Diaries

There have been a lot of requests for this to become a recurring feature (as it was on Varsity Blue), so I'll post the rankings weekly in the diaries, and frontpage it occasionally. The team rankings are very rough estimates until the services have released more full individual grades.

Action since last rankings:

3-12-10 Indiana gains commitment from Mike Replogle.
3-15-10 Ohio State gains commitment from Antonio Underwood.
3-16-10 Ohio State gains commitments from Brian Bobek, Chase Farris, and DerJuan Gambrell.
3-20-10 Notre Dame gains commitment from Brad Carrico

Big Ten Recruiting Class Rankings
Rank	School	# of Commits	Rivals 250	Scout Average	ESPN 150
1	Ohio State	7	1	1.86	1
2	Minnesota	3	1	2.67	2
3	Michigan	3	1	1.67	1
4	Michigan State	2	1	3.00	1
5	Notre Dame	1	0	3.00	0
t-6	Illinois	1	0	1.00	0
t-6	Indiana	1	0	1.00	0
t-6	Northwestern	1	0	1.00	0
9	Iowa	0	0	0	0
10	Penn State	0	0	0	0
11	Purdue	0	0	0	0
12	Wisconsin	0	0	0	0

I'll only make charts for the teams that currently have commits. Rivals 250 means that a given prospect is on the Rivals 250 to Watch, and ESPN 150 means that a prospect is on the Watch List for the ESPNU 150. Scout ratings are on the 5-star scale.

#1 Ohio State - 7 Commits
Name	Position	Rivals	Scout	ESPN
Steve Miller	DE	250	4	150*
Kenny Hayes	DE	250	4	46
Chris Carter	OL	NR	1	45
Antonio Underwood	OL	NR	1	45
DerJuan Gambrell	CB	NR	1	45
Chase Farris	DE	NR	1	45
Brian Bobek	OL	NR	1	45

A huge week for the Buckeyes sees them get several commitments.

#2 Minnesota - 3 Commits
Name	Position	Rivals	Scout	ESPN
Tommy Olson	OL	250	3	150*
Calvin Phillips	RB	NR	4	150*
James Farrow	CB	NR	1	46

No change for the Gophers.

#3 Michigan - 3 Commits
Name	Position	Rivals	Scout	ESPN
Delonte Hollowell	CB	250	3	150*
Greg Brown	CB	NR	1	46
Shawn Conway	WR	NR	1	45

Wolverine fans are itching for another commit, but it doesn't seem like Brennen Beyer and/or Anthony Zettel is close to picking the Wolverines anymore.

#4 Michigan State - 2 Commits
Name	Position	Rivals	Scout	ESPN
Lawrence Thomas	LB	250	5	150*
Onaje Miller	RB/Ath	NR	1	45

Two instaters for the Spartans.

#5 Notre Dame - 1 Commit
Name	Position	Rivals	Scout	ESPN
Brad Carrico	OL	NR	3	45

The Irish pick up longtime lean Brad Carrico at their Junior Day.

#6 Illinois - 1 Commit
Name	Position	Rivals	Scout	ESPN
Hunter Wells	OL	NR	1	45

Zook has got to be recruiting for his life this year.

#6 Indiana - 1 Commit
Name	Position	Rivals	Scout	ESPN
Mike Replogle	LB	NR	1	45

The Hoosiers get the younger brother of Adam and Tyler Replogle.

#5 Northwestern - 1 Commit
Name	Position	Rivals	Scout	ESPN
Jarrell Williams	CB	NR	1	45

Northwestern holds steady with one prospect.

Ron Mason has been the head coach of three CCHA schools and is perhaps the greatest NCAA hockey coach ever.  So much so, that the CCHA named its trophy after him before he even retired.  I am not seriously suggesting that they should change the name of the tropy to the Berenson-Mason trophy, but I am saying that Berenson is every bit as good of a coach as Mason.

Berenson turned around a struggling UofM program and turned them into the most consistent program in NCAA history, finishing in 1st or 2nd place in 18 of the last 20 CCHA regular seasons. 

It is hard to argue against his 23 straight winning seasons and his 20 straight NCAA playoff appearances, which is an all time historical NCAA record...and counting.  Berenson also won the NHL coach of the year with the Saint Louis Blues in the 1980-81 season, proving that he can get the job done at all levels.

Head to Head comparisons:

Ron Mason > 36 seasons with 3 CCHA teams
Red Berenson > 26 seasons with 1 CCHA team


Ron Mason > 924 wins (25.6 a year)
Red Berenson > 698 wins (26.8 a year)

Ron Mason > 24 NCAA playoff appearances
Red Berenson > 20 NCAA playoff appearances
 
Ron Mason > 8 Frozen Four Appearances
Red Berenson > 10 Frozen Four Appearances
 
Ron Mason > 2 NCAA Titles
Red Berenson > 2 NCAA Titles

Ron Mason > Longest NCAA appearance streak: 9 seasons
Red Berenson > Longest NCAA appearance streak: 20 seasons

Ron Mason > Longest streak without a losing seaon: 13 (with LSSU and BGSU, 11 at MSU)
Red Berenson > Longest streak without a losing seaon: 23

Ron Mason > NCAA Hockey Coach of the year 1992
Red Berenson > NCAA Hockey Coach of the year 2008

EDIT: I failed with my table, so I just switched to this awkward format.

Michigan		vs		Fordham
Friday 2:30pm, Mets Spring Training Complex #7, Port St. Lucie, FL
Matt Miller (0-2, 4.58 ERA)		vs		J.P. Mack (0-2, 9.58ERA)
Stats
Notes: This is on field #7, and the first meeting between the programs
Michigan		vs		Fordham
Saturday 11am, Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie, FL
Alan Oaks (1-3, 2.73ERA)		vs		Max Krakowiak (0-2, 4.64ERA)
Stats
Notes:
Michigan		vs		Fordham
Following Game One, Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie, FL
Bobby Brosnahan (0-2, 7.71ERA)		vs		Rich Anastasi (0-1, 3.07ERA)
Stats
Notes: Second game of a double header.
Michigan		vs		NY Mets
Sunday 11am, Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie, FL
TBA		vs		TBA
Stats					TICKETS
Notes: Michigan trails 0-1-1 in the all time exhibition history. This game counts for nothing in the standings, just fun for the fans and those involved, unless you're Billy Wagner.

I'm still swamped with real life – hence the lack of a Coastal review- so shortened version of the Fordham preview after the jump. No Mets as this game means nothing.

I published the following blog entry the night before last year's NCAA championship.  I bring it up because the tourney is starting anew, and State is still a punchline in virtue.  And I know it will get more reads here than my blog ever did.

Our Colors Don't Mix

One reason I wanted to avoid a headline like "Sparty sucks", or "Michigan State Eats Cock" is because crass is not a decent substitute for clever. Clever is a Michigan thing.

Michigan State exists because not everyone who can't get into Michigan wants to live for 5 years in Mt Pleasant or Big Rapids.

My friends who have been cheering for State should remember that they are not Spartans. They are Wolverines. Wolverines do not cheer for Spartans.

Mark Dantonio (State football coach) was actually quite clear on this point. He was quite adamant that no Spartan would root for Michigan to beat OSU last November, even though a Michigan upset would potentially send MSU to the Rose Bowl.

This is also that same coach who decided to ridicule Mike Hart's height after Hart concluded a 4-year, 711 yard career sweep of the Spartans. I know this because I immortalized it on the t-shirt I was wearing tonight while rooting against State.

This is the same school who responded to a season hockey sweep by goonery, and beating the hell out of Steve Kampfer while he lay face down and unconscious on the ice. The State News defended the incident by claiming a Michigan starter shouldn't have been playing in the final minutes of a game with a 2-goal lead.

Many warmy and fuzzy soft news pieces are gushing over the home-court favorite Spartans, and the meaning and identity of this team to the State of Michigan. Bullshit! Is Sparty what we really need to represent the State of Michigan and city of Detroit? Sparty is the goddamn problem!

In a city with a crumbling school system and violent crime, to we really need to idolize an athletic program ripe with early draft defectors (Taylor, Randolph, Brown, Peterson, Cleaves et al.) and trigger-happy holsterless pistoleers (See: Plaxico Burress)?

Should we expect the combination of expansive Detroit urban home abandonment and a student body with a history for arson to result in anything beneficial, win or lose?

While Michigan's auto rival states in the South gloat over Detroit's fall, should we emulate a program that gloats in this year's downturn of the Michigan football program? (http://blog.mlive.com/ganggreen/2008/10/dantonios_moment_of_silence_co.html)

I don't mean to be apocalyptic, and I am not particularly religious. But you reap what you sow, be careful what calf you put on a golden pedestal, etc. etc. Of my friends, Michigan alum aplenty, we should be mindful that Detroit (and the state of Michigan) can still succeed IN SPITE OF the values represented by Michigan State.

So let me remind you of the meaning of rivalry, loyalty, and thoroughness. 1) If I wanted to cheer for Michigan State, I would have applied there.2) I am a Wolverine, and I do not cheer for Spartans. 3) I do not want the Spartans to succeed, in either the name of the State or the Big Ten, because the Spartans lack class and values.

(previously posted by author on guerrillarant.blogspot.com)

Welcome to the inaugural issue of RAWK&RULE! Around here, we're inspired by things we consider purely awesome. In the first issue, we're exploring changes to the Michigan Stadium gameday experience, a discussion brought forth by the news of a potential night game between the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and your very own Meeeechigan Wolverines. Possible night game @ The Big House 


First, a checklist of things that are pure awesome we would like to see at games: RAWK music? check 
Night game? check 
HYP-P-P-P-PE VIDEOOOOOOOOS!!!(with annoying announcer guy)? check 
MAIZE JERSEYS 
SMOKE MACHINES 
FIREWORKS?? 
A GIANT WOLVERINE HEAD TO RUN OUT OF? 
We look to the Chicago Bears introductions for inspiration: 





As for the Wolverine to run out of, we have two choices for the "style": 

First Example: The full snarling/attack position wolverine. In this configuration, the players run out from underneath the wolverine. This type of wolverine intro would imply the players are protected by it, like, "Don't mess with us...we've got this ANGRY wolverine backing us up." Which...ok, it looks frightening from the front, but from the sides or back, not so much. This is a big issue for me considering the position of the tunnel at Michigan Stadium. See picture below. Note: Maize jerseys provide maximum intimidation factor (like the Orange jerseys pictured definitely achieve.) 

 
 
Second Example: The head of the Wolverine appears to be coming out of the ground. In this configuration, the players run out of the mouth of the Wolverine. This implies, "We're so TUFF even this scary-ass wolverine couldn't eat us. We're gonna destroy you!". I prefer this method, as the visual is better from all angles, the giant teeth would be pretty scary, and it would achieve maximum intimidation for opposing players and fans. 

 

Stay tuned: In the next issue of RAWK&RULE, we'll discuss the awesome power of intimidation with eye black.... 

I noticed this article over at thebiglead.com, noticed it was written by tyduffy, and figured it would be a hatchet job. Good to know I wasn't disappointed.

The premise is that Birkett should not have been reprimanded for his "snarky" comment regarding Dorsey in the chat a couple of days ago. Now, without rehashing what others have said, I'll remind people that we are talking about a grown man on one side, with a captive audience and the ability to have his voice heard across a broad range of mediums, and a teenager who was just accepted to the University of Michigan to play football but with some skeletons in his closet. Those skeletons were dealt with by the legal system and his record is officially clean, but in the court of public opinion he certainly has a stained and imperfect reputation.

I think what people like tyduffy forget is that we are still talking about teenagers when we rail against recruits, and while this is not necessarily the case with Dorsey, oftentimes they come from less-than-ideal backgrounds both socially and economically. For some reason, we expect these young boys to act like professional athletes, scholars, and good citizens, completely ignoring the fact that many of their peers could barely qualify in one or two of these categories when they step onto campuses across America.

15- and 16-year-olds make mistakes all the time, breaking laws and social norms in ways that are perplexing to the 20, 30, 40, and 50-somethings that love to pass judgment on them. That doesn't mean we should condone delinquency in minors, but we should also not brand them as incurable and cast them off forever. To do so would be an unnecessary overreaction to the maturation process that everyone has gone through in their lives and needlessly imposing draconian punishment on relatively minor offenses; the proverbial "throwing out the baby with the bath water."

It is clear that Demar Dorsey was involved in some activities that, at best immature and at worst criminal. But the legal system took stock of these offenses and meted out a punishment (community service and rehabilitation) it felt was appropriate. Now if you have an issue with the punishment, take it up with the Florida legal system, but don't impugn Dorsey's character simply because he complied with their orders.

Tyduffy counters that while the legal system may be content, society at large should not be some quick to accept Dorsey back:

If someone pled down from convictions in two sexual assault cases and was acquitted at trial in a third, he doesn’t deserve to be treated as upstanding when he applies to coach the girls’ soccer team. AnnArbor.com acting as though he’s wholly innocent is laughable.

Now, beyond getting into the extremely tenuous and misguided logic applied here (comparing a potential rapist to a 17-year-old who stole some electronics), the author clearly is of the opinion that Dorsey is guilty of greater offenses than he admitted to, and that he escaped his "proper" punishment. Now, as an equal citizen under law, men like Tyduffy and Birkett is entitled to their opinions; but so is Rich Rodriguez, the UM athletic department, the admissions office, and everyone else who signed off on Dorsey being admitted to UM. Society allows you to be unhappy, but it doesn't mean everyone else has to share in your unhappiness.

But the author goes on to argue the rather obvious:

Demar Dorsey is receiving a second chance, because he’s a talented football player. As a mere student, that marred past most likely would have kept him from being admitted. Apparently, improving the football team trumps kids feeling safe with their laptops in the dorms.

Yes, Demar Dorsey received a second chance because he is good at football. And guess what - this favortism has been going on since the beginning of organized sports, and will continue well after Demar Dorsey leaves UM. Of course, if both his parents were alums, he was a valedictorian from a disadvantage region, he penned a popular or critically-lauded short story, or was a genius programmer, perhaps his transgressions would also have been overlooked. We have no idea how often such "exceptions" are made for other students because those stories aren't bandied about on talk radio, dragged out in excruciating detail by talking heads on ESPN, or haphazardly vilified by largely anonymous bloggers. They occur behind closed doors and in dusky admissions offices across America, and those individuals go on with their lives. Some surely fall into recidivism, but others learn from their mistakes and become upstanding members of society. They are given second chances because someone, somewhere decides that just because you make a mistake when you were 17 shouldn't define who you are for the rest of your life.

Now this post has gone on for far longer than I expected, so I'll be brief - Birkett's comment probably wasn't meant to be as offensive as it appeared, but it was also immature and unnecessary. This was acknowledged, and both sides would be best served to move on. But as for authors like Tyduffy who demand their pound of flesh from everyone who seems to have "beaten" the system, remember that just because you choose not to give someone the benefit of the doubt doesn't mean they shouldn't be given a second chance to prove you wrong.