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| Date | Title | Body |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours 3 min ago | Badgers vs. Wolverines |
The two are different Genus and Species, but they merge at the Family Mustelidae. They're both known to be rather fierce little buggers. But it's clear to anyone paying attention that in a fight, a Wolverine would kick a Badger's ass. Therefore, we win this weekend. |
| 1 day 11 hours ago | Two things ... |
... claim his defense is "aggressive." Don Brown actually means it. Through four games, Michigan has recorded 44 TFLs, 17 of which are sacks. This got me thinking ... is there a way to statistically measure the net-effectiveness of an aggressive, attacking defense? (I understand that the scoreboard ultimately yields the true measure of the effectiveness.) I guess what I'm getting at is the numbers above are raw numbers, and it's possible -- though not the case with Michigan this year -- but it's possible those TFL and sack numbers could be matched against big plays made by opposing offenses. That's the "downside" to an aggressive defense -- when the defense's aggressive attack does not quite get home before a QB scrambles for a long gain, or a blitz misses its mark and a receiver gets the ball for a TD. So, in the spirit of the "rational" tag above ... I'm wondering if there's a way to capture the "net" effectiveness of an aggressive, attacking defense. Sacks / blitz? Some other ratio that balances attempts to results? ... even stripping in anger This turn of a phrase caught my eye. I like it ... it seems to convey an extra degree of anger ... but I've never seen it used before. I googled around and found some references to infants who will "strip in anger" -- remove their clothing in a display of rebellion and frustration -- and I'm wondering if that was the genesis for your use of that phrase? |
| 2 days 20 hours ago | UM fans who graduated from MSU |
I thought this was a thread about UM fans who graduated from MSU. There are a lot of us. I'm one of 'em ... lifelong Michigan football fan, but went to MSU simply because I couldn't afford the difference in tuition back then. People then -- and now -- could not understand why I didn't switch allegiances. My answer: Meeeeechigan! I went to many a football game in Spartan Stadium ... because I was one of the guys in the orange vests doing traffic control. I eventually worked my way up to student supervisor of the whole 110-person crew. Officers put a lot of trust in me ... one time even giving me the keys to a police cruiser to go across campus and retrieve something for him. There I was -- 20 year old -- driving a Crown Vic police cruiser with a shotgun locked to the dash! :-) One memorable game I was given the assignment to be in one of the four upper-deck corners with binoculars and a police radio, keeping watch on the parking lots below. Cold, raw, miserable day ... and I was standing up in the teeth of the gale way up there. Saw a few suspicious things going on in the parking lot below, but nothing that warranted a call in on the radio. I don't give a rat's ass what college name is printed on my degree from 35 years ago ... when it comes to college football there is Michigan, and then there's the rest. Period. |
| 3 days 6 hours ago | Narduzzi? |
On the other side of the ball, it’s not a revelation to call MSU’s secondary subpar this year, but without anything resembling consistent a pass rush (only 3 sacks), that secondary is a mess. I wonder how much of that is because Narduzzi is several years removed from MSU? |
| 3 days 21 hours ago | I met Arnold Palmer at a golf |
I met Arnold Palmer at a golf tournament in Virginia back around 1995 or 1996. He was in a golf cart, and a group of us were nearby. He motioned for us to come over, so we went over, shook his hand, and chatted for a bit. True gentleman. News of this saddens me. The world has precious few good men like him. We now have one less. |
| 6 days 6 hours ago | Seriously! |
This looks awesome! |
| 6 days 7 hours ago | Drevno |
Contrast this press conference with Brown's ... Brown was very open and talkative about things and Drevno is much more close-to-the-vest. I wonder how much of that is just the nature of offense vs. defense? Obviously Drevno can't say: "Well, this week against PSU we're going to use Peppers in situation X ..." And he can't very well say, "The offensive line struggles on run blocking when the opposing defense does Y." For an OC, it's all about being opaque about what's up his sleeve. For the defense, though, it's a reactive role. Brown can talk all day about athletic responsiveness to play X or play Y. And that's really what Brown's press conference was -- a candid discussion about style and attitude, but he didn't reveal anything about what he may do against PSU this Saturday ... other than be aggressive and go 100mph. |
| 1 week 1 day ago | Love these videos ... |
... and I imagine there's a fair amount of work that goes into it: determining what to go over, doing the video edits, recording the audio, cleaning it all up into a finished product. I love how they replay the same sequence over and over again as they're describing it. It helps reinforce the concepts they're talking about. Would like it if they highlighted one or two breakdowns on Michigan's part and explain what went wrong. That would show the other side of things. Morrison is great. |
| 1 week 4 days ago | From WV |
I'm spending the fall in the backwoods of West Virginia. I have no TV, so I can't watch the games. My internet is satellite, and I can't stream anything very well. I listen to the games on Sirius radio. The lack of visual football has made me like someone who eats rice cakes chased with a fistfull of Centrum multi-vitamins -- yeah, I'm getting by, but I've craving real food. This sort of content is what I get by on. I gobble up everything here and over on Touch The Banner. So thanks for your efforts! They are much appreciated. |
| 1 week 6 days ago | What Stats are Kept Inside the Submarine? |
Do we have any idea what sort of metrics are kept by Harbaugh and staff? It'd be interesting to see sorts of things they look at vs. these stats. |
| 2 weeks 3 days ago | UCF QB Holman |
I listened to the game, and UCF's QB Holman went down with what was described as a non-contract injury ... probably a hamstring, but maybe a hyper-extended knee. After he went out, the backup QB came in. Was anything ever said later about Holman? Any report on what happened? |
| 2 weeks 3 days ago | At work just north of |
At work just north of Washington DC. It was the day after I had put my 17 year old dog down. Secretary at work called me out to the hall TV monitor's to see what was happening. That was after the first plane, but before the second. We watched and saw the second plane and the tower come down. I stayed at work until 5:00pm. The normally jammed Capital Beltway was eerily empty, with the government people having gone home after the Pentagon was hit. Fighter jets were overhead. I was on an airplane to Canada days after flights resumed. Half-empty plane, people very quiet and subdued. |
| 2 weeks 5 days ago | Because it's a fun thing to |
Because it's a fun thing to do. It's part of our back-and-forth civil joshing of each other. It's what I really love about college football -- I love the friendly rivalalries. Well, except for Notre Dame. I can't stand Notre Dame. |
| 2 weeks 5 days ago | Camelback and 27th ... |
Actually, I'm in West Virginia this summer and fall. But normally I live in Tucson. The avatar picture was taken near "A Mountain" near Tucson. (I'm in WV minding the property my wife inherited from her mother back in 2014. It sat empty for over a year, and people started nosing around, thinking nobody lived here. Well, somebody lives here now.) I wonder if we have MGoBloggers from all 50 states ... |
| 2 weeks 5 days ago | Awoke at 5:00am here in |
Awoke at 5:00am here in Braxton County, WV ... Game is now 6 hours away. Will be listening to it on Sirius radio (no TV here). First up -- some yard work. Hiring the local pastor's son to help ... he's 14 and looking for some pocket money, so it's a win/win: I get some assistance, he gets some money. Pastor is a big Ohio State fan, and we have a friendly rivalry going about it. In church on Sunday I'm going to present him with a beautiful Michigan T-shirt. :-) |
| 2 weeks 5 days ago | Seger Song ... |
Your line "Woke up to a clap of thunder" made me think of the Bob Seger song "Night Moves," specifically: I awoke last night to the sound of thunder And now it's in my head. But it's not a bad song to have in my head. |
| 3 weeks 21 hours ago | 63-3 erases a lot of bad |
63-3 erases a lot of bad memories. |
| 3 weeks 1 day ago | Time-travel that edge defense |
Time-travel that edge defense to beginning of WWI and it's a take-down behind the LoS, as opposed to running the play out of bounds for a 1 or 2 yard gain. (WWI turned into trench warfare because both armies tried to outflank each other on the channel side of things. Neither accomplished the flank ... they hit water and dug in.) That's why the maturation of Speight to Chesson over the top is so valuable -- it'd be like having a troop transport plane back then: get on the backside of the defense to open things up. Only on MGoBlog would this conversation be possible ... :-) |
| 3 weeks 1 day ago | West Virginia |
Just for the summer. Long story short ... wife inherited her mother's place here. It sat empty for over a year, and word started to spread nobody lived here any more. People started nosing around. I took up residence in April, and started hunting ground hogs, so the sound of gunfire was heard on the hillsides. Word is now "someone lives there." Mission accomplished. Back to Arizona in the late fall, then back here in the late spring. |
| 3 weeks 1 day ago | Playing Freshmen |
In addition to that, we're starting to see more and more guys who just may not be here for 4-5 years, anyway. In those cases, a redshirt seems like a waste of a year. I recall Urban Meyer saying something along those lines either at Florida, or shortly after he came to Ohio State. The key point being -- if they're good enough to leave after 2 or 3 years, they're likely good enough to play early. And if the roster is stocked with lots of those guys, then play 'em. If there's confidence in recruiting and keeping the cupboard full, why not? |
| 3 weeks 2 days ago | In other news ... |
... Al Borges' San Jose State offense managed just 10 points, 287 total yards, and achieved only 53 yards on 32 carries for an average of 1.7 yards / carry. :-) |
| 3 weeks 3 days ago | Great Post! |
This was an enjoyable and informative read, so I think you for writing it up and posting! I do not think Michigan is as soul-crushing a team as, say, Alabama looks to be. But I do think the puzzle pieces are mostly there. Michigan dispatched a team they were supposed to beat, and they did it with base plays and efficiency. That's a nice way to start the year. |
| 3 weeks 4 days ago | 69-0 in 1975 |
I was at that game ... it was awesome! Rob Lytle and Gordie Bell had a field day. Weather that day was miserable ... cold, rainy ... in other words, a great day for football. |
| 3 weeks 5 days ago | Did Khaleke Hudson play? |
Did Khaleke Hudson play? |
| 3 weeks 5 days ago | Brandstatter |
I couldn't watch the game, so I listened to the broadcast on Sirius. Brandstatter is a little better this year than last. Not a lot, but a little. He still tends to get too excited on a play and delay telling the audience what actually happened. But there were fewer of those instances today than in the past. Dierdorf was, as usual, excellent. The two of them -- Brandstatter and Dierdorff -- still have to iron out who talks ... there was a few cases where they stepped on each other's commentary. The jersey numbers caused a few moments of confusion. Overall ... listening while I puttered with some home projects while listening to Michigan football was quite enjoyable. The day here in central WV was perfect. |
| 3 weeks 5 days ago | Freshman |
Loved the rotation in of the freshman ... because it sends a couple of really strong Harbaugh-esque signals: (a) to recruits: if you're good, you'll play; and (b) to the rest of college football: Michigan is not concerned about future recruiting ... the future is now ... let's play football. |
| 3 weeks 6 days ago | Up in West Virginia |
I'm up in the wilds of West Virginia this summer and fall and the only internet I can get is satellite. It works fine for e-mail and some short streaming, but for streaming live content it wouldn't work. Oh, and surprisingly there really aren't any sports bars in this county. So for me it's going to be Sirius radio for the games. I'll endure Brandstatter while I picture the goings-on for the game. |
| 4 weeks 1 day ago | As I recall Harbaugh relating |
As I recall Harbaugh relating it in some interview once: Schembechler: "You gonna have a fullback, Jimmy?" Harbaugh: "Yeah, coach ... I'm going to have a fullback." Schembechler: "And tight ends?" Harbaugh: "Yeah coach ... I'm going to have tight ends too." |
| 4 weeks 2 days ago | +1000 for the subtle |
+1000 for the subtle brilliance of this ... absolutely love it. |
| 4 weeks 2 days ago | Bull Durham |
Also alluded to in the movie "Bull Durham," where the radio announcer was not at the game. He was in the studio, and someone was on the phone getting accounts of the action. He had a block of wood and a small mallet to simulate the sound of the ball being hit. |
