Unverified Voracity Insults Philadelphia's Mayor
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Oh. Barstool. Barstool is trash and it's no surprise that it's Barstool that has again found the trashiest sign on Penn State's campus and been like "oh sick burn, bro," because Barstool just hires whatever local Chad they can find and Chad does Chad things. The latest:
Set aside the potential odiousness of the joke. It's not even a good joke. The University of Michigan did not decide to change the source of Flint's water, or attempt to cover up the humanitarian disaster that was unfolding. This is equivalent to burning PSU for the actions of Philadelphia's mayor. Nobody does this, because nobody has to when trying to burn Penn State.
Anyway, Barstool's second-biggest problem is that they think "edgy" is funny by itself. Andrew-Dice-Clay-ass website.
The decline of home court advantage. Home court means less these days:
This validates Craig Ross's frequently-expressed opinion that in the dingy arenas of the 1970s refs would bone you without repercussion. A couple other items from that piece:
- home court is a stronger effect the farther you travel
- it's a stronger effect in bigger conferences, probably because of crowd size
- all your conspiracy theories about referees are correct
All of 'em. Pick one. Yes, you're correct.
Half the defense. It was a good day for Michigan's defense:
PFF Week 7 - B1G Team of the Week - Defense pic.twitter.com/cNhuRecirM
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) October 17, 2017
Kinnel kind of surprises me, if only because I'm having a hard time thinking much of anything either way about the safeties. They are off screen for the large majority of this game, and Indiana's offense prohibits replays.
Mike Onwenu and Karan Higdon both made the offensive team. Also in "what were you doing with your offensive line recruiting two years ago": Maryland sophomore OG Terrance Davis makes the team. IIRC Michigan straight up passed on that guy.
20 games. Big Ten basketball head coaches have voted in favor of a 20-game conference schedule. Jon Rothstein reports that the change will happen next year. That'll take the schedule to 7 teams you play twice and 6 you play once, and a that point you might as well implement the Scottish Premiere League approach, which only takes 19 games and is awesome.
Harbaugh interacts with son. Via Outsports:
It’s only been in the last year that he came out to his dad. Dismayed by election results last November, he told his father that he was scared for himself and other people like him. When dad wrote back a vague message of support, James went all in.
“I just it blurted out –– and told him for the first time verbatim –– 'Dad, I'm gay. Do you know that? And because of that, this is why X,Y, Z. I'm scared because of this, that and the other.'
“And he just said something else back, it was an encouraging and uplifting response about how you just need to keep your head up. 'As long as you do what you feel is right in your mind, you live your truth. Everything will end up being OK.'"
James does not like his dad's sartorial choices, which makes him like every son in the history of the universe.
Even more hockey recruiting. Michigan continues to pick guys up at a rapid pace. They recently flipped USHL defenseman Jack Summers from Brown. Chris Dilks's take from a couple years ago:
Jack Summers-Victory Honda U16-Summers is a bit undersized and not a huge offensive threat yet, but he has incredible footwork and skating that makes him an effective defender and gives him the upside to potentially be a very dynamic player.
Summers played under Bill Muckalt last year, so he's a guy the coaching staff knows very well. Heisenberg has him listed as a 2019 kid. Michigan's also added 2019 F Cassidy Bowes, who's a bit of an odd duck. He spent last year playing in a western Canadian prep school league, putting up 49 points in 30 games. He's joined the BCHL and has 6 points in nine games in the early going.
Both Summers and Bowes will arrive in 2019 as 20-year-olds, so they're fleshing out the class. They're the 12th and 13th kids across four different recruiting classes Pearson has recruited since he was hired four months ago. He's added four guys to an already five-strong 2017 class, six 2019 kids to Mike Vukojevic, two 2020 kids to a Little Caesar's trio, and 2021 Dylan Duke.
I'm not sure all these guys are getting to campus or guaranteed full rides, particularly the older gents. This is a more aggressive style of recruiting than Michigan is used to; Pearson seems dead set on not having big roster holes from the inevitable departures.
Etc.: M settles FOIA lawsuit and must reform their terrible, terrible FOIA department. Hooray. Scooter Vaughn is a 28-year-old AHL veteran now, and he's also a cool skateboarder. Hurst still drives for Uber. How Bryce Love is... doing all that. Holding The Rope on IU. Urban Meyer's wife: thinks whatever has a hypen, can't spell, kinda racist. Harmon intercepts Kinnick.
October 17th, 2017 at 1:09 PM ^
I've been a PMT fan (AWL) for over a year. There is not a better podcast out there (although the Lantana Hummus Ad reads on mgopodcast are amazing). In that same timeframe I've probably read 3 (three) blogs on their 'website' ....
Website is trash, PMT and select twitter accounts are hilarious.
October 17th, 2017 at 1:13 PM ^
same. I don't think I've ever even visited the website. Podcast and twitter only.
October 17th, 2017 at 1:42 PM ^
I'll second (or third) that opinion. BigCat and PFTCommenter's podcasts are great. Their Harbaugh interview was fantastic--I don't think I've ever seen Harbaugh open up that much in an interview. PFTCommenter is the best follow on Twitter. I have literally never visited the Barstool website once.
October 17th, 2017 at 3:05 PM ^
is to post stuff like that. I'm sure the people at corporate are happy with it (if they didn't outright approve it) and are happy to get shares like this from Brian.
The model is to be edgy and offensive and douchy for the sake of being edgy and offensive and douchy. For media these days, the stronger the takes the better, because when there is so much noise, you have to be loved by at least some people, even if it means you're hated by many others.
October 17th, 2017 at 3:45 PM ^
Ah yes, because the "corporate" part of the site has always been on the up-and-up.
There are probably more; I know they are in some spat with Sam Ponder for attacking her religious beliefs and making some pretty violent statements about her.
It's a shit site. Shit sites do well and can be successful, but it doesn't mean they are worth mentioning.
October 17th, 2017 at 1:05 PM ^
I wish I could just upvote that line...it's perfect.
October 17th, 2017 at 1:20 PM ^
I thought there were some academic hurdles with Davis. I don't remember us just passing on him.
October 17th, 2017 at 1:22 PM ^
I hope michigan can one day have a bryce love
October 17th, 2017 at 1:34 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 8:23 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 1:36 PM ^
Michigan didn't pass on Terrance Davis. They got straight-up beaten for him (because he didn't want to go too far from home and his single mom - DeMatha is almost adjacent to Maryland's campus).
October 17th, 2017 at 1:37 PM ^
This is equivalent to burning PSU for the actions of Philadelphia's mayor.Have I missed something the past few years or is this a reference to Mayor Wilson Goode and the MOVE movement from 1985?
October 17th, 2017 at 1:48 PM ^
think it is just more of a reference to "what the hell does Michigan's football team have to do with the drinking water in Flint, MI?"
October 17th, 2017 at 2:15 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 2:41 PM ^
Yeah, I caught that reference, too, and thought it to be rather archaic. Kinda surprised to see it used by a guy (probably) not old enough to remember speaking to a (mostly) younger crowd. But I liked it, thought it fit the moment...
October 17th, 2017 at 3:26 PM ^
Didn't that end with several children burning to death and several unarmed people being shot after they dropped a bomb on a US city?
October 17th, 2017 at 7:11 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 1:49 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 1:57 PM ^
I think the strangest thing about the sign is the decision to add the "or equal to" bar to the ">".
I mean, who decided on that? Did they discuss it? Were some Penn State students in favor of the "or equal to" bar and some opposed? How did the "or equal to" side win the argument?
So many questions.
October 17th, 2017 at 2:10 PM ^
Lol. This struck me as well.
October 17th, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^
why they are at Penn State and not Michigan? These conundrums do not raise questions at State College.
October 17th, 2017 at 2:00 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^
Don't get it. Because she thinks Tebow was better which is obviously a personality thing?
October 17th, 2017 at 3:15 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 8:47 PM ^
Tim Tebow won a Heisman and two national championships on her husband's UF teams. And he caught a lot of flack for kneeling.
October 17th, 2017 at 11:17 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 2:00 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 2:23 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 2:55 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^
and decide to bite, please please please do so from this particular username and avatar. I'm not advocating a political or racial discussion whatsoever. But... if you're going to go down that route, might as well go down it as a caricature wearing two large holsters, a giant handlebar mustache, and an enormous sombrero. What could possible go wrong?
October 18th, 2017 at 9:38 AM ^
Thanks
October 18th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^
But her personal connection to Tebow, and Tebow being labeled a locker room distraction by the media/most NFL teams make it seem like she is more dense than racist. Her spelling errors back that claim as well.
I think the racist outcry is a bit much imo. Not by this site or Brian, but it blew up on PC Police Twitter. Seems like a "I want to be offended at something" reaction when it is easy to see what this is. An illiterate making a comment about something s/he doesn't understand.
October 17th, 2017 at 3:56 PM ^
I won't get into the politics of it, but I think there's a certain level of disconnect or lack of empathy for the struggles others are going through. She's very "it's so SAD that Hernandez killed those people, but he made choices" even when all we've heard is that he had a very rough upbringing and clearly suffered from some cognitive issues. Doesn't necessarily excuse what he did, but it's not as cut-and-dry as "why are you running if you didn't do anything wrong" style she employed.
And while I don't expect Nancy Meyer to make a reasoned argument for Tebow over Kaepernick in a tweet, it also doesn't seem like she's basing her preference for Tebow based on his abilities on the football field, because at least in the NFL it's no contest who's better.
These types of tweet are a rorschach test for people; you can see what you want in them. I think Meyer was stating an honest opinion that she prefers Tebow over Kaep for any number of reasons, and that's her choice. Do I agree with most of them, and find someone who professes to follow a Christian doctrine that's all about acceptance, forgiveness, and caring for the plight of others who may be battling injustice seemingly turning her back on them rather callously hypcritical? Sure. But others don't, and that's fine. I think that's why Brian is pointing out.
October 17th, 2017 at 7:33 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 2:00 PM ^
Getting this offended over a rather innocuous joke is not a good look, Brian. Tone it down.
October 17th, 2017 at 2:02 PM ^
Neutral court would be zero becase there is no home and away team. Literally. Looking at that graph without being able to understand the scale of the axis is a little misleading. If you're smart enough to understand the axis, not an issue. Unfortunately there are many many people out there who are incredibly ignorant and would not understand the graph appropriately.
October 17th, 2017 at 2:23 PM ^
not sports related, but from the Etc. section. M releases some Schlissel emails after the FOIA lawsuit settled. El Presidente, with a single word ("Ironic"), drops a megabomb on the entire Trump phenomenon. Effective use of language, that. I'm ded.
"also some complaints from our minority of Trump supporters who now feel marginalzed and ostracized in our campus milieu and post-election activity. Ironic."
Excuse me while I try to pick myself back up off the floor from that annihiliation.
http://www.mackinac.org/archives/2017/Seven-Additional-Emails-FromUofM…
October 17th, 2017 at 2:13 PM ^
Barstool didn't create that sign. They reported on it - no different than a Michigan fan posting a picture taken of that sign while in State College. There is plenty about Barstool to be critical of, but to pick this situation is strange.
October 17th, 2017 at 4:00 PM ^
Counterpoint - it's their "official" Barstool twitter feed with PSU. They posted the picture directly on their feed; it didn't originate somewhere else and then they retweeted it or something. So they basically created the story. Otherwise, again, it's a shitty sign hanging from a frat house. It's ultimately not that relevant either way, but if someone is going to post a dumb sign that doesn't make a lot of sense, it's weird people are attacking an equally-banal response to it.
October 17th, 2017 at 5:39 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 2:15 PM ^
And all you college football homers saying “we love college football because underdogs pull off massive upsets, therefore Michigan could” is stupid. That’s football in general!
NO ONE gave my NY Giants a chance against Denver on Sunday being that they 0-5. Giants went into Denver and whooped Bronco ass! Go Giants!
And GO BLUE!
October 17th, 2017 at 2:36 PM ^
We're not playing Alabama. We have the best defense in the country. If our O-line repeats their Indiana performance and we cut out the penalties, this game is winnable.
October 17th, 2017 at 2:42 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 5:31 PM ^
October 18th, 2017 at 7:05 AM ^
October 18th, 2017 at 1:46 PM ^
And because many, many teams make the playoffs in the NFL, which lessens the impact of any one upset.
But the Browns or Niners do not regularly go on the road and defeat division leaders, as happens nearly weekly in college, so there's that...
October 17th, 2017 at 2:20 PM ^
October 17th, 2017 at 2:31 PM ^
is terrific. Imagine the feelings of this kid telling his famous football father and coach that he is gay. I mean if you listen to the Harbaughs' podcast you understand how sports is only a pasttime and being a successful athlete is not a privilege, it's a responsibility.
And that character trait is one reason why I am such a strong believer in the Michigan ethos of doing things the right way and being a good citizen on and off the field. Every team needs great athletes. But every team succeeds regardless of record when it learns the lessons of teamwork, responsibility and good citizenship and applies those lessons in their life both on and off the field.
After all, that is what the Harbaughs have spent their careers doing, builiding teams, relationships and character of the boys and men they have coached. Their success is not really about the great players and teams they developed, it's about the players they helped raise from boys to men.
And so, it's not really surprising to see how Coach Harbaugh as a dad would respond to his son in this circumstance. I would expect him to offer something uplifting when his son broke the news, not because who he is as a coach, but because who he is as an everyday dad.
That's what you do. Every mom and dad is a coach and mentor. And they are role models for life, not just for teams with term limits who produce storytelling memories. We've come a long way, baby. And we still have miles and miles to go befpre we're done as players, coaches, guardians, parents and citizens.
October 17th, 2017 at 2:55 PM ^
I'll agree with this. But I'll also add something that some people may take offense to - Harbaugh probably already suspected strongly enough that there was no surprise in the announcement. I mean, nothing was sprung out of the blue - he probably never had a girlfriend, was interested in fashion (moreso than most boys), appears somewhat effiminant, probably hung out with kids just like himself...
None of that is an indictment, either alone or together. But over years, it becomes a preponderence of evidence. You suspect, and eventually come to believe. And when its finally announced, there is little surprise - only support because you've already knew that you've known. Besides, any father that would disown a child for something so irrelevent in the big picture, is no father.
EDIT: Well, crap! Meant this as a reply to Charblue...
October 18th, 2017 at 1:40 AM ^
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