Blake Appreciation Thread
I know this was covered alot yesterday, but when I wake up this morning to a focal story on College Football Final about the death threats and suicide suggestions that are being thrown Blake's way, it sort of pisses me off. So this thread is meant to counter that as much as possible.
Hell of a season so far. Hell of a game. I'm glad your with us.
Shit happens. Do you best to brush off the morons. True Blue will stand behind you.
Keep up the great work. And GO BLUE!
October 18th, 2015 at 9:48 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:11 PM ^
an idiot. Blame the refs for not calling foul on when the long snapper was belted on the play, blame the coaches for not having one more time out to set the blocking, there were 2-3 players gunning down the field to tackle NO ONE, MSU had NO ONE back to receive the punt but we had 2-3 guys running down the field instead of blocking. I told myson before the play we should just take the snap and run around for 10 seconds.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^
thread.
Nicely done.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:31 PM ^
This needs to be our effin banner right now.
October 18th, 2015 at 9:21 AM ^
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October 18th, 2015 at 9:34 AM ^
We were in positon to win BECAUSE of this kid.
How many times this season has this kid pinned the ball inside the 10 & 20?
How about that 80 yard punt in the first half? Think that made a difference in a field positon battle game?
This kid is the 12th man on the defense.
How about you cool your jets and stand behind the men on this team...
We win as a team, and we lose as a team.
Nobody cost us anything you dolt. We are 2 years early in case you haven't been involved for the past 40 years.
Set our program back? Are you an idiot?? We have Jim Harbaugh, we aren't going anywhere junior. In fact, all this does is make this lunatic we've got even more possessed.
Get a grip Cinderella and embrace defeat for the rewards it gives...FUEL!!!!!!!
October 18th, 2015 at 12:14 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 10:20 AM ^
Go away, you're a disgrace. Take your happy ass out there and do better. Oh wait...Your position is arm-chair-quaterback, nevermind. You're a puke.... You think for one second Blake woke up yesterday with dreams of sabotage!?!?!
People like Blake, who accept risk, and put themselves on the line every day in pursuit of excellence are the ones who make me proud to be a human being let alone a fan of sport.
I'm quite disgusted at certain people who call themselves fans. When you first become a fan of humanity and individual effort no matter the outcome then maybe you will understand the concept of THE TEAM!
These young men played their GUTS OUT and I have the utmost respect for that. NO MATTER the outcome.
October 18th, 2015 at 10:52 AM ^
Watch the tape again, and you'll see that punt was doomed from the get go. MSU had a 10 on 8 advantage on the line and only 1 or 2 of our guys bothered to hold a block at all because they were blocking for a return and not a max protect punt. The line looked like that image of Michigan's OL against Ohio State a few years back where every defender has moved through.
Furthermore, on Blake's second to last punt, there was 2.2s from snap to kick. And that was a fairly quick kick -- not one of his hold it and then punt kicks. At 2.2s on this one, he's got 4 unblocked guys surrounding him, plus another 2-3 within a couple yards. It would have been a miracle if he got that punt off clean even with a perfect snap.
I'm shitty at embedding so this probably won't work, but here's the pics:
Presnap -- dude lined up wide with no one on him should have been clue #2. No one back to return should have been clue #1.
View post on imgur.com
Just after the snap. Sieve engaged and you can see Michigan players heading upfield to block no one.
View post on imgur.com
And 2.2s after the snap -- the time when Blake should be putting foot to ball. Just a swarm of bodies around him.
View post on imgur.com
The coaches botched this one. MSU was going full block, and Michigan was punting expecting a return. Blake was set up to fail regardless of whether or not it was a clean snap and catch.
October 18th, 2015 at 10:55 AM ^
You are a small, small man.
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October 18th, 2015 at 11:41 AM ^
Couldn't agree more. We show up, tailgate, watch the game and go home. That's our "prep" and effort that we as fans put into the game.
It was a great game, one of the best Michigan games I've seen in a while. I was in EL last year and watched pretty much the same team get plastered up and down the field. So when I see a game like yesterday I see the work that the players have put in and can appreciate their effort.
October 18th, 2015 at 11:26 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:12 PM ^
I did not think of this at the time, however, we did not line up in our standard punt formation.
We did not need a spread punt on this play.
11 Spartans were on the line.
I think Harbaugh should have put Kenny Allen in for that punt.
If you want to blame someone, blame the coach.
For me, when a miracle like that happens, well, it was not meant to be.
Let us not let it ruing the season like the Colorado Hail Mary.
I say we finish 10 - 2.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:37 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 8:14 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 8:28 AM ^
Should've also put a player behind Blake and had him punt it towards the sideline.
October 18th, 2015 at 8:31 AM ^
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October 18th, 2015 at 11:31 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 8:20 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 8:21 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 11:40 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 8:23 AM ^
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October 18th, 2015 at 8:25 AM ^
I put more blame for all of this on the adults. Our coaching is a step change improvement over anything we've had for a long time, but they were not in a "punt safe" formation. They were aligned as if they had to cover the punt, even though sparty had no one back. And the refs were just fucking awful all day long, including missing the personal foul on the long snapper on the fateful play.
October 18th, 2015 at 8:35 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 11:15 AM ^
They've been kinda good for Michigan Football, ya know.
October 18th, 2015 at 8:25 AM ^
Absolutely. Don't you wish you could tell him how good/how much he's appreciated right now?! Duh, I guess that's the point of this thread. Sometimes weird things happen. Sadly this reminds me of Mike Lantry in 73/74 in some ways. Completely unfair to put it all on one guy. This sounds like such a cliche but I honestly hope he's able to learn and grow from this. It's one bad play in a football game, not cancer. Hopefully he becomes a stronger person with better perspective from this. History is filled with wildly successful people who've made tough mistakes. Frankly I wish I could tell the whole team how much we appreciate them right now.
October 18th, 2015 at 11:18 AM ^
man of the 20th century, who made a disasterous decision to attack Gallipoli in World War I.
October 18th, 2015 at 8:27 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 8:31 AM ^
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October 18th, 2015 at 8:31 AM ^
Lets not presume that the threats we are hearing about are from rationale adults. What does it require to have a twitter handle or anything on the internet? Not much. I don't see any Michigan Fan that would blame or threaten one of our greatest punters ever for the Miracle that was just gifted to State really the only thing that could happen in that moment, did. Miracle for Sparty!
I believe we all watched the same game. Michigan had the lead until the final tick. It wasn't all pretty, they played as a Team in all aspects of the game. We had some very solidly bad officiating that gave a nice assist to the Miracle for Sparty which I really believe started with removing one of our lead tacklers from the playing field?? I could mention a handful of others that I noticed and kept asking the Universe, what the hell?
As I have heard over and over since that final play how does the AP handle this? Michigan had the lead on Sparty and gifted them a miracle? WoW, Michigan is really good and Sparty got a miracle are they better than Michigan? A win is a win, but? How do you really look at that game?
I don't see State moving up in the polls as a top caliber football team!
Michigan got a miracle in 2015 in Coach Harbaugh! Now, Sparty got theirs!
Great Game for Michigan!
Go Blue!
October 18th, 2015 at 8:34 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 8:35 AM ^
to build a statue of the play. I think that's the least we can do to commemorate this heroic action of a muffed punt.
October 18th, 2015 at 9:32 AM ^
such a jerk.
October 18th, 2015 at 9:42 AM ^
Asshat. Go back to your football excellence on Madden.
October 18th, 2015 at 8:35 AM ^
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October 18th, 2015 at 8:39 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 9:21 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 10:30 AM ^
I agree. I texted my buddy during the game and we raved about how consistent this kid is at pinning the ball deep inside the redzone. That is so huge for our defense. Blake deserves credit for assisting in those 3 shutouts.
And some of our so-called "Faithful" won't ever forgive him. That is just disgusting to me. Makes me think of when Jimmy took the mic at Crisler and talked about loyalty.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
October 18th, 2015 at 11:31 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:07 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 8:36 AM ^
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October 18th, 2015 at 8:39 AM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 8:53 AM ^
On a team with a below-average offense and the best defense in the country, having someone who can flip the field is absoutely necessary. As we saw with the 80 yard punt, he can literally turn offense inadequacy into a great opportunity for a safety.
October 18th, 2015 at 8:57 AM ^
Im 58 is that thru the course of a lifetime you see many games like this good and bad...It seems like weve been on the bad side of more than our fair share of finishes like this but this too shall pass...What hurts the most is we had so much at stake on this game and had it won..If you are going to blame anyone blame the offense for not being able to pick up a crucial first down at a crucial moment...
Im afraid this loss is going to effictively ruin the season...no playoffs, no Big Title and no major bowl not to mention recruiting...This was the year at home we were going to turn it around and then THIS happens..
BUT...LETS NOT FORGET where we were and where we are now.. While this loss is devastating and theres no other word to describe it this is THE BEGINNING of the Harbaugh era and we will be in the playoffs within 3 years...I HATE that we have a Bye week now because now we have 2 weeks to dwell on this.
I know we all feel bad but this loss is not on one player this loss is on the offense, and the HORRIBLE officiating
You have until tommorow morning to mourn then we have to get back to work, keep improving and win the next 5..we still have a shot at #1 on our home field and if you had to pick one win btw MSU or OSU id pick OSU....so lets keep our focus and remember where weve been the last 7-8 years and where we are NOW and where we are headed..
BEAT OHIO!
October 18th, 2015 at 11:05 AM ^
Going from 5-7 to even THINKING about the playoffs halfway through the season was a minor miracle. Actually making the playoffs would have been a miracle of miracles. So, this is not a miracle of miracle of seasons. I would hardly consider that a ruined season.
To boot, there's still a chance at the Big Ten East if they win out and get ONE break (a Sparty loss aside from OSU). And recruiting??? Are you seriously worried about recruiting now? Is R Gary going to not come because of this one game? Get your head out of your pooper.
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October 18th, 2015 at 11:23 AM ^
They get MSU at home at night. No, they won't be favored, but they're better than their record. All of their losses have come in the last minute. They'll have nothing to lose.
October 18th, 2015 at 8:59 AM ^
But anyone sending him death threats or telling him to go kill himself or anything absurd like that need to re-focus their life's priorities. He's just a kid playing a game that most of us have never played, and those of us that have played, have likely never been in as high a pressure situation in such a crucial game like that. He made a mistake. He's human. I'd bet that almost none of us on this board could've done any better.
I hate being that guy, but remember, it's only a game. The sun still came up this morning. The world didn't end.
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October 18th, 2015 at 9:03 AM ^
I haven't played in over 50 years but there are two things I dont understand.
1) Why the hell did we have gunners? MSWU had nobody back. What were they going to do? They should have been replaced by O-linemen to macimize protection.
2) When I watch the play it looks like the O'Line does their usual punt block. Hold the D ine for a beat or tw and then go down field to cover. by the time of the fumble the O line is 5-10 yards downfield. For what? It should have been hold your block for as long as possible.
It also looks to me like Blake was still trying to kick the ball. That may be the Aussie instincts
kicking in. Can't undo years of training in rugby in a few punts.