and a full season ticket sheet is bestowed upon the triumphant hero.”

That was the story I heard.  It was obviously the truth.  I always knew it, and I never questioned it.

Until I finally did.  As shocking as it sounds, the University actually has a site dedicated to the very question I have been concocting tall tales about my entire life.  Crafty as they are, though, you really need to look here and here as well to get all the information you need.

As far as I can tell, the actual process goes something like this:

1.  Pay a one time ten dollar fee to initially get your name on the waiting list.
2.  Give an annual gift of however much you want to the Victors club
3.  Wait

The trick, obviously, is number two.  First time assignments are based on the amount of cash donated to the victors program annually.  So, the more you donate, the faster you get your tickets.  I have no problem with this, as it makes good business sense for the University.  In a sense it does suck though, because those of us who are not financially blessed cannot come over the top with the big bucks to get the tickets fast.

Another thing worth noting, is the preferred seat donation program.  Unless I am reading it wrong, after the tickets are obtained one is required to meet an annual donation amount per seat in order to keep/obtain better seats.  The better the seats, the higher the annual donation requirement.

Again, this is just my interpretation of what the website says.  But I do have some questions though.  On the FAQ page it states this:

“…in 2008, a person donating $1500 or more was offered 2 season tickets in the end zone. Each year, variables change (available season ticket inventory, donations from wait list members, etc.) associated with season tickets. This past history is offered as a guide, only, and comparable results for 2009 & future years can’t be guaranteed.”

So, I have to wonder, does the amount reset every year or is it a total?  Meaning, is it a better idea to save up $2000 and donate it in a lump sum once or can you donate $200 every year until you eventually make the cut?  All things being equal I suppose it would take a similar amount of time either way, but I’d be very interested in knowing what the average price ends up being for the first year of season tickets to a random person going about getting them in this manner.  If I’m looking at things correctly, I have to imagine it’s over $2000.  But going by how sweet the Connecticut game was, I can see why people are willing to pay.

So if you are a season ticket holder and got your tickets in the aforementioned way, enlighten me.  How much did it cost?  Am I way off on the process?  Did I misinterpret the Michigan web site?  Is the tale of the withered flower actually closer to the truth?  I’d love to hear from someone who has been through or is currently in the process.

(Moderator Edit: I received quite a few responses to this article, both by e-mail and a few through comments.  I appreciate everyone who provided information.  Although there is clearly no perfect answer, the e-mails I received were generally from people who obtained tickets for donations ranging in total from $500-$1200.  Many of these fine chaps noted that now may be as good of a time as any to go for it due to the down years of 2008 and 2009.

Also, a gentleman by the name of LordFoul was kind enough to post the question over at mgoblog.  Since that blog has about a gabatrazillion times the readership of mine, there is more in depth coverage there.

Regardless, it seems my $2000 estimate was high.  Or…maybe I’m just giving low figures so I can lull you into a false sense of security and outbid your ass.  Just kidding, I wouldn’t do that…or would I?  No, really, I wouldn’t…or would I?)

Technorati Tags: michigan football, michigan football tickets, michigan wolverines, season tickets

Having said that…

Victory!

What a pleasant day.  The stadium?  Great.  The pre-game?  Touching.  The atmosphere?  Electric.  The fans?  Loud.  The players?  Winners.   Exactly how I would have drawn it up given the chance.

The rededication of the Big House couldn’t have gone much better as the Wolverines soundly defeated Connecticut by 20 points.  Denard Robinson got the start and quickly went into “I’m-getting-at-least-five-yards-every-time-I-run” mode.   The Huskies had no answer for sixteen which allowed Michigan to dictate the pace of the game and control the clock throughout.  Altogether a strong win.

So after all the speculation and worrying that occurred concerning Connecticut, Michigan fans can now put the Big East in their rear view mirror.  Thankfully, the only interest we have to take in their program from this point forward is to hope that they live up to the hype they were generating amongst Big East pundits.  The best thing the Huskies can do is dominate the rest of their schedule.  Beating them felt good, but beating them knowing they ended up being a ten win team would feel even better.

All that aside, there is still much to be said about Saturday’s game.  There were a lot of good things, some bad things, and a few things that we still need more information on to accurately judge.  Here’s some of what I saw.

1.  Denard was really good
Connecticut and its fans must already have nightmares about this guy.  I cannot imagine how awful it would be to constantly give up 3rd and long to the same guy all game long (Oh wait…yes I can)  Not only did Robinson kill the Huskies with his legs, in the few downfield chances he took throwing the ball he was highly successful successful as well.

19 of 22 for 186 yards and a touchdown.  29 carries for 197 yards and a touchdown.  No turnovers.  Nothing to complain about anywhere.  In terms of what actually happened in game one we should all be totally satisfied with Denard’s performance.

That said, for the sake of completeness there are a few things that didn’t happen which are worth mentioning.

One is the possibility of injury.  Unlike some people are saying, I don’t think it’s fair to state authoritatively that a quarterback CAN’T make it through a full season playing like Denard did on Saturday.  I do, however, think it is a legitimate concern.  He ran like a running back, and over the course of a full season a lot of running backs do get injured.

Certainly it’s worth mentioning here that Denard will not usually run as often as he did against Connecticut.  It’s like Rich Rod said, the reason he ran so much is because it was working so much.  If a team starts to shut it off, his carries will decrease accordingly.  Still, it’s a very fine line for a player to run aggressively while at the same time avoiding big hits. For our sakes, I really hope Denard can walk it.

The second thing I think is worth having at the back of our minds is downfield passing.  The QB draw/read option was so successful Saturday that Michigan was never consistently forced to execute a plan B.  Robinson had some nice throws, but very few were deep down the field.

Please note, this is not a complaint.  I know some people get pissed when someone sounds like they’re searching for negatives in what was a solid win, but that’s not what I’m trying to do.  I’m just saying there will come a time this season when teams defend Michigan in such a way that the only chance of being successful is consistent downfield passing.  We may very well be able to do that, but I don’t think we can say for sure based on Saturday’s results.

In conclusion, Denard Robinson is still the shit.  There are very few (if any) players I can think of whose potential has ever had me this excited. I look forward to seeing how he handles all the different situations that he is sure to encounter this season.

2.  The O-Line and Running Backs can block
This should probably be number one.  Any time a guy goes for almost two hundred yards on the ground the first group that should receive acclaim is the line.  Denard certainly hit the holes and made things happen, but the line created every one of those holes.

Also worth mentioning, were the running backs.  On more than one occasion I saw running backs make key blocks that either broke the play open or gave Robinson the additional time he needed to make a pass.  If 10 guys are blocking, and you have a guy like Robinson running, touchdowns are a possibility on any given play.

3.  The tension concerning injuries is going to be awful for the entire year
When David Molk went down I stopped breathing.  When Denard Robinson went down, my heart stopped.  It was that horrible “Dear God No!” feeling.  In these specific cases, the fact that they were both okay made everything better.  But it is an unfortunate truth that Michigan fans will be dealing with tense feelings every singly time a player goes down this season.

We simply aren’t that deep at certain positions.  While some guys from the bench might be able to step in and perform, a few injuries in key places could be devastating to the overall success of this team.  When players go down, pray that it is cramps.  I’d love to see some of the younger guys play, but I don’t want to see them starting all over the place.

4.  The weather definitely helped us against Connecticut
There was more than one occasion on Saturday where I said to myself, “If this was an upper-tier Big Ten team, that play would have been a disaster.”

As far as I am concerned, the verdict is still out on our secondary.  That is unfair to the Michigan defense, because they only gave up ten points, but I stand by it.  Dropped passes and strong winds definitely helped Michigan’s secondary.  There were times when Michigan defenders were beat and an errant pass or poor receiver saved them.

Does this mean we should discredit the defense?  Certainly not.  It just means that we have not seen them defend a solid downfield passing team yet.  It is a fact worth remembering considering that most experts still say our secondary is going to make or break this team.

5.  Some crucial plays made the margin of victory seem greater
Michigan totally deserved to win this game 30-10.  Don’t get so caught up in that statement that you overestimate where we stand though.

JT Floyd stuck DJ Shoemate and forced a fumble.  This spoke more to JT Floyd’s big hit than Shoemate’s lack of ball protection.  Still, it was a fourth and one from like the five and Connecticut had already picked up the first down.  I have to think that there are superior teams that would have stuck that in.

Same thing with the 4th and 3 stop late.  Michigan impressively halted the Huskies, but it was literally by 3 inches.  If those extra inches are obtained, again the final score looks different.

Still, the most important thing worth noting about those plays is that Michigan did in fact make the stops.  And even if they hadn’t, Michigan still would have won the game.  That’s great news.  But don’t run around gloating about how Michigan “massacred” Connecticut.  It was a 20 point win, but it was a 20 point win in which I never felt safe until there was less than five minutes left in the fourth.  There’s still work to be done.

6.  Special teams worry the hell out of me
I’ve said it before and I will say it again:  I think Michigan will lose at least one game this year due to lackluster special teams play.  That isn’t a bold statement since most teams probably could say that every year, but notice I said at least.  Every time Michigan is receiving a punt, all I am thinking is “please catch it.”  Every time they line up for a field goal, I can barely watch.

Perhaps it was all the wind on Saturday.  I am certain it had some effect on both aspects of our special teams play.  But I can’t help feeling that it is simply an area we are very weak at that people don’t pay attention to until it matters most.  Trust me, you might be thinking about Denard Robinson all week long, but if the Notre Dame game comes down to a missed field goal or muffed punt, he will be the last thing on your mind.

7.  How effective is our pass rush, really?
First, let’s give Connecticut some credit.  Their offensive line is big and it did a good job of keeping Zach Frazer upright.  Also, Frazer himself did a fantastic job of getting rid of the ball any time he was pressured.  Certain quarterbacks (aka Peyton Manning) are so good at this that defensive pressure often goes unrecorded even though it is there.

As far as the stat book will show, we weren’t an incredible “quarterback-pressuring” team on Saturday.  Still, I do feel like Roh and company got in there and made things uncomfortable, even if they didn’t take the quarterback down that often.

At the same time, I want to see some sacks.  Not only will they make things easier on our young secondary, they will also create long yardage situations which are HUGE.  Forcing the Huskies into a 3rd and long on our first defensive series set the tone for the entire game.  I want to see our line not only getting into the backfield but making hits on the ball carrier as well.  Time will tell I suppose.

8.  There are still way too many Michigan fans with a sense of entitlement out there
I got to hear a lot of different fans say a lot of different things at the Big House on Saturday.  Some of them were humorous, some of them were smart, some of them were funny.  A few of them drove me insane.

If you booed Rich Rodriguez or Bill Martin during the rededication videos on Saturday, you are a dumbass.  Seriously, that’s the litmus test.  If you don’t know and you are looking for a way to find out, use that.  It will go like this:  “Did I boo during the rededication video?  Yes I did.  I am a dumbass.”

I don’t mind if you disagree with or don’t like the two men.  That is your prerogative.  All I care about is that when you step into Michigan stadium – especially for our first game of the year – you only act in ways that are pro-Michigan or anti-Uconn.

You give fuel to the media fire – which is a bad thing regardless of what you want the program to do – when you do anything that demonstrates dissension within the fan base.  So they said Rich Rodriguez’s name after Lloyd Carr’s when highlighting the tradition of the program.  Shut your damn mouth.

What did you expect them to do?  Even if they were dead set on firing him as soon as the season was over – which they’re not – they would still show some respect and mention his name on a video.  You accomplish nothing toward your purpose by yelling stupid shit that no one of any relevance to the situation will even hear.  The only thing you might accomplish is perpetuating the myth that Ann Arbor is in total chaos.  Again, a bad thing.

It is unbelievable how happy these fans get when Denard Robinson is running circles around Connecticut only to immediately turn on the same coach whose schemes are allowing him to do so when ONE thing goes wrong.  You can’t totally blame Rich Rodriguez for anything negative and hardly give him any credit for anything positive.  Support your team or stay home.  I’m sure I could find a lot of positive fans who would gladly take your seats off your hands.

9.  Tate Forcier is in a tough spot
I can’t imagine what he is feeling right now.  It comes down to that age-old question of whether or not it is fair to ask a competitor to joyfully watch his team succeed while having a limited/nonexistent role in the success.

Enough of the hype surrounding him sitting on the bench with towels on his head near the end of the game.  Should he have done it?  In a perfect world, probably not.  But I’d be pissed too if a bunch of cameramen were trying to zoom in on me solely to illuminate the fact that I HADN’T been a part of such a successful victory.  Make no mistake, that is exactly what they were trying to do.

With transfer rumors swirling, it would be hard to be him right now.  Leave, and some people will call you a quitter.  A pouter who couldn’t take the competition.  Stay, and you risk the possibility of not being able to play the game you love at the level you want.  As a fan, I’d like to see him handle it with Michigan’s best interest in mind.  As a person, I can’t say I’d blame him either way.

My only advice to him would be to remain level-headed.  It’s a long season in which there are infinite possibilities, and making a rash decision could lead to a situation he will regret for a long time.

Technorati Tags: big house rededication, denard robinson connecticut, michigan connecticut, michigan football, michigan win, rich rodriguez

There’s nothing left to be said.  To be honest, there was never anything to be said in the first place.  All the talk is simply an artificial stimulant that carries us to the season.  The season.  That’s what counts.  At last we will have all of our questions answered, on the field.

So it’s time to put an end to the wretched beast known as the offseason.  So many hopes and dreams rest on Saturday’s game that any analysis of what needs to be done would come off as cheap and small-minded.  What will be, rests as it always did, in the hands of the coaches and players.

But there is a third aspect of Michigan football.  For the Yosts and the Schembechlers, the Wheatleys and the Woodsons, and all the other legends in our history, one thing has remained:  The fans.  Whether you’re at the game, at home, or heaven forbid subjected to a situation where you cannot follow it live, hope and support will flow from the hearts of Michigan fans nationwide at 3:36pm on Saturday.

The coaches, the players, the fans.  That is Michigan football.  This is my message to each.

The Coaches
Do not falter amidst the barrage of the misguided, unsubstantiated attacks that currently befall you.  Do not surrender, and do not forsake the concepts that you believe in.  Whatever the media may tell you, there is massive support for you amongst the fan base.  Even those who are hesitant are simply looking for a reason to believe.

You were delegated a task that was long and difficult yet you were given a timeline that was short.  Do not allow this fact to cause you to question yourself.  Coach.  Develop.  Scheme.  Do the things you have always done and regardless of the trials that arise, above all else, stay the course.  The only way you can fail is if you allow external forces to dictate your behavior.

I assure you, the reward will be great.  Success can only be magnified beyond itself when it sprouts from a situation of doubt and negativity. And when it is magnified, fans who were with you all along, will nod their heads with pride.  Fans who had doubts, will chastise themselves for their lack of faith, and then return to believing in the program with greater vigor than ever before.

You have been humbled.  Saturday begins your resurrection.

The Players
No one will give you anything this year.  They want to see you fail because it makes them feel better about themselves.  If you want to have success, you’re going to have to march up to those who have it and take it.  Even after you do it once or twice, people are going to say it was a fluke.  When that happens, take more.

Analysts scouted you for 15 minutes and declared the upc0ming season a failure.  They didn’t look at how hard you worked, what improvements were possible, or your natural abilities.  They simply looked at last season, pegged you as one and the same, and wrote you off.  Do not let that discourage you.  They hate what they think you are.  Even more so, they hate what they know you can become.

When the ball is kicked off on Saturday, do it for your coaches.  Do it for your fans.  Do it for tradition.  Most of all, though, do it for your team.  Because that’s what this is.  It’s yours.  You’re the ones that will be remembered for what happens, good or bad.  When the critics start talking, force them to bite their tongues.  When the discussion turns to Big Ten Championships, force them to mention your name.

You will not be defined by what was.  You will be defined by what is to come.  Start writing your definition against Uconn.

The Fans
It has been a rough journey.  You expect the best, and as of late that expectation has not been met.  But the true measure of a fan is not determined by the success of his team, but by the loyalty of him who follows it.  For many years it was easy to follow Michigan football.  At worst, things were mildly unpleasant.  At best?  Jubilee.  But the time to test the true dedication of your fanhood is upon us.  Do not allow yourself to be categorized as a fair weather Wolverine.

When Michigan succeeds, rejoice.  When Michigan fails, believe.  Believe that the athletes brought into Michigan to perform a task will accomplish it in given time.  It is this belief that makes Michigan strong, even when its win-loss record does not.

There will come a time when the current struggles seem distant memories.  Success will seem to come so easy that certain fans will forget the hard work that led to it.  But if you maintain your loyalty in the time of struggles, you will never forget You will stand on the mountain with full view of not only all that is, but all that was.  You will remember, and you will be a better fan for it.

The time for talk now ends.  Brace yourself for a season that will provide great victories and great perils.  Those who stay will be champions.

Technorati Tags: big house dedication, michigan vs connecticut, predictions, season opener, september 4th

I spend a lot of my time defending the youth and inexperience of this team.  It is still my opinion that all of those defenses are rooted in truth.  Having said that, sooner or later every developing team needs to take the first step out of that “growing” stage, thus stepping into the “doing” stage.  I am convinced September 4th is our day to do that.

One can only go to the excuse well for so long before it dries up.  This is not to say I believe the team itself is making excuses.  From what I have heard, they are all very aware that they alone dictate this season’s success.  But there are certain fans out there who refuse to expect anything from this group because they’re untested.  While this point has value, I think it is important that even in a time of struggle Michigan fans expect nothing but the best from their players.  Now the best these players can do may not win the National title, but in my assessment it is fair to say it should be enough to beat Uconn.

Bitch all you want.  Say I’m an overconfident Michigan fan who thinks we are entitled to undeserved success.  Say we went 5-7 last year and lost our best two defensive players.  You certainly have the right.  But I’d advise you to more thoroughly evaluate my opinion before you totally dismiss it.

I don’t think Connecticut is a bad team.  In fact, I think they have the makings of a pretty good team.  But I believe so strongly in the makeup and preparedness of this year’s Michigan team that I refuse to accept them as underdogs going into this game.  Notice I said this game, referring to Connecticut.

Does that mean I guarantee victory?  No.  Does it mean I think we should win?  Damn straight.  For as good of a team as Connecticut might be, I cannot accept the notion that they are physically, schematically, or motivationally better than us.  At the absolute least our roster is composed of players who are as good as Connecticut’s.  Scheme-wise we run the ideal system to exploit their weaknesses.  And in terms of motivation?  Well, no team has as heavy of a chip on their shoulders as Michigan does, and no team will have a stadium with a better atmosphere either.

If you asked Michigan players whether or not they felt they were going to win on Saturday, I presume you would get an overwhelming “yes” from them.  Make no mistake, this is a good thing. Lately it seems such confidence has been twisted into a negative by a lot of Michigan fans.  I understand why.  They’re jaded.  They’ve been let down.  They don’t want to be made to look foolish again so they reject thoughts of improvement as wishful thinking.  But to the fan who leans toward or expects a loss to the Huskies on Saturday I say to you this:  It’s still Connecticut, man.  Regardless of what has happened lately, to be expecting a loss to the Huskies requires a vast overanalysis of what’s wrong with the program and equally as vast of an ignorance to what’s right.

And this is why it is important that we make a distinction between confidence, which is good, and overconfidence, which is bad.  Can our players roll out of bed on Saturday, sip coffee during the coin flip, yawn while the ball is kicked off, and then meander down the field to victory?  No!  But can they play their hearts out, limit mistakes, and convincingly beat the Connecticut Huskies.  Yes!  And I don’t care what anyone says.  To state that it isn’t plausible one must either have no knowledge concerning football or a hidden agenda against the program.

So what am I trying to say?  I guess — to put it as cliché as possible — that the darkest hour is right before dawn.  We’ve had issues.  The offseason has been long.  Nobody disagrees.  But the air of negativity that some fans have toward this team is too drastic.  It’s not everyone, or even the majority, but it’s there.  Take heart doubters, significant improvement from one year to the next is not unheard of.

I know it sounds strange coming from a guy who has constantly been telling people to remain reasonable, but reason should never be confused with pessimism.  You know, the old “set the bar low so you can overachieve no matter what” philosophy.  I don’t want that for this year’s team.  I expect them to play great football.  I also expect them to challenge for victory in every football game they are a part of this year.  But at this point in time, on September 1st, 2010, above all else…I EXPECT them to beat Connecticut.

I’m not going to knock on wood, throw salt over my shoulder, or regret saying it if they don’t either.  The better team should win on Saturday, and due to its physical composition, off-season development, and unique chemistry, that team is Michigan.

Technorati Tags: expectations, michigan connecticut, michigan football, michigan vs connecticut, michigan wolverines football

I’ve noticed a pattern over the last few years that is somewhat irritating.  I see it most in fans of programs like Illinois, Purdue, Notre Dame, and MSU.  You know, the “one-in-ten-schools.”  Bad or mediocre for nine seasons, slightly above average for one.

What I’m talking about will be referred to as weakshittalk.  That’s one word, three parts: weak-shit-talk.  It can be summarized as trash talk in which the overwhelming emotion emanating from the trash talker is weakness.  They will dance around, yuck yuck yuck, and try to give off an aura of confidence, but all you will take from the conversation is their weakness and fear.

Weakshittalk shows itself in many ways, but to the naked eye it can easily be missed.  You don’t want that to happen, because if you miss it, there is a chance you will actually start to give credibility to the moronic comments these nobodies make.  Not good.  So let’s take a deeper dive shall we?

The first thing to look for when pondering whether someone is guilty of weakshittalk is what program the person follows.  Now, I’m not advocating judging a book by its cover here.  This is simply a preparatory step to account for all possibilities.   By considering the development process of a team’s fans you will obtain great insight into whether or not they are a weakshittalker.

First, ask yourself some basic questions:  Is this fan’s team perennially considered below par or awful by the majority of Americans?  Do fans of this team tend to overreact at the slightest hint of success?  Do you have to go back more than a decade to find a bowl appearance of ANY real significance for this team?  If you can answer yes to all these questions, there is a good chance you’re dealing with a WST.

It’s not their fault really.  They have simply been so average for so long that they had to convince themselves of an untruth so that they could wear an artificial face of confidence.  This problem is then exacerbated by the inevitable line of succession that furthers the irrational thoughts.  Once papa spartan is so far removed from reason that he actually thinks his school is relevant he passes down his beliefs to baby spartan who then grows up knowing no better.  It’s sad.  And while you may find fans of such schools who don’t fall into this trap, the majority do.  So at least make this step the first benchmark of your test when trying to peg the person you’re talking to.

The next thing to look for is what I call the “graph-cliff of trash talk.”  This is a tell tale sign of WST.  Here’s how it works.  Take fans of MSU.  Obviously, their self-confidence is very low.  Many of these fans can’t even remember the last time their school was actually good at football.  So, when they finally get one thing – and it is usually the smallest of things – to talk shit about, they lose their minds.

For the month or so following a victory over Michigan, MSU fans do whatever they can to be heard.  They’re calling radio stations, writing on urinal walls, creating twitter accounts, and purchasing billboard space to celebrate their win.  Now, stay with me when I say, this is normal.  A lot of fans do this.  The difference is, and this is crucial, MSU fans, and all fans of average teams, gradually talk less shit as the year goes on.  Is this because they are learning and developing into more reasonable people?  Of course not!  We know better than that!  So we must wonder, why is it that fans of lesser schools talk less as the calendar year goes on whereas fans of traditionally good teams will talk the same amount throughout the entire year?

Answer?  Because as time moves forward, fans of schools like MSU know they are coming increasingly closer to their next matchup with the Wolverines and –here’s the kicker – they fully expect to lose. Deep down they are well aware that any victory they obtain over the Wolverines was, at best unlikely.  So when they get it, they celebrate.  But over time they slowly calm down because they realize they have to play Michigan again.  Think of it as that ever so slight voice of reason they have been trying to silence for so long just begging to get out.

MSU Fan’s Voice of Reason: You’ve talked a lot about MSU beating Michigan last year.  You do realize it can’t last right?
MSU Fan: No.  Be quiet.  Things are good.  We’ve won two in a row.
MSU Fan’s Voice of Reason: Come on man, that’s all the more reason.  They’re the better program.  You know it’s inevitable.
MSU Fan: No!  Stop!  Leave me alone!  I don’t believe you…but maybe I should start watching myself just in case.

And that’s the difference between weakshittalk, and trueshittalk.  Michigan fans never relent on putting up the facts because, one, we have a history of success, and two, we never expect to lose to teams like MSU or Purdue.  They, however, start reigning it in right around the time fall starts, because they know they can only skirt the truth of the matter for so long before reality catches up to them.  They never really expect to beat Michigan, and they know things will be worse for them if they keep talking and the more likely of the scenarios plays out.

That brings us to our final tip.  The last thing to consider when diagnosing WST is the extent to which the patient exaggerates.  You might think that overly bold statements would be symptoms of a trueshittalker, but you would be wrong.  You see, trueshittalkers don’t need embellished statements to sound authoritative.  They just let the real facts stand knowing full well nothing can touch them.  WST patients do the exact opposite.  They are so concerned that their talk cannot stand alone that they have to go way overboard to make themselves feel better about what they are saying.

This is why if you go to just about any MSU or Purdue message board you will see their fans predicting 35 point wins over Michigan this year.  If the tables were turned completely, you wouldn’t see Michigan fans doing that.  We might predict we’re going to win, but we feel no reason to be outlandish in our confidence because we know it is rooted in truth.  Most years we will probably beat these types of teams.  Whether it’s by three or thirty doesn’t matter.  Sorry if that bugs them.

Hopefully this helps you to take all these WSTers with a grain of salt.  People often ask me (not really) “What should I do if I inadvertently fall into a conversation with a lunatic WST patient”.” *Sigh*.  That’s a tough question.  I generally advise a reasonable, non-threatening response that attempts to alert the WSTer to the situation.  Make sure you speak slowly and loudly.

WST Patient: BLAH GLARG EEP!  MSU RULEZ!  TING BLAG ROWLF!  UM SUCKS!
You: Okay, just calm down…Dang it, where did I put that canned response…
WST Patient: ROG NAB STANK!  TWO IN A ROW!  UGH ARV TAM!  WE OWNZ MICHIGAN NOW!
You: Ah here it is!  “Attention!  Everything is under control!  I am currently exiting the conversation because you have forfeited your ability to reason.  In no way, shape, or form has your team earned the status that you errantly seem to believe they enjoy.  You are suffering from a condition that causes you to make wildly inaccurate statements which in no way better me as a person.  I’m going to walk out the door now.  Please do not follow me. I do not care that you won a national championship in basketball ten years ago.  Thank you.”

Then walk away slowly, hands in the air, and pray you are left alone.  It will feel like you’re giving up, but when it comes to a conversation in which IQ’s can only be lowered, you have a lot more to lose than the WSTer does.

Technorati Tags: michigan fans, michigan football, michigan state fans, michigan wolverines football, purdue fans, trash talk

I’m not greedy though, so I’m not going to ask for the world.

I’ve often considered what aspect of football I consider the most important to this year’s team.  There are many areas that could be mentioned, all of which are justifiable for different reasons.  But for me, football success starts and ends in the same place:  The line of scrimmage.

This isn’t to say that there aren’t certain teams that succeed for different reasons.  Great skill players on offense, a lock down secondary, or a superb core of linebackers can take a team a long way.  But if the game is on the line and I have to choose who is going to come out on top, I want to know who has control of the trenches.  Ironic if you think about it, because linemen tend to be the players that people know the least about.

Obviously there are two aspects to line of scrimmage play.  For the sake of this article, however, I’m going to focus specifically on the defensive line.  That’s not to discount the importance of the big fellas on offense either.  Trust me, if Molk and company are dominant, great things will happen.  But it’s no secret that the area most fans are worried about when it comes to the 2010 Wolverines is the defense.  And while great defensive line play won’t guarantee anything, it will go a long way.

The reason for this is very simple.  If an opposing player, be he a running back, quarterback, or receiver, has ample time and space to comfortably ease himself into a progressing play, he is very likely to succeed.

Look, I’m no division one athlete, but if you gave me fifteen seconds to complete a pass in a D-1 game, I would do it.  That may sound unrealistic, but if you consider how much less time the actual quarterbacks are given, it’s really not an impressive statement at all.  And that’s the key.  It’s such a reaction based process, that ANY additional time given to a player of D-1 skill will make his job exponentially easier.  Give him two extra seconds, he’ll hurt you.  Give him four, he’ll kill you.

This is why I think the defensive line is more important to this year’s Michigan team than any other unit.  Regardless of how pessimistic you might be about our current secondary, you must admit that it becomes incrementally better as our defensive line does.  I’m not a big math guy, but I believe it’s what mathematicians call a direct relationship.  As the success rate of X – our defensive line – goes up, the success rate of Y – our defensive secondary – goes up as well.  Whether that’s because they are actually playing better or simply because they aren’t required to make as many plays is irrelevant.  As long as we are more successful in both areas, the formula holds true.

The line’s impact works with running backs as well.  If you let dump truck John Clay hit a hole at his leisure running in as straight of a line as possible, you’re in trouble.  That goes for any team anywhere.  You can’t expect your linebackers or your secondary to single-handedly suppress an opponent’s run game.  That’s madness!  But if the linemen can blow up the line of scrimmage, force Clay to start running horizontally, and clog up any hole big enough for him to get through, you win.  I don’t just mean the battle up front…I mean the game.

So this is my request.  I’m not going to ask for an offense that scores 50 a game or a Heisman trophy candidate.  As nice as those things would be, I’m sticking to something that I think is very reasonable.  My one wish for this year’s Michigan football team is that the defensive line makes life a living hell for any opposing player anywhere near the pocket.

I want to see quarterbacks in the shotgun shaking because their bones are still rattling from the hit they just took.  I want to see running backs forced to make their first step backwards because of the chaos occurring in front of them.  I want to see enemy fans clasping their hair in anguish as they realize that quarterback is about to get pummeled by a backside blitz he isn’t even aware is coming.  Most of all, I want every opposing quarterback to be able to tell you exactly how many clouds were in the sky the day he played Michigan because he spent the majority of it on his back.

Create chaos, limit time, and physically overwhelm opponents.  Nothing has to be dirty, nobody needs to get hurt, but the overriding thought consciously invading every opponent’s mind, must be the same:  Someone’s coming, I don’t know who it is, but whatever I do, I better do it fast.

If the play of our defensive line can force opponents into this mindset, things will begin to look up.  Our linebackers, safeties, and corners won’t have to overly commit to run support and/or blitzing so their potential for defending the pass will be maximized.

Ask for what you will, but I’ll take a killer defensive line.  And when the success of this team is measured post-season, it may not be Robinson, Smith and Roundtree you mention, but Banks, Martin, and Van Bergen.

Technorati Tags: michigan football, michigan football defense, michigan football defensive line, michigan line of scrimmage, michigan wolverines football

Oh boy…

I say that both with giddy anticipation and a certain sense of unease.  Forced to make the prediction with a gun to my head I would say Michigan wins.  Pushed for a final score, I’d probably say by at least ten points.  That’s being as unbiased as I possibly can.  Still, I am glad there’s not a gun to my head for this one.

Every day I hear fans brimming with confidence about the upcoming season.  Eight, nine, ten wins, they say.  Part of me believes them.  Part of me hates that I don’t say it as firmly as they do.  But a question mark looms over my head like a befuddled comic strip character as I ponder what is about to happen.  Nine more days…

I find my lack of faith disturbing (so does Vader, I’m sure).  I see so many positive signs coming from training camp that I can’t fully understand why doubts remain.  It’s like I’m seeing a preview for a movie but can’t decide how good it’s going to be.  Sometimes films with strong previews measure up to them.  Sometimes they exceed them.  Once in a while I’m fooled, however, and it makes the aftertaste all the more bitter.

I don’t think hesitant people like me are bad fans.  I just think we’re lacking complete information.  Improvement is almost impossible to foresee and can rarely be analyzed without hindsight.  I have visions of almost every single possibility playing out in my head and it leads to a confidence that changes course like the wind.  In a lot of ways, thoughts like these seem like a bad thing for the team we root for.  But in at least one way, it grants the 2010 players an opportunity that would otherwise be lost.

For many years, Michigan football teams were in a tough situation.  Consistent success had led us to a point where fans’ hearts were so warm with winning that teams couldn’t offer them much.  Sure there would be special years that lifted us even higher (‘97, ‘06), but for the most part it was simply a matter of whether the team would maintain the status quo or miss the mark.  Records of 8-4 and 9-3 were great, but unfortunately they didn’t receive the special mention they deserved because “we were Michigan” and we frequented the top of the mountain.

In no way am I saying I prefer the situation we are now in to what we were.  In no way am I saying that a lesser record than those of former teams should be held in higher esteem this season.  All I’m saying, is that the Michigan fan base is yearning for a team to break out of the gates, pull away from mediocrity, and bury it down the stretch.  The team that does that, will be remembered in a special way.  I believe the 2010 team could be that team.

So I hope that Michigan’s players don’t take the somewhat guarded optimism of fans like me as a vote of no confidence.  I believe.  We believe.  No matter what the media says or how twisted the actual opinion of the fan base has become, the true Michigan fans still support you.  Not only that, but we fully expect great things from you.  We just…aren’t fully sure how high we can realistically set that bar.

And that’s why this year’s team can be special.  You can be the ones to show us how high you can fly.  We’re not on the field, we don’t know a damn thing about what you’re capable of.  We hem and haw about predictions and possibilities while all the time the only legitimate power rests in your hands.  Proudly show us all your capable of, and you will be supported by the most dedicated fans in America.

Very few are remembered more fondly than the conqueror.  The original victor who set himself on the throne and ruled for decades.  But there is one who can rival the beloved king.  For when the original kingdom inevitably falters, and disarray sets in, the people will seek out the one who can restore what once was.  Michigan fans are doing just that right now.

To be the group that restores what was is to be never forgotten.  And when history looks back, it will by necessity chronicle the dark years, only to further solidify the team that brought us from them.  I can see it now:  “Thus the year of ‘09 ended poorly.  But then…there was 2010.”

Technorati Tags: 2010 michigan football, michigan fans, Michigan football predictions, rich rodriguez

So I think it’s important that we prepare ourselves more thoroughly this season.  While I fully expect big things from this year’s team, I’m also aware of the fact that the slightest taste of success often leads to a detrimental arrogance.  Here’s some ideas that will not only keep us sane, but also prevent us from giving the Michigan fan base a bad name.

Plan A:  If things go really well

1.  Do not make outlandish projections
I hope someone proves me wrong, but I’m going to go on record right now as saying that nobody on this year’s team is going to win the Heisman trophy.  Call me a traitor if you’d like, but there’s just too much ironing out that needs to be done for me to be concerned about Denard striking the pose.

Also, one win does not equal ten.  As shocking as it might be to some of you, neither does two.  In fact, the only amount of wins that equals ten…is ten.  So even if Michigan were to start, say, 5-0 or something, you shouldn’t lose control and start guaranteeing 11 wins.  I understand being confident and I understand optimism, but with the way the Big Ten is this year I won’t exhale until all the games are in the book.

Lastly, patterns you pick up in one game will not necessarily apply to every game that follows.  This is the biggest trap people fall into when they get really excited.  Suppose one of our running backs goes for 220 yards and three touchdowns in an an early game this season.  This does not give you a license to start flooding Big Ten message boards with “OMFG!  MICHIGAN WILL RUN ON YO ASS ALL DAY!” posts.  It was one game.  Schemes change.  Players change.  Outcomes change.

2.  Do not forget EVERYTHING about where we currently stand
As nice as it would be for every issue we had last year to be immediately fixed when we open with Connecticut, that is not going to happen.  When things start going well, it is easy to only see the good.  But you must remember that we are still a very young team and there are road bumps in every team’s season.

If a particular player performs incredibly well, you cannot forget that he is still human.  Prevent yourself from becoming so intoxicated with a specific guy that when he does make a mistake you explode as if he has been unfaithful to you.  He is still a young guy in the process of growing up.  Only in your mind is he the “perfect” player who totally let you down.

3.  Do not write off any opponent
One of the tell tale signs that a team is currently in the growing stage is inconsistency.  There are going to be times this year when Michigan looks incredible.  There are going to be other times when Michigan makes amateur mistakes.  Just because we look great in one game does not mean we can perpetually expect the exact same play from that point forward.

This happens a lot when the team plays well against an opponent that is considered above average.  If Michigan plays wonderfully against Iowa this season, a lot of people will start penning in the later games against Illinois and Purdue as wins.  “I mean, they’re not as good as Iowa right!?”  Avoid this at all costs.  The pendulum of momentum swings wildly when it comes to younger teams, so until we see consistency day in and day out, no opponent can be overlooked.

4.  Do not expect disaster
If Michigan starts this season 4-0, I’m going to stop reading news articles.  Totally.  Because I know every one of them will feature some dumbass writer trying to sound wise by reminding us of what happened last year.

Look…I’m aware of what happened last year.  All Michigan fans are.  It was horrible, and we don’t need to be reminded of it.  But to act like it is likely or even more plausible to happen this year simply because it did last year is a mistake.

If Michigan starts 4-0, stay grounded.  At the same time, don’t be tip toeing around acting like disaster is lurking around every corner for the program.  A lot of time has been spent over the past ten months or so specifically to prevent what happened at the end of last year.  To assume that this preparation will have no effect is foolish.

Be of good cheer if things go well.  Expect this team to reach higher heights than ever before.  2009 is over.  What happens in 2010 will in no way be dictated by it.

If things go really bad

1.  Do not lose all hope
Last year we started well and finished poorly.  Everyone seems to be expecting this season to start in a similar way, but nothing is guaranteed.  Either way, as long as there is time left in the season, there is still hope.  Suppose we lose the first four games and win the last eight.  Most people would be pretty pumped about that season.  I’m not saying I think that scenario is as likely as some others, but its mere possibility demonstrates that nothing is over until the clock reads zero.

2.  Do not start calling for heads
Dear God, please.  The line on which this season will be walked is incredibly fine.  If things get off on the wrong foot, nothing could make things worse than a bunch of upset jackasses picketing around the stadium.  You must let this team work undistracted through the entire season before you pass judgment on them.

Know this:  Negative input during the upcoming season will change absolutely nothing concerning the administration of the program.  Whatever is said or done by the naysayers will in no way affect the timeframe of September 4th to November 27th in terms of how the athletics department runs the team.  What it might change, however, is the morale of the players.  They’re a stout bunch, but if the only group in the country that was still supporting them turns its collective back as well, the results will be catastrophic.

3.  Don’t throw reason out the window
College football is a game of implementation, analysis, adjustment, and reimplementation.  For a few years now Michigan has been implementing new schemes and working hard to perfect them.  These are the things the players know best.  Now whether their knowledge of these things will lead to the success we want is yet to be determined.  What can be said, is that the greatest possibility for success rests within the knowledge and application of what the players know best.

So if things start going wrong at some point this season, please don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater and start saying dumb shit.  This could reveal itself in many ways.  Here are some examples.

“The spread just isn’t working.  We should start running the west coast offense…”
“Denard Robinson is fast and agile, let’s see how he can do at corner…”
“We might as well start going for it on the majority of fourth downs…”
“Let’s bench our better players so we can be healthy for Ohio State…”

Seriously, just don’t.  For better or worse, fundamentally this team has been designed and developed in a very specific way.  We can’t forsake all the hard work the players have put into that specific system at the first sign of rough waters.

4.  Don’t exaggerate
This is especially true when it gets personal.  If Tate Forcier throws a game altering interception, it does not make him a terrorist.  If Rich Rodriguez makes a debatable decision that doesn’t pan out, it does not mean he kills baby penguins for fun.  The people in this program are doing the best they can to bring success.  If their play or decisions upset you, that is fine.  But don’t try to force everyone else into your overly-pessimistic-pit-of-despair by embellishing the magnitude of what’s happening.

Technorati Tags: michigan fans, michigan football, michigan football fans, michigan plans, michigan wolverines football, rich rodriguez

Unfortunately, this is going to make certain things more complicated for him.  In a perfect world, Devin would begin his “on-the-field” playing days at the exact moment at which he was perfectly ready and it was best for Michigan.  Due to the fact that time doesn’t always cater to our every need, it’s unlikely that those two moments will overtly occur before a decision must be made on Gardner’s playing status.  And so, factions will develop.

On one side we have those who think he should redshirt no matter what.  On the other, those who say he should only play if he is the best.  And in the middle, there’s a group that thinks he could be a good change of pace guy if future events occur in a certain way.  All of these people have valid points.  Let’s look at some of them.

The “He should redshirt, damn it!” arguments

1.  It will waste a perfectly good year of future eligibility if he doesn’t red shirt
This could prove true or false, depending on how things play out.  Since he most likely wouldn’t play as much this year as he would as, say, a fifth year senior, a lot of people feel this is an open and shut case.  “We could have him for another full year if we don’t waste him on 10 snaps a game this season!”

Problem is, he very well might help this year’s team win games they otherwise would not have.  So the question becomes this:  What’s more important: winning more now, or possibly winning more in three or four years than we would have if he had not redshirted.  This group clearly thinks we have enough talent at QB to prevent the need for Gardner.

2.  We have two legitimate starters already
Let’s assume all the hubbub over Denard is true.  Let’s say that he will be this year’s starter.  That doesn’t take away from the fact that Tate Forcier threw for more than 2,000 yards last season and will be even more developed this season.  So if Denard starts and Tate has improved at all, you could reasonably say we have two starters that will probably be as good or better than a freshman that’s never seen the college field.

If only it was that simple.  When it comes to future predictions, reason doesn’t always win the day.  It’s certainly not impossible that Devin Gardner could be so talented that he has already or will shortly pass both of the aforementioned QBs.  If that happens, a wrench gets thrown into this philosophy.  If it doesn’t happen, then not red shirting him will seem like a waste to some.

3.  It’s a free year of extra development
This kind of goes along with the other two.  It is a free year of extra development, assuming the cost of him redshirting for the 2010 season is not unaffordable.  Suppose Devin Gardner is the difference between a 6-6 and 8-4 season.  It’s only two games in a sense, but for most people those two games are the difference between an unsuccessful and successful season.

The “Win at all costs!” arguments

1.  He might be the best
Everyone(including me) optimistically presumes that Denard and/or Tate will get the job done this year.  And while there seems to be a lot of “soft” evidence that this is true, we still haven’t seen anything for sure yet.  If Devin is the best, even if it isn’t a runaway lead, why wouldn’t you start him?  Surely not just because he’s a freshman.

Besides, nothing in certain in college football.  The thought of grooming him slowly and honing his skills so he can have the largest possible impact is great, but variables can foul up even the best of plans.  Who can guarantee that he will be the starter his senior year?  Who can guarantee he will even be here.  In that sense, why not get the most out of him while it is guaranteed?

2.  He can take the pain
Denard Robinson is listed at 6-0, 193 pounds.  Tate Forcier:  6-1, 192.  Keep in mind this is after they gained weight this offseason.  Devin Gardner on the other hand, is listed at 6-4, 210 pounds.  Maybe twenty pounds doesn’t sound that significant to you, but when you’re running the read option and taking hits from linebackers over the course of a 13 games season, it adds up.

He’s not as fast as Robinson.  He’s not as refined as Forcier.  But this group argues that Gardner might exceed both because he has a combination of their skill sets.  Couple this with the fact that he’s a bigger body, and leaving the red shirt off doesn’t seem so crazy.

3.  Game experience means more than anything
Those subscribing to this school of thought argue that a year of sitting on the sidelines won’t help Devin’s progression nearly as much as even a reduced year of actual game experience will.  Sure he’ll practice, but we still won’t know anything concrete about him and he won’t understand the magnitude of what it’s like to lead a team in front of 110,000 fans.

If he plays as a freshman, there will no doubt be growing pains, but those pains will allow for a growth that a protective year on the sidelines will not.  Or so the argument goes…

*****

Well, well, well.  Tough decision eh?  The major issue here is that either side could be right and there’s no way to tell.  Nobody wants to waste a red shirt if he isn’t going to play enough to benefit from it, but everyone wants him to get the maximum fulfillment out of his years with the Wolverines.  So what do we do?

Just a humble opinion, of course, but like a lot of people, I think it all comes down to where he’s at on the depth chart.  If he is by far the first or second best Quarterback on the team, and Rich Rod is truly going to hold to his “let’s have multiple guys pushing each other at each position” mantra, then he should, and probably will play.

However, if he is third on the chart or neck and neck for second, the red shirt seems too valuable to pass up.  Let’s face it, in some ways it is a luxury to even have the possibility of redshirting a guy like Gardner based on where we were at in 2008.  So if Denard or Tate wins the job and the other is right on par with Gardner or better, it would be a mistake to have him take four or five irrelevant snaps a game.

As always with such decisions, it comes down to having trust in those the University put in charge of the program.  The notion that Rodriguez will make the wrong choice because he is feeling the pressure to win NOW is absurd to me.  He will make the choice that he feels is best for Michigan’s football success and Devin’s career.  Either way, I think our quarterbacks are going to be fun to watch this year.

Technorati Tags: denard robinson, devin gardner, michigan football, michigan red shirts, michigan wolverines football, rich rodriguez, tate forcier

Fortunately, I don’t think that means we throw them out altogether.  If you’re looking for a perfect numerical analysis of past national champions you are in the wrong place.  But if you just want to see some numbers I find intriguing relative to Michigan’s current team, then by all means, read on.

Below are some very surface-level numbers on the last fourteen national champions.  They are not intended to allow for definitive statements of any type.  I just enjoy looking at the patterns and commonalities that exist.  My apologies if I made any mistakes.  Numbers start to get to me after a while…

National Champions: 1997-2009

2009 Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0)
Points Scored Per Game:  32.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 11.7
Difference:  20.4

2008 Florida Gators (13-1)
Points Scored Per Game: 43.6
Points Allowed Per Game: 12.9
Difference: 30.7

2007 LSU Tigers (12-2)
Points Scored Per Game: 37.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 19.9
Difference: 17.2

2006 Florida Gators (13-1)
Points Scored Per Game: 29.8
Points allowed Per game: 13.5
Difference: 16.3

2005 Texas Longhorns (13-0)
Points Scored Per Game: 50.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 16.4
Difference: 33.8

2004 USC Trojans (13-0)
Points Scored Per Game: 38.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 13.0
Difference: 25.2

2003 LSU Tigers
Points Scored Per Game: 33.9
Points Allowed Per Game: 11.0
Difference: 22.9

2003 USC Trojans (12-1)
Points Scored Per Game: 41.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 18.4
Difference: 22.7

2002 Ohio State Buckeyes (14-0) *
Points Scored Per Game: 29.3
Points allowed Per game: 13.1
Difference: 16.2
* denotes illegitimate championship due to late/incorrect call

2001 Miami Hurricanes (12-0)
Points Scored Per Game: 42.7
Points Allowed Per Game: 9.8
Difference: 32.9

2000 Oklahoma Sooners (13-0)
Points Scored Per Game: 37
Points Allowed Per Game: 14.9
Difference: 22.1

1999 FSU Seminoles (12-0)
Points Scored Per Game: 38.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 16.9
Difference: 21.3

1998 Tennessee Volunteers (13-0)
Points Scored Per Game: 33.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 14.5
Difference: 18.7

1997 Michigan Wolverines (12-0)
Points Scored Per Game: 26.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 9.5
Difference: 17.3

THE BREAKDOWN

Best Defense
1.   1997 Michigan – 9.5
2.   2001 Miami – 9.8
3.   2003 LSU – 11.0
4.   2009 Alabama – 11.7
5.   2008 Florida – 12.8
6.   2004 USC – 13.0
7.   2002 OSU – 13.1
8.   2006 Florida – 13.5
9.   1998 Tennessee – 14.5
10.  2000 Oklahoma – 14.9
11.  2005 Texas – 16.4
12.  1999 FSU – 16.9
13.  2003 USC – 18.4
14.  2007 LSU – 19.9

Best Offense
1.  2005 Texas – 50.2
2.  2008 Florida – 43.6
3.  2001 Miami – 42.7
4.  2003 USC – 41.1
5.  1999 FSU – 38.2 (38.166)
6.  2004 USC – 38.2 (38.153)
7.  2007 LSU – 37.1
8.  2000 Oklahoma – 37
9.  2003 LSU – 33.9
10.  1998 Tennessee – 33.2
11.  2009 Alabama – 32.1
12.  2006 Florida – 29.8
13.  2002 OSU – 29.3
14.  1997 Michigan – 26.8

Best Offense PPG v. Defense PA Difference
1.  2005 Texas – 33.8
2.  2001 Miami – 32.9
3.  2008 Florida – 30.7
4.  2004 USC – 25.2
5.  2003 LSU – 22.9
6.  2003 USC – 22.7
7.  2000 Oklahoma – 22.1
8.  1999 FSU – 21.3
9.  2009 Alabama – 20.4
10.  1998 Tennessee – 18.7
11.  1997 Michigan – 17.3
12.  2007 LSU – 17.2
13.  2006 Florida – 16.3
14.  2002 OSU – 16.2

*****

Okay, got all that?  Now let’s look at some Big Ten teams from last year.  I chose OSU, Iowa, Penn State, and Wisconsin because they were the top four, MSU because it represents the mediocre of the Big Ten (as always), and Indiana because it was the worst team in the conference.  This way we can compare teams from across the spectrum to last year’s Michigan team.

2009 Michigan Wolverines (5-7)
Points Scored Per Game: 29.5
Points allowed Per game: 27.5
Difference: 2.0

2009 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2)
Points Scored Per Game: 29
Points Allowed Per Game: 12.5
Difference: 16.5

2009 Iowa Hawkeyes (11-2)
Points Scored Per Game: 23.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 15.4
Difference: 7.8

2009 Penn State Nittany Lions (11-2)
Points Scored Per Game: 28.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 12.2
Difference: 16.6

2009 Wisconsin Badgers (10-3)
Points Scored Per Game: 31.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 21.8
Difference: 10

2009 Michigan State Spartans (6-7)
Points Scored Per Game: 29.7
Points Allowed Per Game: 26.3
Difference: 3.4

2009 Indiana Hoosiers (4-8)
Points Scored Per Game: 23.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 29.5
Difference: –6

THE BREAKDOWN II

Best Offense
1.  Wisconsin – 31.8
2.  MSU – 29.7
3.  Michigan – 29.5
4.  OSU – 29
5.  PSU – 28.8
6.  Indiana – 23.5
7.  Iowa – 23.2

Best Defense
1.  PSU – 12.2
2.  OSU – 12.5
3.  Iowa – 15.4
4.  Wisconsin – 21.8
5.  MSU – 26.3
6.  Michigan – 27.5
7.  Indiana – –6

Best Offense PPG v. Defense PA Difference
1.  PSU – 16.6
2.  OSU – 16.5
3.  Wisconsin – 10
4.  Iowa – 7.8
5.  MSU – 3.4
6.  Michigan – 2.0
7.  Indiana – -6

*****

Whew.  All right.  So after seeing the best teams over the past thirteen seasons, and some “not-the-best” teams from last year, what can we say?

Well, a whole lot of things I’m sure.  But I’m just going to touch on a few.

1.  The 1997 Michigan defense was the shit
Seriously though, 9.5 points a game?  As you can see, recently that is unheard of…literally.  I hear a lot of talk about how the 2001 Miami Hurricanes were one of the best defenses/teams ever.  Well, ‘97 Michigan gave up less points per game than they did.  So let’s call it what it is:  The 1997 Michigan defense was one of the best college defenses of all time. It’s time they were given their props.

2.  Defense is more important than offense
Look at the Big Ten stats.  The “best defense” chart looks a lot more like the final Big Ten standings than the “best offense” chart does.  As I said before, the stats will never tell the whole story because of things like blow out victories against patsies (see Delaware St), but they are still telling.  If you field a great defense, you likely win games even if you don’t have a stellar offense (see 2000 Baltimore Ravens).

3.  Having a killer offense doesn’t hurt either
Even though the national championship teams tended to have big-time lock down defenses, some of them just flat out scored too.  Also (and quite obviously) this demonstrates that the defense gets exponentially more important as your offense becomes even slightly less potent.  I love Griese, Howard, Streets, and Thomas as much as the next Wolverine, but the defense of that team took A LOT of pressure off those guys.
4.  It still comes down to the “way the cookie crumbles”
The way a football game chooses to play out often callously disregards the numbers.  Think Wisconsin vs. Ohio State last year, Iowa vs. “insert Big Ten team here”, or the entire 2002 Ohio State Buckeye season.  Just because the numbers seemingly point in one direction, doesn’t always mean you will win or lose the game.  The bounce of the football (or the whistle of the officials) still can play a role in who is on top at the end of the year.
5.  The win is what counts
We could have beaten Delaware State by 100 points last year if we would have tried.  That would have boosted our offensive stats a lot.  But in the end, we still would have finished with five wins.  We can never forget that legitimate wins are what counts.  And in the end that’s all anyone will remember.

*****

So what’s the major bullet point here?  Defense wins I guess (A shocker, I know).  We need to improve a great deal on that side of the ball this season if we’re going to achieve our goals.  I’m sure you math whizzes could somehow figure out approximately what our average offensive points per game would have had to have been last year for us to win ten games.  But I promise you this:  No matter what that number is, we’re more likely to get to ten wins this year by bringing down the amount of points we surrender to opponents.  It starts and ends with the defense.

So what do you think?  See anything interesting in the numbers above?  I’d love to know what sticks out to those of you with more numerical minds than my own.

Technorati Tags: big ten defenses, big ten football, michigan defense, michigan football, national champions, NCAA football, rich rodriguez

As this idea swept across Wolverine nation, it grew in both shape and size.  Some people said he wouldn’t consider you if you didn’t run under a 4.5.  Others said you had no hope if you weighed over three hundred pounds.  Altogether it was nonsense because people wouldn’t stop making outlandish statements and declaring them authoritative.  Trust me, if Rich Rodriguez finds a guy who weighs 450 pounds but runs a 4.4, he’ll recruit him.  And if he can find a guy who is a stud but only runs a 4.6 (which is still faster than you by the way) he’ll do that too.

Nevertheless, as these conversations were occurring, I remember feeling just one thing:  Excitement.  Now maybe I’ve just forgotten because it seems so long ago, but I do feel like last year’s team and this year’s team seem fast compared to some previous ones.  I’m sure some of that is the hurry up offense, some is the shotgun run plays, and some is the players themselves, but it’s definitely different than say, the power-I look on every snap.

So today we’ll focus on speedsters.  Some are from the past, and some are from this year’s team.  Hopefully in doing so we can at the very least agree that jaw dropping speed can win football games, even if you’re one who doesn’t think the spread can work in the Big Ten.

(Disclaimer:  To all haters/anal people…I am well aware that Michigan’s players are not as fast as some of the guys.  It is not my intention to say they are.  These are some of the fastest college football players ever.  I am also well aware that not all of my times are perfect for each player.  I apologize that I don’t spend my free time keeping up perfectly with what former college football players run their forties in.    I am simply comparing sizes/speeds of players in the same ballpark.)

#1 Jahvid Best – California

40 time: 4.35 (at the NFL combine)
100 meter dash:  Somewhere in the 10.3 range
College height/weight:  5’10/195

This video really doesn’t do Best justice.  The guy can fly.  Any time a division one player (Yes, even a WSU player) has an angle on you like that safety did, you should get caught.  But speed like his doesn’t give a shit what should happen.  It just wants the end zone.  It’s like the goal line is an invisible wall of fire extinguisher and he’s burning up.  He’s just wants to get there…fast as he can.

Closest player Michigan currently has?

Martavious Odoms

40 time: 4.35 (in college)
100 meter dash:  Somewhere in the 10.6 range (high school I believe)
College height/weight:  5’8/175

He’s quite a bit smaller than Best, I know.  Still, he’s certifiably lightning.  Word on the street is that he edged Denard in a “who is the fastest player on Michigan’s team” race.  I wonder about that sometimes, but it isn’t a bad wonder to have.  Guy gets free, he’ll leave Delorean-like fire in his wake.

#2 CJ Spiller – Clemson

60m time: 6.59 (College)
100 meter dash:  Somewhere in the 10.3 range (college)
College height/weight:  5’11/195

This video almost looks like it’s in fast forward to me.  It’s not.  Watch the Ref’s legs as he runs up the sidelines on Spiller’s left.  That’s you. That’s what you would look like running next to him.

Closest player Michigan currently has?

Denard Robinson

60m time: 6.81 (College)
100 meter dash:  Somewhere in the 10.3 range allegedly (college, though cannot fully verify)
College height/weight:  6’0/193

Denard Robinson has dreads because his short hair was pulled back as he ran away from gravity.  If you give him open field, he’ll score.  On a side note, please pay attention to how much better our fans and stadium are than the other schools we’ve looked at in these films.  Count your blessings you ungrateful bastards!!!  (I jest, I jest.)

#3 Trindon Holliday – LSU

40 time: 4.34 (NFL combine)
100 meter dash:  10.0 (college…shit son)
College height/weight:  5’5/165

Mighty mouse.  That’s what they called him.  Not because he’s a mouse.  Because he had thighs that could leg press your car.

Closest player Michigan currently has?

Vincent Smith

40 time: 4.4-4.5 (high school)
100 meter dash:  unknown
College height/weight:  5’6/180

Sorry I don’t have college footage of Vincent.  I couldn’t find any of him in the open field where he actually showcases his speed.  The big thing to take from this comparison is the size of the two guys.  A lot of people put down Smith for being too small, but in the right system a speedy back like him can be dangerous.  Just ask the teams who played LSU when Holliday was there.

And…just for the hell of it because I love the video…

#4 Usain Bolt – Jamaica

40 time: No idea…ballpark, 3.95?
100 meter dash:  9.58
Height/weight:  6’5/207

Closest player Michigan currently has?

This motorcycle

But seriously…I’m not even willing to joke about someone being as fast as Bolt.

*****

There you have it.  Three skill guys that should be on the field at the same time for the Wolverines a lot this season.  No matter what else happens, at the very least we’ll have some burners out there.

As far as how relevant my comparisons were?   Well, in terms of tangible data probably not at all.  But you still got to watch some wicked fast guys run and that’s good times.  Besides,it’s not like you don’t already watch Michigan highlights all day anyways.

Technorati Tags: denard robinson, fastest college players, martavious odoms, michigan football, michigan wolverines football, vincent smith

Me: Well you know there are certainly areas where we’ll have holes but I think overall we’ll show some improvement this season.
Him: Yeah?  It’s hard for me to say as a non-fan.  I only hear bad news coming out of Ann Arbor.
Me: What do you mean?
Him: It just seems like a lot of people are upset.  It might be beneficial if David Brandon just stops things where they are and gets Rodriguez out of there.

It’s worth noting that unlike a lot of non-Michigan fans, this guy was not trying to upset me.  He actually had no idea what my opinion on the subject was before he said it.  What intrigued me, however, was that he said it as if he was saying something he knew for certain I would agree with.  Kind of like a “hey-I-know-we-will-disagree-on-a-lot-of-things-but-at-least-we-agree-on-this” icebreaker.  Obviously, it didn’t work that way.  But it did shine light on a larger issue.  That is, the majority of non-Michigan fans believe that the majority of Michigan fans are horrified about Rich Rodriguez and our current program.

I would be fine with our enemies believing this, if it was true.  I mean, it’s understandable that they’d latch onto such an idea because no matter what it’s a bad thing for Michigan.  Meaning, if the mere notion that fans don’t like their coach exists – whether true or not – the team is probably performing poorly.  Still, it bothered me because the guy I was talking to said it as if it was a foregone conclusion.  “Michigan fans hate Rich Rodriguez and everything about the current program.  Done deal.  Wrap it up.  Game over.”

These are the statements I can’t remain silent about.  It won’t come as a shock to anyone who has looked at this site for more than five seconds that I support Rich Rodriguez.  But to presume that all or even the majority of Michigan fans do not without checking the evidence is unfair.

That’s not to say I have any scientific polls verifying what I’m getting at.  Now, I’m extremely confident the results of such a survey would vindicate my position, but even so I feel poll results are easily tainted and therefore not the best measuring stick for such discussions.  What I do have, however, is an obsession for Michigan football.  This obsession puts me in a lot of different predicaments, but one of the primary situations I encounter because of it is discussions on college football.  And since I’m from Michigan, the fans I talk to the most are Wolverine fans.  (I haven’t learned the Neanderthal grunt system of State fans yet…)

This is where it all falls apart.  When I talk college football with the masses, I hear a lot of hate for Michigan and a lot of hate for Rich Rodriguez.  But when I talk college football with Michigan fans, I hear a lot less of both.  This isn’t to say I don’t hear disapproval at all.  Off the top of my head I could name multiple fans I know very well that want the guy gone.  But a faction of fans should never be considered a representation of the whole.  In terms of Michigan football, that is exactly what is happening right now.

So how did it start?  Well, a lot went into it and it’s more complex than I have time for here.  But there are three things to keep in mind when considering why the overall feel of the country is that Michigan is a bunch of sad, hopeless fans right now.

1. Everyone hates Michigan because of its past successes
2. These people not only want to see Michigan fail, but they want to see it happen in the most embarrassing way possible (aka a coaching hire disaster)
3. The national media dictates mass news and therefore both caters to and influences the average fan

It’s the snowball effect really.  Somewhere along the time line the idea was posed that Michigan, as a program, was failing.  Not for a year, not for a few years, but forever.  This is stupid, of course, but when people caught wind of it, they liked it.  “Hell yeah!  Michigan sucks!  HA HA!  It’s over.”  You’ve heard this, I’m sure.  So when the media figured out that people enjoyed hearing this, they turned it up a notch.  “Check out this area where Michigan is failing!  What about that area!  You won’t believe this!”  And all the time the haters ate it up.

But to be honest, that’s to be expected.  No Michigan fan secure in his fandom gives a shit when some drunk frat boy screams about “the end of Michigan.”  These guys can talk all they want.  All they accomplish in doing so is the further legitimization of their dumbasshood. (not a word)

What I’m worried about, is the innocent victim like the guy I was talking to the other day.  Year after year, article after article, we’ve had these forces attempting to paint the Michigan fan base as seeing absolutely no sign of better days to come.  Drop your average sports fan into this giddy media frenzy and its no wonder a lot of people think that everyone hates Rich Rodriguez and wants him fired.  They’ve been told what the opinion of Michigan fans is by Michigan’s enemies.

Don’t misread me here.  I know there are a lot of people that are sour on our program right now.  They have good reason to be, as we have not performed to the expectations of Michigan football over the past two years.  But there are also a lot of people that believe in what this program is doing.  They understand the issues we’ve faced and firmly stand behind what our players and coaches are doing.  So If you want a fair assessment of the fan base, you need to consider those people’s opinions as well.  Otherwise, you’re at the mercy of the media.  Which, now that I think of it, has never really let anyone down…

Technorati Tags: michigan football, michigan football fans, michigan football media, michigan football news, rich rodriguez

Make no mistake, the human element of this injury is by far the worst part of it.  The Michigan fan base is once again calling for the apocalypse, donning “The End is Near” signs as if they were going out of style.  Understandable in a way, but far removed from the real point.

The effect of Troy Woolfolk’s injury on this season’s success pales in comparison to the pain he must be feeling as a human being.  Don’t get me wrong, an ankle injury is by no means a universal tragedy, nor should it be compared in any way to the far more life-threatening injustices that befall people of the world every day.  In one sense it is simply a football player getting injured, something that happens all the time.

But in another, Troy Woolfolk’s injury is tragic in the sense that it can be empathized with by all of us who have ever experienced emotional pain concerning something we gave our all for.  Certainly in the bigger picture it doesn’t compare in severity to a lot of things.  But it did deeply wound a human individual and therefore it should be granted sympathy by all those who understand emotional let downs.  Michigan football is one of the biggest parts of Troy’s current life, and for at least a year, it was abruptly taken from him without his consent.  As I said, sad.

At the same time, we do Troy’s work ethic a disservice by throwing in the towel now.  The reason he trained so hard is because he believed in the team, not because he believed in himself.  He expected great things because of what he and those around him could accomplish together.  Now I do not know the man, but I am certain he still has those expectations.  And nothing could make an already difficult situation harder for him except for everyone giving up.  He already feels bad.  But to see fans already dismissing the season as a failure can only make him feel worse.

Remember this:  Ankles do heal.  Troy Woolfolk is down, but he is not defeated.  Teams do grow.  Michigan has hit another rough patch, but success is still attainable.  Have things become harder?  Undoubtedly.  But baptism by fire is often times the method that produces the quickest results.  If the players on this team can resist the urge to abandon ship this storm will be weathered like all the rest.  But if everything you ever hoped for about Michigan football hinged upon Troy Woolfolk’s ankle I assure you that he himself would not consider you a true fan.

When I speak of The Fall of Troy, I do not speak of an injury.  I do not speak of his hospital bed or his cast.  I speak of his triumphant return.  I speak of the year in which a young man who has given so much to the University of Michigan will finally reap the benefits of his hard work.  A man who will gladly rejoin a team that did not falter in his absence, but grew.  Together, through all the adversity, this team will build upon the success they had in 2010 and declare September of 2011 the starting point of the season he so rightfully deserves to experience:  The Fall of Troy Woolfolk.

Technorati Tags: michigan football injuries, michigan wolverines football, rich rodriguez, troy woolfolk, troy woolfolk injury

Some players are not in shape and/or not demonstrating the passion necessary to excel
Something happened with Justin Turner, something happened with Tate Forcier, and something happened with some other guys who are fortunate enough not to have the spotlight on them so directly.  Whether it’s all the same type of issues or completely different ones we will never know.  Regardless, these two guys and a handful of others have been put on the spot.

What’s unfortunate, is that I’m sure the coaching staff didn’t intend for this information to reach the public nor did they want specific players to be scrutinized more thoroughly than others.  That it happened simply demonstrates the high powered media microscope that the program is still under as well as the additional pressures that big name players face during college.  Keep in mind, a lot of these kids are like nineteen years old. It wouldn’t be easy.

Rich Rodriguez is not going to give reporters the full depth chart any time soon.
Seriously media member, you sound like such a dumbass when you keep asking the same question again and again.  I know you’re a reporter and you have grandiose plans to extract the “great depth chart secret” and break the news to everyone, but please, just stop.

One, he’s not going to tell you because keeping it a secret is beneficial in many ways.  Two, he’s not going to tell you because he really doesn’t know.  Three, he’s not going to tell you because it’s none of your damn business until at the earliest the week of September 4th.  Four, he’s not going to tell you because just about every time you obtain information about the team someone uses it to negatively paint the program.  Five, and most importantly, he’s not going to tell you because at this point in time there are things that are far more important to the team than who every starter is going to be.

The key right now is to use practice time to work on the things that allow you to put 22 starters on the field that can be successful.  Not to determine just any old depth chart as soon as possible.  Someone will start at every position on the 4th and it will be the players who the coaches think give the team the best chance to win.  That’s good enough for me.  Rephrasing the same question every three minutes has to be about the most annoying thing in the world to the person being interviewed.

The team is not game-ready right this second
Now before you go crazy, I doubt any team really is right now.  But it can be easy to get so lost in all the “countdown to kickoff” videos that we start thinking this team is already improved enough to take on the ‘85 Bears.  They’re not.  Those videos are designed to pump you up, so they show you things you want to see.  There are still problems that need sorting out, and some of those problems will create issues this year if they aren’t solved.  Whatever you think, I promise you, the team still has a ways to go.

There are still freshman and sophomores all over the place, there are still players that need to more firmly grasp schemes, and we’re still only like a week or so into actual practice.  Everyone wants to know if we’re ready to go.  “Connecticut is less than three weeks away!  Are we ready!  Are we ready!”  Calm down my man, we’re getting there.  The real question is are we where we need to be based on the amount of practice time we still have left.  I think many of the players and coaches would say yes, but there’s still work to be done.

This team believes in each other and is on the same page
You might say, “Every team says things to make you believe that.”  You’re right. But again, I firmly believe that trials shape a team differently than anything else.  If the whole world(read: media and fans) loves you, then you will develop artificial surface level bonds with everyone claiming to be your friend.  If you’re under the radar, you’ll be close with your teammates, but motivated only from within.  But if everyone is talking about you and everyone is hating on you, then you have to latch onto each other.  That’s where I believe Michigan football is right now.  How it will translate to the football field I can’t say.  But make no mistake, this team will not lose in 2010 for lack of unity, leadership, or teamwork.

The kicking game could be a problem
Nobody really wants to talk about it, and even those that do give it less attention than it deserves, but any time you have a team in the process of becoming a winner, close games are crucial.  And when it comes to close games, special teams rules the day.

I advise you not to forget about our kickers and punters.  They get so much blame when they are bad and so little praise when they are good.  I wouldn’t hesitate to say that at least a few games will be dictated by their play this season.  So even though the secondary and running backs seem so essential right now, you need to be praying that our special teams get the job done.

Some players are really impressing the staff
Coach Rodriguez constantly gives guarded answers…for good reason, as mentioned above.  The thing I like to do is wade through his guarded answers and see who he is confident enough to specifically point out for impressive play.  You ask him about position battles and he will rarely mention one guy without mentioning the others in a similar light.  But once in a while, when pressed on a certain player, he is willing to step out on a limb and praise the guy for the vast amount of improvement he’s seen in him.  This makes me think the player has been so good, that even the head coach – the person most conscious of the improvements that still need to be made — is willing to throw him a bone.  That’s cool, and it makes me think these guys are going to be even more fun to watch for the fans.

Everyone wants the season to start
It must be irritating that everyone is watching, waiting to see if you’re going to come through or not, and the thing that most prevents you from shutting them up…is the calendar.  There’s absolutely nothing you can do until the time comes, yet you still have to defend yourself from cheap shots.

It’s like you’re a boxer being sent into the ring against an angry mob with your hands tied behind your back for the first two minutes of the round.  You dodge, you misdirect, you sidestep, and when the two minute mark comes and your hands are finally freed…well, that’s when you knock the shit out of them.

Technorati Tags: michigan football, michigan football interviews, michigan players interviews, rich rodriguez, rich rodriguez interview