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I was going to up-vote you,…

I was going to up-vote you, but I saw your MGoPoints total was a lovely round 16,000!  (As it is below.  So can't ruin that.)

Although it was just the…

And if we can add in Women's BBall, even though it was just the opening game in their tourney, the NY Times coverage of today's game has this header:  "Michigan's Naz Hillmon dominates as the Wolverines advance."  And begins: "Naz Hillmon made a statement in just three quarters of No. 3-seeded Michigan's blowout 74-39 win over American."  Nice picture too.

Ah, you beat me to the touch…

Ah, you beat me to the touch*.  Was going to send a shout-out to Bryan Fuller for that shot of Frankie, especially when I later noticed Moore's "How'd he do that?" expression.

*Yes, I remembered the expression is "..to the punch."  But watching Collins' delicate touch, kept it in his honor.

When the film first came out…

When the film first came out, as a member of SAG I was able to go to a private screening in NYC.  For some reason there were only 4 of us in the audience, my brother and I, and another member friend who brought her own guest.  During the scene where the cast watches an M game on TV, we heard Let's Go Blue.  My bro, the composer of the copyrightable part (the treble) back in his marching band days, knew they'd correctly gotten the ASCAP permissions and registered it, so we sat for the credits, and when his name appeared he stood, and with a broad smile, took a bow to us in the almost empty theater. We liked the film too.

And back when I first arrived in NYC, doing one of my earlier (perhaps my first?) jury duty shifts, I  saw Wm. Hurt, another one in the big pool, standing and taking to someone. Hard to miss. I wanted to tell him of the musical connection, but was of course too professional (shy?) to accost him. [I'm assuming he wasn't put on a panel because he would've been too distracting.]

RIP.

So glad I didn't read the…

So glad I didn't read the game thread during the game.  Fortunately I saw that the turn-around was the very next page.  Fun reliving the good part.  

Usually even younger than…

Usually even younger than that. Olympic women's competitors are almost all youngsters, the maturing body apparently making things more difficult. (Or so they say.) It's the reverse for the men.

I remember at least one Olympics team member (Elise Ray) later enrolling at Michigan and continuing her gymnastics as a prominent member of the team, later becoming a coach.  Here's an article about her in the US Gymnastics Hall of Fame website:  https://usghof.org/files/bio/e_ray/e_ray.html 

Post-Olympics section: "HONORS:  Inducted into the USAG Hall of Fame in 2011, credited with the most All-America honors (14) in the history of the U. of Michigan women’s gymnastics program and Big Ten Conference all-time leader in Gymnast of the Week citations (9).  She has also been honored by the FIG by having three of her skills named for her in the Code of Points." 

For those who don't follow…

For those who don't follow gymnastics as obsessively as some (me), they're the defending National Champions and don't seem to have let up. 

As an obsessive follower, however, the Grump Report: I was extremely disappointed that the BTN+ cameras were mostly on Rutgers, the home team. (They did fit in a couple of M replays after the 4 consecutive perfect 10s.)  And they don't seem to be allowed to show highlights on MGoBlue.com when it's been televised.  Alaska's team joined them last-minute-ish (yup, all the way to Rutgers on a really bad weather day here in the NY-NJ area), but because they aren't in the B1G they didn't get much camera time (the home team commentators mentioned that possibility in their opening).  

"Gray won a spot in the…

"Gray won a spot in the rotation behind Ambry Thomas and Lavert Hill in 2019, but there was a substantial difference between the production numbers…"

Speaking of Ambry Thomas, he just made the game-inning interception for San Francisco (v. St. Louis) in the last few seconds of OT. 

I'd been looking for his number (and the other ex-Wolverines) all night, and didn't see it.  And suddenly I saw his name on the back of the player who saved the day.

 

 

Just turned on the radio…

Just turned on the radio broadcast, but the live stats page says the game hasn't started yet.  Hmm.  Audio seems to think the first half is almost over.

So thanks for letting me catch up.

I'm kinda surprised they…

I'm kinda surprised they didn't put him on the O-line.  But then if he's as good as his name, he may not need a blocker ahead of him.

The try-to-feel-better-about…

The try-to-feel-better-about-it quotes from the DetNews article:

“Fortunately everything is surgically repairable,” Harbaugh said. 

“Bell will very much be part of the team in meetings and on the sideline,” Harbaugh said. 

I thought those were weird,…

I thought those were weird, but I get pretty put out by the ads that pop up at the bottom of the page and block the text on my not-huge rectangular screen.  I don't mind the ads in the column at the right, because they don't block the Diaries and Message Board contents, and can easily be ignored while reading the actual posts.  But right now I have "Grand Opening ShopRite of Belmar 1732 Rt 35 and 18th Ave Now Open Learn More."  I keep hitting the circled X to close and it pops up again almost immediately. 

Besides the bright green leaf that sticks up beyond the top of the ad to block text I might be reading, right now the circled X is blocking Jaeden Gould's playing position in the Message Board contents. (I can, however, successfully read that he's a 4* from NJ.)  (Okay. I can also guess that he's a CB.  But still...) (And now that I clicked the X and in the split second that the ad disappeared I can see that he's going somewhere else...)  (But what's the deal with the green leaf?)

Hmm.  I must have put it on…

Hmm.  I must have put it on pause earlier.  Now see it's 7-3 in the middle of the 9th.  Sorry.  And thanks. 

Plus 1 for making me laugh. …

Plus 1 for making me laugh.  (Almost spit out my hot & sour soup.)

So for those who want an update, Maryland up 7-3, batting in the top of the 6th, one out and someone just got on 1st base while I was laughing at your post. 

Oh.  Now it's two outs and two on base. 

Priceless.  Already played…

Priceless.  Already played it three times.  Great to hear a distinguished commentator and legend in his field turn into a giddy Daddy!  Can't wipe the grin off my face.

As soon as I saw that beam…

As soon as I saw that beam was Michigan's last event, I couldn't relax, even though they were doing so well and leading through their first three events. Doing that upside down and flying stuff over a 4"-wide piece of wood?  One slight misstep, one little wobble by one of the top gymnasts... 

But what a triumph it made at the end.  Bravo team!

Ah, I got too long-winded…

Ah, I got too long-winded and detailed with my post. So I'll just add it here as a long-winded and detailed comment:

Yesterday afternoon the Women's team made the NCAA finals (see UNCWolverine's post from yesterday, now off the front page), with scores the best in program history. Finals today at 3:30 pm on ABC. And last night the men followed suit in their qualifier. [Stories and video highlights for both preliminaries linked on MGoBlue.com's main page.]  Men's finals at 8:00 pm on BTN. 

The Men were ranked #2 nationally, with senior Cameron Bock and sophomore Paul Juda having already made the U.S. National Team late last year. Both usually compete in the all-around, but decided not to last night, knowing they'd have another full competition today.  [The Team, The Team, The Team.]  [And The Conference, The Conference, The Conference: half of the men's finalists are from the Big Ten.]

A story not included on MGoBlue.com is that senior Jacob Moore, one of their top performers who'd missed much of last season with injury in addition to the Covid cancellations, was back competing.  After his arms seemed to crumple on his first two events, bringing low scores that might have been devastating, he surprisingly came back for floor exercise. Spectacularly. With the highest score in the meet.  

I upvoted just to reverse it…

I upvoted just to reverse it. But someone else will have to upvote to move it up from zero.

And I'm pretty sure one of the commentators in today's game (or at halftime?) brought up Caris being in Indiana not far from the tourney game, as a possibility for filling in for Livers if they could work out the eligibility issues.

Just listened to the sports…

Just listened to the sports report on NYC's Channel 4 news, and longtime sports anchor Bruce Beck ended his broadcast with a huge loving smile as he reported the good news, saying (and showing) how much Caris is loved, and always will be loved by Nets fans, and of course adding that if it weren't for the trade he might not have found out until it was too late.  All while keeping that big warm grin to show how much he's still loved here and will be eagerly watching him play (even if for the other guys).

Hopeful upvote.

Hopeful upvote.

And Donovan Peoples-Jones…

And Donovan Peoples-Jones made quite a few nice returns in the Browns/Eagles game.  (Now listed on the roster as #1 returner.)

Can't add an extra upvote,…

Can't add an extra upvote, but a pseudo-upvote for your pseudo-name.

There's an article in the…

There's an article in the Washington Post featuring a UofM student working as a ballot-counter in Ann Arbor explaining the process and how legit it is. Of interest is that each team has one Republican and one Democrat working together on each ballot, and how they do work as a team, both knowing they're doing important work and wanting to do it well. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/11/05/vote-count-michigan-no-fraud/

And then he sent Navarre to…

And then he sent Henson to the Yankees minor-league team in Columbus, where of course he was real popular with the locals. I can't imagine that being beneficial to his state of mind.

ETOTMAMTFO!

[Even That One…

ETOTMAMTFO.

[Even That One Took Me a Minute To Figure Out.] 

Bravo.

Nothing to be ashamed of. …

Nothing to be ashamed of.  We fast typists have the words and sentences in our heads and our fingers know how to spell and zip it out. For acronyms we have to shift our thought patterns to first think out the whole sentence, then think the capitals, and then have to deal with the shift key or turn on and off the caps lock. 

Of course I'm acronym-challenged. Or we're all acronym-overloaded.  Haven't figured that part out yet.

They all apparently suffered…

They all apparently suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, something that was known years ago as being "punch-drunk" (found in boxers, surprise surprise). The damage to the brain may have led them to alcohol and drugs and other behaviors, or exacerbated them because of the brain damage, self-medicating or trying to blot out the confusion and chaos from their damaged brains. Some died of suicide, some may have died of other direct causes, but the CTE was what led them there.

Years ago I worked with a young doctor who was doing an early paper on CTE (I think before it was given that name). He was a doing a neurology fellowship while moonlighting as a ring doctor. He loved boxing, and I asked him how he could now that he knew the damage it could do. But that's what drew him to the research, and he later became one of the early experts in the field. Football and the early dementia and deaths of football players brought it much broader attention and focus on prevention.

 

So did I.  And I watched the…

So did I.  Both two of my favorite players... So maybe we could dub Duncan DuRob?  He deserves something of his own.

How will I know it works if…

How will I know it works if everybody else already went to bed?  

I remember thinking, "I can…

I remember thinking, "I can't imagine what they're going through."  Now I can.  Bravo, Eli. Heart-breaking, but so well done.

So happy to hear XMJr is now…

So happy to hear XMJr is now home and doing well. I confess I panicked a bit when my eyes were drawn to "ER" in your post, but then your saying you were sitting alone reminded me that in the UP you can probably go safely to an ER for "normal" urgent care without having to ask permission. In NYC right now the last place anyone would want to be would be in an ER. 

Hope you're fast asleep now.  And all the best to your beautiful family. 

Interesting.  Just tuned in…

Interesting.  Just tuned in to hear them talk about Cephus's off-field troubles.  

CBS also replayed a Mich-MSU…

CBS also replayed a Mich-MSU game yesterday afternoon.  Had to look up the score first, and sure enough, it was one of the close losses.  Didn't need to relive that.  But these are worth having on in the background while sheltering in place. 

(Yes, I first ventured out to get some food.  Lovely day in NYC, streets not crowded but normal lines at West Side Market. Nobody coughed or sneezed at me, and I returned the favor.  Cashier and I both wore disposable plastic gloves.  All good.)

My current right-column ad…

My current right-column ad is promoting a rather classy men's sweater.  I've often thought the ads-people think I'm a guy (macho male sports site, after all), but it has been some time since I've gotten the Russian brides.  That's progress, I guess.

I know we can't up-vote you,…

I know we can't up-vote you, but loved this. I have a hard time rooting for upper-dogs, but love to see those who stay-- and work, and progress, and make us happy-- be recognized.  Thanks.  

So I was right when I…

So I was right when I thought I saw Caris's face on the TV when I turned it on right at the end of the sports report!  Sounded like something good had happened. [OK.  So I didn't see the series of posts in the right column. +1 for the verification anyway.]  

Speaking of the Men's team,…

Speaking of the Men's team, freshman Paul Juda was named to the US National Senior Men's team last night after coming in 8th in the all-around, and that old geezer Sam Mikulak (repeat M and NCAA and US National Champion) again won the all-around-- a longtime legend to all the guys competing and all the folks in the stands.  Junior Cameron Bock, a national team member last year, just missed the all-around cut I believe, and not quite sure if his couple of top-five event placings in individual events is enough to bring him back. MGoBlue article below, but haven't yet seen the official US Gymnastics release yet.

https://mgoblue.com/news/2020/2/23/mens-gymnastics-juda-earns-national-team-spot-as-winter-cup-concludes.aspx

Something I enjoyed watching was seeing the vast number of Oklahoma men invited to the meet (current and former students, but still competing under their school affiliation), which is no surprise because of their great tradition in the sport, but the only two current Michigan men invited are part of the team that upset Oklahoma last week (convincingly).  M has some talented youngsters replacing the graduation losses who are progressing past the pre-season expectations (and after the date of the competition invites).

"Steinbrenner bought him for…

"Steinbrenner bought him for reasons beyond baseball if you ask me"

No need to ask.  He was an OSU booster (and identified as such on national TV, screening a pregame video of him addressing the OSU crowd at a rally the night before).  Wanted to lure Drew away from playing against OSU, giving him a once-in-a-lifetime offer that he had to take before his senior year, and then sent him to his minor league team in Ohio where he could flourish with all the boos from the locals.

Ok.  Got that off my chest.  Back to basketball now.

And as a grad of both…

And as a grad of both semesters of Costume History & Design in a previous century, I'd like to give a shout-out to that asymmetrical black off-the-shoulder accessory.  A good look, to say nothing of its potential healing benefits.

PS: Don't remember there…

PS: Don't remember there being a post, but Men's Gym beat OSU last week at their house even with some uncustomary falls. Both teams are usually highly ranked nationally, and we've got some amazing youngsters making up for the high-skill guys who've graduated.  Yesterday's meet (and score posted by WD) showed that progress. 

He was thinking about…

He was thinking about Michigan and praying about Michigan, and they finally called!  He didn't need to much thinking about accepting.

In semi-compensation, three…

In semi-compensation, three of our guys (jersey names showing) are featured on the Washington Post article about the Illinois star accidentally hitting a ref in celebration.  Also quote from Juwan confirming it was an accident, and article making the point that this is the first time in years that Illinois has upset a #5 team. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/12/12/an-illinois-basketball-players-celebration-sent-referee-hospital/

(The featured picture is not of the accidental assault, but I think there's a video linked to the article.)

Absolutely Mathups!  All…

Absolutely Mathups!  All this number stuff going on, points, scores, moving up and down by number-geek determinations...  

OP gets points too for the neologism!  (If it is indeed a neologism. Research geeks can confirm.)

https://mgoblue.com/news…

https://mgoblue.com/news/2019/11/13/jackson-joins-michigan-mens-basketball-with-nli-signing-for-2020-21.aspx

Whether it means anything or not, the signing-day post has a photo of him looking much more mature than in Brian's Hello post from back in October '18, where Brian commented on his growth spurt and questions of him possibly rising in the rankings...  

Um... I will admit to not…

Um... I will admit to not having yet lived for 71 years, and I can personally attest to having witnessed several years when Next Year Was The Year after the Last Year That Was Also The Year.

You guys are brilliant.

You guys are brilliant.

Comedy is hard!

Absolutely agree:  

"When I…

Absolutely agree:  

"When I got to my room, I turned my TV on immediately and left it on. My theory was that if the room was haunted, the TV would be turned off at some point during the night. (I don’t know what was behind my logic. It’s just what I decided to do. Don’t question my methods.)"

 

Thanks for posting so I knew…

Thanks for posting so I knew to turn on the tube to watch halftime reports, looking forward to see snippets of what'll rightly be perceived as one of the season's biggest upsets.  [2nd largest Big Ten upset in the last 40 seasons, if I heard the broadcast correctly as I was typing.] 

Was going to comment on others questioning Brandon deserving a congratulatory post, and just then the second play shown in the highlights was a gorgeous 40-yd TD pass by one Brandon Peters. Don't know the commentators by name, but whoever was talking said he was "very impressed" with the play of the young man. 

Things didn't work out for him at Michigan, but this was the kind of game that's a rare occasion for any first-year transfer, oft-injured QB, or any QB at all. He deserves this moment. Happy for him.  And may this moment lead to more to come.

 

 

Darboh and Chesson are…

Yes, Darboh and Chesson are both on practice squads now coming off injuries, in Chesson's case coming off IR.

Me too.  So I upvoted you…

Me too.  So I upvoted you for agreeing with me.