Possible Judas Boren T-Shirt for Nov 21st Game?

Submitted by CaliFan on

To all you creative MgoBloggers....

Just read that some Penn State people have made "The Terrelle Cryer Story" T-shirts for the game this weekend. Yes, I know the spelling on the shirt is wrong.

Was curious if anyone had thoughts on doing a Judas Boren t-shirt for the Nov 21st game? If I was creative and could fit a couple hundred t-shirts into my carry-on for my flight to AA from California, I would love to do them...but unfortunately that's not gonna happen.

Any takers out there?

CaliFan

November 5th, 2009 at 12:46 PM ^

Trust me...I don't lose sleep about this at night, but on Saturday's I like wearing game shirts...love my "Worst State Ever" shirt, and just got the Rich Rod "Hope" shirt. I think a Judas Boren shirt would be just as creative as many of the other shirts that show up in the MGoStore.

Has nothing to do with still thinking about Boren, but everything to do with just having another cool shirt to buy.

MGoAndy

November 5th, 2009 at 12:47 PM ^

I'm over it, whatever fuck him, but a shirt would be funny. Especially if it contained that picture of him as a baby in a bonnet.

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 1:21 PM ^

Boren has it coming.

Forget his departure of our program. Forget that he's at Ohio State. I don't much care about either one of those things. I said all along, that OSU just got its best guard in the Jim Tressel era, and I might have been right.

No, here is the Boren problem: Our local media has done nothing to report the Boren family story. About what a psycho-dad that Mike Boren became. How an enraged Mike Boren pulled Justin out of Michigan the day after little brother Zach failed to get his Michigan offer letter. How the Buckeyes made the twofer scholarship offer for both Borens. How the bogus, fabricated "family values" comment (crafted by Boren's mom and/or dad) needlessly cast doubt on Rich Rodriguez. How Mike Boren's pulling Justin out of Michigan followed the pattern of Mike pulling Zach out of Pickerington North, to enroll him at Pickerington Central, because the coaches displeased him in some way.

I think a "Judas Boren" t-shirt is nothing, compared to the payback and the explaining that our local media should have done with this story.

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 2:14 PM ^

Back in the happier days of Freshman-Justin Boren-on-Lloyd Carr's-Wolverines, the Free Press did a puff-piece profile of Justin Boren, son of Michigan Bo-era linebacker Mike Boren. Just the usual stuff. Nothing remarkable (Mom and Dad Boren met as Michigan undergrads, and Michigan tradition runs deep in the family, who still live just east of downtown Columbus in Pickerington, yadda yadda yadda) except for the tidbit, truly remarkable in hindsight, that Justin laughingly(!?!) reported that during halftimes of his high school games at Pickerington North, his dad would yell at him so severely, "that I thought they might call the cops."

The Freep link has been disabled many months ago. I think that it might be available for payment in their archives.

PhillipFulmersPants

November 5th, 2009 at 2:16 PM ^

From your comments Section1, it sounds like your beef is more with Mike (and local media) than with Justin. I'm not excusing the kid--he could have just kept his mouth shut--but it sounds as if you believe his family values comment was just something he was told to repeat.

I'm pretty indifferent to the situation because it seems like ancient history at this point. But obviously this story (former Wolverine coming back to AA to play as a Buckeye) will get a lot of play leading up to the game this year.

Some fans may never get over how the transfer went down, which is okay. That's part of fandom. Like most, I'm hoping he gets abused in the game (though like you say, he's pretty good and probably won't). But if Justin Boren t-shirts are still the rage in '10 and '11, it will seem a little petty to me.

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 2:48 PM ^

You have it right. My beef is much more with Mike and Hope Boren than with Justin, per se.

And yeah, I have a HUGE beef with local media over this story! Most of the reporters that I have talked to about this story say, basically, 'Yeah, we know that story. We might write it up, but really, we can't prove a lot of it, so it's not likely...'

To which I say, "Nonsense. Do your job. Dig. Put it all together."

I had actually thought that this story has simmered for so long, with people like me virtually taunting the Freep and the News to do the story, that they might have worked it up in preparation for The Week of The Game. We'll see, won't we? The Freep, I am confident, is so fixated on terminating Rich Rodriguez, that I have no faith and no expectation that they could report it at all. I don't know if any other papers will take a shot at it. To my knowledge, nobody has as yet.

I have spoken to sports staff at the Dispatch and at the Free Press. I can absolutely assure you, in no uncertain terms: they do know about this story.

Oh, and yeah, I never really wanted this story to be an anti-Justin Boren story. That's really the tragedy of all of this. Michigan fans are left to think that Justin Boren is a fat, lazy quitter. Which is false. And people all across the country are left to think that there's something creepily "un-family values" about Rich Rodriguez. Which is patently false.

Where did the "family values" phrase come from? It came from either Mike or Hope Boren, and it was their pathologically weird way of saying; If Zach isn't good enough for Michigan, then neither is Justin, and our two sons will play together, somewhere else.

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 3:44 PM ^

Before Justin quit, Zach Boren attended every Michigan camp, came to Michigan's games regularly, wore Michigan hats and sweatshirts around town in Ohio, etc., etc.

Zach was not recruited by OSU. He was not on any of their lists, nor on any other Big 10 recruiting lists (I heard a story about some vague PSU link, unconfirmed) until the time that Justin quit Michigan.

Then, everything changed. Zach, who had previously been thought to be a prospect at only a few MAC schools (unless of course Michigan offered), all of a sudden became a person of interest to OSU. Zach is by virtually every reckoning that I know of, the lowest-ranked, least-recruited freshman in the 2009 OSU entry-class. Zach might claim otherwise, but I think that ever scrap of publicly-available information had him expecting to go to Michigan, and he had not even talked to OSU. (This is the part of the story that might get hard to prove. Obviously, his appearance at Michigan camps, etc., could be compiled by an enterprising investigator. And I suppose it is possible that Zach might have taken a visit or two to the OSU campus, which is about 35 minutes from his home. But I challenge anybody to disprove the substance of the package deal for the Borens.)

That's the basis for my "twofer" comment. Nothiing more.

You're right; Justin is not in school in Columbus right now under a football grant-in-aid. I honestly don't know if he's been given any other kind of scholarship, do you? Will he be allowed a scholarship next year? Again, I do not know. I'd be interested in those details. ALL of those details.

Wide Open

November 5th, 2009 at 1:34 PM ^

Big Ten Burrito
Fleetwood Diner
Washtenaw Dairy
Cottage Inn (for training purposes only I'm sure)
Bell's Pizza (for because-it's-there purposes only I'm sure)

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 1:47 PM ^

The story that I heard was that Justin was hardly ever here, except for all team-related events. That is to say, Justin was around for all of the required team meetings, practices, etc., and did everything that was asked of him, but that every free moment that he had, he drove himself back to Columbus to work in his dad's landscaping/snow plowing buisness.

I will never, ever accept the commonly-held view of some Michigan fans that Boren was too lazy, or too fat, or too slow, or anything else.

At the same time, no one should ever give the slightest credence to any claim that Boren left because of any so-called "family values" issues with Rich Rodriguez or anybody else at Michigan.

Justin Boren left Michigan because his psycho-parents pulled him out. And they pulled him out because they expected that Zach was going to get a scholarship, but didn't.

Lloyd Carr, if you are out there, and if you think that I'm wrong, and that I'm a liar, then tell me. In public.

Steve Levy Sucks

November 5th, 2009 at 6:09 PM ^

from what you are saying, we should give credence to any claim that Boren left because of any so called "family values.". But instead of being directed at RR, it sounds like, from what you are saying, it should be directed at the Boren's and their own family values. Basically, if Zach didn't get a ride, then they were going to pull Justin no matter what. Wow - that is some fucked up shit.

See, this is why I love insider information. Thanks Section 1.

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 6:44 PM ^

I don't much like rumors. What has been reported, and what is beyond dispute, are all of these elements of the story:

~Zach Boren's course of Michigan recruiting.
~The timing of Justin Boren's press release (emanating from his parents), and its terms, including "family values." It occurred within 48 hours of national offer letters going out. When Zach didn't get one from Michigan.
~Mike Boren's statement to the press, "I will not have my two sons playing for two different universities." Like, huh?
~The Free Press report as to Justin's statement, "I thought they might call the cops" (regarding Mike's insane screaming at Justin in high school).
~The transfer of Zach from Pickerington North to Pickerington Central for his senior year. (A rumor, which I don't neccessaritly rely on, is that Mike had to rent an apartment across town for Zach's fake-residency purposes. I don't have any personal knowledge of that fact. I also don't have personal knowledge of a rumor that Zach rather famously spit in the face of the Dublin (OH) QB in a big game between Dublin and Pick-Central when Zach was a junior. Zach seems to have a bit of psycho-dad in him, and that story was widely reported among Columbus high school football followers at the time; I just have no personal knowledge. It's probably not relevant to this issue.)
~Zach's status as a national football recruit before Justin transferred. He was not, to put it very metaphorically, even on OSU's recruiting radar until Justin's sudden departure.

So that, except as noted, is all stuff that is beyond dispute. As for "insider" information; I submit this for anybody who is conspiracy-minded. Check out the OSU recruiting message boards, if you can, going back to the time of Zach Boren's recruitment. The OSU insiders were quite aware of the Boren/Boren deal. Some of them didn't like it. Some of them were suspicious of Justin and all of the Borens as a Michigan family, and didn't like wasting a scholarship on Zach just to sew up Justin's transfer to OSU.

I have to say, in fairness to both Boren kids. They've done just fine in 2009. Justin is maybe the best OSU o-lineman. And Zach has gotten some playing time, although I haven't seen any of their blowout games, like N.M. State. The one play I saw Zach come in on in the USC game, he did a lead block from the FB position on a USC linebacker and bounced off the guy. It was pathetic and hilarious. It was an interior run on the left (Justin's) side of the line and was totally blown up.

Zach was recruited as a LB/FB athlete, and has played so far as a FB. He has no carries, but has caught two passes for a total of 14 yards, and one was for a TD against Indiana in the Second Quarter en route to a 24-7 halftime lead.

Seth

November 6th, 2009 at 1:02 PM ^

What makes you think lowering the drinking age would in any way change the frequency that 18-year-old football players drink beer?

I remember high school pretty well, and don't ever remember being like "hey dudes,* we shouldn't be drinking this beer; the government's on the case!"

* It was the '90s. "Dudes" was de rigeur.

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 3:07 PM ^

To be honest about it. +1.

RR's right. And just think of the restraint, the class, he's demonstrated by just silently taking all of the "family values" crap on behalf of the Michigan program, as its leader. But it sure as hell doesn't mean the truth shouldn't be told. Especially when the wrong story has festered for so long without correction.

Tater

November 5th, 2009 at 3:03 PM ^

A Human Twinkie shirt with a pic of Boren photoshopped with splatters of various foodstuffs on his face and shirt and a pile of empty pizza and twinkie boxes at his side would pretty much say it all about him.

It is rather strange that two of the most acrimonious departures (counting Mallett as the other) were both orchestrated or at least strongly encouraged by the parents and not the students. It seems like the parents are better at petty, smarmy, immature gestures than the students are.

Boren's "RR costume," though, sorta cemented him in my mind as an all-time douchebag.

alabluema

November 5th, 2009 at 3:19 PM ^

I would love for this to be a non-story. That can only happen if t-shirts never appear with material having to do with kids who transfer from Michigan.

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 3:51 PM ^

But there's one other thing, that hasn't been mentioned so far, and which will be an issue in the back of my mind until the NCAA "Freep" investigation is concluded:

Was Justin Boren one of Michael Rosenberg's "former player" sources?

You remember the "former players." So fearful of "retribution," that the Freep had to grant them anonymity. People like, uh, Toney Clemons, who appears to have no idea why anybody gave him anonymity to begin with.

So deeply fearful of "retribution" in the case of Justin Boren, that he appeared as 'mock Richard Rodriguez' for Halloween 2008, equipped with girlfriend as 'mock Playboy hostess Mrs. Richard Rodriguez.' Obviously, the fear of "retribution" was traumatic for young Justin Boren.

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 5:31 PM ^

Who do you think are the "former players" that Rosenberg explicitly mentioned, without naming them? Toney Clemons was, by all public accounts, one of the former players. Is it very hard at all to imagine that Boren was another? Why wouldn't Rosenberg try to get info from Justin? I'd be AMAZED if Rosenberg didn't call Boren, and I have no reason to think that Boren wouldn't talk to him, and attack Rodriguez in any way he could.

Of course, if your answer is, "I don't know, and you, Section 1, likewise do not know what Boren might have said to Rosenberg, if anything," I won't argue with you.

I didn't say that Boren was one of the sources. I asked the question. I said it was in the back of my mind, and to me the question as to whether Rosenberg gave Justin Boren anonymity is a lot more interesting than accusing Boren of being a fatty, etc.

My point was not so much to accuse Justin Boren of being one of the interview subjects. The greater point was to satirize, quite rightly I think, the Freep's extension of anonymity to "former players" on the basis of their fearing "retribution from coaches." That is pure B.S., Free Press. And yet that is what the August Free Press story was entirely based on. The anonymous interviews. Was one of them Boren? I'd like to know.

What, of anything I've written above, is paranoid inaccuracy? Huh? Tin-foil hat stuff? Oliver Stone material? Do tell, because now you've got me interested.

Section 1

November 5th, 2009 at 5:44 PM ^

I am just really pissed at Rosenberg. It'll be interesting to watch Mike Martin (and Graham, too, if they happen to get tangled) work against Boren on Nov. 21. Boren's played really solid this year, from my having seen about four of their games. He was awesome in the USC game, while he looked a little confused in the Purdue game (but they all did).

Do you suppose, that Mike Martin might be bringing a personal message from Barwis to Boren in a couple of weeks?

Don

November 5th, 2009 at 5:34 PM ^

Huh? So you take Boren's "family values" allegations/explanations at face value? Wondering if Boren was one of the sources for the Freep hardly reaches the level of absurd paranoia common to the vast majority of conspiracy theorists. In fact, it's an eminently reasonable thing to suspect, given the ill will freely exhibited by both Boren and the Freep towards RR. It also doesn't even come close to the absurdity of the shredding allegations leveled against RR.