Last weekend, two of us were lucky enough to attend the 2007 edition of Michigan-MSU. And to be there was glorious.
Craig:
And I was nearly throwing up in a living room in South Lyon, but a giant wall of HD is also glorious.
Jeremy:
I had seats in the MSU alumni section, and it was amazing how quickly their fans abandoned ship at the first sign of struggle.
Geoff:
You get your heart broken enough times, maybe you just can't hold on as tight.
Jeremy:
A psychologist could have a field day with why they're conditioned to do that.
Geoff:
I was over in the Michigan section, and that was rocking.
Craig:
And I was remembering why I am not a fan of Paul Maguire.
Geoff:
I was fortunate to be over there. Less chance of someone starting a fight with me for being too obnoxious.
Jeremy:
The team is on a ruthless revenge tour, and OSU stands in the way between us and the greatest redemption story ever.
Craig:
So would that make Michigan State O-Ren Ishii, or just the Crazy 88?
Geoff:
I don't know. Who fails more consistently?
Craig:
Say what you will, but O-Ren did build up a pretty good Yakuza crime syndicate before getting the top of her head lopped off.
Geoff:
There is no telling what I would do to secure a win over Ohio State this year. At this point, there is nothing that could be sweeter.
Jeremy:
would you... rest Henne and Hart vs. Wisconsin?
Craig:
No. I will get my Hattori Hanzo out to prevent that. It's their career, it's the last two game of their careers, they know they want to beat tOSU. It should be the call of a combination of the players, coaches, and medical staff.
Geoff:
If it meant a win over OSU, absolutely. But I don't know that resting Henne helps at all. Getting him and his receivers working in rhythm is terribly important. And like Craig says, you can't hold them out of one of their last games in a Michigan uniform.
Jeremy:
Priority #1 should be keeping them as healthy as possible for OSU. It sounds like neither one will hear a damn word of this "resting" business, so it will be on the coaches. If Carr plays them and we lose to OSU, they'll say the guys weren't rested properly. if he doesn't play them and we lose, they'll say it was because Hart and Henne were out of sync for not playing the week before. But is that worth it for the chance to play them both weeks and win both weeks in an absolute blaze of glory?
Craig:
I have a feeling that if there is a loss to tOSU, it will not be due to Henne and Hart.
Geoff:
Agreed. Beanie Wells scares the bejesus out of me, especially after what Caulcrick and Ringer were able to do. Michigan wins very few games in which it is outgained on the ground.
Craig:
Agreed. You know, I wanted to raise a theory. Michigan seems to have trouble right out of the gate, as we have seen in each of the last three games. Is this possibly because teams now run those 15 play scripts and so they have so tightly executed them during the week that any defense we throw at them will not be sufficient?
Geoff:
I think they have trouble out of the gate in a macro sense. Look at the start of the season for an example on a larger scale. Then they settle into whatever they're supposed to be doing.
Craig:
If only we could believe that we need to start playing from the word go...sigh.
Geoff:
I wonder if we're as predictable defensively as we are on the other side of the ball. Scripted sequences would have an advantage in that case.
Jeremy:
We were in the Herrmann days.
Craig:
You know, we could raise this question with the Lord High Poobah of game film...
Geoff:
Jeremy, did you spend a lot of time in East Lansing before the game? We didn't get in until about an hour before game time, so we went right to the stadium. Even accounting for that, I was surprised by how little abuse I took.
Jeremy:
We tailgated for 3 hours in the Farm Lane lot, which is the commuter lot, and took a shuttle in. Everyone was cordial.
Geoff:
Yeah. All I had was one guy who questioned my commitment to heterosexuality, which 1.) Way to put your homophobia out there, and 2.) Your team is the Spartans. Everyone else left me alone.
Jeremy:
The best shirt I saw all day said "hail to the victors," with the ASU A, Oregon O, and Spartan S. If you're going to base your pride on your opponent's struggles, that's admittedly a clever way to do it.
Geoff:
There was a woman a few rows ahead of me with a Grand Valley State hoodie. I don't know if that was an intentional taunt, but I enjoyed it.
Jeremy:
I got a picture of a man wearing one who swears it was because his son goes there. He was clearly tired of being harassed all morning, but I was supportive.
Jeremy:
What did you think of the bands and their shows?
Geoff:
MSU's '90's show was pretty good, if a little bland. They did [something I can't remember], RHCP's "Higher Ground" cover, Aerosmith's "Eat the Rich", and No Doubt's "Spiderwebs".
Jeremy:
I do appreciate their efforts to cater directly to the student section, but "Spiderwebs" isn't exactly a roaring, crowd-energizing song.
Craig:
Honestly, were it not for Sirius 24, I don't know I would have remembered "Spiderwebs"...It's the backup long-snapper of No Doubt singles.
Geoff:
And is "Eat the Rich" really the one you're going to choose from Aerosmith? For that matter, '90's Aerosmith, really?
Craig:
From that album, really?
Jeremy:
Also, an amplified bass? Really?
Craig:
Isn't that standard Sparty practice? I know it is at the JLA for hockey.
Jeremy:
I did like their drum rack. While gimmicky, it adds an extra dimension to the sound, and keeps the drumline stationary so they can focus more on their music. The drill focused more on isolated shapes at the beginning, and once the rack was brought out, large symmetrical forms on either side.
Geoff:
Yeah. And they had the drum break in the middle of the show.
Craig:
Did they have a washboard break?
Geoff:
No, no Beck.
Jeremy:
Um, OSU basketball just lost to D-II Findlay.
Geoff:
There's some sort of epidemic.
Craig:
I blame the Big Ten Network.
Geoff:
Thank you, Coach Beilein, for not losing to Ferris.
Craig:
Speaking of M Basketball...I am deeply encouraged by...the new Lights at Crisler. The morgue is dead, so to speak. It really pops now on video footage.
Geoff:
The highlights looked a lot sharper. I want to see what it looks like inside now.
Craig:
I have secured my tickets for UCLA to do just that.
Geoff:
I hope to get to a game or two this year, especially since there's no way Comcast will be picking up the BTN any time soon.
Geoff:
Hockey had a nice weekend in Omaha. It sounds like they didn't play their best, but managed to sweep the Mavericks anyway. That's the kind of a weekend that you need to have if you want to compete for the CCHA title.
Craig:
Agreed. Taking care of business at home and with what looks to be the lower rungs of the conference, that will bode well.
Geoff:
Miami looks scary.
Craig:
Miami looks like a machine and, I think, with their new rink, will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. Of course, we should note their AD is Brad Bates, one of Bo's boys from the late 1970s.
Jeremy:
Having only seen box scores and Blog Yost Built recaps, it looks like Sauer is stepping up.
Geoff:
Sauer had a nice pair of games against BU. Maybe he can put together at least a solid season, because the offense seems to be clicking.
Geoff:
Anyway, let's hope football can put it together against Wisconsin for a win, and that we come out of Madison healthier than East Lansing.
Craig:
Agreed. I was really hoping for a night game in Madtown, but it looks like the great philosopher Jagger was right once more.
Jeremy:
In eleven days we could easily see Lloyd Carr end his time in Michigan stadium by being carried off the densely packed field on Jake Long and Shawn Crable's shoulders. They need to do what it takes this week to make that happen.
Saturday's kickoff will be, down to the minute, exactly 6 years after the one that started the 2001 Michigan-Michigan State game, better known to me and my friends as The Clock Game. No single game rankles more than this this one; not the Notre Dame Phantom Touchdown, not the I Hate The Sun Belt Alamo Bowl fiasco. The only one that comes close is the 1990 Desmond In The Endzone No-Call, but that was 17 years ago and even that pain eventually dulls. This one was special, just a total mess at the end. Officials, players, nobody did anything right.
I woke up early that morning and got on the trumpet bus to East Lansing. It was my first away game with the band, and I didn't know what to expect. Mostly sleeping until we got to East Lansing, then a lot of waiting in traffic. We headed right for the stadium and got ready to disembark in full uniform. On the artificial turf, we did a full rehearsal of our show for the week (A classical show with music from Fantasia – Sorceror's Apprentice, Pines of Rome, Rhapsody In Blue, Berceuse – Finale) and pre-game, then sat around with a boxed lunch. The Jumbotron and PA system were already up and running, vamping through a few segments. One of them had Missy Elliott's "Get Ur Freak On" as its backing track, and it played so many times that I went from liking the song to tolerating it to wanting to murder Timbaland with my bare hands.
Finally it was time for pregame. We were probably booed loudly, but I didn't hear anything but the drums and the rest of the band until we were back on the sidelines watching the Spartan Marching Band do that weird hitch thing they have in their entrance. Some doofus with foam muscles came out, and this was somehow inspiring to the Spartan faithful.
On the opening drive, we finally had MSU stopped at 4th and 11 on our 32 and they sent out the punting unit for an Incredibly Surprising Fake Punt. On the ensuing play, Charles Rogers drew a flag for pass interference that we all agreed was complete and total crap (Note: I've never seen a tape of this game). Two plays later, obviously it's Rogers catching a TD.
Michigan moved the ball on its first drive, but stalled out in the zone where I thought we'd be seeing a pooch punt. Instead, Hayden Epstein came on to kick a monster 57-yard field goal.
Taking a break from the action on the field, there is something walking up and down the sidelines calling itself "Willie Wolverine". Nobody knows what's up with this thing. It's a full-body wolverine costume outfitted in pads and a football uniform that looks somewhat unlicensed. The head looks like it might be papier mache. Is this a try-out for a new official mascot? Did someone make it himself? Is it a Spartan plant? I heard later that it was just some guy in a homemade costume who talked his way onto the field (nice security, MSU), but I don't know whether that's true.
Meanwhile, MSU marched back up the field on us, but the defense managed to hold them to a 51-yard Dave Rayner field goal try, which missed. Navarre led off the drive back the other way with a 22-yard pass to Marquis Walker. BJ Askew carried most of the load the for another 31 yards on 6 carries until Navarre again found Walker, this time in the endzone on a 14-yard pass to give us a 10-7 lead.
The Spartans answered with a solid kick return and a 63-yard, 10-play drive. TJ Duckett and Dawan Moss carried the load, gaining 41 on the ground and Duckett scoring on a two-yard TD run. But the key play was a 3rd down on the Michigan 13 where Charles Rogers again drew a PI call on a Michigan defender. I remember this one as marginally less fraudulent, but it was another penalty giving Michigan State extra chances to score.
The Spartans pinned us deep in our own territory to start the next drive, kicking a touchback. But Walker and Navarre hit a big pass of 38 yards to move us across the 50 and connected again on a 32-yard TD pass. The half ended with Michigan staking a somewhat surprising 17-14 lead, given the way Duckett was running.
The halftime show was one of the best of my career in the MMB. I just remember being really nervous, but hitting my marks and knowing the music cold. "Rhapsody In Blue" featured a big, fast follow-the-leader section that we'd worked on a lot. "Berceuse & Finale" was majestic. We were met with mostly indifference, which is as good as you can expect up there.
We got the ball to open the second half, but didn't do anything with it. MSU came pounding down the field the other way. They made it all the way to the 9, and then it looked like TJ Duckett scored the go-ahead TD. Except for the flag on the field. Holding. On the repeated 3rd down, Shantee Orr came in and sacked Smoker for a 7-yard loss. Dave Rayner missed his second field goal of the day, a 44-yard attempt.
But Evil Navarre had come out of the locker room for the second half, and the rest of the offense wasn't making up for him. Near the end of the 3rd quarter, Navarre threw a pick near midfield that Duron Bryan returned to our 38. Duckett carried the ball on all six ensuing plays, but MSU had to settle for a 27-yard Rayner chip-shot FG to tie the game.
Evil Navarre wasn't yet finished with us. He threw another pick to Bryan, this time well inside our own territory. Bryan returned this one to the 29, and things were looking bad, but the defense rose up. I didn't realize how bad it was at the time, but Smoker was getting absolutely hammered all day by the pass rush. He was sacked for the tenth (10th!) time as the Spartan drive went backwards out of FG range.
The offense couldn't get any traction, and Michigan State kept moving the ball on a defense that must have been a little tired by now, and the pass rush couldn't crush everything. Smoker hooked up with Rogers for 29 yards, and Duckett had a 27-yard run on another Spartan drive that went deep into Michigan territory, but again they had to settle for a FG from Rayner, this time from 26 yards out.
But eventually that pass rush had to come up with something, and Smoker finally put the football on the ground. Grant Bowman picked it up at the MSU 38, giving Navarre and Co. a short field to work with. There were only two significant plays on the drive, but Calvin Bell took a reverse for 21 yards to move us a lot closer. Then, on 3rd and 13, we went 5-wide and Jermaine Gonzales hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Navarre to put us up 24-20 with 4:44 left to play. It was completely insane, and it worked. Marquise Walker probably had about 7 guys on him, because nobody else was catching anything all day, but our backup QB was open for one huge reception.
We almost gave it all back immediately. Herb Haygood took the kickoff and ran it out to midfield. But the defense was good enough to force a punt, which Marquise Walker was dumb enough to field inside our own 5 instead of hoping for the touchback. He made it to the 7. We of course ran it into the line three times, if memory serves, and punted it away with 2:28 left. Epstein did his best, but MSU came up with it on our 44.
Immediately Smoker was sacked again by Shantee Orr. Another two incompletions, and it was 4th and 16. The pass fell incomplete. But Jeremy LeSueuer had committed an obvious and blindingly stupid illegal hands to the face penalty, giving MSU a fresh set of downs. MSU then converted another 3rd down pass to save their drive.
Michigan responded with another huge sack of Smoker with 0:36 left in the ballgame. But then a flag came in for illegal participation.
On the field, I assumed that we'd just been dumb enough to play with 12 men and I was furious about that. But look at the video. I only count 11 at first, just like Brandstatter. If you let it go a little bit, there's a guy way in the backfield that could either be a Michigan player or a ref, it's too grainy for me to tell. I'd like to rip them a new one, but it might be legit. At any rate, we had to play on. LeSueuer broke up a 3rd down pass in the endzone, but Duckett reeled in the 4th down try to give State a first down on our 3. Smoker successfully executed the spike and we called a timeout.
On the next play, Smoker rolled the pocket right, then pulled down the football and ran. I thought I felt the earth open up under me. I saw the hole and I saw the game end and...then Marlin Jackson and Jon Shaw tackled him. I didn't know if it was in time, I kept looking for the officials to signal a touchdown, but it never came. There were 7 seconds left on the clock and MSU was frantically trying to get lined up for the spike. 4...3...2...1...0. WE WIN! Wait. Where's zero? Where the hell is zero? That clock should've run out, there is no way that clock didn't run out. That ball did NOT hit the ground with any time left in the game. This is BULLSHIT. Oh, Jesus. They have one more play. Christ, we're going to lose. Smoker drops back, Duckett's waving his arms around, wide open, I can see an egregious uncalled hold on Larry Stevens from 90 YARDS AWAY and where is the damn flag this time? but there goes the football and Duckett has it. This is such bullshit. Robert Flagg, of Carol City, FL, recognizable by his gold-plated grill, comes over to spit at our band.
We're supposed to play a postgame concert with the SMB, but we're hustled out of there before there's a chance for an incident. Jeering awaits us on the other side of the tunnel, but we make it back to their band hall without any real trouble. Most of the SMB members adopt the attitude of "This was completely sketchy, but you will pry this win from our cold, dead fingers," which isn't too galling to take. We got back on our buses and headed back to Ann Arbor, filled with a hate that would linger.
Welcome back, everyone, to another edition of WTI.
Craig:
It feels good to be back... Which, I suppose, could be a larger metaphor.
Geoff:
So the Minnesota game was kind of weird. We went down 10-0 and then rattled off 34 unanswered points.
Craig:
Yes, it was very strange, but in a way, completely expected.
Craig:
Two Michigan games have been absolutely textbook this year: Purdue and Notre Dame. Even if Joe Tiller wrote "Tiller RULEZ" into said textbook with Sharpie late in the game.
Geoff:
No, Joe Tiller's book says "DIABETUS".
Geoff:
Ryan Mallett rained death and destruction on the Gopher secondary, Mario Manningham had a circus catch, Arrington did that thing where he lays out like the second coming of Anthony Carter, and Carlos Brown busted what has to be the longest run from scrimmage Michigan's had in 4 years.
Craig:
Carlos' run was, well, electric. Like the thing at midfield at halftime: We don't know where that came from, and we're not sure what it was doing there, but we made noise for it nevertheless.
Geoff:
That thing was weird. I assumed it was some sort of sound-level thing, but still.
Craig:
But the Minnesota game, while perhaps mildly more dramatic than needed, is another case of the scoreboard lying.
Geoff:
It was full of lies, damn lies, and statistics?
Craig:
Yes. And one of those lies is that anyone can see Milano let alone tackle him. I swear, we can play 12 on the field if he's out there, the back judge will never spot him.
Craig:
Michigan covered, but it gave up 10 points, but it really only gave up three when you look at it.
Geoff:
It was really weird. And the score was even closer throughout much of the game.
Geoff:
Anyway, we had my favorite pregame of the year last Saturday: The Cake! (Which we will have more on later in the week)
Craig:
The Cake was tremendous, and moist, which, while usually a good thing for cake, was not necessarily good for The Cake.
Geoff:
The Cake on FieldTurf >>>>> The Cake on muddy turf.
Geoff:
Note for those of you playing along at home: By the year 2017, the music now known as the blues will exist only in the classical record department of your local public library and our blues band is led by "Scottie B".
Craig:
You know, I can remember when the blues would only be in the local public library by 2006.
Geoff:
Yeah. I was excited to be in the stadium when Carl had to change his script. He bumped it up to 2010 last year.
Craig:
Indeed. He's buying time!
Craig:
But Saturday was all kinds of a crazy double.
Geoff:
Right. You headed over to Yost for that hockey game against BU.
Craig:
Which, in all of my years, I had never done a double, in part because they try to avoid the double.
Geoff:
I've done that before. Definitely after the Iowa game in '04.
Craig:
But let me tell you, Yost was ROCKING on Saturday. Best crowd in years.
Geoff:
I love it when it gets like that. I was there for the BC game a couple years ago, and that was tremendous.
Craig:
Granted, the winning and the post-football buzz and the costumes may have had something to do with it, but it was just fun. And having really gotten my first good long look at this year's team, I find myself...encouraged?
Geoff:
I'm jealous you got to see a band director dance.
Craig:
Well, it's what happens when you hire mercenaries. And he danced with vigor AND gusto.
Geoff:
I feel a lot better now about keeping up the streak of NCAA appearances.
Craig:
As do I. It's a young season, a lot of teams are still finding themselves, a lot of teams will improve, but I also think Michigan, while having room to improve, is already playing like a team. And, by Jove!, they shoot! For the love of criminy, they shoot.
Craig:
Which removes one of my single biggest frustrations of recent years, a team that seemed to be looking for the perfect shot.
Geoff:
I think we need to see more of what Sauer looks like this season, but it's nice to know the cupboard isn't exactly bare on the other end of the ice.
Craig:
Yes, I am worried that Sauer will be live up to his nickname of "Sweet and". But if he keeps playing like this, again, he's doing what he needs to do to make sure that Michigan is in the game.
Craig:
Tough tests loom. Miami, Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State, no slouches in that bunch, a lot of tough conference games. But I think this team is going to be a lot of fun to watch.
Geoff:
Yeah, the CCHA has some real programs to watch out for.
Craig:
And, a note to the student section: Keep up the good work. Saturday night is great proof that you can be clever, loud and proud without being profane. It was a great balance of clever and classy.
Craig:
Then again, Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip Yip may not be able to be replicated again ever.
Geoff:
That's just taking what the other side gives you.
Craig:
Not since Colgate's Whitecotton or the Dirty Hobbit of Lerg was there such relentless torment of a single opposing player.
Geoff:
I'm so proud that I was part of the first Dirty Hobbit game.
Craig:
And speaking of Dirty Hobbits and what they other side gives us...
Craig:
It's Michigan State week ladies and gentlemen!
Craig:
Like you needed to be informed...
Geoff:
OHMYGODIHATETHOSEGUYS
Craig:
I am sure your Sparty colleagues and co-workers have already been puffing the chest a little bit this week, mentioning the Horror and the Beatdown with glee at every opportunity, and trying to use the word "Ringer" like it's Ni!
Geoff:
I will, by the way, be taking in the game firsthand.
Craig:
Oh, wonderful, meaning that you will have a Big Ten of games this season.
Geoff:
Yep. And this is my first Michigan/MSU road game since...2001.
Craig:
And sadly, the worst part of the issue is that of the last ten games, the home team has won eight of them. Now, granted, one of those was won in unsanctioned overtime...
Geoff:
Kickoff is six years to the *minute* from that travashamockery in 2001.
Craig:
Gentlemen, the clock is ticking and as of now, we are keeping score.
Craig:
(No one delivers a cautionary instruction quite like Michael Ironside)
Geoff:
The Spartans tried to set theirs going, but it got stuck at 00:01.
Craig:
You know, if Michael Hart is rested and ready to go, I'd love to see him decide he's going to win the Heisman this week.
Geoff:
He's been studying film of Chris Perry from 2003, thinking "I can do that."
Craig:
One can only hope. And then someone slipped Donovan Warren the 1997 game film.
Geoff:
Our guys are going to be ready to go, I know it. I just hope that our linebackers are up to the task of taking down Ringer and Caulcrick before they get up to speed.
Craig:
Well, State abandoned the Communist offense and Michigan knows how to defeat straight up facism!
Craig:
"Dantonio, you magnificent bus stop, I read your book!" --Ron English
Geoff:
I don't know what to expect from the offense anymore. But I do know that Michigan State will give up some points. 34 to Iowa?
Craig:
I expect Henne to be on target and focused. I think, maybe secretly, he loved the praise for the effort against Illinois and he wants to hold on to that feeling, and his focus will be at an exceptionally high level. Beating Michigan State four straight, bookending his first victory against the Spartans with another great day would be a wonderful feather for him.
Geoff:
I expect the line to pass-block like he's made of antique porcelain.
Craig:
And if Hart's back, that's one more exceptional pass blocker. I wish someone would put together a Jaworski-like breakdown of Mike Hart's exceptional pass blocking.
Geoff:
I was re-watching the Purdue game last night and he had some terrific ones to keep Henne clean.
Craig:
Also, you know DeBord has some pages in the playbook that are in mint green just for this occasion.
Geoff:
That's his M.O.
Craig:
The reality is, and Michigan fans know this all too well, anything can happen upon the banks of the Red Cedar, games are closer than they should be and when Sparty has made this their Thermopylae, they will likely be well motivated. What the Spartans forget is that all but one of the 300 died at Thermopylae.
Geoff:
SPARTANS! TONIGHT...WE DINE...IN BRODY!
Craig:
Bravery and heroism are wonderful things, but, to go back to another Patton reference. "The Spartans are the enemy. Wade into them. Spill their blood. Shoot them in the belly!"
Geoff:
Ol' Blood and Guts is a fine way to end this one, I think.
Craig:
Agreed. Until another time, my friend. I'm Craig...
Geoff:
And I'm keeping a low profile until I get out of there alive.
"Probably the thing I hate most about them is that damn fight song. I'm so sick of hearing that fight song. Every time that fight song comes on, I'll mute my TV. It's one of those things that's just annoying. I can't stand it."
As MAtW points out, he's sick of hearing it so much due to Michigan scoring 186 points on the Spartans in the last 5 years. Let us break it down and figure out how much Drew actually heard the fight song after a score. Every touchdown and field goal is accompanied by a Victors trio:
2002: 7 times (49 pts on 7TD)
2003: 4 times (27 pts on 4TD)
2004: 9 times (45 pts on 5TD + 3FG + 2pt)
2005: 6 times (34 pts on 4TD + 2FG)
2006: 5 times (31 pts on 4TD + 1FG
That makes 31 times Michigan scored a touchdown or field goal during his tenure. And actually, the band plays the Victors trio twice after a score (once during the PAT), so double the count for every touchdown. That accounts for 55 Victors trios off scoring alone.
Additionally, since it haunts his dreams, he probably heard it during the band's scheduled performances too. That's 6 times per home game:
In the parking lot during the march over
Twice during pregame
Twice while the team comes out of the tunnel
While marching off the field at halftime.
At the conclusion of every game
This adds up to 29. Counting postgame shows adds 6 more iterations.
During Drew Stanton's tremendous 0-5 career against the University of Puke, he heard The Victors a bare minimum of 90 times. This bare-minimum estimate does not count playing it after recovering a fumble, nor playing the slightly-extended version to rally the team (which wasn't often necessary), nor "alternative" versions of The Victors like Calyptors, the Hoover Street Rag, or the Victors Waltz. An extremely conservative estimate of three additional performances per game puts that number well into the triple digits.
I made a video in honor of his 2005 failed victory guarantee; Drew Stanton has clearly been a ripe source of material for many years.
Braylon Edwards just keeps climbing up the list of my favorite Michigan football alumni. So far this year he's donated $500,000 to the athletic department for football scholarships and $1,000,000 to Cleveland students for academic scholarships. Last weekend, he dedicated his eight-catch, two touchdown performance to the memory of Denzel Douglas, a 15-year-old kid he met while visiting him in the hospital. Douglas died last week as a result of his body rejecting his heart transplant. He'll be buried in the jersey and with the football Braylon signed for him.
Between his and Mike Hart's charity work, I'm so proud to be even remotely associated with this program. They're true Michigan Men.
Michigan's first important rivalry game of the season (sorry ND and Illinois) is this weekend in East Lansing, and HSR would like to educate you about Michigan's upcoming opponent.
Michigan Agricultural College was founded in 1855 by the U.S. government to promote the advancement of cow grazing, manure farming, and rioting. Sometime between now and then, the Aggies set up goalposts on a cow pasture, and football was born.
The school fight song was penned to pay homage to their Fighting Farmers of the gridiron. An excerpt went like this, and we are not making this up: "Its specialty is farming, but those farmers play football."
Over the years, the Spartans have found several innovative ways to lose games:
Six-touchdown blowouts two days before the coach is fired, followed by press conferences where the reporter asks "do you still have control of your team?" And he responds with "I don't know."
Here's hoping we can add more to this list next week. Go Blue!
Cleaning out the notebook after a crazy double in Ann Arbor yesterday:
Things from yesterday's 34-10 win over Minnesota at the Big House: I don't know if everything's better, I don't know if Ryan Mallett
will be brilliant or not, but Michigan won a game that it needed to
win, without two key starters on offense, and heads into November on a
roll. They're going to need it.
The defense does look much improved. It still seems bend, but not break, but as long as there is no break, that can work. Again, the next three weeks will bear it out.
You know folks, if you had told me that Michigan would be heading into
November as the #12 team in the BCS poll and with two losses, I would
have believed you. If you had told me one of those losses would be to
Oregon, I would have believed you. But, no, this is just crazy talk now.
Great things from last night's 6-2 Michigan win over BU at Yost:
Frankenberry and a Penguin were in the House. So were three refs, a guy in a tux, and a yacht rocker. Halloween was never a big deal when I was in college.
The Howell High School band filled in admirably for the Michigan Hockey Pep band last night, and got a well deserved "Best Band Ever" from the crowd.
BU's Kevin Yip had an entire crowd yelling "Yip Yip Yip" at him in a
high pitched voice at him every time he got near the puck. It was like
how Shelbyvillians hoot at Springfielders. I loved it.
When they announced the World Series score with the Red Sox leading,
prompting cheers from the BU fans, the Michigan student section started
yelling "Let's go Rockies!"
When the game was in hand, the student section began chanting, instead
of "Warm up the bus", "Go start the cah" and "We want chowdah"
It was the most fun I have had at Yost in a long time. If you're a member of the Yost student section, know that it's that kind of clever that people can enjoy and admire from a fan base.
It was ten years ago, but it seems like yesterday.It was ten years ago, but it seems like a
lifetime ago.It was October 25, 1997 a
chilly day in East Lansing to be certain and #5 Michigan had headed
north to face the #15 ranked Michigan State Spartans, a team which had just
suffered a two point setback to Northwestern at Ryan Field the week before, but
at that time still the Spartans best start since 1966.Michigan was
coming off its closest win of the year, a four point victory over Iowa at the Big House that was far less in the realm of
joy, and far more in the realm of relief for Michigan football fans (sound
familiar?).The season had not yet
become magical, but there was something special in the air, as it was the first
time Michigan
had started the season with six straight wins in 11 years.Spartan quarterback Todd Schultz entered the
game with a 61.5% completion percentage and 10 TDs to just four picks, while Michigan's defense had
allowed a grand total of nine second half points, thanks largely to one man,
Charles Woodson.
Five tackles and two interceptions later, a football player
ceased to be and a legend was born in his stead, largely because, while the
second of Woodson's interceptions showed his skill in pass coverage, the first of
Woodson's picks seemed to defy physics, gravity, and common sense.An elegant ballet of a powerful leap, body
positioning, and steady hands, Woodson pulled down a pick (caused, in no small part,
by great pressure on the quarterback during a roll out) that should not be,
lands, keeps possession of the ball near the Michigan State sideline, and gets
up to play the "Who's the man?" game.That one moment shows the awesome power of Charles Woodson, but it does
not explain why he is the most important Michigan
player of the last 50 years.
Woodson played in all three phases of the game, on the field
for a remarkable 765 plays during the 1997 regular season, 152 of those coming
on offense or special teams.During 1997
alone, he had seven interceptions, and while he did not make any of them a pick
six, he did his damage on that front on special teams with his punt return
against the Buckeyes in the season closer at Michigan Stadium.He also killed OhioState's
first drive of the second half with a pick in the end zone.In the biggest games, when Michigan needed him the most, Woodson seemed
to find a way to shine.All of this from
a man who was likely being game planned away from and generally thrown away
from after being an All-American his Sophomore year.Of the 15 times Woodson touched the ball on
offense in 1997, Michigan
scored three touchdowns and picked up nine first downs.
The overall point here is one often overlooked as much in
the national argument about Woodson's Heisman as it is by Michigan fans looking at Woodson's
importance in the grand scheme.Woodson's presence (not his mere presence, mind you, that's different),
changed the game in so many ways.Opposing offenses had to plan on throwing away from his side of the
field, allowing Michigan
to bring the fury up front with guys like Sword, Hall, Steele, and Dhani
Jones.Similarly, Woodson brought out
the best in Marcus Ray (a player whom I always really liked because he just HIT
people), because defenses attacked him with greater frequency.On offense, Woodson was a wild card, you had
to account for him, even if he was just in as a decoy.On special teams, his punt return average was
not spectacular, but the belief that he could break one made teams leery of kicking
towards him. Charles Woodson made his team better, not only because of what he
could do on the football field, but because of what teams thought he could do on the football field.Players like that come along once in a
generation, and we were fortunate to have seen one of them come through Ann Arbor.
As some of you may know, I am, in my spare time, a frequent commenter on Deadspin. Well, today's post about Will's trip to the Michigan/Illinois tilt this weekend had one of my favorite comments ever (following up on the comments on Ron Zook's ski boat:
"Ron Zook doesn't fish. He merely recruits fish into the boat."
This lead Geoff and I into a Chuck Norris Facts style battle about Ron Zook facts: Geoff: "Ron Zook once sold an icemaker to an emperor penguin." Craig: "Ron Zook out text messaged Beth Ann from the Cingular commercial. Her BFF Jill was deeply impressed by the Zooker and will be lining up at long snapper for the Illini next season." Geoff: "Ron Zook isn't allowed in convents...anymore." Craig: "Ron Zook originated the Jedi Mind Trick." Geoff: "Ron Zook is the foremost pork wholesaler in Jerusalem." Craig: "The Pentagon's secret plan for meeting U.S. Army recruiting quotas this year revolved heavily around Ron Zook." Geoff: ""Ron Zook made $16M last year in consulting fees with Madison Ave. His skill is marketing, but college football? That's his passion."" Craig: "Some Jehovah's Witnesses came to Ron Zook's door one day. They're now on the Illini Scout Team."
So, to make this interactive, and to give us some actual content, please post your own Ron Zook "Facts" in the comments. The man is a recruiting legend, let the legend be told in song and story.
For all the ridicule that we give to the Big Ten Network's production values, commentators, and availability, they managed to do something no other network has done before: Show the Michigan Marching Band's pregame. It's rare to see a pregame video from the angles they show, and certainly not broadcast to a television audience (at a home game at least). This is probably only happening because they haven't sold enough commercial time to fill the gaps, but meanwhile, I applaud their coverage.
Unfortunately, the national DirecTV attention came at a bad moment. About that: A miscommunication caused the block M fold-out to begin early in some portions of the M. Less than two seconds later, they recovered in time to begin the M Fanfare right on cue and continue pregame without missing a beat. Cody erased all doubts that it phased the band as he caught his goalpost toss and the backbend was the best it's ever been.
Kudos to the BTN for showcasing an excellent pregame Enjoy the close-ups of bandsmen breathing heavily in the middle of what is essentially a seven-minute sprint in a wool uniform! Enjoy the field microphones' horribly unbalanced audio! And stare with amazement as they actually continue to play their instruments during the lock-step!
I edited the beginning out, because I can. The full version is available at mgovideo. Meanwhile, thanks, BTN!
Just a quick heads up note to alert out loyal readership that the Bernard "Pat" Maloy Scholarship Online Auction is NOW OPEN! The proceeds are going to the Maloy Scholarship Fund in order to support a scholarship for an undergraduate Kinesiology student who has been touched by cancer. There is a LOT of great Michigan stuff in there, and bidding for a good cause somehow makes it easier. Plenty of time left to bid, but seriously go look around, because there's some really great stuff over there, including some stuff I don't want to specifically mention because I am bidding on it and that is just bad auction strategy.
