Meta: What's the best MGoBlog post ever?
I would argue it's this 2012 post from Brian ranking the big ten football coaches by how attractive they would be to a walrus.
https://mgoblog.com/content/big-ten-coaches-ranked-attractiveness-perspective-walruses
One of my all time classic posts was the OP inquiring about OMG Shirtless pics, of the BBall squad…for a friend. Hilarity ensued!😅😂
The best part of that particular thread was the OP getting PISSED at people for ridiculing him. Surely they knew that, even if it was a serious inquiry (it probably was, which....yikes!), there was zero chance it would be taken seriously because not many people have the following exchange in normal life:
"I would like to inquire about your array of shirtless photos of college undergraduates."
"Certainly, sir. They are filed right over here. Would you walk this way, please?"
“Yes, thank you. Are they available in both color and black & white? Looking for something with an Ansel Adams feel”
NTTAWWT
Whatever happened to that Pony something guy? That guy was either 10 or nuts.
I think his name was Pony Conqueror. Dude needed help.
This is asked about once a year. My answer is always "Eleven Swans", before The Game in 2006. Probably the pinnacle of this site, IMO. Always sad to think of just how long ago that game was because it feels like a couple years ago and it probably changed modern Michigan Football more than any other. Quite literally, a late hit may have altered Michigan Football more than any of us could ever truly imagine or realize. The branches coming from that game and event are almost without limit.
Agree on Eleven Swans, but I've never thought that changing the outcome on the late hit would've significantly altered Michigan's arc.
Thirded on "11 Swans". Still gives me chills every time I read it.
Also curious on how the 06 game changed the arc of our football future. Unless you think Lloyd then retires after the season thereby preventing the RR years from occurring? But in that timeline Ron English probably becomes the HC and I'm not sure that would've been the nirvana past you are hoping for.
Maybe not Nirvana, but I have to think the continuity of a hire from Lloyd’s staff is better than the complete upheaval seen after the RichRod hire.
You could also argue Michigan doesn’t go after Denard in this scenario, so it’s probably not a net change for the program. But I do think Devin Gardner still comes to UM, and maybe with a decent O line in front of him he becomes a star beyond what we was able to achieve under Hoke
The problem of continuity would be that the game was changing and Lloyd didn’t appear to be willing to keep up with the times. I have my doubts that an elder statesman of Lloyd’s staff would have ushered in modernity to the program.
I don’t think the 180 turn to Rich Rod and the upheaval that brought was ideal by any means, but that was the ideal period to bring in a coach that brought some spread concepts to really modernize the offense. Mallett probably sticks around if we don’t go read-option offense for example.
Granted, I was 12 in 2006. But none of the coaches on staff that I recall seem to give off that vibe. So in the short-term I think the results are better. But Michigan falling behind the times seems inevitable.
Nick Saban was available in 2006. I know I know. We never even consider him. But what if…nope never mind. Michigan would never do it.
Also related to the RR hire was that he was supposed to become the HC of Alabama. How different the landscape of college football would be today if that happened!?!
I think the biggest assumption a few here make is that I'm necessarily saying that in the negative. I mean, losing that game sucked but I'm just talking generally. If UM wins that game they play for a NC. That alone potentially alters so many paths and outcomes that it's really hard to even think about.
For instance and as mentioned, does Carr call it a career? If so, who is HC? Almost certainly someone other than RR and probably an internal hire. That casts it's own set of possibilities. Does Carr get a greater sense of staying with a NC win or loss giving him an unlimited leash for 2007 and making a return in 2008 possible? If Carr still retires after 2007, does a recent NC appearance change the candidates list? One might say a Rose Bowl drubbing is about the same if you're already Michigan but I don't necessarily agree.
I think the outcome of that one game - which many point to the late hit as THE pivot point - created ripples in the program that individual losses rarely do. That's the only point.
Yeah, people forget that RichRod was absolutely the most sought after coach at the time and he turned down Alabama the year before we hired him. I don't think anyone could have foreseen that going so poorly so it appeared the transition from Carr to RichRod was a homerun. Hard to think there could have been a better outcome at the time.
Also crazy to see the salaries for these guys less than 20 years ago. RichRod was given a raise to $1.1M prior to the 2006 season and Bama came in with a six year $12M offer which was huge at the time. Guys now are making that in a season. Totally nuts.
The alternate universe that really probably did impact Michigan, IMO, was the timing of Brian Kelly leaving Cincinnati. If you'll recall, his 12-0 Cincinnati team was very close to making the BCS title game. It almost certainly came down to a Texas FG against Nebraska in the big12 title game.
I really wanted Brian Kelly to replace RichRod and if Texas had lost that game, Kelly likely would have stuck around Cincinnati for the BCS title game and then likely would have stayed another year (and at the time it was inevitable that Michigan would be looking for another coach at the end of the 2010 season - but two seasons for RichRod was too short).
Instead, Texas won and was selected for the BCS game and Kelly left for ND.
And Kelly revealed himself to be a dickhead that I wasn't aware at the time so in some ways, Michigan might have dodged a bullet but on the other hand, we wouldn't have had the Hoke era.
Eleven Swans is one of the best pieces of writing I've ever seen related college football. But I don't think game/horrible call changed the arc of Michigan football. Yeah, it altered in the short term, but whatever coach followed Carr was either going to suck or be an 'outsider'. The fact that it turned out to be both is mere happenstance. If there is one thing Carr did not do, it's prepare his replacement.
The game that changed the longterm arc of UM football was 2016. Get that game and we don't have to wait another 5 years...
I was not around back then. Anyone have a link?
edit: link…
https://mgoblog.com/content/eleven-swans
Edit - you found it as I was replying.
META -- In case didn't already know:
When using the search function above your username, you can filter the results for this site under MGoBoard, Diaries, or Main Page.
all of the ones from the guy who would post diaries of his wife and her crazy ass family (i believe they were korean). it was like reading the funniest standup skit you ever heard. can’t remember the OPs name because I suck with names. I’ll know you for 3 years and still not know your name
better question, which also inadvertently kinda answers yours.
what board post has the most comments ever?
That was CRex and it's my all-time favorite stuff here. Some of the funniest stuff I have ever read.
+1 on CRex.
https://mgoblog.com/diaries/ot-crex-lost-content
CREX was my first thought.
Overtaking Ass
Simple. Elegant. Effective.
Yes!
If you're talking front page it's Eleven Swans and it's not close. Brian was and still is a magic man with his hands on a keyboard.
Heikos sit down with Al Borges is a close second for me
If we're talking the message board, either the dogs anal glands or the mgocamping trip were hilarious.
CRexs Korean inlaws posts were funny.
EDIT: THE ORIGINAL NEGBANG THREAD WAS THE FUNNIEST THING IVE EVER READ ON THE INTERNET. SORRY FOR YELLING. GET OFF MY LAWN
I'm not going to say one thing about any bubble screens.
I have to go with Steel (https://mgoblog.com/content/steel) after our recent Women's Gymnastics National Championship.
Beautiful writing that captivated many football/basketball people on this site. Literally puts you in the gym as the competition unfolds.
Brian did a story about his trip to Columbus for "The Game." Wish I had a link. It made me laugh out loud.
Still my favorite, even though I’m a little partial to it as the OP. Everyone’s wacky coworker stories were just phenomenal.
Brian was in rare form, even for Brian, during the entire 2006 season. Both Colombo Deleda Est and Eleven Swans we're nearly perfect pieces.
On the board, Wife Day
https://mgoblog.com/diaries/preview-wifeday-2010
by Six Zero got the mgoblog-eratti going in ways I've never seen again. Pure perfect comedy in the original and in the epic comments.
The original The Knowledge post is up there as well.
I loved wifeday. My wife and I still call bye weeks wifeday because of it, even though she is as insane of a M fan as I am.
Wife day was a close second behind CREX for me.
I know this isn't just one post, but for sheer humor, I've always enjoyed the RGard vs MeanJoe07 pissing matches. Those things are golden.
Wait ... that didn't come out right.
He's a vile, smooth-brained varmint and carrier of every known STD and some medical science isn't even aware of. I don't mind the golden reference. Chimps fling poo too as you know.
Edit: He hasn't been the same since my mother dumped him for John O'Neill.
Re message board stuff -
+1 to Korean family
+1 to mgocamping
I’d add :
RollDamnTide outing
WD/Brandon quit drinking and go to bed
I think it’s this one. Great job OP
Maybe it's recency bias, but I agree.
chuck's trying to rehab his image after he face-planted in the lottery thread.
forgiveness is a good thing.
Foregiveness *is* a very good thing, but only after the offender first expresses understanding, remorse, and asks to be forgiven.
;-)
Any blog post announcing a win over Ohio State. Second place: the blog post announcing the departure of David Brandon.
Well, now I have a crapload of reading to catch up on. Thanks, Chuck...
Lloyd Brady
To this day I think about this comment from mgouser Huss and laugh to myself. This is from a 2010 Tom VH recruiting update about Joe Kerridge:
Perhaps the fastest man he's seen since he saw Usain Bolt in an Olympic trial. Sorta reminds of him of Mike Alstott, except bigger, faster, and generally a fuckton better. He's coached some great fullbacks like BJ Askew, but he believes Kerridge has the potential to shit all over Askew and certainly defecate bloody diarrhea all over All-Pro's like Larry Centers and Lorenzo Neal. But he just needs some time to develop. He's still just a junior and he can't wait to coach him up. His upside is Jim Brown.
The last sentence is the funniest part lol.
That one where the OP recommended offing several Supreme Court Justices.
/too soon?
After commenting something about wiggle room in the threat, so it's not an actionable threat, he redacted it and said "still thought it was funny"! The self awareness of Ben Roethlisberger.
Arabian Goggles.
This is one of my favorites. A thanks to stephenrjking.
https://mgoblog.com/diaries/ten-years-later-2002-regionals-molly-and-greatest-weekend-yost-history
This is a great post. It reminds me of how Yost use to be.