Random thoughts-Friday Open Thread
January 5th, 2024 at 12:42 PM ^
What’s our uniform combo gonna be
January 5th, 2024 at 12:56 PM ^
Hoping for the traditional!
And would it have been better for Thaw to have recover the muffed punt in the endzone because as a muff it would have brought the ball to the 20? It’s only a safety if he’d controlled it then fumbled it back, right? Like when a kickoff is touched in the field of play but only finally possessed in the endzone it results in a touchback?
January 5th, 2024 at 1:03 PM ^
I would prefer the punt returner stand on the 8 or 10 yard line and - display the discipline so any punt over his head results in.. a few steps forward with a fair catch signal - and rolling the dice on whether the punt actually bounces into the end zone,
As for the unis… Michigan is the home team - the traditional unis worked well in Pasadena - why change?
Go Blue!
January 5th, 2024 at 2:02 PM ^
This used to be the standard operating procedure, and anytime someone would catch the ball inside the 10 an announcer would be incredulous. I am not sure why, or when, this all changed - but now it seems that the ball is getting caught no matter where on the field. Seems like the risk reward should be to favor letting it go, but what do I know?
January 5th, 2024 at 2:11 PM ^
I've heard this discussed, and apparently in recent years punters have gotten so good with their hang times, and gunners so good getting down the field, that "heels at the 10" is obsolete. Still, I think in this situation (tie game, less than a minute left) the risk/reward would favor something like 'heels at the 10' and make the punting team make a play. Just get out of the way, let it bounce and the odds are that you'd get a touchback, or even if inside the 10, not at the 1 (at which point you could just take a knee).
January 5th, 2024 at 2:17 PM ^
Didn’t Desmond catch his famous punt return/TD from inside the 10? I may be misremembering
To your point, most catches inside the 10 don’t end well. If the returner lets it go, the ball takes a funny bounce, and gets downed at the 5, the returner can say “coach, you told me to let it go”
January 5th, 2024 at 2:19 PM ^
The biggest risk is a random bounce off the ankle of the receiving team setting up the kicking team in scoring position. Why not rush 11?
January 5th, 2024 at 6:41 PM ^
11 men focused on a possible fake. Almost zero risk. If they down it at the 1 put the qb under center and hand it off near the line of scrimmage. This shotgun shit when you only need to not lose a yard blows my mind.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:12 PM ^
I don’t know the rule on whether a muff recovered in the end zone is a safety or a touchback but am sure glad not to have found out.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:15 PM ^
I also realized, I don't know what the rule is if the defense commits a penalty on a scoring play in overtime. Live, I thought there was a facemask vs Corum. If that had been so, would Alabama have started back at the 40?
January 5th, 2024 at 1:26 PM ^
I watched it again, because I thought it was a horse collar. It appears clean, because his hand was on the shoulder, but outside of the pads.
January 5th, 2024 at 2:28 PM ^
I sure thought Morris got horse collared on his TD. I was surprised it wasn't called.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:45 PM ^
M would've declined the penalty and taken the Corum TD, so Bama would start on the 25 like no penalty occurred.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:28 PM ^
I had been confidently posting around here that it was a safety, but apparently I'm wrong and it's a touchback.
So I guess I still don't *know* but people told me touchback and from what I could see online, that seems to be true.
January 5th, 2024 at 3:41 PM ^
My understanding is that if the momentum from the kick carries the ball into the end zone, it is a touchback. However, if the receiver causes the ball to go into the end zone it would be a safety.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:36 PM ^
I hate the idea of leaving our magical season up to the refs to make a judgment call on "control."
January 5th, 2024 at 1:13 PM ^
Maize pants. Always and forever
January 5th, 2024 at 1:30 PM ^
Good question.
I’ll be honest, of the five we now use, blue over blue is provably my least favorite. Ironic given that I used to long for it as a kid.
But it’s still good, and since Michigan has won some huge games in it, it looks even better. I’ve suspected that it has been the plan for potential finals both last season and this season.
Frankly, I think the five-combo rotation that has been in use for three years is nearly perfect, except that I think the best uniform in sports is the standard home combo. I love seeing them out on the field no matter what they’re wearing. Not just, I don’t care what they wear that’s my team, but, awesome we get to see them play wearing this.
January 5th, 2024 at 2:26 PM ^
The only combo we use that I don't like is all-white. It looks too much like Penn State wearing our helmets.
January 5th, 2024 at 3:47 PM ^
We're going all maize. Washington is going all purple.
January 5th, 2024 at 4:06 PM ^
NFL color rush is whack. NCAA... No!
January 5th, 2024 at 12:43 PM ^
Normally I roll my eyes at apparel posts, but that is a GOOD looking hat. Shame they're sold out.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:42 PM ^
I saw this vintage rose bowl hat earlier today, which is pretty cool considering where we just played and who we are playing this Monday.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/204200437958
January 5th, 2024 at 2:25 PM ^
I got a vintage M hat for Christmas. My son sent me a link for a vintage St Louis Cardinals hat and asked me to get it for him. He sent me a link to the vintage M hat (https://www.amazon.com/MICHIGAN-WOLVERINES-VINTAGE-47-CLEAN/dp/B0BNPCP1ZP/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=V0EDV9QRDXN2&keywords=vintage+university+of+michigan+hat&qid=1701476518&sprefix=vintage+university+of+michigan+hat%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-4) and asked if I wanted it. I said “yes” of course!
We opened presents on Christmas Eve and he got his hat, but my hat was not there. He did get me something very nice, but I was quietly disappointed.
The next day my daughter (now favorite child) gave me the hat!
January 5th, 2024 at 2:26 PM ^
I've picked up some choice RBG shirts on EBay, and I went to get a link, and saw that someone's selling an Alumni Association tailgate credential.
It's all scuffed up and janky, but has three bids and is up to $28! I've got three in mint condition gathering dust in my nightstand. Could recoup some of that overpriced hot dog money.
January 5th, 2024 at 12:45 PM ^
MAIZE AND BLUE … Meeechigan football … FUCK ESPN THAMEL DINICH petit… BET on the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP…. just random thoughts
January 5th, 2024 at 1:19 PM ^
I think yesterday was the first time I actually saw Thamel on TV .I almost never watch ESPN, but a craving for MOAR football content led me to CFB Drive or some crap like that. Man, Thamel looks even douchier than he writes. He reminds me of Lord Farquad from Shrek.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:50 PM ^
The Lord Farquad reference made my Diet Pepsi come out my nose
January 5th, 2024 at 2:21 PM ^
It seems so hard to fake that smile...
January 5th, 2024 at 6:53 PM ^
Its spelled Fuckwad.
January 5th, 2024 at 12:47 PM ^
All I keep thinking about is in the first series or two I'm going to lock in on Washington's G-C-G. I want to see if Graham and Co. are having their way with them.
January 5th, 2024 at 12:57 PM ^
Yep - I keep thinking pressure up the middle from the defense but also:
Success in the running game and, please oh please, JJ's best game at Michigan. If the play calling is solid and quick to adjust (say for example UW has its backers 'scream downhill' to stop the run) the UM offense can take over this game.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:08 PM ^
I don’t know. I don’t see us running the same pressure against Washington. I think they’re going to try to get the ball out quickly. I imagine our defensive game plan will be more 2022 OSU where we keep everyone in front of us, give up the short stuff, then tighten up in the red zone to force field goals.
But I’d love to see Penix under pressure the whole night, just like Milroy was in the Rose Bowl.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:36 PM ^
I would guess the ideal would be to put pressure on him, but I suspect there are plans in place that look like what you say here in case they can’t.
I’ll be honest: people who see my stuff on here know I’m an eeyore before games. And I’m worried about a major shootout if Penix is just dealing.
But the way the teams match up it seems like if Michigan can get somewhat consistent pressure and disrupt a few UW drives early, it could be *really* good. And they just might. I’m glad that’s not the only winning scenario, but there is hope.
January 5th, 2024 at 7:02 PM ^
Just remember great defenses dont take games off. Teams on the same level as Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana (almost 1/3 of the Pac12 season) held Washington to 15,22, and 24 this season.
Our average is to hold teams near the lowest theyve scored all season. 21 to 24 points would actually be a bit high for us. At 28 points we should still have a very good chance.
The only exception is the pants shitting we did vs TCU but these guys got 4 days to scheme against this defense not 4 weeks.
My last worry is our team has been very prone to self inflicted wounds in the playoffs. 2 pick 6s, missed xp, missed fgs, muffed punts, dropped passes. Its time to be the UM team that plays near perfect in these big games like vs OSU, Iowa, Penn St etc. OSU has to wonder where all this chaos is when we play them.
January 5th, 2024 at 12:47 PM ^
I switched from Nike to Columbia (you’re welcome) this season. Their pfg M stuff is pretty friggin cool I must say, and we haven’t lost a game. If we lose Monday that shits going straight in the burn barrel.
January 5th, 2024 at 12:51 PM ^
I have a Michigan pennant that fell down from the wall in our basement before the season started and I am keeping it on the floor until after the season ends. Kinda pathetic but I can't help but be nervous that putting it back up will alter the future!
January 5th, 2024 at 12:57 PM ^
I can’t wear boxers or socks with any red or green in them on game day. Boxers have to be blue.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:03 PM ^
My wife and I went out of town last weekend for the game and she couldn’t remember which underwear she had on in Indianapolis. So yep, she wasn’t allowed to wear any on gameday lol. Some things you just cant risk. Meanwhile I’ve worn the same everything the entire season. Washed of course, I’m not a pig anymore.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:38 PM ^
I recommend never moving that pennant. Put tiny little construction cones around it. In fact, knock another one of those fuckers off the wall for our basketball program.
January 5th, 2024 at 7:08 PM ^
Id rather he had one to put up.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:12 PM ^
I did not watch the 2021 OSU game, expecting it to be like the previous editions. UM won 42-27. I watched the CFP semis vs Georgia (and turned it off after 3 possessions). UM lost.
I did not watch the 2022 OSU game, as 2021 was the most enjoyable in years. UM won. I watched the CFP semis vs TCU (and lost power at halftime). UM lost.
I did not watch the 2023 OSU game, as I clearly have a good thing going. UM won. I did NOT watch the Rose Bowl (at least in part that I was upset with myself for not jumping on the package deal soon enough). UM won.
Monday evening I will be sitting in my recliner watching...whatever my wife wants.
I do record everything so I eventually watch it.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^
I have to ask, how was the 2021 game the most enjoyable in years if you didn't watch it?
To each his own, but the pure jubilation I felt when Rod Moore picked that ball off was a result of everything leading up to that very moment.
Having said that, please keep doing what you're doing because it's working.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:48 PM ^
Recorded it and watched it later, last sentence of the post.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:56 PM ^
In 2016, I was super mad at the ref show.
2017 was whatever, because I didn't expect to win.
2018, I was mad at the game plan in a game that I thought we should have won -- we were the better team all year until then. Thinking we are never ever beating this team again.
Honestly don't remember 2019.
Then in 2021, I just needed to get some perspective and not tie so much of my emotional state on a game that I have no* control over. It worked, I wasn't stressing over the game and then I was still super happy when we won.
Don't get me wrong, I make it an hour or two before checking my phone and then I start checking it obsessively. I hope whatever I watch on Monday doesn't require too much paying attention.
*Other than not watching = victory.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:54 PM ^
How in the sam hell can you go without watching the osu game not once, not twice, but three years in a row? I dont care how bad or good Michigan is, I still wouldnt miss that game.
Thats some serious self control (or punishment) to be able to do that.
January 5th, 2024 at 3:53 PM ^
I haven't watched the past three Ohio State games. I did see the final 5 minutes of 2021 once we had it in the bag.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:54 PM ^
I’m not superstitious, this stuff is all nonsense.
That said, you’re a hero.
January 5th, 2024 at 2:07 PM ^
I have also forgotten to wear my The Team The Team The Team shirt twice in the last 3 years. Vs MSU in 2021 and TCU in 2022.
Is it nonsense? Probably, but what if it isn't and I don't do everything in my power to help. Just doing my part.
January 5th, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^
Three years ago I decided it was too much hard work to determine which of my many Michigan hats, shirts, jerseys and sweatpants combined in just the right way to optimize Michigan football results. So I stopped wearing any Michigan gear on game days. We’re 39-3 since then.
For the Rose Bowl, I wore my black LAFC Benny Feilhaber T-shirt, black jeans and a black Atlanta United FC hat. You better believe I’ll be wearing that again on Monday night.