Unverified Voracity, Quickly Comment Count

Brian

I'm headed out to Iowa City soon, so somewhat abbreviated today.

Get a bracelet. Phil Brabbs has just started his chemotherapy, which you can read about on his blog, and he's also offering up these stylish "cancer kicker" bracelets for the impossibly low suggested donation of $2:

cancer-kicker You can get them by donating the funds (and possibly, you know, another five bucks or so to defray the costs of freakin' cancer) to [email protected], or you can just click the donation button to the right. It should donate to the right place and either ask for or confirm your shipping address with PayPal. Consume! I will repost this Monday!

Elsewhere, MGoTalk has posted an interview with Brabbs.

Hey, wow, this might be a good idea. Jay Bilas says the NCAA basketball committee is thinking of getting rid of limits on phone calls:

The NCAA is on the way to getting something right through a proposal to allow unlimited phone calls to recruits during contact periods. I have long been a vocal opponent of the phone call restrictions on college coaches in recruiting.

While well-intentioned, the rule prohibits coaches from normal contact with recruits while the rest of the free world gets unfettered access to them. The unintended consequences from the rule swamped its good intentions, by making those outside of the NCAA's reach more powerful and criminalizing normal communication.

As per usual when Jay Bilas is not talking about Tommy Amaker, I agree. They'd have to get rid of the limitations for all sports, right? And then texting limitations seem archaic and silly. Ron Zook is walking around looking like that creepy Enzyte guy and has no idea why. On the other hand, Kelvin Sampson knows exactly why he wants to punch a baby seal.

Yuck. This quote from Trevor Anderson is decidedly Carr-esque:

"They did everything that we practiced this week,” Anderson said. “When they decided to put in (Denard Robinson), we knew they were going to run the ball. They couldn’t throw it with him. As far as Forcier, we knew about his little stutter step, he’s going to jab to the outside and come back in. Everything that they practiced, we did."

Evidence for the mania. The point on Robinson is very duh, but the rest of it suggests Michigan did not pull new stuff out against State. Also—and this is a point Tim made on the podcast—with Forcier limited in practice on Monday and Tuesday, Michigan probably couldn't get confident enough in fancy new stuff that might, say, require option pitches and whatnot, to run it. It's probably hard as hell to install a new package when your freshman quarterback has his arm in a sling. That's probably not great for this weekend since Forcier was apparently limited early this week as well.

Next year, I expect Rodriguez will have a bunch of new stuff for MSU; if he doesn't I'll be disappointed.

Hockey weekend. Yost Built has your ten things for Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage this weekend. Here's my one thing:

YEAH!!!

White pants? You know, I did ask Bruce Madej if he could confirm or deny that Michigan would wear white pants this weekend. He said he could not confirm or deny, which seemed like sort of a confirmation. Mark Ortmann hopes it isn't:

Against Iowa, the Wolverines may complement their white away jerseys with white pants, but an Athletic Department spokesman told The Michigan Daily last night he had “no definitive answer.” The uniform change would include everyone, even the 300-pound linemen.

“I can’t imagine,” left tackle Mark Ortmann said with a laugh. “We already have some pretty self-conscious offensive linemen. I don’t know if that will help out."

The strangest thing about all this is that no one will say yes or no about it, as if it's a state secret. The pants! They are white! We all must die!

Etc.: Chris Brown describes how the wildcat works. Tate Forcier just MAKES PLAYS—this is literally the headline. Rumeal Robinson… facepalm. Spongebob and Da U.

I'm out. Wish me luck.

Comments

MGoObes

October 9th, 2009 at 4:13 PM ^

trevor anderson would say that, as if MSU blew us out or something. i mean once you win that game i suppose one could say whatever he wanted, but still.

Shalom Lansky

October 9th, 2009 at 4:19 PM ^

I really hope Michigan confuses the hell out of MSU, leaving them wondering what happened to them as they lose by 3 TDs. Beating OSU and PSU would be awesome but we can't start (or continue to) shrug off losses to MSU as if they don't matter b/c the morethey beat u the more relevant they become. 1 or 2 losses don't matter in the scheme of things, but a pattern of losing to State would be problematic. Before we start thinking about B10 titles we should make sure we're keeping little brother in his place.

I hope the lack of wrinkles was injury related, I don't like thinking State is better prepared for the game than we are.

jamiemac

October 9th, 2009 at 4:19 PM ^

Uh, not for nothing, but if they get rid of the phone call limitations in hoops recruiting, um, yeah, does that mean we get our players back and can expunge the last season from the historic record....and maybe retroactively give us the 2008-08 Big 10 Title, you know the one we were cruiising to, until text-gate blew the whole fucking thing up.

And, by 'we', I assume most of you know I am talking about IU.

I was never pissed at what went down, but I will be if they deem these ticky tacky rules are null and void.

jsquigg

October 9th, 2009 at 4:21 PM ^

All the traditionalists are probably ready to flame Rodriguez if they go all white, but I'm intrigued. I think the last time Michigan wore white pants was in the Bo era, 70s maybe. Maybe someone else can break out specific info on this. Of course they will wear the maize bottoms now that the rumor is spreading, but I wonder what the white pants would look like.

CalGoBlue

October 9th, 2009 at 7:03 PM ^

"I think the last time Michigan wore white pants was in the Bo era, 70s maybe."

I've been following M since '73. I don't remember white pants, but I could be wrong. Tell me more.

It won't create a national crisis (instead, our inside linebackers and secondary are a national crisis), but I don't like the idea.

papabear16

October 9th, 2009 at 4:41 PM ^

I'm not a purist on the away uniforms, but I really hope we don't wear white pants. I just hate the all-white look anywhere - PSU, Texas, etc. I like that some schools do special uniforms for big games as a surprise (although black jerseys are overdone), but I don't think that's right for Michigan, nor do I think that "special pants" have the same effect.

Sgt. Wolverine

October 9th, 2009 at 4:51 PM ^

My local high school football team normally wears gold pants -- the whole uniform is uncomfortably Notre Dameish -- but once a year they wear white pants for an away game, and I don't like the look at all. Another photographer on the sidelines put it best when he referred to white pants as being "very middle school."

In other words, I won't be happy if Michigan goes with the all-white look.

NYWolverine

October 9th, 2009 at 4:51 PM ^

Also, because I can't respond to "USC is Playboy, UM is Hustler" on the ND board, I hope nobody minds if I publish it here.

Ima hustla, Ima, Ima hustla homie
I got the product, spread ops for the slotbacks homie,
Open-fieldin, down the sidelines like a jetpack homie,
N*ggas phony so I only talk ball with a couple a Domies,
If you a Domer or "This Is Sparta" I could fuck with yah homie,
You win a couple games maybe I'll stay in touch wit' ya homie
I got speed, got the top QBs in the gaaame, your guys are fat, lumber-wack, your game is laaame
Coach Rod get cake from his playbook, dude is makin' dubs
ND is hatin' 'cause he's on tha grind like he's makin' love
When coaches start recruitin hot like jamaican clubs
FREEP bad press, waits for a drought and then floods the soil
But try and take my recruits you gonna taste some snake oil
But you can take my spread option so long as you give me a tug
'Cause I could sell raid to a bug, Ima hustla I could sell salt to a slug

wolverine1987

October 9th, 2009 at 4:53 PM ^

which is the prudent response. I however will be disappointed if we don't break some tendencies this week, not next year against MSU (not that Brian was saying RR would wait). Despite Tate's injury, I am surprised we didn't have anything new for State, and never thought I'd read that Anderson quote about RR. Nothing to see here, but it is surprising IMO.

Blue_Bull_Run

October 9th, 2009 at 5:09 PM ^

Just because the other team knows whats coming doesn't make our offense a failure. On the message boards, Bo's "we'll tell you what we're gonna run, and then out talent you" philosophy has fallen in favor of the "you have no idea what's coming, and our ninjas will kill you" philosophy.

Well, I'm here to say that even in this day, it's not possible, or even crucial, to put in new plays every week. Speaking generally, there are some things that player do well, and other things that they don't do well. It wouldn't make sense to let Denard air it out 15 times per game just for the sake of breaking tenancies.

But, looking closer at the evidence: We took MSU to overtime. We had a number of dropped balls and missed tackles. In other words, we weren't too far away from winning. There's a lot of truth to the phrase that "it comes down to execution." It really does.

st barth

October 9th, 2009 at 6:01 PM ^

just read the rumeal robinson piece...sad

but this is kind of funny...
"But even in poverty, Robinson maintained VIP friends. Lehman asked: "What are you going to do about dinner tonight?"

"The prime minister of the Cayman Islands is coming in, so maybe he'll pay," Robinson ruminated. "I don't know."

uofmdds96

October 9th, 2009 at 9:00 PM ^

let's go maize on maize with a white helmet look like retro San Diego Chargers. And then maybe some diamond plate, and then mix it up after the third Quarter by texting your choice to 5775, and then we can all dance to Neil Sadaka, or Diamond , of Neil Andbob.

Come on, this ain't Oregon. WTF

Come out look like MICHIGAN! HELL, come out in the home uni's just to F with them and pay whatever fine that would be issued. HOW BOUT THEM APPLES?

Just ask how well their gimmicky green jerseys work for them.

wiscwood

October 9th, 2009 at 7:03 PM ^

Our focus as fans has always been "Run, catch, pass, shoot, score, goal, touchdown" etc. These people that play sports are just people. In some instances the only thing these players know is the game.

I grew up with several athletes that went pro. Some of these guy were total jerks. Because of who they were they got away with a great many things. They were never held accountable for there actions. Girls, clout, fame, I wanted to be like them. I am not like them, and I am glad!

I loved Rumeal Robinson's game. At times I replay his reverse dunk, and his free throws against Seton Hall during the NC in '89. This behavior does not surprise me. I'm saddened he is not acting like a Wolverine who has an awesome historic game. Maybe he is acting like a spoiled athlete. Leave the Michigan Wolverine out of it. This University and its fan do not stand for this.

Michael Jordan, Rumeal Robinson, all steroid uses! I have filed you in my "Useless" folder and I have outgrown you.

markusr2007

October 9th, 2009 at 7:40 PM ^

Supposedly never to be seen again until a Blackout game against Iowa. Yeah right.

Actually, I like the idea.

The only thing better would be a high-contrast, electric glow in the dark Maize road jerseys with neon white numerals!!!...Right!!? Who's with me!!!????

(Crickets)

st barth

October 10th, 2009 at 9:09 AM ^

I've never been in love with our road uniforms and wouldn' t mind if we went with something more crazy & Oregon like.

And since we are playing Iowa, anybody remember when they used those black jerseys with yellow stripes across the shoulders for about a season? I was disappointed when they discarded those.

jsquigg

October 9th, 2009 at 8:25 PM ^

I'll go along with white pants as long as we never wear maize jerseys. There should be maize trim on the white pants to balance out the helmets, though.

Don

October 10th, 2009 at 5:17 PM ^

As an alum I take deep offense at that characterization.

Anybody who knows anything knows that UM is like a 1953 issue of National Geographic, where the "hot women" are naked aboriginals in the Amazon rain forest.