The Fair Weather Roller Coaster
Here are a few of my favorite sentiments to come from the fair weather fans on this board.
10. (Ater MSU, Iowa, PSU) What is the deal with the play calling? This is a disgrace.
9. (After Delaware State)This offense is going to dominate the Big Ten for years to come.
8. (After ND) Tate could be the first heisman freshman.
7. (After PSU) Tate looks really bad. We need more Denard.
6. (After ND) 10 wins is well within the realm of possibility.
5. (After PSU) We will be lucky to get 7 wins, need a split between Illinois and Purdue.
4. (After MSU) Although we lost, tate clearly wants the ball in his hands at the end of a game and almost led us back again.
3. (After PSU) What happened to Tate? He stinks in cold weather.
2. (After EMU) RR clearly has this program on track and has this program where he wants it.
1. (After PSU) RR is in over his head and this team is regressing.
Analysis: Alot of Michigan fans are extremely fair weather and live week-to-week. Living in "the vacuum of the now" with no long-term perspective. Greedy, want it all and want it now. It doesn't work that way.
Today sucked but that is what it feels like to be rebuilding. We are still 5-3. If we go 1-3 over the next 4 weeks then you can call me out for this post but 2-2 or better and we are who we thought we were (to quote Dennis Green).
I know it is frsustrating to see enough talent on the field to win every game, but what we lack is experience and that matters BIG TIME in college football. Notice BG, DW, BM, and CB play well in big games due to their experience. Now others with experience but lack of talent (see 2009 linebackers) ride the coaster.
So, basically the formula is: talent + experience = on-field success.
Most of our players have only one of these which leads to huge successes and huge failures. Learn to deal with the coaster and it will make you enjoy 13-0 in 2012 all the more.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:31 PM ^
Cosigned
October 24th, 2009 at 9:46 PM ^
I'm not trying to attack you, but just want to offer another opinion. First, this is still all new to us, and with that comes concern. The spread, the coaches, some people are unsure whether it will work until they see it happen. We know he had great success everywhere he went, but for a lot of people, they will believe when they see it. I think in two years we will all be praising RR, but for some, the past few weeks are disheartening. Second, we are supposed to be Michigan. Michigan has always been dominant, powerful, and able to impose their will. We aren't able to be those right now, and we aren't able to do that to some northeast school from Pennsylvania we have dominated for years. I think people can be frustrated because while we are moving in the right direction, Michigan is supposed to be the best, and until that point, even some diehard fans will complain.
There is no doubt with any team, there will be fair weather fans that come out for the good times. It happens with everyone, but people have every right to be frustrated at where Michigan has gotten, and how we played today.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:55 PM ^
That said, beer heals all wounds, and I can be the case and point. Go blue. Let's bury Illinois.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:29 PM ^
well, i am not sure whee to begin, but I will say first that Michigan has not always won and has not always had sellouts. That, however, is not why I am writing this. I am simply tired of the attacks on RR. When he first got this position, I looked upon him as a rather unpolished individual without the saving grace or rough charm of a Bo. I had grave reservations about him. I no longer do. When he says he loves his players, I believe him. I am seeing him in a different light. I first thought he was a huckster, but no more. He appears genuine and approachable and will survive this year and the team will improve. Integrity is very important to me. I feel he has it. I will never forget Bo firing a basketball coach because he was not a Michigan Man. Actually, the guy had gone to UM (I think grad school), but he did not have a love for the place. I think RR does. I hope he comes through all this. Moving from WV to AA is a cultural shock to the system. Imagine reversing it and you were sent to WV from AA. I think RR wants to be a Michigan Man very badly. I hope that moment will arrive. It does not have to be accompanied by a given number of wins, just integrity and a love for the Maize and Blue. I did not go to Michigan, but was wise enough to send both of my children there.
Go Blue
October 24th, 2009 at 9:40 PM ^
Don't Roller Coasters go up, too? I'm sure all the people accusing others of being fair weather and not all in are the same ones who spent the previous 13 years trashing the coaches. But their fandom was rock solid. Because Lloyd sucked and Rich RAWKS.
Let's stop with the fair weather nonsense. We had two weeks to prepare for PSU, and had our pants pulled down. This wasn't progress, or a hearty "good try". This was a mess. It may have no or little effect on the long term state of the program, but people have reason to be pissed.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:41 PM ^
Thank you for proving my point.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:41 PM ^
I fully agree, though I do think people can question the play calling a bit. I know I'm not a football coach and blah blah blah, but I've watched and played enough football to know that when your OL cannot block much and your receivers cannot get open downfield, throw some shorter stuff and try to get some rhythm going. Today, it felt like the offense was looking downfield instead of trying to go a bit shorter and at least nab a few yards. That said, your sentiments are well-received.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:41 PM ^
There were receivers open downfield many, many times today.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:42 PM ^
It's really comical reading some of the posts on here weekly. We all can just give it a little time, see how the team progresses, and not want to blow up a program every week.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:46 PM ^
Well said. I bet most people who give their kneejerk reactions change their tunes with a couple days to think about it. We ARE on the right track even though today sucked. Whatever. We move on.
October 24th, 2009 at 9:57 PM ^
All genuine change is slow and incremental, often ambiguous, and prone to false starts and setbacks. Changing the entire culture and philosophy of a football team takes time.
The people who are clamoring for the firing of Rich Rod and the hiring of YET ANOTHER defensive coordinator in place of GERG are too myopic and impatient to realize that the last of Carr's recruits haven't even left yet, and Rich Rod hasn't fully optimized this team with the players HE wants. Rich Rod's spread is brand new to the Big Ten, and it needs time to work.
Consistency wins championships. It's a cliched truism, but there's a reason why it is. The teams who bring in competent coaches and coordinators and have faith in them win titles. Ever notice why the teams with the lowest staff turnover do so wonderfully? There's a reason for that.
As long as we can bump up our defensive recruiting a bit, there's nothing major impeding the future of this team. As we start to win, we'll start to get better recruits, and we'll be in that positive feedback loop again.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:16 PM ^
"The people who are clamoring for the firing of Rich Rod and the hiring of YET ANOTHER defensive coordinator in place of GERG are too myopic and impatient to realize that the last of Carr's recruits haven't even left yet, and Rich Rod hasn't fully optimized this team with the players HE wants."
That's kind of looking at two different things. Offensively, yes, you are 100% right. And defensively, I do understand that it takes time for a DC to implement his schemes and get players that commit to their philosophy/have the appropriate skill level...but I'm just not sure that even if we did have Greg for 4 years, he would lead us to a Big Ten title.
I have no idea when we get to look at Robinson's career at Michigan and say, alright, this is enough. But I'm also not really sure if we're ever going to be able to look back and think this was a good decision. Trying to gloss over the past as if we were happy with his hire is revisionist history at best.
October 25th, 2009 at 1:02 PM ^
You are aware that Robinson was the DC for the Super Bowl-winning Denver Broncos, right? The guy may have been a crappy head coach but he knows his stuff on the defensive side of the ball.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:13 PM ^
the last of Carr's recruits haven't even left yet, and Rich Rod hasn't fully optimized this team with the players HE wants.To clarify, does this mean you think the defense will be better without Carr recruits Warren and Graham? It sounds like you think Rich doesn't want them on the team. The fully optimized offense isn't here yet, you say. Will I have to hide my eyes until the 2010 class are all seniors to get some semblance of ball security?
October 24th, 2009 at 10:05 PM ^
I'm sick and tired of hearing the expression "fair weather fan" every time that somebody criticizes the team or Rodriguez or makes a pessimistic prediction. Someone who questions the coaching is not a fair weather fan. A fair weather fan is somebody who is only a fan of the team when they win and then abandons them when they lose. The majority of the people on this board are die hard fans win or lose, and this includes the people who question Rodriguez the loudest and who predict us to lose to Ohio State (or any other team that is obviously better than us).
October 24th, 2009 at 10:07 PM ^
...until it is mathematically impossible. Two "TCB" games and one "upset" will get them to eight, with a winnable bowl game, especially if the SEC gets two teams in the BCS bowls.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:22 PM ^
As others have noted, you don't have to be a fair weather fan to feel that this game caught you by surprise and lowered your expectations.
If you are worried that the team doesn't have the talent to compete with the top tier of the league and are worried it won't be there next year that doesn't make you a fair weather fan.
Yes the emotions go up and down but if this game doesn't make you at least worry about a late season slump you are a bigger man than me.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:37 PM ^
From http://mgoblog.com/diaries/defensive-analysis-nd Defensive Analysis: ND
"I think this year's team is eerily similar to last season's hoop squad, and that is normal. Early season euphoria over Duke followed by mid-season growing pains. This is to be expected. Expect us to lose to someone not named EMU/Indiana/Delaware State, but don't be surprised when we take out the Buckeyes in November. Enjoy the roller coaster of frustrating-as-hell losses and better-than-drugs-or-sex wins in 2009, enjoy the Outback/Alamo Bowl, and then bask in the glow of BCS births in 2010 and beyond."
October 24th, 2009 at 10:39 PM ^
to the football gods ears
October 24th, 2009 at 10:42 PM ^
Fingers crossed you're right. Because I'll take it.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:46 PM ^
and his ability to turn this around. We do need to start winning some games in the conference though.
As for the experience factor- I agree even though DW appeared that he didn't have it today. He was beat in the first half regularly luckily there were some bad throws. I will hold judgement on his play after he got shoved in the back directly into Junior on the punt return with no penalty. I do give him credit for getting back out there after that.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:09 PM ^
This thread is pointless.
October 24th, 2009 at 11:20 PM ^
I am concerned that the 'shred' offense is 'shedding' the ball to its opponents during big games with inclement weather.
Notre Dame '08
MSU '09
We Hate Penn State '09
We couldn't even confidently throw a screen pass today with consistent execution. Precision is much more important in this type of technical offense than traditional offenses. Perhaps the 3~4 games of cold-wet Michigan fall weather are not suited for this type of pass-offense? Should we be hoping that Denard wins the QB battle next year and becomes Pat White of the North such that we can have a more run-oriented offense?
October 25th, 2009 at 9:40 AM ^
when they went to the Rose Bowl two years ago. Penn State runs a variation of it and it seems to work for them. WVU isn't exactly in the sunbelt. We're still really young and both QBs are from warm weather climates give it time. What would you rather have the 28 we put up on Iowa in the cold or the 13 Sparty put up against them with a supposed conventional offense!