Duke came out handchecking Michigan like crazy and getting away with it. I was screaming at the tube. Chait's hint is true as Duke always seems to get this slobbering favoritism from the announcers and the refs. It is subtle, but I think it got in especially Darius' head early and kept our boys from getting off to as strong of a start as they needed. I don't think M had a lead for almost any point in the game, was continually working to get over the hump, and I think this had a big impact on the game. After Beilien did some complaining (and probably almost a technical), things seemed to gradually even out a little bit, but some of the calls later on Smotrycz and Morgan seemed really one sided. When classy Beilein is bitching, you know something is up.
The boys deserve big time credit for fighting through this and almost shocking the world. Beating Duke would have been one of the biggest upsets ever and I am super proud of this team. They have been sooooo much fun to watch as they really play the game right.
Clausen, Pryor, and Tate are all cocky to some degree. Comes with the territory. So far (and I hope he doesn't change), Tate's cockiness isn't of the edgy, in-your-face, better-than-you style. His cockiness is more of a young, refreshing, and naive cockiness. Thinking about it, I think the difference is Tate's overall attitude which is a big part of anyone's success in any endeavor. He's got the right attitude for success as a quarterback even though he doesn't have the superior physical gifts of some he is compared with. His great attitude comes across in his play on the field, how he seems to interact with teammates, and his statements/interaction with the media. If he keeps this great outlook and attitude, his up-side over the next 3 1/2 years will be really fun to watch! And I would rather have him over those other guys any day.
Bengals are for real this year. Very clique to call them the bungles and the unfair criminal image has been way overdone by national media. It will take some time to erase the past but they are building a nice defensive identity with a nice blend of Michigan (Leon Hall, Morgan Trent on bench) and USC (Rivers and Maualuga) talent. If Carson Palmer stays healthy the O will score a lot. Beating the Steelers not a fluke.
Maybe it is just my excitement about this new-era Michigan offense, but it seems to me that the TV camera operators are getting faked out way more than ever in the past. When the spread n' shred is running on all cylinders, no one knows where the ball is, especially the defense.
I think the example of your Dad's change of opinion with that age group will become a real ground swell. He is not the first who will be coming around to Rich Rod and Tate in a big way who have been on the fence. The sky is now the limit with this young team.
Anyone else have this sense that the things Tate says on the surface should come across as a bit cocky and arrogant ("I don't get nervous"), but somehow he just pulls it off as sort of straight-shooting, direct, and refreshing. Long way to go yet, but this kid really looks to be something special even beyond the Leach and Henne true freshman starters.
Recent Comments
Duke came out handchecking Michigan like crazy and getting away with it. I was screaming at the tube. Chait's hint is true as Duke always seems to get this slobbering favoritism from the announcers and the refs. It is subtle, but I think it got in especially Darius' head early and kept our boys from getting off to as strong of a start as they needed. I don't think M had a lead for almost any point in the game, was continually working to get over the hump, and I think this had a big impact on the game. After Beilien did some complaining (and probably almost a technical), things seemed to gradually even out a little bit, but some of the calls later on Smotrycz and Morgan seemed really one sided. When classy Beilein is bitching, you know something is up.
The boys deserve big time credit for fighting through this and almost shocking the world. Beating Duke would have been one of the biggest upsets ever and I am super proud of this team. They have been sooooo much fun to watch as they really play the game right.