These are the good ol' days!
To quote the great Andy Bernard, aka the Nard Dog... "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good ol days, while the good ol days are happening."
Well, as a Michigan fan for 25 years, I must say - the amount of awesome from our sports programs in the past 3-6 months has been nearly at an all time high.
For those of you young'uns, I can tell you it is NOT always like this. There was a 10-15 year period where our basketball team was horrifically bad. Our women's program is ascending to new heights. Hockey, though we have the history, is finally back on top (I hope with a few more Ws). Football had dark dark days.
So - ENJOY IT. We have a Sweet 16 game this week on the men's and women's side... a playoff hockey game on Friday. Football ended with a thud, but the season was fantastic.
Yes yes, bitch and moan about Houstan, and reffing, and Dickenson Technicals for flexing weirdly. But know that this is part of the fun.
I look forward to the days following each big win, where I can walk around my office with my Michigan lanyard and a smug grin on my face. I love driving past a house in my neighborhood (dont know them) who has a msu flag waving - and yelling GO BLUE and no one in particular.
What's the best part about this joy ride for you?
GO BLUE!
March 22nd, 2022 at 11:31 AM ^
just happen to be wearing a michigan tie today. it is indeed the 'good ol days'.
March 22nd, 2022 at 11:52 AM ^
Rocking the maize and blue!!!!
Good stuff XM 👍
I want one of those!
March 22nd, 2022 at 11:59 AM ^
I want the trifecta:
CFP, Final Four, and Frozen Four.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:02 PM ^
The best part....has been the pure unadulterated celebrations of players and coaches through this stretch, and feeling every bit of it deep in my core. Also loving how the various programs are supporting and celebrating one another. Very cool
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:13 PM ^
Amen. Football beats OSU and wins the Big Ten. Men's bball in their 5th straight sweet 16. Women's bball in their 2nd. Men's hockey is looking to be about as good as they were in the late 90s and recruiting makes it look like it'll continue at this pace.
Plus a variety of other sports doing well (like gymnastics, men's lax looking like they're finally turning a corner, tennis teams, field hockey, etc.)
Michigan sports are in a very good spot right now
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:14 PM ^
Excellent post
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:16 PM ^
Is this the "Vote Carly Simon for the Rock HOF" thread?
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:26 PM ^
I've always appreciated teas that played well together, but have to admit that early on in the tenure of Izzo, Dantonio, and Hollis, I was a bit envious of how the three operated in a manner that was so supportive of each other. Now we all know why they were so tight, so that envy is replaced with a bit of disgust. But today, we have a better version of that. Warde, Jim, and Juwan are all better in my biased opinion, and when you add the fantastic coaches we have in other sports (gymnastics, hockey, WBB, softball, baseball, etc), it is hard not to be just a little arrogant. Our teams can't win everything every year, and that is fine, but we have coaches that build teams and culture, and man, life is good!
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:42 PM ^
Consider me old-fashioned, but I'd sure hope the 'good old days' would include some national championships. I mean maybe my memory is playing up here, but didn't the actual 'good old days' include those?
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:47 PM ^
We won the gymnastics national title last year and we have as good as chance in hockey this year as we could possibly expect. That's pretty solid standing to me.
its all relative - would you rather have had an L against OSU, no playoff, but win a hockey National Championship? Some would, but many would not. I'd prefer the W against OSu and that playoff appearance and the beat down of Iowa. Hockey is fun for me, but not #1.
So, just saying.. yes, championships, but doing "great" can mean different things to different teams at different times.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^
You forgot the fire Warde crew. Nobody is perfect but he has done a fantastic job across all programs. I think he is perfect for this specific job.
March 22nd, 2022 at 12:56 PM ^
Sparty silence
Parkour!
I live in Ohio and these are definitely the glory days...no one is talking shit. Good post OP.
We are in the early stages
Thanks Tesla! Living here in Indiana, I regularly get insulted by the IU and ND types. Purdue people are generally nice. Lately though, they are ALL genuflecting, and I LIKE IT!
It is indeed GREAT...TO BE...A MICHIGAN WOLVERINE! GO BLUE!!!
Maize out with snow, Michigan players jumping up and down and a scoreboard that history will never erase and the game film of a beat down that OSU took from the Wolverines. That is the sweetest memory of the past 30 years.
In the last 12 months, we have won:
The Big Ten Football Championship.
The Big Ten Basketball Championship.
The Big Ten Tournament Hockey Championship.
The Big Ten Wrestling Championship.
The Big Ten Softball Championship.
And I know there were others as well.
You can't spell "BIG TEN CHAMPIONS" without "MICHIGAN".
Think Warde is doing a great job and is deserving of credit...he has hired well, retained well and navigated some challenging situations with the two highest profile programs (Harbaugh/Vikings, Howard/Wisky) very, very well.