Unverified Voracity Plays Underwater Basketball Comment Count

Brian

Media Day photos. Via Eric Upchurch:

Michigan Football Media Day 2015 (Upchurch)

Events! Upcoming things:

  • TONIGHT, Ann Arbor: we have an HTTV thing at Literati at 7 PM.
  • August 11th, Washington DC: Season preview. Intimately titled.
  • August 12th, New York: Season preview. Seventh(!) annual. Wow. Do not attend both, they will be the same thing.
  • September 1st, Ann Arbor: John U Bacon discusses BRANDON'S LASTING LESSONS at Rackham.

Events this year with the Chicago and Philly clubs did not come off, but Philly has an event with half a dozen lettermen on the 29th.

Trollin' trollin' trollin' trollin'. Jim Harbaugh took questions from adorable children.

Moments later he said Michigan was about to go in a "submarine" and that you wouldn't hear from them for a while. Media members in attendance snapped their pencils in dismay.

Except this one. Drew Sharp, everybody!

Wear some damn socks.

Simplified, maize-r. Michigan wore last year's jerseys at Media Day but even so there was a clear change to the uniforms this year:

This naturally leads to a discussion about lighting and camera stuff but multiple reports from media day report that the maize is darker. Also: Harbaugh was probably so incensed by uniform clutter he sewed the flaps that cover up the superfluous block M himself.

Fewer seats. Michigan loses 2,300 seats, mostly for ADA compliance reasons:

The most noticeable changes to Stadium seating relate to ADA accessibility, as seats had to be eliminated in order to widen aisles and install hand railings around the entire bowl with the exception of the student seating section.

Michigan still has the largest capacity in the country, and they will actually fill it this year. Also:

J. Ira and Nikki Harris Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh

Did they drop the "Family" from the still-very-unwieldy endowment there?

Sounds un-good. Linebacker Mike McCray told Mike Spath that he's going to miss a chunk of this season with an undisclosed injury. The way he talked about it seemed a bit ominous for his recovery prospects, as well. McCray on Durkin:

"He told me they're not giving up on me, and to keep fighting to get back, so I've been coming out to 7-on-7s and doing everything I can to stay part of the team, and my teammates have been helping me out with that a lot too."

If we don't see him at all this year he would be in Chris Fox territory, wherein everyone is waiting for the news he's transitioned to a student assistant. Hopefully it doesn't come to that and we at least see him on special teams some.

Okay then. Harbaugh had a direct answer to the minor fifth year kerfuffle caused by Keith Heitzman's comments to the Columbus Dispatch:

"The fifth year has to be a mutual decision," he said. "Nothing is guaranteed except the opportunity to take that spot. Do you want to come back for a fifth year and does the football team want you back?"

Apparently some guys were put on the "impress me" block and some were not. FWIW, I've heard that Countess was not one of those guys—they expected him to stay and were expecting to play him a lot.

Somebody didn't read BRANDON'S LASTING LESSONS. Minnesota's AD has resigned because he started drunk-sexting colleagues late at night. Athletic directors: typing anything after 9 PM is like feeding Gizmo after midnight.

Battle bracket. Basketball's tourney has a bracket:

image

UConn first, then one of Syracuse/Charlotte. Looks like we get to find out what "AXS" is and if anyone in the state gets it, as the opener is on it.

UConn was 20-15 in the American last year and bounced from the first round of the NIT; they lose Ryan Boatright, their highest-usage player, but return everyone else. Syracuse was 18-13 and 9-9 in the ACC; they did not have a postseason because they took the ever-popular midseason NCAA sanctions after Jim Boeheim got nailed for all manner of malfeasance. They lose C Rakeem Christmas but return everyone else. Charlotte was 14-18 last year and looks pretty bad.

Shooting is shooting. Brendan Quinn profiles Duncan Robinson:

The thought of Robinson playing for Beilein -- "He's born to play the system," Maker says -- made too much sense, so a phone call was made and film was sent.

Trusting Maker, Beilein called Robinson before watching the game film. He reached out as a courtesy to tell Robinson that Michigan might be interest in him as a preferred walk-on.

Robinson was flattered, but not interested. Plenty of Division I programs were offering scholarships now.

Then, one week later, a second phone call was made.

"OK, I saw you play," Beilein told Robinson. "Forget the walk-on stuff. We're talking about a scholarship. I want to get you here for an official visit."

Excellent piece; go read it.

One return. Zach Werenski will return to Yost:

Werenski confirmed for NHL.com that he will return to the University of Michigan for his sophomore year.There was speculation that the 6-foot-2, 221-pound left-handed shot would play for London of the Ontario Hockey League in 2015-16. London selected Werenski in the second round (No. 24) of the 2013 OHL draft.

Losing him would have been very, very bad on top of the Copp and Larkin departures.

Etc.: Hiring NFL people to coach college offenses is usually a disaster. Lawnmower men. The Ferry Field gate. BYU loses its starting running back. The Big Ten's new scheduling rules are also about money.

Comments

The Carter 16

August 7th, 2015 at 8:01 PM ^

They also do festivals, I know they did Coachella 2015 and had about 4hrs of material for that.   Pretty sure they did NOLA Jazz and Heritage as well.  Can't speak to the tribute band thing 

alum96

August 7th, 2015 at 3:46 PM ^

Damn that McCray news is not good.

Most everyone had him and Gedeon as 2 of the 3 LBs next year.

If he cant go we're talking Wangler Furbush or true freshmen.   Gant seems a non entity, Winovich wont be practicing LB this year, and Furbush has been injured for nearly 2 yrs straight too.  Even if he gets back sounds like he is missing just about this entire year so all that practice time is gone.  Makes me scratch my head even more on the Winovich move to offense.

alum96

August 7th, 2015 at 4:09 PM ^

Yep, I wish Ferns had stuck it out 90 more days.  He sounded like Harbaugh DNA and I thought he was the most can't miss LB in that class. 

With no LB in the 2015 class we already had depth/experience issues next year and with Winovich staying on offense this year and McCray out there is not much experienced depth this year, forget next year.   Furbush is still small for the position unless he put on 15 lbs this offseason. 

Well another selling pt for the 2016 LBs.  If you are not starting as a true freshman you will almost be guaranteed a 2 deep spot.

True Blue Grit

August 7th, 2015 at 4:15 PM ^

attrition is among the very highest.  It wasn't long ago it seemed like we were swimming in LB's.  Now, in a short time, it looks more like a thin position on the team.  Ferns is one of the losses I'm most bummed about.  He seemed like the perfect Michigan Man when he committed and was destined to be an All Big 10 guy.  Sigh.  I just hope now McCray can recover from whatever his injury is. 

East German Judge

August 7th, 2015 at 4:29 PM ^

Agree completely.  While you would like journalists to be fair and reasoable, it amazes me that he has always been so NEGATIVE about Michigan and he is even an alumnus.  Someone must have given him a wedgie everyday during his time in Ann Arbor, thus the inordinate amount of butt-hurt.

A little DS Freestyle Haiku:

Drew was Blue

When is he through

Sharp he ain't

Glennsta

August 8th, 2015 at 8:21 AM ^

If the sky was blue, Sharp would write that it was orange.  Whatever it takes to get mentioned.

Why else would you work in the middle of Big Ten country and, every last year, write columns about what total garbage the conference and its teams are? 

I mean, other than being lazy...

Lutha

August 7th, 2015 at 3:50 PM ^

Never thought I'd be saying this, but I didn't like the Block M on the back on the jerseys. Now if only we could also say sayonara to the one on the front of the helmet and go back to simply "Michigan"....

JeepinBen

August 7th, 2015 at 4:30 PM ^

Typical and not needed. I liked the "use one Block M" for consistency, but "put that one block M on every jersey" was a bit much. It was forced onto the football jerseys, including alternates, and the Red Berenson era hockey sweater is so much better without the cartoonish M.

Glennsta

August 8th, 2015 at 8:31 AM ^

Seriously, there's already a giant one at the 50 yard line. That's all we need.  

Less is more here. Same as putting an "M" or "MICHIGAN" on the front or back of the helmets or the pants. Nobody else (except Delaware) has our uniforms.  Nobody should be confused about who is playing.

Ronnie Kaye

August 7th, 2015 at 3:55 PM ^

I'm sure Brian means no harm but if I'm Bacon, I'd politely ask him in private to stop deliberately giving the wrong title to my book.

BlueinLansing

August 7th, 2015 at 4:00 PM ^

is mostly a music station with live concerts from different genres, occassionaly they mix in the odd movie, though its usually some kind of well regarded one.  I found myself watching it more than I realized.

 

rambouhh

August 7th, 2015 at 4:11 PM ^

I know it is just meant as a good hearted joke, but I think constantly referring to John U's book by the wrong name is a little disrespectful and tiresome at this point

Wolverine 73

August 7th, 2015 at 4:57 PM ^

Apart from the interesting sports information, it is lines like this one drawn from relatively obscure locales that make this blog so entertaining, and cause me check it daily even when nothing much is happening with UM sports.

Superfun Happy Slide

August 7th, 2015 at 7:46 PM ^

I was watching a bunch of the old games this past off-season and noted how dark the blue used to be, compared to what I remembered last year.  Maybe its because of the video quality of old VHS tapes?  Maybe not?  Anyone remember if the blue has changed tones over the years?

cegovotof

August 8th, 2015 at 2:52 PM ^

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HarbaughToKolesar85

August 9th, 2015 at 7:06 PM ^

Am I the only one who looked through those pictures and thought "Dang, some of these are begging for a tagline!" Especially the one of Ty Isaac and Derrick Green, the Shane Morris picture that looks like a mug shot, and the 4th picture of Harbaugh where he makes a face like, "Oooooooo!" Especially since I know that the mods have done that before (E.g. The Harbaugh in Paris picture).