Is anyone else not looking forward to next weekends game against Illinois?

Submitted by bouje on
I think that we can definitely win it but what I'm not looking forward to is dealing with the fans, the booing, the "I knew RR would never work here I would have fired that hillbilly after the first year".

Honestly the last few games (MSU/Iowa) haven't even been fun for me because our fans are such pussies. We lose one game and everyone is on the coaches back. It's sickening.

This isn't to say that this team doesn't have problems. Best case scenario is to win 2 more games and WVU fire stew and to hire Casteel. As far as RRs job security I'm waiting until the end of the year to judge him and so should everyone else on this board and if you are going to the game just cheer on the team and use the old adage of "if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all".

Also I'm selling 2 tickets for the Wisconsin game. Best offer wins. Here are the details (and yes I know about the ticket board I'm on my iPhone and I have an interview that weekend so that's why I'm not going to the game)

Section: 41 (NE Corner of the stadium)
Row: 83
Seats: 1&2

Email at [email protected]

maizedandconfused

October 31st, 2010 at 7:33 PM ^

There is and always will be a lack of foresight in the football fan that I always seem to forget. Regardless of result, we still get to watch Michigan play this weekend.  

If we lose by 40 its better than watching baseball and pretending to be excited.

If we lose by 40 its better than waking up, rolling over, checking for a TomVH post about recruiting and being disappointed. 

If we lose by 40, its better than anything the off season brings. 

Sit back, relax and enjoy the game. Yes, I'm weary of losing, but who isn't? Maybe the offense shows up with some consistency and we drop 50 on Illinois. This team is too much of a Jekyll and Hyde act to not be in the least intrigued to how we show up.. Heres hoping we have a resounding stomp of those illini.. (anyone care to explain WTF an Illini is?) 

Steve in PA

October 31st, 2010 at 9:38 PM ^

If we lose by 40 it is NOT better than spending the day shopping with my wife.

If we lose by 40 it is NOT better than being kicked in the balls by Zoltan.

If we lose by 40 it is NOT better than just about anything I can think of when we know that this should not be happening regardless of the excuse du jour because we still f'in lost by 40 and it hurts.  Hurts for the players and hurts for the fans.

One of my favorite Clint Eastwood movies has a line where there is an indian character crying.  He's asked why and he answers, "Because he (Eastwood character) cannot".  We rant because the institution that is Wolverine Football cannot.

jml969

October 31st, 2010 at 6:32 PM ^

to the game next weekend and see improvement. I can imaging that the team is very disappointed in themselves and prepare harder and smarter.  I'm sure they don't want a repeat of last years performance in the last half of the season. 

profitgoblue

October 31st, 2010 at 9:01 PM ^

I'm sad to say that I haven't been back to the Big House since 2006.  My father and I (both alumni) scheduled this trip back for the Illinois game months ago and I've been stoked about it, right up until about 11:30 last night.  Now I'm really bummed.  I love Ann Arbor and Michigan football with everything I've got but for the first time ever, I'm really not looking forward to this weekend.  Its a long trip for us and a lot of work to get there and I'm going to be even more frustrated if we come home with another loss.  My emotions cannot take it.  Please, Angry Michigan Football Hating God, please have mercy on my soul.

mgoblue52

October 31st, 2010 at 6:32 PM ^

I'm still looking forward to the opportunity to watch my team live.  The offseason is excruciatingly long, and seeing football being played every week is a privilege we forget we have...remember summer?

That being said, I think a lot of us were crushed not because we lost, but how we lost this weekend.

Either way, I'll be there cheering in full force.  Defense, please surprise me.

NateVolk

October 31st, 2010 at 6:32 PM ^

Win would be huge. Illinois is the surprise team everyone is talking about.  Great opportunity to turn things positive at a time when it is sorely needed.

Dreisbach1817

October 31st, 2010 at 6:33 PM ^

The way the players respond to Saturday's game will have great significance.  All year the team has said specifically that this is not 2009.  Well, it's time to act.  If we come out flat, then I see big changes on the horizen.  And I don't think many people here would disagree with me. 

profitgoblue

October 31st, 2010 at 8:58 PM ^

That is an interesting point, but probably not in the way you meant it . . . I agree that seeing the defense come out flat (if the defense could get any worse) could spell doom for someone.  But on the offensive side of the ball, there's not much else the offense could have done last night.  They had two very tough games against MSU and Iowa (too many turnovers but still moved the ball against both teams) but they smoked PSU's defense, especially in the second half.  I will be very sorry if the offense comes out flat - to me, it may mean that they've gotten fed up with carrying the load game after game.  There's only so much that Denard and, yes, Rodriguez can do.  I include Rodriguez because he's the mastermind behind the offense.  Maybe his greatest fault is/was relying on the wrong people to run the defense.  But that's not the crux of my post.

switch26

October 31st, 2010 at 6:34 PM ^

Im looking forward to it.  If we can come out and score on our first possession i think we have a chance against ILL, but if we come up and do the same terrible play calling we did to start out PSU game then we are cooked..  That set the tone for the first half of the PSU game.

 

Looking realistically, we shouldn't have a problem beating purdue, but at this point i wouldn't put anything past our team..  The PSU game had the same impact the ILL game did last year, and it wouldn't surprise me if we lose every game the rest of the season.

 

If we make a bowl, i don't think there is any point to firing RR, because our offense can score on anyone, but something is gonna happen with our Defensive coaches im sure.

 

Magnum P.I.

October 31st, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^

It is critical that we score on our first drive. Critical. This is not an offense built to play from behind. It is an offense built to play ahead or even. We basically have to assume that the opponent is going to score a couple touchdowns in the first quarter, so in order for us to do our thing offensively, we need to match that and set the tone.

Which makes the Vince Smith run on third and short on our first drive last night all the more maddening. It kills me when Denard tears himself apart to get eight yards on a keeper and then we can't finish off the first down for him. I don't blame Vince Smith here--I think he's a tough player and good receiver out of the backfield. But good lord we're getting awfully close to the definition of insanity on these third and short runs. Set Denard free from the first drive on!

Tha Stunna

November 1st, 2010 at 12:23 AM ^

The best we can hope from Vincent Smith is that he will be at full strength next year.  The team misses the zippy back who looked good near the end of last year... much better than Shaw did.

The 3rd and 1 playcalling the past two years has been ridiculous, although it's of course treasonous to find flaws with our top ten offense.  Maybe Hopkins and Cox have been fumbling like mad in practice... maybe.

BlueTimesTwo

November 1st, 2010 at 2:00 AM ^

To be fair, there is no offense that is able to come from behind when the defense allows the opposing offense to score on every possession.  With the way that our offense played in the second half, we should have been in a great position to win.   Not only does our defense allow a ton of points, they allow the other team to take 5-6 minutes off of the clock on every possession, giving the offense fewer chances to catch up.  Time of possession doesn't mean dick, except when a team is able to bleed the clock with a big lead.

I am actually in favor of going back to an aggressive high-risk-high-reward defense, even if it means we get burned for some long TDs.  If we get burned for a quick score, at least the offense gets right back out there to wear down the opposing D and to maintain their offensive rhythm.  If the D is going to get smoked anyway, at least leave the offense enough time to respond, like with the ND Rudolph TD.

Plegerize

October 31st, 2010 at 6:35 PM ^

Never have I ever wanted a win more bad than I do now. It is killing me that we are but one win short of being bowl eligible. I want my confidence to be reestablished, but the more I contemplate things, I find I just don't know a damn fucking thing.

dothepose

October 31st, 2010 at 6:40 PM ^

Thanks for calling us all pussies. What are we suppose to do keep silent about the struggles this team has had the last 3 years? Its what makes us fans. Now, I have season tickets and may be giving up the Illinois game only because I may have to work, and I'm usually gonna weasel my out of of work for the games, but this one I won't, mainly cause the work is more important this time, and I am afraid of what I will become if we lose saturday and I'm at the big house.

bouje

October 31st, 2010 at 6:44 PM ^

During the year and every person who said "I would have fired him after the first year" and to everyone who said "I knew that we'd lose to MSU it's just like last year first RR now". You should be shot you're a shitty fan.
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<br>Old yellar style

bouje

October 31st, 2010 at 6:58 PM ^

But when we were 5-1 playing Iowa the shit I heard was intolerable. People leaving at half time. Completely giving up on the team. Saying they'd fire him after the first year.
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<br>It's going to be so much worse this game. All I want to do is go to the game and cheer on this team as loud as I can and provide a good atmosphere for my Illinois friend who is coming to his first Michigan game.
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<br>I'm worried he's going to have a terrible experience and be like "WTF is wrong with your fans".

griesecheeks

October 31st, 2010 at 6:40 PM ^

I do wish Purdue was next week, so we could have a 'reasonably attainable' shot at getting the 6th win out of the way and build back a little confidence.

Illinois, by many accounts is a team on the rise, and I wouldn't be surprised if they continue the trend of 30+ points against our non-offense. Sure, we can and probably should beat Illinois, but I won't be surprised if we don't.

If nothing else, I want to see to our D sell out with pressure on Scheelhaase. I don't care if that means we give up big plays. Surely a time or 2 he'll make a poor throw or we can get a deflection. I'm so sick of our Cover-8/Bend & Eventually Break D at this point.

mejunglechop

October 31st, 2010 at 6:50 PM ^

Come on Bouje. You call our fans pussies, but you're the one who's already given up on us beating Illinois. I know, you said you thought we could definitely win it, but if you're really filled with dread when you think about next Saturday that means you don't believe it. Buck up. Just think how good and drunk you'll feel if we pull the upset.

I agree that we shouldn't pass judgment until the end of the year. Thing have gone horribly awry, but we should give Rodriguez the chance to prove our worst assumptions wrong.  There's nothing wrong with speculating on a message board, though.

bouje

October 31st, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^

I just don't enjoy being around a bunch of fucktard Michigan fans. It was bad enough against Iowa but being around these people who would rather bitch than cheer on the team is.. Exhausting.
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Princetonwolverine

October 31st, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^

I am not, not looking forward to the game next week. I am very excited to watch the team get that 6th win and to watch the amazing Denard continue his record breaking season.

Support the team and yell "Go Blue"... even if it is just at the TV. Honestly, I know the team can hear me from my sofa. All of my neighbors can.

Wendyk5

October 31st, 2010 at 6:57 PM ^

Even with the beating we took yesterday, and the self-protective numbness I now have regarding games, there's still a glimmer of hope - a what if? - that will never go away. Maybe this will be the game that will turn everything around. Maybe we'll pull this one out. When it comes to Michigan football, I'll always have that feeling.  

LSA Superstar

October 31st, 2010 at 6:59 PM ^

Shitty teams beat good teams all the time. It's called college football. We're a very "predictive stats" fanbase. Random things happen sometimes.

We're shitty. Illinois is okay. A win is possible. A win would be cool.

I'll watch. It's almost liberating to have all expectations melt away.

ND Sux

October 31st, 2010 at 9:09 PM ^

That's just a fact.  I paid as much for my ticket as you did, so if I need to bitch once in a while, then I will bitch.  I'm 10X more likely to cheer and make noise for the team, but sometimes I can't contain all my frustration - it's just who I am.  Usually when I'm negative, it's just "HOTTDB" or "catch the damn ball!".  I'm NOT calling for RR's head, and honestly I haven't heard much of that around me.  I suspect after the PSU game, we'll all hear it more often.