Recent Comments

MGoHistoricalNugget:

It was Abraham Lincoln who coined the phrase "Michigander." In the mid-19th century, the suffix "-ander" had connotations of heaviness or overweight. Lincoln had a general on his Civil War staff, and the general was overweight. So Lincoln would call him the "Michigander" to suggest the overweight Michigan general. The word stuck, and nowadays only deranged lunatics use the word "Michiganites." Some internet sleuthing shows that there is some disagreement as to whether this was a general from Michigan, a political rival from Michigan, or other. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. [see also: http://michigantoday.umich.edu/NewsE/091503/lincoln.html]

Bonus fact: Lincoln and Darwin share the same birthday, and Darwin created more words in the English language than anyone.

The expansion hurts the whole conference. The Big Ten has basketball prestige because it has so many strong teams. We should be adding only strong football teams. That's the way to build a conference. The decline of the conference is something we should all be honest with ourselves about. The conference is at its lowest point in a hundred years. And they think we're going to solve it by adding Maryland and Rutgers?!

Stay strong Emily!

Exactly. I love the "no politics" rule. Otherwise our threads would just degenerate. It's hard enough to keep us from fighting one another constantly over trivial BS. And we're all Blue fans. MGBlog rulez in part because we steer clear of the things that ruin otherwise decent threads.

This thread is so much more level-headed than the "bitch about the refs" thread. I hope a big group of Michigan fans is there to meet the team when they get back to Ann Arbor.

I agree. From the very first two minutes of the game the refs missed a clear goaltending call against Louisville. But so what. Louisville played excellent, and the two teams put together a legendary game. We had plenty of chances to win it. Hats off to Louisville. They played a hell of a game.

Stay strong, Russell. Hopefully it's not a bad tear.

Ace wins. That audio fit perfectly.

Baloney subs are the craziest.

Definitely weird that it was reported in November and no warrant till now. If in November, it could've been during the season.

I see what you did there.

Even if no banner (and there's a good argument that they should be reserved for championships), I'd like to see some better recognition of their accomplishments. Crisler could have more stuff in the showcases, more content on the mgo website, invite them back for ceremonies, etc. I hate the way mgofans sometimes demonize former players.

All this talk about his 40 time, but once you get into the upper echelon of speed do hundredths of a second really matter to the NFL scouts? I'm more concerned that he is basically new to the position and missed the experience at receiver that all the others got. Would love to see this great Michigan man do well in the NFL.

I guess I don't see what the big deal is. Great to see Braylon sticking up for his brother. Good luck to Berkley wherever he lands. Sometimes people around here jump on former players for the smallest infractions or for no good reason at all.

Bahamas is an interesting idea. I'm in New Orleans, and I don't see why the Big Ten/SEC bowl can't move one of those awful Florida bowls to the Super Dome. I think everyone loved the 2012 Sugar Bowl. Lets take a vote, eat at a Waffle House and stay at a Motel 6 on the outskirts of Orlando, or party in the French Quarter on New Year's Eve?

So we're all excited Lewan's coming back, but how will this affect our awful running game? Will our great OL turn an average RB into a great RB? It would be nice to hear some folks weigh in on this. I would hate for our excellent OL to be wasted without a strong RB weapon to take advantage of the holes they make.

There is a great BBC documentary on racist tendencies among many European soccer supporters. I've lived in four European countries and attended soccer games in all. It's tough to comment here without crossing the political rules of mgoblog, but I will say that black American basketball players in Europe will explain the differences. When I lived in Scotland there was a team whose fans threw bananas on the field when their team's own black players performed badly. Their own team! If you really want to know more, Google the BBC documentary and brace yourself to watch something revolting. That being said, I love to see the players in the OP's story respond in support. It should give us all hope.

Great, now you jinxed the whole conference. I say hold off on this thread until after the games are over.

Liveblog still not working on iPhone for me. Anyone else?

There is a decent argument that football players should be allowed to major in football. Basically it would help propel football played into actual careers coaching at the high school, college, and pro levels. Like any major, it would still require more substantive coursework beyond athletics, and would take a more realistic approach to the careers of some compared to the bs majors at OSU (I'm thinking of that OSU scandal a few years ago when transfers from OSU couldn't get any credits transferred because the classes were such jokes).

All this talk about who the next coach is doesn't interest me yet. First order of business is the bowl game, and I want to see the Big Ten do well. So, how will his departure affect Wisconsin's chances in the bowl game?

Since I'm based in Nola, I feel like I ought to chime in. Krewe and Brass are great, IMHO. Pelicans is kind of lame. There is a reason the state bird is the pelican. The legend is that if food is scarce, a mother pelican will use her bill and cut open her own breast, then feed the blood to her baby pelicans. That's why on the state flag you often see the blood drops on the pelican. The symbol doesn't really apply to basketball, and I think Krewe is much better fitting.

News item: Not many people know this, but today Al Borges held a second secret press conference. I snuck in the back and took notes, and now I can officially report back to the MGoCommunity that the banter between Al and Heiko is getting playful to the point of steamy. My presser transcript follows:

Al: “Hey guys. What’s up, Heiko, what’s shakin’ bacon?”

MGoHeiko: “So nice to see you.”

“Are you just saying that, or do you really mean it?”

[earnestly] “I mean it!”

Al: What do you guys wanna know today?

DetNews:  Will you please say some generally positive things about Devin?

Al: Devin is wonderful, fun, gregarious, and I just can’t say enough generally positive things about him. Oh! What’s the word of the day?

MGoResponse: Buttercup!

Al: Tee hee hee. I like that one.

Det Free-Press: What happens when the quarterback hikes the ball, and doesn’t handoff, but then there’s no one open?

Al: Well, the quarterback has several checks he should make, he can check down to a second or third receiver, and if he sees a run lane opening, he can just tuck the ball and run. For example, on that play where Devin got flushed out of the pocket into the flat, you may have noticed the receivers moving to take a bubble screen…

[high pitched squeal from Heiko]

… to counter the defense’s 4-3 blitz package.

[MGoSwoon]

Al: I knew you’d like that bubble screen talk, Heiko! Look, everybody, we tailor our game to our quarterback’s strengths. A gameplan for Devin is different than a gameplan for Tom Brady.

WJR: How are quarterbacks Tom Brady and Devin Gardner different?

Al: Devin’s a great quarterback. Tom’s a great quarterback.

Tom's great, yeah. But my
favorite Brady: Marcia!
Cute plus pouty lips.

MGoObservant: Was that a haiku?!

Al: Damn tootin’.

MGoFollow-up: You’re like Matsuo Bashō … but fast!

DetNews: Heiko and Brian are going to start a football team that exclusively runs bubble screens.

Al: Fine. I’ll tell you what. If I run one of your bubble screens, Heiko, and it goes for a TD, I promise I’ll command the Michigan Marching Band to spell out “Heiko!” in their half-time show.

MGoHeiko: Really, even with the exclamation point?!

Al: Wha … how did you know I intended an exclamation point?

Det. Free-Press: Tell me about the progress of the defensive line over the course of the year.

Al: Look, the defensive line has progressed over the course of the year, folks.

Det. News: What does Ryan bring to the table?

Al: Toughness. Spirit. Integrity. Football stuff.

What were your thoughts when Gibbons lined up for that field goal in the Nebraska game?

Al: I wanted him to make the field goal. I did not want him to not make the field goal.

Seems like an easy chip shot. Just sayin’.

Al: Easy? Yo, I will cut you.

MGoQuestion: Will you tell me what secret, trick plays you plan to run next game?

Al: (coyly) Oh Heiko.

Anyone eles wonder what Les Miles meant when he said that he over-played his physical limitations at Michigan?

I'm OK with having a few starters in if they need the experience, or there is some other legit reason. Coaches know that they risk injury, but sometimes that risk is worth it to gain experience on the field.

In the context of a blowout, what really ought to change is the playcalling. The winning team shouldn't be going the jugular when it is comfortably up. It was wrong when Woody Hayes did it in  1968, and it was wrong when Michigan's Jim Harbaugh did it against USC.

I agree. Totally disgusting and humiliating to tea-bag a defenseless fan. And it is a sexual offense. I think if any of us were the victim, and humiliated in a viral video like that, it would be pretty obvious. The whole point of using your nuts is to sexually demean the victim. And it takes a special kind of loser to do that.

As a random note, I'm looking down at that Krystal burger right now, because my apartment is a block from it. That night it was a pretty ugly scene on Bourbon Street. In the heart of LSU country, LSU got absolutely destroyed by their arch rival on the biggest CFB stage of them all. The two fan bases are probably the most obnoxious in the SEC. Put all those ingredients on Bourbon Street late night after the game, and it doesn't surprise me that there was a lot of vicious crap going on.

The leaping Devin Gardner touchdown was a thing of beauty, and it reminded me of the Marquise Walker touchdown in the 1999 Michigan/OSU game.

I think it's odd that we have a QB shattering offensive records and at the same time being called awful (by some on this board). It seems like everyone is arguing polar opposites.

When I was in elementary school (Pattengill), Bo used to bring athletes one evening each year to hold a charity raffle. As a kid I got to meet Jim Harbaugh, Bo, Roy Tarpley, Butch Wade, etc. I still remember Tim McCormick holding me up to dunk a basketball.

This is spot on. I'm all for forgiving him, but the level of hatred and the others backing him up is what makes it necessary to fire him. As a general rule, if you fly off the handle and say something that offensive, you had better get a very big apology ready if you want to stay respectable.

This is unfortunate for us, but I will be happy to see a Cass Tech student kick ass in the SEC. Good luck, Mr. Dawson.

Yes it was a tough loss, but I think most of our struggles come from playing a great Alabama team, and not because Michigan is suddenly awful. Alabama kicked the ass of LSU when LSU was having one of the best seasons of any team in a generation. Point being that Alabama is good, not that Michigan is bad. I can't wait for the rest of the season. Everyone needs to get ahold of themselves and gain a little perspective.

My biggest fear is that someday I'll make it to 100 points and then do something like this and end up in Bolivia.

All this MGoClassWarfare talk. Where's the Wolverine Liberation Army when you really need it?

My drinks were several heinekens and coronas. I drank them at the Saints/Jaguars preseason game. Not sure if it made it on TV, but Chad Henne did a pretty good job of moving the ball down the field. However, at one point he threw an interception (subsequently overruled), and then out of frustration fought with a Saints defensive lineman.

You mention being low on mods with football season approaching. I hope y'all can appoint a few more mods because the good mod work here is what keeps this blog readable, unlike others.

I agree with all these points. I hate the flood of meaningless posts that distract from the game at hand. For this reason, restricting the posts to only a handful of the most trusted mgobloggers would be best. There has been way too much garbage that it becomes impossible to sift through it to find the good stuff.



Actually, what I would really like to hear is an audio discussion among the few mgobloggers after each quarter. I think that this would add a lot for those of us who know comparatively little about what is happening. And it would be an improvement over awful tv announcers.

As to whether Harbaugh might eventually come back to coach Michigan, I'm curious whether anyone thinks it's possible that he would coach Ohio State. The reason I wonder is that he seems to relish a bit in being an ass. See, e. g. the post-Lions/San Fran handshake incident and non-apology, and his occasional negative comments about Michigan. Does anyone think he would coach OSU, in part to be the biggest, most successful coach/ass in the country? It would be a shocking move, but that might appeal to him.

Interesting to reference Rick Bayless. He lived in Ann Arbor for awhile and his wife worked at UM at that time too. They eventually moved to Chicago, where they have some great restaurants.

Few people know this, but Picasso did a famous painting of the Pistons-Pacer melee in 1937.

You might as well walk. It's about a ten to fifteen minute walk to your hotel from the Superdome.

You've made all the right restaurant decisions, IMHO.

As for pre-game on Tuesday, now may be a good time to suggest an pre-game MGoHappyHour. I'm a local, so I'll chime in one idea: Pat O's at 624 Bourbon Street on Tuesday at about 1pm at the bar a few feet from the bar's courtyard fountain. That gives plenty of time before the game, and Bourbon St is kind of the default pre-game party spot, so it is probably would work for many MGoReaders. Also, Pat O's is big and can absorb a crowd, plus it has a beautiful courtyard.

Another option would be Walk-Ons on 1000 block of Poydras between the French Quarter and Superdome (two blocks from the Superdome), which would put the party closer to the game.

I'm a longtime MGoReader, but only recently have posted a few things. If an MGoHappyHour is to get off the ground, I think we would need some of the longtime posters who are down here to say that they are interested in making this happen.

Also, for those of you who are staying in or near the French Qtr, I have a few suggestions for sports bars, which might come in handy for Monday's big bowl day. If you're like me, you want to watch all the games, not just one or two. I live a block from the Quarter, and these are the sports bars I rely on:

1. Ryan's Irish Pub (241 Decatur). Lots of TVs, and they are flexible about changing channels to appease the drinkers. Generally if you can find a place to sit, you can bring your own food to this bar and they're fine with it.

2. Checkered Parrot (Royal St.). Also has a lot of TVs and also cheap bar food. Generally you can get a seat pretty easily. I spend most of my fall Saturdays and Sundays here because I can pretty reliably get a spot even when the city has a lot of visitors. On the other hand, it lacks French Qtr charm and the food isn't great.

3. Some Bourbon St bars will have the games, but these bars aren't the sort with a ton of TVs, and you probably won't get to listen to the commentary (which, I guess, might be a bonus if Spielman is calling the game). Also, there are several "sports bars" in the city that barely muster a small TV with no sound and no cable. Not sure what that's all about, but beware.

CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT: There's a new bar called Walk-Ons at the 1000 block of Poydras. It's kind of between the Quarter and the Superdome, and it's a great spot.

UPTOWN: If you want to take a streetcar ride of 30 minutes, hop on the St. Charles Streetcar line (not the Canal St. line) and take it all the way through the neighborhoods of manions until you reach Carrolton Ave. (which is the point where the streetcar makes its a 90 degree right turn). Cooter Browns is just a few steps away, and that is probably the closest thing Nola's got to a Michigan sports bar—it's dark, lots of kinds of beer, cheap bar food, and a shit ton of TVs. Also, Cooters always has a lot of Michigan fans.

Also, if you want to hang out with the Tulane/Loyola students, the big student sports bar is Bruno's on Maple Street, which is also just off the St. Charles streetcar line and just a short walk from Cooter Browns.

GARDEN DISTRICT: On Magazine St., Michigan fans sometimes congregate at Tracey's Irish Bar and Restaurant.

Some other spots with lots of TVs: Ugly Dog Saloon (Warehouse District; also has cheap grub); The Bulldog (cheap grub; two bars - one on Magazine in the Uptown neighborhood, one in MidCity a short walk from the end of the Canal Street streetcar line)

Scalping is legal in Nola, BUT not on Superdome property, which I'm pretty sure includes Championship Square (the little official tailgate area next to the stadium). I've heard of people getting arrested for selling tix on property thinking it is legal.

I'm a current New Orleans resident, living a block from Bourbon Street. A few notes:



1. We really need to arrange an MGoHappyHour for all the MGoBlog readers. I suggest Pat O'Brien's, but only because it is convenient and can absorb a large krewe of fans.



2. I strongly suggest making reservations in advance. Use OpenTable, and lock in great reservations while they are available.



Here's the deal: if y'all want to meet up for drinks, then post it and let's get a critical mass. I may be able to set something up, or we can just meet at a bar. I know all the bars, restaurants, and hotels here, so post if you are sugar bowling and have questions.

This is a great thread. I'm a diligent MGoBlog reader, though I haven't posted much. I also live just a block from Bourbon Street. A few people have asked what sports bars are best. Most of you will be staying in the French qtr/CBD vicinity. Down here, there are surprisingly few dedicated sports bars. Hopping the street car to cooter browns is a great idea, but if you want somewhere downtown, I suggest Ryan's Irish Pub or the Checkered Parrot. The checkered parrot has plenty of TVs and cheap food/drinks. If you are looking to mainline football on Jan 1st, these two bars will have a the games (it's maddening that so many games overlap on Jan 1).

Keep in mind that the LSU/Alabama game will be later that week. The fans vow to descend on the city early and tailgate all week, so I think there will be overlap of football tailgating. Depending on how the Saints season goes, there could be a home playoff the day before te LSU game. In short, the whole city is preparing for this football week, and the Michigan game is only the third most important to the locals.

Most importantly, why dont we have an MGoHappyHour? Maybe a few of us locals could put something together for MGoBlog readers.

For those of us watching at home, listening to Spielman was painful. Is there any way we can use the powers of this motivated fan base to push the network to never allow him to call another Michigan game? Someone has to call for sanity.

We are so lucky to have these seniors who've stuck with it all these tough years, even when some in the fan base were harsh. They really deserve this win.