Rittenberg picks UM to win B1G West

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October 12th, 2011 at 11:10 AM
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Soulfire21
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Rittenberg picks UM to win B1G West

So, I was over at ESPN's B1G blog, which my opinion of changes about as many times as I blink throughout the course of a day, but I stumbled upon an entry entitled "Rewriting the Legends" [the only use of 'Legends' over 'West' that I've seen as acceptable]

Bennett and Rittenberg offered their thoughts on the Legends West Division given Nebraska's current, mhmm, string of totally uninspired and underwhelming performances.

First, the good guy [Rittenberg]:

I see a team (Michigan) gaining confidence with each passing week, and a team that should be better in November than it is right now. Robinson probably will lose a game with his interceptions, but he also can win games with his feet and playmaking ability. This week marks a huge test for the Michigan program, but a win in East Lansing would springboard the Wolverines.

Bennett thinks MSU:

The Spartans get Michigan at home this week and will have had two weeks** to prepare for a team they've beaten three straight years.
They also get Wisconsin at home the following week, and if any game will trip up the Badgers, it might be that same one in which they stumbled last season Michigan still has to go to Illinois.
[MSU's] defense is the single best unit in the division right now. It's good enough to cause Denard Robinson and Taylor Martinez fits since neither are accomplished passers

Those are pretty much the mentions of Michigan/MSU but the full entry is here.

**I found it quite ironic that Bennett talks about MSU having two weeks to prepare for us, then later on in the B1G stock report entry he goes on to mention how B1G teams tend to struggle after byes and says "look out Michigan State and Wisconsin"

In case you were wondering, this year Iowa, Northwestern, and Purdue have all lost coming off of a bye.

HAIL.

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October 12th, 2011 at 11:14 AM | Why does everyone insist on (Score:5 Normal)
justingoblue
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Why does everyone insist on including Martinez with Denard? The comparisons aren't even close between the two: Denard is objectively better in every category.

"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins

October 12th, 2011 at 11:21 AM | Put aside the fact that Denard (Score:2)
TRSaunders
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is much faster, has a better arm, and is more athletic/agile than Martinez and you still have the fact that Denard would rather get banged up than leave yards on the field... his runs either end with a TD or an actually tackle, not him sliding because he sees a defender withing 20 yards of him.

Posted from my Dell Venue Pro

Brilliant!

"There will be blood on the field and it won't be mine" - K

October 12th, 2011 at 11:25 AM | I know you're jokng, but it's (Score:4 Normal)
justingoblue
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I know you're jokng, but it's pretty dumb that all of these ESPN types don't even look at game stats, they just see "QB run ball good derp" and think it's all the same. There is not one statistical category which has Martinez on top of Denard. Not one. Not yards, completion percentage, TD's, INT's, YPA, rushing yards, YPC, rushing TD's, not one. I honestly have no idea where people get the idea that they're equals.

"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins

October 12th, 2011 at 11:36 AM | That's not entirely correct (Score:2 Normal)
My name ... is Tim
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Unless to you MOAR INTERCEPTIONS = good. Also, Martinez has 1 more rushing TD.

But yes, I agree that almost every statistical category (and all of the important ones) point in Denard's favor. It's not really that close.

"Nowhere is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours."

October 12th, 2011 at 11:42 AM | ... (Score:0 Flamebait)
October 12th, 2011 at 11:40 AM | Agreed (Score:5 Normal)
jamiemac
Joined: 06/30/2008
MGoPoints: 7902

Agreed, and its not even close

Say what you will about Denard's arm punts, but at least he can wing it and the ball looks good. I swear when martinez throws, I am watching a high school ball float in the air

Plus, Denard can run a lot of different ways. Martinez can seemingly only run the option.

One is so much better than the other and its not even close

Help My Friend Allison Fight ALS 

MSU/IU at the JCB

October 12th, 2011 at 12:23 PM | Martinez throws the ball like (Score:1)
MAIZEandBLUE2002
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Martinez throws the ball like my sister. Denard has a cannon and has great throwing mechanics. Now his footwork needs help, obviously. Taylor just flat out cant throw the ball. Sure, he's fast, but I dont think he is even close to being as elusive as Denard is. (imo)

THOSE WHO STAY WILL BE CHAMPIONS

October 13th, 2011 at 12:27 AM | Martinez will never be in the (Score:1)
DaBigDaddy
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Martinez will never be in the same category as Denard...just not even close.

Playing football on Wall Street

October 12th, 2011 at 11:16 AM | This is not the same team (Score:5 Normal)
TRSaunders
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MSU has beaten for three straight years

Posted from my Dell Venue Pro

Brilliant!

"There will be blood on the field and it won't be mine" - K

October 12th, 2011 at 11:22 AM | ^ This Even if we aren't (Score:1)
Soulfire21
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^
This

Even if we aren't world beaters we are allowing about half the points we have through this point last season.

HAIL.

October 12th, 2011 at 11:19 AM | I believe (Score:2 Normal)
BornInAA
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Michigan, Penn State and Notre Dame are the sleeper programs that will suprise everyone this year. I like being picked to choke and suprising overconfident teams.

The Wisc vs Penn State and Michigan vs Nebraska games could turn out to be the Big Ten semifinal games.

 

 

life is like a box of chocolates... and you got the Whizzo Quality Assortment

October 12th, 2011 at 11:37 AM | Have you watched PSU play? (Score:3 Normal)
Steve in PA
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I'm forced to because of geography.  They're not that good, bordering on terrible.  Even the PSU Homers admit it now and are openly calling for Joe to retire while he still has some dignity left.

Every week it's the Qb shuffle and neither of them has proven themselves worthy of being named a starter.  Media is reporting that it is starting to cause division in the locker room because players are starting to pick "their guy"

As far as ND, to hell with them.  We beat them with regularity and as far as I know you have to actually be in the Big Ten to play in the Big Ten Championship game.

 

 

October 12th, 2011 at 11:32 AM | Stats? Stats. (Score:1 Normal)
justingoblue
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Top is Martinez, bottom is Denard.

2011
70 129 54.3 1014 7.9 6 53 6 126.3
2010
116 196 59.2 1631 8.3 10 79 7

138.8

 

2011
100 584 5.8 57 9
2010
162 965 6.0 80 12

 

2011
67 117 57.3 1130 9.7 10 77 9 151.2
2010
182 291 62.5 2570 8.8 18 75 11 149.6

 

2011
102 720 7.1 53 8
2010
256 1702 6.6 87 14

Welp, looks like Martinez wins the rushing TD battle, which I didn't think he did. Too bad the total TD's aren't close.

"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins

October 12th, 2011 at 11:23 AM | The bye week doesn't mean a (Score:2)
Look Up_See Blue
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The bye week doesn't mean a whole lot.  Yea you get to rest guys that are banged up but you also tend to take a step back in terms of intensity and focus. 

All the pressure is on sparty in this game.  If Michigan goes in there relaxed and plays Michigan Manball like their capable and limits self-imposed mistakes i think they win big.  My prediction is Michigan 31 msu 24

Remember Who You Are!

October 12th, 2011 at 11:26 AM | Joey Galloway picked Michigan (Score:1)
UM.is.my.home
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This morning, I watched ESPN's "The Experts" - on ESPN U ... it must have been yesterday's episode. All of the "experts" picked Sparty, except Galloway. The rest of the guys were talking like State's D-Line was better than any other college team in recent memory. Ivan Maisel was the only one that picked Sparty, but at least seemed rational in his explanation.

Galloway said that the tape from the OSU/Sparty game revealed, not that MSU's d-line was overpowering, but that OSU's o-line refused to block anyone and made them seem superhuman.

I'm willing to listen to educated opinion, however, I'm not suprised that most of the people who pick Sparty do so in an ignorant way. Is that just coincidence?

October 12th, 2011 at 11:40 AM | ESPN (Score:4 Normal)
da3mite
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Ignorance is one of the many reasons why I have trouble taking ESPN seriously these days. 

October 12th, 2011 at 11:27 AM | UM to win B1G West ? (Score:4 Normal)
meddler
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Well duh.

Twitter: @meddler76

October 12th, 2011 at 11:30 AM | Call me crazy (Score:1)
MaizeRage89
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But I really feel like we have a legit shot at winning all of our games this year. The D keeps getting better with every game played. Also the have all gone through 3 bad years which has brought them really close. Look at how well our B Ball team has pulled it together, Novak and Stu are our Denard and Martin

October 12th, 2011 at 12:50 PM | Analogy (Score:1)
msoccer10
Joined: 08/29/2008
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I think Martin/Molk are a better analogy for leadership than Denard/Martin as compared to Novak/Stu. Denard is our Hardaway.

But Molk and Martin are all-American types. So I think Woolfolk/Koger are more like Novack/Stu. Just sayin'

October 12th, 2011 at 11:30 AM | we just gotta get past this weekend; beat State (Score:2 Normal)
MGlobules
Joined: 11/17/2008
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and we can talk about being a legitimate top ten squad with BCS bowl aspirations.

Lose to them, and I still like us, and see a squad resilient enough to keep growing, unlike the last few years. But we have to beat a middling MSU team with a good D first. 

October 12th, 2011 at 11:30 AM | posted from iPhone (Score:3 Normal)
FreddieMercuryHayes
Joined: 12/29/2010
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I've got a glass of the Maize n' Blue Kool-Aid at home in the fridge. I'm waiting to either imbibe or dump it down the drain after Saturday. Will re-visit this article then.

October 12th, 2011 at 11:35 AM | It's nice to be getting (Score:1)
Moleskyn
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It's nice to be getting positive press heading into week 7, but this really doesn't mean much. We still have to play @MSU, @Iowa, @Illinois, and Nebraska. It's great that confidence is so high right now, but let's see how we do against increasingly stiffer competition.

October 12th, 2011 at 11:37 AM | FWIW, MSU is 1-5 coming off (Score:3 Informative)
Logan88
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FWIW, MSU is 1-5 coming off of a bye week or bowl layoff under Dantonio. Here's hoping UM makes that stat read 1-6 after this Saturday.

We ARE Michigan....COME GET SOME!!!

October 12th, 2011 at 11:37 AM | I'm surprised to see all the (Score:1)
Huntington Wolverine
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I'm surprised to see all the love for MSU's D.  I'm sure they're solid but I don't think they've played any amazing offenses that they've shut down.  Really looking forward to Saturday's game to settle this debate.

October 12th, 2011 at 11:52 AM | They did a pretty good number (Score:0 Trolling)
October 12th, 2011 at 11:57 AM | Exactly... (Score:1)
The Blue in Ohio
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The best offense they have seen sofar has been ND and they lost that game. I see Michigan winning this game, unless we turn the ball over then it'll be close but either scenario we get the win. NO ONE CAN STOP DENARD!

In Hoke We Trust!

 

 

October 12th, 2011 at 5:13 PM | #1 Defense in America (Score:1)
ATLWolverine
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is nothing to sneeze at; they're not the only team in the country playing a mostly-cupcake diet.

--

"the team, the team, the team."

October 12th, 2011 at 5:51 PM | True, but usually one of (Score:1)
BigBlue02
Joined: 06/29/2009
MGoPoints: 1853

True, but usually one of those cupcakes has a decent offense but just isn't that great (ex - SDSU). When possibly one of the best teams you have played so far (OSU, who is also the only victory over anyone not horrendous) has an offense ranked around 90th, it's safe to say your defense hasn't been tested yet.

October 12th, 2011 at 11:48 AM | I dug up this WSJ article (Score:1)
Mirasola
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I dug up this WSJ article that someone else here found last year.  Looking back from 2002, teams in general are 0.48 in wins following a bye week.  The B1G is worst among major conferences at 0.347.  I like our chances.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870367360457555013363789102...

October 12th, 2011 at 11:50 AM | Sparty is overrated (Score:2 Normal)
Tater
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National writers see Sparty's 11-1 regular season from last year and their victory over Ohio, and conveniently forget that they lost too many players to graduation last year without enough depth to replace them.  They also conveniently forget Sparty's 49-7 embarrassment against Alabama in the Capital One Bowl, and their flaccid performance in a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame.  

Sparty had one good year, but they still haven't proven that they are capable of having two good years in a row under Saint Dantonio.  I don't think this is the year they will prove it.

 

 

 

October 12th, 2011 at 11:53 AM | At MSU 2 years in a row? (Score:1)
CincyBlue
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Didn't Wisc travel to East Lansing now two years in a row?

www.bighouseblog.com

October 12th, 2011 at 11:58 AM | It's the new alignments. MSU (Score:2 Informative)
justingoblue
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It's the new alignments. MSU goes to Evanston for the second year in a row, too, among other examples.

"We bring you to Michigan to take care of Michigan; your job is to protect that block M."
-Carol Hutchins

October 12th, 2011 at 12:26 PM | What the hell? (Score:2)
dankbrogoblue
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"Can I get a whaddup?" - Rittenberg

Is there an inside joke I'm missing?

LSA '11

App State to Miss State

October 12th, 2011 at 1:53 PM | he posts (Score:1)
alanmfrench
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quotes from various tv shows all the time. modern family is one of his favorites.

“Well, I was this close to bringing a sinner to Jesus, and now he is consigned to eternal damnation. I hope that you’re happy.” - Boyd Crowder, Justified

October 12th, 2011 at 1:35 PM | Nebraska Divisional (Score:1)
Maize_in_spartyland
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Nebraska (1-1)

Divisional opponents left - @ Minnesota, Northwestern, Iowa.

Contenders - Michigan State, @ Michigan.

Non divisional opponents left - @ Penn State.

Michigan State (1-0)

Divisional opponents left -  Minnesota, @ Iowa, @ Northwestern.

Contenders - Michigan, @ Nebraska.

Non divisional opponents left - Wisconsin, Indiana.

Michigan (2-0)

Divisional opponents left - @ Iowa, Nebraska

Contenders - @ Michigan State, Nebraska.

Non divisional opponents left - Purdue, @ Illinois, Ohio.

 

I can see a three way tie for first, if Michigan doesn't beat Sparty this week.

Michigan avoids Wisconsin, who Nebraska and MSU play, so that's a gift. But Michigan gets a roadie at Illinois, who Sparty and Nebraska don't play.

Illinois = Wisconsin? Probably not, Wisconsin is better, but I'd rather play the Illini in Ann Arbor, if at all.

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October 12th, 2011 at 1:38 PM | Note the tiebreaking (Score:4 Informative)
Maize_in_spartyland
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Note the tiebreaking system:

If three or more teams are tied, steps 1 through 7 will be followed until a determination is made. If only two teams remain tied after any step, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative.

1. The records of the three tied teams will be compared against each other

2. The records of the three tied teams will be compared within their division

3. The records of the three teams will be compared against the next highest placed teams in their division in order of finish (4, 5, and 6)

4. The records of the three teams will be compared against all common conference opponents;

5. The highest ranked team in the first Bowl Championship Series Poll following the completion of Big Ten regular season conference play shall be the representative in the Big Ten Championship Game, unless the two highest ranked tied teams are ranked within one spot of each other in the BCS poll. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two ranked tied teams shall determine the representative in the Big Ten Championship

6. The team with the best overall winning percentage [excluding exempted games] shall be the representative

7. The representative will be chosen by random draw.

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October 12th, 2011 at 6:29 PM | I don't know how the board settled on "West" (Score:2)
Blue Durham
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(or even if it did) but consider in "The Victor's" the stuff about "Champions of the West."

Changing it to "Champions of the East" just doesn't have the same ring to it; besides, it would no longer rhyme.

October 12th, 2011 at 7:21 PM | Got 2 bottles of BO for my wedding... (Score:2 Normal)
Class of 1817
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One white, one red.

Said I'd open the red when we beat Ohio.

Hope I get to open the white this weekend.

Go Blue.

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