Favorite big hits by UM Defense

Submitted by Eastside Maize on
We had a few years of passive and soft defense at UM. Now we are back to flying to the ball and hard hitting. Which hit(s) are your favorite(s)? For me, I'm going with Brandon Graham coming unblocked off the edge and destroying Staee RB Glenn Winston. I don't know how he held onto the ball. My second favorite was a collective hit when we stoned Minnesota's QB sneak, to win the game. That goal line stand saved our season.

WalterMitty

May 30th, 2017 at 9:07 AM ^

Watching that reminds that I miss Brent. I'll never understand why everyone hates him. Baffles me. He's the absolute best. Everyone loves Jackson, and he was definitely fun, but Musberger was always so very good, and I'll never understand the venom.

Everyone Murders

May 30th, 2017 at 9:28 AM ^

Musburger was one of my least favorite announcers for the following reasons (at least):

  • Always on the big game, for no reason.  Note to ABC/ESPN etc. - the reason big games get great ratings is that they're big games. It's not because of who the suits at Disney decided should call the game.
  • Went full Bob Dole on Katherine Webb.  It was every bit as creepy as Bob Dole's infamous Pepsi commercial.  Never, ever, go full Bob Dole.
  • Never informs.  I've heard him call maybe a hundred games, and the only thing I recall learning was that I would not leave my kids with him (see K. Webb).
  • Pompous.  It's tough to be that pompous when you're not informative, but he pulled it off.  He always seemed like he had one too many brews before hopping in the booth.
  • Bad foil.  I like Herbstreit well enough as an announcer, but he gets extra credit for managing the boorish Mr. Musburger.
  • Off topic.  At most points, it seemed like he was more interested in sharing trivia than calling the game. 
  • Star power.  Musburger thought he had star power, but did not.  I did not tune in to any game to hear any announcer except when I heard Ernie Harwell was retiring.  When Keith Jackson called a game, it certainly enhanced the game, but he was not the attraction.  Both Harwell and Jackson understood that they were ancillary to the game, and were great because of it.  Musburger never seemed to get that.

I certainly dislike Chris Berman calling a game more, and Joe Buck is another guy who I dislike (when calling football - I think he's pretty good calling baseball).  But I've got plenty of venom for Musberger.

Yo_Blue

May 30th, 2017 at 9:44 AM ^

My favorite dump on Musberger moment occurred during UTL I when Denard rolled right and threw back to Vincent Smith for a TD.  Brent, in his infiite wisdom, announced "That's a play that they practice."  WTF, Brent? Don't they practice the other plays they had been running?

Of course his handling of Eminem was high entertainment.

BahBlue

May 30th, 2017 at 11:20 AM ^

Too much exaggeration, overreaction and hyperbole from Brent.  It was too much work to sort through his emotions just to watch the game.  HIs level of excitement often seemed out of tune and calibration.

I like the comparisions to Ernie and Keith - simple, descriptive storytellers.  I loved those guys.

 

Everyone Murders

May 30th, 2017 at 8:49 AM ^

Boston getting his literal comeuppance was the best for me.

Marcus Ray just wrecked him on that play.  And Boston had yapped something fierce the entire week before The Game.

A2toGVSU

May 30th, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^

Is when I became a diehard Michigan fan. I was 8. I had watched the whole season up to that point with my Dad (an alum) and was vaguely aware that we had a good team and that there was a war of words between Boston and Woodson. The fight hooked me into the game and established Boston as the Enemy, and with that hit, Marcus Ray gave him what he had coming. I've been a diehard fan ever since.

Skapanza

May 30th, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^

This was the one I wanted, so I'm glad to see it was already posted. I was a freshman MMB member, so I was stuck as an usher at Band-o-rama during the game. We had a little radio and were trying to celebrate without drawing attention to the fact that we weren't fulfilling our critical duties.

CLord

May 30th, 2017 at 10:31 AM ^

What people don't factor enough on the Daydrion hit was the size and speed of the Penn State tight end.  He was a huge dude, so it may not have had the flash of hits that blow up little skill guys like Reggie Bush.  And he was traveling near full speed North/South and was instantly stopped and knocked slightly back.  

Every other vicious blow you see (like the Reggie Bush blow up or the Dumas OSU blow up of the Auburn player) involved a target that was smaller, and moving slowly while trying to adjust and catch a pass.  There just is  no comparison or rival to the Taylor hit.

Easily,  without question the most violent hit in football that I have ever seen.

LLG

May 30th, 2017 at 9:02 AM ^

Marcus Ray's hit on David Boston.  He was from Columbus, Ohio, and Sports Illustrated put it on the front cover.  When I think big hits at Michigan, Marcus standing over Boston pops to mind.