Coming Home

(Great photo of Mike Martin and Denard Robinson from John T. Greilick of The Detroit News)

Five Homecoming things from the land of the Purdoomed and the land of the "I'm still trying to write up my epic Three and Out post that is now verging on 3000 words and I'm only a third of the way through the book):

1).           So we're working on the 4^th and an inch plan, right? I'm loathe to call anything "unacceptable", but man, seriously, we need to get on that.

2).           "Seven Nation Army", no.  "Hardest Button to Button", yes.

3).           Students, seriously, get to the game on time.  I will be an old man and tell you that it's embarrassing to see the alumni in the seats before kickoff and a student section that is less than 50% full.  Rocket Man could have safely landed in the student section with no collateral damage.  I don't care that it's Halloween weekend and some how in the last ten years, Halloween became a big deal on college campuses,* you make claims about being the engine that makes the Michigan Stadium experience go?  Get there.  Plan ahead.  Take the time.  Leave your pre-game fifteen minutes earlier, but be there for kickoff, even for Purdue, even in the cold.**  Otherwise, you're leaving yourselves open to the criticism you receive.

(*-As was once said to me by a fellow member of the Class of 2000: "I don't have a lot of regrets about college, but I do lament that we went to college in the era of shame based clothing.")

(**-Five years of student tickets 1996-2000, never got there late, never left early, not even during Syracuse 1998.  You can do it if you want to do it.)

(It's casual Devin and striding Denard!  David Guralnick/The Detroit News)

4).           Not that I mind, but since when does Michigan's Homecoming have a theme?  Moreover, if it's had a theme, since when have been told what it is?

(Michael Shaw finishes in style. John T. Greilick / The Detroit News)

5).           Fitz's long run was nice, but the little hesitation move that Michael Shaw put on his defender to get past him for the touchdown was exceptional.

Onward to Iowa.  RIP GopherQuest.  Leading the Legends in the first week of November, yeah, it's a pretty good feeling.