The Huge Show: 6 wins for UM
Bill Simonson picked 6 wins for UM. He seems to think that MSU will be much more difficult than I do. He also thinks we'll lose one of our first two games. He seems to think Purdue will likely beat us as well. He didn't go game by game, but he would go over bunches and then spew out a projected record. He also seems to overstate the defensive transition, and he kept calling it a "brand new defense" instead of calling it basically the same thing they ran last season.
I don't give his opinion any weight. But, he does typically like UM.
I see MSU, Purdue, and ND as virtual "lock" victories. I just don't see how those teams could've improved nearly as much as we likely will.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:48 PM ^
I wouldn't put ND as a lock. We beat them last year and they lost their QB, but they have a competent coach this year. Should be a tough one.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:51 PM ^
Yes, ND loses its QB and best receiver, but they are loaded with 5* talent, and they now finally have a coach that has a good shot at figuring out how to use it (unlike Charlie). I wouldn't underestimate ND this year . . .
August 17th, 2010 at 4:53 PM ^
...be surprised if they "figure it out" by week two. I'd be much more worried about ND in week 9 or 10.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:07 PM ^
Seems like everyone is ignoring the issue of our defense versus ND's.
We lost our best DB, D lineman (and best overall player) and our leading tackler.
ND lost two undrafted safties. And Teo didn't play against us last year.
Offense is a whole different story. We should be much improved and ND could regress or do just fine with Floyd, Rudolph, etc. Who knows.
As far as last year's game, we played our best game of the year by far and got a huge special teams contribution... and ND went on to beat MSU and Purdue, while we did not. I need to see how our defense does against UCONN before I even feel confident against ND.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:52 PM ^
...see any real improvement on their roster from last season to this season. I agree Kelly is an upgrade, but they should be less talented offensively this year. I don't see how they improve enought to beat an improved UM team. That said, road games are always scary.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:47 PM ^
That said, road games are always scary.
Especially road games in South Bend. Crazy sh*t happens to UM under the watchful eye of Touchdown Jesus.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:48 PM ^
And his prediction, much like everyone's, means nothing. Can't wait for September 4.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:49 PM ^
Again everyone has their own opinion, none of it matters. We will prove all of them haters wrong.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:56 PM ^
But I don't see any of those games as virtual locks. Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph are bonafied 1st round talents, and they will be going against our secondary which all of us can admit that at the present time is suspect at best. Throw in 4 running backs they can rotate, and a WR core that's as deep as anyone's to go along with a 5 star QB and defensive recruits playing the system they were originally recruited for and I'm worried. I don't see how you see that game as a virtual lock. Having said that, we're gonna kick their ass.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:57 PM ^
If there is anything we have learned from the last few seasons there is no such thing as guranteed wins or losses. Hopefully the team is prepared and we have a shot to win every game.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:06 PM ^
I'd go as far as to say that UMass is a guaranteed win. But I see your point.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:59 PM ^
he likes U of M. He is the ultimate bandwagoner. He gives his love to teams when they are performing well and he rides them pretty hard when they are struggling. In Michigan's case, he knows the Wolverines won't be down forever so the safe bet is to stay a Michigan football fan. I usually turn the station when he starts talking about RR though. He was all over him a year ago but he sure changed his tune at the end of this past season.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:01 PM ^
I worked for WBBL and Huge -- he is definitely middle of the road when it comes to teams. He doesn't favor MSU or UM -- Bosch is right.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:05 PM ^
we lost to App St. and beat Florida...in the same season.
no such thing as "locks."
August 17th, 2010 at 5:06 PM ^
I still like this guy's prediction the most!!! He really seems to know what he's talking about.........
August 17th, 2010 at 6:00 PM ^
This guy is really drinking the Kool-Aid. I really hope he's right.
August 17th, 2010 at 6:21 PM ^
Not going to lie, I don't who the fuck this guy is or how qualified he is to be making these predictions, but I was giddy watching him say those things about my team. 11-1 and a win over OSU? I didn't see that happening until next year!
August 17th, 2010 at 5:10 PM ^
...is that Bill Simonson tends to curry favor (aka "kiss ass") with the big name coaches and celebs who elect to appear on his show.
I think he's intentionally trying to set the bar low to help protect RR's job and to stay in RR's good graces.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:10 PM ^
polls in August are a shot in the dark. That being said, we will prove the uninformed wrong on many fronts this year. Go Blue !!!
August 17th, 2010 at 5:15 PM ^
...strikes again. SS, DD.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:16 PM ^
I predict 8 burgers for Siminson for his fat ass.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:27 PM ^
im sold! Im going to put $100 on each! Why not the return could be so profitable! JWB Just win baby!!!
August 17th, 2010 at 5:28 PM ^
I don't know about ND being a virtual lock. Historically, new ND coaches have a high level of success in their first game against Michigan.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:32 PM ^
Man, I remember listening to this idiot when I lived in EL, and it is reassuring to know that he hasn't changed one bit. As could care less what anyone has to say about this team - preseason prognostications are useless, especially when provided by guys who have a cursory knowledge of the teams and who has an incentive to be somewhat controversial to drum up phone calls and ratings.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:47 PM ^
Dude, MSU should be a fairly tough game. We will be improved, but they will be too. It's easy to want to call that game a win, and I think myself we've got a better than even chance of winning it, but it will not be easy. I mean, 6-6 or 7-5 is what most people were predicting at the end of last season. Chances are, 6-6 or 7-5 is what we are going to get. There is potential that we do better than that, but there isn't anything inherently "wrong" about predicting a 6 win season.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:50 PM ^
I also predict sparty will have several more arrest before and through out the season.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:57 PM ^
It could definetely be 6-6 at the end due to defensive problems and our kickin game. Also, we still have young quarterbacks and unproven running backs. That being said, I think we will beat Notre Dame, MSU and Purdue to get to 9 wins. MSU and ND are toss ups though. Both games were extremely close last year and both return a good amount of talent, just like we do. The big question mark is how well does ND transition and how good is Dayne Christ.
Finally, I agree that there are no "locks" for Michigan anymore, but I fully expect us to put a beatdown on Purdue. I know they have some talent, but goddammit if we lose to those bastards three years in a row.
August 17th, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^
Come on dude, locks? MSU and ND are tossups. Purdue is far from a guaranteed win, especially if Marve isn't sucking, like people are saying. We're 1-5 against those teams in the last 2 years. I think ND will be around the same, possibly slightly better, but only because Weis isn't there to blow games anymore. MSU will be better, and Purdue won't be easy, because they're at home.
August 17th, 2010 at 6:11 PM ^
I think we are 7 point underdogs in Vegas to ND. How you consider that a "lock" - I have no freaking idea.
August 17th, 2010 at 6:33 PM ^
We should beat MSU. I predict 5-1 start. Hopefully it will be a start to a very surprising season (from the media's perspective). There is nothing I would love more to see RR shove it down the media's throat.
August 17th, 2010 at 6:38 PM ^
is a "lock" is more than a little ignorant of our history down there.
1980 ND 29 UM 27
1982 ND 23 UM 17 - Michigan ranked #10, ND #20
1988 ND 19 UM 17 - Michigan ranked #9, ND #13
1990 ND 28 UM 24
1998 ND 36 UM 20 - Michigan ranked #5, ND #22
2002 ND 25 UM 23 - Michigan ranked #7, ND #20
2004 ND 28 UM 20 - Michigan ranked #8, ND unranked
2008 ND 35 UM 17
Go ahead and disregard the 2008 loss if you want; the point is that we have gone down to South Bend with much better teams than we have this year, and faced worse coaches than Brian Kelly, and still lost. And now take TW off the field against their receivers, and Kelly has to be licking his chops. Our offense better be operating in high gear.
August 17th, 2010 at 11:27 PM ^
Bill Simonson is a jack-ass. I live in GR and have had to listen to that idiot's show more than I care to admit. He is an apologist for anyone that will come on his crappy show. His show is a 3 hour infomercial for his sponsors, and he will kiss the ass of any team/university/celebrity that is willing to come on his sorry excuse for a talk show. He is the epitome of a media whore. He can land nearly any in-state big name because they all know he asks cream puff questions and dances around hot-button issues. I can't even hear his voice without cringing. He doesn't do prep for his show, he lets the callers give their stupid opinions over and over and over. I don't care what Edna in Clio predicts the score of the US vs Ghana soccer match will be. Dammit.
Sorry. I know this is a tangent, but I hate that hack's show. Ugh.
August 17th, 2010 at 11:53 PM ^
Puff Puff Pass.. After this latest injury no game, outside the cream puffs, is a lock.