Michigan’s Offense in a Bowl Game
November 14th, 2010 at 12:34 AM ^
Haters gonna hate. If M points up 60 and crushes their bowl opponent, I'd expect to hear something like "Yeah, but the did it on a fast track in FLA against a non-Big Ten team. It won't work in the midwest in Nov against teams built for those conditions."
November 14th, 2010 at 12:38 AM ^
November 14th, 2010 at 12:52 AM ^
Maybe you should just listen to static. It is annoying too, but at least you don't boost their ratings and give them more incentive to continuing spewing.
November 14th, 2010 at 12:58 AM ^
In the oakland county area i pretty much just get static on WTKA, but that is far better than listening to those clowns.
November 14th, 2010 at 9:00 AM ^
I have to choose between EMU Eagles hour or 97.1, would anyone be interested in calling up with me to clog their phone lines and as soon as we're on the air just making static noises?
November 14th, 2010 at 9:23 AM ^
There was this syndicated idiot by the name of Peter Brown (I think). He kept talking about how he didn't think Michigan would beat Ohio State in Ann Arbor that year, because Ohio State had beaten Michigan 28-0 in Ann Arbor in 1993. He went on about this for at least a couple of weeks before he finally figured out that no, it was actually the other way around and Michigan had beaten Ohio State 28-0 in Ann Arbor in 1993.
That was the last straw. I don't listen, and I've found I don't miss it.
November 14th, 2010 at 3:53 PM ^
No, if Michigan beat the crap out of a good team, everyone will love it. They haven't done that in years.
November 14th, 2010 at 12:48 AM ^
Perhaps precisely this potential for huge, entertaining, TV-viewer-attracting, ticket-selling offensive numbers will make M more attractive to potential bowl destinations. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the Big Ten's bowl tie-ins have some screwy rules whereby teams can be chosen over others with the same overall record, even if their conference finish isn't as high? Michigan could benefit here and reach a slightly better bowl than we "deserve," by Big Ten standings.
November 14th, 2010 at 12:55 AM ^
The rule is actually that you can take a team with one less overall win than another if you want. So a 7-5 team can be taken over an 8-4 team if the bowl desires, but not over a 9-3 team. This allows for a scenario like we saw last year when 6-6 FSU was in the Gator Bowl for Bowden's swan song. Can get the compelling storyline.
November 14th, 2010 at 12:56 AM ^
Actually, the "screwy" rules that the Big Ten has and that conferences tend to have in place are to prevent situations like bowls picking Michigan for the drawing power over teams that had better seasons. Can't go above a one-game difference, I think, so if Michigan ends up 7-5 they can't be picked over a 9-3 team but they can over an 8-4 team. Or it might be based on conference record, but same concept.
But in any case I guarantee Michigan gets a better bowl than they "deserve." It's Michigan. Known for traveling well. Gargantuan fanbase. Offense made of antimatter and light sabers. Illinois and Penn State really ought to end up with better conference records, and if Illinois doesn't then Northwestern might, but in any case, if you were a bowl sponsor or official, do you want Matt McGloin or Denard Robinson? Right.
November 14th, 2010 at 1:00 AM ^
...we may be soulmates.
November 14th, 2010 at 3:59 AM ^
You know, you could just use the MGoSoulSearch button instead of cluttering this thread.
November 14th, 2010 at 12:50 AM ^
The time off didn't help against Penn State.
I'm more worried about being rusty.
November 14th, 2010 at 1:08 AM ^
What? And maybe the plane crashes that the team takes to the bowl. Aren't you a little bowl of sunshine.
November 14th, 2010 at 7:54 AM ^
That's not what he said, and it's not worth joking about, even to make whatever point you're trying to make.
November 14th, 2010 at 9:56 AM ^
That's rich coming from you sir. Almost every comment you make on this board is negative, or some kind of slapdown to other posters. Seems like you troll just looking for comments to rip on.
I'll give you due props for supporting the team, but damn.
November 14th, 2010 at 2:53 PM ^
There was a WSJ article recently showing that Big Ten teams were only about .350 in regular-season games following a bye. Having two weeks to prepare for a team that has one week is not necessarily an advantage. OTOH, for a bowl, the two teams have about equal time off. A season opener is a better comparison.
November 14th, 2010 at 5:10 PM ^
the bye week interval and it probably contributed to a poor performance for the last to years. Yet, bye the end of last year, the D had improved.
The bye week tinkering will pay offf down the road.
November 14th, 2010 at 5:37 PM ^
Yet, by the end of last year, the D had improved.
It did? The only game down the stretch last year that wasn't apocalyptically bad on D was OSU, when Tressel massively Tresselballed it.
November 14th, 2010 at 2:09 AM ^
I understand that Michigan draws great TV numbers. And I'm sure the school shows well for big bowl games. But do we really travel as well as the other top B10 teams? I attend a lot of road games, and opposing fans are constantly saying that schools like Iowa, PSU, and OSU show up in much greater numbers.
November 14th, 2010 at 2:24 AM ^
Michigan "traveling well" does not necessarilly refer to the students traveling - it has a lot more to do with our national fanbase. So while we may be less likely to send thousands of students to the Purdue game at Rose Ade Stadium, Michigan has such a large alumni base (and fanbase beyond alumni) that we do represent ourselves very well in big games across the country.
November 14th, 2010 at 11:20 AM ^
Since we've been away from the bowl for the last two years, there's more incentive for Michigan fans to attend this bowl. When we were more dominant, Michigan fans wouldn't go to an Outback or Captial One Bowl because they'd rather go to the Rose Bowl. Now, they'll happily go to whatever bowl we make, and the bowl people know that. Expect us to jump another 7-5 team.
November 14th, 2010 at 3:05 PM ^
1. "Another 7-5 team"? Why write off the last two games?
2. I'm skeptical of the notion that Michigan fans will "happily go to whatever bowl we make" if we do finish 7-5, as you predict. A lot of fans are not happy with the state of the program right now; two more losses will do nothing to change that. We probably will get chosen above another team with our record, but only for the TV ratings, not because we travel in large numbers.
November 14th, 2010 at 3:00 PM ^
We're just middle-of-the-pack by Big Ten standards when it comes to traveling. Iowa, Wisconsin and OSU easily outdraw us. When those teams play in Pasadena, they actually out-attend their Pac-10 rivals, which we never do. Nebraska is in that boat as well.
We generally do not bring as many fans as our opponents, unless we're playing a really small-conference opponent (like Colorado State in '94). PSU is similar. Our big appeal is that we draw excellent TV ratings.
November 14th, 2010 at 9:03 AM ^
...which everyone of us knows is it gives UM ~18 practices to figure out how not to turn the ball over an average of 2+ times per game.
November 14th, 2010 at 9:19 AM ^
Then 2012 will be a payback game - for one of the teams - which will make it infinitely more interesting.
I can dream right
November 14th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
Just what I need, a spike in redneck aggression down here. It's gonna be bad enough dealing with these people leading up to 2012! The only bright spot is that they are trying to jump off of a cliff now that the invincible BAMA! lost twice. Herbstreit is getting the last laugh with picking Auburn to the win the Sec West.
November 14th, 2010 at 3:28 PM ^
Then it would be a payback game this year.
November 14th, 2010 at 3:45 PM ^
Texas is currently in grave danger of staying home for the postseason. At this point it would be surprising if they could make it.
November 14th, 2010 at 9:44 AM ^
I just want a florida bowl game to make it easier for all the florida kids' families to attend.
November 14th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
November 14th, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^
which will really help us on offense and probably mean we put up a ton of points on whomever is unlucky enough to draw us in the bowl.
November 16th, 2010 at 2:46 AM ^
I really wouldnt mind seeing us play Texas. I am rooting for them to win some games. It was do a small part in starting to heal the pain from the near win over Vince Young in the Rose Bowl.
November 16th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
Glad to see we made it to a bowl game this year. Got to stay positive.