Recent Comments

(First off it's called the Frostbite Engine and BF3 uses FB2. I have first hand knowledge of it. No, not an EA or DICE employee) Anyway, point is that few engines are geared for ONE game or genre. Very few. In fact, the very engine you speak of wasn't built for a shooter as much as what it can DO for a shooter in regard to tech and other tech implimentation. FB Engine just happens to run FPS games optimally (as I stated above, any engine can technically host any backdrop but optimization and performance could suffer. I admit that and am not advocating they use FB Engine for a football game despite the engine being used for upcoming racers, RPGs and an open world game). My point is that the current EA sports game engine is universal and shit for football games as opposed to soccer and hockey. So, like last gen, give each sport it's own engine or they should have optimized the last gen engine and used it in the current as the one engine system left us with an entire gen of shit football games. Last point being that EA owns many IPs with specialized tech. They also work with studios and tech they don't own but merely publish/finance. Use other engines/tech. Thats all. Stop polishing a turd of an engine that gave us lessfeatures this gen than last and use open tech. I hate the Unreal Engine but it's universal, as is physics tech such as Havok, Bink, NL, etc. They refuse to do that because......why? No competition. You play our NCAA/Madden or get bent. So, you're wrong in your premise that FB Engine is simply made for FPS games. It's optimized for such but making an admittedly cumbersome football game from it does not mean you need explosions and shit everywhere. haha. Thats what the engine does for a shooter. Engines control everything from code to lighting systems to exterior tech and FB Engine can play with many outside techs. I wouldn't use it but it's not impossible and, frankly, could hardly be worse than what we have now.

Was generally amazing as a teen. It was the 90s and we were whooping their ass and I knew more UM fans than osu fans. By FAR! I move away Junior year and 5 years later half the UM fans were osu fans, lol. So, aside from my true friends (fandom regardless as I still credit a good friend for being the only diehard osu fan then and now) the people are a joke. As for the team, never want to see them win at anything. Ever. Unless it helped us somehow. I'm not Dantonio crazy.

No secret that NCAA is essentially the previous years Madden code. Well, until last year supposedly. Guess both games had 3D grass and lighting tech at the same time (yay! lol).

Up until his last 2 years he was a sure thing to bring in a great haul of OL, QB, WR, DB, etc. Rarely was a Carr class outside the top 10. In fact, this class (at it's potential even with 16-20 kids) is the closest to being the best haul in the modern recruiting era for Michigan since Carr's unanimous #1 class of 98 (IIRC). The class of Henson, Terrell, Fargas, etc. Half of the Parade All American team signed with Michigan that year.

Love the notion of giving EA some reason to actually do more than a roster update and shit features we don't need while not addressing the terrible gameplay but $1 Million isn't enough to make a shitty Arena Bowl game, let alone anything that can compete with EA. It needs to be a major studio....OR....OR....EA can dump this universal sports game engine that only served NHL and FIFA this gen and build a football game using all the other good engines & tech they have for games like their FPS's. The games may not be great but the tech behind MOH and BF3 is amazing and a football sim wouldn't need half the effects and such as them. *Sorry, Android app so no paragraphs* Finally, after their first two shit releases this gen I emailed a real EA NCAA dev who used a fan forum for feedback. I suggested they just use the PS2/Xbox engine from last gen and spice it up a bit. Ya know, better visuals but doesn't need to be a giant leap, more accurate physics, player models and numbers, etc. Just use that engine and add all the things the last gen limited you from doing as those were mostly great games. He replied that it was, and I quote, "Impossible". Impossible as in "cannot be done due to hardware. Not a year later the PS3 started getting revamped PS2 hits with the games PS2 engines running fine on the PS3 (sure the 360 could handle the same). Some remakes/remasters were done in literal months and were amazing. F*ck your "impossible", EA. We got stuck with an entire gen of console with one NCAA/Madden that was even playable (2013...barely). An entire gen of EA trying to polish that turd engine that actually made the games LOSE features from the previous gen it was so bad, lol! They went universal sports engine and only NHL & FIFA were fun. NCAA & Madden were just atrocious until last year and even then they were bad. Worse than any PS2 outing. I played NCAA 11 more than any current gen NCAA game because EA was too lazy to make exclusive engines/use other game engines or too stupid to polish up the previous gen's engine when they realized that 3 games in the ball wouldn't rotate more than once on a 50 yard pass. The ball did that on the Genesis, ffs! haha /end rant

I don't have a side in the fight for the "kids" or college players. My side in any fight is the hypocracy in a person or group complaining about adults receiving SOMETHING for their play while pay sites make money off of them as kids while giving them NOTHING. They don't get a fee per interview. No education, etc. The question/point of hating free sites as well as pay sites is missing the point. Pay sites make money and often skew words/headlines to generate money off a kids thoughts. These sites use services and connections built over years to get these kids numbers and such. Most (as noted in many interviews) just suddenly start getting bombarded by pay site guys reaquesting info. Free sites generally don't make money (other than traffic which is maybe living wage if a popular site/blog) and have to use modern social media to reach out to the kid and ASK for an interview or info. The kid has the choice there and some do and some don't but the point is that they have the choice. With the pay sites, when a kid doesn't want to be bothered they often have to tell the site/s to leave them alone multiple times. Even then, the site will use their name to generate bogus headlines and subs. The hypocracy is what bothers me. I love and follow CFB & CFB recruiting like most here but I get all my info from here, second hand from a site or twitter/FB. Had a free scout membership but left because it's a lame site and not some principal stated above. My only point was to point out how people cry about adult players ONLY getting an education, free medical, free roof, etc and then say nothing about companies hounding these kids for profit while providing nothing outside of exposure they rarely need and sometimes do love (Arnett types). Just something I've always found odd and not necessarily the lone reason I dislike paysites. I even dislike their revenue system. I think info that a kid chooses to give out should be free (recruiting wise). How make money you ask? Ads. May the best site win with traffic. Imagine NSD with an ad/traffic revenue system! Plus, it would end the crap sites as people would naturally flow to the best setup, interviewers, pundits, prognosticates, ranking accuracy, etc. *Sorry for format, android app is a million times better than the old but still doesn't allow paragraphs*

I don't think we land all the big names we are in on (Hand, etc) but I think our class ends up around the top 5-10 again with 17-20 kids in it. We'll have about three or four 5*, the usual grouping of 4* solids and Hoke & Co unknown kids who somehow were unknown until we offered and are given the 3* "well, if a major program offered" bump kids. The usual suspects (Bama, LSU, osu, nd, UF, etc) will surge late as usual with the yearly SEC payday school shocker that is from here on out named the "Ole Miss Cash Money Recruiting Award" winner. We'll end up in or around the top 10 due to size and likely not landing all of the dream list we all have.

Home schedule may be weak as far as fun factor but compared to this year's schedule overall it appears 2014 may be the year the team would be expected to be undefeated going into the osu game. Absolutely great setup in the back end with only ND as a concern in the front end. As a team that MUST break out of the 8-9 win seasons to truly be considered elite again (and as our recruiting is showing) I'm kind of happy with this schedule as it lines up. Only negative being the major teams all away from AA.

laughed internally (?). The questioning scene was funny and the rest is just begging to be in an episode of Tim & Eric.

F#CK that snake, cheat of an assclown and his vests. Only in Ohio can you avoid all suspicion for a decade despite constant smoke and outright being caught red-handed before it all came tumbling down because he wore a vest and said he was a good guy. Only Ohio would people see all the evidence, admissions, Heisman winner $500 handshakes (that he said he took the fall for many others regarding) and still swear on their childrens lives that he was "a good and honest guy". Even after the emails and NCAA interview osu fans still think he was set up or conspired against, haha. FUUUU that guy.

Genuinely has me worried. Rarely do these overwhelming positive outlooks on a recruit work out. haha. Some do but not enough to make me comfortable until it happens.

+1000

Nike had better unis for us in the 90's. In build, look, fabric, color correction and appeal. Take the $30 million hit and go back to Nike ASAP. Nike doesn't have to = Jerseyz

Something regarding being able to dust off our old Henson jerseys again. I replied in assumption that Morris took 7 as 12 is obviously taken and it was down to 4 & 7. I like the number for UM QBs. Henson is my all-time favorite QB at Michigan.

I do and the NBA is worse.

And thank you! Great job of representing Michigan and a favorite player of mine. Glad things went well and that helped were happy to.

Any and every top 100 recruit to chose psu is the next "biggest recruiting upset ever". They got NUKED. Like....if Bill doesn't stick around for a while they will be bad for about 5-10 years after the sanctions are lifted level nuked.

Late 90s/Early 2000s

I wouldn't overlook psu. Not as much a player as Stanford is/was but this is a kid that has admitted to doing the unexpected out of wanting to be different. Can't be much different than going to a school he'll never do anything more than play a regular season at....eventually surrounded by a team of half walk-on level players.

I like our chances better than versus Stanford but this kid is admittedly different. Likes to be different and take the harder road, etc.

Entitled to your opinion but I'll never forget the Fab5 and I was a kid. I loved their street ball look and attitude. They looked and acted that was but the team was far from selfish on the court. They fed on one another like few teams ever did. Unfortunately, Ed Martin. Yet, I do not think he was given what was claimed (even dickbag Albom thinks so) and was mostly before he played at Michigan. Even if while at Michigan Martin tossed Webber a few bucks to eat and shit, while wrong and deserving of punishment, the way the entire Fab5 was punished was wrong. Before going to college not a single player did or took anything that straight to the NBA guys didn't. Lebron had TONS of "helping friends" before he signed with Nike in HS, etc. The Detroit area and later UM kids just went on to college after. At that point, a single penny is a violation. Punishment was deserved but excessive, IMO.

Hand is VT or the typical schools for a freak DL from the East Coast (Clemson, Bama, FSU, etc). We'll be the ever "top 2-3" with him like we seem to be with so so many kids. As far as Scott, I just don't think he wants to come here. Period. I don't see it. He has Southern school written all over him.

Agree 100% with that.

The guy is a great coach! I'm not saying he isn't in the top 3 living HCs in (or out) the game. I just think that people constantly calling him "the best NBA coach/mind ever" (or even alive now) is ignorant. The guy always coached with not just superstars but the absolute best players in the league IN THEIR PRIME. Jordan & Pippen could have won titles with the rest of the team being all 6th men (basically did). Then they get the most prolific rebounder in the game in Rodman, haha. Once that is gone he "retires" to then see Shaq go to the Lakers with Kobe Bryant. He turns down just about every other job, says he is done coaching only to pull a Saban and take the Laker job as soon as they called. Why? Kobe was hitting his absolute athletic prime and was basically a Jordan clone and Shaq was in his absolute prime and was, well, Shaq. Again, a team you could have filled with 6th men and won titles with. Great coach but not at all deserving of the overwhelming attention he gets. He was a product of the teams he coached and then left when the wheels started wobbling. Should he take a job without a TRUE superstar (maybe 5-10 in the entire NBA) at the Guard or Center position (had both at Chicago & LA) he will lead just about any team to the playoffs but that's about it. I'll end by saying that making it to the NBA playoffs is not a tough thing to do. When you can go .400 and make the playoffs it shows what kind of league it is. Yet, I respect your opinion and point. No offense.

I still think he'll have a slightly longer Mike Hart like NFL career. About 5 years in the league with some starts and flashes of instinct and toughness before either he or the league decide it's time for a coaching career to begin. Ex-UM guys don't always end up here during that career but I have a feeling both Mike and Jordan will someday.

Kind of always felt this would happen. Had high hopes and then he was injured and never really was spoken about since he came in. Still, was one of the new staff's first real steals in Ohio based on where others thought he'd go. Really thought he'd be a thumper MLB for us.

Not to sound sour grapes (as I have none regarding this or KR) but the stuff he'd write on Twitter that I'd hear about concerned me. Never had too many good words to say about AA/UM and always talked about "getting that money" or how he was "doing work for this money" etc. Now, I know some kids these days just say shit like that but it just rubbed me wrong. Yet, nothing to wish departure for.

Best of luck to him and having done nothing wrong (that I know of) he chose Michigan so will always be a Michigan guy to me. Unlike a certain member of a certain family with ties to Michigan who couldn't let his ears be ruined by curse words during football practice. haha.

I don't think anyone is saying they can jump on the team whenever they want. It's the point of having experienced talent asap rather than a true frosh 18 year old kid with no playing experience or weight room time. Recruiting a quality JUCO is like getting a talented transfer with experience. It's an easy way for schools that take them (most) to shore up a position in one recruiting cycle rather than recruit, RS, develop/coach and hope.

This is exactly what people keep forgetting about when it comes to a position of any trouble for most schools. osu will just JUCO the shit out of his OL and it will be like having multi-year starters the entire time.

Whenever I moved as a youth I'd straight up gank those companies. Back then (90's) all they had was a check box that made you verify that you were 18 or older. I moved a lot so starting around 12 I'd get all those free cd's for a penny and I'd move and never hear about it (used random names) or the one time they contacted me and thought they "had me". Until they found out I was 14 and they wrote an apology to me! haha. Is theft cool? No. Would I do it today? No. Yet, it was the perfect era when the internet and/or proof beyond word of faith was scarce. Must have gotten over 100 cds I moved so much and I still have many of them.

Ahh, that movie was just terrible. So, so terrible.

I don't think Adrian ever went to see his Dad while in prison but contacted with him by phone like Jabrill. Oklahoma didn't ask the family or Dad, they just went as they knew Adrian loved his Dad regardless. I see that as rolling the dice and with Adrian it worked. I wonder how often this happens and how others react is all. More a question of ethics and boundries, really.

*shot
sorry lol

I have ZERO qualms about posting "premium" info here. In fact, I hate that people often talk about how the NCAA uses these kid for profit when these recruiting sites LITERALLY use these REAL non-adult kids for profit. At least in college the player is technically an adult and is trading a service (their skill) for another (education) regardless of how much the player cares about the service they get. With these sites, other than the kids that love attention, what do they get?!? Scout, Rivals, ESPN and less so but also 247 all make money on TRULY amateur non-adult Kids. I've always been of the opinion that those sites can do their thing but make it free and ad based for revenue. Best site wins. Pure capitalism. Also, imagine the ad revenue on NSD! Paying for info on a kid is disgusting to me (on the site side). What about the kid they make money on by starting rumors or making up sensationalized paywalled titles to stories when the kid doesn't want to be bothered with their constant calls, texts, emails, tweets, etc asking for info they'll sell? I say post away on "premium" shit. F#ck those sites, lol.

And I'm likely 100% wrong and I like the kid as a person even more. Says once he decides it's final to the point that he won't even talk to other staffs to keep focused on school and his music. Again, Michigan or not, I like this kid's attitude! I just hope he goes to Michigan, haha.

However, a quick decision doesn't seem to go along with a national blog about his recruitment and life. Would he tap a sentence or two about how much he likes Stanford or Michigan and then talk about music and life each entry after June/July? Sounds cool and good for him (really!) but it doesn't exactly seem to vibe with an early and final decision. To me anyway but I'm a big proponent of letting a human being making a serious life choice (or not) to do whatever they want or go wherever they want if not harming others and happy! As I said in the thread about his and his Father's story: I'll root for a kid like that wherever he goes. I'd love it to be Michigan, though.

I won't get into the "this is an old story/post" debate but it was the first I'd seen it and enjoyed it. Very sad and moving but I think it shows just how amazing some kids can be as I would have absolutely crumbled at that age. In a selfish sense I do not want this kid going anywhere but Michigan but he is the type of kid that whichever school he goes to I'll be a fan. I, too, have that personality of going against the grain not because I'm a contrarian or want to openly be different but just to experience different things. Develop empathy, etc. I've always said that if I weree a major recruit and only Michigan did not want me, I'd go to a great academic school that historically has been bad at football. Vanderbilt, etc. Why? Just to do it. While every other kid is jumping on usc or bama....I'd purposely go try to help a bad school turn things around and get a genuine education.

Unless a crazy amazing kicker/punter you do not draft them. Punters are all about the same minus about 5 in the league and they are only slightly better. If anything we should have drafted a kicker before punter. Akers? I'd genuinely rather give "Kickalicious" the job. Not kidding. Hanson was a huge loss. Yet, to pass on so many proven guys of need for a punter no better than any in FA is a Lion move. To see who went after him until we picked next made me want to vomit.

Just this and any other point is invalid and marked as wrong (and possibly ignorant). Global capitalism on steroids (modern industrialized nations) will always look for places to exploit and people to pay off to allow them to be exploited. There are 7 billion people on this planet and 4+ billion are firmly in the category of "expolit them to death".

Even if there was no "insider buzz" I'd guess msu. Just seems like after the osu thing he would end up there and I don't say that as a knock or anything but a general feeling. Maybe even a good sign if the kid thinks we'll likely land Hand & MM.

Meant to say I'm all for kids doing whatever they feel they need to do to make a big life choice and maybe even enjoying the process......just Stanford gives me bad vibes with Peppers.

Good for him. It's his life and I don't give a crap if he literally loved lamp. haha. Is he happy? Yes? Good enough for me. Best to him.

I've seen you type this before and without any snark I can say it absolutely makes me sick. To the Ford family, the Liona are just a toy. Better yet, another income source if Ford should ever fold. Heck, they use the Lions to help out the motor company financially! They don't care about winning as much as "winning" and "winning" to them is having just enough talent to get fans in seats and buying shit. A Lombardi trophy is truly not even in their minds as I think they'd like to trip over one but they won't hire and make the moves to earn one.

Hope I'm wrong but Stanford is one of those schools/campus that you cannot help but like, especially when their football team is good. I think we have fandom and location in our favor but I have a feeling he visits Stanford and both schools are "equal" again. Words of being "blown away" and the like will be tossed around. Hope I'm wrong but I see this dragging out.

Should maybe add a: *by Michigan/elite program standards

No, the weight room was a dinosaur even by the admission of current/former players. There wasn't so much of a practice facility as a shitty field to practice on and more. Bsketball had it worse but when we hired RR our football facilities weren't winning over any recruits.

Correct to call "Hoke here in 07/08" ideas illogical as he wasn't ready for the job and, facilities were still trash and, IMO, you just can't say it would have gone the same. However, if you took the staff we had today and gave them all of the talent that bolted the second RR was hired it would have been a good team. Hopefully the last I'll ever mention the guy but people forget that RR no only had no idea he was walking into what some called "a termite infested AD/facilities" but was disliked from the jump out of loyalty to the Bo lineage and his "I'm not a Michigan Man" statement in his first presser. Then, TONS of quality NFL and college talent bolted leaving RR with no QB, WRs, etc. If he could have gotten RM, AA, MM, JB, etc to stay and ran a passing spread until he got his athletic QBs he may still be our coach. Oh, and if Martin forked over a measly 150k for the DC RR pleaded for.

I agree as well. We all want to think and see Denard as something he wasn't. Was he a great kid and better athlete than most on any CFB? Absolutely. Yet, he is more straight line speed, injury prone (our fault, really) and has very little experience doing what he'll be asked to do in the NFL. Denard could easily slip to the 6th and the rest undrafted. Yet, they could also go 3rd-ish and late rounds. This is an odd draft year.

Think he was UT anyway. Glad we got Bunting as I was pretty even on all of them. Yet, Bunting was a bit of a shock and Helm was going UT anyway so I'm cool with Bunting, lol

I'm an open and admitted Nike lover as far as our unis went. Money or not, we need them back because our jerseys even in the 90s were better made and looked better than anything under Adidas. At least Nike had our colors right, ffs. Also, I don't like the notion that Nike = Uniformz. It's a school choice. We could easily go back with Nike and pass on their BS ideas. Would Brandon do that? That's the question. ha

I still have the 2011 nd and osu game on my DVR. Also, last year msu. I've lost valuable content keeping those but it's worth it. haha.

So, Dallas will continue it's trend of taking backyard kids. Not a bad pick but JJ takes B12 kids as much as possible. Almost like if the Lions used 90% oftheir pics on B10 guys.

It's just amazing to me how Robinson was essentially a Wolverine as a Sophmore in HS. A given aside from his senior year when he didn't convince anyone that he was newly interested in UNC. Anyway, as a Sophmore Marvin was compared to the great Florida school DBs and a sure fire can't miss. Almost 8 years later and it's his last year yet he has done next to nothing. Sure, he had the misfortune of the worst defensive coach in CFB history his first couple years but he hasn't even shown flashes. I'm not trying to put him down as much as state how amazingly shocked I am that the almost zero impact he has made given he basically was good enough for LLOYD CARR to offer (and essentially land him) him as a FR/SO in HS. Marvin's only memory for me is his absolutely blown coverage in the UTL game that gave ND the lead with seconds remaining. I'd love for him (and Furman) to suddenly live up to their billing but they won't. It will be Wilson/Gordon/Clark/Thomas, IMHO.

As a Lions fan I'd have no issue taking Mathieu if it was in the 4th or later but I think people will be shocked at how high he goes. If he makes it out of the 3rd round I'd be surprised. Just that kind of year, in my eyes. Manti will also go higher than some think. Low 20's at worst, IMO. The guy who will sadly fall VERY far (but for obvious yet unbelievable reason to some) is Marcus Lattimore. Some still consider him a 3rd rounder but I see him being the guy that the "experts" are shocked slips to the 6th or so.

+1,000

Is life NCAA 13 now?!? haha...I do it in the games all the time for those reasons but have never heard of a team/player doing it when player is healthy. Don't even know if it's legal.

I think Hand is VT all the way or even gets pulled in by some SEC school eventually. He seems to really like Foster and openly admits to it being his best and longest CFB coach/recruiting relationship. I don't know Hand but I don't see him telling Foster he isn't going there. IMHO, it's not a 100% sure thing but I get the feeling it is. He really likes Michigan and maybe others but I think Foster will always have that last word. If he ever feels like Hand is slipping away it sounds like Hand wouldn't ignore his call or contact. Once on the phone, just feel like Foster could always reel him back in. Don't know why? It shows how important getting in on kids is, though. Finally, I won't be as giddy about Peppers until he gets back from Stanford. I love Michigan but even I know I wouldn't have anything bad to say about Stanford, especially when their football program is rolling. I'm not a pessimist in recruiting as I don't care what another human kid does with his life. I just also have a feeling he comes back from that visit talking a lot about the schools being even and such. Being "wow'd", etc.

I'll just point to my post in the first announce thread. Not ready, IMHO, but THANK YOU TIMMY & GOOD LUCK! Prove me wrong.

BB is a different sport and last year Burke wasn't ready. Plain and simple. I thought it was crazy for him to even entertain the idea. This year, one year later, Burke would have been risking his career by staying. As for THJ, IMHO, he is not ready. The kid is a 4 year player. Period. Going this year and a 1st round selection isn't even close to a guarantee and he is an GOOD college player, not great. GR3 has the biggest NBA potential on this entire team but he is too timid/mentally unprepared. He needs another year or two and he is a top 5 pick in any level of draft strength. Finally, for Mitch to even be considering going to the NBA is insane. He went from absolutely undraftable in the regular season (for a reason) to, admittedly, maybe the best player in the tourney. Yet, that was a handfull of games in a season. He needs at least another year and before the tourney he had 4 year player written all over him. I don't say any of this out of hope or homerism but flat out obvious observation. I also have a feeling THJ goes pro and, while thanks and good for him, it's a mistake. Heck, as unready as GR3 is he'd almost assuredly go ahead of THJ. Same for the other two as far as mistakes go. For the benefit of THE PLAYERS & Michigan, we should only be replacing Burke next year. I have a feeling we may be replacing as many as 3-4 players and 1 of them (if they go now) will be out of the NBA in a year, another will be a journeyman and wind up in Europe with the last being a "project" that will either be a legit starter in the NBA in a couple years or a career bench player.

when chip it was basically an admission

Is the coach Webb and some other kids seem to like at osu an old coach from Cass Tech? Coombs or Combs...? I ask because I have purposely stayed away from recruiting for a while, hearing of this guy for first time the last 6 months or so and I (no arrogance) can name just about every member of every elite team CFB staff and I think I heard he visited Cass Tech and even the Michigan kids were glad to see him as if he left to take a gig at osu. Thanks.

Carr had great classes (especially after 97) and, in fact, had possibly the best recruiting class in UM history in the Henson/Fargas/Terrell/etc class that even a budding recruiting business universally named the top class in America. I remember being a mid-teenager and reading Parade Magazine from a Sunday Toledo Blade. They did (still do?) a yearly recruiting round-up at signing day and listed the "Parade All Americans & Overall National POY". The amount of kids going to Michigan that year was astounding. Every other kid was going to Michigan and, IIRC, either Henson or Fargas was the POY. The issue with Carr was that later in his career he became lazy in a few positions, OL being the worst. For every Long or Schilling he'd offer and land 3 absolute no name kids with either a NR-2* ranking who never saw the field here but would get the "recruiting service bump" just because they assumed if Michigan wanted him he has to be at least a 3-4*. High ranked OL turned out to have health issues we only found out about after NSD, career ending shoulder issues we ignored BEFORE offering (KZ), etc. That was the downfall as he consistently brought in enoug talent that could and a few times SHOULD have won a NC if not for atrocious OC/DC combos. He basically failed to adapt and open up a bit when CFB was clearly going that way. We had the talent to do it (see Carr's last game) but "off tackle left" to start each game was a given. Even Pete Carroll, in genuine warning to us or arrogant pride, openly spoke of how absolutely predictable we were to the media. Players of many schools, win or loss, would say how they knew what was coming before the ball was snapped. Yet, we still had the talent to be a decent team (and NC level great in 06, IMHO). So, whether one staff is better at recruiting than another is too early to say, IMO. All I know is that our HC, DC & OC are not the type to coach by the motto of "here is what we're doing, try to stop it" as they all know those days are over aside from playing absolute scrub teams and having overwhelming talent. Bo had that mentality and rightfully so at the time, it carried on all the way to Carr and still largely worked until the spread era hit. Yet, he didn't adapt and what happened happened. This current staff, when they have their players, should have great talent and NOT be as predictable as those late Carr/DeBord teams. That matters more than recruiting as long as the kids you get are good players, IMO. *Sorry I cannot make paragraphs as the Android app is a billion times better now but it still doesn't allow that.*

Cannot confirm but I never felt good about landing him anyway. Don't know why? Just don't.

I'm not down with going all "non-scholarship-ie" but the schools keep the NCAA in power. The schools need to flat out create a new governing body. This is getting insane. Insane to where you can't make this stuff up outside of a comedy.

I dislike when people talk of how the SEC divisions sway back and forth in power for reason why the B10 divisions (even the rumored new ones) should remain lopsided. Right now, osu has ZERO competition on their side. None. In re-alignment, rumors show we may be on the same side but that side also is top heavy so we still have a harder road while the other side will constantly have a champion be Wizzy or Illinois/Indiana/etc. If the B10 wants to rebuild this conference they have to embrace what the money has always said: Big2-Little10 (now more). You toss osu and Michigan in a cake ass division of scrubs to guarantee that game still matters. Then, let the rest of the decent teams duke it out on the other division to play the annual winner of the Michigan/osu game. In other words, embrace the sports biggest rivalry by keeping it strong AND force the other schools to truly spend and become decent, good and in Nebraskas case great again. psu is nuked but they'll bounce back after the sanctions. It's the Illinois type teams we need to at least be competitive like they have been before. Maryland and Rutgers better step the heck up as, sadly, they come in better than most off our conference. Toss the msu, Wizzy, NW, Neb type teams in one division to create another arms race in the B10. Michigan and osu will do that scrubs or not, same division or not anyway. We need everyone else to step up and I know of know other way how than ensuring THE GAME is almost always to play for the B10 title to keep the media giving a crap about the B10 and the good but not great teams all in another division to create another arms race. Eventually, the B10 will be back as at least the #2 conference in America.

A return is 1000% less likely than Lewan's. If he goes I'd have no hard feelings. If he stays by some miracle and THJ realizes he isn't ready yet (he isn't) we have a team I'm not afraid to call the absolute favorite to win it all. Final Four, hands down.
Yet, I'm at a stage where I just hope we only lose Burke as nobody else on this team is NBA ready despite having high NBA prospects like GR3. Just none other than Burke are mentally and physically ready for the NBA.

No kidding, when Hanson retired I recalled that we worked him out a few days before free agency began and wanted to at least get his rights. While it is video it is impressive. He clearly has a leg but videos can be edited to only show makes and not complete failures. Basically, I think we'll have this guy or Akers on the seasons opening kickoff. Given Akers recent "success".....I'd say they're about 50/50.

IMHO, no wishing or homerism, the only player ready for the pros on this team is Burke. Even Hardaway is just......mentally not ready and inconsistent. GR3 has the most NBA potential based on size and skill set but he is a very timid/differring player. He really seems afraid to do anything unless under the basket wide open or on a free fast break dunk. Mitch benefitted from a great tourney but we cannot forget how absolutely undraftable he was for most of the year.

I'm not knocking ANY of them! My point is just that it is of my opinion that any losses outside of Burke are mistakes bigger than the Morris early departure. Just not ready.

The NBA draft is 2 rounds. If equated to the NFL draft, the first round ends after the first 3-5 picks. Round 2 is roughly 5-10 and past that its about another round every 3 players. The NBA 2nd round is effectively equal to undrafted FA in the NFL.

So, IMHO, not out of selfishness but their betterment I think any departure outside of Burke is an incredible mistake. In fact, swept awards or not, Burke may go as early as lottery or fall in the teens. He isn't coming back but doing so would make him that much wealthier and NBA ready.

well said

I admit to admitting the obvious that the B10 is the hardest/toughest/best conference in the country and at one point the Freshman hit a wall. I also admit to calling us "soft as baby shit" even after a close win late in the year as our "bigs" were getting out-muscled and rebounded by 6' guards. Yet, I also admit to saying that this is a TOURNEY team regardless of seed. Also, if we lucked out and got in games with smaller teams that run we could do damage. Finally, I'll admit to not liking the Kansas match-up. Actually predicted a loss "unless Kansas' Andre the Giant's Ghost Center decides not to show up and we shoot 75% from the field".

Maybe should say "subconscious" behavior but being so sick, it being my Bday and our team playing for a title today.....I can't really give a shit about grammar/mis-transfer of thought today. haha. 9am on my Bday and the Title Game along with a flu from Hell = Don't care. No offense taken from snark or grammar police! GO BLUE!!!!!

No problem with thread but want to say something about the Webber comment: Webber is polarizing because he chooses to be, consciously or non. Like the other recent Jalen interview (posted in another thread) notioned, Webber may either just be too stubborn/incredulous to admit he did any wrong. He may truly have been traumatized by the timeout (and he shouldn't be!). If either are the case and he is conscious of that behavior I'm not sure he'll ever publicly connect himself to The University of Michigan in any way. Maybe a tweet here or there or a text with his old teammates here or there but nothing close to stepping on campus, admitting wrongs in regard to Ed Martin (on the fence about whether he has to on that as well) or showing up to watch the first Michigan BB team since THEM to play for a National Title. It could be shame or him simply being stubborn or neither? Webber is polarizing because in 20 years he has lived his life like he essentially went from HS to the NBA. If he shows (and circumstances couldn't make it easier for him to) I will be shocked. I'd bet against it and I'm not a betting man. Why? Because there is NO WAY he could reunite with the boys to watch, and Michigan win or lose, he not get bombarded with attention and media outlets trying to ask him questions. If he essentially doesn't even acknowledge his college career for 20 years there is no way he opens himself up to what could come at him while at THAT game with THOSE other guys. If he shows......I'd be stunned. Yet, I hope he does.

I absolutely get your point and it is really impossible to argue against or say it's wrong. MM has been the most consistent, by far. I just think due to Kansas alone and the attention Burke gets out of fear facilitates the success of others. It's just SO awesome to be able to have different opinions and both be amazing things, lol. Like, both are valid and regardless of which is more valid.....as fans either opinion is "everyone gets a round on me" worthy. haha

No, even with his tourney play the highest he is projected is 24th, IIRC. In the NBA, that is like being an NFL 5th-6th rounder but with guaranteed money. I think, win or lose, he returns.

I don't think we lose more than TB & THJ. Yet, I like our staff's recruiting philosophy in that they would like to get a "one a done" type a year, a couple "2-3 and done types" & a talented but clearly career college 4 year player in each class. Kentucky just shows that you can pull 6 "one and done" kids but if they don't mesh well you have an NIT team full of lottery pick players. Sure, those teams will occasionally gel and be a force out of sheer talent but more often they won't get along, get on the same page, etc. If you want to win in CBB you need talent so you can't ignore the one & done types but if you also want sustained success you have to get good but lower ranked/talented kids who stick around a bit longer and dominate after a year or two in the system. Finally, every great team has that 4 year starter or bench player that can always be counted on. I think Stauk is that guy right now. 3s or not, he is a 4 year guy. Mitch is at least a 2 year guy. GR3 might shock people but I see him as at least a 2 year guy. etc....

I never "pick" or bet pre-game but I have no issue with this. They have great guards, bigs that are physical and can shoot and are generally (IMHO) have been the best/most consistent team in the country all year. Yet, if we show up it should be a very good game.

Very very good point. Wasn't until the reply that I noticed how he somehow saved that. Being a bigger CFB fan (by far) I often look at their size:athleticism ratio and drool at the thought of guys like THJ lining at WR, lol. That save was stopping almost full sprint on a dime, stopping a momentum laden ball torching to the sideline and Tim reaching a long arm out to catch it, posess it and get rid of it. Another great play, for sure!

Win or not, I don't see him leaving. Aside from his monster tourney run he looked like a 4 year Hansborough type player during the season. After the NCG, win or lose, people and scouts will remember that he had a very undraftable regular season. The tourney play got the talking heads bringing him up going early. Now, if he keeps it going into next year he could be gone then. I think we lose TB & THJ (even he I think may come back). Next year will be youth at guard but a much more assured GR3, Staus & Mitch staring with whoever wins the guard spots. Easily a Tourney team.

You make great points and I actually see why you think that/have that opinion. I actually respect different opinions when said respectfully and I cannot necessarily disagree with anything you wrote aside from what I saw. What I saw in this game and others was teams coming in with the mentality of "whatever we do we have to shut Burke down af far as points go". In the regular season we often won and lost a few games due to him clearly feeling like he had to put the team on his back. In this tourney, he hasn't shot well or much at all (aside from spurts) and yet teams still focused on him so much it allowed guys like Mitch to go to another level. Not saying it's all Burke but if he is just and good guard this is a completely different team regular season and tourney. But it is all opinion/view and I think you made some great ones. Cannot outright deny them as much as respecfully disagree. GO BLUE!!!!!

Agree, many times he HAD to put the team on his back due to the younger players being timid at times. I still think that is why Syracuse openly talked so much trash. They wanted that Burke to show up and instead they got a no-ego facilitator that, stats aside, was the biggest reason we won that game.

If told that Burke would play just about every game in the tourney having a scoreless or very low point total in any one half I'd have bet cash we get bounced by game 2. He has had his moments scoring (Kansas!) but overall has shot pretty poorly ans not very much. Yet, it's kind of an "ace in the hole" as we're beating (some beatdowns) some good teams with players who came into the tourney ice cold and, honestly, flat out playing with a different style/mindset. Scoring totals or not, Burke is still this team's season and tourney MVP. MM has been balling out but Burke makes it happen with everything else if he isn't scoring. Naismith is announced today, right? If not Burke is would be a robbery. Not a better COLLEGE player in America.

Favorite or not, he hasn't and has had some good teams but none of this caliber.

Ahh, the Dennis Reynolds sexual conquest memoirs system. lol

/alwayssunnyjoke

This. F'n this! I think it's 25% zone and 75% "Blinded by the light......of Orange" lol.
They are like any good team: When "on" they can beat anyone. When even average they can struggle. No different than us or any other team (especially this year). We could lose but I genuinely worry more about both WS and Louisville. Of the 4 left, Syracuse worries me the least and yet I admit we could lose if we can't hit 3s & jumpers post spooooooky zone.

I honestly think the trash talk is an attempt to :

1. Scare a certain Canadian 3pt sniper shooter into thinking too much.

2. Generally make the Freshman look at their zone as some insane bllitz attack unlike anything ever seen, forcing guys like GR3 and MM to want to get the ball out of their hands ASAP.

We need to treat this team like any other with a heavy zone/trap system. Syracuse is good but I think the talk is head games. Don't even let it reach your train of thought.

Was typing my reply as you did yours. Though, maybe he was joking? Still, it's such a messed up thing for right and wrong reasons.

Also, sorry for grammar. Have ultra mega flu and on about 800 meds, lol.

Absolutely. How she hasn't had to give the money back is one thing but how she hasn't even been threatened with jail time is another. She ruined this guy's life! 10 years GONE. The 10 years that, major athlete or regular guy, are your life building years he spent in jail or on major house arrest as a registered sex offender. How that piece of s*it hasn't faced any consequences is amazing. You'd think the state would be doing to her life what she said he did to her but not a single penalty as of this moment and looks like none in the future. Sued the school and won $1.3 Million (IIRC. That or 3.1) and she keeps every penny. He was a teen boy making out with a girl at school and he picked the wrong girl. Sadly, rape is one of those crimes where once the woman accuses it you are guilty until proven innocent and innocent rests on basically the woman admitting she is lying before you rot in jail. That or just an outlandish story torn apart by several people with timeframe video proof.

Absolutely! No delay. Now looks and works beautifully! If Shaun is the ONE GUY who I heard made the app in his spare time: THANK YOU! Know time was tight based on your schedule so TY!

Still not totally sold on Speight despite the coaches loving him, etc. Nothing to do with star rankings or anything but more the ugly parts of his videos. While accurate and looking great at times it is clearly bad competition and his motion/behavior post snap bother me. All can be fixed so I absolutely accept him but I kind of want him to destroy one or two camps and the UA game to rest my concerns.

Remember this story from years back. Felt so bad for that kid (now man) as they have the woman who accused him on audio and video admitting she lied but "didn't wanna give da money back" (she sued the school for a few million). mazing thing? The state hasn't come for their money despite overwhelming evidence/confession she lied and he practically has forgiven her. Said she wanted to hook up after he got out and she admitted (!) but he basically said he forgives her but to stay away from him. Better mannered than me. Happy he is on an NFL squad (for now at least).

new update. hope I can post now. if so, glad he's gone.

Agree. I'll go so far as to say that Kalis is possibly my #1 "cannot afford to be a bust or injury prone" guy from not only his class but the team moving on. I may be being unfair to such a young player but I'll be a bit concerned if he isn't starting at LG come game 1. I say that as we have seen many Freshman OL start for good lines just in my lifetime (late 80's had some, early 90's had a handfull and, IIRC, the 97 team started 2-3 Freshman OL and, again, IIRC, one was a true FR). I'll admit to being a bit concerned if you plug him in next to Lewan and we cannot gain 3-4 yards at will off that left side regardless of back the majority of time. So, Kalis answers OP's question and my own personal "who we NEED to step up big as a RS FR" question.

 After Kalis, it has to be 1-2 DL that can hold their own as they rotate in spot time (or more if they can really shine). I'm not as big on Wormley doing well early as some are.The sheer athleticism and size is there in spades but coming off injury and technique makes me think we won't hear too much from him for another year. Yet,  I think Strobel could get some time as a rotation run stopper given his size and not being the dual pass rush/run stop threat a Wormley is. Kid just lines up and plugs holes and it may be all we need from him this year. I'd love to see another Glenville kid have early success here like Clark did (trouble aside) so I'm hoping Henry's size and athleticism at the inside can give him some solid minutes.

 Finally, my good and bad shocker predictions (not long term but their first couple years based on how much we may need them as before the internet scouting era it was usual to allow a kid 3 years to develop):

Good - Chesson, Clark, Braden

Bad - Bars, Gant, Mags, Wormley

EDIT: Again, to clarify I am simply saying that it wasn't until the boom of internet recruiting sites that fans expected a kid to play well immediately and go so far as to call a kid a bust if he doesn't come in and light it up as a true or RS Freshman-Sophmore.

I mean in regard to enforcement. Oh, Miami is second to none is what can and likely has gone on just based on it being Miami. However, Cbus also has a very high level of amateur athlete love without the neon lights and ocean breeze.

The only difference between Miami and osu is/are the main players being willing to talk. By their own admittance, two people not talking kept osu out of "buddies or not we gotta pimp slap you" punishment. One felt afraid for his life and the other is an osu fan who wouldn't turn on his favorite team (haha). Miami has the guys who threw money, women, tats, drugs, etc around but they are willing to talk for reasons that are obvious but also spite. Ponzi man felt Miami owed him something and was slighted. He'll sleep in his cell with a smile helping the NCAA despite they having ZERO ability to force anyone to speak. Finally, botching it will just make the NCAA come down harder, IMO. The NCAA is like a bipolar teen cramming for a test the night before. They make new rules/powers/shit up as they go, destroy programs for petty crimes and let many off easy for obviously heavy cheating by comparison. USC deserved to get hit but the NCAA admitted their punishment was largely based on assuming an assisstant coach knew with no proof. They invented their own power to punish by assumption. Then, osu's HEAD COACH knew his kids were ineligible, stealing shit, selling shit, feared drug use and drug selling, kids getting $500 handshakes, kids driving sports/luxury cars while also claiming to have sold shit to help Mom pay bills, etc. He knew, lied about it, was caught and everyone knows they have even more skeletons in the closet and they get less than USC because the two zipped lips I mentioned above didn't get the "assumption" treatment USC got despite them both openly saying they had dirt. PSU was a legal matter but they create new rules to nuke them (ok with it but it is a legal matter, not one of athletic/academic advantage or cheating). Botch Miami investigation despite guys on video and in pics talking, players current and ex admitting? No problem. The NCAA's mistake will fuel the punishment handed down out of self spite and an absolute last minute "fuck it" attitude.

I'll try. You know the show so you should know the song (assumption) and the point is highlighting the 90's. As far as B10 football went, the 90's were largely the big 2 and everyone else (what UM and osu fans basically want again, especially UM fans) and aside from osu dominating the 2000s they are also in an ULTRA weak division of the conference. Their going undefeated didn't surprise me one bit with us not back to full UM fighting power and their only challenge last year. So, I think he means the 90's (so to speak) will be alive again with re-alignment. The 90's being the most recent "glory days" for UM football on a longer scale than Hoke's first year.

2 birds with one reply: 1. Where is Marvin? You probably recall this kid essentially verballed as a 14 year old when he was already about 6' 180 and very fast. Marvin just kept growing and potentially out of any particular position. Add a couple years of atrocious coaching and we have a kid who doesn't really fit in anywhere at an All-B10 caliber and maybe never will. Seems to lack the instinct/speed for DB and the instinct/size for LB. 2. As for RR recruiting, I won't criticize too much on the DB front. CC and JT were major recruits who merely busted out for whatever reason but JTF was solid and Rogers wasn't the slow nightmare another poster said he was despite being a CB convert more than recruit. My main gripe would be Dorsey. Why send the farm to recruit and land him next to NSD when we had to know the kid couldn't qualify at WVU, let alone Michigan!?! RR had to know he'd never see a single day as a player here, Juco/Academy years or not. Overall, I don't blame our lack of talent, depth and experience during and post RR on the man as much as on circumstance. Offensively, he recruited what he knew could score points. Defensively, his mistake was recruiting on that side a lot like he did offense. Defense is very hard to turn a 2-3 star into a legit player through system when ran by guys who can't coach defense and a DC who doesn't know the 3-3-5. For every Roh he brought in add two MAC level kids, etc. Finally, on both sides there was just too much attrition through transfer and injury so it just compounded the problem. If given time he would have always scored points, largely regardless of recruits. Defensively, overall talent lacked but busts were just as common as he landed some high ranked kids. IMO, even with Casteel, there wouldn't have been enough defensive coaching to matter anyway. I just don't check "recruiting" as a negative when I evaluate RR's tenure here. Bad luck, busts and coaching were more to blame for our roster. Oh, and I'd love Parker to come here! haha

Same. No matter how much I hear about "character" and "team first" and such the fact is he will likely be the next universal #1 overall player/DL that plays in a state not named Michigan. Great to be top 5 but we're in almost everyones top 5 and I'm jaded and recruiting experienced enough to know these kids always end up in the South or USC (lol). The only alternative is he goes to VT, IMO. I essentially don't even see him as a real option so hopes aren't even awake let alone "up". That said, landing him would cement my current belief that we're a few years out of truly contending for NCs again (I don't underestimate the lack of talent, depth and experience this staff inherited due to late Carr & RR).

True. I am the exact age he mentions (found it funny so I replied) but I also did that once. I think we were up 31-13 or something, lol. Also should have traded "no effect" for "no consequence" in my last sentence.

Standing ovation.

haha

Oddly, reply still fits. haha. As I also said, the ultimate goal of any defense is pressure with the front alone with the only difference being how each coach goes about it. Actually, it's very rare to do but his scheme does a great job with the right guys playing in it and we've recruited very well to his system (which we've yet to truly see in full).