I will get some of this wrong because I am getting old and forgetful and I am too lazy and comfortable sitting here with a coffee watching it snow to go gather actual facts, so here goes.
This may be the last season of Michigan football I actually pay much attention to. Being a fan has had it's rewards but it has also taken many tolls. As I was watching (and thoruoghly enjoying) the game, hundreds of memories of Michigan football were flashing before my eyes. No, I wasn't dying and I don't drink.
My first memory of watching on TV - I was sitting on the floor of my grandmother's house in Toledo watching the 1968 game with my father on a small black and white TV. I was ten but it is also the first time I remember seeing my father truly angry. It scared me enough to remember it well 55 years later. He was angry for the entire game and especially angry at the end when Woody went for 2. I clearly remember my father saying "that guy is a fucking asshole".
My first memory of attending games - my father would take my brother and I to Ann Arbor and buy us endzone seats and then he would go sit between the 20s. He told us to take care of each other. We were probably around 8 and 10 years old. I can clearly remember standing in line to buy tickets at a booth on Stadium (3 dollars for our seats? I can SEE the $3 sign). My brother and I seemed to have an open end zone section to roam around in and we would try to catch the extra points so we could give the footballs back.
Growing up, moving to Michigan, and eventually attending and graduating from Michigan colored everything for decades. The M/OSU 10/10 tie, and the Michigan loss to Washington in a rose bowl are maybe the most vivid memories. An away game at Notre Dame won by Michigan on a very late field goal stands out as a road trip with my father and very yoiung daughter where a Notre Dame fan sucker punched me in the stands because I was celebrating the win. I have hated Notre Dame and its fans ever since. Getting student tickets and moving from the end zone to the senior section (with a marriage thrown in as a junior) is part of my DNA now. I got on the list for season tickets after graduating and have kept the same tickets in section 13 since then. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I have had the privelege to take all three daughters to games over the years and will treasure those memories until I can't.
So why does this feel so final for me? College football is changing in directions I just can't run along side of. I'm not saying it's bad - it just probably isn't for me. NIL, players making more staying in school than going pro, the transfer portal, a Big Ten conference that I won't recognize and can't name the teams, the barrage of social media misinformation about nearly every team and the huge TV money and every single decision made for more money just rubs me the wrong way. It may light your fire white hot but not mine.
I know I am probably kidding myself but team 144 took me back to when I fell in love watching Michigan football. The way this team handled things combined with the quirky goofy genuis of Harbaugh took me back to sitting on the floor and watching on a black and white TV with my father and roaming the unwanted end zone sections with my brother. I just don't see that happening again the way the future is shaping up so maybe I just want to hit the "stop record" button and put this element of my life on the shelf in it's currently perfect form and be careful to not mentally record over it. Go Blue!
My MSU fan "Friends" are all criticizing Michigan's "easy" run to the finals. The look on their face when I remind them that Michigan beat their ass twice is PRICELESS. This was a great year to be a M basketball fan. I'll be buying seasn tickets next year for the first time since I was a student in 1976. Go Blue.
remdog - 1) you don't know how Poole would have shot. You assume he would have made 3s. Who knows?
2) I would never resort to calling you nmes as others have but I think it's safe to say that we're all glad that Coach B is coaching and not you. I laugh at sports fans that choose to analyze a few minutes of a game and decide they can outcoach the coach, when the reality is they couldn't propely coach a minute of a real game.
I know it's the whole resume bla bla bla but how can they be seeded below two teams they just dusted? Delaney was visibly upset that M probably cost the Big Ten top seeds. Tough sh*t. Go Blue!!
Worst call I've seen in over 50 years of playing and spectating. There's not even a close second place. I'm losing all faith in decent officiating. All.
What bothers me (and I don't think I'm alone) is the apparant illogic of the whole input vs outputs thing. Reasonable people expect better than mediocre (and CERTAINLY better than we saw Monday) results when you have the budget, the facilities, and supposedly one of the better head coaches in college football. You can talk end of Hoke era recruiting all you want but that doesn't excuse most of the badness of Monday.
You see (every Saturday) other coaching staffs recognizing when something is wrong on the field and running a 4.0 40 to get to the official to call a timeout. Harbaugh's staff just watched it happen.
I don't think it's unrealistic to have "better than mediocre and certainly better than the crap we saw Monday" expectations given the resources at hand. I disagree that there is anything "wrong" with the fans that have higher expectations.
Do I expect they'll compete for a playoff spot every year? No (but I can't explain why). Do I expect that they'll compete for (every year) and occasionally win the division and a title? Yes - and I think that's realistic. Give me one reason why they shouldn't??
Next year's schedule couldn't happen at a worse (or better?) time. They won't compete for a playoff spot and they won't win the division.
My expectation for next year? NO games that look even remotely like Monday. Be competitive in every game. Beat a rival. Improve from week to week. Have an offense that can score enough points to take some of the pressure off the defense.
I disagree. Name the truly bright spots since then. I said I haven't been REALLY proud of the team since then. The university educated me and that education helped me remain gainfully employed for 40 years. Of course I am proud to be part of UM. Just not too happy with the team. Besides, what does pride have to do with rationality? Care to explain? Happy New Year BTW!
The current condition of the team is on Harbaugh, period. The AD has given him all the tools. In every organization one person is ultimately responsible for success or failure. This is on the coach. Leaders in this position are responsible for identifying what prevents success and then DOING something to correct it. I believe there are multiple issues -assistant coaching, suitability of scheme, play calling (assistants again?), maybe strengh and conditioning.
Does Harbaugh have the experience and smarts to clearly define what's wrong? I hope so, but I have not seen it yet.
Does he have the guts to make the required changes and fix it? Time will tell. This is one disappointed PSD paying season ticket buying program donor and I haven't felt really proud of this team since 1997. That's twenty freaking years and with all Michigan has going for it that's unacceptable, period.
I love my alma mater and the football pogram and I am in for the duration, and will be a Harbaugh supporter forever. Been attending games for 53 years. Been through multiple ups and downs. Really only one thing bothering me right now. The hype and the hoopla doesn't match what's really going on. You sit through the James Earl Jones Video, clips of Woodson and Howard and hear about national championships and winningest program, and attendance, and on and on. I suggest we shelve all the over the top hype and be humble for a while. Focus on MORE RECENT achievement and reason to be proud of the way they're doing things. Bust out the James Earl Jones video next time they play THE GAME undefeated. Time to be a little humble and stop resting on past achievements. It rings hollow, even to, and maybe ESPECIALLY to, the most loyal fans.
Have a little fun. O Korn under center first offensive play with Speight and Peters lined up somewhere. Run the ball inside. Football is supposed to be fun.
Lots of reasons and angles on the M loss........but I think most will agree that Wisonsin was exposed as a playoff pretender. Does the big ten really want to send a team that will get shredded?
Gotta remember that Michigan football was barely on life support before Harbaugh took over. He has them back in top ten 2nd year. That's a minor miracle.
Harbaugh is PISSED, and he has a knack for getting his team PISSED in just the right way to play well. I believe they want to finish #2. Beat the hell out of FSU and pass everyone but BAMA. Go BLUE!!
There should be a prescrition for how we need to behave to give us the best chance of keeping Jim around, and then we need to follow it precisely. i think every year will be VERY good if we keep our coach. What a future after the brandon/richrod/hoke mess crap. Go Blue!!
The Big Ten Conference expects all contests involving a member institution to be conducted without compromise to any fundamental element of sportsmanship.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I'd say it is the Big Ten doing the compromising. OSU and Michigan should leave and form the Big Two. Kick everybody's ass, anywhere, anytime.
You never know until the first few games and even then teams change all through the season. Does anybody really think there will be a big drop off with M next year? I do not - I think they'll probably be better.
This won't help - especially you younger guys - but I watched on tv with my dad when Woody went for two, and he took me to the game when UM shocked OSU the next year. Yes, this is a tough stretch. If you can't see it coming around again, you're not looking close enough. I think the nect 4-5 years will be a freaking laff riot for real M fans. Go Blue
This. Harbaugh in two seasons has them to the point where most objective observers will agree that they were the better team, on the road, in the truck stop they call the horseshoe. I think we will be rewarded if we support the hell out of this team and give Jim some time. This turnaround has exceeded my expectations, and I think they'll be exceeded some more. Go Blue!!
After watching these two teams play for over 50 years I don't have a great feeling about this one. Of course I'm hoping for a Michigan victory but I still think Harbaugh needs a couple more years to make it 100% HIS program. Not knocking the current players.......but he's still fitting it all together.
The Man has Michigan back in form. A great team to root for, fun to watch, win almost all home games, blow people out fairly often..........and lose an unexplainable game on the road about once a year. This IS Michigan for God's sake. GO BLUE!!!!
They're 8-0. They just beat their in state rival and a large recruiting and coaching gap will put MSU back where they belong. UM has arguably the best head coach and coaching staff on the planet. Think about it - Michigan will enter all near future games with MSU with more talent and better coaches. Hmmmmmm.
I think the turnaround is even bigger than the record indicates.
Exactly. I laugh when MSU folks say they don't talk when all they do is talk. I wouldn't mind so much if was in modern english and complete sentences. Webb said something yesterday I'd like to find........something about Sparty had been temporarily occupying a time share at the top of college football. Alabama has a permanent residence........OSU has a permanent residence.........Michigan has a permanent residence but MSU was just renting over their heads for a while. It was perfect.
Recent Comments
I will get some of this wrong because I am getting old and forgetful and I am too lazy and comfortable sitting here with a coffee watching it snow to go gather actual facts, so here goes.
This may be the last season of Michigan football I actually pay much attention to. Being a fan has had it's rewards but it has also taken many tolls. As I was watching (and thoruoghly enjoying) the game, hundreds of memories of Michigan football were flashing before my eyes. No, I wasn't dying and I don't drink.
My first memory of watching on TV - I was sitting on the floor of my grandmother's house in Toledo watching the 1968 game with my father on a small black and white TV. I was ten but it is also the first time I remember seeing my father truly angry. It scared me enough to remember it well 55 years later. He was angry for the entire game and especially angry at the end when Woody went for 2. I clearly remember my father saying "that guy is a fucking asshole".
My first memory of attending games - my father would take my brother and I to Ann Arbor and buy us endzone seats and then he would go sit between the 20s. He told us to take care of each other. We were probably around 8 and 10 years old. I can clearly remember standing in line to buy tickets at a booth on Stadium (3 dollars for our seats? I can SEE the $3 sign). My brother and I seemed to have an open end zone section to roam around in and we would try to catch the extra points so we could give the footballs back.
Growing up, moving to Michigan, and eventually attending and graduating from Michigan colored everything for decades. The M/OSU 10/10 tie, and the Michigan loss to Washington in a rose bowl are maybe the most vivid memories. An away game at Notre Dame won by Michigan on a very late field goal stands out as a road trip with my father and very yoiung daughter where a Notre Dame fan sucker punched me in the stands because I was celebrating the win. I have hated Notre Dame and its fans ever since. Getting student tickets and moving from the end zone to the senior section (with a marriage thrown in as a junior) is part of my DNA now. I got on the list for season tickets after graduating and have kept the same tickets in section 13 since then. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I have had the privelege to take all three daughters to games over the years and will treasure those memories until I can't.
So why does this feel so final for me? College football is changing in directions I just can't run along side of. I'm not saying it's bad - it just probably isn't for me. NIL, players making more staying in school than going pro, the transfer portal, a Big Ten conference that I won't recognize and can't name the teams, the barrage of social media misinformation about nearly every team and the huge TV money and every single decision made for more money just rubs me the wrong way. It may light your fire white hot but not mine.
I know I am probably kidding myself but team 144 took me back to when I fell in love watching Michigan football. The way this team handled things combined with the quirky goofy genuis of Harbaugh took me back to sitting on the floor and watching on a black and white TV with my father and roaming the unwanted end zone sections with my brother. I just don't see that happening again the way the future is shaping up so maybe I just want to hit the "stop record" button and put this element of my life on the shelf in it's currently perfect form and be careful to not mentally record over it. Go Blue!
Back to 1st base for you, dumbass!
Thud.
And then they fouled him - made me crazy!
My MSU fan "Friends" are all criticizing Michigan's "easy" run to the finals. The look on their face when I remind them that Michigan beat their ass twice is PRICELESS. This was a great year to be a M basketball fan. I'll be buying seasn tickets next year for the first time since I was a student in 1976. Go Blue.
remdog - 1) you don't know how Poole would have shot. You assume he would have made 3s. Who knows?
2) I would never resort to calling you nmes as others have but I think it's safe to say that we're all glad that Coach B is coaching and not you. I laugh at sports fans that choose to analyze a few minutes of a game and decide they can outcoach the coach, when the reality is they couldn't propely coach a minute of a real game.
3) Go Blue!
I like my team. The hell with Michigan State.
Thanks Ace. This team and your arrangements of words made it much fun.
I know it's the whole resume bla bla bla but how can they be seeded below two teams they just dusted? Delaney was visibly upset that M probably cost the Big Ten top seeds. Tough sh*t. Go Blue!!
Them muppets gonna need a nap
Worst call I've seen in over 50 years of playing and spectating. There's not even a close second place. I'm losing all faith in decent officiating. All.
Maybe no wait absolutely the best post ever
Yay. For real. Has he ever played QB? Wildcat Winovich
What bothers me (and I don't think I'm alone) is the apparant illogic of the whole input vs outputs thing. Reasonable people expect better than mediocre (and CERTAINLY better than we saw Monday) results when you have the budget, the facilities, and supposedly one of the better head coaches in college football. You can talk end of Hoke era recruiting all you want but that doesn't excuse most of the badness of Monday.
You see (every Saturday) other coaching staffs recognizing when something is wrong on the field and running a 4.0 40 to get to the official to call a timeout. Harbaugh's staff just watched it happen.
I don't think it's unrealistic to have "better than mediocre and certainly better than the crap we saw Monday" expectations given the resources at hand. I disagree that there is anything "wrong" with the fans that have higher expectations.
Do I expect they'll compete for a playoff spot every year? No (but I can't explain why). Do I expect that they'll compete for (every year) and occasionally win the division and a title? Yes - and I think that's realistic. Give me one reason why they shouldn't??
Next year's schedule couldn't happen at a worse (or better?) time. They won't compete for a playoff spot and they won't win the division.
My expectation for next year? NO games that look even remotely like Monday. Be competitive in every game. Beat a rival. Improve from week to week. Have an offense that can score enough points to take some of the pressure off the defense.
Tell me that's unrealistic.
Maybe the victory of the day - he played and gave it all he had and was not injured.
I disagree. Name the truly bright spots since then. I said I haven't been REALLY proud of the team since then. The university educated me and that education helped me remain gainfully employed for 40 years. Of course I am proud to be part of UM. Just not too happy with the team. Besides, what does pride have to do with rationality? Care to explain? Happy New Year BTW!
Lots of us donate to the program. Email works.
The current condition of the team is on Harbaugh, period. The AD has given him all the tools. In every organization one person is ultimately responsible for success or failure. This is on the coach. Leaders in this position are responsible for identifying what prevents success and then DOING something to correct it. I believe there are multiple issues -assistant coaching, suitability of scheme, play calling (assistants again?), maybe strengh and conditioning.
Does Harbaugh have the experience and smarts to clearly define what's wrong? I hope so, but I have not seen it yet.
Does he have the guts to make the required changes and fix it? Time will tell. This is one disappointed PSD paying season ticket buying program donor and I haven't felt really proud of this team since 1997. That's twenty freaking years and with all Michigan has going for it that's unacceptable, period.
Yes, this. Aother team to pull for.
Good luck to you and all the best. I'll always wonder what might have been for you and this team. I will now hate Purdue forever.
I love my alma mater and the football pogram and I am in for the duration, and will be a Harbaugh supporter forever. Been attending games for 53 years. Been through multiple ups and downs. Really only one thing bothering me right now. The hype and the hoopla doesn't match what's really going on. You sit through the James Earl Jones Video, clips of Woodson and Howard and hear about national championships and winningest program, and attendance, and on and on. I suggest we shelve all the over the top hype and be humble for a while. Focus on MORE RECENT achievement and reason to be proud of the way they're doing things. Bust out the James Earl Jones video next time they play THE GAME undefeated. Time to be a little humble and stop resting on past achievements. It rings hollow, even to, and maybe ESPECIALLY to, the most loyal fans.
Have a little fun. O Korn under center first offensive play with Speight and Peters lined up somewhere. Run the ball inside. Football is supposed to be fun.
Yes most likely - O Korn start Malzone backs him up. If it gets to that OSU will play the Mal-ZONE defense. There's always next year.
Lots of reasons and angles on the M loss........but I think most will agree that Wisonsin was exposed as a playoff pretender. Does the big ten really want to send a team that will get shredded?
I fear this may be spot on.....
Gotta remember that Michigan football was barely on life support before Harbaugh took over. He has them back in top ten 2nd year. That's a minor miracle.
This is my reward for paying the PSD today!
Discombobulated.
Kinda shows how good OSU is not
I'd say someone missed a block about as badly as it can be missed
Harbaugh is PISSED, and he has a knack for getting his team PISSED in just the right way to play well. I believe they want to finish #2. Beat the hell out of FSU and pass everyone but BAMA. Go BLUE!!
Classy kid, CMU will pick up a lot of fans next year.
What's the big commish got against M. M lines his pockets big time.
I would give my left nut to see M ALabama and then M OSU for all the marbles. Maybe both nuts.
There should be a prescrition for how we need to behave to give us the best chance of keeping Jim around, and then we need to follow it precisely. i think every year will be VERY good if we keep our coach. What a future after the brandon/richrod/hoke mess crap. Go Blue!!
The big ten included this in their reprimand:
The Big Ten Conference expects all contests involving a member institution to be conducted without compromise to any fundamental element of sportsmanship.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I'd say it is the Big Ten doing the compromising. OSU and Michigan should leave and form the Big Two. Kick everybody's ass, anywhere, anytime.
about how good M or OSU will be next year.
You never know until the first few games and even then teams change all through the season. Does anybody really think there will be a big drop off with M next year? I do not - I think they'll probably be better.
After the one guy spotted the ball the ref behind the play signaled first down with body language, like, "YeSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs!"
This won't help - especially you younger guys - but I watched on tv with my dad when Woody went for two, and he took me to the game when UM shocked OSU the next year. Yes, this is a tough stretch. If you can't see it coming around again, you're not looking close enough. I think the nect 4-5 years will be a freaking laff riot for real M fans. Go Blue
This. Harbaugh in two seasons has them to the point where most objective observers will agree that they were the better team, on the road, in the truck stop they call the horseshoe. I think we will be rewarded if we support the hell out of this team and give Jim some time. This turnaround has exceeded my expectations, and I think they'll be exceeded some more. Go Blue!!
Heart - UM
Head - No freaking clue
After watching these two teams play for over 50 years I don't have a great feeling about this one. Of course I'm hoping for a Michigan victory but I still think Harbaugh needs a couple more years to make it 100% HIS program. Not knocking the current players.......but he's still fitting it all together.
I will say I have had enough of the cute plays. They don't work almost ALL the time.
The Man has Michigan back in form. A great team to root for, fun to watch, win almost all home games, blow people out fairly often..........and lose an unexplainable game on the road about once a year. This IS Michigan for God's sake. GO BLUE!!!!
Did anyone really think Harbaugh wouldn't develop this guy.
They're 8-0. They just beat their in state rival and a large recruiting and coaching gap will put MSU back where they belong. UM has arguably the best head coach and coaching staff on the planet. Think about it - Michigan will enter all near future games with MSU with more talent and better coaches. Hmmmmmm.
I think the turnaround is even bigger than the record indicates.
Next.
Sorry sir, read carefully. The other guy said "next year is this year". I never said that.
Exactly. I laugh when MSU folks say they don't talk when all they do is talk. I wouldn't mind so much if was in modern english and complete sentences. Webb said something yesterday I'd like to find........something about Sparty had been temporarily occupying a time share at the top of college football. Alabama has a permanent residence........OSU has a permanent residence.........Michigan has a permanent residence but MSU was just renting over their heads for a while. It was perfect.
Right, and you never really know how these kids will play until they play.
Well, my opinion feels "right" to me. I did not say "next year is this year"........you did. Talk about poor logic! Go Blue!