Time for Michigan to beat good teams?
The best team Michigan has beaten under RR is Wisconsin back in 2008. That team wound up with a 7-6 record.
Last year none of our 5 victims had a winning record.
This year, none of our first 5 victims will probably end up with a winning record.
Rich, now is the time.
Let's do this!
October 27th, 2010 at 1:06 PM ^
Michigan is THE TEAM.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:17 PM ^
USA is the country. Today is wednesday. Pi starts out at 3.14. JoePa is old.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:08 PM ^
Now That's Information!
October 28th, 2010 at 12:27 PM ^
LEEEEROYYYY JENKINNSSSS!
October 27th, 2010 at 1:10 PM ^
I'd like for us to grit out a win for once, and this weekend would be a great time to start.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:46 PM ^
So you're saying Vinopal starts? His skin is made of 600 grade grit paper. We can call him "The Duke".
October 27th, 2010 at 1:11 PM ^
Nah. Personally I was hoping we'd just keep losing to good teams.
Not really big on change and all that jazz.
October 27th, 2010 at 3:52 PM ^
Both Lloyd Carr and I feel this would be tremendous.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:12 PM ^
Uh, what makes you think Penn State is going to end up with a winning record?
October 27th, 2010 at 1:13 PM ^
Even if we win the next 3 games, the same argument can still be made. I am praying that we can get a big win this year.
Hopefully Brett Beilema's struggles in the state of Michigan continue and we get 5 good bounces against OSU and pull the important one out!
October 27th, 2010 at 1:13 PM ^
Keep holding the rope everyone
Go blue
October 27th, 2010 at 1:23 PM ^
After careful thought and deliberation I have decided that yes, now would be a very good time to beat a winning team. Originally i had thought that later would be best for all concerned but your arguements have won me over. Now it is.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:33 PM ^
It would have been nice to see some charts or graphs or even a schematic or two on why now is the time. But I have also come to the conclusion that winning is the direction for this team.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:46 PM ^
Winning is a risky proposition at this juncture.
October 27th, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^
I surveyed myself and the 7 imaginary friends in my office. These are the results I came up with:
The imaginary friend who said no, is a jerk though. So we can probably discount his opinion.
October 27th, 2010 at 4:31 PM ^
I'll bet that imaginary friend of yours that said "no" went to State.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:24 PM ^
Money makes the World go round
October 27th, 2010 at 1:27 PM ^
gee who knew...
October 27th, 2010 at 1:28 PM ^
Let's worry about becoming a winning team ourselves first, eh?
October 27th, 2010 at 1:40 PM ^
I'm not all that worried.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:29 PM ^
Gearing up for the Wisconsin game already, are we?
October 27th, 2010 at 1:37 PM ^
Yeah I think there are only two more chances for us to get a quality win against a good team this year: Wisky and OSU. So far, we're 0-2 against decent teams.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:50 PM ^
... and ranked in the top 10. I would love to beat one (both) of them, but you are setting the bar pretty high. I am not going to make excuses about the past two years, but this year we have lost only to #5 ranked MSU and #18 ranked Iowa. We have beaten all of the other teams we have played, including an upset of ND in South Bend. As far as I'm concerned, this season has been ok so far. It could be worse -- we could have entered the season ranked #5 and then lost at home to App St.
October 27th, 2010 at 8:49 PM ^
Isn't that kind of the point of this thread? I think he wants to set the bar high. I'm kind of sick of only beating the mediocre-at-best teams too. It'd be nice for us to really put it all together for one game and pull out an upset.
October 28th, 2010 at 12:34 PM ^
Uh, yeah, that was a bad way to start (#5 then losing to Horror). At the same time, I don't see us pounding a book-end national champ in a New Year's day bowl game this year.
Also, does anyone consider beating ND an upset? I took it as a given.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:55 PM ^
Decent teams, you mean the current #5 and #18 in the country (AP)?
October 28th, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^
Yeah that's what I mean. Either that or a team with some promise of actually attaining a winning record (unlike Indiana, ND, Connecticut, two of whom we barely beat).
October 27th, 2010 at 1:30 PM ^
This is very premature. While this is one of the best and most insightful posts on the board save it for the Wed. before the Wisconsin game. Then we'll break it all down. RR needs wins!!!
October 27th, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^
I'd say this fits well. NSFW
I mean comon. Don't we expect just a little more than that? OF COURSE WE WANT TO BEAT GOOD TEAMS!
October 27th, 2010 at 1:57 PM ^
and this comes from a Michigan grad.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^
This team is getting better, even throught the losses. They're getting tighter (I mean, more together) and more determined. These guys aren't gonna stop. RR, the coaches, and especially the players are building something good. These guys are becoming a force. Slowly but surely.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:51 PM ^
The problem with beating "good" teams is that after you beat them, they are less good.
Hypothetically, even if we run the table and beat Wisconsin and OSU, then those teams will have at least two losses themselves. M would obviously then finish at 10-2 and would it necessarily be accurate to have called those "good" teams? What if the starting qbs of both the Badgers & Buckeyes go down to injury soon and both schools end up with 3, 4 or 5 losses on the season?
Personally, I just want wins of any and all kinds.
And regardless of whether OSU is a "good team" or not...I'm pretty sure that beating them this year will feel like a "big win" for just about every Michigan Wolverine.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:56 PM ^
The problems you lay out with winning against good teams apply to winning against all teams.
October 27th, 2010 at 2:31 PM ^
...my point.
October 27th, 2010 at 2:02 PM ^
This might be the worst argument I've ever heard.
October 27th, 2010 at 4:31 PM ^
Just win and shit will work itself out. Hmm, that sounds odd.
October 27th, 2010 at 2:17 PM ^
I know what the OP is trying to say, but at this point I'm fine if Michigan just beats the crap out of the bad teams on their schedule. After the past 2 years, 8-4 plus a bowl game is fine with me.
October 27th, 2010 at 2:38 PM ^
After 3-9 and 5-7, I'm content to beat the teams we're supposed to beat (going 8-4) and taking the year to get a year older and experienced. If you can win 8 games with this defense (read: no defense), I'd say that is pretty darn good.
I think it would be much more frustrating to say, beat Iowa and lose to Indiana. All you can ask for is that a team play to its potential consistently.
October 27th, 2010 at 3:00 PM ^
I would rather be 7-5 with a win over a 10-2 Wisconsin than 8-4 with a win over no good teams (Illinois does not count and PSU certainly does not count). For that matter, I'd rather beat OSU and lose the rest of our games than either of the top two scenarios...
October 27th, 2010 at 3:22 PM ^
How exactly is it better to be 7-5 than 8-4? Being 7-5 with a win over Wisconsin indicates you were lucky to beat them (hence losing to lesser teams) and still have a ways to go to being a good team.
October 27th, 2010 at 8:05 PM ^
At this point, 8-4 means you beat one more team than if you went 7-5, and that likely means a bigger-name bowl, with more exposure, and a little more breathing room for the coaching staff. Yeah, if UM continues to only beat bad teams for years to come, that wluld be troubling. But nobody left on the schedule is a huge scalp (though beating OSU would be big karmically), so I'd rather have more wins than less, no matter how they get them.
October 27th, 2010 at 2:32 PM ^
But... I think Ilinois is going to go 9-4 this year and that includes a loss to us. So if the Zooker wins a bowl game (to wind up 9-4) then I think Illinois will be considered a good team.
October 27th, 2010 at 3:26 PM ^
Yes, it is extremely basic...but yet, that is exactly the problem we face. We cannot beat the better teams.
I compare this team very closely to the WVU team that RR had...the only difference, is we are playing much more difficult competition. Has RR reached his peak...I don't know...the next five weeks may do a great job letting us know
October 27th, 2010 at 3:30 PM ^
Here's to a win this weekend! The next 3 weeks will be very telling about how this program is progressing
October 27th, 2010 at 3:37 PM ^
and I'm sure it's hammered home by the coaches, that the next opponent who ever it may be is the most important game of the season. Shake off the past deal with the present don't worry about the future. As they say in the business you can only play your next game. Cliche' play one game at a time.
Go Blue
October 27th, 2010 at 5:04 PM ^
Its time but lets make sure we have the type of program that once we get to that level, we stay at that level, by keeping good recruits and a SOLID DEFENSE.... DAMN!!! but i think this game will be the one that gives this team some confidence and a win will reafferm the these kids that not only can they compete, but win games at this level and the next.
October 27th, 2010 at 5:36 PM ^
The key to beating good teams is to play mistake free football...NO TURNOVERS/NO STUPID PENALTIES...The DEFENSE can make stops....Our 2 loses are because of the above mentioned!!!!