Lynn Henning is at it again
Michigan Wolverines (football): The generous pick would be 7-5, but it's difficult to make a case for more than 6-6. The Big Ten schedule is tough, and even the non-conference menu (Connecticut, Notre Dame, Massachusetts, Bowling Green) has enough thorns in it to make life tense for Rich Rodriguez's team. Anyone who says Connecticut (season-opener) is huge has the autumn forecast pretty well pegged in Ann Arbor.
Michigan State (football): Opposite picture, largely because the schedule is cozy, and also because MSU will be driven to exorcise last November's dorm-incident demons. With no Ohio State on the schedule, this could be a 9-3 team.
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100706/OPINION03/7060408/1136/SPORTS07/Expect-Lions--MSU-to-be-much-improved#ixzz0t0W7c7Gm
Aside from the painfully easy nonconference schedule outside of Notre Dame, why is the bar set so high for next year for one school when BOTH are coming off losing seasons? I understand that they don't play Ohio State or Purdue, but isn't 9 wins stretching it? They host Wisconsin, play at Northwestern, Iowa, and Michigan. That sounds like tough sledding in the Big Ten conference, but why not slather MSU with all the praise in the world after three "successful" years with MD at the helms. And what happens if they lose a stinker? And say they lose a couple Big Ten games at home, which they have done in the past. That leads us to believe that 6-6 and 7-5 are a pretty good starting prediction, barring some sort of breakthrough year. Discuss.
of having most of their players out of jail.
That is the surprise!
and no Ohio State. If Dantonio wants to win or tie for a Big Ten title, then 2010 would probably be the best year to do it.
That said, those 4 road games against Michigan, Iowa, Northwestern and PSU will be tough and Notre Dame in EL may not be a slam dunk win for MSU either.
What's interesting is that MSU loses players to off-field incidents and it's a motivational factor in Henning's eyes. If the same event had affected Rodriguez's 2010 roster, would Henning have the same skewed view of the situation? Yeah right.
if UM had that incident, everyone would be saying that RR has "lost the players and program"
I think MSU could have a record as good as 9-3, but that's only if they don't have any Spart No! moments, which is pretty unlikely. We could be 6-6. I don't think we will, but I don't see that as a ridiculous prediction after we've been 8-16 in the last 2 seasons.
It is funny that you all rant about Sparty, paying so much attention to them. Who cares? This Michigan Man simply ignores MSC, MAC for those with a longgggg memory. Friends ask whether I hate MSU. I reply NO, can't hate something I ignore and have no respect for. Remember, most MooU grads got rejected by their Big Brother school in Ann Arbor. A MooU degree makes great toilet paper.
As for Henning's take on Michigan football, haven't heard anyone say WHY he is wrong, just that he is. His take is pretty accurate to me, though I think they go 7-5. At 6-6, Rich loses his job. He has to go at a minimum 7-5 to keep his job, though at 7-5 he may still be shown the door. While the offense progressed last year, the defense was lousy. With the offense progressing further, the possibility for 8-4 is there. Another lousy defense will make that worthless, and 6-6 it is.
You are right! Who cares about MSU?!?!?! Certainly not me! Now if you will let me get back to telling everyone that I don't care about MSU.......
With the "MooU's" and the "I wipe my ass with an MSU degree hurr hurr" and the "RIchRod will be fired if he is 6-6 - period," it sounds like your commentary would be better suited over on Mlive.
fan in most of us pays attention to more than just Michigan. I, for one, enjoy reading up on many, many teams. Michigan just happens to be the one I call my favorite.
Wouldn't they have wanted to "exorcise last November's dorm-incident demons" in their bowl game last year? Or is Lynn suggesting now that everyone has been suspended that 1 game and back on the team, NOW is when they look to show the world? I guess it is tough to show the world you are back when you are beaten by a coachless team....does this mean after they have a losing season this year, they can look to 2011 to exorcise those demons?
Actually, he's not that far off the mark. MSU went 2-5 in games decided by 8 or less last year. Typically teams with such a lousy record in close games will improve their lot the following year. This also provides hope for Michigan, as well.
But, I think MSU has a good chance of coming to Ann Arbor 5-0. I wont predict that, but it wouldnt even come close to shocking me. I could easily see a pair of 4-1 teams playing that day.
Frankly, the winner in the MSU/UM game, I feel, has a good shot at putting nine wins on the board. But, that's just me. A big X factor for either will how the ND games in September go. I feel a lot more confident about MSU winning at home, than UM on the road.
Season begins 8 weeks from tomorrow. All the conjecture can go rot then.
Remember last year when we were wondering if MSU could beat ND or Wisky or both if they would be 4-0 or 3-1 coming into the UM game?
I wouldn't put it past MSU to be 2-3 next year coming to Ann Arbor with a loss to Western.
I actually had Central, plus the points. What a great day.
And, I wouldnt put anything past MSU, from either a good or a bad record. Its just not the program you want to go out on a limb with, on account of their goofiness,
But, franklly WMU is nowhere near the team the CHIPS were last year and those ND and Wisco games are at home. I think 2-3 could happen, but I give it a less chance of happening than 3-2 or 4-1.
Honestly, he's a man with a girl name. Who cares what he thinks.
That kinda cuts deep, man!!
LOL
I don't know, when I hear a person named Jamie, I think it's 50-50 boy or girl. When I hear Lynn, I think woman right away, and I'm surprised if it ends up being a man. He might as well be named Gail, as far as I'm concerned.
I would believe that MSU could "exorcise its demons" from last November if the team did not have a history of stalling out as the opponents became tougher and the pressures became greater. Their schedule wasn't a Murder's Row last year either, and they struggled to 6-7, including a home loss to CMU. Even in 2008, when everything fell into place and the team had a good season, they were still waxed by every decent-to-good team they played. It is highly likely that they'll be 4-0 heading into Wiscy, but after that you could see them fall apart with road games against UM, NW, and Iowa in 4 weeks. They may very well win 8 games next year, but I doubt any ghosts will be exiled.
As for UM, 6-6 is lowball but not insane based on the last two years. UConn is a huge game to start the year, but a fringe top-25 team to start the season would be a major game for most teams in the country. I fully expect the team to win 8 games, but I'm not going to kill Henning for tempering expectations.
"Hi, Detroit News intern? This is Lynn Henning, the sports columnist. Listen, I am on vacation right now, up in Traverse City, eating cherries, they are great....Oh, its hot there in Detroit? Hmmm, didn't notice the temperature, I was on my sailboat....Listen, kid, i forgot to write my column this week and i got all tied up trying on wooden shoes in Holland yesterday, so i was wondering if you might be able to do it for me...oh, the lifestyle section, really. and they have you answering phones?...ok, anyway, UM something something, MSU something something then its done. got it? it goes headline, twenty cliches, plausibility denial and done!....yeah, i know the season is not for two months. oh yeah, write a column about how the tigers might make a trade this fall and that it has the possibility of working or of not working...yes, i know, those usually are the only options... off to the winery!" click
...wins and RR's hot seat gets a lot hotter. This is "acid test" year for his offensive scheme to prove itself in the B10 and his defensive personnel to rise to the occasion. This is RR's hand picked team now. No excuses.
That said, I think eight wins are a realistic possibility. Nine could be reachable with a bit of luck. If we get eight wins, the hot seat gets turned down a notch. Only six or seven wins keeps RR's buns uncomfortably scorched.
13-0. MNC.
Lynn Henning is a hack and writes to save/continue his own job. His hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Just drop the puck on football already!!
Go Blue!
Dan Henning, the 1970s buck-toothed, bell-bottomed magician?
"It's an illussshion!!"
its Doug