Recent Comments

...returns from a three-day business (or so she says) trip, so I'll be looking to get some alone/quite time...as part of my recovery from being a single parent for three days.

The recovery should include a few ciders.

Rest of the weekend will be filled with old married guy stuff...kids' soccer games, Birmingham Art Fair, hosting of Mother's Day festivities, etc.  Although, we're taking the easy route for Mother's Day and bringing in a deli tray.  We'll have some leftovers, so feel free to stop by!

...of your stories.  Much like my story re:  getting engaged, my "getting in to Michigan" story is pretty lame.

I applied only to Michigan, knowing I'd get in.  Sometime in the fall of my senior year in high school, the large envelope arrived.

In retrospect, applying to only one school was - of course - a naive and over-confident choice.  Almost thirty years later, I'm still surprised that my parents never forced me to develop a back-up plan.

There was, however, no way this Michigan Man would've attended school in East Lansing.  Maybe Wayne State?  Fortunately, I never had to think about it.

Why don't you want the media to make him out to be a hero?

There have been probably tens of thousands of gay professional athletes that have come before him...and he's the first to publicly acknowledge his sexuality while still playing the game.

You could debate whether he is a "hero," but we should all applaud his courage and willingness to risk his career.

Was scheduled to return to the Detroit area from our family trip to Miami.  Diverting to ATL for tonight's game!

My focus has been off since we beat Florida.

In Miami for a family vacation.  Scheduled to come back to DTW on Monday.  Diverting to ATL!

Two of these...b

Tremendous

My kids are growing up there, too!

You're

...is the best.

That's a smile born of 35 years of climbing the ranks, doing it the right way, finally being rewarded for his efforts, and having the "he can't get past the Sweet 16" perception lifted.

What a great moment for him.

....here is a copy of one of my many posts from Friday night...

"...screeching like my 9 year old daughter and her friends...watching the game alone in the dark in my family room...drunk on the blue drink I was drinking out of my 20 year old Michigan glass.

I've been on the phone with my 45 year old Michigan grad friends and we're all losing our minds.  Between Denard and Trey this is an epic era in Michigan sports. 

I'm losing my mind over here."

...is difficult for me.

You can't compare one great U of M happening to another.

Kansas vs. UTL

Today's FL win vs. Capitol One Bowl

Denard vs. Burke

Fab Five vs. Fresh Five

Etc.

I have great memories of all of them...as well as every major U of M football and basketball accomplishment since the mid '70's (was born in '67 and both parents are UM grads so it's been in my blood since I was a young lad).

Why can't we just enjoy all of them for what they are...without having to compare/contrast or decide which was "better?"

(sorry if this is too much of a "get off of my lawn" speech...but I guess I'm getting a bit tired of the "which is better" discussions...which seem to be proliferating lately)

...and playing that audio at the end of each business day.

...drunker, I'd probably post my address.  Thankfully, three drinks isn't quite enough.

Just drive around Birmingham until you see the house with the giant sub that's so big it couldn't fit inside the house and is sticking out of the front door.

...when I have my crazy subs party at my house!  I'm drunk on my blue drink that I drank out of my U of M glass while watching the game alone in the dark in my family room!!!!  And I'm 45 years old!

are on me!

12/16

7/8

4/4

I have Michigan losing in the Elite Eight;  I'd obviously be pleased if they ruined this portion of the bracket for me.

is a beast.

...as you kids like to say. Section 210. Should've brought my glasses. Everything on the court looks a bit blurry.

It must be very difficult to keep your "fandom" bottled up while sitting among the other members of the press.  There have been at least a handful of "I can't believe he did that" Trey Burke-inspired outbursts involuntarily emanating from me in just about every game this season.

My son is 11, and he and I have missed very few football and basketball games over the past few years.  It appears as though both Trey Burke and Denard Robinson have created the same feelings of wonder and awe that you felt for Michael Jordan.  He loves to tell me about the moves he makes while playing basketball...that are "just like Trey Burke." 

Ace, this is the kind of writing that makes this blog one of my only daily reads.  Thanks!

Do we know for sure that we'll be slotted in Auburn Hills if we end up as a third seed?

I bought my tickets early in February...and just want to be able to use them!

...but...

Win the next two games + win the (or maybe just make it to the finals?) BTT = #1 seed

or...

Lose the next two games + early exit in BTT = #4 seed

I think they're coach is Sanab.  Their located somewhat near Aunurb University.  There tradition of football excellence is unmatched by other college's.

EDIT:  Of course, the OP changed the thread title, thereby making my extremely witty comment seem offtopic.  For those of you who missed out on the fun, the OP's original thread title referred to "Alamaba."

Is it just me or does the one announcer keep calling him "Albrite?"

Someone needs to give one to Giuliana Rancic. (Yes, I am watching the E! red carpet pre-show)

Boyne City. First time here. Very good. Would recommend. Great raspberry mojitos.

The reality is that we're likely to be back in the top five a week from now...given how the season has gone thus far. 

I haven't looked at the schedules of all of the top six teams, but it's likely that at least two of them will lose or have a shaky victory that bumps them back a few spots.

We clearly need to win out, though, to have a shot at the Big Ten title and at ending the season in the top five.  I don't see how we can lose another game and end up in the top five at the end of the season.

I never used the word relax.  I agree;  I hate it when people tell me to relax.  It makes me less relaxed.

By let it roll, I meant that you should just cease responding and commenting.

Being so defensive is just making it worse.  Anyone who starts any sort of OT thread takes at least some abuse.  Just let it roll.

...so I will edit when I'm in front of my computer again.

Do you speak it?

Could care less that he said "should of"

If your dad is like mine, he'd prefer the utilitarian option. My dad also doesn't like people to spend money on him. If I want to pay for dinner when we go out, it becomes a death match to snag the check from his 84 year old fingers.



As for today, I'm spending the snow day with my son and his friend at Airtime Trampoline Park in Troy.



And will be celebrating Michigan's return to #1 in 24 hours!

...mean to imply that you implied that you liked the highlighter look.

I think the maize might've looked orange to many of us because we are all now accustomed to the day-glo lemon color.

But, there's no doubt that the maize in last night's t-shirts is an almost perfect match to the maize that was used up until the last five years or so...

StubHub listing there has never been.

1.  Take care of the ball. 

2.  Keep them off of the free throw line. 

3.  Do everything else we normally do.

4.  We win.

"If you don't like it, don't click on it and comment."

This is an on-going but erroneous response that posters make in response to the complaints of other posters. 

I am entitled to express my displeasure about this thread, just as much as someone else is entitled to respond substantively to it.

When you don't like something, you can either do nothing or do something.  In this case, I am choosing to do something.  Maybe if enough people complain about inane threads, they will cease to exist.

The more inane threads that are posted, the more likely it is that interesting threads are moved off of the MGoBoard thread list on the home page. 

So, there is a negative impact of these types of threads.

I'd also point out that it's telling that your OP has no upvotes...only downvotes.

(yes, I realize this is just a sports blog, and I don't take it as seriously as it appears by my above comments, but it doesn't mean that I can't be annoyed by these inane/pointless topics)

...the questions about Michigan is because RichRod has demonstrated a willingness to substantively respond to them.

It would be easy to shut down the questions.  "I'm focused on what's happening here in Arizona."  "I'm too busy running my current program."  Etc. 

If he responded in that manner, the questions would subside/stop.

As I tell my 11 year old son, if you have to make excuses or give explanations for something you are about to do - or have done - then you shouldn't do it.

(referring to your note at the end of your OP)

(this admonition is typically given to him during homework time)

*shakes fist at 6th grade homework

I also feel as though we are being trolled.

Maybe it's because it's Friday...or because I just got off a two-hour business call...or because Mrs. 1989 UM GRAD has been away on business most of the week...but the idea of a backfield including Shavodrick Beaver, Mike Cox and Jake Butt just gave me a little chuckle. (yes I know Jake Butt hasn't arrived on campus yet, but please don't let facts get in the way of my moment)

Sorry for the old guy having a Beavis and Butthead moment...

Go Dragons!

Sorry to be the grammar police, but "I seen" is one of my pet peeves, along with putting an apostrophe in a plural word...before the "s."

As for the topic, the B1G teams seem fairly seeded, based on their current records/results.

Maybe it's because I loved Usual Suspects, but I give the nod to Cuppy Cup. 

...watching different games. 

UM was obviously tight coming out.  Jitters led to poor decision making, turnovers, ill-advised shots, etc.  Understandable with a young team that has yet to face a real road test.

It's a credit to the coaching staff and the poise of the team that we came back from a 20-point deficit and made a game of it.   Yes, we lost.  But, we did "step it up in a big game."

On a side-note, did anyone catch Clark Kellogg's comment to Matta about how much he sweats during games?  Funny stuff...

...Red Pop or Rock and Rye for me.

That being said, I'll buy you a bottle of IBC at the next MGoBlog Convention.

support. The chick in the white top is taller than the girl to her left but her bewbs hang much lower. The one on the far right is also sagging a bit. I am clearly proving the theory that something is not funny if you have to explain it.

...refrain from even mentioning the concept of Beilein going to the NBA.

I hope Alabama pummels them like they deserve to be pummeled.

...aware that you've taken an interest in her sisters derrière? This could, eventually, make for an interesting diary entry.

Think of the options - literally and figuratively - if all three of them were in the backfield at the same time. Multiple reverses. Triple option. Read option. Pitch out then a pass. Etc.

...on Christmas day. It's a great day to travel...for us Hanukkah-celebrating folks. Very quiet at the airports. My wife, otherwise known as 1991 UM Grad, and I focus our gift giving on 2023 UM Grad and 2026 UM Grad. My parents gave each of them a $100 bill, so that was probably this year's highlight for them.

Oddly, while I can't remember a specific gift, my parents - both Jewish - always left presents for me on Christmas morning. We did light a menorah but I never received daily gifts on Chanukah.

I've also abandoned the idea of being able to have an enjoyable time with my son at Ford Field.  We have season tickets to UM football and basketball...and we go to quite a few Pistons/Tigers/Red Wings games.

While I've certainly seen unruly behavior at each of the other venues, the crowd at Ford Field is - by far - the most consistently obnoxious. 

I don't mind the atmosphere at Ford Field so much if I'm just with my buddies, but it's so reliably unruly that I'm not sure why anyone would take their kids to a Lions game.  I've watched games in suites and from the club seats, and it's still pretty bad even in these higher-rent areas of Ford Field.

I'm quite familiar with the radio business, so I'll chime in with a few odds and ends here...

WJR is owned by Cumulus, not Clear Channel.

And, yes, they are just a shadow of what they used to be, in terms of both ratings and influence.  They still manage to generate a significant amount of revenue, however, due to many older decision makers being among their small but loyal audience.

The relationships between the broadcasters and the colleges are governed by long-term contracts, so WJR would not be able to just "switch back" to carrying Michigan sports.

Also, college football drives these relationships.  Any radio broadcaster is focused on two things...ratings and revenue.  College basketball doesn't generate much of either.  College football does.

There is also a trend toward the teams (whether pro or college) paying the broadcaster to carry the games...and then the team sells the marketing opportunity to the advertisers.  This allows the team to bundle together radio, tv, in-arena, and hospitality. 

Plus, this arrangement ensures that the relationship is profitable for the broadcaster.  Due to increased availability of games on tv, internet, etc., the revenue generated by radio broadcasters for in-game advertising has decreased.  This resulted in many of these relationships being unprofitable for radio broadcasters...as the rights fees exceeded the advertising revenue generated.

Some radio stations, however, are willing to absorb a small loss or be content with a break-even situation...in return for the marketing/prestige/credibility benefits that they receive by associated with pro and/or college teams.

Hope this brief primer is interesting to some of you.

I'm not reading this as saying that the entire race is canceled...just that it won't finish in the Big House.  Am I missing something?

I had the same issue with my 11 year old son.  Alas, even our friends at Google had no answer for me...

It's starting to look very likely that we lose three underclassmen from this team. Burke, Hardaway and GR3 are all performing like potential first round picks. And what if Staskas continues to make 3's at a 60% clip? I know it's been said many times, but hats off to this coaching staff for identifying and nurturing under-the-radar talent.

I somewhat agree with all of the above on Morgan.  Yes, he has overachieved in many ways, but he also does seem to fumble the ball around a fair amount...and is sometimes way too hesitant when he gets the ball underneath the basket.  He seems best when he gets the ball in transition and has an open look for a dunk or lay-in.  His problems seem to arise when the ball comes to him when he's set under the basket.  Many times, he fumbles the pass or the rebound.  Or, if he catches the ball, he'll go up with the ball slowly.  Despite his high FG%, it does also seem as though he misses more than his fair share of bunnies.

Im too lazy to search, but this must be the first-ever reference on MGoBlog to turkey Provençal, gratin Dauphinois, and Alsatian quiche. Seeing that on here is akin to walking in to a dive bar and seeing a menu filled with gourmet dishes. Kudos to you for being an ambitious cook. Can we hire you to prepare our meal next Thanksgiving?

...looking in.

I hate it when I'm not in on the inside jokes! 

*shakes fist because he's a relative newcomer to the MGoCommunity and is too old to understand all of the MGoLingo and MGoJokes*

How does this differ from a post-Madonna?  Would Deborah Harry be considered as the "pre-Madonna?"

Due to a slight reconfiguration of the seats in our section (as a result of the disabled seating and the installation of the club seats), we were moved one row forward and found ourselves sitting next to this couple at the start of the 2011 season.

Such nice people...and you can tell they still have passion for the game.  They sat through all of the rain during Illinois (it was Illinois, yes?) and haven't arrived late or left early once during the past two years.

One of the highlights of the big UTL, Ohio and MSU wins was being able to celebrate with them!

...is a bit different than the ones that have been posed in the past.

If Denard is unable to play quarterback for the next 3-5 games, is he (or the team) best served by him sitting out or by being put at a different position?

I think you answer it the same way the question of what to do with Devin was answered this year. 

Assuming he can adequately grip the ball to avoid fumbling it, he/the team is best served by being out there...whether it be as a KR/PR, RB, or WR. 

Could be scary for defenses...with Devin rolling out and tossing a short pass to Denard...or pitching out to Denard....with Denard having some open field in front of him.

...that I will be at the game and am excited to see our top-10 team play in our top-notch new facility.  Go Blue!

I suppose it would be a newly divorced woman who, after 15 years of marriage, returns to the slutty ways of her college years. I have actually seen this to be a relatively common phenomenon for divorced women in their 40's. (just a helpful tip for any MGoCougarHunters)

It appears as though Bill Martin was too busy engaging in leisure activities to actively manage our key coaching searches. Oy. That being said, Hoke and Beilein have obviously delivered and its difficult to envision either program without them.

Enjoyed sharing the moment at the Big House with my brunette wife. I, too, was hoping Gibbons was thinking about brunettes before the game-winning killed goal.

What a great idea. I just decided to not list my two extra tickets on Stub Hub. Just called Mott and they were thrilled about the offer and said they could definitely put the extra tickets to good use.

...has one of those Casio calculator watches.  We were shopping at American Apparel and he spotted it among their watches.  He's had to listen to repeated stories about how we had one of those when we were his age.  Kudos to him for keeping the eye-rolling to a minimum.

My seats are up high on the side of the field where the Furman penalty happened, so we could see it coming before it happened.  One of those slow-motion moments when you wish you could jump in to stop it/save the day.

On another topic, does anyone have a link to the Norfleet punt return?  We left early in the 4th quarter;  couldn't take another minute of the rain.

...I had enough points to upvote, posbang, etc.  Nice work! 

...celebrating two big birthdays that day...as my dad turns 84 on the 22nd. My dad is a Michigan Man, too, so a victory would be a great present for both of them!

...on a laundry basket filled with cute kittens that I followed the instructions above for posting a picture...and this is what happened.

I guess this is what happens when this blog is infiltrated by MGoOldPeople.

Sorry for the slight threadjacking, but my day was made when one of my co-workers - who is aware of my unhealthy obsession with UM sports - brought this in for me today.  I had to share...and don't have 100 points...and these would be a fine addition to any tailgate party...so I think it fits here!

I'll be about 47 rows above you.  There with my wife, son and daughter...and two of the kids' friends...as well as my friend from high school and his family.  We'll arrive just in time for kick-off...after a day of soccer games.

Woodchuck Granny Smith. Might move to Tito's Vodka later on.

A close friend of mine, who grew up in the Detroit suburbs, is a huge Ohio fan. He did not attend the university. His parents did not attend the school. He has no real connection to Ohio whatsoever. Despite this, he is a fervent Ohio fan. Drives down to Columbus for games. Vociferously and unrelentingly debates me and other UM fans. He is a great friend but it's gotten to the point where I refuse to discuss any college sports with him. He can't really explain the origin of his Ohio fandom.

On Hoover Street, as the name indicates.  (Although, Birmingham Chrysler was located in Troy, so you never know.)  The owner's name is Brian. (734) 913-6272.  We've been parking there for years.  The store is always open so you even have access to a restroom. 

Tomorrow will be the start of our best memory of the summer...as we drive up north for Week 11 at Camp Michigania...and spend the week with hundreds of other Michigan faithful!

#1 play?  First play against Alabama.  Denard hits Devin on a crossing route, and, thanks to great blocking and some shifty moves, makes it to the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown.!

I'll be watching the game at home with my family...having just arrived home from a great week up on Walloon Lake.

Go Blue!

I apologize for not denoting my post as being done with tongue firmly in cheek. I do, however, think that the shirt is hideous and that the whole thing kind of reconfirms the perception that he is a bit of a clown and could use some PR guidance.

Our connection to the school has really become a very important part of our lives.  My parents both went to Michigan.  My wife and I both are UM grads and met while working at the Michigan Daily.  Our kids are already brainwashed, and my ten year old son and I miss very few home football and basketball games.  He's already announced that even if he can't get in to Michigan and gets stuck going to school in East Lansing, he'll still wear Michigan gear around the campus and at games.  (would this make him a WalMart Wolverine, or does he get an exemption as the son of two UM grads?)

When I first saw the 12 postings, the first thing I wondered was whether McKayla would be impressed. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

This nine pounds that you lost, was that good weight or bad weight?

Would someone please put away those onions? And the picture looked a bit blurry, too.

Stopped in at UGP when I was up for the art fair. My ten year old son has it confiscated in his bedroom so I can't comment on the quality of the publication. Can someone send me another copy?

Even when I get to 100 points, I don't think I'll be starting any threads. Too nerve-wracking and scary.

MGoDog

Anyone going on Monday? I've never seen them live. Can't wait. I can listen to almost any Zep, Journey, Foreigner, Radiohead, Muse, Arcade Fire, Yes, Strokes, Billy Joel, Who, Arctic Monkeys all the way thru.

C'mon, Magnus.  Don't you know that a recruit is deemed to be "inelligible" when his grades don't meet the NCAA requirements?

I'm having non-buyer's remorse re:  HTTV.  Can I still order or am I a day late and $15 short?

Thank goodness mgoblog and photoshop weren't available when I was in college. How do any of you ever get anything done or find time to get to class?

It still amazes me that - before the era of instantaneous communication - that so many of us instinctively headed up to South U.  It was as most have described above...huge crowd...some jumping on cars...some broken awnings and store windows.  I remember people hanging from the wires holding up the blinking light at the corner in front of Stucci's.  The Hash Bash/Grateful Dead crowd certainly contributed to the atmosphere...as did the fact that there was still some leftover excitement from our 1989 Rose Bowl victory.  Not to mention the buzz created by the fact that Bo booted Frieder before the tournament...and that we were led to the title by a relatively unknown coach.  It was a great year for U-M sports.  Hoping 2012-13 might be similar.

The South U area was also packed after the Saturday night Final Four games during the Fab Five era.