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is your argument that the…

is your argument that the offense was so good this year that there is no room for improvement?  If not, I’m not sure why we can’t both wish for improvement on that side of the ball while acknowledging that the defense played a role in our two losses.

We were ranked something like 30th in the country on offense, which is not going to get it done if we want to compete for a championship. I would also note that pretty much every starting player was on at least one of the All Big10 lists.  And by most projections, we have NFL caliber prospects at QB, RB, C, LG, RG, TE and at least two WR spots (and probably 3). So what exactly is the excuse for not being elite?  

Am I the only one who thinks…

Am I the only one who thinks that Emerson Hyndman could still be the future at the number 10 spot?  This will be a big year for him at Bournemouth--he started their preseason match on Saturday and if he can break through I expect he would instantly be in the conversation for the USMNT.  At age 26 in 2022, he would be in the prime of his career.  

Anyone know if we have a shot

Anyone know if we have a shot at the two junior high kids standing next to him?

Kind of remaind me of

Kind of remaind me of McGuffie, and not just because of the leap over defenders.  Both get around guys by getting up to full speed quickly and then never slowing down, with only minor deviations in direction.

Sure hope you are

Sure hope you are right.  The alternative is they saw the other options on the outside and decided Cole was the only viable tackle.

Did one of the bigger kids

Did one of the bigger kids sit on you when you were younger?

Preferred:yedlin------camero

Preferred:

yedlin------cameron-------brooks---------besler

--------------------------bradley------------------------

-------------zusi------------------------johnson---------

-------------------------nagbe------------------------

-----------zardes----------------------dempsey-----------

 

Best guess (if we stick to a 4-4-2):

yedlin------cameron------brooks------johnson-----

----------------------beckerman---------------------------

-----------zusi-------------bradley--------------zardes--

------------------dempsey---------wondo---------------

 

Best guess (if we revert to a 4-2-3-1):

yedlin-------cameron------brooks----------johnson

------------------bradley-----beckerman----------

zusi------------------------nagbe--------------zardes

------------------------dempsey------------------------

not to be a dick, but

not to be a dick, but questions are by their very natiure uninformed, given that the asker is seeking information that he does not possess (discounting rhetorical questions).

Jalen Rose

Didn't Jalen express some interest in coaching a few years ago?  Bet he'd be a great recruiter. 

It's a good question, and I

It's a good question, and I have no idea.  Although, one thing worth noting is that non-athletic scholarships are typically based on something (need, academic achievement, etc.) and therefore are not directly related to any additional employment that student might secure with the University.  By contrast, athletic scholarships are strictly for playing the sport.  If athletics are treated as a form of employment, then an athletic scholarship would seem to be a direct benefit of employment.

I think you misunderstood: 

I think you misunderstood:  Harbaugh is saying that if they are considered employees, and permitted to make some sort of salary/profit, then their in-kind benefits (scholarship, housing, food, etc) could be considered taxable income.  For example, suppose that their scholarship and additional benefits are valued at $60k per year.   And suppose they make an annual salary of $30k.  They would have a taxable income of $90k, amounting to a tax liability of $31,500 (assuming 35% tax).  In other words, they would be losing $1500.

 

So basically, it'll depend on the actual tax consequences, and the amount that each player would make. 

dymonte thomas

 

Dymonte Thomas was a pretty legit RB prospect coming out of high school.  At this point he doesn't seem to be seriously competing for snaps at safety.  Meanwhile, he would offer much needed speed at RB.  given the staff's proclivity for at least experimenting with position switches, why have they not tried Dymonte out running the ball.

I think the most important

I think the most important question--and it has seemingly been overlooked thus far--is whether any of these sticker designs offer a scratch-and-sniff option?  Keep in mind that I haven't participated in any sticker-based motivation systems since maybe first grade.  But back then, what I most coveted were those scratch-and-sniff stickers; not those stupid shiny stars, not those damn smiley faces, and certainly not the ridiculous "good job" stickers (as if there were such a thing as a "bad job" sticker).  I did a superior job solving 2+2, now give me one of them scratch-and-sniff bastards so I can add it to my collection, which I keep in a binder in my bedroom (which ironically looks like a less coked-out version of WolverineDevotee's, but the bed is a bit more broken in, if you know what i mean.  wink, nudge, nudge, wink, nudge, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, nudge, nudge.  I'm just kidding.  I'm playing the first-grade version of myself in this story, so that would be wierd... I didn't even like Michigan back then.)  Alright, I'm going to go stand in the corner and face the wall.  But please don't take away my recess.

If I understand you

If I understand you correctly, there are three club teams in your area that are each having players poached by a premier league team?  If this is the case, I wouldnt be suprised if several of the teams end up merging.  Alternatively, one option is to have your child play at an older age group, if such a team exists in your town.  If all else fails, and the non-local team ends up being the best option, I would look into arranging carpools with the parents of other kids on the team.  If you can make arrangements with two or three other sets of parents, you may only have to make the trip once a week.

He did have that stint as a

He did have that stint as a norfleet-esque rb/slot guy after he hurt his arm.  Maybe that is the source of whoever's confusion

I disagree with you that the

I disagree with you that the interior linemen were our biggest weakness.  In fact, I think Miller and Glasgow were probably our two best linemen, with Braden being the greatest liability of the bunch. 

On a somewhat separate note, I think the recruiting stars/rankings are somewhat misleading with respect to both glasgows.  Those guys were pretty new to football when they graduated high school (i think they had only played there senior years).  Had they started at a younger age, I'm betting they would have readily been in the 3-4 star range.  Both have legitimate physical talent.

I think you are probably

I think you are probably right.  Not sure where those extra minutes will come from though.  Hard to see Spike getting fewer than 20 or Walton fewer than 30.  Irvin will most likely get some time at the 4, which means that Duncan, Chatman, and Wilson will probably get even less than I've projected.

I'm betting Wilson is at

I'm betting Wilson is at least another year (2016-17 season) away from being a major contributor.  Plus I can't really see beilein playing Irvin and Duncan together at the 2 and 3, as that would not provide much in the way of a secondary ball handler.  If, in fact, duncan robinson is as good as you suggest, I would think the lineup would look like this:

Walton (15) / Spike (20) / MAAR (5)

MAAR (15) / Walton (15) / Irvin (10)

Irvin (20) / Dawkins (20)

Duncan (15) / Chatman (10) / Wilson (5)

Doyle (20) / Donnal (15) /Wilson (5)

I'm always a bit taken aback

I'm always a bit taken aback when a guy says before receiving an offer that he is not a candidate for a job.  If UM decides to pony-up $25 million per year for a coach, I have a hard time believing that even Bill Belichik wouldn't be interested.  My point being that everyone has a price.  That's not to say that we will make a big enough offer to pry Harbaugh from the NFL, but I don't think there is anyone who is "not a candidate." 

i think youve got way too

i think youve got way too much confidence in braden, considering he hasn't played even a single snap of competitive college ball. i know other players and spectators have talked up his impressive combination of size and athleticism, but that doesnt mean much unless he can put it all together. and the fact that he couldnt see the field last yr makes me somewhat skeptical of his game readiness.

I think jack miller is the dark horse here. i have a feeling that miller outperforms braden in the opening game, and braden gets replaced at RT by glasgow after week 1.

This is some very solid

This is some very solid coverage and most appreciated. of the guys you have on the outside looking in, i think pelosi, gil, zelalem, packwood, and cropper are the most likely to make the 23. 

- Zelalem - i expect klinsmann's recruiting pitch to zelalem will include a julian green-type promise (pure speculation here) that he will be on the 23 man roster. 

- Gil - hes been a force on the youth-national teams. he seems like the type of offensive engine that we were hoping bradley would be at CAM

- Pelosi - he is on the fringes of liverpool's top club.  they have a strong developmental program and view him as one of their top young prospects. if he is able to break through with liverpool or get loaned out to another top club, i dont see how he gets left off. 

- Packwood - I think klinsmann looks to develop some youth at CB, as besler and cameron will likely both be done by 2022.

- Cropper - id put my money on cropper being the next starter after guzan retires. that being the case, I think he makes the roster as a third goalie (with hamid making it if howard retires)

O'neil/Stanko - I think we bring 4 wingers and only 3 CDMs. Complete toss-up as to which gets left off.

Of the guys currently in your 23, its tough to say who doesn't go, but here is my guess. 

- Dempsey -  he doesn't have the type of style that requires great speed, which suggests he could play for a while.  But I think Klinsmann looks for more athleticism and youth here.  he is clearly not afraid to make unpopular cuts to his roster, although it is entirely possible that dempsey retires by the second half of the cycle.

- Diskerud - he looked like a solid playmaker in the pre-world cup games, and would have been a good offensive spark off the bench (either at CAM or on the wing). but his not seeing the field during this world cup makes me think hes not a favorite of klinsmann. hes not very quick or strong and i think there are younger options here with more physical ability.  

- Geoff Cameron - I thought cameron played well during this WC.  and hed be a solid, versatile, veteran for the 2018 team. but with both besler and cameron likely done after 2018, I think klinsmann will look to develop one of the younger players. 

- Hamid/Howard - As I said above, I think cropper is the starter of the future.  some have suggested he even has howard-type potential. i think he is the goalie 3 regardless of who is the second keeper.

 

Here is what it would look like:

Goalie: Guzan, Hamid/Howard, Cropper

Central D: Besler, Brooks, Packwood

Outside back: Johnson, Yedlin, Farrell, Klute

Defensive mid: Bradley, Trapp, O'Neill/Stanko

Wing: Green, Gatt, Gyau, Pelosi

Attacking mid:  Nagbe, Zelalem, Gil

Striker: Altidore, Boyd, Agudelo

 

 

I think this tracking

I think this tracking attendance idea would work and shouldnt be that difficult. In my opinion, they should just use an "opt-in" type system. You pay a fixed amount prior to the season that gives you the right to opt-in to home games (for no additional fee) during the week leading up to the game. This would be essentially be the same thing as paying for season tickets. You then have the ability to "claim" your ticket online up until some cut-off period before each game. For example, maybe you have until 12:00am the night before the game.

If you don't claim the ticket by then, you cannot attend (no refund). Any unclaimed tickets would then be assigned the upper-most seats in the student section (these seats wouldn't be general admission) and can then be resold by the university the morning of the game.

There would also be some penalty for claiming your ticket but failing to actually show up. For instance, if you claim your ticket and don't show up on two separate occasions, you lose your right to claim tickets for the rest of the season. 

In my opinion this is an easy way to ensure that at least somebody will be using the tickets. this doesn't promote student-specific attendence directly, but you can reasonably envision such secondary effects:

the upper-tier seats in the student section are given away --> the students are more condensed in the remainder of the student section --> better atmosphere in the student section --> more students want to attend the game

I really think the whole "he

I really think the whole "he doesnt really want to be here so we don't want him here" attitude is way off base. Just because he prefers another school doesn't mean he would only come to UM kicking and screaming. it doesn't mean he wont come to enjoy ann arbor or that he won't work his ass off on the football field. Guess what... my first choice when applying to schools was not Michigan. But its the best school I got into, and I've been a diehard fan ever since.

(No subject)

Tom Cruise on Oprah

60% of the time they stay

60% of the time they stay committed everytime

youve got it right. the car

youve got it right. the car is capable of speeds in the 100s but will be using up battery power. i believe the car can travel in the 60s without using any battery energy

i'm afraid to ask what

i'm afraid to ask what happened to the first two dr. hamlets

or bielfeldted up...wait i

or bielfeldt up...wait i don't think i did it right

BAD MOVE!!!  the comparisons

BAD MOVE!!!  the comparisons to clay mathews (which were based on the hair and nothing else) were artificially inflating his draft stock. without the hair, hes just another guy. /s

So essentially what you are

So essentially what you are saying is that the only statistical similarities between oladipo and hardaway  are scoring and assists. Let's take a closer look at things, shall we...

Oladipo gets 1.5 more rebounds than hardaway. Take into consideration that oladipo played 7 fewer minutes per game, that Hardaway is on a team with very few good rebounders,  and that these are both guards. All of a sudden, 1.5 rebounds looks like a lot.

You also didn't mention the fact that over 41% (80 / 193) of oladipo's rebounds were on the offensive end. For comparison, just over 4% of hardaway's boards were offensive (6 / 142)

also those shooting percentages, which you so casually dimissed, are pretty damn signifiant. hardaway's numbers are nothing to sneeze at, but 61% shooting percentage for a wing player is extremely efficient. 

finally, those steal numbers say a lot, but perhaps not enough, about the defensive abilities of the two players. oladipo is probably one of the top two on-ball defenders in the big10 (along with craft). Not sure if you saw the trouble he gave burke. but he's also able to defend wing players (like hardaway). On the other hand, hardaway (like burke) is a below average defender.

im not saying that burke doesn't deserve to be POY, but to say that oladipo shouldnt be in the conversation, or that hardaway is even close to as valuable as oladipo, is just silly talk.

This is actually pretty

This is actually pretty interesting. that looks like a lot of talent competing for the RG spot. It seemed like the general concensus was Kalis at LG with braden, bosch, and bryant all competing for RG. Wonder if that means the staff is really that impressed with Braden.

There were also a number of people speculating that Morgan would move over to MLB, with Ross at WLB. If true, this would make Bolden the starter in the middle.

to be fair I think ricardo

to be fair I think ricardo miller predated shane morris in this position

Not sure what you're talking

Not sure what you're talking about? He's totally gonna be part of our transfer class of 2014 (ed: see the rumors are already multiplying)

Not sure what you're talking

Not sure what you're talking about? He's totally gonna be part of our transfer class of 2014

Obviously there is still

Obviously there is still hope. But if things don't work out, and your daughter is deadset on michigan, keep in mind the possibility of tranferring in. My suggestion--again, if she doesn't get in directly--would be to contact the admissions office. Ask them what schools they typically accept transfers from and what types of courses are likely to transfer over.

This is a very real option that too few students take advantage of. If she does well in her first few semesters at another school, there is a very real chance that Michigan would accept her. She would only lose one year at michigan. And future employers will only care about where she graduated from, not the school she went to for her freshman year.

I think the order of likely

I think the order of likely outcomes is pretty good but the probabilities are a bit off. based on your numbers, you give us 49% chance of going at least 10-2. To me that is a bit high.

Also, sadly, i think you are underestimating the likelihood of a 7-5 season. As has been said, we have five "loseable" games: Alabama, ND, MSU, Nebraska and Ohio. But even if we win a game or two in there, the 2011 Iowa game demonstrates that we can definitely lose games we are not supposed to.

My numbers would be:

12-0: 2%

11-1: 13%

10-2: 25%

9-3: 43%

8-4: 22%

7-5: 5%

Personally, if i were a RB/WR

Personally, if i were a RB/WR recruit, I would look at Michigan's 1) depth chart 2) recent Oline recruits and 3) Shane Morris (moreso for WR), and see an incredible opportunity to play and succeed down the line.

But obviously the kids are turned off by something. Im willing to bet its not the coaches. My guess would be:

1. We havent had a WR put up big numbers in a few years (since manningham). Obviously, this has a lot to do with WR and QB personnel. 

2. We havent had any recent RBs with a lot of NFL success

thats nothing. i throw pigs

thats no biggy. i throw pigs heads at the opposing players at IM Broomball all the time.

im more frustrated by the

im more frustrated by the seeming lack of a playcall on the final play. of course its very possible that burke was just over amped and decided to jack up a 3 on his own. regardless, youve gotta get a higher perecentage shot than that. not only was he fading back, but he had been shooting poorly from 3pt range all night

can i be RB in 2014

can i be RB in 2014 plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!?!?

has williams been playing

has williams been playing exclusively on the Oline this yr, or has he gotten time at TE as well? personally im rooting for him to stick at TE, so Im hoping he doesnt lose his ability to run routes and catch the ball. even though hed probably be primarily a blocker, im envisioning some bigtime playaction receptions on obvious running downs.

at the very least, kovacs

at the very least, kovacs should be junior of the yr. props to jt floyd for exceeding most likely everyone's expectations. but kovacs was all-big10 caliber this yr

I'll start writing up an

I'll start writing up an apology letter on behalf of the entire UM community as soon as I finish up some far more important business...

i'd say his offer list is

i'd say his offer list is reflective of the more optimistic ratings:

notre dame, oklahoma, florida state, miami, michigan, osu, stanford, ucla, usc

At least we dont have to

At least we dont have to worry about being outsmarted...

one thing that definitely

one thing that definitely should be kept track of is when a player does a good job boxing his man out, even if he doesnt grab the rebound.

he looks like a bit of a

he looks like a bit of a gunslinger. even a couple of those completed passes probably shouldnt have been thrown (3:26 is a glaring example). but overall that film is extremely impressive.

aside from the fact that he has a tendency to lift his back foot when he throws from the pocket, his footwork looks solid. i definitely like his ability to throw a tight and accurate ball while on the run. call me crazy, but he looks about as athletic as gardner (granted hes 1 inch shorter and 20 lbs lighter), and rivals lists his 40 time as 4.63, which is very impressive if true.

to me the kid seems like a gamer. i would not be at all suprised/disappointed if he pushed for snaps in 2012 and the starting job in 2013.

well, im convinced

well, im convinced

source?

do you have a source or are you speculating?

how come i never get to do

how come i never get to do that at the big house