31-0, or, 'Feelings...whoa, whoa, whoa...'
Tis the morning after and I cannot fathom my feelings towards the tire fire that occurred last night. I didn't drink last night as I am 'mature' now and rarely do so I don't have a hangover - and yet I do have a hangover, the unfathomable feeling I still have after that loss. I don't know what to think. I remember the Coach Rod years when it seemed we'd break some unpleasant record with each game we played during that first season; worst 'this', worse 'that', first time since blah blah blah' this had occurred. In some cosmic way it seemed like last night was like that, all rolled into one game. It was startling. One indignity after another. All our highly thought of recruits - well, most of them - were just cardboard effigies of good players; we were the Washington Generals once again. Then, when it was all over Coach Kelly said they had started 19 freshman or redshirt freshman.
They are young.
Sorry, I ramble. I don't even know what to write. I know this is only the second game of the season BUT THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
This should not have happened. We should not have been hoping to AT LEAST SCORE in the final drives of the game, all of which ended in dismal failure. We should not of had to hear 'we started 19 freshman or redshirt freshman'.
Inside, subconciously, I have shut down. I'm just silent, with pursed lips.
What feel you?
September 7th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
I blame everything on the damn Gallon banner!
September 7th, 2014 at 9:40 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 9:42 AM ^
in which they proclaim they are silent with pursed lips.
September 7th, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 9:57 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 9:41 AM ^
It was one game. One game.
There are at least 10 left. The season is not lost. I'm not holding on delusional hope, but at this point...anything is still possible.
September 7th, 2014 at 9:44 AM ^
It wasn't one game.
It was the first shut out since 1984.
Against a bad defense and a bad team.
September 7th, 2014 at 10:03 AM ^
Who gives a fuck about shutouts and there's no way to know how good ND is right now.
It was an embarrassement, no doubt. but he's right, it's still on game. The season can go two different directions right now... they can grow and learn from this and roll into B1G play a better team, or they can fold it up and wait for a new season/coach.
Speaking of coaches, there's no way Hoke gets canned before the end of the season, let alone after one game. Nussmeier deserves a season to get his system in and get guys playing up to his standards. I know people are sick of waiting, I know I am, but it is what it is. Poisoning the well by booing the team, idle hot seat talk, etc is counterproductive. There's plenty of time for that. If the season continues like this, yeah, a change is probably in order.
September 7th, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
It's just hard to write the loss off.
Hell, I'll gladly accept this game as a turning point in the season if that's what it becomes.
September 7th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
We won't know for a long while, though.
"Bad" was probably the wrong word.
"Not great" is actually closer to what I meant.
September 7th, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 10:46 AM ^
Had Wile hit just ONE of those field goals, they wouldn't be shutout.
Is that suddenly the bar between just a bad loss and WURST EVAR!!!!!
Because I mean...that's exactly what I'm talking about when I mean overreaction. Yes, it was just one game. It was. A historically bad game, sure. But still only one.
You know who's been blown out before? The Denver Broncos, with Payton Manning, in the fucking SUPER BOWL. You could say Seattle was a really good team...but, uh, so was Denver. That's one example...there are countless others.
These things happen in football, especially when you play a good team (and yes, ND is a good team!). They're not always a sign of DOOM. It could be, certainly. But we just don't know yet. There's still a whole season left to play...and 10-2 is just as likely as 6-6 in my mind right now. Yet so many are so quick to suddenly predict 6-6 after just ONE loss.
BUt make no mistake. This is Hoke's biggest challenge now. It will be very important to get his team believing in themselves again and back on track. Luckily, they have some time to right the ship before the real tests come up.
September 7th, 2014 at 11:45 AM ^
Those were 46 and 48 yard field goals, not gimmies in any way.
The problem with optimism today is everything:
- The offensive gameplan seemed based on fear - limit ND posessions and take no chances. Just like always, so this is probably a Hoke thing.
- Funchess is our only true weapon. Darboh in fact looks like the opposite of a "use-your-body-to-wall-off-the-DB" WR.
- Devin is shell-shocked, still, from last year. This leads to awful decisions, even when not under that much pressure.
- The OL still terrible - seriously Day left unblocked?
- The DL is still meh. Has Beyer made a tackle? Clark is just OK. There's a lot of talent on the interior, but it didn't amount to much.
- We blitz and never get home. We do not ever.
- DBs appear to be much worse than we thought. First Hollowell, then Stribling, then Lewis, then Countess all exposed.
- LBs are just OK.
I will be at the Big House screaming for the team for every game this year, no change. I'll get over this loss. I hope they rally and put this behind them. They can. But it's simple to understand why the reaction to this loss is so strong.
September 7th, 2014 at 1:03 PM ^
So, "nowayman:" Did Michigan play twice last night? And how can you judge ND"s defense and team as "bad?" Everett Golson is a game changer. While their defense was missing a lot of players, the ones they put in did a great job of keeping people covered and getting to the ball.
ND has a tough schedule this year, playing USC and FSU on the road, so their record may not reflect their talent, but they are a very good team. And the spread offense made a huge difference.
The real problem is that Brandon-mandated MANBALL doesn't work in the 21st century unless you have the best bagman in the game, like they do at Bama.
September 7th, 2014 at 1:39 PM ^
"Not great" was what I ended up with.
In fairness to myself, if I had woken up and stumbled upon a majestic unicorn meekly drinking from a bright blue stream of water with rainbows streaming from the sky in between a golden cascade of heavenly goodness flowing from two breaks in the clouds I would have run up and drop kicked the unicorn in its stupid unicorn horn.
I wasn't in a great mood this morning.
But I do stand by the "not great" comment. Especially if the kids stay suspended.
September 7th, 2014 at 10:02 AM ^
A coach in his 4th season should be able to compete against his rival. There will always be youth, injuries, hostile environments, etc. Every team deals with that stuff. Hoke can not get his team to win a big road game.
We expected this kind of loss when we played Alabama in Texas a few years ago, but this loss blindsided me.
Hoke is a nice guy and a good recruiter, but so was John Cooper!
September 7th, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 7th, 2014 at 10:07 AM ^
Only it is not just 1 game. We saw this same game about 5 times last year.
September 7th, 2014 at 10:52 AM ^
We did NOT see this game 5 times last year. We saw it twice. Against MSU and against KSU in the bowl (when the team had given up anyway).
September 7th, 2014 at 12:35 PM ^
I disagree with you, I saw it against both Akron and Uconn. It's quite clear these players don't believe in Hoke. They were laughing and joking around on the sideline last night. They don't care. Hoke is incompetent. This program is LOADED with talent, our coaching is the bottleneck.
September 7th, 2014 at 10:58 AM ^
I'm been reading this post for 10 years. They're all just one game and 10 years later you add up all those one games and you're nobody.
September 7th, 2014 at 12:10 PM ^
Yeah, but there was nothing in the game to give anyone hope that they can turn it around the rest of the way. Deflating for sure.
September 7th, 2014 at 9:41 AM ^
maybe it's maturity, maybe it's just a 3rd straight year of the same straight embrassing crap looming, but I can't muster any emotional attachment to Michigan football right now.
September 7th, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^
3rd? Did you sleep through the end of Carr and then all of RR's tenure?
I've become less emotionally invested in Michigan too, but I can't tell how much of it is getting older and how much of it is years of mediocrity.
September 7th, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
I've become less emotionally invested in Michigan too, but I can't tell how much of it is getting older and how much of it is years of mediocrity.Well put, it's both
September 7th, 2014 at 9:44 AM ^
I read the title and started laughing. Not many people on this board will remember that song, so for those who don't, think of it as the very last one you'd ever want to play on a suicide hot line.
EDIT: P.S.: It wouldn't surprise me in the least to find at least a reference to this tread starter in TWIS.
September 7th, 2014 at 9:42 AM ^
(and yes, I know the song).
September 7th, 2014 at 9:43 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 10:01 AM ^
Go Blue!
September 7th, 2014 at 10:07 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
My dad passed on June 30th. Us siblings sorted through all his life matters, cleaned out and cleaned up his house, and just sold it this past Friday. It was stressful and left us all fatigued and emotionally drained but it was done and we could move forward. So yeah, this loss has to be placed into perspective but I was SOOOO looking forward to 'a good time' cheering on our beloved Wolverines who, by all reasonable appearances, had turned the corner and now were a dark horse threat to the Big Ten championship and maybe more.
So I wanted some happiness, however fleeting, and all I got was this.
But like you and others have said it's a nice day out, and there are other things that matter more. I have a grandson who will be playing football in a couple hours and he's one of the bigger and faster guys out there - he's 10 - so barring injury THAT should be FUN.
Read you all later and next Saturday for sure, Go Blue...
September 7th, 2014 at 10:31 AM ^
My son is 9 and while I wish he would play football the joy he experiences while playing soccer make me a happy proud dad!
September 7th, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 9:43 AM ^
Get a therapist.
September 7th, 2014 at 9:43 AM ^
I thought you were predicting the basketball team's record for next year and I thought we might be getting ahead of ourselves.
September 7th, 2014 at 9:47 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 9:51 AM ^
Silence: you're doing it wrong.
September 7th, 2014 at 9:52 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 11:04 AM ^
after the shit PI calls. All spring and summer we heard about how aggressive the D would be this year, but a couple of Interference calls and we're back to bend and break. What crap! Stick to your guns - they can't call interference on every play.
September 7th, 2014 at 12:05 PM ^
I'd have rather seen them get PI penalties called all night long than have them get gashed time and time again because they were playing soft. When's the last time we got a roughing the passer penalty also? I'd love to get one of those again indicating we're getting some kind of pressure on the QB. Start punching some teams in their mouth...
September 7th, 2014 at 12:35 PM ^
We got roughing call last night didn't we?
September 7th, 2014 at 10:04 AM ^
Weirdly enough I felt fine about this game. Last year every loss would completely set me off and I would be miserable for a couple of days (you may remember me from TWIS), but I've been able to get that under control now. I watched the game with friends, we played like shit, but it was still nice to watch Michigan football even in a bad loss. I was in a good mood throughout.
Maybe I've just achieved college football nirvana. Or maybe I'm just used to us sucking. Maybe those are one and the same?
September 7th, 2014 at 10:06 AM ^
I feel the same way. Last year, every loss would ruin my day and I would shut off every sports news source for a couple days because I know that they would talk about it. This year, I just didn't care at the end. I felt hollow during the game. But after that 2nd interception at the end of the 3rd quarter, my friends and I agreed to let it go and go watch Frozen instead. When the losses are so frequent, its just not worth getting depressed over them.
I'm still going to be out there supporting Michigan every week and if they win I will be ecstatic along with the rest of the fanbase. But I'm not going to let a loss set the tone of the week for me.
September 7th, 2014 at 10:45 AM ^
Bingo. I think I really did hit my fandom "rock bottom" last year, but that's what it took for me to realize that A) getting that upset over a football game really isn't worth it, and B) it's something I can consciouslly fix. I still love the team, still love to win, still know way too much about the team and tactics, but don't get upset when we do poorly any more. I get the feeling there will be a lot more mgobloggers on our side after an awful game like that.
September 7th, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^
September 7th, 2014 at 9:58 AM ^