have to say I saw MICHIGAN unity today. The fact Denard was in the maize and blue scoring big instead of hanging with his girl...and the fact he was at the meet until the final event was finished (boo OSU...and why the heck does it take more than one of them to spell a four letter word? OHIO...IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE even if you drink from the Olentangy R...)and for the 'TEAM' simply there for the benefit of the 'TEAM'...when the bugeyes began speak and spell chants, the FOOTBALL TEAM countered with a LET'S GO BLUE retort. A part that is being overlooked, these are kids with a lot of pride and a lot of spirit in their University...I still remember John Kolesar comming into our building, getting his sweats and shoes, and then exiting the building never to be seen again. I recall Desmond Howard running the indoor season to hone skills for the combine and then exit stage millionare...and that's not a rip on Desmond, he was a class act, but Denard is out there because he wants to compete for the U of M and his football coaches are a bit more openminded than...BO. Thomas Wilcher who still holds many state records was doghoused after hurting himself running hurdles...keeping in mind the dude was a NATIONAL CHAMPION hurdler and went on to the Olympic trials...I'd say this whole 'FAMILY VALUES' comparisson is a bit deluded...each in his own way, it was awesome to see RR at the meet and recruits AND football players actually contributing...
why does it always take at least two of them to spell it?
OH-IO...loudly screamed at any event...I've even heard it at funerals...perhaps it's some sort of mating call to avoid tainting of the normal gene pool...
many of the 'ANTI-RR' faction I have run into living so close to the southern confines of this great state of MICHIGAN...sweatervest is brought up as winning big ten titles and national championship games, plus a now cringing record vs. MICHIGAN...he too inherited a strong core of players from Cooper...as much as my bias and owning his butt makes me like the Cooper era even more, he was still a strong recruiter and a solid coach save the UM hex...sweaterboy walked into a strong situation and has rode that wave (not much different from the situation jimmie stewart-carr walked into with the unfortunate circumstances handed off by Moeler...) bottom line, Lllloyd sank the ship...be it illness, apathy, whatever, he left the program in the condition RR inherited...and as Rick Leach has deftly pointed out, what kind of an M MAN leaves his replacement out to dry like this? In a time of struggle, LLLLLOyd should be supporting the program...but he's spent more time with EMU coaching staff, Iowa big wigs, and any other distraction than helping his former program...time to move on and move out LLLOYD...The new AD's first job should be cleaning out that office...just me and yeah I'm a tad grouchy about it.
just returned home from Ford Field in Detroit...and I'm not sure personally how Gardner is the #1 dual threat qb in the nation...I'll give fair due to Lowell Red Arrows (who won the game on the legs of their qb-177 rush/2td/maybe three passes the whole game? 27-6). Following all the hype, took in the game and saw an Inkster team struggle...defensively they had no answer for the belly fakes and ground out 5-10 YPC...Gardner on the other hand was sacked a number of times, threw the ball away a few opportunities, and his receivers were well defended. Using optimism for our recruit, Inkster's play calling was suspect with a focus on their own running attack. When desparation became the flavor of the day as the game wound out, they went to a modern Michigan-esque no huddle (sorry Bo...please don't hate me...)and seemed to use slant routes and sideline quicks to their advantage...but when you put the three apples in the basket...at the end of the day I'll take the Forcier and Robinson duo first every time...comparing Tate and Denard who are a year older yet facing kids much older and college level defenders vs. Gardner being older than his competition and playing against high school defenses...he looked frustrated at times, and took a lot of backside sacks...one time late in the game he was juked out of his own shoes by a screaming corner blitz...he tried to fake the defender and tripped over his own feet and fell down as the defender bit the turf...from a one game perspective I thought he should have dominated against direct and younger peers...he looked human...again, hats are off to Lowell...they had a plan and some very disciplined defenders who hit hard, played hard, and got the job done...perhaps early enrollment will shake the funk.
Brian...just wanted to say it's encouraging to see I'm not alone with the optimism and reality you blogged...felt the same way Saturday and I've been attending UM games since the AC era...so I've seen it all...I hope Rich Rodriguez can survive the current witch hunt that is probably spearheaded by loathsome Sparty fans and the Detroit freep turds. The team though only 5-7 and dissapointing, has come a LOONG way...TO ME LLLLLOYD cashed out on this program and as Rick Leach keeps reminding me, what kind of M MAN leaves his successor out to dry like that? Rich will get it done, I think coach Robinson needs another season or two with ACTUAL talent instead of the empty cupboards left behind. Coach Rod hinted at the last three or four years of recruiting puting them a bit behind. I HOPE Tate shows maturing over the winter and works his butt off to right the OSU gift he wraped and handed over...he's a freshman afterall and will learn from it. He's a sensational talent at making something of nothing and too often we forget he's a year removed from HS...it's huge and he will grow into that role as the leadership part is already there...ask his teammates. Likewise I'm so tired of the need to seek RR'S head on a platter...amazing how 'misplaced' or 'lost' workout forms are somehow more heinous than Mr. and Mrs. Bush having a million dollar condo on the beach at USC and the blind eye being turned on it...somehow we will be punished while other programs get passed over like the plague...I'm not supporting a skirting of the rules, just a consistency in punishing programs and equity in consequence vs. 'CRIME'...I'M ALL IN and look forward to 2010...it will get better. Anxious to see Gardner play this weekend and will give reports following the Inkster state championship game this friday...I've seen the likes of Big Ben, Orlando Pace, and Charles Woodson from the opposite sidelines in my coaching days...I've seen what 'next level' players are all about...
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