Kevin Holtsberry

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4 years 44 weeks

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Recent Comments

Date	Title	Body
5 weeks 4 days ago	Surprisingly less angry about this game	I am not a big basketball fan. I grew up watch Michigan football and that is the strongest conenctionf for me. I didn't live in AA nor did any of my family go to UM. It was just a cultural aspect I picked up before I even realized it.  I watch Michigan football and hated Ohio State. By a weird twist of fate I ended up living and working in Columbus, Ohio. I have now stocked and nursed my hatred of OSU into a fine sharp point.  And with all of the ups and downs of football have developed a somewhat tragic sense of life when it comes to sports. And so I was afraid to start carrying about Mcihigan basketball again (I got caught up in the Fab Five frensy while in college and paid the psychic cost when that all unraveled). I followed the teams (mostly through this blog) and the last couple of years slowly began to increase my interest. Last year, I started to actually watch the games. This year I got sucked in. I started watching the games from the start and found myselfing reallying caring about the team again.  As I watched heartbreaking losses to Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin, etc. I thought "what have I gotten myself into?" It isn't like I need more sports heartbreak, right? But I wasn't going to be one of those fans who abandones the team once they struggle and so I kept watching.  And man did the tournament pay off that committment.  It felt so good to see everything come together and see the players not only make big plays but seem to really have fun and play as a team. It felt like they were able to shake off the demons and bad bounces of earlier in the year and just play at a higher level. The first half last night felt like that trajectory would continue.  But then Hancock began to rain down threes and my gut began to clench and suddenly it was more like a heavyweight fight - less joy, more determination.  And in the end Michigan just didn't quite have enough to get past an incredibly determined and focused Louisville team.  In the end I felt not anger but frustration a sense that those players were so close to an incredible opportunity only to fall just short.  I wished all that joy could have continued in one last improbable victory. As Brian notes, I wished somehow I could reduce the misery they felt. And of course, lving in Columbus I had to deal with the jerks on FB and Twitter and everywhere else savoring the loss and the misery. But as my duaghter (age 8) said to me this morning as we were discussing it in the car, Michigan is clearly a program to be reckoned with again.  And I think that takes a little of the sting of the loss away somehow. Michigan feels back somehow. Maybe I am a bandwagon fan compared to all of you longtime fans but it feels good to committ to a team and feel good about where they are and where they are headed.
6 weeks 1 day ago	Thanks for the insight into your world	Having been involved in blogging, both personally and professionally, I know how hard it can be even when you love your subject.  Your unique health situation adds another wrinkle. I appreciate what you do and the passion you bring to it. Thanks for bringing the joys, and disappontments, of this season to me through your writing. Best of luck finding the right balance moving forward.
7 weeks 5 days ago	This thread reminds me of this	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb_qHP7VaZE
25 weeks 3 hours ago	Two plays inflated offense in first half	Take away the big Roundtree and Robinson plays and Michigan has like 137 yards in first half. I think it is a little over-the-top to just blame Borges for loss because of poor play calling in the second half. Yes, I think running up the middle was foolish and I wish there was more creative use of Denard and Devin. But the difference to me was turnovers and Carlos Hyde. Hyde allowed Ohio State to grind out yards. Michigan had no answer. Michigan had the opportunity to win and didn't make the plays when they needed to. The only difference between this game and Northwestern is a miracle throw.
1 year 25 weeks ago	Thanks	Sorry to have missed it. I am not an alum so probably why I didn't hear about it.
1 year 25 weeks ago	Was Bacon in Columbus for a book signing?	If so, that sucks that I missed him. Ironically, I talked with Michael Rosenberg when his book came out.
2 years 24 weeks ago	Agree about long term trends	It would be more interesting to see how Michigan compares across a longer period of time. Was there quanatative decline at the end of Carr with 2008 being destruction and now clear rebuilding back to the average UM #s and beyond? Be interesting to see what the typical range for the team has been the last ten years. Easy to request others do more work ...
3 years 25 weeks ago	Behind Enemy Lines in Columbus	I live in Columbus and it gets old after a while. Most people are not real jerks about it but the overall assumption is that everyone is a Buckeye fan; plus you get lots of dirty looks when Michigan is doing well and lots of jokes when they are down (I have lived here during both Cooper and Sweater Vest). You really can't get away from it as it is on TV, radio, stores, work, even at church the pastor will mention the game (Chris Spielman and John Copper both attend my church). I will forget I have on my UM hat and when the guy at the drive-thru says he won't serve me with that hat on and starts laughing it often takes me a moment to figure it out. My mom came to visit close to The Game one year, however, and people were giving her crap all over town so she changed. I told her you can't let them win but she didn't think it was worth the hassle. Of course, my wife's family all went to Michigan State so I have to take crap from them now too ...
3 years 25 weeks ago	What about Cliff Stoudt?	What about Cliff Stoudt?
3 years 25 weeks ago	I don't understand the complaint	Having Michigan fans write and debate what happened and what they think it means is too much? If this is to be a true community where fans interact - in addition to reading Brian's unique perspective - then people will have to deal with comments, diaries, and board posts. I don't think it has descended into site destroying chaos and anger today.
3 years 25 weeks ago	huh?	If tl;dr means "too long didn't read" then how exactly do you know it isn't diary worthy? Do you get extra points for using internet slang even if it is nonsensical? Sorry it wasn't up to your obviously high standards ...
3 years 25 weeks ago	Also keep in mind	that Ohio State was trying not lose from the start (once we gave them a TD and missed a FG). I am not saying the D didn't play better because they did. But if OSU has to win that game - rather than watching us lose it - I think things would have been different. Maybe we win, maybe we don't, but it wouldn't have been the same game.
3 years 25 weeks ago	Here is hoping	I am shouting for joy instead of spending the weekend explaining to my kids why it is wrong to say bad words and why they shouldn't be repeating them all day (like happened for Purdue and when the Bengals swept the Steelers last Sunday). A win tomorrow would make my year (yes, it has been one of those years for me). Winning and losing can be a close thing. If everything comes together Saturday who knows what can happen.
3 years 25 weeks ago	Tragic indeed	I bear the burden of being a Michigan fan in Columbus. The Spielmans go to my church and I listen to him on the radio frequently so it feels like a death in the family somehow. Chris is a class guy and Stephanie always brightened whatever room she entered. Definitely praying for the family during what must be a very difficult time.
3 years 26 weeks ago	I am actually rather calm for once	Weird how expectations play out. Despite the desperate need to win one more game, I just felt like Wisconsin was the better team today. For, I guess, obvious reasons Illinois and Purdue felt very different.
3 years 27 weeks ago	A little late	I think a whole lot of people already panicked. Luckily by the time I signed in things began to return to normal.
3 years 27 weeks ago	Obligatory nice post, Brian comment	Although, I have never wanted RichRod fired or any other major overhaul, I admit I felt some panic. I appreciate Brian laying out nicely in one post why patience is needed and why he thinks next year will see improvement. I would still like to see a spark in the next two games that indicates this team won't always panic or over-react to things. As has been said by practically everyone, beating Ohio State would really make the pain tolerable.
3 years 27 weeks ago	Exactly	This was my point (probably poorly made). The sense that the team was not improving but still in that find a way to lose mentality was what bothered me.
3 years 27 weeks ago	For the record	1) I will cheer for this team and watch every game no matter how ugly it gets. I saw the once dominant Pittsburgh Steelers struggle for years before winning a Super Bowl, I will be a Michigan fan no matter how bad it gets or for how long. 2) I have repeatedly said I don't want the coach fired nor do I think that is the answer. 3) What I wanted to know is whether the folks who continually told us not to panic feel like panicking yet. To me this team feels much closer to last years team in terms of poise and finding ways to lose - despite the better offense - than I would have hoped. And it doesn't seem obvious to me that we will make huge strides next year.
3 years 27 weeks ago	Fair enough	I would submit that phrasing it as a question is less than a flat out statement that we can't win those games, but that's semantics. So that's my mistake. I didn't mean to say that winning was impossible just that it is hard to look at our play the last five games and see us winning.
3 years 27 weeks ago	I would like to think I have a tiny shred of patience	I have watched every single game this year. But here is the rub: "things should hopefully be better next year." I hope so too. But hoping is a thin read these days. If I knew, or had solid reasons to be confident, that the defense wasn't going to be the same or worse and that the O-line would improve I would feel better. But I don't have any reason to do so. Yes, I think the skill players on offense will be better after a year of playing but I fear this means we will just lose high scoring games.
3 years 27 weeks ago	Not what is possible but what is probable	I never said we have no chance whatsoever against UW or OSU. I asked if anyone felt confident stating that we could beat them. Has there been any indication in the last six weeks that this team has the poise and confidence to do it? I don't see it. Yes, we could play our best games of the season and beat those two teams. But the defense gives up points at an alarming rate and the offense, despite scoring points, seems to have miscues when the game is on the line. As someone else said, I think we have a better chance beating OSU because Pryor seems to go ice cold at times. But that Ohio State defense could also give our offense a great deal of trouble. I guess we will just have to wait and see.
3 years 28 weeks ago	I think the basic idea is good	If you have intelligent football criticisms or complaints, fine. But name calling and venting doesn't help and vulgarity and stupidity just reflect poorly on the person making the comments. If you aren't upset by this loss you are not a football fan. Saying this team is about where we thought they would be is not that helpful right now. They just got absolutely shellacked by a heretofor very bad football team. But fans want to know what is wrong and how it is going to get better. That is what I want to know. And I think the continuity is critical. Constantly changing coaches is a recipe for disaster.
3 years 28 weeks ago	Kids and swearing	I wasn't so lucky. I yelled dammit and my 2 year old son has been saying it all night.
3 years 28 weeks ago	I'll take it	28-17 sounds good to me. Of course, I would love a real beatdown of a very bad team. A game where there are no turnovers, dumb drive killing penalties or blown coverages that lead to untouched TE waltzing into the endzone. I know the defense is what it is and there are a lot of freshman involved, but I can dream right? It would be nice to see the team gain some confidence and show that they won't play down in these kind of games. Strong games against Illinois and Purdue would help the confidence level heading to Madison.
3 years 29 weeks ago	Well, looking on the bright side	Wait, what's the bright side again? What kind of time frame is reasonable at the college level to turn around this lack of talent/depth? Is the expectation for next year to suck but not quite as bad and then the year after have a chance at a functioning secondary? I don't follow recruiting closely do don't have a strong sense, particularly on the D side, how quickly recruits can turn things around.
3 years 29 weeks ago	What I would like to see	Is less "They are what we thought they were." And more here is why I think we can still beat IL, Purdue, WI, OSU, etc. Or why we seemed to compete with Iowa at Iowa despite five turnovers and yet get blown out by Penn State at home. What was the difference and what does it mean for teams like WI and OSU? I understand that there are lot of folks going with the OMG!!! type reaction but can we move on to a better understanding of where this team is? I fully expect Brian to provide this in the coming days. I too have a gut feeling that Forcier is getting a lot of blame for poor blocking and dropped passes - not getting first downs kills the momentum and rhythm - but is his injury serious or not? I look forward to the UFRs.
3 years 29 weeks ago	depends on what you mean by rational	We are not talking science for the most part but differing definitions of what is reasonable, etc. Heck, most of the time it is hard to agree on basic facts. Given this, however, I think there is always a huge chunk of fandom who are more emotionally attached and engaged in cheering their team than they are rationally or logically setting expectations and reacting to wins and losses. I also think there has been a lot of polarized arguments here in reaction to Saturday's game. A lot of people upset not so much that Michigan lost but that it was so ugly. A lot of people pushing back against over-reaction by saying that Michigan is exactly where any rational person thought they were going to be - better but still not all that good. I am in between those two poles. I don't think the program is in trouble or that RR is an idiot but I also think the game was a step back and a troubling potential indicator in the short term. If Michigan smacks Illinois around then I will chalk up Saturday to a bad day and feel better about a bowl game. If we struggle against Illinois or lose then I will be forced to wonder about another losing season and what that means for the future. You can be rational and still disagree about what constitutes progress and what are reasonable expectations.
3 years 29 weeks ago	Yes and no	As others have noted, you don't have to be a fair weather fan to feel that this game caught you by surprise and lowered your expectations. If you are worried that the team doesn't have the talent to compete with the top tier of the league and are worried it won't be there next year that doesn't make you a fair weather fan. Yes the emotions go up and down but if this game doesn't make you at least worry about a late season slump you are a bigger man than me.
3 years 29 weeks ago	I share the entiment but wonder	just how far the analogy goes. I was all set to post something very similar here but it appears I have lurked for too long without leaving comments or posting a blog - my blog posting privileges have been revoked. But I linked to this post from my blog (http://www.kevinholtsberry.com/kh/2009/10/24/michigan-football-flunks-it...). I guess I learned the wrong things from the two Iowa games (PSU and ours): that we were a good team who just had to stop turning the ball over and that PSU wasn't that good on offense. I will believe we are a mid-level B10 team when we beat up Purdue and Illinois but not until that happens. - I don't see how RR can keep putting Robinson in if he is going to turn it over with such regularity. - I wonder why we can't seem to keep our best option at QB healthy. Do we need to recruit bigger players at QB as well? - Does anyone have an explanation for the play of Warren? When your best player in the secondary plays like that: Doom!

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