College Gameday [OPEN Thread] (Note: Michigan feature)
A little early for the College Gameday thread, but just saw that they're doing a Michigan "feature" today: Malaise & Blue (a feature after being in Ann Arbor for the week)
If your week wasn't long enough, if you like torture, or if you're just a fan of the entire country trolling us...tune in at 9am.
In the words of Charles Woodson. "Just win."
"The only thing I can tell you about 1997 is this: In the preseason, the media in Chicago ... everybody there is looking for a story," Carr said. "And the story in 1997 was Michigan, the M stood for mediocrity."
Carr recalled his team's first meeting that season, which lasted for hours as the Wolverines grappled with how to exceed those expectations. Finally, Charles Woodson, a player who just months later would cement his legacy as one of the program's finest players, settled things.
...this ain't '97, this ain't a national championship team, and I...like you, am tired of hearing about the glory days. But some things are timeless. JUST WIN. Just win, whether it's 3-0 or 30-0 and this stuff will eventually go away. And for this year, that'll be just like a national championship.
September 27th, 2014 at 8:03 AM ^
September 27th, 2014 at 8:55 AM ^
...and then took 10 seconds to think about how bad these offenses are. 3-0 would not be a surprising final at all. Time to get the pregame started if I'm going to watching this mess.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:03 AM ^
September 27th, 2014 at 11:40 AM ^
If Morris is starting, Nuss should petition the referees for a waiver of the offensive offsides rule. After all, in "500", players just stand around waiting for the ball to be hit to them. It seems like such a waste for Funchess & Co to have to run up-and-down the field each play when we all know the end result is going to be a 50-yard jump ball.
As Bo used to say, this would result in one of three things:
- An incomplete pass (meh)
- A 50-yard arm-punt (not the worst thing in the world), or
- Wait-for-it...A like trip to the Redzone against a Power 5 opponent, or even
- A trip to the Endzone!
Also, Nuss should be talking to Willie Henry all game, to be sure he is open when Minnesota throws its one pass.
September 27th, 2014 at 8:05 AM ^
As much as it pains most of us to see our beloved Michigan be the focus of negative story after story in the national press this week I think it might actually be the best thing for the program. There is no WAY the regents collectively have missed this onslaught of bad PR for the school and the program and my guess is the heat is dialed WAY up on one Mr Dave Brandon becasue of it. Everywhere you turn in seemingly every media outlet we are the story and it's not a good story - at least from our perspective. And while they might not be as rabid football fans as members of this board I have to believe that the Regents are smart people who share our love for the University are just as pissed off, just as humiliated and just as eager for positive change as we are.
The difference is they are actually in a position to do something about it.
September 27th, 2014 at 8:53 AM ^
What if they're out on their sailboats and don't have access to anything?
September 27th, 2014 at 9:25 AM ^
September 27th, 2014 at 11:58 AM ^
Schlissel must be wondering what he got himself into. All this drama at his doorstep over something he does not care about and would rather not deal with to start his tenure.
September 27th, 2014 at 9:39 AM ^
pain us all, but I do nto affiliate with the humliation theme. Years of mediocre play, coaching changes, etc are not embarrassing, especially if you are just a fan. Sad, yes. Dissapointed, yes. Humiliated, no. Losing football games, skywriting bs, ticket give-aways are clearly a bummer. This is humiliating:
September 27th, 2014 at 9:48 AM ^
Such a great point.
I just hope we can bounce back like those programs (or Bama).
PSU didn't really bounce back, but they never really fell from where they were at previously. They've been an 8-4 (+/- 1) type team for years now. OSU took a year off and they've been back at it.
Michigan has had one good year since Carr left and to be hoenst, it was very flukey...we caught some great matchups and had some Carr leftovers and a walk-on leader that uglied us to victory over and over. Which is cool, no complaints, I'll take a win in ANY way, shape or form (especially now). But it's not like we were dominant in Hoke's first year.
Anyway, you're right on the scandal side of things. Very good point...at least that's not us.
At the same time, I just want to win. This slow death thing is awful. I'd much rather you just knock me out cold and let me build it back then what we've been through.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:15 AM ^
September 27th, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^
We could've been better. But we weren't elite. Alabama showed that in game 1.
We could've won more games than we did...but it's not like we were actually a great team.
September 30th, 2014 at 7:58 AM ^
You sound like Dave Brandon.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:16 AM ^
The former coach of Ohio being carried off the field. This was AFTER he was fired and the team was banned because of his actions.
Where do I start with PSU fans and their support of a head coach that protected a petifile?
September 27th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
Remind me of Pennywise the Clown reaching for a kill
September 27th, 2014 at 9:52 AM ^
Or maybe the regents are smart enough to see the positive things that are happening with our athletic department and realize all the seat cushion, noodles, Coke-gate and skywriting issues are nonsense.
People are upset with Brandon because the football team's performance isn't up to par. If we were undefeated, there would be little heat on Brandon, if any.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:08 AM ^
With one difference...
There would still be bitching, because he's done a bunch of DUMB shit. There would just be a bunch of people who'd be telling the "bitchers" to SHUT UP! You think Alabama didn't crank up ticket prices or try to sell student seats when they got good? Of course they did, of course people bitched. But they were/are winning and you never hear about it because, well, THEY'RE WINNING! People justify those decisions when the product is better than it's ever been.
Brandon has done a lot of good for Michigan that he'll never get credit for, but he's also done some things that have just been beyond ridiculous. He's not as bad as it seems and if we were undefeated he wouldn't be as good as people would make him out to be (especially with a good basketball program to match the elite football program).
I don't want Brandon fired because he's an awful AD, he's not. I think he should be gone because he's out of touch and doesn't understand you can't do the things he's done when your product sucks. He should be giving things away and praying for the program to become great so that he can implement these changes he already implemented. But he's doing it without the team and home schedule being any good.
That, to me, is dangerous. That, to me, says he's too CEO and doesn't have a pulse on the people he's appointed to serve.
I don't care if he's arrogant or overly MICHIGAN MAN or any of that stuff. I care that he doesn't seem to know where he is or what he's doing.
And with all that...if we were winning, I wouldn't care about 85% of the shit Brandon does. The product would be worth the "Brandoning" and some of the "Brandoning" would even make sense and have value because the product is so good. But it's not. It sucks.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
Can you be a little more specific about what he's actually done wrong? What was "beyond ridiculous"?
To me, the complaints are hyperbole fueled by emotion, and the emotion is coming from football losses.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:55 AM ^
I'm too busy writing novels on the second page...bear with me.
September 27th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
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September 27th, 2014 at 8:13 AM ^
Great anecdote - if this were the beginning of the season. It's not. Yeah, it's the beginning of the big ten season, but as such it asks for a very different story. This season asks for a turnournd story, and the one you cited aint that. That 97 team was boss from the get go.
September 27th, 2014 at 8:45 AM ^
You completely missed the point --- and the disclaimer in case you could miss the point.
September 27th, 2014 at 8:14 AM ^
September 27th, 2014 at 8:52 AM ^
...it's just the world we live in. Just like the Donald Sterling, NFL stuff, LeBron, etc.
In this TMZ sports climate, the media latches on to 2-3 topics a week and it's usually negative stuff.
Michigan found it's way into that 2-3 and now we're getting as much press as racists and wife beaters.
What's interesting is this is the kind of stuff that will get Hoke and Brandon fired...because at 2-2...many people wouldn't care, just football people. But with this media attention, now a ton of people care and the pressure is hotter than ever.
I was at a bar in Wilmington, NC last night and this chic asks me if Hoke is going to last the season. I was confused, because she didn't seem like the type to know to ask that just because I was wearing a Michigan hat. I asked who her team was and she said "I don't really watch football...but I saw it on the news or something."
Yea, they're in trouble if they don't start winning.
September 27th, 2014 at 9:12 AM ^
Good thing for Brandon that he is completely "tone deaf" to the fan and media concerns! All that practice with the Students and Alumni has really paid off.
September 27th, 2014 at 9:37 AM ^
Michigan is an elite program that sucks...the media is going to come and pile on. It's just the world we live in.
If it was OSU, ND or Texas it would be the same way. If Florida continues to suck, they'll be down there by the end of the year with Muschamp/hot seat talk. Doesn't mean Jeremy Foley (UF's AD) had anything to do with it. Foley is one of the best AD's in the country.
Brandon is numb to the pulse of the fans, alums, etc. - but it's our below average football team that is the cause of this particular attention.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:05 AM ^
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September 27th, 2014 at 10:15 AM ^
No one is talking about the decisions Brandon has made other than hiring Brady Hoke.
ESPN doesn't care about the noodle or the sky writing or over-advertising or ticket prices or any of that stuff. ESPN cares about wins and losses. Fans care about those things...not the media or the college football nation.
If we were winning, and Brandon did all of those things...we wouldn't be a segment on Gameday right now.
Do you think they'd be talking about "MICHIGAN MELTDOWN: Coming up next we'll head to Ann Arbor to talk about the undefeated Michigan Wolverines and how they're surviving despite their idiot athletics director."
lol, that would never happen.
These recruiting analysts wouldn't be interviewing recruits saying "how do you feel about Michigan now? They're 4-0 and look like a national championship team...but do you still think you're interested with that athletics director they have up there?"
My point is, Brandon is Brandon...and Michigan fans know and have every right to be upset. But it's the losing that brings the negative attention.
September 27th, 2014 at 8:25 AM ^
September 27th, 2014 at 8:47 AM ^
...this ain't '97, this ain't a national championship team, and I...like you, am tired of hearing about the glory days.
Maybe you should read the entire comment and take literally 1 second to process first.
September 27th, 2014 at 8:30 AM ^
I will watch but I'm not looking forward to it. It is so very painful to see Michigan be the subject of stories, speculation, and negativity. Looking forward to the day the sun is shining again. I KNOW it will happen, just don't know how long it will take . . .
September 27th, 2014 at 8:37 AM ^
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September 27th, 2014 at 8:52 AM ^
I saw a sign that said, "Kirk Drinks Appletinis"
September 27th, 2014 at 9:34 AM ^
September 27th, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^
After looking it up - and seeing illustrations - I wish I could unknow it.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
September 27th, 2014 at 9:12 AM ^
Well at least you can't say that Michigan is irrelevant. A 2-2 start to the season gets more press attention than all of our previous 4-0 starts combined.
September 27th, 2014 at 9:17 AM ^
But I hate that "all publicity is good publicity" thought...personally, I'd rather get no publicity than no publicity.
Especially when it comes to recruiting, these recruits 20 years ago would still be on board and being Hoke. But now, with this 24/7 media cycle it wears on a 17 year old. They doubt, they question and they get questioned over and over.
But even moreso, I just don't like negative talk around the program I love. I'd much rather be bitching about no respect and laughing at the rest of the conference and how shitty it is than be part of the problem.
September 27th, 2014 at 9:25 AM ^
We are being treated the exact same way that other elite programs get treated when they are in the dumps.
Bama, Texas, OU, USC, ND....when they are mediocre it gets attention. It comes with the territory.
Better this than for it simply to be accepted like what has happened in Tennessee and Miami.
Like Charles Woodson said, it all goes away once you start winning. If they can put together an unbeaten streak up to the State game, there is a chance for a new narrative to take over. It starts today.
September 27th, 2014 at 9:39 AM ^
It means we're still relevant. Those teams have and would be in the same boat.
And it certainly doesn't mean you can't return to glory...all I'm saying is that when you're "in the moment" right now, it sucks. I hate it. I get offended by it. I love Michigan too much not to feel these things when people talk shit about my team. Even if they're 110% accurate.
September 27th, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^
When nobody cares is when we are in trouble.
Then we become Miami where poor seasons are just assumed to be the norm and people only notice when you have a surprising good season.
September 27th, 2014 at 9:13 AM ^
Today's slate is better than last week, but still no good.
For whatever reason, the scheduling this year is super wacky. 5 bad weeks of "meh, but I'll watch because it's college football" followed by 3-4 straight weeks of "OMG! COLLEGE FUCKING FOOTBALL!"
Granted the next 3 weeks are really good because it's ranked SEC vs. ranked SEC, or ranked Pac 12 vs. ranked Pac 12...but I'll take it. Weeks 6-9 will be the best four weeks of the entire season.
September 27th, 2014 at 9:25 AM ^
The noon slate is not particularly promising, although BTN will be showing Iowa / Purdue for all those who need a refresher course in washing out their eyes in a scenario where they come in contact with something caustic. The segment of the BTN viewership that gets Penn State / Northwestern probably won't be much better off really.
September 27th, 2014 at 9:29 AM ^
Just because watching Todd Gurley run the football is like gridrion porn.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:25 AM ^
Indiana Maryland will be interesting to me. 2 potentially big offenses paired with 2 not so much defenses. Since we play both, it's another reason to watch - weird start time though.
Even most of the 8 PM type games tonight are not that good. ND-Syracuse fergodsakes. Then again the country is being treated to UM-Minn as the glamour 3:30 PM game so we have no right to complain.
September 27th, 2014 at 10:58 AM ^
WE are on ABC at 3:30, lol
That's how bad it is...
On Wednesday when I went to go DVR the game, I searched BTN because I didn't think for a second we'd be on ESPN. Then when I didn't find it, I said "oh, we're that noon ESPN2 game with Beth Mullins and Joey Galloway."
3:30! ABC/ESPN2 split? Yikes.
September 27th, 2014 at 11:21 AM ^
I thought I knew earthly pleasure but this is a new high.