Sometimes Things Are Bad, And That's Okay
either it will work or it will not work [Eric Upchurch]
Hey guys! As you may have noticed, the theme of this week on the blog is "nah." When I thought to myself "I should start a Michigan blog" back in 2004 I did not anticipate that about every three years things would descend into a melee of recriminations and stupidity. Insofar as it's possible I am opting out of this edition.
I could point out various reasons that things aren't going well again, but what's the point? I've already said the things, and people willing to listen have already read them. What's the point in arguing with this guy who's all up in my inbox?
Brian, your mattress story ,while creative in another genre, makes michigan football fans look like a bunch of smoked out , entitled, arrogant assholes. How so? It puts an emphasis on quirky,smarter than the rest of football fan bases,and takes away from the team of mostly working class players whom have little in common with you or most of your followers.
Its time to end this little money making with little to no sweat, blood,or tears called mgoblog while profitting off the Michigan athletes and get a real job...oh wait, that is not in your genetic makeup.
There isn't one. Nor is there a point in arguing with people who don't think Brady Hoke and his #37 and #20 2014-15 recruiting classes don't still have an impact on Michigan's performance. While assaulting previous regimes for failures has been somewhere between plausible and a holy quest, to do so after this start from Harbaugh...
In Harbaugh’s first season, Michigan doubled its win total from five to 10 and improved from 48th in S&P+ to fifth. The Wolverines won seven games by at least 21 points and lost to only three opponents (Utah, Michigan State, Ohio State) that combined to go 34-7. Against Utah, they lost because of a pick six. Against Michigan State, well, you remember that one. Not a bad debut.
In 2016, Michigan came within a spot of the Big Ten East title. If officials mark J.T. Barrett’s fourth-down conversion attempt slightly differently, the Wolverines go to the Big Ten title game and likely go to the College Football Playoff. As it stands, they merely backed up the previous season with another 10-3 record, another top-five S&P+ finish, and losses by a combined three points against Ohio State and Florida State teams that won 21 games. All this despite a late-season shoulder injury to quarterback Wilton Speight.
...given Harbaugh's track record is asinine. To do so after Michigan returned the fewest starters of any Power 5 team and lost their top quarterback, left tackle, and wide receiver to injury is brain dead. Yes, I thought things would be going better, but my preseason prediction didn't bake in injuries to Speight and Black; without those the chances that Michigan is headed towards 9-3 at worst are what, 90%? Have we already forgotten what a truly bad team looks like?
I get it if you're a rival and you're getting your yucks in. If you're a Michigan fan and your reaction isn't along the lines of "well, this is very disappointing but lets see what happens next year" I don't want to talk to you. Because what good would it do?
October 24th, 2017 at 6:56 PM ^
BTW the snowflakes thing is such BS. There's only one generation that got a monument with their NAMES on it for losing a war. And got said monument 30 yrs BEFORE the guys who actually won one did.(without their names on it btw, just gold stars).
October 24th, 2017 at 7:43 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 8:53 PM ^
...not for Vietnam. That was designed by the previous, "greatest" generation.
Basically all generational myths are BS.
October 24th, 2017 at 9:00 PM ^
Correction: this generation's generational myths are BS. Back in my day, we had kickass generational myths.
October 24th, 2017 at 5:28 PM ^
What in the world did that Mensa candidate mean by that, exactly?
October 24th, 2017 at 5:28 PM ^
So often when I hear some anonymous critic write in with their bile setting on "High," I remember what I read in Linda Ellerbee's book, "And So It Goes." She told of when Frank Reynolds, the long-time ABC News anchor, would get a particularly hostile piece of mail from an irate viewer. Reynolds would reply:
Dear Viewer:
You may be right.
Sincerely,
Frank Reynolds
And then he'd be on the air the very next night, and the next and the next.
And as a personal PS: I've been a member of this blog for about four years. Never once do I remember anyone forcing me to read it.
October 24th, 2017 at 6:21 PM ^
What's wrong with making a little money?
October 24th, 2017 at 6:40 PM ^
All the people whining at Brian are basically children who get their hopes up when this blog says we have a chance. Then when we lose they blame Brian for disapointing them. Oh well, every program has it's idiot fans.
October 24th, 2017 at 7:18 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 7:39 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 9:09 PM ^
This year it wont hurt that bad. Even with a lot of luck this team did not have the potential to win it all. A loss to OSU this year, even a close one, is just not going to suck as bad as that loss did last year
October 24th, 2017 at 7:59 PM ^
Thank you Brian. Your message needs to be repeated over and over again.
October 24th, 2017 at 8:03 PM ^
I am especially annoyed by those who say "other teams start freshmen and thrive!!"
Ok. How many freshmen? At which positions? Starting a stud frosh at one position, surrounded by upperclassmen, is not the same thing as having to start young ones at nearly all the WR positions, for example. It all depends on the details of a given case.
"But Bama and OSU just reload!!"
And so will we. But it takes years to build up reloading depth. We are not there yet but under JH we will be
October 24th, 2017 at 8:04 PM ^
I have a sneaking suspicion that what has the critics so heated is how the MSU game in '15 and OSU last year concluded. Had we won those games, I don't think people would feel so low about the program or Harbaugh. Heck, I might even say the complexion of how people are feeling would be different having just won at OSU last year. It's the reality we can't beat Urbs and can barely beat D'Antonio that sticks. If we won those two games, we'd cast off easily last week against PSU and even this year's MSU game with, "hey-- it's a rebuilding year. No worries." I just think the outcome of those two games alone change diamterically how we feel about where we are 2.5 years in the Harbaugh era.
October 24th, 2017 at 8:20 PM ^
Thank you, Brian.
October 24th, 2017 at 8:40 PM ^
We are bad at offensive line. We have had many bad offensive line recruiting classes. We need to focus there until we MAKE THE OFFENSIVE LINE GREAT AGAIN.
October 24th, 2017 at 8:50 PM ^
I get why people are frustrated--it's been 13 years since we were consistently good, year after year. But after a decade plus of chaos, it pays to be patient. Things will get better.
...and if this is the low point, then that's not a terrible situation to be in. We are 5-2 and likely headed for 8-4. Think about the seasons MSU or ND had last year, or the season FSU is having this year.
Or if you want to talk about down year 3s, then look at Saban at LSU (8-5), Dabo Swinney (6-7) or even Urban Meyer at Florida (9-4). We can add Dantonio (6-7) to that list, since he also came in to fix a dysfunctional culture after 2 bad coaches and then had unprecedented success.
And here's what those coaches did in the subsequent 2 years:
Saban: 13-1*, 9-3
Swinney: 10-4, 11-2
Meyer: 13-1*, 13-1
Dantonio: 11-2, 11-3
*Won National Championship
October 24th, 2017 at 9:53 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 10:20 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 10:48 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 11:11 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 11:18 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 11:20 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 12:22 AM ^
'80 Big Ten and RB champs --> followed an 8-4 (Bo's worst record at the time '79 team)
'85 #2 ranked team --> followed Bo's worst 6-6 team
'88 Big Ten and RB champs --> followed the D. Brown 7 INT debacle at MSU, losses at home to ND and OSU
'97 National Champs - followed 4 consecutive 4 loss seasons
'03 Big Champs - followed the underwhelming years of Navarre - but JN had great game vs OSU
'11 Sugar Bowl champs - Denard and great win vs. OSU
'15 10-3 Team - signs we had stopped the bleeding
October 25th, 2017 at 2:02 AM ^
We still have no quarterback next year.
Nor are we developing one.
October 25th, 2017 at 9:38 AM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
Nor are we developing [a QB].What planet do you live on?
October 25th, 2017 at 3:22 AM ^
Even with a healthy Wilton, our WR were just too young to replace the talent that graduated. Most of knew the talent and depth bubble would hit us hard this year from Hoke's last 2 seasons. The only bright spot was the D playing better than I thought. I figured we lose to PSU, WI and OSU and knew one team that we should beat would beat us. I thought may be IU or Maryland but never thought it would be MSU. I think we have a good chance winning 8 games but there is a chance that Maryland could trip us up on the road. Not too bad for losing your starting QB and having such a young team.
October 25th, 2017 at 3:27 AM ^
This may be viewed badly by some as I've heard from some Michigan alumn that I've met throughout my life that I'm not allowed to be a fan since I never went to school there. Grew up in the early 80's in South Dakota and was lucky to get one channel, which luckily on Saturdays showed the Big Ten game of the week which usually involved Michigan. Became a fan. Fell in love with them. I make yearly trips to the Big House with my wife and kids (Michigan fans because they have to be) and now live in Minnesota and have to put up with very annoying Gopher fans. I was at the Halloween game at TCF, I was at the 24 point come back game at the Dome. I'm so glad I don't live within ear shot of Michigan sports talk. This blog is a godsend. You guys make me laugh at the great posts and comments. My two cents is that it will get better. We are better off with Harbaugh and if he gets "run out of town" it'll be the biggest mistake made. I can't believe how quickly people forget losing records, missing bowl games and losing some embarrassing games and wininng some really ugly ones under Hoke and RR. I acutally think Hoke and Michigan should swallow some pride and bring him in in some capacity. Great recruiter and he loves that team and school. Each year is different, some for the worse some for the better. It's sports, they're kids. We all want them to dominate and when they don't it's a punch to the gut. I for one will never stray from this team, I will never bad talk this team or coach. We will win and we will win a lot. The rewards for all the painful games, the almosts and the could've, would've, shoud've are coming. Have faith.
October 25th, 2017 at 7:37 AM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 10:36 AM ^
Of all my alumni friends, I don't know a single one who has the elitist attitude about non-alumni fans you describe. It always comes from MSU fans and some ND fans (none of whom went to ND either, which is fine with me). Keep rooting for Meeeeeshigan. Your loyalty will be rewarded soon, and tenfold!
October 25th, 2017 at 5:41 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 9:44 AM ^
3rd year National Champion, 3rd and 4th year Big 10 Title, Beat ohio in years 1,2 and 3......please bring him BACK!!
October 25th, 2017 at 12:05 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^
Michigan is struggling in a year in which we should have expected them to, especially given the injuries incurred
The mattress collumn was annoying, stupid, self-indulgent, smug, and arrogant.
Harbaugh is, and will be for the forseeable future, the perfect person to lead this program.
It sucks when Michigan is just not good enough. We all hate it. But it will change, and soon. Winter is coming for Mike Dantoni.
October 25th, 2017 at 4:14 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 5:17 PM ^
Can't I be hopeful for next season and not be calling for Harbaugh to be fired (like an idiot) AND be disappointed and angry at what this program has done so far? 10 wins in the first two seasons isn't nothing but last year they underachieved. That team should have won the Big Ten, should have beat Ohio State, and should have made the CFP. They didn't. Some of it was bad luck, some of it was bad refs, some of it was injury but at the end of the day they didn't get it done. Doesn't mean Harbaugh should be fired or that you should even blame him necessarily. It does mean that I can be a little angry about it.
As for this year. "Have we already forgotten what a truly bad team looks like?" Hoke and RR teams often didn't look too different than this. This is a truly bad offense. This is a very good but probably not quite great defense. Hoke had similar at times. RR had the reverse. Most of this is on the O-Line which is mostly not Harbaugh's fault. A lot of this is on the QB which is Harbaugh's fault... or at least is the very last problem any of us thought he would have in year 3. Before this season the narrative was "there is no way that with this many prospects (Rudock, OKorn, Speight, Malzone, Gentry, Peters, McCaffrey, Morris (ok maybe not Morris)) Harbaugh doesn't have a good QB in year 2-3". And the Speight injury is really the excuse we are going with? He wasn't good this year. He was good at times last year but were any of those times against good teams? The belief that we'd be that much better (90% "headed towards 9-3 at worst"??) is almost as asinine as calling for Harbaugh to be fired. Maybe he gets better and returns to good Speight of last year... or maybe John OKorn never comes in and plays "can't tackle me i'm the.. Oh Hey Zach Gentry!" and we lose against Purdue.
I think Harbaugh will turn this team around and we will start competing for the Big Ten every year. People calling for him to be fired are idiots. People asking him to do more to be worthy of the hype are reasonable. What's the time table for this expectation? In my opinion: Win 9-10 games every year and you should stay. Dip to a 6-7 win season with a losing record to rivals and no trips to Indy? At $9 million a year maybe consider other options. (I'm not expecting him to dip to 6-7 wins FWIW)
October 25th, 2017 at 5:41 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 9:33 PM ^
October 28th, 2017 at 3:52 AM ^
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