Unverified Voracity Says Never Mind The New Era Comment Count

Brian

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Sponsor note. You may have spotted the MGoPatio button on the left sidebar, and wondered "what is that"? If you're a guy with corporate events to plan or you want to host a killer personal event, it's a good idea. As you can see, it's located in the shadow of the Big House itself, and is fancy. The two-level space is heated/air conditioned, features a full bath, has multiple HDTV flat-screens and sound systems. It has grills, coolers, tables & chairs, and will let you store stuff the night before. It will impress people you want to impress, sometimes even before it exists. Sports Illustrated reserved it for the MSU game before it was even completed.

Get started on impressing people by:

  • Hitting their Facebook page and liking MGoPatio, which 1) gets you $500 off a full rental and 2) lets you enter a sweepstakes to win one of two original 1927 California Redwood bench seats or one of two fiberglass bench covers from Michigan Stadium, added in 1965.
  • Mentioning MGoBlog when enquiring at that Facebook page for $200 off a ground floor rental or $500 off a whole-site rental.
  • Ask about the ticket option...but only if you want to sit on the 48-yard line with three friends.
  • Contact MGoPatio through Facebook for reservation information.

The discounts expire next week, so reserve it fast. And invite me if you do book this thing. It sounds kind of awesome.


Four years. Phil Brabbs just celebrated four years of existence post-Multiple Myeloma. Here's to forty more.

New era: GTFO. UCF getting a single year of postseason ban for their lack of institution control was exhibit A, and now it seems like that the ever-expanding evidence that UNC football players were in fraudulent classes is not the NCAA's concern:

Going a step further, a report engineered by a faculty committee concluded -- though not yet fully endorsed by the university -- that academic counselors assigned to specific teams perhaps pushed athletes to those baloney classes.

And the NCAA apparently has no jurisdiction in this matter.

Which is why, dear folks in Indianapolis, people just don't get you sometimes.

It would seem to the layman that the intersection of athletics and academic dishonesty is exactly the right spot for the NCAA to step in.

Except, as of right now, there is no indication that the NCAA will revisit or re-examine the penalties it has already inflicted on UNC and its football team for violations related to improper benefits and academic misconduct involving a tutor.

This goes beyond clustering, but UNC is apparently not going to get anything tacked on to their now-standard single year of penance and slight hindrance in the future. Any hopes schools that egregiously break the rules would suffer consequences that would make them hesitate seems gone. Maybe when the new penalties come in, I guess.

Sirius bomb. SiriusXM was on campus a couple days ago and produced a bunch of podcasts for your delectation:

Rick Neuheisel asks some good questions, worth a listen.

Basketball preview things. Eamonn Brennan and Big Ten Wonk take to the pages of ESPN.com to say things about Big Ten basketball. Trey Burke (surprise!) is named Michigan's most important player. Brennan's worst case scenario is better than just about every team Michigan's fielded since the Fab Five:

Worst-case scenario: It's hard to see this team, which is indisputably more talented and almost certain to be more dynamic, somehow not being in Big Ten title contention by the end of next February. But if somehow the Wolverines are merely above average in 2012-13, it could be because they carry over last season's just-OK defensive effort (No. 60 in adjusted defensive efficiency). Or because they lack the breadth of reliable 3-point shooters (Evan Smotrycz transferred, while Zack Novak and Stu Douglass graduated) who have come to define coach John Beilein's two-guard front offense, which relies on 3-point shooting to stretch the floor. I think Beilein will make it work, and I think Michigan will be very tough to beat. But increased success is far from guaranteed.

Mr. Gasaway's bits are Insider'd Power Rankings($). Michigan checks in fourth behind the three teams you'd expect:

I may not be betting on a second consecutive Big Ten title for Michigan, but I love their chances to make it further in the NCAA tournament than they did last time around.

Hopefully that won't be hard. I think Gasaway is a little too down on Iowa, which adds a couple of touted freshmen to a solid core of White/Marble/Basabe and should find themselves breaking their NCAA tourney drought this year. He has them ninth; I'd put them sixth.

Oh, man. Fire Jerry Kill proposes more Penn State shirts produced by that awful "Smack" company responsible for the hur-hur-hur rivalry shirts favored by Larry the Cable Guy enthusiasts everywhere. This one may be based on actual threads from BWI:

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I couldn't wear that ironically, but someone make this and I'll take a dozen:

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Gendo is so getting sued by old Penn State lettermen.

BONUS: Gendo surveys the "#teamoutlaw" twitter phenomenon and comes up with ICP.

DOUBLE BONUS: are you in the market for some appalling comments about the various Penn State transfers? (The comments are in the comments.)

It was expensive while it lasted. Michigan announced a StubHub partnership last year to great fanfare; now, like the Pac 12-Big Ten scheduling accord, it appears we're never to speak of it again. Michigan's now showing up as a "past partner" on the hub:

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Wonder what went wrong. I can't imagine the AD passing up a buck.

FWIW, the StubHub think always struck me as brilliantly nefarious. By giving you printed-out tickets that would invalidate the originally issued ones, they undermined all ticket markets that were not StubHub. If you bought a ticket you had no assurance it hadn't been sold already; if you sold a ticket you had no guarantee it wouldn't be resold twice and get you in hot water when someone complained and they traced it back to you, the person Michigan originally sold the ticket to. The only way to guarantee you got a valid ticket was to buy it off Stubhub. It was evil and brilliant and whoever came up with it got a promotion. Now: kaput. I wonder why.

Further shootin' up the charts. ESPN releases post-summer rankings and both Irvin and Walton get bumps. Irvin's gone from 60th to 21st, on the verge of five stars. Dave Telep explains why:

"Zak was a hunter all summer long," Telep told AnnArbor.com via email Wednesday. "He looked fresh, hungry. He played to his size, looked like he improved his skill. Having said that, we've taken a flier on him.

"I don't think everyone would agree on him this high. We're rolling the dice and monitoring his senior year closely. Obviously we liked what we saw in the summer when compared to his peer group."

Derrick Walton made a smaller move from 40th to 32nd, but hopped over four point guards in the process. Mark Donnall slid but sticks in the top 100 at 97. Telep says Walton and Irvin are in the conversation to get in the McDonald's game.

JLS!

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That is all. Via EDSBS.

Orson on Wright Thompson on Meyer. Another part of the OSU PR offensive comes in an exclusive Wright Thompson sit-down with the Buckeyes' wooden but very, very successful head coach. Spencer Hall on that:

Wright Thompson got the full-access treatment to Urban Meyer, something he's never really granted anyone in a coaching situation, and pretty much nails the weirdass, ciphery personality of Meyer in his longform profile of him. One key point about Meyer is that he was never really likable as a head coach, so it's nice to see that Meyer doesn't even really seem to like himself a whole lot, and really never has.If that's a puff piece we disagree with your definition, but the last paragraph in particular is really, really interesting. <--arches eyebrows, invites literary discussion.

"He's gonna be different," Urban Meyer's wife says, and makes me preemptively sad for her.

Etc.: Michigan Stadium gets two and a half votes for "toughest place to play in the Big Ten." Beaver Stadium gets eight, so they'll be moving up in the 2016 version of this poll. Mark Mangino at OSU practice looks like just another OSU fan. Don't forget to tilt that head, though.

The Black and Blue producers tell the Willis Ward story in the News. The NCAA has to release financial documents to the Ed O'Bannon group. Maize and Go Blue looks at the freshmen numbers and their pasts. Part 1. Part 2.

Comments

909Dewey

August 9th, 2012 at 4:38 PM ^

So HTTV gets more than double the necessary funds. Then you don't even offer ginger ale at the release party. Now all of the sudden you have the sweetest patio in Washtenaw county...

How's it feel to look down on the 1%, Brian?

Vivz

August 9th, 2012 at 5:16 PM ^

But when it time to pay for CiL he is too cheap to use his increasing revenues. Then again why bother when all he has to say is he is thinking about no longer hosting it and 25 people offer to pony up more money for it.

Vivz

August 9th, 2012 at 6:00 PM ^

Because it would be honest way of approaching the situation

As it is however, i'm not sure if that would be in his best though. People that might give him $100 now might only pay the say $10/year.

Sure CiL has ramped up its costs, but the blog is constantly expanding. To complain about expanding expenses seems like it ignores the old axiom that it takes money to make money. 

PS I'm personally fine with all the advertising, links and what not (and try to find links when i am going to go get something from Moes etc). I just find the reaction to CiL prices as cobbling a free twitter feed to be overly cheap. If that's the case the clicks to the main site probably would decrease as well as i'd just follow said twitter feed, and not look at its open thread. 

ppToilet

August 9th, 2012 at 7:03 PM ^

1. Brian has said that Kickstarter won't work for CiL.

2. Brian has made it clear that it's not the money as much as the idea of paying so much for something so silly. It's "moderated chat software", not Server 2012.

3. I like CiL too, but maybe save the complaining until after we see how the Twitter thing goes. Brian didn't have to ask anyone's opinion about CiL. He was courteous enough to ask everybody's opinion and not just install the Twitter thing. It's his website and we're his guests.

lakeside

August 9th, 2012 at 9:09 PM ^

but what's your problem?

Because it would be honest way of approaching the situation

Quite the insinuation.

but the blog is constantly expanding.

MGoBlog, defying nature's most basic principles since about 7 or 8 years ago.

cobbling a free twitter feed to be overly cheap

So, besides clicking on ads, how much have you contributed?

old axiom that it takes money to make money.

Nothing like free advice.

i'd just follow said twitter feed, and not look at its open thread.

You won't be missed.

909Dewey

August 9th, 2012 at 10:30 PM ^

Is white guilt supposed to make Brian forget he is running a business?  Seriously though calm down, I am just making fun.  I think it's great that he took the leftover $20K from HTTV and bought one twelve pack of maize and blue balloons for the release party, and 960 sq ft of brick pavers for his backyard.  Next year HTTV will be a postcard showing Denard in a cap and gown, sent from a villa on Lake Como.

M-Wolverine

August 9th, 2012 at 5:16 PM ^

Arent just the same one, front and back?

(God, those comments on BSD are disgusting. Now you know where the tin foil hat Big Ten out to get us brigade one's from.)

WolverineHistorian

August 9th, 2012 at 5:31 PM ^

I had fun at the MGoPatio during last year's Minnesota game.  A family friend was celebrating his 40th birthday and that's how I got to see it before it's construction phase.  (It was just a regular backyard when I was there and the second story of the garage was closed because it was being redone.)  

If my birthday was in the fall and not during the coldest most miserable part of winter, this would be my idea of the perfect birthday party.  Tailgate here, walk the 100 feet to the stadium for the game, then walk back for more partying. 

One warning, though.  If your party is over 40 people, you're probably going to be a little cramped.  It's not a very big yard.  Of course, maybe the yard seemed a little smaller since there were so many things set up for the kids to play with.

By the way, this is the MGoPatio house on Berkley, second from the corner.

 

MGoPatio

August 9th, 2012 at 6:53 PM ^

Glad you had a good time, WH. I'll admit that the back yard felt MUCH smaller when you were here...

If I recall, it was still half covered with a pile of dirt from the excavation of the hill that used to be back there. We flattened it out to manage drainage (keep it out of the basement) and open up the space behind the house. Also, there were cars parked all the way to the garage door during the b-day party. Now the patio covers all the space between the house and garage. That will all stay open for events.

There's 1500 square feet of open space in front of, and next to, the garage. The steps lead up to 600 sqft of indoor space above the garage. In all, there's about 2700 square feet. That's if you don't count the driveway and the garden spaces in front and behind the house.

I worked hard to create an enjoyable and open atmosphere. Now you can put 10-20 people in each of the indoor spaces, and 30-40 more outside, and still have elbow room. SI is talking about moving 100 or so through here (some transient, some fixed) on game day vs. Sparty.

It should be fun.

909Dewey

August 9th, 2012 at 10:12 PM ^

Lets say I have 20 friends...  Lets say I am hosting a business party with 20 associates.  I pay x for the first class all the way package.  Does that mean that I get to host a tailgate except now in your backyard?  Other than the sweet paver work and proximity to the stadium, what does x buy me?  What if all 20 people arrive in their own vehicle - would there be parking close by?  Is it included in x?  Can I use your toilet?  x = ?

MGoPatio

August 10th, 2012 at 8:34 AM ^

(All this is listed in the "Rental Info/Dates" tab on the Facebook page...)

Let's say you want to bring 20 friends or business associates...and they each want to bring another friend or two. If you shell out for the full site rental (both indoor floors and the patio), here are some of the things you'll enjoy:

  • Included: Off-street parking for up to nine cars (if 20 people drove 20 cars, I'd question their sensibilities. Who expects to get 20 cars within a mile of the Big House on game day...without paying through the nose?) There's additional parking available just yards away.
  • The use of the high-end garage space: about 600 square feet, heated (for cold games), epoxy floors, with a ceiling-mounted, 32" HDTV w/ cable
  • 1500 sq ft of paver patio with generous seatwall space and an inlaid block-M, all with a fantastic Michigan Stadium view
  • 600 sq ft of second floor indoor space featuring hardwood floor, cathedral ceiling with exposed beam, full bath with heated tile floor, counters & cabinets, full-size refrigerator, bar sink, microwave, heat/AC/ERV, sound system, and a bigger HDTV (w/cable) than downstairs.

Yes, all of this is just 130 yards from stadium walls (150 yards to the closest stadium seat).

Yes, you can use the toilet in the full bathroom. You can even use the shower, but that might be weird on game day.

Rental rates vary for Big Ten, non-conference, private functions, NHL Winter Classic (see the Rental Info/Dates tab), but there are two major dicsounts in play right now--Facebook and MGoBlog. Use them both and save some serious cash.

I hope this helps.

MGoPatio

August 10th, 2012 at 11:26 AM ^

That's great. I'd be happy to help out. If your boss is interested, I can put together a discount for multiple event days. Just let me know.

One thing I forgot to mention: you can come in early to set up and late to clean up. I don't hold a ticking clock on game day. You could bring supplies in on Friday night and come back Sunday morning to clean up if you want to.

MGoPatio

August 10th, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^

So the company tailgate is in the Coliseum parking lot...?

I could definitely get your group closer to the Big House. I'm trying to book a few quick dates and use the deposits to upgrade some of the finishes on the project. If your company wants to talk about a discount for pre-paid reservations, have someone get in touch with me. You can use the Facebook message system or reach me directly at mvloet (at) umich.edu. E-mail me and I'll give you a phone number, too.

JohnnyBlue

August 9th, 2012 at 6:08 PM ^

little worried about stub hub....order msu um tickets when I saw some cheap ones they were etickets still haven't got them yet wondering if I'm sol and will be refunded

tvaduva

August 10th, 2012 at 1:27 PM ^

Hopefully, Meyer will give Thompson full access for the next three years, then he can write a book and call it Three and Out. Wait that title is taken, but the Meyer seems to be making the same moves PR moves that RR was making.