I think the general perception of the FB program today, and even Harbaugh personally, is directly attributable to that loss. If we won (as the record books reflect wins), we feel entirely different right now. Sure we might still have concerns, but that loss was a psychological killer and I fear it has done some lasting damage. I hope it’s not irreparable.
It's great to be a supporter and an unapologetic Michigan fan, but when you point out the facts that we can't win big games, that Harbaugh has blown it in SEVERAL almost wins, that the ONLY solid win we've had under Harbaugh was Penn State last year, that we are terrible on the road--- these are just facts. It's not whining. It's not being a troll. It's just facing reality. And it doesn't make you any less a fan.
The systemic problems for us continue and Harbaugh isn't fixing them or certainly isn't fixing them fast enough (or scheming well enough around them in the interim), especially with the resources we have available and the profile this University has.
It's great to be a supporter and unapologetic Michigan fan, but when you point out the facts that we can't win big games, that Harbaugh has blown it in SEVERAL almost wins, that the ONLY solid win we've had under Harbaugh was Penn State last year, that we are terrible on the road--- these are just facts. It's not whining. It's not being a troll. It's just facing reality. And it doesn't make you any less than a fan.
I have a sneaking suspicion that what has the critics so heated is how the MSU game in '15 and OSU last year concluded. Had we won those games, I don't think people would feel so low about the program or Harbaugh. Heck, I might even say the complexion of how people are feeling would be different having just won at OSU last year. It's the reality we can't beat Urbs and can barely beat D'Antonio that sticks. If we won those two games, we'd cast off easily last week against PSU and even this year's MSU game with, "hey-- it's a rebuilding year. No worries." I just think the outcome of those two games alone change diamterically how we feel about where we are 2.5 years in the Harbaugh era.
I don't understand why we can't do this. Yes, Rich Rod screwed us. So did Hoke. Penn State, a program saddled with countless sanctions, has somehow very quickly overcome that obstacle and is a top 5 team this year and went to the Big 10 championship last year. At some point, OSU finally overcame what was hindering them in the late '90s and has never looked back. Why can't we get passed this? What will it finally take to build the recruiting momentum?
I'm new, so down vote me. But let's just stop pretending we are still a peer of OSU, MSU, hell even Iowa and PSU now in football. We aren't. We are much more akin to Duke, Northwestern, and Vanderbilt. That's the truth. But you know what? Those latter universities are the very best in the world. I know we all have a lot of pride in the history of M Athletics, but that was 20 years ago. Things have changed. OSU, MSU, PSU, Iowa...etc... they don't pretend to be a peer of the Northwestern's, and Vanderbilt's, and Duke's academically--- and we should stop embarrassing ourselves by pretending to be a football peer to them. It's almost impossible to be both academically superior and fabulous on the gridiron. I know-- Stanford, right? EVERYONE wants to be Stanford. But nobody has that amount of money (they'll pass Harvard and the other 2 very soon---watch and see). I love Michigan---and its athletics. But we just aren't going to be able to get the kids that Alabama, OSU, FSU--- and now even some of what we thought were the lesser Big 10 schools. We aren't in "that league." We might be public and large, but our profile is with the private schools and the Ivy league schools. Not a bad place to be; so let's stop pretending otherwise.
For starting this series. Among the best I've read, and has helped me feel so much better. The collection of stories puts it all in perspective. God it's great to be a Michigan alumnus and fan, win or lose. Forever Go Blue!
We should drop out. We should have never been ranked 12 anyway. Sure we played okay, but we did not look particularly good all afternoon. It sucks HOW we lost, but if we skated by with a 23-21 win we would have been in the top 10 and we just aren't that. It'd have been an illusion. We are getting better, but we still can't beat the good teams.
For me it's just that the hits keep coming. Haven't we suffered and endured enough already? Man! 10 years and it's as though we still deserve more brutal torture! Especially after how eff'd we were getting by the refs in this game, I thought for sure the gods of football were finally go to show mercy on us and let us turn the tide. Nope. What do we need to do for the curse to be lifted already???
This idea mentioned in a previous post about a systemic lack of "fight" as evidenced in both fball and bball seems to have some weight. If you think about all of our football match ups for the last 2 years, the only— ONLY-- "credible" team we beat handily, with force, was Nebraska in 2011 (and I sometimes hesitate to even think that was a credible team, but I'll give big blue the benefit of the doubt). That year we won in a miracle with ND and Virginia Tech, and barely beat OSU— the weakest team they've had, and probably will have, in decades. And then this recent year, we beat absolutely NOBODY handily--- heck, we BARELY beat MSU and NW for crying out loud. And so far in bball, our signature win to date was against OSU--- which we could only pull off in overtime, at home. And then let's not even TALK about how bad we are in both sports when we play away from A2.
What is going on here? It it coaching? Hoke and Beilein seem like nice, upstanding men, with "character" and "integrity", but when will we ever go into high stakes match ups and have confidence that we'll win--- and win with clarity. I know--- we're not "cheaters" like OSU, MSU, and others and just recruit thugs, but I'm failing these days to believe that's the only difference. We're missing something here---- is it talent management in NCAA sports?
Recent Comments
It's great to be a supporter and an unapologetic Michigan fan, but when you point out the facts that we can't win big games, that Harbaugh has blown it in SEVERAL almost wins, that the ONLY solid win we've had under Harbaugh was Penn State last year, that we are terrible on the road--- these are just facts. It's not whining. It's not being a troll. It's just facing reality. And it doesn't make you any less a fan.
The systemic problems for us continue and Harbaugh isn't fixing them or certainly isn't fixing them fast enough (or scheming well enough around them in the interim), especially with the resources we have available and the profile this University has.
It's great to be a supporter and unapologetic Michigan fan, but when you point out the facts that we can't win big games, that Harbaugh has blown it in SEVERAL almost wins, that the ONLY solid win we've had under Harbaugh was Penn State last year, that we are terrible on the road--- these are just facts. It's not whining. It's not being a troll. It's just facing reality. And it doesn't make you any less than a fan.
I have a sneaking suspicion that what has the critics so heated is how the MSU game in '15 and OSU last year concluded. Had we won those games, I don't think people would feel so low about the program or Harbaugh. Heck, I might even say the complexion of how people are feeling would be different having just won at OSU last year. It's the reality we can't beat Urbs and can barely beat D'Antonio that sticks. If we won those two games, we'd cast off easily last week against PSU and even this year's MSU game with, "hey-- it's a rebuilding year. No worries." I just think the outcome of those two games alone change diamterically how we feel about where we are 2.5 years in the Harbaugh era.
I don't understand why we can't do this. Yes, Rich Rod screwed us. So did Hoke. Penn State, a program saddled with countless sanctions, has somehow very quickly overcome that obstacle and is a top 5 team this year and went to the Big 10 championship last year. At some point, OSU finally overcame what was hindering them in the late '90s and has never looked back. Why can't we get passed this? What will it finally take to build the recruiting momentum?
Pep, who went 1-15 with the Cleveland Browns last year. Hmmm-- just maybe!
He hired Pep Hamilton, from the 1-15 (2016) Cleveland Browns. And we wonder why the offense looks like it does.
I'm new, so down vote me. But let's just stop pretending we are still a peer of OSU, MSU, hell even Iowa and PSU now in football. We aren't. We are much more akin to Duke, Northwestern, and Vanderbilt. That's the truth. But you know what? Those latter universities are the very best in the world. I know we all have a lot of pride in the history of M Athletics, but that was 20 years ago. Things have changed. OSU, MSU, PSU, Iowa...etc... they don't pretend to be a peer of the Northwestern's, and Vanderbilt's, and Duke's academically--- and we should stop embarrassing ourselves by pretending to be a football peer to them. It's almost impossible to be both academically superior and fabulous on the gridiron. I know-- Stanford, right? EVERYONE wants to be Stanford. But nobody has that amount of money (they'll pass Harvard and the other 2 very soon---watch and see). I love Michigan---and its athletics. But we just aren't going to be able to get the kids that Alabama, OSU, FSU--- and now even some of what we thought were the lesser Big 10 schools. We aren't in "that league." We might be public and large, but our profile is with the private schools and the Ivy league schools. Not a bad place to be; so let's stop pretending otherwise.
This idea mentioned in a previous post about a systemic lack of "fight" as evidenced in both fball and bball seems to have some weight. If you think about all of our football match ups for the last 2 years, the only— ONLY-- "credible" team we beat handily, with force, was Nebraska in 2011 (and I sometimes hesitate to even think that was a credible team, but I'll give big blue the benefit of the doubt). That year we won in a miracle with ND and Virginia Tech, and barely beat OSU— the weakest team they've had, and probably will have, in decades. And then this recent year, we beat absolutely NOBODY handily--- heck, we BARELY beat MSU and NW for crying out loud. And so far in bball, our signature win to date was against OSU--- which we could only pull off in overtime, at home. And then let's not even TALK about how bad we are in both sports when we play away from A2.
What is going on here? It it coaching? Hoke and Beilein seem like nice, upstanding men, with "character" and "integrity", but when will we ever go into high stakes match ups and have confidence that we'll win--- and win with clarity. I know--- we're not "cheaters" like OSU, MSU, and others and just recruit thugs, but I'm failing these days to believe that's the only difference. We're missing something here---- is it talent management in NCAA sports?