Yard Dog

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Date	Title	Body
1 year 31 weeks ago	Martin	I'm worried that Mike has an undisclosed injury.  He's typically disruptive in one on one situations, and usually very stout at the point of attack versus double teams.  I couldn't believe how poorly he played compared to his normal self.  I did not see anything obvious with him, but I have to think there is something hindering his play. I've also got to say I'm becoming a big Countess fan.  The kid is confident on the field, and with more experience, we'll have a lockdown corner on one side, and soon.  Glad to see him becoming a player.
1 year 33 weeks ago	SMB Video	I typically detest all things Spartan, but the Amazing Grace video was just that, amazing.  A classy move by SMB, no matter what school they attend. And as an alum who gave up season tickets years ago due to conflicts with my kid's own sporting schedules, I appreciate DB offering partial ticket packages so I can now resume going to games.  I don't dig the shakedown letters to stay on the ticket list, but I do like the fact that I don't have to buy a season's worth of tickets.
2 years 10 weeks ago	Thank you to M Dog	for posting my exact sentiments.  I loved the Fab Five for shaking things at UM up, and for once, making UM the "cool" team to root for.  It was fun while it lasted, and even though the banners are down, the memories live on. And while I'm no longer a Chris Webber fan, I hope everyone that did not have strong memories of his UM playing days got a chance to observe what an athletic freak he was during the highlights that were shown.  My 22 year old son was marveling at the things Webber could do on the court while watching Fab Five with me.
2 years 16 weeks ago	My kids actually bought me tickets for this game...	for my birthday.  I'm pumped to go, but I'm also bracing for the traditional "Asshole" chant upon entering Breslin.  My only saving grace will be my youngest one, who is a freshman at the hole by the Red Cedar.  May the shitty Sparty gear he dons give me some rest. GO BLUE.
2 years 17 weeks ago	This is simply a great hire.	When I heard Mattison's name come up, I thought there was no way we could secure his services.  Now that he's signed, I'm really pumped.  Mattison's pedigree and cache as a successful college and NFL coach are second to none.  While I was not high on the Hoke hire, this is the kind of staff hire that really makes me think Hoke has the stones to get the job done.  Hoke is obviously secure enough in his ability that he can bring in a top flight DC and not worry about someone looking over his shoulder. Well done Coach Hoke.
2 years 17 weeks ago	Best wishes to Tate.	I'll miss the excitement of Tate coming into the game and giving us some "oooh" and "aaah" and "oh shit" moments.  He certainly kept it interesting, and I always thought he left it all on the field. That being said, I hope he can straighten out whatever issues he has and find success.  I will be openly rooting for him wherever he lands. I do have one question, though - why have all three Forcier brothers now transferred from their original school?
2 years 18 weeks ago	Great recap of each group....	and I'm proud to admit I'm a member of Cotton Pickin' Blues, with a little bit of Bo Clan peeking through.
2 years 18 weeks ago	Go Blue	Its all about the team at this point, which I think Hoke gets.  I've got tons of concerns about Hoke, his record and his ability to lead a premier program, but we've got to get behind this hire and see if he can make it go.  To me, Hoke clearly understands the Michigan tradition and expectations, but we will have to wait to see if he can deliver.  We will only truly be able to evaluate DB at this same point in time, when some results are put forth on the field. I truly believe RR will land somewhere and do a good job.  Watch out for him being at Clemson in 2012, a place he knows and where he could find success again.  Good luck to him and his staff, they were in a tough spot and in the end, did not deliver the hoped for results.
2 years 20 weeks ago	The Big Lead	has some pretty damn good sources in the sporting world, so I take whatever Jason McIntyre has to say seriously.  If he is hearing rumors that Harbaugh is waffling, it has some weight with me. That being said, I refuse to believe Brandon has committed the same mistake as Bill Martin.  DB strikes me as a cool customer with way too much savvy to be caught with his pants down.  If the Harbaugh deal does not somehow come to fruition, you can be sure he has a solid backup plan already formulated.  I have a lot of (blind) faith in DB and his decision making skills.
2 years 23 weeks ago	I don't understand why so many people in the media	think DB has to act now.  I admire DB because he brings a different, new and aggressive mindset to the AD job.  Why does he have to do the same thing every other program does? I'm certain any decision he comes to will turn up roses, as in Rose Bowl, sometime in the near future.
2 years 24 weeks ago	You have to respect Green.	To post comments like he did shows he's a class kid who was raised right.  I respect MSU hoops, and now I can quietly pull for Green to play well (when not playing us) and not feel bad about it.  He's the kind of player every program needs, a sixth man type who doesn't bitch about coming off the bench and can do whatever his team needs when it is needed, and he provides leadership. That being said, he still wears that damn green and white...
2 years 24 weeks ago	This is such an amazing event	and of course no one but UM would do such a great job getting this put together. I went to a junior game there on Sunday, and the venue is just unreal.  We were on the field standing on a platform on the corner of the rink, and spent all our time between periods and whistles looking up and around the stadium.  I cannot imagine how incredible an atmosphere this will be on Saturday.  To put it in perspective, my wife, who is not a hockey fan at all, was hacked that I did not get tickets for the Big Chill after being there Sunday and seeing how really cool it would be to attend.
2 years 25 weeks ago	Can we please stop bashing Lloyd?	He's the one coach who has actually delivered a National Championship in the last 60 years, and people are accusing him of screwing the program on the way out the door.  Does anyone truly believe this?  Lloyd, while not my favorite M coach of all time, did a damn fine job for our school. This constant Lloyd bashing meme is worse than political discussions of who is right and who is wrong.  How long can you hammer the previous administration for the current one's woes? While I always enjoy reviewing these statistical analyses, I'm more of a bottom line guy.  6-18 in the Big Ten the last three years while getting owned by the top half of the league is a poor performance regardless of any other statistics.  The question remains:  is this something that you believe will improve enough over the next year to keep RR?  I just don't know.  I'll leave that to DB and trust his judgment.
2 years 25 weeks ago	I disagree with your assessment.	1.  Stanford has a fanbase that couldn't care less about football.  This is not the case at Michigan.  Harbaugh knows the passion that surrounds the Maize and Blue. 2.  Harbaugh knows he would be king in AA if he can turn the program around.  He saw how Bo was worshipped, and that is available to him.  He could have long term stability, which is not a hallmark of NFL coaches. 3.  The NFL is about to have a labor stoppage by most accounts.  Based on a review of the coaching situation by Peter King, it appears teams may take a pass on hiring new coaches and paying them big bucks to sit around.  Also, a new coach may end up only having a few weeks to implement their system once the labor deal is settled.  Not exactly stable and not exactly a great way to start a NFL coaching career. 4.  The NFL is littered with college coaches who failed at the transition to the NFL.  Why potientially join those ranks?  See Spurrier, Steve, and Holtz, Lou, among others.  And those two had won national championships. Just my $0.02.
2 years 25 weeks ago	Great piece, Brian.	I think a lot of us are on the fence.  I fully supported the RR hiring, as I wanted something new and exciting in Ann Arbor.  I got what I hoped for on offense (for the most part), but everything else has been an unmitigated disaster.  RR's record speaks for itself, and I'm starting to wonder if the Big 10 job was too big for RR.  My tipping point is RR's contention that he understands big rivalries like OSU vs. UM because he lived through WVU vs. Pitt.  C'mon, really? As a passionate fan and alum, I don't like instability and would have preferred RR to be the man and have established himself as such.  However, college football is a results oreinted business, and he just isn't getting it done, whatever the underlying reasons.  I'm personally tired of the upper half of the Big 10 having their way with my beloved Maize and Blue.  After a 6-18 conference record, I find that unacceptable.  And I also refuse to keep pummelling Lloyd Carr for his deficiencies at the end of his tenure.  Lloyd did a great job, and stayed too long, but some of that is on Bill "Sailboat" Martin. I also buy into the idea that Dave Brandon will do what is absolutely best for the university, the alumni, the fans and the program.  If he decides to keep RR, I'm on board.  Make a switch?  I'm on board. Go Blue.
2 years 26 weeks ago	This confirmed what I had thought...	about our offensive efficiency and how/when we put points on the board.  The analysis is excellent. Even given this data,  I still don't understand why the hell we start out so slow against the better teams and pick up steam later.  The data doesn't really talk to that issue.  It seems like we are always 21 points in the hole before we start to see some real spark in the offense.  I wish I knew what to credit that to:  inexperience, adjustments, the other team getting bored, etc.  Hopefully it is something correctable.  If we can score first and put the pressure on the other team, I could see the opponent getting buried by us.  I still daydream about what could have been against little brother had we scored on that first drive.
2 years 26 weeks ago	Sadly, I lived on 1st Little in Markley,	and we were not allowed to participate.  You'll notice the first floor under FUCK is dark.  Hold on, now that I think about it, we did participate in a "lights off" fashion.  Go 1983!
2 years 26 weeks ago	Bielema joins...	one Mr. Danny Hope as eternal coaching douchebags.  I think I have to now put Bielema in the lead, as he will last longer at Wisky than Hope will at Purdue, and I'm looking for a real long term hate affair.  Looks like I have my wish.
2 years 26 weeks ago	That there's some diversity in opinion...	A lot of differing perspectives in this thread.  I'm an old fart ('87 grad, and no, not 1887).  I grew up worshipping Bo and hating OSU with a passion that still burns.  OSU is evil, and that is not subject to negotiation.  I do have a few thoughts on this thread: 1.  OSU is evil incarnate.  Can't be said enough.  I just hate the Buckeyes, and especially those queer gold pants they hand out after beating M. 2.  I'm tired of "fans" bagging on Lloyd.  The guy was classy and won a national title.  What the hell else do people want?  He represented our school and program with class.  Leave him alone and give him some respect.  Who gives a shit if some of his guys weren't conditioned like Olympic decathletes? 3.  I supported the hiring of RR.  I still do.  He brings a totally different angle to the game, one which I still think can deliver big results.  He also may be more demanding that Lloyd, but I want to see that translate into wins.  I certainly think the Barwis effect is helping, but we as a program are not at the level any of us wants.  I think we can be there next year, however.  We have had to display something no Michigan fan has a plethora of, and that is patience. 4.  OSU is just an awful school with a scum sucking fanbase of lunatics.  5.  For the record, I did respect Woody.  No one was ever as talented at throwing yard markers.  P.S.  RIP Rob Lytle.  One of my absolute favorite Wolverines when I was growing up.
2 years 27 weeks ago	You have to beat who is on your schedule.	You can overanalyze the record, but 7-3 at this stage is about where I thought we would be.  Sconnie typically does not play well in Ann Arbor, and I think RR feels he has the kids moving in the right direction.  I expect a competitive game, as long as those dastardly turnovers stay at 2 or below.  5 turnovers will get us killed. I'm hoping for good weather, as I think our overall team speed will give Sconnie problems.  Should be a fun one. And congrats to those seniors who have toughed it out.  I'm thrilled they get to go to a bowl.  That seems like a well deserved ending for these guys.
2 years 27 weeks ago	The turnovers have me really concerned.	It seemed like Denard had several opportunities to take off but instead chose to chuck the ball into coverage.  I had the radio on at the same time as watching the game on TV.  It was actually informative when Brandy would say it looked like Denard had room to run instead of making an ill advised throw, and then see what Brandy was talking about on the TV.  Someone mentioned last week that Denard too insistent on passing when that is the play call, and not just pulling the ball down and running.  I hope the coaches keep encouraging him to live for another play by pulling the ball down on occasion and making some positive yards.
2 years 27 weeks ago	This may have been noted before...	but for all the "MSU is ruling the State" drivel, their recruiting doesn't exactly back that up.  It seems RR is holding his own, even with our struggles on the win/loss ledger.  Zettel would be another huge pickup that would contradict the MSU finger wagging.
2 years 28 weeks ago	Tim Staudt (yes, the Lansing based MSU TV slappy)...	said on his Sunday morning sports show on Channel 6 in Lansing that Michigan had the best 1-2 punch at QB in the nation.  I don't think he was being sarcastic, and I tend to agree.  I am in the camp that would like to see Tate get a series or two in the first half to keep him sharp.  Tate's just a kid, and I think being thrust into the game cold is tough on him.  He never quite seems ready to play.  If he gets a scheduled series or two earlier, I think he'd be even better in relief if Denard gets nicked.  His first play after Denard got hurt sort of highlighted the issue for me.
2 years 28 weeks ago	I purposely waited a couple of days before posting.	I was in the "hire RR" camp when Lloyd retired.  Why?  Because I thought he would bring a level of offense to Michigan and the Big Ten that would create havoc against teams geared to stop the run against other big, burly, piledriving teams.  Is this happening?  Yes, it certainly is.  And with our QBs still being young, the offense will continue to have fewer empty possessions, and the "hair of fire" concept will continue to develop. No doubt the defense needs a major, major overhaul.  Is RR able to do this?  I hope so.  I really thought we showed flashes of being able to play good defense, especially after all the turnovers in the 1st quarter.  And the all out blitz on the last play?  God, I'd love to see more of that.  We give up big plays trying to play a base defense, so who cares if you give up a big play while blitzing heavily?  What's the difference? Anyway, I'm thrilled we are bowl eligible, and am hoping to put an absolute beatdown on the Big Ten's biggest tool, Danny Hope.  It would be great to crush Purdue while at the same time improving our bowl position.
2 years 28 weeks ago	Wow! Roh is back with his hand on the ground!	Good to see, but this might qualify as "too little, too late".  And the Illinois example rings true and does have several parallels.  I'm starting to lean towards Brandon needing to tell RR to fire most of his defensive staff and then reassign whoever he is allowed to keep.  I really think RR needs to bring in someone with autonomy to run what they please.  This 3-3-5 scheme, run by someone who clearly doesn't understand it, is a disaster.  The other factor is our youth.  I'm guessing almost no one playing on the D side of the ball ran a 3-3-5 in high school.  A dumbed down 3-4 or 4-3 might be easier to play and produce better results as the assignments might seem more familiar to the kids we have playing.  Just a thought.
2 years 28 weeks ago	I put off reading this until I was sure I could handle it.	And I still feel like crap.  Is it too late to switch to a 4 man front and have Roh put his hand on the ground?  Holy cow, that just hurt. The Roh situation also supports one of my earlier posts - the coaches have to put the kids in the right position to make plays.  As pointed out, Roh is NOT a LB.  That is a complete coaching error IMO.
2 years 28 weeks ago	Hopefully the clouds over the program	continue to dissipate.  Regardless of what RR has said, these things are a distraction and do affect recruiting, so the quicker they are resolved, the better, especially when the penalty almost exactly mirrors the self-imposed version.  Nothing to see here, move along. Now about that winning thing...
2 years 28 weeks ago	I'm hoping Coach Beilein	can really work with these young guys and show some progress throughout the season.  I like the fact that Douglass and Novak are such hard workers, and I think it would be great if they are at least able to lead by example.  I really think their lack of physical maturity in the Big 10 will work against them because the conference is so demanding, but I'm optimistic that some of the Beilein magic of working kids into better players comes into play.
2 years 29 weeks ago	I totally agree with one comment by Steve in PA	The coaches are not getting the kids in position to make plays.  It also appears that against a known running team (us vs. PSU, WVU vs. Rutgers), if you run the stack you need to have six guys attacking the LOS with the MLB running free and not straight into a block.  As Brian points out, Demens has no momentum and is getting swallowed by a guy 60-70 pounds heavier.  At least if he has a few more yards to work with he can properly react and potentially crush the blocker if he has enough momentum. The kids can only make plays if the coaches put them in the right position - I've heard this from so many coaches I know it makes me crazy, and in this case, it appears to be completely true.
2 years 29 weeks ago	I'm concerned about PSU stacking the box	and testing Denard's arm (and psyche).  I really think PSU will force Denard to throw early.  If he starts to connect, as Brian says, cackle with knowing glee.  If he is still struggling in the passing game, it will be a much tougher path to victory.  I just don't see JoePa and his staff hanging a couple of no-names out to dry while trying to contain Denard.  I see them providing those kids with a whole lot of help to attempt to stop the run. That being said, Illinios' success against PSU gives me an incredible amount of hope.

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