Wolverine great Marcus Ray to join the Big Ten Network.
Yeah, but it was a great excuse to put the picture in the thread!
Buckeye WRs* again
No kidding -- it has been 10+ years since those days (of John Cooper and owning the Buckeyes).
I'll brace myself for some flaming here, but please try not to get me wrong.
I can't think of a case in UMich history where a player got anywhere near that much mileage from a single photo. Marcus seems like a good guy and he at least had a cup of coffee in the NFL (http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RayxMa20.htm), so good for him.
It's odd, though, that *he* becomes, for many, the personification of that '97 defense and (to the mouth breathers in the audience) the mythical *tough* that by some accounts magically disappeared in January '08 and reappeared in January '11. There were many better players with long NFL futures on that side of the ball in '97. Woodson, Jones, Gold, et al.
Look at the video. The ball is too high and Marcus doesn't hit him that hard. Compare it to this play (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emt2IdTYrZg&t=0m29s) and tell me which is more immediately impactful. Sure, lots of people remember Shazor's hit, but it wasn't put on the cover of SI and Ernest is something of a forgotten man.
He didn't get this gig, or the one on WTKA, for that play. But he's the one who tells the tales of that defense. On and off the field. And of the coaches. And of him getting into trouble with the coaches.
For those who haven't heard him, check out the podcasts of the Mott fundraiser when he chats up his former teammates. And gets them to tell their tales of their memorable plays.
And If he had some memorable plays himself, what better time to bring them up?
I fail to see how the presence of better players on the '97 defense matters. Ray was part of an iconic play/photo from that season. When someone is a part of such a play they get remembered. What does Shazor being a forgotten man have to do with Marcus Ray?
Why is it that nothing can be discussed without someone getting their panties in a bunch? If that was the only play Ray made in his career, it was still on the cover of SI, and it is a great pic.
Why don't you start a thread about Shazor? I'll go over there and celebrate him, not tear another player down.
Ray can be better than Shazor but not as good as those other '97 defensive players that you mentioned. It just shows how good that damn defense was, 8 or 9 of those guys would've started on almost every Michigan defense since they played. They were unbelieveable. So if you put Ray at 6 or 7th best player on that team...it still doesn't mean he wasn't the best best safety Michigan's had since '97. It's not saying he IS either...but it doesn't mean anything more than that was a DAMN GOOD DEFENSE!
and then went for a comparison of what a real big hit was, I thought for sure you'd go for Daydrion Taylor's hit against PSU. Shazor's hit was a big play, but not the biggest hit.
I will forever wonder what Ray said as he walked up on a stunned Boston.
as long as I can still listen to him now and then on WTKA. (Where he doesn't have to be muzzled.) Was just listening to him the other day and smiling.
I love the stories he tells from his playing days at UM. And he had some great commentary about the basketball team during March Madness. Yes, he is fun to listen to on WTKA.
Somewhere, under an overpass, David Boston weeps.
...will he show his bias. Ray BLEEDS blue, he says "Ohio" and HATES them with a passion, he loves Coach Hoke, he's a Michigan Man to his core. Obviously I love that, but I hope he can give an unbiased opinion and be professional in regards to all B1G teams. It's going to get annoying to have to hear about his bias anytime he speaks. Desmond does a great job, Jalen is getting better, but he does NBA too so it doesn't matter as much. Anyway...GOOD LUCK MARCUS!
My favorite Marcus Ray comment was after he was asked about whether Staee was tough or not. He said, "Naahh! They're tough like scratch some skin off your arm in a pile, tough. They're tough like gouging at your eyes in a crowd. No they ain't tough."
The more Wolverines on BTN, the more apt I am to watch it. As it is, I barely turn it on unless Michigan is playing live or I stumble on one of the B1G classic games.