That's why.  POW!

The uniforms leaked earlier were slightly different.  They did not have the small numbers on the front of the jersey, which was probably done to comply with NCAA regulations.  At the time the first uniforms leaked Dave Brandon probably didn't know yet whether the NCAA would allow them to do the block 'M' on the front at all.  Not to mention he obviously wasn't going to screw up the planned unveiling by saying "oh yeah, that's them" like a certain coach we know. 

So let's just dial back the "flat out lied" stuff a little bit eh?  At least in regards to our Athletic Director... 

I feel like such an idiot for ever complaining about LeSeur....I would've chopped my right arm off to have had him in our secondary either of the last two years.

Well at least in this case at least we can be sure it isn't helping them in recruiting....

Bruce Pearl: "I was lying to NCAA investigators before it went mainstream.  Now even Tressel is doing it!"

How many teams has Juwan played for in his career?  It's got to be close to double-digits at this point.

Looks like CBS is switching.  Here we go

That was a fascinating game to watch, in a car crash sort of way.  Watching both teams trade mental breakdowns and "deer in the headlights" looks was very entertaining.

Let's hope MSU doesn't figure out that Payne should be playing a lot more minutes before they play us.

I was a big fan of the sign in the student section tonight that had Doyle's head, a stop sign and a butterfly on it.  Well played, whoever that was.

Didn't the Vikings try something similar with their field this year??

Honestly I would've taken being only 6 down with 7 minutes to play.  We're still in this.

A brutal charge call....a sudden barrage of Wisconsin 3's....this is starting to remind me of every other game in the Kohl Center

If you can watch your team's game and root for them to lose, for any reason at all, it's time to pick another team.

The announcer just pointed out that El Paso is a great place for a shoot-out.  Indeed.

+1 for Moose Drool, great stuff.

Well right away from the first post I can tell this blog is going to be a must-read.  A Big 10 power poll...how creative!  Forget the other 10 websites where I can find the exact same thing, I'm going here first!  The author's biting sense of humor will certainly be entertaining as well.  Can you imagine how much it burned Iowa fans when he told them to "stick to football"?  Ouch!  The deep thorough analysis he does will also really enhance my knowledge of Big 10 basketball; for instance I learned that Michigan, Indiana and Penn State will all make the NIT, which will give the Big 10 two teams in that tournament.  So informative!  Sure the post is littered with misspellings and grammatical errors, but I mean it was his first post so I'll cut the guy some slack.  I'm sure all the time he spent on research made it impossible to do any editing.  All in all, this blog looks like a sure-fire winner in my book! 

A couple I'd like to see before I die but probably won't:

-A meaningful Big 10 game at Crisler where the place is packed with our fans.

-Another NCAA Regional at Yost.  The last few were the best fan experiences I've ever had, hands down.

-A D-IA (or whatever the new name is) college football play-off game.

-Been mentioned many times before, but a Lions Super Bowl

-World Cup Final featuring the US.

Why do you even watch sports?  Isn't the reason we watch to feel good when our team wins?  Sure they still suck, we all know that.  But my god man, the Lions just beat the Packers with Drew Stanton at qb, Maurice Morris at running back, and I think a hot dog vendor at cornerback.. 

You really aren't capable of enjoying this win for 5 minutes??

Yeah I knew the golden goal part but do they go to a shoot-out at some point??

Wisconsin getting 3 points against TCU is free money.  Absolutely shocked by that line.

Congratulations to James Rogers, really nice to see him have his "Sheridan against Minnesota" moment today as a senior.   

I heard somewhere that Duke has also gone to great lengths to keep students who have been drinking out of basketball games.  As a result the once-legendary Cameron crowd is now a bit of a joke.  Anyone know if there's any truth to that?

Things to remember for Saturday:

-Snake oil

-Danny Hope confronting Rodriguez after last year's game

-Danny Hope's comments about Michigan during Big 10 media days

-Hook-and-ladder

-Onside Kick

-Even Carr hated Tiller

-Purdue basketball fans turning into a lynch mob and egging the refs into ejecting Manny Harris

-Chris Kramer

-Brian Cardinal

I could go on all day.  Without a doubt this is the athletic department, coaches, and school that I have the least respect for in the Big 10.  I hope we hang 50+ on those clowns.

I'm taking the over in that one...Bye is definitely going to rack up some passing yards

35-33 UM, the difference is scoring the red zone.  We force just enough FG's to outweigh the fact that they get more defensive stops in total. 

Did anyone else see them put "#1 Stone Cold Sober Campus" in their ad?  They are aware that the commercial will run outside of the state of Utah right?  

I dunno what Florida did to get dropped this week...they easily handled a pretty decent SEC team.  They should still be ahead of LSU and Arkansas in the SEC pecking order.

Florida State is the perfect example why there's absolutely no reason to schedule anybody decent out of conference.  They went out and crushed a terrible I-AA team and still had all the morons in the media saying "look out, the 'Noles are back...now i know it was just Samford, but they looked good, blah blah blah."  Then of course the next week when they play somebody good they get annihilated like always.

Now I know picking on FSU is really unfair considering they're playing Oklahoma and Florida out of conference this year, if anybody deserves to play a team like Samford it's them.  But if you were FSU why on earth would you schedule a team like Oklahoma when you could just crush I-AA and Sun Belt teams and the pollsters would still love you anyway??  Their conference is awful so they still have just as much of a chance of anybody to win it, and they could be sitting there in the BCS championship game. 

My point is, this is why college football needs some sort of play-off in the worst way, and Florida State should not be ranked.

(/rant)

(//get off my lawn)

On the big fumble play ESPN's guys seemed to think Ezeh had made that play by occupying two blockers so Floyd could be a free hitter.  Now obviously you, me, and my dog have more football knowledge than Matt Millen, but maybe a plus or two is in order for Ezeh there?

As always though absolutely brilliant stuff, UFR's continue to be the best thing on the internet.

I'm fine with moving up Boise but I wouldn't drop Ohio State from #1.  They were completely dominant...with a different coach than Tressel they might have put up Oregon-esque numbers.

WE ARE.....

I'd put Iowa in the top 10 even though I agree with Brian and others that they may be due for a fall this year.  The fact is they're a team that won a BCS game and brings back a lot of their key guys, so that should count for something in a pre-season poll. 

The BTN tweets singled him out from all the freshmen as a guy who "might help the team" this year, FWIW.  Could have been because he was playing the best or just because he's Fred's son so they wanted to say something positive, tough to tell with those things. 

The first game against the Bears will be very interesting I think.  Chicago talk-radio has been putting it in the win column all summer, although they"re pretty much putting the Super Bowl in the win column too (I've never seen a fan base so deluded by some questionable off-season moves...Mike Martz and a completely un-motivated Julius Peppers are suddenly going to put your team over the top, really???)  I think it could be a decent match-up for the Lions though, yes our secondary sucks but so do the Bears receivers, and it's not like Martz is going to attempt to establish the run so our D-line should be able to tee off on Cutler.  If the Lions manage to get some early points on the board and force the Bears to play from behind I think they can take it.  Then again, maybe I'm the most deluded fan in the NFL to think the Lions can beat anybody on the road...I guess that's August for you!

They do get back RB Jewel Hampton, who was going to be the starter until he was injured prior to the season last year. 

Iowa is a team that really does not have a lot of holes on paper, although I agree that Stanzi is maybe a little overrated.  The good news is we somehow kept it close last year on the road and maybe we won't give up 3rd and 10+ conversions every damn time this year???  Please????

Cedar is a great place.  The Film Festival is fantastic too, everyone go check it out next year if you  couldn't make it this year.

Well considering these days every 2-star and up recruit has a big press conference to announce their decision I think Lebron having a one-hour special is pretty obligatory.  At least the proceeds are going to charity.

They should be on notice for that dive at the end of the match today which drew the red card. Absolutely pathetic.  Although you can't say Portugal didn't deserve to have something like that to happen to them after all the stunts they pulled in the last World Cup.

What game were you watching???

The talent pool is fine, probably unmatched by anyone save maybe Brazil in terms of athletic ability and population even with the competition from other sports.  There are a lot of people in this country.  The US soccer program just needs more time to develop, it really only started about 20 years ago.  The sport is getting far more exposure than ever before on major networks and in the media.  It's really only a matter of time - twenty years, tops, I would say - before the US is consistently on the Brazil/Germany/Argentina level.

Very cool video, but a depressing reminder of how many OSU fans were at that game....

I think the point where Hunwick was just the starting goalie rather than the adorable walk-on pretty much already happened by the NCAA tournament.  Both games in that tournament we didn't exactly have the greatest defensive effort in front of him and Hunwick was still very good.  In my mind the job is his until he falters.

Strange that they have Michigan beating one of either Notre Dame or UCONN but have both of them ranked well ahead of Michigan?

Well maybe old Bob knows something about soccer after all.  Count me as one of the Findlay-over-Ching second guessers that feels a little foolish at the moment. 

I've got a big plate of crow warming up in the microwave, but I think I'm not quite ready to eat it yet.  If Findlay actually plays like that in the real games I'll be happily chowing down.

As far as the starting 11 goes I always assumed that Dempsey would have to go up front in an effort to get the best 11 guys on the field, and gun to my head I'd still bet that's the case against England.  I really wouldn't be shocked though he does put one of the forwards up front and moves Dempsey back.  Dempsey's always seemed more comfortable in midfield and the fact that Bradley put 3 faster strikers on the roster over other deserving candidates indicates to me that pairing one of them with Altidore is what he ultimately wants to do.

I'll give you a + 1.....but only for your avatar.  Less than one month!!!

Findley and Buddle over Ching is pretty shocking, I thought he (Ching) was the best player on the field for us last night.  I guess the thinking was Ching's playing style is too similar to Altidore's??? 

Matt Leinart's house, obviously.

Is Holden actually healthy at this point?  I thought his injury against the Netherlands was pretty severe.

Yes, think about recruiting.  It doesn't matter how good your reasons are, you can't sell your guy out.  The #1 thing blue-chip recruits are looking at in a school is how that program can prepare them for the next level.  If they think a coach might - for any reason, justified or not - speak negatively of them to NFL teams, then they WILL NOT attend that school.  Michigan's recruiting will fall off the cliff it's already hanging over if Rodriguez gets the reputation as a coach who would be willing to do that.

Rodriguez should deny this to the death and pray the Bengals or another NFL team doesn't confirm Trent's story.

I like how when Edsall makes folksy jokes about their receivers buying speed at KMART, their beat writers laugh it up. If Rodriguez makes a joke like that it probably triggers a month-long investigation over possible steroid-use from our beat writers. Can we trade???

Purdue played there a few years ago, it was actually a great game against Dan LeFevour's Chips. They won on a last second FG.

Robertson was a great guy and gave us some solid years, so in that sense sad to see him go. But I think this is an great move depending on how much of his salary the Tigers are eating. Let's face it, that contract was an albatross and his best days are almost certainly behind him.

It would be unfortunate to play the only other team in the country just as hot as we are (North Dakota), but yeah we're certainly in no position to complain. Anybody other than North Dakota would be certainly be fantastic though.

I would say that Dempsey can score goals at a World Cup level, he scored in '06, he scored against Spain and he scores in the EPL. I think putting him at forward is the best move if Davies can't go (although I love the McBride idea.)

I think you're being a little generous to Bradley and a little hard on Torres but otherwise solid analysis. I would've loved to have seen Holden play the whole game, just have a hope his injury isn't serious. Another injury is just the last thing we need right now.

It is comforting to know that even when we have our worst football team ever, our worst hockey team in decades, and our most disappointing basketball team in a while we can always count on demolishing Minnesota.

Good list for the most part and a really interesting read. Amazing how good these guys get at such early ages.

It did seem to me like there were a few too many strikers though, and definitely some guys that were there based on reputation rather than current skill level, Henry and Ballack for instance. I'd put Donovan over either of those two.

Sasha (not going to make an attempt at his last name) looks really good so far....I'd like to see him make the team but it's getting to be a pretty crowded midfield. Casey is trying too hard, he needs to relax and stay onside.

I dunno, the Barn is pretty crappy. Feels really small, old and high school-ish. Granted Williams has a great atmosphere when the place is rocking, but it's not all that nice of a facility.

Reportedly the deal includes a no-trade clause which is a little annoying but I guess he probably wouldn't veto a deadline deal to a contender.

Those Daily hockey liveblogs are even worse luck than the basketball liveblogs last year.

Good rebound by LLP there....he made made some good little plays at the end here. Nice to finally win a close one.

Classic Big 10 reffing...one controversial call goes against the home team and now every call will go against us in OT.

It's unbelievable how Big 10 officials get influenced by the crowd. The second the crowd gets on the refs we get an absolute flood of fouls called on Michigan. We've seriously gotten 5 in the last minute of play!

O/U on times CBS shows Archie is currently only 4, that's pretty much free money right there.

The "running from police" comment is really unacceptable, he should be fired for that. What's sad though is it's not really any worse than any number of things he's said over the years....I just wonder how in the world he still has a job?

Honestly I thought overall we got the better of the calls slightly. We were really bumping their guards on their drives and it rarely got called.

A little frustrating that Manny got thrown out last year for the same thing that Lucas did today, and apparently according to the rules Lucas should have been tossed. It was clearly inadvertent though so think it's the right call not to throw somebody out for that. Just makes what happened to Manny that much more frustrating.

The grab at the end will never, ever be called. Great play call by Beilein though and executed perfectly by Douglass on the pass. Just bad luck it didn't go in (what else is new?)

Bottom line: If Michigan had brought the same amount of heart in all our bad losses that we did against MSU, UCONN and Kansas we would be in great position to make the tournament.

When the best they can say about a team in the pre-game intro is "upset-minded" you know they're going to get their asses kicked

The problem with doing the college OT system in the NFL is that the kickers are too damn good. Anything under 50 yards is pretty easy for most guys. It would just end up being a FG kick-off. Still better than what they have now though.

I like the idea of a 10-minute quarter, there's still an advantage for the team that wins the toss but not as much. The system as it is right now has to go. I hate Favre and the Vikings as much as the next guy but it's just so unfair that the game is essentially decided by a coin flip (unless Marty Morningweg is your coach!) Hopefully this game is a catalyst for changing the rule.

I'm pretty sure Wisconsin didn't pick up a single foul from about 8 minutes left until 1 minute left (when the game was essentially over.) In that same stretch Michigan got called for around 8.

There's no point even going on the road to play a team with roughly equal talent in the Big 10, you won't win. Just save the plane fare and forfeit.

That's one of the worst calls I've ever seen. What's the point of even showing up on the road? You can't win in this league, they won't let you.

Wouldn't have called that one a charge in the NBA, I can guarantee you that!

I am so sick of the Jared Allen love-fest. What he did off the field was easily as bad as Pac-Man or Chris Henry or any of those other guys...does anyone remember that anymore? No, instead he got traded to a contender and is now just a big lovable party animal! Funny you don't hear anyone saying that about Pac-Man, Plaxico and Braylon do you? No need to state the obvious truth as to why he gets a free pass. Just sickening.

But yes, yes, he is a damn good football player. It's going to be really tough for New Orleans to block him I think.

Yeah I was a little disappointed not to get any Muppets today either. I know UCONN has been scuffling a bit, but its been too long.

I agree with the OP, we really should cherish any last glimpse of Tebow we can get. After the draft is over we won't see him again until he appears on the inevitable "Sports Surreal Life" in 2015 with Eric Crouch, Jason White, Colt McCoy, Maurice Clarrett and Charles Rogers!

Truth be told I think we've gotten the better of officiating tonight. I'd be pretty annoyed about a lot of these calls if I was a Hoosier fan.

This game is absolutely hideous. Let's give both team a loss and just end it at halftime so we can all watch Jersey Shore....

Kidding, but ugh what an ugly game.

Yeah ironic wording there. "The program is under assault for, um, assault."

I'm pretty sure I've never seen that penalty before, didn't even know it existed.

I think this is a good match-up for OSU actually. If Boise State was too physical in the trenches for Oregon then they're really not going to like playing the Bucks. I think this game will resemble that game a lot, Oregon's offense line gets dominated and the backs can never get anything going.

And if the post-game resembles the Boise State game... well then we're all winners.

I believe that's one dollar for every whiny interview he's given about the BCS over the years. ZING!!

Actually this year he probably should be begging to get left out of the Championship game, they're going to get absolutely creamed.

Seriously...how is it that every night the Big 10 Network has 3 games like Ohio State vs. Southwest Ohio Tech or Northwestern vs. Des Moines School for the Blind....and yet half of Michigan's games haven't been on any channel this year?

I think he's right in that Michigan's biggest and probably only advantage is OSU not quite playing at full intensity having already clinched the Rose Bowl. Not to mention the fact that they've won so many in a row in this series.

To me this game reminds me a bit of 2004. Michigan had already clinched the Rose Bowl and just never got going on the road. Hopefully the same thing happens to OSU tomorrow. Probably unlikely considering how prepared Tressel teams always seem to be in this rivalry, but we can hope right?!

That was a surreal segment...Fowler telling everyone to "behave", Edwards talking about Penn State playing in "College Station" and then putting on the Cougar head after Corso tossed it to him, the creepy horned frog head....just bizarre.

Is Niagra supposed to be any good this year?

I guess it's safe to say Angry Michigan Safety-Hating God doesn't like Washington a whole lot either??

"Naga....Naga....Not gonna work here anymore!"

We'll be fine....nice rebound game next week at home and Molk is on the mend. Other than OSU I feel really good about our chances of winning the rest of the games.

I have to say, at least Yankees fans know what they are.

Twins fans are like Packers, Jazz, Duke, Notre Dame (etc.) fans....they think they have this perfect, uncorrupted team. Lots of scrappy white guys, lots of fundamentals, lots of hustle. I know a few Twins fans, and the thing they all said after the Cabrera thing was "oh, a Twins player would never do that." Not to mention the outrage when the golden boy Joe Mauer was caught clearly stealing signs. "Oh no, you're wrong, a Twins player would never do that. We play the game the right way..." Ugh....

I think I'll enjoy the shadenfreude of the next two Yankees beatdowns.

So this is what it's like when he plays sober....

Anyone remember the Cal-MSU game about about 7 or 8 years ago when Cal pulled a trick play that involved Kyle Boller catching a pass from a receiver? Well you may not remember the play, but I'm sure you can remember Pam Ward's description of the play, which instantly became a staple sound clip of talk radio shows throughout the metro Detroit area:

"HE'S THROWING THE BALL BACK TO BOLLER!!!"
(/voice cracks like whoa)

Ever since then Ward has been refused to get too excited about any play no matter how improbable. I assume this was a direct order from her superiors after the widespread mocking of her call of the Boller play (which I think was one of her first games announcing.)

Well we were 3-9 last year, and they're 1-3 this year, so whether they made the schedule this year or last year it kind of makes some sense. At least there's no chance of Pam Ward, eh?

You've got Penn State as having played 5 games on defense. Typo or does that mean something??

Good stuff though, very informative. I don't like seeing MSU as the #1 pass offense, that doesn't bode well for this weekend.

I think a few coaches have had the same thing on their shirts today. No idea what it is though.

Mallett is going to have a looooong day based on the first few series. Hope he makes it out alive.

You also forgot to mention the steroid rumors that have swirled around the program for years, coming during the combine last year. In the words of Terrell Owens: "Sometimes, when it smells like a rat, and looks like a rat...it's a rat."

Maybe when the Free Press goes out of business Rosenberg can try his luck out in LA??

I almost hit it right on the nose last week, so I'm feeling good about my pick this week. I think it's going to be close, I was glad to see our kicking game looked respectable last week. Have to figure we'll run the ball a little better this week too. 30-28 UM.

W: 31-14

Incoming West Michigan superiority rant in 3, 2, 1....