Michigan fans: You must choose.
To All Michigan fans; to all students, alumni, staff, etc.
You must choose.
You have to choose between one of two, irreconcilable versions of our football program and our institution.
One version was voiced explicitly today by Athletic Director David Brandon. He labeled the fall-2009 newspaper reporting by the Detroit Free Press as "false and misleading." His statement to that effect follows the previous statement on behalf of the University that was contained in the institution's Response to the Notice of Allegations, that the Free Press' early reporting was "wildly exaggerated if not flatly incorrect."
Those are the official words, spoken on behalf of the University.
On the other hand, there is Michigan alum Drew Sharp, sports columnist for the Detroit Free Press. He now actively defends the reporting with which he had little original involvement. Sharp states today in the online Freep.com: "The final verdict validates the basis of a thoroughly detailed Free Press investigation in August 2009 in which former and current player charged the coaching staff with routinely violating."
It is of course possible for Michigan fans to have differing points of view about many things; about coaches and players, about games, or plays, or opponents, about recollections of history, and about any vision for the future of our intercollegiate athletics.
But you cannot resolve what Drew Sharp says, with what our University says. You must choose. All Michigan fans must choose.
Go Blue!
November 4th, 2010 at 7:19 PM ^
What's it going to be? Your choice.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:25 PM ^
My choice: Bando.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:45 PM ^
Seconded.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:35 PM ^
Why does everyone need to pick sides constantly? Rosencrantz was wrong. He's an asshole. Michigan was vindicated. Let's move on. If you really think the problem is that casual fans don't understand the real issue, then why are you posting to a bunch of people who do understand the issue? Go stand on a soapbox if you feel that is your calling. Just stop posting over the top nonsense here.
November 4th, 2010 at 10:16 PM ^
I choose you section 1. Keep posting your dissertation against the POS Freep. I wouldn't cry any tears if I saw Rosenberg or Sharp on the street some day begging for scraps of food.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:04 AM ^
Don't see why I have to choose anything but "Michigan," and my conception of what that means has absolutely nothing to do with your epic scenarios of "us vs. them."
November 4th, 2010 at 7:16 PM ^
Actually the NCAA told me all I need to know, it was an overblown story that has wasted a lot everybodys time,
November 4th, 2010 at 7:28 PM ^
I believe that both Section 1 and Tater actually work for the free press, and constantly bitch about the things that go on there, to try and get more readership.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:32 PM ^
Period.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
I'm not buying it.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:44 PM ^
Do you have empirical data to back up this theory? I've heard reports that not only do you work for the FreeP, but you also routinely work unapproved overtime. I think I'll write a diary about it without getting hard evidence.
November 4th, 2010 at 7:57 PM ^
where's he's begging me for change of a dollar as the surly-looking meter maid is approaching the expired meter next to his car.
November 4th, 2010 at 8:03 PM ^
—and they do exist outside of MGoBlog—understand the true nature of the Freep's allegations and the true nature of the infractions. While I can't recall which writers have said this, there were more than a couple months ago on EPSN who basically laughed at the penny-ante nature of the actual crimes. Stewart Mandel just tweeted a very sarcastic comment today about the lengthy nature of the NCAA investigation and the result.
Unfortunately, as in politics, an alarming percentage of fans are what you call "low-information voters." These are people who are easily led, don't read critically beyond headlines, are extremely gullible, and are very poorly informed in general about the topic they're pondering. That plenty of UM fans, some of them are graduates that I know, fall into this category is sobering and depressing.
November 4th, 2010 at 8:20 PM ^
What the Freep did in constructing a controversy was completely unethical and in fact does reflect on the paper as a whole.
November 4th, 2010 at 8:32 PM ^
I epooped my pa nts
November 4th, 2010 at 8:37 PM ^
to have another beer
November 4th, 2010 at 8:50 PM ^
How can a Michigan alum write for a Sparty paper? This guy is a walking contradiction. I'm sure the choice is quite simple for everyone here.
November 4th, 2010 at 9:35 PM ^
be held accountable. This is way beyond football. This is about ethics and power on a very large scale.
November 4th, 2010 at 9:59 PM ^
Michigan pleads guilty to five major infractions, gets three years probation and yet you guys blame the messenger?!?
You've lost perspective.
November 4th, 2010 at 10:12 PM ^
yeah, the messenger that lied and exaggerated the claims that were shown to be overblown by independent investigators.
I don't think you are too bright.
November 4th, 2010 at 10:10 PM ^
sign me up for opinion #1.
Drew Sharp and rosenberg are tools.
November 4th, 2010 at 10:46 PM ^
you mean Drew Dull.
November 4th, 2010 at 10:47 PM ^
Shockingly it seems like the choices all went Michigan. I really thought the Freep would do better in this poll given the high regard most members of the board have for their lovely newspaper and their excellent writers.
November 4th, 2010 at 10:59 PM ^
They wrap fish in yesterdays newspapers except at MGOBLOG where we regurgitate them every freaking day and then cry whoa is me.
Section One, this your baby, raise the little rapscallion yourself, enough of this tired bull shit here.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
Drew Sharp is unfortunately the most depressed human being in journalism. I have never heard or read anything from an article that was positive. If UM won the NC he would probably come out with a piece about how they weren't better than someone. Just the way he is......no need to ever take him seriously.
He should probably cover city of Detroit politics, sad and depressing, they were made for each other.