Avoiding a Letdown at Purdue
Within the past week we've had two major milestones--the NCAA exonerating RR of the most damning charge and the elusive 6th victory which qualifies us for our first bowl game under RR.
Both are incredibly positive outcomes, but what concerns should we have about having emptied the tank emotionally, not to mention physically, as we head into yet another critical game?
There are numerous examples of the letdown game phenomena, even among the best teams. While I'm extremely hopeful for this team's future, I'm not sure we're good enough yet to beat the competition, even potentially inferior opponents, if we come out flat.
So if you put yourself in the position of the coaches and the players, what's your mental approach this week?
As a fan, admittedly irrational at times, I see it this way:
- Another win guarantees a winning record
- More wins = better bowl game
- Purdue, on paper, is by far our best chance for another win
- I'm f*cking tired of losing to Purdue
- Danny Hope is a tool
November 9th, 2010 at 10:14 AM ^
Score more points than the other team. This is the most critical thing, I believe.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^
I've taken no game for granted ever since The Horror. Period. I'm sure after the past two years, RR doesn't either.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:18 AM ^
I think the coaches have a number of ways to spark the team this week, starting with Danny the Douche's theatrics last year.
We also have some confidence creeping in on D, with Roh's move back to line and young players performing better. I think the team rolls to another win, but we MUST not turn the ball over so much. 600+ yards is very realistic, IMO, and the Boiler offense isn't all that.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:28 AM ^
Okay, so I was at the Purdue game last year and was too disgusted to read the post-game analysis or anything, so can someone inform me what Danny Hope did last year that made him so much more of a douchebag than he was before? I keep hearing about his "theatrics" but I don't know the story...
November 9th, 2010 at 10:38 AM ^
Hope running up to RR with the player that was suspended from a previous game against UM. I could be wrong. It was bush league.
Not quite as famous as the Bill Lynch Gum Toss.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:39 AM ^
It will also explain why Danny Hope is such an epic tool.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:44 AM ^
after the ND game for striking an ND player. Rodriguez suggested the B10 should suspend all players who commit "non-football acts". A Purdue OL was then suspended for an incident vs. Northern Illinois, so Hope blamed it on RRod. After last year's game, Hope brought the OL (Reckman) with him for the post-game handshake. He introduced Reckman, who said "thanks coach, I really appreciate what you did" (meaning getting him suspended).
Hope that helps.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:47 AM ^
Wow, that guy really is a complete asshat. Thanks for that and for the article... I am even more invested in this game than I was 5 minutes ago, I want Michigan to demolish them. That kind of move is so passive-aggressive, especially the timing of it. Danny Hope is a teenage girl (no offense intended to actual teenage girls who are probably more mature than Danny Hope).
November 9th, 2010 at 11:06 AM ^
Pretty sure Hope had another "handshake incident" this year with Zook, although both men tried to downplay it afterwords.
Sounds to me like Danny has an inferiority complex. Michigan needs to reinforce it on Saturday.
November 9th, 2010 at 11:29 AM ^
Hope wouldn't let go of Zook's hand. Very odd.
I like that RR called Hope out for this incident last year rather than letting it remain private.
November 9th, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
is one weird motherfucker.
November 9th, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
I hope Rich Rod walks Denard up with him to the post-game hand shake and says to Hope, "This is a future heisman trophy winner, get yourself one."
November 9th, 2010 at 10:18 AM ^
I feel like this team has gone through a ton (possibly more than any other Michigan team) in the past 3 years and I think that they won't take any game for granted and will come out and destroy Danny Hope and the Boilermakers.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:18 AM ^
November 9th, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^
Right, and we put up 67 in and the defense actually made stops, even when the offense gifted Illinois the ball with friendly field position at times. Now just think how that game would've gone without the first half turnovers. If our offense is clicking, that D is going to get shredded. If our D plays like it did against Illinois we'll be fine, we just can't have them starting in disadvantageous situations for a good portion of the first half.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
There is no way the "confidence" of the defense turns to overconfidence any time soon. I think we'll win this one handily.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:21 AM ^
Every time I try and convince myself that we should win this game easily the memory of the PSU debacle take over. If we win Saturday (and by all rights we should) then we're 7-3 and playing on house money. Split one of the last two and a 9-4 record (yes, I have us winning whatever bowl game we play in) is very realistic. Lose on Saturday and I think we're looking at 7-6 and lots of sleepless nights for Mr. Brandon.
As important as last Saturday was I think this game is just as critical. Rich needs this game and I think, hope, PRAY he gets it.
I don't see a letdown. The game is too critical and the team knows it.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:36 AM ^
Every time I try and convince myself that we should win this game easily the memory of the PSU debacle take over.
Heck, I would think having lost what we thought was a sure win at home against Purdue last year would be all we'd need to keep in mind. I'm not convinced Purde is an easier game than Illinois for this team, let alone that we will be playing on the road.
Should be easier has stopped meaning anything to me.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:36 AM ^
The players and coaches seemed amped up at the press conferences.
They said the team gained a lot of confidence last week and are going to play with non-stop intensity against Purdue. They remember what happened last year.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^
Bring Bobby Knight in for the pregame speech he's sick and tired of losing to Purdue too. If they lost it wouldn't be because of a letdown.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:34 AM ^
From what I can tell, this is a team that has RR's back. Given the nature of the relationship with Purdue, this might be the right week for RichRod to tell the team the following:
"You know all of the reasons we could really use a win this week; better bowl, better record, pride, etc. But this week, I'm going to ask for a little more. I know you'll be tempted to think back on last week, or look ahead to Wisconsin and The Game. And yeah, we might win this game without our best effort. But I don't just want to win this one.
Danny Hope and Purdue have been epic tools, and a thorn in both my side and the side of the program for two years. There's a good chance that they are the team that has been negatively recruiting against us in the last couple of years. You saw his douchbaggery after last year's game. I want to school this muthafucka. I want to embarass him. It's time to shut him up, once and for all. I'm asking for your complete focus this week. Get my back here. Help me house this fool."
November 9th, 2010 at 10:45 AM ^
Well done. It's times like this when I hope guys like Schilling, Mouton, RVB, et al. are avid 'blog readers.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:51 AM ^
Totally agree with your first sentence. Take a pick on the many reasons, but I think that one alone with have the team playing with a payback focus. No letdown this weekend.
November 9th, 2010 at 5:36 PM ^
You know, for some reason I think your account is probably pretty close to how RR's speech to the team is going down this week (+1 to you sir).
Furthermore I sincerely hope RR is familiar with using "tools" as an aspersion, has nailed Hope's m.o. with the all too appropriate "douchebaggery" , and knows the proper way to inject "house" as a verb.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:36 AM ^
Yes, Purdue isn't all that on offense, especially with their crippling injuries, but I think the D will do enough to win.
More concerned about special teams, which Purdue really works on since everything else (except Kerrigan) is marginal and we basically suck on ST.
Lewan vs. Kerrigan may be quite interesting.
Purdue looks at this game as must win if they are to go to a bowl this year, so we are going to see everything they have.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^
We'd find that the overwhelming consensus was that we wouldn't have too much trouble with Purdue because their starting QB was injured. Sort of like what the opinion was before PSU this season. If we can put our foot on the neck of the wounded animal down in West Lafayette and not let it up for four quarters, it will be another sign that things are changing. You have to beat lousy teams on the road; if you can't manage that, your tenure will be short.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^
The kids from Florida are looking at playing a home game in Florida in January. They are motivated and want to succeed.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^
"hey team, we are a missed field goal by one of the best kickers in the conference away from being on a four game losing streak. let's not get too far ahead of ourselves."
"a win against purdue is the difference between a bus ride to detroit to play a MAC school sponsored by the pizza we get for free from our AD and a plane ride to texas to play a big12 team and eat some bbq."
November 9th, 2010 at 10:41 AM ^
I'm not concerned about a letdown. These guys know they need to try to beat the piss out of whomever will line up against them. Wish we could have lined up a tomato can MAC team for this weekend.
November 9th, 2010 at 11:06 AM ^
I'm probably one of a small handful of people around here old enough to have listened to this game back in 1976. Yep, I had to listen on the radio because it wasn't on TV.
After all these years, I have no trouble recalling where I was and how I felt when the final awful events transpired.
http://gutsnglue.tripod.com/si_nov1576.htm
November 9th, 2010 at 1:06 PM ^
November 9th, 2010 at 11:17 AM ^
November 9th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^
Because of Danny Hope's classless behavior at the post-game "handshake" last year, I think this game is now a very, very small increment below a rivalry game in RR's mind. I'm guessing that if there is one team that RR would like to beat by forty, it would be Purdue. I just want to see them win, but a blowout would be a great bonus and would foster a sense of optimism going into the last two games.
November 9th, 2010 at 12:13 PM ^
They might have to score 80. And damnit, it could happen.
November 9th, 2010 at 12:45 PM ^
Molk will keep them focused. No Letdown.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/video/press-and-news-football/Michigan/David-Mo…
GO BLUE
November 9th, 2010 at 1:08 PM ^
I think the team will be energized by last week's game. The problem with this young team's psyche more than anything is that they are fragile. One mistake can lead to several. The defense can look stout, then give up a big play and look lost and paralyzed for the rest of a game. They need confidence. Playing such a long wild game is draining, but they head to Purdue with less desperation/fear (got the bowl game) and more confidence (proved they can beat a good B10 team). I think they show up right from the start Saturday.
November 10th, 2010 at 10:31 AM ^
Siller might play....scares the living daylights out of me.
November 10th, 2010 at 11:44 AM ^
I really hope Siller starts. I will take nothing away from this game if it is a narrow margin of victory over an injury-ravaged squad featuring a back-up at QB. I love this team, but we gotta see improvement. Despite the high we are riding after last week's win, this squad has some heavy lifting to do to ensure Rich Rod's prolonged tenure. Gotta win Saturday, and at least make it a game for the final 2.