Losher

July 29th, 2014 at 5:56 PM ^

there is more to that transformation than genetics. That is an excuse for people who dont think that working hard and eating right pays off...most humans have about 97% of the same genes but the ones who work harder get bigger, faster, stronger, and build muscle where people who sit around do nothing and say well genetics is the reason im fat. 

seegoblu

July 29th, 2014 at 9:20 AM ^

are evidence that we will certainly win the body building and swimsuit portions of each game we play. I hope we do as well as on the interview segment. /s

Maize and Blue…

July 29th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^

You can see the obvious improvement from the first two, but by adding flexing to the last one its questionable if there has been further gains or to what degree.   Same thing with Jabrill's pics the other day.

Losher

July 29th, 2014 at 5:59 PM ^

muscles are used in both a relaxed a flexed state, so it would be more beneficial for them to do relaxed and flexed before, flexed before and after. That would be better of a showing of progression for the people on here who nit-pick at every little detail 

Mr. Yost

July 29th, 2014 at 11:09 AM ^

...but this is just getting weirder and weird every time. I don't know why I do it. It makes me uncomfortable to some extent to do it. But every time, I click on these threads.

Something is just odd about our reaction to all of these, first it's just funny/MGoWHAT-WE-DO, then it's kinda strange. Nonetheless, keep on keeping on!

MGoStrength

July 29th, 2014 at 12:58 PM ^

Guys at the NFL Combine are photographed shirtless and sometimes workout that way as well.  One of the goals of the strength staff is almost always to add lean mass and improve body composition so progression pictures provide a means of assessment among other ways.  Also the culture of football and weightlifting have traditionally been intertwined.  Football players have always been the best sports teams to coach in the weight room in my experience.  Granted, I am a little biased as I have been studying the theory and application of hypertrophy for years, but I don't see a single thing weird about it.  I guess if you're not someone that enjoys strength training then I could see you might not understand the culture, but among those that do it's not weird at all.  Most people that have ever spent any significant amount of time in the weight room has taken pictures of themselves with their shirt off or at least flexed in front of the mirror.

Mr. Yost

July 29th, 2014 at 6:49 PM ^

Pump the brakes...

I'm just talking about everyone getting so excited about looking a these guys and then analyzing it like crazy. Even guys who haven't played at Michigan.

It has nothing to do with guys with their shirt off...and it really has nothing to do with anything, it's not that serious no matter what side of the fence you're on, definitely not something I feel passionate about.

But this cult/meme that we have to show these pictures everytime one pops up, create a new thread and then check out the progress. It's strange to me.

Not photographing and documenting the progress, not even the kid showing the progress via social media. But I'm talking about us. The posters, bloggers and fans who eat this stuff up and some, IMO, a little stranglely.

Again, I have no real justification. But comparing it to the combine doesn't work. They don't post a hundred pictures of every guy shirtless and everyone go analyze them and comment on it.

Really it'll all go away in 2 weeks when there's actual football news to talk about, so I'm not worried. Just seems like every day we've got one of these and everyone gets all excited. I'm not saying stop, I'm not saying don't post, nothing. Just for me, I think it's probably best to not click on these thread when I know it's just going to be a shirtless young man and a bunch of MGoBloggers going "DAAAAAAMN" in some way, shape or form.

MGoStrength

July 29th, 2014 at 12:59 PM ^

Gordon is obviously darker skin toned than Watson, but the physical build and size look pretty similar.  Good for him.

mastodon

July 29th, 2014 at 3:02 PM ^

I think Watson is going to be very good.  The pictures above reinforce his HS coach's claim of exceptional work ethic and character.  Physical cover specialist!  Untested recruit, but folks that have seen him play are quite impressed.  My gut says he's legit.  I think he plays sooner than many thinik.

alum96

July 29th, 2014 at 3:11 PM ^

If he has a good impact relatively early (not necessarily this year as a true freshman but gets into the CB rotation next season) and Canteen lives up to the spring hype I think this "HS" pipeline could be a good one.  I am still a little confused about how that HS is going to be long term (will Sills dad still be coaching and "recruiting" for it now that he got his son into college?) but based on how well developed these players are out of HS versus a lot of others it could be a little goldmine - especially if these 2 kids do very well.  Their younger peers still in HS will be looking at that success and it should help UM down the road. 

Watson is definitely one of the least talked about guys in this class - really like his size and bulk; if he picks things up mentally he looks like a guy who can be in the rotation for CB as early as 2015.

cw51

July 29th, 2014 at 3:49 PM ^

Well, he definitely is cut.  But I think the height issue is being assessed incorrectly.  Perhaps you don't know, or have simply forgotten, about the high gravitational field located under Ann Arbor.  Consequently, all of our athletes lose an inch or two until thier bodies adjust to the extra force.  It also contributes to the pudgery you notice in some of the players.  Obviously, the S&C coach has over compensated with Watson at this point.