Former player Curt Stephenson Posts This on Rivals Today

Submitted by umbig11 on
Curt played for Bo back in the day along with Rick Leach (Stephenson, Curt; 1975-76-77; WR; #85). He posted this on Rivals today: Look at Jimmy....and we are only in April!!!! The world around Ann Arbor is changing, get ready for a street fight. You would not believe how many old Wolverines are up on their toes, chins out, ready to go. Guys from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90's and 2000's are all reunited, talking, pushing, making contributions that didn't happen 12 months ago. Old guard, new guard united. This enormous wave is still gathering. It is going to be sweet when it hits. Harbaugh is the storm. Hackett is the moon causing the high tide. I'm coming to surf in AA. 1 CJS85, Today at 5:21 PM I love how Harbaugh has finally United the former players. Alumni, fans etc! The excitement around the program is refreshing!

MGlobules

April 24th, 2015 at 9:18 PM ^

that ND played for an NC just a year and a half ago. You may be referring to their long previous period in the wilderness, but with ours having stretched--what 15? years--to their 20 (?), I am willing to stay a little bit humble until we are a few steps closer to full recovery.

phork

April 25th, 2015 at 1:24 PM ^

Sounds like your typical slappy response.   You guys had 5 losses that year.  We had the #1 defense in the country for most of the year.

So I am not quite sure of your criteria as being relevant.  Other than, you know, you being a Michigan fan and believing you are relevant.

Frankie J

April 24th, 2015 at 10:13 PM ^

Something about ND making it to that national title game didn't seem right though. They were blown out, and everyone knew they were going to be blown out. It was a really strange year in college football, and the only quality win they had was a victory over Stanford in overtime. In the last few years, ND hasn't been anything better than an average major team.

I still don't think ND is back to being considered a quality program because they still recruit well and haven't had a dominant team.

ThadMattasagoblin

April 24th, 2015 at 10:22 PM ^

It was a weird year. We basically outplayed them in their place and threw 6 interceptions. Pitt or Boston College i forget which missed a chip shot field goal to beat them, Matt Barkley got injured the week before playing ND, Stanford got a b.s. call against them which pushed their game with ND to overtime.

WolverineHistorian

April 25th, 2015 at 1:09 AM ^

Yes. Stanford got screwed by not being rewarded a touchdown that clearly crossed the plane.

Pittsburgh got triple screwed getting called for a phantom pass interference that gave ND a first and goal, Pitt missed a field goal in overtime that would have won it, an Irish defender was offsides on the kick but the ref refused to throw the flag and a ND player gave a punch to a Pitt player and not a single ref noticed it to throw the flag.

Two gifted victories by the refs in South Bend. That team had no business playing in the national title game and were predictably exposed.

Danwillhor

April 25th, 2015 at 1:15 PM ^

I always mention this. ND had 2 players wearing #2 on the FG block team with a ref staring right at them. Not even a blocked view. Pitt should have been given a re-kick from what would have been XP territory if called - Wasn't. Then we throw as many INTs as points we lost by (lol), Stanford was robbed as their HB was called as not scoring when he went over on top of another player. That was BY FAR the worst NCG team in my lifetime. Maybe ever. Bama whooped us in week 1 down in Dallas. Bama ruined, absolutely ruined, ND after a complete season of dual scouting, injuries, rhythm, etc. ND wasn't even a top 10 team that year, IMO. Yet, through luck & a crazy B.S. they made it in lol

phork

April 25th, 2015 at 2:56 PM ^

Not sure how you say he got in?

His elbow is down before he thrusts the ball into the endzone. Thats besides the point that he was already stuffed a yard and a half back. I also am not sure how you couldn't call them a top 10 team? Alabama was a buzz saw that year.

Also since you seem to want to pile on ND regardless of other results I would refresh you memory:

USC 55 Oklahoma 19
Florida 41 OSU 14

the real hail_yes

April 24th, 2015 at 10:47 PM ^

I remember listening to a Les Miles interview on Sirius before their bowl game, and while he was still in discussion for the UM job - at least among the commoners - he indicated that no matter what happened there was something special about Michigan, and whoever ended up coach everyone would rally around...



He might have known at that point it was Harbaugh - because obviously not everyone rallied around RR - but its telling, and hopefully the momentum continues.

ThadMattasagoblin

April 24th, 2015 at 10:31 PM ^

We went to the Rose bowl in 2004, 2005, 2007, and Orange Bowl in 2000. The beginning of Michigan's downfall is either Lloyd Carr's last year or Rich Rod's first year. It doesn't matter though cause we got Harbaugh.

buddha

April 25th, 2015 at 9:56 AM ^

Meh...in my mind, the downfall started in 2005. Our program started to develop a number of holes that were visible on the field: poor recruiting, questionable coaching, and players who weren't getting better. Our performance in 2007 is a complete mirage. When it is all said and done, we beat up a very bad big 10, and we lost to the only two teams that were any good. The icing on the cake was App State and then Oregon. Those two games signaled just how far we had fallen (and we are still trying to catch up).




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True Blue Grit

April 25th, 2015 at 1:15 PM ^

In particular, the OL recruiting had already started to decline leaving RR with little to build on.  QB too had almost no viable depth, so that once Mallett bolted we were screwed.   LInebacker, safeties, I could go on, but why bother.  Because, now HARBAUGH.  

M-Dog

April 25th, 2015 at 3:04 PM ^

Yeah, it sucked.  But losing Rose Bowls on New Years Day to one of the top 3 teams in the county is not the sign of a program in decline.  Even Bo did that when Michigan was "dominant".

Hell, even in 2007 we were pretty good once everyone healed up and our coaches decided to let all the future NFLers just play the game. 

Our period of decline has been more like 7 years, not 15 . . . which is a moot point.  It's been long enough for my tastes.  It's time to start winning some meaningful games again.

 

DairyQueen

April 25th, 2015 at 4:06 PM ^

Agreed.

Losing in big bowls sucks, but you have to be at least good enough to ge there.

Over the last 7 years UM Football record: 46-42

 

Take away the 11-2 season  (the BIGs weakest year in recent memory), and we're: 35-40

The pre-2008 years "may" have been waning, but nowhere near what the last 7 years has been. Not even close.

Njia

April 25th, 2015 at 9:37 AM ^

At least back in the "ancient times" (pre-ESPN) when many games were not televised.

The rest of your point stands, though: out of respect for Bo, the other coaches and especially the players, we would be in the stands in time for kick-off.