Preview 2009: Sometimes When You're On

Part thirteen of the all-singing all-dancing season preview. Previously: The Story, 2009, quarterbacks, tailbacks, receivers, offensive line, secondary, linebackers, defensive line, special teams, offensive overview and predictions, defensive overview and predictions, and putting it on the record.

Note: Western preview upcoming with considerable assist from Tim. ETA about one hour, and then we're out.

This lives in glorious 720p if you've got the horsepower. Enjoy it in glorious 720p. Or enjoy it below. Paul did it.

[Update: Song is "A Better Son/Daughter" by Rilo Kiley. Album.]

A. Watch it. (If you watched it, go to D. Otherwise, go to B.)

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B. I told you to watch it. This is not optional. (If you watched it, go to D. Otherwise go to C.)

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C. I hate you so much. You don't win the World Series and are eaten by a dinosaur.

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D. It's pretty weird being a Michigan fan right now. Winningest program, relatively recent national title, six-of-seven losing streak against Blood Rival, 40 year bowl streak just broken, some guy who tells USA Today he "grew up in a holler," by which he means a dirt road, and "is the same guy [he's] always been" in charge of the whole broken enterprise. I don't think any of us expected to ever be here.

I told Paul I wanted a hype video along the lines that you saw above—unless of course you are currently inside the digestive track of a dinosaur, in which case what sort of wifi do you have?—and he was skeptical. "I've never put highlights to a waltz," he said. I told the girlfriend I told Paul I wanted a hype video along the lines above and she was incredulous. "But it's desperate and sad," she said. I was kind of like yeah… and? And then also I was kind of like "in desperation there's that shred of hope; people who are down and not desperate are resigned. I could be ignorant or desperate." Actually I didn't say that, I said something along the lines of "hi, I'm a Michigan fan, nice to meet you."

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E. By this point, I think Rich Rodriguez and the fan collective understand each other pretty good. Maybe we wanted people to conform to our idea of a "Michigan Man," but it turns out things just move towards an asymptote from opposite directions. Here we are on opposite sides of an unbridgeable gap, so close we can reach out our hands and touch.

I said earlier this week in The Story that last year was hard and apathetic. It's still hard, but goddammit I want Michigan to win.

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F. Football!

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G. I need a nap and a drink.