Evening Games Open Thread

Submitted by Zone Left on

Which team do you hate less? Either way, they've got fantastic athletes and this should be fun to watch. Hopefully we see neither in a bowl game.

UMinTroyOh

November 5th, 2011 at 8:17 PM ^

Born in AA but went to UC.Zach Collaros, UC QB made a play that DR should emulate. Saw the edge blitz coming and ran right at, or as the results showed, by it.

magnus_caerulus (not verified)

November 5th, 2011 at 8:18 PM ^

Every UofM fan should be rooting for LSU.  Ex player, ex coach, ex alum representing what it means to be the leaders and the best.  And, unfortunately for us, what should of been... 

Zone Left

November 5th, 2011 at 8:20 PM ^

You know why he left Michigan, right?

Besides, he couldn't get away with cutting a Freshman before practice started because too many other Freshmen showed up at Michigan.

magnus_caerulus (not verified)

November 5th, 2011 at 8:40 PM ^

Certianly know the rumors, which have been unconfirmed by all parties for years.  I am not a powerful alum, but my connections cannot pin point a signal varifiable source to confirm to what you are referring.  Even Bacon has been asked in connection to Three and Out about this disconnect between he, UofM and Carr.  He either refuses to answer pointently or he cannot actually confirm what the real issue is.  Why would he still up until last year want and/or consider UofM HC job? 

Let's entertain that its true or partially true.  He made a mistake, and damned if he didn't make it an opportunity to succeed beyond any UofM's wildess dreams since 1997 (thats a long time ago...duh!) 

And as we have seen, whether you care to admit it or not, even Fort Schembechler has had its cracks, some wider and more penetrating than others.  We all as UofM fans would be kinding ourselves to think that you would do exactly what every SEC schools does to compete for recruits, titles and BCS berths.  Don't think for a second that our coaches haven't and won't exhaust every gray area to squeeze recruits or practice hours to win.  Legal is only in the eyes of the beholder and whom interpets the rules/laws.  

 

In reply to by magnus_caerulus (not verified)

Zone Left

November 5th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^

The Big 10 actually prohibits what I described above. I meant he couldn't do it in the context of he wouldn't actually be allowed to--regardless of anyone's moral qualms (or lack thereof).

magnus_caerulus (not verified)

November 5th, 2011 at 9:52 PM ^

25 up against 28.  That is the rule.  I understand your point completely, however, LSU has made some very public poor recruiting decisions -- doesn't mean Les and LSU are evil.  That is being overblown.  Its culture and competing with your league members.  They also do what every one does when you have a health roster full of talent and NFL talent, you over estimate how many will leave early.  Right or wrong, that is the game.  Not saying they are not "cutting" or " releasing" players, but I won't look at them like they are killing college athletics either.  

We can't have that extreme, when if we were to look deeper at our current situation, are we not finding ways to fit more into our 2012 class based on some of the same methods? 

Lastly, I know it may seem crass, heartless or evil if you will, but when you coach and have players on your roster that need to go, a coach has a right to cut the dead weight.  Its not just extreme behavior, its developing cancer that needs to be surgically removed, whether it means an ugly scholarship debate in the media, versus what the CEO of Michigan, LSU or Alabama know about the internal poltics, disposition and disruption a player or players are causing cuz they aint getting their due yo -- you dig!  Managing talent is more of a college CEO's job than X's and O's than ever.  Even if that means, unfortunately, removing players from the programs for the right reasons, but looks more like roster manipulation.  

We are sort of scratching our heads at our recruiting numbers right now and wondering where they are coming from in the program. Its not cut and dry or perfectly clear where every scholarship is coming from for 2012 concering UofM.  

In reply to by magnus_caerulus (not verified)

Phil.engin2011

November 5th, 2011 at 10:24 PM ^

"Right or wrong, that is the game."  No, it's wrong.  In a 4 year span, LSU and Alabama have recruited nearly an entire extra class of players.  Outside of them and maybe another few teams in the SEC, no one does this.  It is simply not possible to recruit this many players without cutting, a.k.a. "medical hardships."

 

No, we are not using the same methods in order to fit in our 2012 class.  We can actually SIGN 28 because our roster has been depleted nearly every year for the last 3 years.

 

Yes, it is heartless and crass to think that a coach should be able to cut under-performers.  There should not be a one-way responsibility from the player to the team:  it's not like players can leave and play somewhere else freely, why should coaches be able to trim rosters freely?  In fact, the recent rule change which allows for offering multi-year scholarships is designed to mitigate specifically this concern.

 

Finally, we know exactly where the scholarship numbers are coming from this year.  We are, what, 26 under the limit including graduating seniors?  We have at least 2 4 year players that will not be asked to return for a 5th, which is a far cry from playing the medical hardship card:  4 years allows you to get a degree.

magnus_caerulus (not verified)

November 5th, 2011 at 11:45 PM ^

Have you ever coached or played athletics beyond HS or MS? 

The reason I ask, and with all due respect, is because though your arguement has validity, it doesn't hold weight when you are intimately involved in big time athletics.  It just isn't that rosy, sir.  There are players that can signal handely bring down your team and program both from on the field, off the field and in the classroom actions.  They should not be given the gift of scholarship. Your job/career is rarely a lock contract where there are not out clauses,why should thier scholarship be guaranteed? 

You can’t offer a 17/18 young man or woman (in the larger context)  a free ride for 4-5 years, then they pull a Boo –car and ruin the whole team's rep.  What about JT Turner?  Did you read Three and Out?  What about the chapter about the 2010 team and the weak links who didn’t earn their wings prior to the season?  Make me a case the lets them keep the grant-aid scholarship because it is morally correct in their case/his case?  Please…!!!  That’s not even flash-gate, five fab or hockey net-gate.  Give me a break. 

Whose being Med-hardship this year?…how many have left?  You are contending that everyone who has left should get a scholarship not just at UofM but at the college they chose to transfer to afterwards?  And the reason is because they promised one D1 school, so that pledge should transfer to the other school? 

This argument is similar to the marriage and cereal analogy:  Why get married when you can the variety pack every day. Why marry a player that has a fatalistic mentality that will blow up in the face of the coach, teammates and school?!??! Better to cut ties and grab another box. 

They should not be given the gift of scholarship just because we here at UofM think that is morally correct.  You forget our history about not being all that morally correct, paying for play and enrolling grad students less than 100 years ago.  Long time, but is it different??  Win and all cost is a trait among civilized cultures, notwithstanding 2011 college athletics. 

Your job/career isn't a guarantee, thus their athletic scholarship or grant aid program shouldn't be either.  If you are academically ineligible, you can become a liability and morally ineligible too!!  

In reply to by magnus_caerulus (not verified)

nyc_wolverines

November 5th, 2011 at 9:07 PM ^

+1 above.

'97 team stocked with Moeller recruits. It's unfortunate what could have been with Moeller. He had a greate career post-UM.

Brandon, illuminated by his decisions, has proven himself to be vainly controlling the U of M program - the sideline prowls during the game, snubbing Denard, reviewing game film with RR (and I bet Hoke) and unis which throwback to no particular era, the mascot on the horizon and I could go on, bet I don't want to steal Bacon's material.

 

 

Gameboy

November 5th, 2011 at 11:02 PM ^

I was at the book signing in Seattle the other night for Three and Out and I asked him point blank about the "rumor" and this is what he said...

As far as John U Bacon is concerned, he is FLABBERGASTED that people believe this rumor. John said Mrs. Moeller is not some floozy in a leather skirt, and there is absolutely no way that she had some illicit affair with Les. He talked to many people in the know and he said there is not one shred of evidence that this rumor occurred. He seemed pretty upset that people would even believe this junk.

If anyone would have gotten bottom to the this rumor, it would have been Bacon. As far as I am concerned, this rumor should die the same death as our Big 10 championship hopes...

magnus_caerulus (not verified)

November 5th, 2011 at 11:53 PM ^

Everything I have heard is the same...unfortunately its more about the connection to Carr and Les clashing at UofM and then subsequently on the recruiting trail and at the annual coaching convention in Jan.  

The more that comes out about Carr, the less his legacy seems legitize about the vaules he exposed.  

QVIST

November 5th, 2011 at 8:24 PM ^

The energy at this game is unbelievable. I've never seen anything like it in a regular season game. (Sorry '06 Game of the Century...I know that's blasphemous.)

BOX House

November 5th, 2011 at 8:24 PM ^

Even with his reputation, Miles has ties to Michigan and therefore I tend to root for him to do well. It doesn't hurt that Saban was once a Sparty, either. Balancing both of those things, I'm rooting for LSU all the way.

flysociety3

November 5th, 2011 at 8:26 PM ^

Yeah, I hate to be that guy, but these teams would absolutely wreck anyone in the B1G..... cheaters or not.. this looks like some NFL football.... 

Maybe I should have just kept that as a thought... oh well