ESPN WolverineNation (ESPN Ann Arbor) is now live
Although it happened a few days after I expected, ESPN's foray into local college football insight is now live:
http://espn.go.com/colleges/michigan/index
TomVH and Rothstein's stories are already up. Interested to check it out and see how it is.
Edit: TomVH is now locked behind a paywall. Ugh.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:27 PM ^
WolverineNation? Really? The name is reason enough for me to not click. ESPN Ann Arbor would have been much better.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:32 PM ^
the site is pretty decent for espn
September 6th, 2011 at 9:40 PM ^
WolverineNation is an F minus.
Site looks good, but the ubiquitous ~nation has me likely to stay away.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:51 PM ^
But TomVH gets an A+.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:29 PM ^
As long as they deliver the goods, they can call it "ESPN screw your mother" for all I care.
It looks like they are going to deliver the goods. If they do this right, they will have the same effect on a2dotcom, mlive, and freep as Wal-Mart has on mom and pop dime stores. I would expect to see Tigers Nation, Lions Nation, Pistons Nation, and Wings Nation in the future if they get enough clicks.
September 6th, 2011 at 11:29 PM ^
Check out the grin on Danny O's face when he says he's coming for the night game...Tom VH and his magic charm on video = priceless...
September 6th, 2011 at 10:49 PM ^
The entire thing is being operated under their RecruitingNation brand, so it makes sense for them to brand every site as "XNation". ESPN Ann Arbor implies a site like ESPN Dallas or ESPN Chicago, not what will essentially be a large college football blog.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:35 PM ^
I miss you
September 6th, 2011 at 9:36 PM ^
And it's fantastic. Looks like another must-visit site to add to the list.
September 7th, 2011 at 1:49 AM ^
mgopoints to properly reward that great Seinfeld reference.
September 7th, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
Point of order: the word used on Seinfeld was "spectacular", not "fantastic." If this was indeed an attempt to play off of Seinfeld, then it failed.
/Seinfeld geek
September 6th, 2011 at 9:39 PM ^
They may as well have gone with LOLverineNation because that shit is jokes.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:40 PM ^
LOLverinAtion!
September 6th, 2011 at 9:41 PM ^
This is why i started my free insider trial...
It really isn't that groundbreaking of content (most of it you can find on MGoBlog) but nice to see Tom again.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:42 PM ^
Who knew Tom could write so well? His article is pretty tight.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:43 PM ^
I'll probably get insider. Tom gets stuff that others just can't.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:52 PM ^
just get an espn mag subscription. find a deal where its like 4 bucks a year, and just get that. anyone with a mag subscription gets insider free.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:28 PM ^
But how much do you have to pay for the magazine?
September 6th, 2011 at 11:16 PM ^
but it's $4/yr for ESPN magazine. you get a free Insider subscription by being an ESPN subscriber.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:49 PM ^
I bookmarked their "recruiting news" page. Thats probably the only reason I will go there, I'm sure the content on mgoblog will be superior in every other way.
Edit: I suggest that everyone watch the Shane Morris feature, that kid has a cannon! He can literally throw 35 yards behind the back, 50 from his knees, and 80 standing up.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:47 PM ^
up and running...TomVH is ESPN official. I'm assuming all tweets and mgoblog updates are over. Regardless, if he is attached to it, must be pretty informative. I'll probably sign up.
An honest question...who is our next Tom? seriously, who is that go to guy now?
September 6th, 2011 at 9:50 PM ^
Uh, that's why we have Ace "Recruiting Ninja" Anbender now...
And I'm pretty sure Tom's tweeting will continue. It may link to paywalled stuff at ESPN but I don't believe it will entirely stop.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:50 PM ^
Ace is the new Tom, but he isn't at Tom's level yet (Tom had years to network with recruits and their coaches, Ace has had a few weeks).
September 6th, 2011 at 9:59 PM ^
True and fair. Don't get me wrong, TomVH was about 95% of why I got insider. The remaining 5% is ESPN's Red Wings stuff.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:54 PM ^
Interesting..Michigan, Oklahoma and Southern Cal seem to be the only schools that have "Recruiting Nation" themed sites. I'm sure there are probably more big schools working with ESPN to create their own. Is MGoBlog (and Michigan in general) ahead of other schools in terms of recruiting news, analysis and the other things that we read on this website? I just realized I have no idea what fans of other schools do for info, analysis, etc. on their team.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:56 PM ^
Hold me TomVH
September 7th, 2011 at 12:32 AM ^
Ah...you fruit loop.
September 6th, 2011 at 9:57 PM ^
I understand the need to get paid as well as anyone, but its too bad that TomVH "sold out" and went somewhere where his content will be hidden behind a paywall. Maybe its just sour grapes because I won't get quality info for free but, in the end, the info was just not good enough to get me to pay for it. Lets be honest - the info is going to find its way here eventually anyway. No disrespect to TomVH - I'm happy for him if he's happy.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:10 PM ^
Q: What's a sellout?
A: If you're an artist and you make money, you're a sellout.
Tom is doing the same thing he did before but is making more money (or feels he has more stability, better health insurance, ect.). I don't think he sold out at all.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:31 PM ^
Yeah, sellout was definitely not the right word. That's why I put it in quotes. FWIW - I consider myself to be a "sellout" for taking the job I did out of school and working for The Man. It sucked for years and took a long time to figure that out. Maybe TomVH will feel the same way some day. Either that or he'll be rich and famous and happy.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:35 PM ^
Sold out?
<br>
<br>Ironic, given your screen name.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:08 PM ^
If you'd like insider, the cheapest way is to get ESPN The Magazine, which comes with free insider. Right now there is a sale where you can get it for $3.99/year.
Go to: http://store.deekins.com/2537.html
and make sure to enter coupon code: ldespn
September 6th, 2011 at 10:34 PM ^
They also have a free 30-day trial you can do on the website if you want...but man, 4 bucks? nice.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^
I purchased ESPN the mag for the $3.99 a year, but how do I then recieve my insider with my existing ESPN account?
September 6th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
Once you know your subscriber number (which is on the mailing address part of your magazine, and might also be in your receipt, you use that to activate Insider. If you haven't received your first issue yet, you can probably go through ESPN Customer Service to have them find your subscriber number and help you activate your Insider.
September 6th, 2011 at 11:19 PM ^
find that deal? The code above is not working for me. $15 is the lowest I found on the web.
September 6th, 2011 at 11:23 PM ^
the deekins one i posted above in tjis thread still works for me ... make sure the quantity is 1.
September 6th, 2011 at 11:23 PM ^
the code is a lower case L not an I
September 6th, 2011 at 10:58 PM ^
how do you log onto the insider?
September 6th, 2011 at 11:32 PM ^
Do they have a digital version of the magazine that works for that? I ask because I am away from home pretty frequently, so a digital version is much more attractive to me than the print version.
September 6th, 2011 at 11:41 PM ^
Not that I know of, but I'm not sure. I'm guessing that you'd really just be getting this for the Insider -- so feel free to send the subscription to a friends' house or your office, perhaps -- you just need the subscriber number.
September 7th, 2011 at 6:52 AM ^
you can always access the digital version of the mag online; also there's an iPad app fwiw.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:45 PM ^
In the story recapping the UTL presser, it says Desmond was the one who requested that UM honor him? Is that common? Just stuck out to me...
September 6th, 2011 at 10:59 PM ^
I believe we were going to honor him regardless for being elected to the Hall of Fame...he chose the game to be honored at, which probably had alot to do with his Gameday schedule.
September 6th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
Insider account finally pays off...
September 6th, 2011 at 11:03 PM ^
That site is a bag of turtles without shells. Will not frequent.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:36 AM ^
The fuck you just say?
September 6th, 2011 at 11:08 PM ^
I am one of those people who could care less about recruiting until signing day.
BUT for TomVH I will donate a subscription just to increase the memberships, in the hopes he gets some recognition for being awesome.
September 6th, 2011 at 11:17 PM ^
To get espn insider for $4
September 7th, 2011 at 2:36 AM ^
pretty cool.