LSAClassOf2000

August 6th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^

I was at this game as well, and I managed to get some burns on my arms and face myself, but what I always thought was the cruelest joke of them all regarding The Horror is that it was, as I recall, one of the first live game telecasts (it may very well have been THE first) of the Big Ten Network, which went live on the air only two days prior (on two carriers, so not a large audience to start). Folks tuning into the BTN for the first time perhaps that weekend got to see that game as it unfolded. 

Wolverine Devotee

August 6th, 2014 at 9:42 AM ^

How is Brennen Beyer a senior already?! Scary thing is, Funchess is gonna be a senior next year...

Prince Lover

August 6th, 2014 at 10:15 AM ^

Just as much as anybody. But I'm really starting to hate this year's countdown. Because UM's 1st game will fall on my birthday this year. It's happened several times before but this year will be my 40th. UGH! I'm going to be 40! At least I'll have the game to keep me feeling young though I guess/hope.

cobra14

August 6th, 2014 at 12:14 PM ^

I love that we scheduled this game. We lost to them, no matter if we play them now or never again that game will always be brought up. IMO Appy State has earned the right not to not only come back but the payday that comes along with it. I guess we should never schedule Toledo again.

LKLIII

August 6th, 2014 at 12:16 PM ^

I'm ignorant of the economics of scheduling, so maybe it's just about the money or being able to tell recruits they can play a big time game in the Big House.   But from the App State perspective, what's in it for them to re-schedule another game with us in terms of program pride?

They slayed the goliath once.  Take that win and run.  If they get crushed handliy this time around, wouldn't that just be a huge damper on one of the absolute highlights of their football program?  Right now they've faced us and beat us 100% of the time.  Why risk tarnishing that sterling record?

If they want to inch their way up to a strong D1 program, and get their roster used to playing stronger talent consistently, you'd think that in addition to joining the Sun Belt, they'd be better off scheduling some more D1 programs from the MAC, or lower level Big Ten or ACC/SEC teams a couple of times per year, as opposed to one "giant killer"  game against Michigan, LSU, or Georgia each year.

 

 

cobra14

August 6th, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^

It's all about exposure and money. Their program gets on national TV which their coaches can tell recruits about. Most importantly they get a nice chunk of change to come up and play Michigan. Even if they lose it's a win win for their program.

In reply to by cobra14

LKLIII

August 6th, 2014 at 1:15 PM ^

That's true, but then why not schedule an expected beat-down with a different big time program like Ohio State or Notre Dame?  Or even better yet, a big team that might be struggling right now, like a Texas?  They'd still get the cash and exposure, but wouldn't risk killing their pristine record against us.

Anyway, I guess it's not my job to be the AD for Appalachain State, so it's therefore not my problem.  What's done is done.  It's scheduled.  We are playing them.  All we can do is focus on the variables we can control and move on with the program.

LKLIII

August 6th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^

In this thread, the debate about re-scheduling APS seems to boil down to this:

Two different theories as to how to make that memory fade as quicky as possible from the pages of history.  It will never full be removed (barring apocalypse or a gradual 100-200 year decline of the sport of football), but the question is one of dilution.

MGrowOld Method: Sprint far away from the game and rack up as many wins against other teams as possible.  Don't talk about The Horror, and fergodsakes, don't SCHEDULE Appalachain State ever again.  Don't pick the scab, lest it falls off and re-opens the wound.  Dilution via time and via beating other teams.

FreddieMercuryHayes Method:  It was a fluke win, does not define our program, and we should remind the world that it was in fact a fluke by hammering them into the ground one or two times as proof.  Scheduling them is not a sin--at least scheduling them once or twice within a 10 year span just to prove that it WAS in fact a fluke, but we probably shouldn't make this a full-blown THING by scheduling regular games.  Dilution via beating APS at least once or twice handily and via beating other teams, and to a lesser extent via time since each time we schedule APS it essentially re-sets the clock.

 

True Blue Grit

August 6th, 2014 at 1:30 PM ^

to that game since we were going out of town for the Labor Day weekend.  Still, we listened in the car as The Horror unfolded.  We might have seen the blocked FG attempt after getting where we were going - I can't quite remember as I've been trying to blot the game out of my memory.  I think this one is going to go much better for us.  But, I do agree with MGrowOld that scheduling this game was a stupid idea by David Brandon.  Any other team would have been much more preferable. 

DK81

August 6th, 2014 at 2:37 PM ^

I agree with posters who want to beat the living daylights out of App St. I can't believe there are people scared of playing them. Who cares if they show some replays during the week leading up to the game. I was at the Horror and I want to remind everyone that was a fluke. It is personal

grumbler

August 6th, 2014 at 3:49 PM ^

Scheduling another Appalachian State game is a lose-lose for Michigan.  Winning the game won't make the loss to them a fluke - they were the better team that day.  All winning this one does is prove (in the minds of the Michigan-haters) that Michigan can play the bully, and prove (in the minds of Michigan fans) that Michigan can't lose gracefully and move on.  There is no way to gracefully win the game (if its within a couple of touchdowns, then Michigan just 'scraped by" and if they win by a bunch they are "running up the score") and certainly no way to gracefully lose the game.  

It is crap scheduling, driven only by dollars, and I hate it.

ThadMattasagoblin

August 7th, 2014 at 1:16 AM ^

Disagree with it being the biggest upset ever and something we won't ever live down blah blah. JMU over VT was a bigger statistical upset but because everyone hates Michigan besides Michigan fans it has been played up whereas nobody talks about VT's upset because there's there's not millions of people who hate them.