These are the good ol' days!
To quote the great Andy Bernard, aka the Nard Dog... "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good ol days, while the good ol days are happening."
Well, as a Michigan fan for 25 years, I must say - the amount of awesome from our sports programs in the past 3-6 months has been nearly at an all time high.
For those of you young'uns, I can tell you it is NOT always like this. There was a 10-15 year period where our basketball team was horrifically bad. Our women's program is ascending to new heights. Hockey, though we have the history, is finally back on top (I hope with a few more Ws). Football had dark dark days.
So - ENJOY IT. We have a Sweet 16 game this week on the men's and women's side... a playoff hockey game on Friday. Football ended with a thud, but the season was fantastic.
Yes yes, bitch and moan about Houstan, and reffing, and Dickenson Technicals for flexing weirdly. But know that this is part of the fun.
I look forward to the days following each big win, where I can walk around my office with my Michigan lanyard and a smug grin on my face. I love driving past a house in my neighborhood (dont know them) who has a msu flag waving - and yelling GO BLUE and no one in particular.
What's the best part about this joy ride for you?
GO BLUE!
Being the premier basketball program in the state (college or pro) is very satisfying.
it is, and its even more gratifying that its clear to anyone not wearing green. 5 straight sweet 16s, sweet 16 this year in our "worst" year... hopefully a sign of great things to come
Rob Parker concurs.
Baseball,softball,wrestling,tennis gymnastics all elite
Water Polo, Women & Men LAX, Men’s & Women’s Tennis…
I enjoy quietly hanging my Michigan flag outside my house in SEC country. Your title also made me wonder if any other mgoparents with young kids are fans of the Okee Dokee Brothers. IYKYK.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:12 AM ^
I enjoy quietly hanging my Michigan flag outside my house in SEC country.
That makes two of us.
As an added bonus, I have a Notre Dame alum in my neighborhood. Our first conversation was about the flag and how he hates walking by my house because of it.
Love the Okee Dokee Bros. “Can You Canoe” is the fave in our family.
DickINson...I am astonished how often this mistake is made. And I can't even figure out why DickENson is the default. That is all.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:33 AM ^
It’s rather DickENsian.
March 22nd, 2022 at 11:36 AM ^
Perhaps you will be visited by 3 ghosts on Christmas Eve, and they will tell you.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:51 PM ^
the ghosts of izzo's success being one of them? cus that shit is dead.
The people. For me it's always the people.
What is the weird thing that Dickinson does when he puts his hand between his legs? Does anybody know what it is supposed to mean?
The announcers made it sound like he was saying "he's too small".. but.. it looked like he was cradling a baby ... but the baby was his nuts.
He's taken on the villain persona pretty well. Its kinda fun watching him bang down low with the bigs, which is what basketball in the 90s looked like, especially in the NBA. Ewing, Robinson, Hakeem, Mourning, Shaq, and on and on. Not saying its aesthetically pleasing basketball, but its just fun to watch 7 footers fight like the giants they are
March 22nd, 2022 at 11:15 AM ^
TV coverage didn't catch all of the first one, but on the Vols first trip (I think) down on offense, Plavsic reared back and threw two elbows square into Dickenson's chest. Total non-basketball moves. Did anyone else catch that? Obviously the refs didn't. Plavsic clearly wanted a piece of Dickenson and got all he wanted.
I saw that, too. I was surprised at first b/c of how blatant it was, but then I thought it was funny that Plavsic thought that those elbows would send Dickinson, a guy who goes up against the likes of Cockburn, Eddy, Williams, and Liddell, a message or throw him off his game.
I saw it. I immediately thought it was gamesmanship, but Hunter didn’t take the bait. He’s shown that he’ll get frustrated and respond with unnecessary physicality (usually by blowing up somebody as he’s setting a screen). UT probably picked up on it when watching film. Or that dude was just a crazed douche. Maybe both. I’m sticking with gamesmanship.
There should definitely be a sticky like the recruiting ones on mgoblog for Dickinson hand gestures.
Like his own little urban dictionary.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:01 AM ^
Big Dickinson energy...
… with Dickins Cider.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:10 AM ^
It's the Sam Cassell "big balls" celebration. It means that you've got "big balls" for taking and hitting a clutch shot.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:16 AM ^
Man - that is an old school reference. You think that's what he's doing? Its weird to do that when you hit shots from 1.3 feet away and your hand is ABOVE the rim when you release it.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:27 AM ^
I know that celebration. It doesn't look like Dickinson is doing it right. Maybe he is just not making it obvious enough to get a tech, but it doesn't look like the "big balls" move.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:31 AM ^
agree. he does more of a cradle/rocking, less of a juggling... beavis
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:45 AM ^
A lot of players are doing ice in their veins stuff, but the other guesses make sense too
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:42 PM ^
He does it when he hits a 3. And he hangs his hand way down between his legs…seems like a third leg reference. Not to be confused with the too small gesture he makes that occurs on the outside of his leg.
I'd rather Michigan be hated because of all the winning they are doing, instead of the winning they used to do.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:17 AM ^
I love that line. I was quite late to watching The Office...but have now seen that episode multiple times...and always get a little misty-eyed when Andy Bernard says that line. At my age, it brings a little more meaning...especially as I'm about to become an empty-nester this fall. (Please, please everyone pray for my daughter to have the opportunity to become 2026 UM Grad!)
March 22nd, 2022 at 11:55 AM ^
Best of luck to your daughter.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:17 PM ^
Thanks!
The admission process is dramatically different than when we went through it three years ago with our son.
Because of "test optional," applications to the top schools have skyrocketed. We know quite a few kids who've been admitted to Michigan who would not have gotten in had they been required to submit an ACT or an SAT.
Has made admission decisions much more random and unpredicatable. At a school like Michigan, there are 10 qualified applicants for every available spot.
Our daughter could easily get admitted to or denied by all of her top schools.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:40 AM ^
I'm going to party like it's the 1990s again.
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:46 AM ^
Great line from the Nard Dog.
Another personal favorite of mine:
When I was in college, I used to get aaaa-wicked hammered. My nickname was Puke. I would chug a fifth of SoCo, sneak into a frat party, polish off a few people's empties, some brewskis, some jello shots, do some body shots....off myself. Pass out, wake up the next morning, boot, rally, more SoCo, head to class. Probably would've gotten expelled if I let it affect my grades but I aced all my courses. They called me Ace. Was totally awesome. Got straight B's. They called me Buzz.
March 22nd, 2022 at 11:07 AM ^
These are days. These are the days you might fill with laughter until you break. These days you might feel a shaft of light make its way across your face. And when you do you'll know how it was meant to be...
~ Natalie Merchant
March 22nd, 2022 at 11:08 AM ^
Love The Office reference, but cannot stand Andy Bernard. Living in Ohio and enjoying the lingering effects of 11/27/2021. It never gets old to get dirty looks from buckeye fans and i just return a grin.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:18 PM ^
I was coming around to Andy's character until the writers destroyed it in the last season.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:33 PM ^
He drove me nuts early on and after what he did to Erin, i was out completely.
he went from clown to caricature - but thast normal on any show once its run its course. it went from a humble paper/pencil show, to a ridiculous shit show of nonsense - which i loved all of it.. but it just got beyond silly by the last few seasons. but it was/is a great show that i still watch frequently.
now lets go mukduk the Nova Cats!
Honestly just didn't find him that interesting either. Just seemed like he was always just a recurring side character most of the time. However, even after Michael left i still loved watching. If it weren't for Jim and Dwight i may have lost interest. Indeed, let's go mukduk those Nova Cats!!!
Wait, you guys actually watched the last season?
Absolutely. It had it's moments. Definitely not the best season by any stretch, but still funny.
knock knock.
March 22nd, 2022 at 11:16 AM ^
The 1997-1998 season would like to disagree. Football and hockey national championship and Heisman winner is tough to beat.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:25 PM ^
And inaugural Big Ten Tournament win in basketball.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:50 PM ^
That was a magical year, no doubt. But something just feels really good about breaking a 16-year drought w/out a B1G championship, beating OSU for only the 4th time this century, and getting into our first CFP. Especially coming off a 2-4 clusterfuck of a season.
Exactly correct. When your go to is to point out that there was a better year 25 years ago, it is safe to say that this one is pretty darn good.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:54 PM ^
So - hang tight bro. 1997 was my freshman year. I'm well aware. My point wasn't to say that other eras sucked. my point was to say that the CURRENT one is pretty damn good right now, so enjoy it.
The fact that we need to reference 1997 to reference "good times" makes my point for me.
gotcha, it was my senior year, so just trying to keep it real.
these are good times nonetheless.
go blue.
Yeah I went from rushing the field after OSU one week to a Woodson Heisman and rushing the court after Duke the next...and then a month later the Rose Bowl and championship.