Couple things that have been thrown out elsewhere lately:
1.) MSU actually seems like they're out of it at this point.
2.) Michigan has been on Arnett's radar for a lot longer than a lot of people here seem to think. This visit wasn't just some random flier; he had been planning it for a while. Fred Jackson has been recruiting him for a long, long time, and he definitely knows he's wanted here.
Don't know how much you can go copy-and-pasting things, but for those without a rivals account, it sounds like a done deal; he's going to (officially) commit the day of said BBQ. I'm guessing Ricardo put the screws on him big time during his visit.
As long as he has a copy of the playbook with him to study he should have no problem making the transition back onto the MSU football team; he'll already have access to one of the best strength and conditioning programs in the state, the Ingham County Jail Yard. Maybe they'll give him a pull-up bar for his cell, too.
Unless you can provide a link, there's no way I'm buying this. If WVU didn't/doesn't have them, then that means they aren't required by the NCAA (since obviously if it was a requirement everyone would have them). If they aren't required, then how could the NCAA punish a program for not keeping records that they don't have to keep?
The thing I don't understand is the practice log thing. Did Rodriguez not have to do them at WVU? Did someone else take care of them for him there, and he just assumed that would be the case at UM? I just don't get how you go a year and a half without turning a single log in, and no one in the athletic department says anything to him, Bill Martin, or anyone else? So Lloyd turns them in up until December 2007, and then suddenly January 2008 rolls around and they stop, and no one says a peep. I don't get it.
You westsiders are a bunch of pansies getting bent out of shape about this kind of heckling. One of the guys on the Rivals board said yesterday that Valenti (of 97.1 FM fame) actually said that Michigan fans owe the Freep an apology. That is without question the most infuriating thing anyone has ever said about this whole Rodriguez/Michigan/Freep fiasco ever. Fuck that asshole.
Contra. Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, b, a, start, select? Or did I just butcher it? My cousin and I used to play it whenever I went over his house, before his NES finally crapped out. I can still remember the theme music from the first level, great tune. I know I beat it on my own once, but I don't know if we ever did it together. Also, Street Fighter II, sumo wrestler, green guy with orange hair, and Indian guy with the long arms, classic game.
Letters from Iwo Jima. Best war film of all time and it's not even a discussion. Makes Saving Private Ryan look hokey in my opinion. Maybe the best movie Eastwood's ever been affiliated with (definitely his best directing).
If Michigan goes 8-4 and beats MSU they will get him (add Depriest in at 9-3 and a win over OSU). Michigan has to show that they are legitimately improving and on the rise for them to be able to get guys like Thomas, Depriest, etc.
Austin White? Brothers go/went to MSU, they think he's a lock, but he starts showing interest in UM and Dantonio opens his mouth about this and that which turns White off. I think Michigan also went head-to-head with MSU for Rodgers, Black, and possibly some others. I'd put money on MSU with d-bag Hope a close second.
Lawrence Thomas. We need to worry about locking down the top players in-state before we go pilfering Ohio or anywhere else. We can't have the number #1 player go to MSU two years in a row.
I don't know what the hell happened to that pop, but I think Canada Dry is actually stronger now. I remember sneezing when opening the bottles as a kid because of all the fizz. That stuff used to be so potent.
I remember him on the sidelines of one of the Rose Bowls against USC (I think the first one). Irrelevant, but I also remember Jeter being at one of them, too.
I've always wanted to check out the UP. Farthest north I've been is Traverse City (embarassing, I know). One of my brother's friends goes to Northern, says the summers aren't much different than they are back home (SE Michigan) but the winters are absurd.
Make it happen, please. Aim high Big Ten, don't settle for fucking Iowa State or Syracuse if you're really serious about expanding.
From a football standpoint it is the best option. They have the tradition and they appear to be on their way back, along with a die-hard fanbase. And within the Big Ten, Nebraska would automatically have a rivalry with Iowa AND they could schedule Oklahoma every year out-of-conference.
Keith David was great in that movie. The scene where Russell tests everyone's blood is still disgustingly awesome even compared to the modern special effects of today. Great cult movie.
They also beat them twice in the '87 season too, on the very first game of the year and in the Rose Bowl. Sparty had some ballers on that team: Andre Rison, Lorenzo White, Percy Snow. Is that Sun Bowl the last time USC's lost to a Big Ten team?
I think Drake might be out. There's the qualifying thing, but he hasn't even taken an official visit yet and he committed back in March. If he ends up bolting, that would be another Hopson recruit who didn't make it in (Graves and Jones last year).
Like people have said, Fracassa broke every major passing record in Michigan high school history. He deserves the accolades. As far as Nick Hill/Austin White, I've heard multiple people on here say that Hill was not very good when they saw him, so there might be more room for discussion there.
Was their regular season schedule all that tough? Getting through the playoffs to the championship is obviously a big accomplishment, but that of course can be misleading; I remember two or three years ago when all the White brothers were at Livonia Stevenson and they got obliterated by Macomb Dakota in the finals.
CC defense is ridiculous, so it's going to be a classic offense vs. defense game. Very interested in how it turns out.
When did they start airing this? Are they replaying it pretty frequently? Hopefully it'll be on over Thanksgiving, I'm pretty swamped right now and not much in the way of free time.
On a different note, I can not wait till The Pacific airs on HBO in the spring (same people who did Band of Brothers, set in the Pacific, obviously). It's based on two different memoirs, Eugene Sledge's With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa and another man's book (forgot his name) called Helmet For My Pillow. Another Marine is featured prominently in it too, John Basilone. I've been meaning to track down one of those memoirs lately; when I have time I am definitely tearing through them.
Don't know why so many people thought Cotto could win; he got some big help from the judges against Clottey. How much "bigger" Cotto is obviously wasn't a factor (same with De La Hoya). Speed = Power. There is a reason Mayweather is ducking Pacquiao, he is the best pound for pound and it's not even close.
Leon Hall was burnt alive as well, remember that. That game still pisses me off. Woodley, Harris, Branch, Hall, Burgess, etc., and USC made that defense look like an absolute joke.
I have Ben Gordon on my fantasy team, and that's about as far as my interest in the Pistons will go for this year.
PG: Joe Johnson
SG: O.J. Mayo
G: Ben Gordon
Fear that backcourt.
Am the only person who thinks he was actually a pretty solid safety (in '07 at least)? Or has my opinion's just been skewed by the safety play the past two years?
Don't know if you have a Rivals account, but there was an article last week on his reaction to Michigan's offer, and he said Rodriguez told his coach he was going to start recruiting him hard, he grew up a Michigan fan, isn't leaning towards anyone in particular right now, and he's not making a decision until next year.
Besides, he's got offers from OSU, Penn State, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Alabama, among others. All the State talk about him is premature. I like Michigan's chances.
I thought Ezeh played badly actually. UM will never have a great defense again until they get a great middle linebacker. I don't know if any of our recruits this year or last are true middle linebacker types. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Isaiah Bell, Mike Jones, Brandin Hawthorne are all projected as spinners, and I think same with Marvin Robinson. Lawrence Thomas needs to be a top priority recruit for the next class.
I was very pleasantly surprised with both lines again. We will beat PSU if they continue to play the way they did against Iowa (and if Molk is 100%).
I think I'm actually going to torture myself and listen to them this week...it's something you know you shouldn't do, but you just can't help yourself for whatever reason.
I feel terrible for Graham and Minor. Both of them are animals and literally play every down as if it were their last. It's a travesty to me that those guys are gonna leave Michigan without a Big Ten Championship.
Postives:
Woolfolk at CB, left on an island and tested twice, one of them being a great play.
I really think D-Rob and Minor is a great combo. Give Robinson more drives with both Brown and Minor in the backfield -- and a healthy Molk back -- and Michigan can definitely beat both PSU and OSU.
Defensive and O-lines played very, very, well. I thought Mouton had a good game as well.
Can you not listen to them online anymore? I went on 97.1's website a week or to ago to try and find a live stream but there isn't one; I could've sworn they used to have it, but I might be imagining things, I dunno.
Valenti was pretty insufferable with UM this past year...but just when you really think his head is up his ass he will do a 180. The tough guy thing gets old but he is pretty funny. Foster is a complete retard though, and always is.
I think Kirlew and Middleton will get at Tate a couple of times. I also think those receivers they have can pose some problems (three guys 6'3 and over). I'm guessing they're going to test Boubacar some. Maybe I'm giving them a little too much credit, but I think they might put up a fight, though I definitely expect Michigan to win. I wouldn't bite, though.
Honestly, if I were Rodriguez, there would definitely be a part of me right now wishing I had stayed in West Virginia. He's been shit on almost since day one by the local media. The guy has not had chance since he's been here, and not just with the papers, but on the radio as well (Valenti and Foster have been unbearable when they discuss him).
I just hope all this negativity doesn't start to impact recruiting. It's just that this kind of stuff doesn't seem like it's ever going to let up, even if they start winning. And if it continues, who knows, maybe a few kids will think the drama isn't worth it? Especially if this turns out to be another rough year, more "allegations" surface, and Rodriguez's job security is put in serious jeoprady (I trust that Martin and Coleman are more rational than d-bags like Rosenberg and other media-types, though).
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And now he's committed to Michigan!
I just hope he doesn't pick State.
Definitely bullshitting, looks like a set up for UT. Lane Kiffin and women stuff is way over the top.
Couple things that have been thrown out elsewhere lately:
1.) MSU actually seems like they're out of it at this point.
2.) Michigan has been on Arnett's radar for a lot longer than a lot of people here seem to think. This visit wasn't just some random flier; he had been planning it for a while. Fred Jackson has been recruiting him for a long, long time, and he definitely knows he's wanted here.