That is the best we can do coming off a bye week?

Submitted by ontarioblue on

What the hell was that?  Two weeks to prepare for Penn State, a walk on quarter back, an injury riddled defense and we come up with that?  The entire coaching staff is to blame for this debacle.  GERG ever here of blitzing?  How can you not challenge a walk on?  Thomas Gordon was the only player that even got close.  I like many other alumni and season ticket holders demand better than this.  This was one of the worst efforts I have seen in years.  We deserve much , much better.

plaidflannel

October 31st, 2010 at 3:51 PM ^

Are we all mad about last night? Yes. Do we all want the team to do better? Absolutely. Should some changes be made on the coaching staff? Probably.

Do we deserve any better than this? No. Michigan fans need to look into the philosophy of desert before we start commanding better football. Ask for accountability but don't ask for it because you deserve better. Go bust your ass on the practice field if you think you deserve better.

Sometimes my fellow "Michigan Men" sicken me.

Laveranues

October 31st, 2010 at 3:56 PM ^

what the hell.  My particular favorite coaching decisions were the 3 or 4 3rd down plays where they needed about 4 yards and our DBs were playing off between 7 and 12 yards.  They could run a slant whichever way they wanted, or have the guy being covered by the safety run a 7 yard stop.

I understand not wanting to give up the big play, but giving up TDs on 10 play, 8 minute scoring drives is no better.  You might as well sell-out and try to stop them on 3rd down.  If they make a big play, at least we get to watch Denard instead of our "defense."  

profitgoblue

October 31st, 2010 at 9:17 PM ^

I actually gave up in the 2nd half and just assumed that PSU was going to score every offensive series.  WIth that in mind, I fast-forwarded through every play the defense was on the field and skipped right to watching Denard.  That was the only way I was going to avoid poking hot needles in my eyes.  And guess what?  It actually worked!  For all of you watching games at home, give it a try.  Just skip all defensive series and your viewing pleasure will increase from a 0 to around a 3.5.  Go Denard!

(Of course, this is just the "Serenity Now" method of watching the game because I'm going to read the defense UFR on Thursday and it will be "Insanity Later".)

STW P. Brabbs

November 1st, 2010 at 2:36 PM ^

I came up with a new strategy:  instead of looking at the actual score of the game, just watch Denard.  Whenever he get's over 350 yards of offense, that's a win!  This way, every quick score the defense gives up is just an opportunity for moar stats. 

Denard got a big win Saturday, despite some pretty egregious drops from his receivers.  Good game. 

His Dudeness

October 31st, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^

This point actually didn't occur to me until earlier today. It really does add quite a bit to my disappointment with the play on Saturday. With two weeks to prep and heal we were flat out embarrassed out there last night. Wow.

JamesBondHerpesMeds

October 31st, 2010 at 4:16 PM ^

where I question the hair color of Greg Robinson. 

I once considered GERG's silver fox-like hair to be an indication of wisdom and sexy maturity.  Women wanted him, and men want to be him.

Now, I think it may be an indicator of dementia, a la former H. Ross Perot running mate Admiral Stockdale: 

Bill in Birmingham

October 31st, 2010 at 4:37 PM ^

Am I dissapointed? Hell yes. But deserve better? What the hell do we who drink our beer and sit in the stands or in front of the television do to deserve anything? If you want to complain about a pathetic performance, I get it. But you don't deserve squat.

MinorRage

October 31st, 2010 at 5:07 PM ^

understand the fact that our secondary is extremely young and overall we have very little depth. However over the last couple years there have been instances where teams continue to exploit us on the same play and there is just no adjustment. Thats where I've had an issue with the D. I think Coach Tall has done a tremendous job with the d-lineman. He's def had more guys fully standout and reach a ton of potential (ala BG or MM). I'd be interested to see what he could do taking over the reigns.

blueheron

October 31st, 2010 at 4:58 PM ^

"I like many other alumni and season ticket holders demand better than this."

What do you suggest?  Be specific, please.

"We deserve much , much better."

Why?

BlueFish

October 31st, 2010 at 5:15 PM ^

I was at a U-M hockey game in the early 90s, when the team gave such a listless effort that Red actually pulled the goalie, down several goals already, with something like six minutes left. Interestingly, the team gave up no more goals.

Obviously, that's not the same as going without a coach, but a similar radical idea!

skunk bear

October 31st, 2010 at 5:37 PM ^

We have the potential to be so much better. The UofM is a special place. We have the facilities, the tradition. We have proven we can do much better by actually doing much better.

"Deserving" here doesn't mean the same as deserving a pay raise for good work. It means that the football team is underperforming historical standards for no reason that can't be considered the responsibility of those intrusted with running it.

We care about the team and don't want to see it mismanaged.

Musket Rebellion

October 31st, 2010 at 7:01 PM ^

Tradition doesn't win football games. Baylor is first place in the Big 12 South. Texas has one thousand times the talent on defense that we do but got beat by Iowa State. Nebraska went through a stretch of 5 down years after being the most dominant program of the 90's. Facilities help but as a fan base we are standing around going "WE USED TO BE BETTER THEREFORE WE SHOULD BE NOW!" and that isn't rational at all. The OP definitely meant "deserving" how every other poster on this thread has taken it. We, as fans, deserve nothing. We pay for a seat inside of a stadium to watch a football game and that is exactly what we are getting. How good or bad the team is has nothing to do with what we are paying for. Saying we deserve better is irrational, bitter and butt-hurt.

skunk bear

October 31st, 2010 at 7:23 PM ^

If this team continues to play as it has been playing, the days of 110,000 fans in the "Big House" will be over soon. Whether anybody  "deserves" better, or not. What has made Michigan football what it is or at least what it was, will fade away.

When Minnesota won the 1960 national championship, it was their sixth. They had arguably been the team of a decade, too (the 1930's). Where are they now? What have they done for the last 50 years?

We may not "deserve" anything, but if all you care about is paying for a seat to watch Michigan play a football game where it doesn't matter if we win or lose, then soon you'll have plenty of room to strech out. And when Michigan becomes Minnesota you'll be able to tell your grandkids that you remember when Michigan was good in football.

Musket Rebellion

November 1st, 2010 at 10:01 PM ^

I didn't say it doesn't matter whether we win or lose. I said that all we are paying for is a seat in the stadium. We aren't paying for a dominant product, we are paying for the joy of watching Michigan play football. Assuming that we won't be able to pack Michigan Stadium "soon" (which I will assume means, the next two years) is an absurdity. You say that we will become Minnesota only to point out yourself that they have been bad for 50 years. 50 =/= 2. If Appalachian State doesn't stop people from coming, then it will take a little bit more than 2 bad years (This year isn't bad yet, we are 5 - 3, sorry if that isn't up to your "standards") to stop people from filling through the gates.

UMMAN83

October 31st, 2010 at 5:07 PM ^

You should earn everything you attain in life responsibly.  That  defense doesn't attempt to earn anything.  Therefore, as is the real world, someone is going to get what they deserve. Go Blue !!!

The Nicker

October 31st, 2010 at 5:08 PM ^

Rather than getting into a debate about what fans do and don't deserve, maybe we should just avoid using that word. Being disappointed or pissed or whatever makes sense, but I don't know about what any fan "deserves."

 

However, I am willing to revisit this question if you are a season ticket holder (or especially a major program contributor/booster). Then you might have an argument based on the money you're spending that you deserve something. I think in that case you'd be better off voicing your displeasure to the Athletic Dept.

ndjames86

October 31st, 2010 at 7:44 PM ^

your team to come out looking a lot sharper after a bye week, but this is still a young team. The offense took some time to get going but put up points that should have been enough to win. Going TO PSU is also a terrible environment to go into .... especially for a night game ... on Halloween. Still not an explanation of what's going on with the defense, but just trying to keep things in perspective from a team standpoint.