I Found Alum96

Hi all.

I came to the site today and saw a post about me.  That was cool. 

Feel a little weird writing a post about myself but for those somewhat interested... (this is where you chant "PUT IT IN DIARIES SUCKER!") ;)

First, I am ok and healthy.  Also not dead.  Which was summarized in the preceding sentence. 

Sorry LSA I didn't get your batcall...or email.

Fresh off my last 6 months as as Trump campaign manager... I have no new MgoKids or anything like that - life just got busy.  One of my "hobbies/side jobs" is travel soccer coaching and I had a huge uptick in responsibility/teams this past year vs prior when I had a lot more free time.  Hence had every Saturday to liveblog my life away; this fall I was on the road most of the games except OSU.  Then I have my normal work.  Etc. 

As would be obvious to long time readers I tend to do something 100% or nothing so I suck at moderation at things like MGo-ing.  So when I couldn't throw 100% into content or following all things Michigan I sort of pulled back totally.  I've been to the site about 5-6x since whenever I left (post 'crootin ballz (tm) season).  I could name you about 5 kids in our current 'crootin class (oohs and aahs from the crowd).

Some general thoughts since really you miss those SoooOooO much:

• We are lucky to have Jim Harbaugh.
• I hate that Jim Harbaugh channels Lloyd Carr in 4th quarters of close games vs quality teams and does not act like Jim Harbaugh when we play Rutgers or sad sack teams.   That doesn't mean act stupid, but this stupid f**** Carr shell...why.
• Championship teams win in the 4th quarter.  See MSU 18 play 9 minute or whatever drive vs Iowa in Big 10 championship game.  UM had been poor in the 4th quarter vs Iowas, OSUs (even MSU but that was probably relaxing) and it makes me sad. 
• For a line sporting many 5th year seniors + Mason Cole we can't run block much at all vs quality defensive lines.  And certainly not at all late vs Wisconsin, Iowa, OSU type teams ....and again it makes me sad.  #BradyHokeOLRecruitingLives And I'm sure makes Harbaugh sad.  I was expecting not greatness but "our guys are 2 years older than yours and Drevno is going to make them manball when push comes to shove" type of OL.  That was not that.   Drevno and Harbaugh are RUN first guys despite all the QB heroics of Jim Harbaugh development.  UM was simply unable to do what Stanford could do in Harbaugh's late era there.  I blame that a lot more than penalties or the referee last week who wears scarlet and grey panties when he goes sees his dominatrix. 
• Hats off to our RBs but when is Michigan ever going to have even a Saquon Barkley type again?  Forget a Zeke type.  Wisconsin gets them, hell Indiana gets them.  Ours get redshirted or turn their ankle and gain 25 lbs their freshman year.  Yes part of that is OL but the curse of Mike Hart lives on - no truly special talent has emerged since despite all these uber rated guys.  Frustrating as a UM fan.  A special RB this year could have helped a meh in big game OL.  Maybe it was Peppers.
• Peppers should have had 4-6 plays in the playbook as a RB only.  Not as a PepperQB.  As a running back.
• Where was anything special in the playbook for Peppers vs OSU?  Everything was sniffed out by opposing teams by game 7-8 that Peppers was doing in the UM offense and we could not come up with anything new aside from "Peppers is going to pass one of these games - just wait!!" - Herbstreit.  You have 3-4 plays for him waiting that you worked on since August for the OSU game. Instead nothing.  Why is Al Borges running the Peppers playbook?
• Adoree Jackson was a more impactful college football player than Peppers and if he played at UM would be a LEGIT Heisman candidate this year.  This has nothing to do with who will be better in the NFL.  Both excellent players - Jackson hurt by being on left coast and USC not being good early in the year.  If he had a winged helmet he'd finish 2nd overall in the voting IMO.
• We are OSU's b****.  So sad.  We had a year (a) their QB could not throw the damn ball, (b) our best DL since 97, (c) a team full of seniors/juniors playing a team of sophomores, (d) a kicker who missed 2 gimmees..... and WE STILL CAN'T WIN.  Forget the spot or the missed penalties.  Forget the pick 6.  We should win that game as we were the better team.  We tanked in the 4th.  17-14 lead and you can't do 1 thing right from that point forward. 5 fucking yards  Ghost of Lloyd Carr. 
• Don't blame Speight.  Yes he gave points but imagine that game without him based on what you saw the prior week, and what you saw from UM's run game late in the year. That was so weird of a game.  He was nearly perfect for both teams - when we was not throwing INTs he was near textbook perfect in our offense until the 4th Q.  But he had little help from the running game.  And when he flailed in the 4th we had nothing due to our OL run blocking and lack of run game. 
• Speight's floor looks like Navarre type which seems very promising for a guy in his first year.  He is going to need to be huge next year with a lot of young faces on OL and the entire defense.  Did I mention the defense was going to be young in 2017??
• That said at least it wasn't Hoke game plan first 3 quarters.  I was thinking if this was a Brady Hoke game he would have run it up the gut 40 times because THATS WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU"RE AT MEECHIGAN. (sorry Brady)  Harbaugh went with the only thing working - Speight - to great effect.  Once that went away we had nothing on offense.  Damn you I want Stanford 2010 offense (sans Luck) vs good teams.  2009's would work fine too.
• When was M Football's last massive road win?  Not a bowl - true road win?  Not vs fraud 8-4 ND type teams... vs a real power.  I can't remember.  Sigh.
• Dantonio finally ran out of souls to sacrifice.  Thank you world.  For fans under the age of 30 this is what it was like growing up for us in the next generation older.  It was cool.
• If Wisconsin wins big they should be in the playoffs over UM.  2 very tight losses, some big wins.  Road loss vs UM in a very tight game with 2 very good defenses.  I don't think they are necessarily the 4th best team in the country but they earned their spot with a demonstrative win this weekend (14-17+) . If PSU wins big, fuck them - they should drop to 18th. Nice Big 10 crossovers PSU.
• I have yet to watch a UM basketball game - I know how it ends, we get outrebounded by X, and we play matador defense against quality teams but as long we hit the 3s we look like a mid major on steroids.  If we don't - we get frustrated.  But I heard Kid N Play is playing well and actually blocks shots.  That's new for a UM big man.  John Beilein is still a saintly man from all accounts.
• U.S. men's soccer is dispiritng (hi Brian).  Poor Pulisic.
• We are lucky to have Jim Harbaugh.  Just don't be Lloyd Carr in the 4th vs quality teams until you have Stanford's OL.
• Hold me BrownBear.

Peace out brothers (and the 4 sisters who read the blog).