Moar Michigan/MSU Postgame Thoughts [Sunday Snowflake Thread]

Submitted by Mr. Yost on

Programming: The game will likely be replayed tonight on BTN as the "B1G Football Game of The Week." Ohio/Purdue was obviously a great game, but that game is being replayed right before this 8pm broadcast and I doubt they'd show it back-to-back.

Anyway, some good talk got washed away in the (warranted) excitement. With that said, after a day to let it soak in...where does this win stack in the Hoke era? IMO, it's #2 behind Ohio last year, ahead of the Sugar Bowl and UTL.

I just rewatched the 4th quarter and let me say...I am in tears. You can't watch that (knowing how it ends) and not just sit there and feel so good for these players. The fought SO hard. I feel like Junior Hemingway last January.

I suggest EVERYONE rewatch the end of the game...there are so many little things that remind you that these are college kids, just playing the game they love and pouring their HEART in it. There are even more examples of these kids being led by a GREAT coach and an even better man.

For example, during the final drive...the camera pans to the sideline and you see Gibbons walking up and Hoke slaps him on the helmet and gives him some encouragement. Gibby doesn't get paid to handle that pressure, but his team was behind him.

Denard going NUTS after spiking the ball (after the pass to Dileo).

The team mobbed Gibbons, but you can't get mad at that...just to see 115 guys realizing their dreams and reaching a goal was awesome.

Then after the game, you see how much it means to everyone. But you also see Hoke completely blow off the postgame game reporter go find Le'veon Bell and give him the BIGGEST hug like it was one of his own players. He gets it, he respects the rivalry, he respects the B1G, he respects MANBALL...even from a hated opponent.

Then you see the guys with that trophy...you see Jon Falk and you get this feeling "okay, it's over. We're back." Last year was no fluke, everything is restored, don't be afraid to care 110% like you used too...it's okay, Michigan is Michigan again.

We needed this win, and we needed to win just like this. An old fashioned Michigan game. A B1G game. No frills, no basketball on turf, just us vs. you, just victory.

 

LSA Aught One

October 21st, 2012 at 10:07 AM ^

I've re-watched the Denard dive for 1st down several times. I am sold that his knee never touched, but the MSU guys with me are still complaining about the spot. What did you see?

Jehu the Damaja

October 21st, 2012 at 12:39 PM ^

my brother sent me a text that said "we're still the better team" (lol),  to which i replied "I'd rather have the W buddy, Go Blue". It's amazing they can never give credit when credit is due, their failures are always a result of us cheating or some other BS excuse.

archangel2k12

October 21st, 2012 at 2:03 PM ^

the one sparty fan I know texted me:
"we should have made that field goal but whatever...good game."
I don't forsee him bringing up football again for a long time. It will be a long time before MSU has a team near as good as their 2011 squad.

MGoSoftball

October 21st, 2012 at 3:50 PM ^

you mean.  I used to coach with a sparty lover.  He had no affiliation with the school, he just loved sparty.  Ok  that is great. Root for whoever you want.

He was all over me when the stat "its been 1187 games since Michigan beat their little brother in football and basketball" was trumpeted.  He told me staee was "back".  I asked, "Back from what"?  He couldnt answer me.

I reminded him that Saban left because he was a realist that could not recruit against Michigan.  He was smart and left.

Then we won at the Big Chill and he said "wait until basketball".  When we beat sparty at Breslin, I reminded him about the comment he made at the the Big Chill.  He made excuses.  He even said Izzo had a cold and wasnt feeling well.  Huh?  You just cant make this stuff up.

We had a better basketball team.  But he couldnt say it.  sparty has always had us in basketball for years.  That was the only straw they could grasp.  Then they beat us again in football.  I gave him props.  I had to fire him as a coach so I have not heard from him in a year or so, but I will see if his head exploded yet.  If we take two in basketball, YIKES!

 

Tater

October 21st, 2012 at 3:23 PM ^

I think the spot was "spot on," but RCMB is having one of their most entertaining meltdowns of the season.  I love how some are blaming the refs and the "bad spot," when they were allowed several questionable late hits and not called on one once.  

I can't wait for TWIS.  Their number one blame object is the OC, as in, "scUM didn't beat us, our OC beat us with his playcalling."  Most of them are now sad that they have "nothing left to play for."  

I guess it really was their "Super Bowl."

MGoSoftball

October 21st, 2012 at 3:33 PM ^

make this stuff up.  They are in complete meltdown.  Some even want Dantonio's job.

Now, I do not like Dantonio any more than the next mgo Blogger.  He is a douche-bag and he even admitted it this week.  However, he is not a miracle worker.  He is an average coach who cant possibly coach-up an entire team.

In softball, there is always 1 or 2 players that can be coached up to play like the others.  But no one can coach up an entire team in any sport.

Now dont get me wrong, I dont feel sorry for marky mark.  However the sparty nation needs to get a reality check.

saveferris

October 22nd, 2012 at 8:25 AM ^

No, no, according to all the Spartan slappies I've come across, Denard's knee touched before he fell on top of the MSU player and stretched for the first down.  I really can't believe that they can dismiss Spartan Bob incident or the Wisconsin finish last season and then whine about a replay call not going their way.

squashman

October 21st, 2012 at 8:55 PM ^

I thought we actually got screwed on the spot for Funchess early in the 4th quarter when he caught the sideline pass. He was down at the 11 not the ten which would have allowed us to get a first down. It ultimately changed the way the calls were made on second and third down. I have watched this on the replay and the ref was right in position to spot it correctly. Funchess' helmet is on the 10 but the ball is in his stomach closer to the 11.

A_Train32

October 21st, 2012 at 10:08 AM ^

And Michigan is not the Michigan of old yet, we are definitely making positive strides but until we blow the whole defensive line off the ball back 1 or 2 yards every play and smash it between the tackles, then we will be back. UofM is back from a stabilized program perspective but not personnel wise.

LB

October 21st, 2012 at 10:31 AM ^

Future players might be bigger, but they will be building on the foundation laid down by a bunch of guys who came to play for Michigan, who didn't quit, and who represented Michigan when fans and even former players were abandoning the team. A walk-on who became a Captain. A QB who was too short but will own most of the QB records when he leaves, tiny running backs and slot ninjas. I think I heard it said somewhere that Michigan never left.

 

lonewolf371

October 21st, 2012 at 10:37 AM ^

Keep in mind that the rate at which Hoke has won so far is second all-time among Michigan coaches since 1900 (behind only Fielding Yost), and his conference winning percentage is second only behind Schembechler. Very few teams in Michigan history have won as much as Michigan has under Hoke, and 11-2 seasons aren't as common as you'd think. Enjoy the moment.

EGD

October 21st, 2012 at 10:43 AM ^

I don't think that A-Train32 really cares whether the team wins or loses, he seems more interested in the style of play.  I mean, when you have the entire library of Bo quotes to choose from, and you go with "Only three things can happen on a pass, and two of them are bad," you may have a '70s complex.

EnoughAlready

October 21st, 2012 at 10:15 AM ^

I'm sick of the Borges hate on this site.  It's automatic, almost like a reflex: Mattison can do nothing wrong, Borges can do nothing right.  Against Bama, people cried acid tears because Denard threw more than passed.  Against MSU, the game was run heavy with no risky passes.  And hordes of Mgo-naysayers complain and presume to know more than Borges in both cases, finding ANYthing to complain about.  

Think about this.  Denard is two or three games away from breaking Pat White's rushing record.  Denard started one year under the GENIUS!!! RR -- and Denard started two years under Borges.  That seems to point toward one conclusion -- Borges kinda knows what he's doing.  Even when Michigan wins, people immediately want to crap on Borges.  It's absolutely unreal.  Take off your blinders and you'll see...Borges is smarter than you.  He knows football better than you.  ("B-b-but!  I have a right to my opinion!"  Y-y-yes...and some opinions are bad and uninformed!)

Jeff09

October 21st, 2012 at 10:50 AM ^

I sort of agree with this. He did exactly what people were advocating (run Denard's best run plays and pa pass off of that) and it didn't work so great. So not sure what people want at this point, I feel that because of the way the personnel is set up we're going to sort of be a feast or famine offense. That said my main issue with the offense is we seem to continue to have struggles in the red zone and leave points on the field. Need to get that turned around but overall I don't have many issues with Gorgeous

funkywolve

October 21st, 2012 at 11:06 AM ^

I think people also need to put it into context too.  MSU was surrending something like an average of 240 yds/game and 90 yds rushing/game.  UM had 326 yds of offense and 160 yds rushing.  Anyone expecting an offensive onslaught like UM put on Purdue and Illinois had unrealistic expectations.  It would have been nice to score some TD's in the red zone but at the end of the day they came out with a W.

1464

October 21st, 2012 at 10:15 AM ^

Not thoughts, snowflakes.

Here is mine:

Never did I think that we would score 12 points and beat MSU.  Nor did I ever think that we could hold ND to 13 points and lose.  Aside from Bama, our defense has held us in games against good opponents (of which I would qualify Bama, ND, and sometimes MSU).  Even in the Bama game, there was a pick 6 and another few drives that our defense had to protect a shortened field, plus our offense could not maintain a drive to save their lives. 

We may not run the table to finish the year with a better record than last (12-2), but it's refreshing to see our players developing like they should.  That's a big compliment to the coaching staff, and something that was sorely lacking in the previous regime.  And that statement is coming from a RR apologist.

Wolvmarine

October 21st, 2012 at 10:19 AM ^

It is just so clear and easy to see how and why Hoke is able to recruit the way he does, and why he will continue to recurit at an elite level until he retires. 

MGoSoftball

October 21st, 2012 at 12:18 PM ^

Hoke cannot do this by himself.  It is going to take the full support of everyone to continue to grow.  I dont want anyone to say "we got this" and take anything for granted like they did at PSU.

Having blind faith in Hoke just because he beat ohio, ND and moo u is not good.  The mission is not complete.  We must continue to strive to get better, to get more recruits, to continue to donate money.  We must support the team win or lose.  We are all in this together.  No one rest on the laurals.

mgoballoon

October 21st, 2012 at 12:23 PM ^

I heard many people say as we were leaving the game yesterday; "we are back" and "NC here we come", "Fu*k the SEC". 

We are back.  But in order to continue to remain on top, we must keep moving forward.  Hoke is great but lets not get stuck in the mud just because we won a few key games.

Championships are not build overnight.