spring game

Preview: Spring Game Comment Count

Brian

michigan-logoThe Essentials

WHAT Michigan v. Michigan
WHERE Michigan Stadium
WHEN 1 PM, April 16th 2010
THE LINE Fun –7!
TELEVISION BTN live stream (2.99) or
BTN tape delay @ 8 PM
WEATHER 40 degrees at 8 AM warming to about 47 by game time. Windy, slight chance of rain.
 
Michigan has a dossier of information here. The important stuff:
  • Michigan's lots are open and free to the public, but the golf course is closed and Pioneer is charging thirty bucks.
  • Stadium gates at 10 AM.
  • EIGHT FOOT CHARLES WOODSON BOBBLEHEAD.

With the weather looking slightly nasty, parking probably won't be a problem.

Assorted Activities

Locker Room Tours: Friday 6:30-8 PM and Saturday 7-9:30 AM.

Alumni Flag Football Game: 11 AM start at Michigan Stadium

Softball vs Northwestern: 6 PM @ Alumni Field, also 3 PM Sunday.

Men's Lacrosse v. Purdue: 7 PM @ Oosterbaan Fieldhouse.

Men's Tennis vs Notre Dame: Noon Sunday.

Michigan Run Defense vs. Michigan

Uh… how about…

A General Philosophy For Watching This Thing

Other than "have a good time with the closest thing to football you'll see in months": paradoxically, you'll probably learn the most by observing the players you've already seen a lot of, because those players will be going up against other Michigan players you don't know anything about and you'll have a baseline to compare them against. Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of one-on-one matchups that promise to put an experienced player up against a noob, especially if they don't run ones versus ones. If and when they do:

  • Taylor Lewan is likely to be blocking a blitzing Craig Roh, Ryan Van Bergen, or Greg Banks.
  • Troy Woolfolk will probably be locked up on an inexperienced wide receiver much of the time he's out there (if he's out there much at all).
  • Will Campbell will contend with a couple of guards who we've seen play.
  • Experienced tight ends will be going up against Michigan's new spurs and recently deployed linebacker Craig Roh.

Other than that, I'll be doing what most people will: anxiously attempting to see Denard Robinson's rumored improvement, trying to figure out what's up with Justin Turner, doing a hype check on everyone named Gordon, and hoping like hell the first defense seems tough to run against and not particularly prone to giving up the big play. Seeing the 3-3-5 in extended action will be interesting, as well. Also there's that Devin Gardner guy and the tailback war.

There's plenty to check out this year, which will be fun tomorrow and paralyzingly fear-inducing for UConn. A roundup and impressions post of epic length will naturally appear in this space on Monday.

Comments

rastafari

April 16th, 2010 at 11:13 AM ^

from attending this game. We need to support our players and team. Recruits need to be awe inspired by our turnout. Cold or not. It's football and a chance to see our guys in action. They are doing their part now we need to do ours! BE THERE TOMORROW!! Go Blue!!!

Joined: 05/15/2009

MGoPoints: 306

Seth

April 16th, 2010 at 11:16 AM ^

I'm getting this request in early: Any recaps and video should have MORE Christopher Walken. If you have finished your recap or your highlight video and are wondering "does this have enough Christopher Walken?" then you need more Christopher Walken. See you there!

Joined: 10/14/2008

MGoPoints: 149072

BigCat14

April 16th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^

going to see my first spring game with my awesome wife our good friends. i have been to regular season games, however i am stoked about the tours, the alumni, the possible future wolverines and of course the current football headbangers. i am anxious to see how many fans fill the stands, GO BLUE!

Joined: 09/14/2009

MGoPoints: 1141

sheepman

April 16th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^

Bringing my three-year-old for his first BIG house experience! Very excited. Right now, he is claiming to be Buckeye fan (just to be a shit head), I hope this day shocks him into submission. Any parents out there have any advice?

Joined: 02/05/2009

MGoPoints: 5075

Seth

April 16th, 2010 at 12:42 PM ^

Next fun thing you're about to do (remember for 3-year-olds "fun" is pretty relative when it's something daddy's about to do), announce very loudly that "All the Michigan fans are going to [x]" Where x may equal=
  • Get ice cream
  • The hardware store
  • Work on the sprinkler system.
Three-year olds and dogs can't stand to be left behind when there looks to be any type of potential fun. It is their kryptonite.

Joined: 10/14/2008

MGoPoints: 149072

Wendyk5

April 16th, 2010 at 1:27 PM ^

in that right now, my 9 year old son is a huge Michigan fan. But my brother's son was an Illini fan his entire life and ended up in the 11th hour going to Michigan afterall. Both my brother and his wife went to Michigan. So if you have the kind of kid who needs to separate himself from his parents (like my nephew), don't push too hard, let him have some space, make sure he continues to get a taste of how great Michigan is even as he insists he's a Buckeye fan (that must be hard), and eventually he'll come around.

Joined: 11/20/2008

MGoPoints: 67511

tubauberalles

April 16th, 2010 at 2:10 PM ^

As the father of three, I decided early on to leverage that sweet bedtime and its soothing rituals for the greater good. I've been singing the Victors and Yellow and Blue to my kids since day one. My wife (Colorado College alum, but her only college apparel is UM-related now) will sing Twinkle Twinkle or You Are My Sunshine and then I close the deal with my own soothing renditions. I will say that most of them do go through a short rebellious stage in their 3's where they may take a poke at dad's dear Michigan, but it's short lived - particularly if you employ other tools as have been suggested by others already (Misopogon FTW).

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 3068

zlionsfan

April 16th, 2010 at 4:56 PM ^

so keep that in mind ... but I think this may call for the sort of hyperbole rarely found outside sports rivalries. Just casually mention to your son that it's a good thing that you aren't a Buckeye fan, because you know, Ohio State parents have been known to sell their children to gypsies and AAU coaches. This may produce tears. If so, just console him by telling him you were kidding about the gypsy part.

Joined: 10/31/2008

MGoPoints: 671

Don

April 16th, 2010 at 12:06 PM ^

Be careful what you wish for. If this transpires, multiple threads will bewail the sorry state of an offense that can't move the freakin' ball against a young, thin, and inexperienced defense.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148237

WolvinLA2

April 16th, 2010 at 1:20 PM ^

I know I said this before on another thread, but it bears repeating. Every tv provider, dish or cable, in my area carries BTN. Wait, except one, the only one available in my complex, and our windows don't face the right way for a dish. FUCK CHARTER CABLE. Everything about it, including this one monumental thing, blows, real hard. Please please if you have Charter, switch to something else so they go out of business ASAP and I can get TWC or ATT or something. Thank you.

Joined: 11/13/2009

MGoPoints: 58191

tk47

April 16th, 2010 at 1:53 PM ^

I have Charter too and am glad somebody else hates it as much as I do. I actually get BTN so I can't complain about that, but you're preaching to the choir about how much it sucks in general (expensive, very few HD channels, etc). I keep waiting for AT&T to bring U-Verse to my area but it looks like it won't happen anytime soon. I don't want to get a dish because of the 2-year commitment or whatever, so I'm stuck with Charter for the forseeable future.

Joined: 06/13/2009

MGoPoints: 1047