Blast From the Past in Pictures

The Vault: 2000 Orange Bowl - Fourth Quarter

Alabama starts with a shortish punt from their own 34 and DiAllo Johnson returns it up to the Michigan 40. Bennie Joppru sighting! The 'Bama pass rush is turned aside, leaving a big hole in the middle of the field. It looks like Brady's going to scramble for good yardage, but he spots Joppru well downfield between the safeties and just does that thing where his MIND LASERS guide the ball in for a 24-yard gain. Thomas goes nowhere, because 'Bama has remembered we're allowed to do that. Hey, penalty flags. I remember you. Alabama jumped across the line on the hard count and made contact. OH YES! Brady drops back and fires down to Marquise Walker at the 2. Walker jumps high for it and makes a sweet body adjustment in mid-air to come down with it.

Everyone knows what's coming next, so Thomas gets a big welcoming committee. He may have lost a yard. Brady rolls out on play action, but Bennie Joppru is a victim of defensive holding. First down. Nice shot of the band here, especially the bones. Thomas leaps over the line, the ball comes loose, and Alabama recovers. Someone clearly got a helmet on it. Oy.

Zow's still in at QB. Alabama must think he's the steadier QB, because Watts was gashing us on those scrambles. Handoff to Alexander, but the line has held and James Hall cleans up for no gain. Zow is hit by Hall as he fires downfield and the pass is low, though Patmon was beat. 3rd and 10 is a slip-screen to an electron-sized guy who snakes downfield for the first at the 36. They try it again with Milons on the other side, but the pass is incomplete. Brandon Williams spots something going on in the Alabama backfield as Milons motions in, and sure enough it's a toss to Milons, looking to pass, but Whitley is on his case. He rolls to the sideline and gets rid of it and 'Bama is flagged for holding. Carr is screaming that it should be a spot foul (seriously!), but they're only pushed back to the 25. Quickly, they pick up a false start to make it 2nd and 25. Whitely unloads on Zow as he dumps it off to Terry Jones, the tight end, who makes 15 out of it. Zow hits tight end Shamari Buchanan for the first, but this is coming back on another holding call. Zow then finds Milons over the middle for less than the first, but another flag comes out and Michigan surprisingly accepts. 3rd and 30. Zow can't find anyone and scrambles for some yards, but well short of the first. On the punt, Johnson fields it behind the 40, slips the initial tackle, and makes it beyond the 45.

Brady hits Terrell on a screen, but he's hit immediately and loses a couple. Pitch to Anthony Thomas and he gets the corner on the sweep, taking it up to midfield. A boyish Tom Brady talks about perseverance and his pride in playing for Michigan. He threads the needle for Marquise Walker at the 'Bama 38, but it's coming back on ANOTHER offensive facemask. Looked a little cheap. Brady finds Walker streaking down the sidelines and he can't pull it in off his fingertips. Epstein's kick is a high one and it takes a nice Michigan roll down to the 'Bama 26.

Alexander takes the handoff and runs for 7 between the hashes, but he steps off the field for a breather. Watts has to take a timeout, the RB switch took too long. Bohanon takes it outside to the first, and Alexander comes back in. Watts rolls out to his right and finds Buchanan a yard short of the sticks on the sideline. The young line then takes a false start to make it 2nd and 6. Alexander takes the handoff on a draw play with four wideouts and takes the ball for the first at the M 49. He picks up a couple on the ensuing handoff, taken down by Hall. Under 4:30 remaining. Watts takes off scrambling, but Ian Gold makes a magnificent shoestring tackle as he blows by, tripping him up a yard behind the line of scrimmage, saving what would have been a big gainer. 3rd and 9. Watts takes off again, gets the first, but another flag is down for holding. It's a weak call on Alexander as James Hall goes by. Whitley then takes Watts's helmet off and as he sacks him back at the 20. James Tapia is rocking the goatee as the band plays "Temptation". Alabama gets a nice roll down to the Michigan 31.

Brady hits Walker for 6 on a quick out. We're under 1:40 to go as Brady finds a wide open Marcus Knight on a crossing route, but Knight drops the ball. 1:33 left. Out of the gun, 4 wide, and Walker takes it for the first at the 45. 1:29 left, Brady sails it out of bounds. 1:23. Penalty flag flies as 'Bama goes offsides for their 18th penalty. Marcus Knight would have had four yards, but we take the call. 1:15 left. Marcus Knight barely holds on to the pass long enough on the long out at the Alabama 45. He's tackled in bounds, but the clock stops at 1:05 momentarily. Brady rolls out and hits Shawn Thompson coming down a seam to the 19. 0:49 left! Somthing's hinky here, because the clock is still stopped on the snap. A-Train runs into the line and the Tide burn a timeout. ABC continues to run the clock, however. Oh! ABC just forgot to debit Alabama a timeout on the last first down. Brady runs over to Lloyd to get the play, but it's irrelevant because the QB sneak doesn't do anything. The ball is spotted at the 26, Brady holds, and 'Bama decides to ice Epstein. The kick is blocked! Brady then tries to throw a pass, but it's useless. Of course, we have more flags for ineligible receiver downfield, which is declined. 28-28, end of regulation.

Terrell talks about how Epstein lived for that kind of a moment, and how he still got a chance to redeem himself. BTN Voice of Doom talks about how Michigan will try to accomplish something they've never done before: Win an overtime game.

SPOILER ALERT. BTN Fast Facts totally gives away the outcome of the game AND jinxes us for the future by noting that we're now 5-0 in OT. Brady, Renes, and Hutchinson come out for the coin toss, but Alabama wins it and Alexander selects defense. Lloyd Carr is incensed by something, possibly the defiance of this metal blank. Brady spots Shawn Thompson downfield on a deep slant and lays the football over the linebacker's head and right onto Thompson's hands at the 15. Terrell locks up his man on the goal line, Thompson turns it downfield and just like that Michigan takes the lead in OT. Epstein's PAT makes it 35-28 and Michigan has its first lead of the night.

First and ten, Alexander gets the handoff from the shotgun and goes outside for about four before Todd Howard and Cato June bring him down. Timeout Zow. Play action, Zow rolls to his right and finds an impossibly open Erick Locke in the endzone as everyone bit hard on the play fake to Alexander. It looks like Tommy Hendricks was the primary goat here, as he lets Locke go right by him in favor of the run fake and someone who has to be Whitley can't get there in time. And Pflugner just pushes the PAT dead right. He is just destroyed. 34-35, Michigan. Lloyd Carr wins 10 or more games in three consecutive years. Weirdest bowl win I've ever seen.

Bruce Madej talks about how you don't watch an extra point; it's like an intentional walk and what a shock it was to win that way. Brady set the Michigan record in a bowl game with 369 yards passing and 4 TDs, while Terrell had 10 catches for 150 yards and 3 of those TDs.

I'd never watched this game before. I was a freshman that year and I didn't make the bowl block, so instead I went to the Barenaked Ladies concert at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The concert ended as Michigan was down two touchdowns and started mounting its comeback. We nearly drove off the road several times while heading back down I-75 listening to the radio, rushing inside the house just in time to watch the missed extra point. It was unbelievable.

The Vault: 2000 Orange Bowl - Third Quarter

The Tide get the ball to start the second half. Epstein boots this one high and deep to the one. Milons is brought down at about the 25, but there's another flag on the field. Lynn Swann interviews Carr coming out the locker room. The players keep slapping him on the back as they run by. He's disappointed about stopping ourselves with penalties, but I guess the speech didn't take because the refs tacked 15 onto the end of that return.

Then Renes leaps across the line and takes an offsides penalty. He must have seen something there that the refs didn't. Then another flag. Jebus. A false start rolls that one back. Finally, they fake the end-around and pitch to Alexander, but the ball flies over his shoulder as a parade of Wolverines try unsuccessfully to corral the ball before it slips out of bounds. Unreal. 'Bama goes deeeep, but the receiver trips and they have to punt and DiAllo Johnson takes it up to the Michigan 41.

First play is a screen to Shea who gets hit and fumbles the ball! It rolls harmlessly out of bounds. Brady takes the snap, barely sidesteps one defender who can't spin him down and manages to avoid the cleanup man and fires downfield to no one in particular. On the very next play, David Terrell heads 20 yards down the right sideline, takes a couple steps toward the middle of the field and Brady puts it right on the number. Terrell immediately shakes the corner and he's gone. The deep safety enters the picture on the goal line, but is in no position to make the tackle. It turns out Marcus Knight held position well enough that the safety couldn't get around him quickly enough to make a play. And just like that it's tied up at 14-14.

Epstein kicks off and makes the tackle, but it's not that dire as the Tide start from their own 28. Watts seems to be the more effective quarterback even if he specializes in high looping passes. This one goes to Alexander at the 40 on play action, where Whitley stops him immediately. Watts has time to make his next pass up to Milons despite a pair of Wolverines in his face. 3rd and 1, and obviously Alexander's going to get that, but you don't expect him to break four tackles on his way to the endzone. Dude is a beast in this game. 21-14.

Cross takes another kickoff up to the 25. Another fullback screen for no gain. False start brings it back five more. Brady from the gun for another screen, this one to Thomas. Griese points out the lack of efficacy here as the MMB rolls up "Duel of the Fates". Brady looks downfield and holds it, holds it, holds it, and gets sacked. PUNT! It's a nice kick, but Milons has a ton of room to snake through the punt return unit all the way to paydirt. Griese thinks this game might've just broken open with the Tide up 28-14.

Michigan starts at their own 28. Brady immediately goes deep, but it skips off Terrell's fingertips on a skinny post. Quick drop to Terrell for a gain of 8. From the gun, to Terrell again for the first and not much more. Another quick out to Terrell with a little bit of YAC yields 7. Brady bombs it deep from the 47, but overthrows Marquise Walker by a fair bit. Shea comes over the middle on a crossing route to pick up 14 and the first. Michigan tries to switch it up by running Thomas between the tackles, but we're still waiting for that line to impose its will so he only picks up 2. Brady drops back from under center and Terrell picks it out of the air over his head while being tackled on the 20. Nice catch from B.A.D. Another simple-looking out, but the corner has overcommitted and Terrell can just shift around him. With a nice block from Marcus Knight, Terrell stalks into the endzone. Surprisingly, there's no flag. 28-21 and it's a ballgame again with 5:32 left in the 3rd.

Epstein with a nice, deep kick and Milons takes a knee. Zow is falling over as he makes the handoff to Alexander, who's immediately snowed under. Renes (+2) blew up the play by bulldozing the center back onto Zow's leg. Screen pass to Milons for 15. Whitley knocked him sideways at the end of the play, but it was also Whitley who totally missed him at the line. Whitley and another blitzer are handled as Zow steps up from the gun, but his WR drops the ball. The high punt is fair-caught at the Michigan 41.

Brady's pass is behind a stock-still Terrell, who can't dive back for the catch. "GO!" "BLUE!" is heard as Shea takes another screen and rumbles through a tackle for 7. Brady completes the first down to Shawn Thompson up at the 'Bama 47 or so. Brady then hits Terrell, who makes a nice shift, but this corner forces him inside, where help is on the horizon. When B.A.D. cuts back again to the outside, he makes the tackle, limiting the gain to about 8. On the next play, Brady unloads, but Marcus Knight has his fingertips two inches too close to his body. Shea comes up on a crossing route, Brady hits him, and Shea keeps trucking through the 'Bama secondary to the 15. Finally, A-Train gets on track, running just inside his right tackle for exactly 10. Thomas trips as he hits the hole and can only make 2 on his next attempt. Play action pass by Brady to a wide open TE Bill Seymour, but a stretching Seymour can't reel it in. On 3rd and goal, Thomas gets the handoff and walks into the endzone. We have a tie ballgame, folks! 28-28.

Bruce Madej praises Brady's ability to keep the team calm, and the man has a point. This is the Brady that the rest of the world would come to know as a Patriot and starlet-impregnator.

Epstein boots it high and short and Richards takes it from the 12 to up near the 27. Alexander strings the play out along the left side of his line, threatening to turn upfield and then just racing up the sideline for 8. Milons gets the handoff on the end-around, but nobody's surprised and he loses a yard. They send Alexander up the middle for no gain. So ends the third quarter.

The Vault: 2000 Orange Bowl - Second Quarter

After a -1 yard run by Anthony Thomas, Michigan holds the ball on the Alabama 48 with 2nd and 11 and a 0-0 score. A false start makes it 2nd and 16. We get creative, bringing Terrell around on a reverse. Brady throws a solid block, but there's a hold in the mix and we're going the wrong way. 2nd and 27 and Brady gets sacked. Yikes. 3rd and 35. Make it 3rd and 40 with delay of game. Good grief. A completion over the middle to Marcus Knight helps some, and Epstein's punt is a deep one.

'Bama opens up from their own 24, and on the first play Shaun Alexander gains the corner after a nice block on a LB (41) and it's 31 yards downfield where Whitley finally gets him. An illegal snap backs the Tide up to the M 49, but Alexander breaks a tackle and storms for 14. Apparently Brian Griese and Scott Dreisbach were the ones trying to recruit him when he took his official visit to Michigan, where he almost committed. The next run takes a while to develop and goes for minimal gain, but it's enough for the first. 'Bama Alternate QB Watts does what running QBs do, and scrambles on successive plays to take the Tide down to the 7 yard line. Alexander picks up about 3, and then takes it to the house on the next play. Michigan just can't fight through the blocks on the outsdide and there's no help available. Pflugu makes the PAT. 7-0, Alabama.

The TV angle is weird, but it looks like Cross would've been advised to let the kick sail out of bounds. Instead, we start from the 25. Brady sails a pass out of bounds to Walker. A-Train runs up the gut for a nice 7 yards thanks to some good second-level blocks. Brady from the gun throws to Thomas in the flat, but a block in the back call brings it back. DiAllo Johnson, that was USELESS and OBVIOUS. Marcus Knight comes across the middle and is dropped about five yards in front of the marker. Epstein's punt gives Freddie Milons a chance to return it and burns around the corner for a good gain, increased when Epstein gets called for a late hit (...I know).

Starting from the 31, the first play of the drive is an underthrown ball to the Michigan 9, but it connects and two plays later Shaun Alexander is in the endzone again. 14-0.

Present-day Terrell tells us they used to call Brady "Tomas".

Audio difficulties drop out the color team as Walter Cross takes the kick out to the 27 this time. Walter Cross: When you absolutely, definitely need to take a kick 5-10 yards longer than you'd get on a touchback. Drew Henson is shockingly the QB on the next series, throwing to A-Train for a short gain. Thomas takes the next handoff for nothing, then Henson from the gun pulls it down and scrambles for nine yards. Epstein punts again, a high kick that's fair-caught at the 20.

Bruce Madej talks about that sinking feeling you get when watching this type of Michigan football game. Bruce is everywhere on these retrospectives, and always does a great job walking the line between being the face of the athletic department and just being a Michigan fan.

4:40 left in the second quarter. Alexander picks up two, but it's laundry day and it's coming back. 1st and 19. Alexander should be caught five yards behind the line, but skates out of it for no gain. Watts is back in as Alexander leaks downfield in a pillowy soft part of the zone, but this one's coming back on yet another hold. From the 4, they give it to the fullback McClintock for a couple. ANOTHER flag, a very late one, and Victor Hobson's hanging with the zebras. Offsetting personal fouls. 3rd and 25. Alexander runs it up the middle, terrifyingly gets through the first group, but the second wave brings him down. DiAllo Johnson signals for the fair catch at the 50, but it's a halo violation (remember those?), so Michigan starts at the 'Bama 45.

Tom Brady is back in the ballgame and there's 2:36 to go. From the gun he hits Marquise Walker down at the 37. Thomas goes nowhwere on 2nd and 2. From the gun again, and it's Walker again on the same play. From the 30, quick out to DiAllo Johnson, who gets leveled for no YAC. 1:04 left, TO Michigan, 2nd and 7. Brady has loads and loads of time to find David Terrell on a seam. It's a perfect pass and Terrell hauls it in over his shoulder and takes one step into the endzone.

Terrell talks about how Brady makes everyone around him feel so confident, like he "injects" it in you.

14-7 after the PAT, and Terrell just smoked that safety. Great protection, great pass, nice catch by DT. The MMB is playing "Zoot Suit Riot", from our swing show that year for the Penn State game.

Epstein's line drive kick looks worrying, but 'Bama can't get past the 22. The Tide give it to Alexander again, because why not? Bob Griese reminds us of what a comeback team the Wolverines were in '99, how 9 of our games were within a TD. The half closes without anything important happening. Bring on Gladys Knight!

The Vault: 2000 Orange Bowl - First Quarter

Welcome back, my friends, to another edition of The Vault. Today we look at Tom Brady's greatest game in a Michigan uniform, the 2000 Orange Bowl. Michigan entered 9-2, having lost a lackluster game to MSU up in East Lansing and then letting a game against Illinois unravel the next week. A rocking 24-17 victory of Ohio State ended the regular season, and the #8 Wolverines prepared to meet #5 Alabama, SEC Champeens, in the Orange Bowl, amid Y2K hilarity. Without further ado, here we go.

Walter Cross handles the short opening kickoff and looks like he has a shot at a decent return, but he can't break through the wedge and Michigan starts with average field position.

On the first play, Michigan goes to the pass, which may have something to do with Alabama's #2-ranked rushing defense. It's a screen pass from Brady to Aaron Shea at fullback. Shea slips the first tackle, but is brought down after a five-yard gain. An ineffective Anthony Thomas run later, DiAllo Johnson can't reel in a Brady's pass 20 yards downfield and Michigan punts.

Alabama's return man, Freddie Milons, looks dangerous as he brings Hayden Epstein's punt back 17 yards, out to the 37.

'Bama's first possession, but the Tide QB goes all Brian Hoyer in overthrowing his man on a HORRENDOUSLY blown coverage. They pick up 5 on second, but Michigan knows a wide receiver screen when it sees one and Dhani Jones drops the third down man for no gain. The Million Dollar Band is already annoying.

Michigan's next possession begins at the 20 with a play-action pass to Shea as Brady sees 3 red shirts coming at him. The play loses a yard. A-Train picks up five tough yards to make it 3rd and 6. The bands are really high in this sound mix, it's not just 'Bama. David Terrell gets his first pass, a WR screen, but short of the first. Epstein boots a high one and the Crimson Tide will start near their own 40 again on the fair catch.

McClintock, the FB, plows ahead for a couple. SEC SPEEEEED false start. Alabama is using a QB rotation here, with Zow starting and Watts in on this series. Shaun Alexander gets the pitch and goes for 7, but a holding call takes them back to 2nd and 19. Four wideouts at the bottom of the screen? Screen pass! Despite the overloaded coverage team, Ron Bellamy limits it to 3 yards. Another short pass and the Tide have to punt.

A-Train goes nowhere, but Brady's 2nd down out to Marquise Walker nets about 8. 3rd + 1 = A-Train. The Tide clearly jumped into the neutral zone, but nary a flag, and 'Bama's 8 in the box stop him short. Alabama is so unconvinced by the fake punt that they don't have anyone back to field it, but it doesn't matter because Ian Gold takes the direct snap and gets some solid blockers in front of him. This is the first 1st down gained by either team. A-Train takes the safety valve pass and loses a yard. Thomas then tries to turn the corner, but Saleem Rasheed tracks him down for minimal gain. Brady from the gun hits Marcus Knight in the hands, but it's dropped. No matter, offsides on 'Bama. Aaron Shea takes another pass, but this time for a decent gain over the middle. However, there's laundry on the field. The rare 15-yard facemask is called on the offense, and boy this was obvious. Ziemann gave a good hard yank on the Crimson Tide lineman's facemask. You have to call that. Third and 26 and you can see the future Super Bowl MVP in Brady as he fires behind Terrell at his knees. Epstein's punt takes a lucky bounce and is downed at the Crimson Tide 31.

In an interview, present-day David Terrell tells us that Michigan's gameplan was the same as it has always been and always shall be as long as zebras roam the Earth: Establish the run. He would like us to know that, starting in the second quarter, that's what the O-line did.

Shaun Alexander takes it up the gut for 3. Alabama's LT is HUGE. Zow rolls out and ridiculously overthrows his man on a long bomb, but the guy was covered anyway. Milons, the WR, gets the handoff, breaks a tackle, and gets a first down for the Tide at the 45. The ABC crew cracks a Y2K joke when the play clock malfunctions. Topical! Alexander only gets two, but even that's coming back for another holding penalty. Handoff out of the gun to Alexander goes nowhere. Zow from the gun dumps it off to Alexander coming over the middle for nine. Zow is not playing great, overthrowing another receiver who was moderately well covered. Low snap and the punter shanks it dead right. The flag worries me, but it was for illegal formation, so Michigan will start with excellent field position after 'Bama gets MINUS ONE on the punt.

An A-Train run gives that yard right back and we hit the quarter break, 0-0.

Panoramas: Me Too!

While we're on the topic. Photos taken by on the field this Saturday by fellow MMB alum John Zalewski:

More Panoramas

The game may not have gone well, but the skies were perfect for some more panorama setup.

Again, I am using Photoshop's "Auto-Stitch" feature to make these,

Empty Stadium Full Size

PreGame01

PreGame02

On the last one, I love that it took 30 seconds to take the eight photos to make said panorama.

Lost in Transition

There are times where you look at something and for all of your experience, knowledge, wisdom, and desire to comprehend what you are seeing, it just doesn't make any sense. At times, it's a larger philosophical notion, like what is man's purpose on Earth or how do we know that reality is actually what we perceive it to be. Other times, it's just trying to figure out what you were seeing on the football field in front of you.

Yesterday was one of those days for the latter kind of days. So many questions, so few answers.

* How did Michigan look so good on offense in scoring two early touchdowns, only to completely regress for the remainder of the game?

* How did Michigan's defense forget to tackle after halftime?

* How could Michigan let Juice Williams beat us?

* How are we STILL fumbling the ball away?

* How are we failing to adjust?

* Where is the running game?

* Why did we go away from the play-action and Stephen Threet runs in the second half?

* Were the officials purposefully trying to miss obvious calls that would have benefited Michigan, or was it merely incompetence on their part?

* Do we have a secondary?

There were so many more, and I wish I had answers, but we're almost halfway through the season, and the lack of answers, one way or the other, is maddening. What I do know is when the last time that Michigan lost this badly to the Illini, it was the Red Grange game. That's probably not a good thing.

Where is the Wisconsin band?

When watching the Wisconsin-OSU game this weekend, you may notice something missing from the gameday atmosphere, and find yourself wondering "where is that harsh, shrill sound?"

Yes, it's true, the Wisconsin band has been suspended once again while "allegations of hazing, alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct are investigated."

This surely detracts from the gameday experience! Without the Wisconsin band, there will be nobody at the game to hop awkwardly around the field with their pitch wavering out of control. And then overwhelm your ears with such classics as "Tequila."

For shame.

WTI: WOOOOOOO!!!!

Craig:	Hello and once again, welcome to this, well, "comeback" edition of Whatever This Is. I'm Craig, and I'm a believer...
Geoff:	The single biggest comeback in Michigan Stadium history
Jeremy:	And what an emotional rollercoaster it was. When the lows are that low, the highs are that much higher.
Geoff:	-7 yards passing.
Craig:	Oh yes, oh yes. That's unpossible! And the run was going nowhere and balls were flying out of hands and I was staring 3-9's gaping maw in the face
Jeremy:	I was thinking about the S-word, and wondering how long it had been since we'd faced one. But then the second half happened!
Geoff:	1984. I looked it up.
Jeremy:	And that was on the road (home was 1960s, IIRC). [1967, 34-0 vs. MSU -ed]

Geoff:	That second half was wonderful. Everything started clicking. Once Threet was able to establish a downfield passing game, it opened everything up.
Craig:	Indeed, and I think that leaves us with a larger question
Jeremy:	Where do we go from here?
Craig:	While we can appreciate and enjoy the glory of last Saturday, so we have any sense of what it means for the short and long term future of this team. I'm taking the view that this is a perfect coaching win for Rich Rod: No quit from his team, but plenty of room for improvement
Geoff:	I think it shows that the offense is a work in progress and will advance in fits and starts.
Jeremy:	all season we've been subjected to brief glimpses of what can happen when, to quote David Boston, our offense and defense is clickin'.
Craig:	I think it is important that I feel we've seen growth, if painful
Jeremy:	It manifested for 20 minutes on Saturday and it was enough to pull out a win against a ranked opponent, but is it unreasonable to expect that level of play continuously for the rest of the season?
Craig:	That level? Yes. A level near that? No.
Geoff:	Yes, it is, unfortunately. It's not unreasonable to expect that level of intensity, or for them to bring that attitude on every down, but the execution errors aren't going to disappear for a while. At the same time, we should see them diminish throughout the season.
Craig:	We hope
Jeremy:	One thing that has been continuous, and we can keep counting on, is the obvious Barwis Effect in the 4th quarter.
Craig:	And the great thing about the Barwis Effect is that it now is tangible. The players believed it, but now it has a manifestation.
Jeremy:	My favorite moment was after Wisco's false start late in that quarter. After seeing the flag, Terrance Taylor points down the field, and struts -- arms swinging in front of him, legs kicking high -- STRUTS to the new LOS. As if to say "I could do this all day."
Craig:	But, I think we also need to realize, there was a bit of luck in that comeback. Michigan DID make the plays, but Wisconsin had some drops which cost them. Whether drops are "luck" remains to be seen, but there it is...a letter opener.
Craig:	Now, amazingly, lost in the sheer joy of Saturday was an exceptional halftime show, even if pre-game had a bad bad omen.
Jeremy:	Clearly the motivation came from everyone being able to Twist and Shout during halftime. Everyone around me had a sense of "screw it, let's dance," and really enjoyed it.
Geoff:	I was all ready mock the Wisconsin band for their lost plumes and then Cody loses his.
Jeremy:	Doing two backbends in one game may have made up for it
Craig:	My future brother in law noted that plumes always had to be paper clipped in and that kind of thing was inspected.
Geoff:	Yeah, we had plume locks inside our hats. I don't know how the drum major's is set up.
Jeremy:	Yes, the "plume lock" was an elaborate contraption.
Geoff:	The show took a while to set up, and the people around me weren't feeling all that patient until I told them what was going on, but everyone around me really enjoyed it.
Craig:	The Wisconsin fans around me were NOT getting that it was an homage to Ferris. I LOVED March of the Swivelheads, and thought that the movie clips were not only spot on, but had a great sense of both humor and inside baseball knowledge.
Jeremy:	The show managed to contain a larger MMB theme while successfully parodying a movie AND making fun of Big Ten schools.
Geoff:	Those were very well done. I wish we could have a copy of the show cut together and posted online.
Jeremy:	I'll admit I was skeptical -- would enough people get it? would it actually be funny? skit shows are risky! -- but quite pleased with the outcome.
Geoff:	"Jim Tressel? The wine cooler king of Columbus?"
Craig:	O-H-Oh-no!
Craig:	I agree, high risk, but I felt high reward. Cody did a fine job with his bits.
Craig:	By the way, did anyone else enjoy "Lloyd Carr: Associate Athletic Director" I know it's his new gig, but it was just "Wait, who is this random person??"
Geoff:	Yeah, it's another thing to get used to.
Jeremy:	What did you think of turning the MMB into a jukebox with the "request a song" feature?
Craig:	I thought it was a back door way for AT&T to get advertising in to Michigan Stadium without actually doing it.
Geoff:	Until "Across 110th Street" is an option, disapprove
Craig:	I am glad to see Cowbell quickly went away. And co-sign on Geoff
Jeremy:	I appreciated it both for its ability to get people to pay attention - if briefly - and for how it unceremoniously swept the cowbell gag under the rug.
Jeremy:	Apparently there's a similar deal for hockey band coming up where the right price will let you request two songs that they play (plus tickets and other incentives).
Geoff:	I hope they switch up the options week to week.
Craig:	I do as well, and honestly, I couldn't hear it, even though I knew what was going to win as soon as the options went up
Craig:	I shall look forward to the hockey band deal. I will request the long version of I Can't Turn You Loose for Halloween
Jeremy:	As long as they follow that up with the full Varsity
Geoff:	I was afraid Zep and Journey would cancel each other out, leaving NSYNC. But I underestimated the cultural impact of The Hills.
Craig:	And the fact that Brock Sampson was not in the house
Craig:	Now this week we see Illinois and the Blast From the Past. Geoff, this will be your first Blast, correct?
Geoff:	Yes, actually.
Jeremy:	Third for me. I couldn't wait; I'm a sucker for being able to play the Victors in the stadium.
Geoff:	Our show this week will be a medley from Jersey Boys.
Craig:	And I will not be on the field because, contrary to popular belief, I am just a fan, not an MMB alum. I mean, I'll be at the game, I have kicking seats this week
Craig:	I am hoping that the 75th Anniversary of "Temptation" gets mentioned this week
Geoff:	Me too.
Craig:	Have we mentioned that to someone with the authority to actually do something about it?
Jeremy:	Consider this the mention, readers.
Craig:	Will either of you be able to take cameras with you for your seats? Because now that I know how to do it, my panorama from the 47 is going to be sweet, I hope.
Jeremy:	oh, definitely. Part of the fun is how much more relaxed it is than having to perform in full uniform.
Geoff:	Do we have any expectations for the game itself?
Craig:	I think this is going to be another battle. I think Michigan will be brimming with confidence, tamped down by the fact that they do not start the game at halftime
Craig:	If they can get decent contain on Juice, I think that Michigan will have a good shot to make things happen. The offense will need to manage the game. 17-14 either way seems reasonable to me at this point
Geoff:	Arrelious Benn worries me. I don't think we've seen a receiver of his caliber yet this year. I expect to see a lot of Donovan Warren on him.
Jeremy:	The ground game should have more success this week. We stared down the "Inevitable 2nd and 12" too much on Saturday.
Craig:	I do have one other larger question: If Stephen Threet does nothing else in his career (which I hope is not true), has he secured a place in Michigan lore after last weekend?
Jeremy:	I say yes. He was Saturday's Phil Brabbs vs Washington.
Geoff:	You make a very good point, Jeremy. Stephen Threet will definitely be remembered for this moment. Beyond that, he'll have his stamp over the whole first year of the Rodriguez administration.
Craig:	I say yes, just because the image of the double crossed arms on his scramble will be locked in my head. The rarity of a Michigan quarterback taking off down the field, coupled with someone desperate not to fumble was a perfect marriage of what had happened and what was happening in that game.
Geoff:	I have to say, if Threet's ceiling is Navarre+, I don't mind that.
Craig:	Agree. When we do a WTI from the Vault, John Navarre will definitely be a topic, him versus Dennis Franklin for most underrated Michigan QB post 1968.
Craig:	But until that time, we're off for another week. I'm Craig...
Geoff:	I'm Geoff
Jeremy:	I'm Jeremy. Go Blue!
Craig:	Good night Ann Arbor! We love you!

"Nobody's Doormat"

Rich Rodriguez and son lead the Victors Walk

The DirecTV blimp makes a stop in Ann Arbor

Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger

Block M and Block M

Michael Phelps and other Michigan Olympians are honored during pregame

A different stadium panorama

You don't often see MMB members facing different ways, but it's part of Wisconsin's old school marching style. Five plumes would be lost this halftime, but we don't have room to talk when our drum major loses his in pregame.

I feel like I've seen this already.

SAVE CODY

Victory!

The Block M looks a little ragged in the celebration, but that seems appropriate.

Learning Photoshop

This image comes from yesterday's game and I was successfully able to merge four photos into one panoramic shot of Michigan Stadium before the game started.

Enjoy the original size here.

Don't Stop Believin'...

I was standing there in Section 15, Row 86 watching a debacle of a first half and trying to figure out what I was going to say about this week's game. Would I write about missed opportunities, or would it be about fumbles, or about how the defense was being let down by the offense and special teams? As I thought about this, Carl popped on over the PA and asked us to vote for which song the MMB would play in the third/fourth quarter break. I voted for the Zeppelin medley, because, well, it's Zep, but I knew that Journey would win out, it would be "Don't Stop Believin'"

At halftime, we were asked to "Save Cody" and while it was awesome, I was worried about who would Save Michigan.

Turns out, it would be Journey.

This column was going to be an open letter to the University of Wisconsin, calling out the representative sample of their fans who were seated near us as the most profane, belligerent, drunken, and overall negative fans I have ever had the displeasure to be associated with. With virtually two out of every three words coming out of their mouths either being an expletive or some dig on Michigan, it was hard to take. When they started mocking us with "It sucks...to be...a Michigan Wolverine", I just had to swallow my rage, because what else could I do? I sincerely hope that Michigan fans aren't like this on the road, and I don't believe they are, but I implore you, Michigan fans, when you go on the road, be respectful, polite, positive, and responsible. Don't be like the Badger fans we sat near. No one needs that. More on the opposing fans later.

When Michigan got a first down on the first offensive play of the second half, a huge sarcastic cheer went up for the maize and blue, but I noticed something, it was still a pretty solid crowd. Somehow being down 19-0 with just 20 yards on 20 plays (as Craig James later pointed out) in the first half had not dampened the spirits of Michigan fans. But no gain, +4, -5 and Michigan was forced to punt. (Side note: Lost in the heroes of yesterday must be Space Emperor Zoltan, who was fantastic on his directional punts, and averaged better than 41 yards per kick. Fielding Yost believed the game could be won on field position, and Zoltan's efforts yesterday should be acknowledged and celebrated.) It was progress, but only the smallest amount thereof. But Wisconsin's next drive, while lasting 11 plays and nearly six minutes, it only consumed 42 yards and Michigan had the ball back on the 20. It was time to go to work.

Threet's first pass fell incomplete, but then a 13 yarder to Greg Matthews for a first down and another sarcastic roar from the Big House crowd. A few plays later, and it's Kevin Grady following Mark Moundros through the hole to convert a fourth and one. It was big, but only because nothing else had been big to that point. Behind me, I heard the Wisconsin fans say something to the effect of "I don't know man, this is making me nervous, we should be up by more." I looked at it and I realized, it was possible. But you need to start with a touchdown. Eight plays later, Stephen Threet would find freshman tight end (wait, we still have those?) Kevin Koger for a 26 yard touchdown pass. I got up and cheered and commented, to no one in particular that "Hey, we're not dead yet." Badger fan just pointed at his watch and said "Not enough time." I thought to myself "Sure there is, if they can score 19 in the first half, we can score 20 in the second half."

My concern was now that the defense would just give it right back. The Big House was alive, loud when the Wolverines were on defense, and what everybody rooting Michigan on wanted was a three and out. Mission accomplished. There's plenty of time if you keep getting the ball back in just two minutes. But Michigan still needed scores, and they needed sevens, not threes. A Badger fan behind me yelled "This Stadium is SO BORING. PLAY MUSIC. Do SOMETHING." I was struck by the fact that there's something charmingly old school about Michigan football. We don't need gimmicks (though AT&T's partnership with the Athletic Department is foisting more than a few gimmicks on to us in the stadium. It's not really advertising if you're not actually advertising, right?)

As the Badger fans behind us did an a capella rendition of "Jump Around", at the other end of the field, Michigan's band was belting out "Don't Stop Believin'" and we were all in. We had full faith in the possibility that this comeback could happen, but I think many a Michigan fan was in the midst of a "doveryai, no proveryai" moment. A third and ten to start the fourth quarter was not exactly looking like it was going to work. Sure enough, two plays later, Zoltan was punting out of Michigan's end zone and the defense needed to save the day once again. They did it. A quick three and out and Michigan had the ball back on its own 15 and my belief that some form of specific, but unknown threat had been passed down by the Michigan coaches at half-time about the next player to turn the ball over seemed to be gathering evidence.

Greg Mathews made plays, with or without Stephen Threet's help, sometimes right on the numbers, other times leaping moving, and showing off his whole skill set. Michigan facing a 3rd and 15 and the drive looking dead was saved by a 15 yard roughing the passer call. Odoms for eight and then Threet's Semi-Fleet Feet scrambling for seven, and now it's Michigan 45 yards out and hitting Brandon Minor for 11 yards, and then Minor again, with a burst on a 34 yard rush. Now it was Wisconsin 19, Michigan 14 and momentum and the potential for something was afoot. For just the second time in twelve years of going to Michigan football games together, Dave turned to me and said "Uh oh, ______ hears footsteps." The first time was in 2004, when Sparty heard them. This time, it was Bucky's turn. The Badger fans behind us went from belligerent to angry, threatening to "kick the crap" out of the Michigan fan next to him. (Admittedly, I do think this was provoked, but I wasn't watching what happened behind me. The game was on the field. I did, however, use Michigan's new text message alerting system to let stadium personnel going on that we had a developing situation, but they did not arrive until the point was moot.)

So now you have ten minutes left and you are down five. You need something more. A three and out and a short field would be good, but a turnover would be better. John Thompson understands "better". He snagged a tipped pass out of the air, and started to rumble towards the end zone. But he needed help, and he got it, in the form of what Frank Beckmann called a "convoy" and what John Saunders called a "Spanish Armada". Touchdown, Michigan and the entire Big House is in pandemonium. As Section 15's upper reaches awaited a potential two point conversion, a cheer went up "It's great...to be...a Michigan Wolverine." It was, in my mind, premature, but I could hardly blame my fellow fans. They had heard it for three quarters from Badger fans, and now Wisconsin didn't even have "Scoreboard." They had heard the chants of "Notre Dame" and "Appalachian" and now Michigan had a lead, an improbable, unexpected, wholly confusing on some level lead, and though the two point conversion failed, Michigan was up one.

As an historian by trade, and a college football historian by passion, I knew too damn well than to start celebrating. A one point lead with 10:24 left to play is nothing. Everything could fall apart, and too often, the rally saps the team playing from behind of the emotion and the rally falls short in the end. But I had a theory, that this could hold. If Barwis was the relentless task master he was said to be, maybe superior conditioning could win the day. Michigan could still have something left in the tank. But they needed another quick stop to really make sure that this did not sour the exuberance that was filling the Big House at that moment.

4, -1, 6 left Wisconsin with 4th and 1 at their own 31, a punt put Michigan at its own 23, and there was 8:14 left to go. Michigan needed one more long drive, and a touchdown would be a dagger. It wouldn't seal the game, but it would make Wisconsin's job harder, because now they were the ones who didn't have enough time.

The first play, in my eyes, saw Brandon Minor get absolutely clocked by a Wisconsin defender and I thought "OK, maybe a loss of one...wait a second, why is Stephen Threet still....oh my God, he has the ball, Threet is running the ball!" Just like the comeback in the Metrodome in 2003, this was our Water Buffalo Stampede (actually, looking back, that would be the Thompson Interception, but I digress...) and Threet was covering the ball as if he had a diamond, first one hand, and then both arms. He was not losing the ball. No way, no how.

I've seen drives like this before, the one big play that gets you inside the red zone, only to falter when the defense stiffens. After the pass had been working, Michigan was now going to keep it on the ground. Grady for 4, McGuffie for 10, McGuffie for 2, Threet for nothing (bad snap, good recovery. It was a beige alert), Third and goal, and Boom, Sam slips it in. Lopata gets the Extra Point, and all of the sudden Michigan is up 8. It's real now, all too real, and it could slip away all too quickly.

If Wisconsin was going to rally, they now just had 5 minutes to move the ball 73 yards, because they needed the touchdown and a two point conversion. Surely somewhere, someone was cursing that missed field goal early in the first half, but nevertheless, this was the reality of now for the Badgers. Plus, the Brewers were losing, so it was not going well for them at all. I had shifted down a row into some empty seats in an attempt to build a DMZ between myself and the Badger fans, just in case.

Michigan's defense looked like it was bend, bend, bend, bend, allowing a large number of big plays, and all of the sudden, it was still loud, but now Michigan was the nervous fan base. Would everything that had happened be for naught? But no, Brandon Graham and Terrence Taylor ended a drive with a sack and fumble recovery. But now Michigan has the ball on its own eight and Wisconsin still has all three times out left. +3. Time out. +1. Time out. +3. Time out. 4th and three and Michigan punts, with Zoltan lofting one 49 yards out of bounds. Wisconsin will give it one last try from their own 36. A buck 19 left, and no times out, made tougher by a Brandon Graham sack for -7 on the first play.

I was not at Colorado in 1994, but I know that Colorado was going North to South. But every great Michigan comeback at the Big House had them going towards the North Endzone. Notre Dame in 1991, Virginia in 1995, Michigan State in 2004, all of the action was at that end. Now Wisconsin was heading that way and I began to wonder, as Wisconsin's hurry up looked really good, if the magic works both ways. When Everidge found Gilreath in the end zone from 22 yards out, it looked like perhaps it did (Note: Stevie Brown should get some credit here, as he laid a hit on Gilreath that SHOULD have knocked the ball loose, but alas, no dice.) Now it would all come down to a two point conversion, and if that worked, we were looking at overtime.

Michigan Stadium is a wonderful place to watch a game, but on occasion, when you're in one end zone, it is difficult to tell what is happening in the other. So I didn't realize that Travis Beckum has lined up in an illegal formation, I just saw he had caught the ball. Dave saw the flag, the hope, the chance. Sure enough, it was an ineligible man down field. Michigan had another chance, and this time, Everidge would sail the ball out of the back of the end zone (noted later on the highlights, it knocked the hat off an Ann Arbor police officer when the errant pass hit him in the head.)

The mood was jubilant, but I wasn't ready to celebrate yet. There were 13 seconds left on the clock and I knew an onside kick was coming. Colorado taught me many things and one is, only 0:00 assures a final result. But the onside kick went out of bounds safely, Threet returned, and victory formation was on.

Everything is better when your team wins, and it's magnified with a magnificent comeback. As I walked back to the Z's tailgate for some post game decompression, I got a text message from my fiancee that said everything I needed to know about her and about the game "This is why you watch football." And this is why you don't stop believin'. Because every so often, you see the impossible become the improbable, and the improbable become reality. A season may have been saved, a new program has a signature win, and we get to do to it all again next week.

Save Cody: 09/27/08

Save Cody: 09/27/08