Gorgeous Borges Appreciation Thread
November 17th, 2012 at 5:19 PM ^
Despite the announcers' confusion, that play was "just" a double reverse. Smith takes the pitch on a sweep, pitches to Gallon on the reverse, and Gallon pitches to Denard for the double reverse.
November 17th, 2012 at 8:21 PM ^
November 17th, 2012 at 4:51 PM ^
I would have preferred a Greg Mattison appreciation thread. Way to go defense.
If UM beats OSU next week, then I'll give Borges props. If not, I'll continue to think Borges is an average to poor OC. Not at least trying to run Denard more vs Bama, continuing to call pass plays for Denard vs. ND even after he had thrown multiple INT's (and was clearly rattled), and not having Gardner ready for NEB after Denard went down have defined this season moreso than all of our wins against mediocre opponents. Come to think of it, other than our luck-out win vs. NW last week, do we have one single solid win vs. a quality opponent this year? (e.g. "quality" = win vs. NEB in 2011).
Next week's game vs. OSU is huge. Can Hoke beat Urban Meyer's 11-0 Buckeye's in Meyer's 1st year? If not, I'm sad to think UM fans will still be content with this year's team, despite the regression in record. That's the UM fan mentality after all. 9-3, 8-4, it's all good. Sure is better than the 3-9 we had to endure several years ago when the program was attempting to break out of its regional power status. That's what UM assured itself with Hoke at the helm, and that's what puts 113K UM fans in the seats on Saturday. Always being on the cusp of eliteness but never reaching it is a great way to make every game a must-see.
Brandon owns you. Neg away.
November 17th, 2012 at 5:48 PM ^
Negs from regular Mgoblog posters like you are a badge of honor. The only greater honor is to get banhammered without attacking an individual poster, rather receiving a one-way trip to bolvia for "being a troll" and offering criticism of the current regime. Group think runs rampant around these parts. With +34,000 points, congrats, you win the mgoblog commenting community! What do you do outside of commenting on this blog, by the way?
November 17th, 2012 at 5:57 PM ^
November 17th, 2012 at 6:06 PM ^
Hey, guess what? You're wrong on all accounts! I'm just a lurker who got annoyed enough by the group think mentality of this board, and the rejection of any and all dissenting opinions by "points leaders" like you, and created an account to express my opinion.
But nice try in labeling me. I'm not butthurt either. And I really wasn't being a dick in my original post, unless the "Brandon owns you" statement spoke to you personally. It must have eh?
November 17th, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^
November 17th, 2012 at 7:30 PM ^
Or... how about option D? That is, the option that doesn't fit with your labeling system again. Why do I read? I read Mgoblog because Brian is an outstanding writer and extremely insightful. And funny to boot. I continue to read the commenting section because I'm fascinated by the continual repression of dissenting viewpoints by jerks like you.
I'm also fascinated by how someone has enough time on their hands to amass 35,000 mgoblog points. I do rather enjoy when someone expresses a viewpoint that is contradictory to the incessent dick slurping that goes on here and promptly gets banned by all the Internet tough guys who, for some reason, seem to take it personally -- like it's an invasion of their sacred space. Yes, I'll admit it. What goes on within the comment section sometimes fascinates me and often annoys me.
I'll be honest too. I don't enjoy your posts. I don't agree with your POV. I probably wouldn't like you in real life either. Doesn't mean I can't experience some kind of addictive fascination with how stupid someone like you can come across. I mean, how does one have the hours in the day to accumulate 35K mgoblog points? When do they work, study or do anything else but click "refresh"? (you still haven't answered that question btw) What satisfaction do they get from running off other posters who they don't agree with? What goes on inside their heads?
Yes, I'll admit, it is the regular whacking down of dissenting opinion that fascinates and frustrates me, and has made me part of the "read-only" crowd up to this point. And the reason I replied to your attack of my original post is because I believe there are something like 5-10% of the readers of this blog who don't post, or never have posted... probably would like to, but don't because they know they'll be banned in a matter of minutes (so what's the point?)... and rather enjoy when someone expresses an alternative opinion they can relate to. It feels good to know you're not alone.
To any of those people who might be reading, I just want to say, "Yeah, you're right. M-Wolverine is annoying. And yes, mods like "bdsie" got a thrill out of exercising their blog-given powers and banning people. And there are people who think Borges has screwed up big time at key points in the season. And Hoke, while likeable, isn't very bright and his ceiling isn't likely to be as high as the Urban Meyer's and Brian Kelly's of the world (based on past performance). And Mattison has really big man boobs but damn I love what he's doing with our defense!"
So I guess I posted because I believe there's a few readers who will think my posts are not stupid, or that I'm not an asshole or not a gluton for punishment. And I won't know it by the results generated by any points or voting system, because that system has been taken over by the same crowd who once labeled crazies like me as part of the "GVSU mafia."
Anyway, I sure hope we beat Ohio State next week. Oh wait, I'm supposed to call them "Ohio" aren't I? Oh wait, I'm actually going to call them "Ohio State" because I think it's stupid to call them "Ohio." Heaven forbid we ever play Ohio Unversity in some meaningful intercollegiate game, whether it's football or basketball, and then actually lose to them? How stupid would we look right?
November 17th, 2012 at 10:43 PM ^
November 17th, 2012 at 10:57 PM ^
To your accusation that Hoke isn't all that bright. A lot of what you said in your previous posts could have been said politely without attacks at posters or coaches and gotten your point across with greater aplomb. The fact of the matter is that Hoke, from what I can see, is a frickin' genius. What greater measure of a man's worth than the people he surrounds himself with and his ability to know his own capabilities. Brady Hoke has surrounded himself with amazing coaches (Greg Mattison is generally regarded as one of the best coaches in his position ever. Mallory, and the job he has done with the secondary. Montgomery, and his work, not only with the defensive line but also on the recruiting trail.) He knows what he does well. Hell, fans from other schools keep telling us what a dweeb he is because he doesn't wear a headset. Seriously? He does that so that he can spend more time paying attention to the kids. And that's really the heart of his greatness. Brady Hoke is more interested in turning kids into good men. And that is something that cannot be said of your so called geniuses like Urban Meyer and Brian Kelly. Men whose players continously show themselves to be thugs without respect (untold arrests at Florida/kneeing a cop by Rees.) Hell, your example of Urban Meyer, how well can you really know yourself if you can't let go of the game long enough to ensure your own health? That's your measure of brilliance? That's what you consider bright? I would rather have Brady Hoke than Urban Meyer literally every day of the week and it isn't even close. Watch it unfold. Urban Meyer will have his success at Ohio State. Briefly. He's never spent more than five years at a school and I wouldn't expect him to spend too much more time at OSU, no matter what their homers say about decades of championships. Meanwhile, Brady Hoke is building a program we can be proud of for years to come. Please stick around. It should be very exciting.
November 17th, 2012 at 5:13 PM ^
Maybe if you had more than 1 point you could make your own appreciation thread.
November 17th, 2012 at 5:23 PM ^
Eat Rich Rod's dick.
November 17th, 2012 at 5:28 PM ^
Well i guess we can all look forward to the day you have enough points to start a thread.
November 17th, 2012 at 11:42 PM ^
You have good points about the groupthink around here, the coaching mistakes agaisnt ND and Nebraska. Those are valid points that should be discussed, but you should have stopped there. The rest of your argument, ridiculing the coaching staff makes you look like an asshole, and takes away from the rest of your argument.
November 17th, 2012 at 4:52 PM ^
This was one of the most impressive game plans i've seen. Borges is experienced, creative, and gifted.
November 17th, 2012 at 4:52 PM ^
I wasn't a huge fan of the triple reverse, but I loved the speed option after handing it to Denard. Nebraska ran that against Michigan and got a TD on it last season and I remember Hoke and Mattison sharing a bemused look afterward.
November 17th, 2012 at 5:17 PM ^
I've told you guys over and over again: Play calling was hardly ever the problem. Execution was. There were countless times we had guys open downfield and they were missed from poor execution. Be it overthrows, poor offensive line protection or what, but Borges normally calls the right play for the given situation.
November 17th, 2012 at 5:32 PM ^
Well, sure. Coaches love to talk about execution, but if that's all that mattered there'd be no reason to have more than one play in the playbook. I was never off the Borges wagon, but this debate between playcalling and execution is always pointless. It's always about execution, but smart situational playcalling is how you put your guys in positions that make execution possible.
November 18th, 2012 at 1:02 AM ^
Smart situational playcalling requires that you have a number of plays you can execute to choose from. I love Denard as I'm sure the entire coaching staff does but let's not pretend he didn't shrink the playbook along with Borges' options.
November 17th, 2012 at 5:54 PM ^
The triple reverse in the first half blew my mind...
November 17th, 2012 at 6:29 PM ^
November 17th, 2012 at 6:42 PM ^
Totally not thread worthy, but since this is the Gorgeous Borges appreciation thread I have the right to thread-jack. I found this awesome headline:
"College Football: Texas A&M, West Virginia, Missouri Among Teams In Conferences"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/college-football-conferences-t…
In other news-worthy information: Navy, Notre Dame, BYU Among Teams Not In Conferences.
November 18th, 2012 at 1:08 AM ^
Pos bang on the win... but this thread I don't agree with. I don't see the coaching rising above the talent on the field on offense. Gardner and even the threat of Denard were major factors in this game. Iowa was outclassed. Michigan has plays and players. Beat Ohio.
Get well soon Fitz. Way to go out Seniors. Congrats on beating Iowa.
Beat Ohio.
November 17th, 2012 at 7:28 PM ^
November 17th, 2012 at 7:47 PM ^
November 17th, 2012 at 8:33 PM ^
November 17th, 2012 at 10:07 PM ^
Good luck to the Bucks to prepare for all that plus the other O seen during Weeks 1-11.
November 17th, 2012 at 10:15 PM ^
I have to give credit to Borges today- he called a great game. He truly earned the gorgeous nickname today.
Like others, I have been a bit frustrated at some of his calls in earlier games, but today....today it was a good day. Cue Ice Cube song....
November 17th, 2012 at 11:00 PM ^
I love what the offence has looked like these past few weeks. My one complaint from Lloyd's offences was the lack of a downfield passing game even though we regularly had better athletes at WR and QB than almost any of our opponents. I love that we continue to challenge deep and hope to see even more as we continue to upgrade at multiple positions talent-wise.
November 18th, 2012 at 12:37 AM ^
I have certainly not been one of the posters who barks FIRE BORGES! as if he's the sole reason we're not 11-0, but I don't think the guy is walking on water either.
I will go back to what I said before the Alabama game: the difference between 8-4 and 12-0 this year is whether or not Denard can throw the ball.
After an off-season of hope, some good talk from the coaches in press conferences, and general faith in humanity, I believed that Denard would take a step forward as a passer this season. He didn't. The coaches take some of that blame, but let's be honest: Denard will never be a throwing QB.
It's not Borges' fault that his offense has been limited by having a QB that is essentially a RB. That said, he didn't always call a game that suited to that fact (see ND). By the same token, you simply can't beat a good defense without QB that can threaten in the air and on the ground
Bottom line: Yes, Borges called a great game today. He is who we thought he was--an experienced, smart, successful OC that wasn't experienced or smart when it came to working with a QB that couldn't throw. But no OC could have made our offense into a 'Bama-beating machine with Denard at QB...you can't win if you can't throw.
Borges is Borges. I think he's a great OC, but he's had his issues this year. He called a near perfect game today, but that's much easier to do when you have a QB that can throw (DG), a RB that's a threat to score every time he touches the ball (Denard), and WRs that are running crisp routes, catching passes, and getting YAC (Gallon and Roundtree). For lots of reasons, he didn't have any of those weapons against 'Bama, ND, or especially Nebraska. Chip Kelly and Urban Meyer couldn't have called a game that would have beaten 'Bama or Nebraska this year with what we had earlier in the year.
Also, the interior O-Line has sucked this year, which isn't Borges' fault. But it is why we see the waggles and roll outs that people here hate. Remember, the alternative is an A-Gap blitz that ends with DG's face in the turf.