Talkin', woo! Aaron Rennie of CFB Weekly has me on regularly and I regularly forget to point this out. So I want to say that: I am regularly on CFB Weekly and you should listen to it, it's pretty kicking.

The reason for the disclaimer: this week I am not forgetting to link/embed my conversation with Russ Levine of Football Outsiders. In past years the podcast has been wide-ranging; this time I managed to cram 60-70% Michigan talk in, with some discussion of Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State:

Russell failed to point this out, but last year when he had me on in the immediate aftermath of The Horror I declared Morgantown a "hole" and suggested that Rich Rodriguez could be convinced to leave. I'd later contradict that multiple times in writing, but who cares? Not this guy.

Injuries and such. Everyone seems healthy except Junior Hemingway, who has a shoulder thing that is likely to linger through the year, and various members of the offensive line. With Perry Dorrestein dinged, the only thing standing between Michigan and OMG WTF is the return of Mark Ortmann.

Rodriguez on Ortmann:

Two injured left tackles, Mark Ortmann and Perry Dorrestein, are uncertain for the game against Wisconsin, though coach Rich Rodriguez expects Ortmann to play.

It also sounds like they're going to try to work in John Ferrara this week.

Right idea, wrong place? Michigan Sports Center notes a Daily article in which a new tradition is being proposed:

there are plans to have a group of people in the student section wear navy shirts (they will be handed out at the game) in hopes that a block "M" will be formed. The idea came from Penn State's "S-Zone," which is a lone blue section that outlines an "S" in the sea of white shirts.

MSC says the plan has "the makings of an epic failure" given the students' tendency to sit in the general vicinity of their seats, not in the seats themselves, and I tend to agree.

But what about some alumni? Alumni sit in their seats and there's a big damn block M inscribed into sections 44 and 1. The AD should encourage people in those sections to wear clothing the same color as their seat; if they can pull it off the effect would be pretty spectacular.

Insert grumbling about lame-o Michigan fans here.

Etc.: Genuinely Sarcastic has their run chart up; Rich Rodriguez's kid made Greg Mathews brownies. Dude. The MGo-Auburn trip from the perspective of our Auburn friend; Hart, Long, and Manningham will be in town this weekend.