RichRod is a theif...the good kind.

It's official. 4-star OH RB Michael Shaw, once committed to Penn State, realized the error in his ways and committed to Michigan. This gives Michigan 4 RB commitments for the class of 2008. Depth concerns still exist at QB with only Justin Feagin signing with the class of 2008. Expect possibly one more non-Pryor QB pick up today to fill in at the athlete QB position. Otherwise, the unreliable return of Antonio Bass or a position switcheroo (possibly S Brandon Smith) may occur to help fill this void if Pryor were to sign with that hick school down south.

AHHH!!!!

Sam McGuffie is above the rules today too, putting off his season to sign a letter of intent to Michigan because none other than Tedford at Cal has been up in McGuffie's ear. Where the hell did this come from??!?!?!?!?! Happy thoughts, happy thoughts.

Signing Day Goodies.

First of all, Ryan Mallett and his parents are idiots. Making more headlines after his transfer from Michigan to Arkansas, Mallett has appealed the process to sit out a year after transferring from one D-1A school to another. The point of this rule is to avoid players swapping teams at will and keeps kids from all stockpiling onto one team and to keep coaches from recruiting kids away from other schools in order to stock up for the present season. Mallett in NO WAY, is an exception or in any sort of "excused" situation in order to break these rules which are in place for "short-comers" like himself. He simply transferred. This is an embarrassing waste of time and unneeded extra media attention for a kid who has yet to even prove himself to be special ON the field.

Regarding things that matter to Michigan, Rich Rodriguez has already proven this recruiting season to pull magic 4 star recruits out of his ASS!!!! Whooooooooooo! Signing day today has already seen Rodriguez pull away 4-star OL Ricky Barnum away from Florida, 4-star WR Roy Roundtree away from Purdue (haha!!!), and possibly Roy's teammate, 4-star WR Michael Shaw, away from none other than Penn State. (1pm announcement) Dual threat QB Justin Feagin as well as 4-star WR Terrence Robinson are two other recent commits that Rodriguez has landed to help round out the class of 2008. Terrelle Pryor's announcement may never come as he is waiting now to take an official visit to Penn State. Again, rules are there for a reason. This is National Signing Day where all recruits must sign letters of intent to a particular school. This is another case of a kid being above the rules because he is already labeled as "something special" before proving himself on the field at the college level. Let's hope his head doesn't turn out as bloated and misaligned as Mallett's.

White Room

New snow came in bunches over the last couple days. 20" came with a strong cold front and high winds followed by 17+" overnight last night to create some epic conditions. Days like this remind me of why I'm here and why the quality of life in Park City is unrivaled.
Me.

My father.


Rachel didn't fare so well...

Visitors!!!!!

Kyle and Braden made it out west skiing for the their first times ever and simply shredded. Immersion skiing, an ancient and taxing method of teaching the sport of skiing by means of challenging ones self well beyond their abilities in an attempt to improve quickly, seemed to work wonders as both Kyle and Braden were skiing some sweet shit by the end of the weekend. Shred videos and pictures document this remarkable immersion into the sport by these two individuals. (Videos forthcoming)

<------Braden (left) Kyle (below)























Kyle (below) Kyle and Braden (below right)
Braden dead-------------------------------------------->

Good Hire, and a Good Day of Skiing

Shafer is our D coordinator. This makes me a little happier given that I don't have to worry about Michigan's D running a 3-3-5 odd stack with players who haven't ever run it before. Rest easy, my friend, rest easy. Shafer seems like a smart, intense, and determined guy and the defense should continue to play well in the coming years given Michigan's talented players and overall depth in the defensive unit. Also, the 3-3-5 would've caused me to have some concern regarding depth at safety given the extra utilized DB, and now it doesn't matter either. That's all.

Some pics from a good day of skiing at Park City. (CLICK ON THEM FOR HIGH RES)
Neighbor Rob...
Neighbor Rob again...Me...gettin ready to charge that chuteFavorite line of the day...

Hello Terrelle, Goodbye Mallett

According to the New York Times, Ohio State's loss didn't appear to have an effect on QB Terelle Pryor's school decision, according to a text message from Pryor to the Times. Yeah, right, but it surely didn't help OSU's cause either. What else aids in his decision making process, is the fact that ex-super-recruit, Ryan Mallett, has chosen to transfer from UM to some other place, who really gives a shit. For all I care he'll end up buried in the USC depth chart behind all those other macho men who think they're the next Palmer/Leinart. (see Mitch Mustain, Aaron Corp, or Mark Sanchez) Good luck Ryan in your future endeavors, buh bye.

Now this leaves an extremely thin QB depth chart for Michigan. Steven Threat looks to be the starter next season with David Cone as the only other legitimate backup that won't make me rip my hair out, unless RichRod can pull down a couple uber-recruits to fill this void. Either way, we need depth at the QB position badly, regardless if a true freshman ends up starting or not. Look for RichRod to pull down a potential starter like Pryor, and possibly an additional QB (if we're lucky) to fill out the depth chart to a comfortable level.

ANTONIO BASS, COME BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!

While it's 60 degrees in the Midwest...

...it snows like this in Park City.Buckeyes blow it again!!!! GOOD!
I had the privilege of watching the Buckeyes blow another national championship game last night and besides the "S-E-C" chants coming from the crowd in the 4th quarter, there wasn't a moment during that game that I wasn't ecstatic about the Buckeyes getting pummelled. I was getting shit from everybody the last couple days when the subject of this game was brought up and I adamantly voiced my objections to cheering for the Buckeyes even though they are the fellow Big Ten team. Cheering for the Buckeyes as a Michigan Wolverine is a preposterous thought and if you did so last night, you should sucker punch your own self in the face. SEC this, SEC that, it shouldn't matter. Leave it to, and solely concern yourself with none other than Michigan to make a statement against the SEC, because Ohio State seems to have a lot of trouble doing just that as of late.

In addition, one of the most important recruiting battles for Michigan in recent history is underway between primarily Michigan and Ohio State for Terrelle Pryor, a player that would undoubtedly help smooth the transition into Rodriguez's offensive system. If anyone doubts the importance of this recruiting battle, you didn't watch Terrelle stomp at the Army All-American Bowl last Saturday. Not only would Michigan be stuck with a gumpy dropback passer lost in the wrong system for a few years if we miss out on Terrelle, but Ohio State would have him. That scenario has a disturbing scent of another Troy Smith-esque era of Michigan domination if this were to happen. For recruiting purposes among others, IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF MICHIGAN FOR OHIO STATE TO LOSE GAMES LIKE THIS!!!! To say that a win by Ohio State would help gain respect for the Big Ten, you are surely stating a fact, but an oh-so-meaningless one at best. Since when does Michigan need more respect as a football program? If Michigan goes undefeated, they don't need to worry about being snubbed Hawaii-style in the polls at the end of the season. Michigan doesn't need to garner the respect of the rest of the country because it already has it, and it surely doesn't need more Big Ten respect to succeed as a football program. What Michigan needs most is to win recruiting battles in the Midwest and nothing else. OHIO STATE LOSING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN "BIG TEN" RESPECT. If Michigan doesn't want to be compared negatively against the teams in the SEC, Michigan will prove themselves without the help of Ohio State victories. (see 2008 Capital One Bowl)

On another note, speaking of respect in the SEC, in the last nine meetings, Ohio State is 1-8 against SEC teams and Michigan is 7-2, with OSU's last win dating back to 1989. I think this apparent differential in skill levels between the Big Ten and SEC has been brought to light recently because of the Buckeyes' inability to show up when it counts the most at the end of the season two years in a row against SEC foes. For those who care and want facts, here are both UM and OSU's most recent 9 games against SEC opponents:

MICHIGAN 7-2
2008 Michigan 41 Florida 35
2006 Michigan 27 Vanderbilt 7
2002 Michigan 38 Florida 30
2001 Tennessee 45 Michigan 17
2000 Michigan 31 Auburn 28
1999 Michigan 35 Alabama 34
1998 Michigan 45 Arkansas 31
1996 Alabama 17 Michigan 14
1993 Michigan 35 Mississippi 3

Ohio State 1-8
2008 LSU 38 OSU 24
2007 Florida 41 OSU 14
2001 South Carolina 31 OSU 28
2000 South Carolina 24 OSU 7
1995 Tennessee 20 OSU 14
1994 Alabama 24 OSU 17
1992 Georgia 21 OSU 14
1989 Auburn 31 OSU14
1988 OSU 36 LSU 33

Army All-American Bowl - Get Learned

Robby, why the hell would I give a damn about a high school football AllStar game? Well, there are many reasons to watch the Army All-American Bowl this Saturday (tomorrow) on NBC at 1pm. One of these reasons is simply that football seasons will soon be concluded and the long football-less winter and summer will leave you yearning for a smidgen of the pigskin. Number 2, some really great high school players are showcasing their talents, including several future Wolverines. Wolverines and Wolverine prospects to watch for on Saturday are the following:

S Brandon Smith - Prospect
A stellar safety of Brandon's caliber would be a big pickup for this recruiting class given Michigan's imminent change to the odd stack 3-3-5 defense where one extra DB is utilized (usually a safety). Brandon plans on announcing his commitment on national TV during the game on Saturday and he is rumored to be leaning toward the Maize and Blue. Tune in to find out.

QB Terrelle Pryor - Prospect
The nation's #1 overall recruit has put Michigan near the top of his list with the coaching change. Pryor is a freak of an athlete who would have a chance to take over Michigan's QB duties as soon as next year if Ryan Mallett ends up transferring. He draws comparisons to Vince Young and Pat White and has a close relationship with Rich Rodriguez given the fact that RichRod informed Terrelle that he had accepted the Michigan job before ANYONE else. This obviously would be the biggest pickup for Michigan in recent history and would jump start the new offense RichRod is bringing to Ann Arbor. Terrelle will be the starting quarterback for the East team on Saturday but will not be deciding his college plans until signing day in February. Schools on his list include Duke, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida, and Penn State while many believe it will come down to Michigan and Ohio State. Go Rich Go!! Also intriguing, Terrelle will be starting for the East while Notre Dame commit, 5-star QB Dayne Crist, will be starting for the west. This situation mirrors last years starting matchups between Mallett and Clausen, and we all know how that turned out. Watch tomorrow, and you may possibly see the future of the Michigan QB position.

LB Nick Perry - Prospect
Local Detroit product, DE/LB Nick Perry, has Michigan on a list of several. Michigan would likely use him as a rushing linebacker given his size and the new 3-3-5 stack defense. Michigan has got a good shot with this kid given our proximity to his home. It's coming down to Michigan, Michigan State, and USC for his services with a couple other schools mixed in. His announcement may not be coming tomorrow but we'll surely get a chance to see him in action tomorrow.

RB Sam McGuffie - Committed
If you are a Michigan football fan and haven't heard of this kid, you should die. McGuffie may be one of the fastest white kids on Earth, seriously. I don't know why you wouldn't have, but if you haven't seen his YouTube session, here it is. I don't need to get into his strengths because you can just see it for yourself on the video. This kid is something special and has reaffirmed his commitment even after the coaching change mainly due to his strong relationship with current running backs coach, Fred Jackson, who remains on Michigan's staff.

CB Boubacar Cissoko - Committed
Perhaps the most highly touted defensive commitment of the 2008 class, Boubacar Cissoko is expected to make a run at a starting role early in his career. Despite his small 5'8" frame, Boubacar's physicalness in bump and run and his shutdown abilities overshadow his small stature. Look for a potential Warren/Cissoko combination following Trent's graduation. Tomorrow, Boubacar has got the starting nod as he has been the overall most impressive defensive player during practices throughout this week. Boubacar, as well as S Brandon Smith, have made the Rivals Hot 11 list because of their dominant performances during the All American Bowl practices.

There ya have it. Now you have an excuse to continue to be worthless for one more Saturday even though football season is over.

Pond Hockey.

New Year's Day's outdoor matchup between Pittsburgh and Buffalo is what the NHL needs. Intriguing matchups, national coverage, superstar players, record setting crowds, and hockey being played out where it began, exposed to the wrath of mother nature. I get the chills looking at pictures from this most recent Ralph Wilson classic because of the magnitude of what this means to the game. It takes me back to seeing the spectacles of the Cold War at Spartan Stadium, a game that I would've surely attended had I been a student at UM a little earlier. I still think a reciprocal game should be held at Michigan Stadium when the luxury box construction finishes up, ultimately, shattering the hockey attendance record once and for all. Bringing hockey back to its outdoor roots in the great outdoors is a truly special occurrence that has only happened a select few times, but is likely to increase in occurrence in the near future.

I am genuinely confused at the timing of this game. Scheduled for the most busy sports watching day of the year, and at the same time as three other major bowl games, the NHL is just asking to take a hit in television ratings. These outdoor games are a great tool for catching the eye of the universal sports fans, those who appreciate sporting at its finest, whether they are hockey watchers or not. National coverage gave everyone in this country an opportunity to see one of hockey's most electrifying players, Sid the Kid; an opportunity that only comes a couple times a year for those who don't live in the local Pittsburgh television regions. This was a perfect opportunity to spark the interest of casual sports fans who have long forgotten the excitement of the NHL. Unfortunately, for a lot of people, the traditions of new Year's Day college football overshadowed this monumental event in American hockey. Two weeks after the Superbowl would've been a much better time to market an event of this magnitude after the lures of postseason college and professional football are long gone. A step in the right direction, but it falls short on timing.

Oh Sweet Sweet Victory

What a perfect way to send a great coach into retirement. 4 turnovers aside, this was the fastest, smartest, and most physical Michigan performance in quite some time. Michigan came in and dominated a game where nobody had given them a chance. SEC speed my ass. The Big Ten now has a winning record over SEC teams in bowl games in the BCS era. Coaches made adjustments and concocted game plans that were unlike anything Michigan has run all season. I do not know if it was the extended period preparation or what, but this Michigan coaching staff pulled out all the shots against this great Florida team. Even though seen on television, I will never forgot the looks on Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer's faces when their demise was imminent. What a great day to be a Michigan Wolverine. These kind of victories make the pains and trauma of September a distant memory.

Also, this offense may be a snapshot into what we will see next season under RichRod.

Lastly, Taylor, Trent, Manningham and Arrington, LISTEN TO YOUR COACH!!!

Dammit, more Bowls

These things never end. I'm glad I decided to be so ambitious about speculating the outcome of games that are virtually impossible to predict. Nice brain that I possess. USC wins for best looking cheerleaders, followed by an especially spirited Arkansas fan.

Rose Bowl presented by who gives a shit - Illinois vs. USC
Well, this game is obviously an easy one to predict a winner so the score will be uber-important. Illinois does not belong in this game when it comes to team talent, but somehow the Big Ten accommodates for this madness this year and pits them up against a team that is far superior in every facet of the game except quarterback scrambling ability, which won't matter when USC's linebackers will put the fear of God in Juice from the first snap. USC is a far better equipped team, will be better prepared, and will have calm nerves going into this seemingly annual game for USC. Illinois may be fired up from the get-go, but the adrenaline will only last a short time before USC begins to punish profusely. USC squishes Juice brain, 37-13

Sugar Bowl - Georgia vs. Hawai'i
Georgia is an obvious pick. I have a hard time believing that upsets of the WAC vs. BCS conference magnitude can happen two years in a row. Georgia, arguably, may be playing the best football of anybody down the stretch (along with USC) and should win this game based on talent, depth, and coaching. However, intangibles go towards Hawaii, longing to follow in their Boise State brethren's footsteps after the monumental upset over Oklahoma in the Party Bowl last season. What worries me is Hawaii's defense who gave up 44 points to La-Tech, 37 to an awful Utah State team, and 35 to San Jose State. Georgia will move the bowl, and their defense will pull through if the game turns into a shootout. Georgia avoids embarrassment, 31-28

Citrus Bowl - Michigan vs. Florida
Shit. I don't want to talk about it. I have never had as little faith in Michigan as I have going into this game. Given my negative attitude, I am having a really hard time feeling confident about determining the outcome of this game. I would not be surprised to see an inspired Michigan team come out and pull out a sound upset; nor would I be shocked if Tim Tebow ran and threw for 8 TD's naked, backwards, in the rain, with bear traps around his ankles. Florida's weakness is their secondary and that's pretty much it. Henne's health is a concern and Manningham's eligibility is rumored to be on the rocks, like the liquor I'll be consuming throughout the second half if Tebow is his usual self. Florida wins, 27-21

Fiesta Bowl - West Virginia (UM scout team) vs. Oklahoma
I'm mildly confident in the superior preparation and physical play that Oklahoma will bring to the table against a deflated, and leader-less West Virginia team. Steve Slaton hasn't run for 100 yards in several games and this team has not looked like their usual selves even with their head coach, RichRod, roaming the sidelines. Oklahoma hasn't had the distractions during the time off, and their speed matches up well against a physical and speedy West Virginia team. I like West Virginia, but Oklahoma was one of the worst matchups they could've drawn out of all the BCS bowl teams this postseason. Oklahoma wins, 41-27

Cotton Bowl - Missouri vs. Arkansas
I never really hopped on the Missouri bandwagon during their hyped up regular season. They lost to the same Oklahoma team twice, who simply outmatched them physically and talent-wise down the stretch during both of those games. Missouri has a great offense and will put up some numbers but they won't be able to stop McFadden, who will have a HUGE game due to Arkansas' physical dominance at the line of scrimmage. I like Arkansas, however, still a tough pick given Arkansas' inconsistent play throughout the regular season. Arkansas wins, 21-14

First Skiing Blurb...More Bowls (the football kind)

This is a meek attempt at putting up skiing stuff but it'll get better, I promise. Knee deep powder turns are better to make than watch so bear with me. Storms are rolling in every couple days now and getting a job seems much less fun than powder skiing...but it's still my "holiday break" right?

BOWLS
- Hoyer is a bad quarterback. Usually, his awfulness has been hidden by Michigan State's disposition to move the ball on the ground which has kept their turnovers at a minimum. Hoyer, when forced to make plays through the air, has proven himself inept. Better luck next year, Sparty. On a happier note, given where they were last year and how they did this year, Spartans have something to be happy about. No more player revolts, no more postgame shenanigans, and a better results even when your quarterback is far worse than Drew Stanton. A positive outlook for the future should be standard for the MSU faithful. Too bad you will still gain leads against UM and blow it in the 4th quarter no matter who your coach is. Whooop whoop.

Chik-Fil-A Bowl -- Clemson vs. Auburn
Clemson's one-two punch at running back is something special but they have been the sketchiest, streakiest team of all time over the last couple years and I don't think they will fair well against a good Auburn defense. Auburn has shown they can be a great football team if their offense can get some momentum going, while other times they have been boring, stagnant, and a miserably underachieving team. Things point to Auburn to win this game given the level of overall team talent but I still have a hard time putting my faith in such a stagnant offense. This game is a tough call but I'm going to put my faith in Clemson's defense doing their job. Clemson wins 33-19

Outback Bowl -- Tennessee vs. Wisconsin
Last year, Wisconsin played a decent bowl game against an SEC opponent and stole the victory. Not so much this year given Wisconsin's inconsistencies. (Beat Michigan, lose to Penn State by a shit-ton) Tennessee played a good game against LSU in the SEC championship and I don't think their coaching staff adjustments will make any difference. Erik Ainge is a good quarterback and they have something to prove after coming up short against LSU. Wisconsin folds like a lawn chair in the second half. Tennessee wins 38-24

Gator Bowl -- Texas Tech vs. Virginia
Texas Tech throws for 134932 yards against an overrated ACC foe. Virginia's running game gets them on the board but TTech is on the money and their victory will be certain from the start. Texas Tech wins 27-13

Manningham's Career Far Worse than Expected -- Bowls Too

That's it. Rumors have it that Manningham has been ruled academically ineligible for the Capital One Bowl. This kid came in and showed us the raw athleticism he possessed from day 1, and showed us that he may help fill the shoes of Braylon Edwards following his departure to the NFL. Mario did appear on that track for a while but has been a part of several off the field incidents that have simply tarnished his reputation and his legacy at this school. Ten years down the road, he will be another blip in Michigan football history. This kid is a wreck. Team suspensions from apparent failed drug tests, verbal battles with teammates on the sidelines this year, illegal possession of prescription drugs (although charges were dropped due to actual need for them), and most recently, academic ineligibility; and you wonder why Lloyd Carr never lets him speak at press conferences. Really man?!?!?! You're given every chance in this life to excel and be something special, and you do it half ass, squeak off early to the NFL and leave a place where you would've left with a wonderful legacy if you just had an ounce of self discipline. Manningham is gone after this year, I'm convinced, and I'm not surprised either given that his actions throughout these last couple years have shown that he's really only out for Mario and not this team. Farewell, friend.

Quick Bowl Predictions:

Armed Forces Bowl - Cal vs. Air Force
Cal's speed on both sides of the ball wins this game. Cal wins, 33-23

Music City Bowl - Kentucky vs. Florida State
Initially, I would like the tough, physical FSU defense to pull out the win in Tennessee, however, with 36 of its players ineligible due to injury and cheating scandals, they have no chance. They are going to have to hold open tryouts just to fill a roster and Andre Woodson will shred in his last game as a Wildcat. Florida State's offense was miserable even without its entire roster active, now it will be lucky to get a couple scores on the board. Goodbye Seminoles. Good luck to those Seminole seniors who will leaving the University with a BA in "Circus" even after cheating on an online course. Pathetic. Kentucky routs, 41-16

Bowls

Quick bowl prediction run through...at super light speed:

Aloha Bowl - Boise State vs. East Carolina
Easy pick. Boise State's offense and defense put up impressive numbers and have a much better record. Also, Boise State has already traveled to the islands to play a game and will know what to expect in terms of playing in that weather. East Carolina is very unimpressive on paper. Boise State will roll Bronco roll. Boise State wins, 34-10

Motor City Bowl - Purdue vs. CMU
Purdue beat CMU earlier in the season 45-22. That's enough for me. I know CMU is a lot better now that the season has progressed but Purdue over matches when it comes to talent. I don't care if it is hard to beat a team twice, and Purdue will win with a slightly smaller margin than earlier this year. Purdue wins, 31-27

Champ Sports Bowl - Boston College vs. Michigan State
Matt Ryan has put up impressive numbers all year. Virginia Tech's and Florida State's defenses were the only ones to really slow down Matt Ryan and the BC offense (I'm ignoring the Maryland game given the hangover from the FSU loss) Michigan State's defense is anything but great and BC will roll. BC is also really good against the run. Michigan State will be forced to pass and we all know how that will probably end up. Good luck Hoyer, you scrub. Boston College rolls, 28-14

Liberty Bowl - UCF vs. Mississippi State
This is a tough call. Mississippi State surprised us this year by actually making a bowl. MSU's Croon has got to be a pretty decent coach to get a team like MSU to a bowl game so I'm going to assume MSU will come prepared. However, UCF has Kevin Smith. I'm going to go with my gut which tells me Mississippi State will continue to show up for big games as they have done all year (check all those upsets), play good defense, and win this game by a score. Mississippi State wins, 20-13

Alamo Bowl - Penn State vs. Texas A&M
I have to go with Penn State on this one, not just because PSU is the only Big Ten team I believe may win their bowl game. TAMU just fired Dennis Francione and it's no telling that TAMU players may not be as well prepared as they should be. PSU's linebackers are pretty good and will do a nice job shutting down the TAMU running game. Hopefully, Anthony Morelli doesn't forget to tie his shoes or anything and remembers how the play football. Penn State wins, 27-26

Independence Bowl - Alabama vs. Colorado
Go Buffs go!!! Maybe this is me simply hoping Saban loses another game after an embarrassing season. (see losses to Mississippi State and La-Monroe) 4 million bucks this year got Alabama a bid to this extremely exciting bowl game to play a team that lost to Montana State the year before. Anyway, Colorado's offense can be explosive and their defense has come up big in a couple big games this year. Colorado wins, 41-26

Sun Bowl - South Florida vs. Oregon
I think we all know that Oregon really shouldn't be in a bowl game without the likes of Dennis Dixon. This new "Dixon-less" Oregon team put up 0 points in a loss to UCLA (who lost to ND, come on) in a 3 game losing stretch to end the season. Not only is Dennis Dixon out, they can't even rely on the second stringer, Brady Leaf. If the 3rd stringer can't beat out Brady Leaf, you know he's a train wreck. South Florida stomps, 44-20

more to come...

Awww, poor guys.

RichRod has fired everybody. The entire coaching staff of last year will be looking for new jobs and this disturbs me a bit. I understand the reasons RichRod did this but I feel a little squeamish knowing that every coach walking the sideline next year could've given less than two shits about our program several days ago, and now they ARE our program. I suppose there is something to be said about keeping it in the Michigan family even thought it was often a downfall when someone like Mike DeBord retained a position on the coaching staff. I couldn't be happier with the Rodriguez hire, but things like this are going to take a while to get used to.

p.s. Complete bowl prediction onslaught later tonight...it snowed a ton last night and I'm going skiing. Chalk one up for Utah (the football team).

Richard Rodriguez?

I can see it now, the lethal combination of Ryan Mallett and Kevin Grady running the famed West Virginia spread option attack. Mallett's elusiveness will be sure to shine and lead us to gutty and glorified victories and beyond. A 9 foot quarterback, under Rich Rodriguez, will at least be comical...obviously, we'll see how this transpires.

After no institution with an ounce of institutional integrity could muster up a scholarship for Noel Devine, who I'm pretty sure can't read, West Virginia and RichRod found a spot for him at the last minute. Chris Henry and Pacman Jones are also understudies of RichRod. This makes me nervous, hopefully Mary Sue Coleman let him know players actually have to enroll in classes at Michigan. RichRod makes me nervous, yet school girl giddy because, well, he's not Mike Debord.

Eligibility.

Taking a look at Michigan's players that have a year of eligibility left even though they are academic seniors is reassuring given the team may have a lot more talent sticking around next year than I had originally thought. Current seniors with another year of playing eligibility remaining are the following:

Adrian Arrington WR
Jeremy Ciulla OL
Grant DeBenedictis OL
Doug Dutch CB
Brett Gallimore DT
Tim Jamison DE
Will Johnson DT
Mike Massey TE
Alex Mitchell OG
Charles Stewart S
Johnny Thompson ILB
Morgan Trent CB

Besides Arrington and Trent, I'm not sure anyone other players on this list would be better off leaving early for the NFL early, or would even be drafted at all. Now, Manningham and Arrington are as good as gone in my mind given Manningham's visible frustration with Mallett during Wisconsin and, well, Arrington's AIM profile. ("Paper chasin bitches, 3 more months and a ***** gon' get paid!") I have a feeling with the coaching search happening this year, Terrance Taylor may make the mistake of packing his bags as well, given his elevated spot on the all-knowing Mel Kiper's Junior draft board. Depth at wide receivers may be of concern going into next year given the inexperience of those who will take over for the departing Arrington and Manningham, however, the speed and talent is there in players like Greg Mathews, who has already proven to be a more than capable reciever, LaTerryl Savoy, who Jason Avant claimed to have the best hands on the team back during his redshirt year in 2005, and young up-and-comers like Junior Hemingway, Tony Clemons, and uber-freshman Daryl Stonum. Defensively, the return of Morgan Trent, Tim Jamison, and Will Johnson is huge. Things will be even better if Terrance Taylor returns and the defensive line will remain intact for another year. Whoever the new coach will be, he will be coming in to coach a team with a lot of talent and some good senior leadership that will definitely help when learning the new coach's system.

ESPN Die.

ESPN breaks Miles crap again, claiming that the Michigan athletic department talked to Miles this morning and is still going after the newly signed coach. This news coming from "undisclosed" sources and the Detroit Free Press. Nothing has changed. We all knew this, and we all knew that this contract extension he signed is completely meaningless because the buyout of the contract, whether it is freshly signed or not, is still the same amount of money. By ESPN breaking this news, it maybe just be putting Miles between another rock and a hard place because media bombardment is sure to follow because of ESPN's "breaking story." Whether or not I care whether we get Miles now or not, I cannot see how this is going to help Michigan's cause. This just reiterates my belief that ESPN has too much power in the sports world, to the point where it can be dangerous and damaging to certain causes. (ie, bombardment of the NHL, and Michigan/Miles)
I'll care when the headline reads, "Michigan signs ____________ to be next head coach." For now, I believe nothing and nobody.

Holiday Bowl

Holiday Bowl - Dec. 27
Texas vs. Arizona State

One of the best non-BCS matchups in my mind is the Holiday bowl between Texas and Arizona State. Texas is coming off a disappointing season with another loss to Kansas State, another loss to Texas, and yet another loss to sub par Texas A&M. Arizona State had a quite a different season, climbing as high as #4 in the polls and an 8-0 record before losing to Dennis Dixon. Arizona State has a great quarterback in Rudy Carpenter and a potent offense that will definitely score some points on Texas given the fact that Texas' defense is averaging 25 points against per game, gave up 38 to Texas A&M (ouch!), 43 to Texas Tech, 41 to Kansas State, and worst of all 25 to a completely awful Nebraska team that Texas barely beat by 3. This Texas team is sub par at best and are not riding any momentum into this game. Arizona State's defense averages 5 less points given up per game and its only blowout loss was to USC part II. (The second half of the season USC)

Why Watch this Game? It is sure to be a good one between two upper echelon BCS conference teams. Texas loves getting in shootouts with potent offensive teams like Arizona State and Colt McCoy can usually keep Texas in these games given that he's healthy. This may a high scoring affair.

Prediction: Arizona State 43 Texas 39

MVP : Rudy Carpenter (ASU QB)

Another Lions Letdown...

Dear Mr. Lennon,
FALL ON IT! SHIT!!!!!
Love,
Me

Lions lose. This game hurt more than most because our team looked good, especially on the offensive side of the ball. This loss is crippling in terms of team moral and will have a big effect on the rest of the season. This team not only lost a game that they virtually could have clinched on numerous occasions, they have sealed their fate as a non-playoff team yet again. (barring no complete meltdowns by current wild card teams) Improvement was immense this season, however, and that is something to be proud of given the Lions recent history. Life goes on.

This football season has been a rough one considering the Lions falling short and Michigan Football being, well, Michigan Football. I'm exhausted, and the Red Wings victories bring moments of relief from what was a football season of some highs and some miserable lows. Life goes on.

Orange Bowl

Orange Bowl - Miami, FL
Kansas vs. Virginia Tech

I'm changing up the order of the bowl previews because insignificant bowls are boring to write about. Therefore, I'll stick one of the interesting ones in here once and a while for a change of pace. First up, a mediocre major bowl game taking place at Dolphin Stadium on Jan. 3 -- Va Tech vs. BCS newcomer, Kansas.

Statistically, this game looks to be in Kansas' hands as they lead Virginia Tech in every offensive category, and defensively, both teams give up approximately 16 points per game. Statistics don't mean jack when it comes down to picking the winner of this game. Obviously, Virginia Tech's schedule is on a whole new level in terms of difficulty and the one time Kansas actually played anybody with a brain, they lost. (Missouri beat them by 8) Yes, Todd Reesing is a great quarterback and the offense is really explosive, blah blah blah. I'm sorry, the dream season will be ending on a sour note when Virginia Tech's secondary takes the field. The Virginia Tech defense is leaps and bounds better than anyone Kansas has seen all season and will be enough to tame this offense. Virginia Tech's offense is OK statistically, but most importantly, it has shown gradual improvement throughout the season and has found good stability with the two headed quarterback system with Sean Glennon and superfreshman, Tyrod Taylor. Sean Glennon is greatly improved and made a lot of great reads and great throws in the ACC Championship game. Virginia Tech wins a close game that will be close until Virginia Tech's defense puts the clamps and seals the victory with a late 4th quarter turnover.

Why Watch this Game? It's a BCS game. Todd Reesing and the Kansas offense is fun to watch and if Virginia Tech stops them, the defensive play will have to be exceptional. Tyrod Taylor is an up-and-coming prototypical scrambling Va Tech quarterback that hasn't tarnished his reputation or career quite like those whom he follows. 23 months? Geez.

Prediction Virginia Tech 30 Kansas 24

MVP Member of the Virginia Tech Secondary...whoever makes the game sealing interception.

Screw Brady Hoke...Look at these numbers Bill!

Robert H. Young
334 E. Jefferson St.
Ann Arbor, MI

Objective

To become the next head coach for the University of Michigan football team and lead this storied program to National Championships, Heisman winners, and an undefeated record against Ohio State.

Education
University of Michigan, 2007
- BS Geological Sciences
- Minor in Environmental Sciences
- Michigan Marching Band Alumnus

Experience*

The Citadel Military College - Head Coach 2004, 2005
-Coached the Citadel to a National Championship their first year in D-1A football
-Coached second ever Heisman winner from a defensive position - D. House
Alcorn State - Head coach 2005
- Led Alcorn State to a National Championship in third year in D-1A football
- Led nation in passing offense
Northwestern Michigan College - Head coach 2006
- Brought NMC from the depths of community college oblivion to national powerhouse
- Victories over NMC rivals, Kellogg Community College and ITT Tech
The Citadel Military College - Head Coach 2007, 2008
- Led The Citadel to back to back 11 win seasons and wins over rivals Youngstown State, Prairie View A&M, and Elon University
- Coached first ever freshman Heisman winner, Devaughn Jaxon
- Currently ranked #15 in the AP and Coaches Poll in present season with a 11-0 record

Awards and Statistics
- Coached 2 Heisman winners
- 2 National Championships
- 3 time Coach-of-the-Year Award
- 237-22 all time record

*NCAA Football 2006-2008

Las Vegas Bowl

Las Vegas Bowl -- December 22nd, 8pm
UCLA vs. BYU

At first glance, the BYU does not appear to be a team that could hang with the likes of major conference programs given their rough start to the season this year. The BYU Stormin' Mormons, er correction, Cougars, gave up 55 points in a loss to Tulsa and lost by 10 to UCLA during the first 3 games of the season. Since then, the Morm...Cougars have won 9 straight and earned a bid to the Las Vegas Bowl for the second year in a row to play the Bruins again. BYU averages over 30 points per game and gives up 18.8 including that one 55 point blemish against Tulsa. An easy pick in this bowl game is clearly UCLA given the fact that these two teams met in September and UCLA won by two scores. Not so fast. UCLA has been plagued by injuries and streaky offensive production down the stretch this season and has struggled defensively in bowls the last couple seasons. Add on top of all this, UCLA will be without head coach Karl Dorrell and players might not give a shit under a new, temporary leader.

I give BYU the predicted win given the fact that they were able to focus on football in the city of sin last season for the Las Vegas Bowl and pulled out a completely dominant win over Dennis Dixon and Oregon. The sex, drugs, and parties in Vegas didn't waiver these hardened Mormo...I mean, Cougars, and I expect another good showing this season. I'm giving the nod to BYU expecting UCLA's defense to not show up without their fearless leader, Mr. Karl, and the pass rush won't be nearly lethal enough to stop the Mormons...I mean, Cougars.

Why Watch this Game: Max Hall has replaced John Beck nicely and has led an efficient BYU offense averaging 458 yards per game. UCLA's defense was sketch sketch sketch at times this season while doing fairly well at others and assuming that they won't show up, BYU's offense will roll roll roll and be quite entertaining to watch. Plus, beating UCLA, so easy, Notre Dame can do it.

Prediction BYU 33 UCLA 27

MVP Max Hall

Coaching.

Drunken nights usually end up in heated discussion about something college football related and last night was no exception when it came down to the coaching search. In the last couple weeks I have come to realize that when it comes to this coaching search, the train of thought of Michigan fans is completely skewed and absurd. (I am not innocent here!)

Why are we all so preoccupied with our mission to pull down some huge name college coach from another top tier program who has already been successful in major conference college football? We think that because we are Michigan that Bill Martin should go out and just steal some coach away from a program where he is already winning and already getting paid big bucks, and we can do this because, by golly, we're fuckin Michigan!! This is an irresponsible attitude. This is not the answer to solving Michigan football mediocrity, and we all as fans need to stop pointing at Bill Martin like he is out to sabotage Michigan football because he somehow couldn't pull Les out of LSU, and he is looking interviewing coaches from the (GASP!!) MAC and other smaller conferences or smaller big conference programs. Casual fans are calling for Martin's head because he hasn't pulled an Alabama and hired an overrated and over hyped big name for ridiculous amounts of money. However, smart fans take all of this and stride and will look at the big picture.

Hiring big name coaches that have proven success in the big leagues has yielded a lot of success for recent programs, and by success I mean embarrassment. Look at Notre Dame...big name coach, proven success (SUPER BOWLS for godsake), and the worst season in Notre Dame history. How about Alabama? Alabama went out and paid an unfaithful, big headed cock-of-a-coach to come resurrect their program. How is that going so far? I know it's early but Alabama took a step back with a abysmal finish and losses to unranked Mississippi State and UL-Monroe!!! (at home!) So Bama spent twice as much money for the same results as the previous season and an embarrassing home loss to a middle of the pack Sun Belt team. Why do we think hiring a big name who is successful somewhere else means he will be successful with our team? The hiring process (from a fan's perspective) MUST be more than this...

Hiring up and coming coaches from smaller football programs or simply bringing in successful coordinators to take over as head coach has brought a lot of teams success. Why are coaches at smaller programs deemed incapable of running Michigan program with pride, integrity, and immense success when they are limited by lack of big conference head coaching experience on their resume? Jim Tressel's success in 1-AA football was enough to get him the job at Ohio State and we all know how that has gone for Michigan fans. (SHIT!!!!) Urban Meyer coached at Utah before he was deemed the "savior" of Florida football. Rich Rodriguez was simply a offensive coordinator for Clemson before elevating West Virgina back to national prominence. Jeff Tedford was an offensive coordinator at Oregon before turning around a terrible Cal program. Houston Nutt went 4-7 as head coach at Boise State (back when nobody knew they existed) before being hired as the Arkansas head coach. Mike Tomlin was hired to coach in the NFL without any head coaching experience! And the best, Bo Schembechler, was the head coach at Miami(OH) before becoming the most successful and beloved coach in the modern history of Michigan football. Yes, a MAC team my friends.

Contrary to popular belief, Bill Martin does have a process and this process is not limited to seeking out someone in this elitist group of coaches already at the top of their careers. (but may include some sailing) Bill Martin is not an idiot and we all know that Lloyd isn't either. The process of hiring a new coach will depend on the prospective coach's abilities at any level and his passion toward the game, along with his drive and determination to be a successful head coach here for a long time. There are plenty of great coaches that are qualified to coach this Michigan football team whether or not they are household names yet. Bo sure wasn't when he was hired by Michigan in 1969.

In closing, take a different perspective on this coaching search. We all need to and myself is included in this. I was on the Les Miles train ten times over. Life is not over because we didn't get Miles and in some ways, we may be better off. We sit around telling everyone how badly this coach and that coach are going to suck and how Michigan is gonna go 4-8 when they come yadda yadda yadda. Who the hell are we?! Let's leave it to Bill and Lloyd because if anyone is capable of judging one's future success at this school, it is those two men.

Something Else to Ruin My Credibility...

Alright. It's bowl season and nothing is more important prior to bowl games than making an ass of myself trying to predict what is going to happen in each of these games. I don't have much to write about right given the low in sports this weekend and I've decided to give a blurb about most of the bowls before they happen and attempt to persuade you into watching for one reason or another. Sound like a good idea? No. It doesn't to me either but here goes. We'll start with shit and work our way to the top over the next 4 weeks.

Poinsettia Bowl (San Diego, CA) - December 20th @ 9pm
Utah vs. Navy

Exciting. By the way, I will never refer to bowls by their corporate sponsors even though the names of some of these bowls has been completely erased by fat corporate America...it makes me sick but it's the world we live in now-a-days I suppose. The day they rename Michigan Stadium "The Fingerle Lumber Big House" is the day I drown myself. Anyway...

This game is a key matchup between a completely balanced offensive team (Utah) vs. a completely lopsided one in Navy. Yeah, yeah, I know Navy is making strides in the direction of present day offensive schemes but you and I both know the only time you ever saw Navy this year was when they beat Notre Dame, and who wouldn't try to throw the ball against Notre Dame.

The difference maker in this game is whether or not Utah can stop a one-dimensional offense and if they can get their running game going with Darrell Mack. Utah is a team that looked awful out of the start until their 44-6 lashing of UCLA and since then their offense has been progressing nicely by the numbers and had a nice 50-0 blowout over Wyoming. (yep, the same Wyoming team that beat #20 Virginia a the beginning of the season) That game didn't make headlines because of the lopsided score as much as it did because the Wyoming coach flipped the bird to the Utah sideline after going for an onside kick in the 4th quarter. Utah has the speed and weapons (haha for the MWC) to put up the points and wins needed to get them to this bowl and slowing down Navy's rushing attack will pretty much be all they have to do to get themselves this season ending W.

Navy...lost to Delaware and gives up 35.6 points per game to lackluster opponents. They gave up 62 to North Texas, a team that sucks worse than Notre Dame, and still won. This team will not win a shootout against a team like Utah who possesses half of a defensive brain on the sideline. Navy has little chance and an upset will only occur if Utah is careless with the football and spends the week before the bowl game getting tanked in San Diego because "UTAH BEER SUCKS MAN!"

Why watch this game? The rushing might come in bunches if Navy can find a way to run the ball against a defense that only allowed 45 points in their last 5 games. Darrell Mack (RB) is Utah's primary offensive workhorse who had several 100+ yard games this season. If the offenses are clicking and a shootout ensues, this game could potentially be mildly entertaining. Watch if you have got nothing else to do.

Prediction: Utah 34 Navy 14

Player of the game: Darrell Mack

Datsyuk.

In honor of Datsyuk's two goal performance against Montreal tonight, here is some Pavel love from his good old days under Commie rule.

P.S. Datsyuk is the first guy but his little friend that goes after him is almost as nasty dirty pants as well.

by the way...

Original 6 Matchup tonight between Detroit and Montreal. Best of all, it does not matter where in this country you live because it is being televised on VS. Tonight. 7:30. These matchups are very rare for Detroit (excluding Chicago). So watch.

Just Shut Up.

There is NO CONSPIRACY! The NFL is not for or against Tom Brady and the Pats and there is surely no conspiracies regarding refs calling games in favor of the Pats with the motives to sell more tickets. Give me a break. Samari Rolle's accusations are absurd and inappropriate in the highly publicized level of football in which he participates. So what, he called you a "boy." Grow up. If you are really offended as a human being, kids or no kids, take him to court for defamation of character and watch a judge laugh in your face. You're a man, act like one. Take defeat in stride and move along. Don't lambaste the officiating in the locker room after the game after a justified defeat by a team that is simply superior to yours. You are a professional. If you are truly offended that a referee referred to you as a boy, you are probably acting like one. Just. Shut. Up.

It seems this is a trend as of late. Players and coaches pointing fingers at officiating on national television and in press conferences, indicating some true deeper root intentions of the officiating crew, or simply pure incompetence. Save your breath. Officials are constantly being scrutinized by themselves in the form of watching tape and reviewing their own performances as well as reviewed by their superiors. Referees WANT to do a good job because doing otherwise would likely harm their own careers. Scrutinizing officiating as a coach or a player in the locker room is one thing, in front of cameras is another. Sack up. You are bias, they are not. They call it as they see it and ripping them a new one results in the same thing EVERY TIME. A fat-ass fine from Roger Goodell himself. It's never going to change, and the outcomes of the games, bad officiating or not, will remain the same. If you plan on being a poor sport again in the future Samari Rolle, bring your checkbook.


P.S. ESPN's article ended with a statement that made me cringe. "McKinnely, who played collegiately at UCLA, is black, as is Rolle." Despite what Stephen Jackson may think, race has nothing to do with this. Just. Shut. Up.

P.S.S. Reported this morning is that Les Miles will not sign his contract until after the BCS Title Game.

P.S.S.S. Les Miles will be ready to sign his contract after the board looks it over on Thursday. More misleading information spread all over the Internet. I'm beginning not to care. Sign Ron English up and get this over with. (cringe)

Moving On...

I believe Les Miles wanted to come to Michigan and is somberly and secretly disappointed in the outcome of what was, in his own words, the place that he truly wanted to be. I believe he is upset but understands the circumstances at hand and that taking the Michigan job is impossible for him because he genuinely cares about his players at LSU, and he cares about their success in the upcoming national championship game way more than he cares about the advancement of his own career. (even if his past may indicate otherwise) Les Miles is a good man for doing what he is doing and he knows he is making the right decision. However, I am inclined to believe that if the timing was different, and the transition would be easier for his players, Les Miles would be the next Michigan head coach.

I believe the conclusion to the regular season could not have been more disappointing for the Michigan. The loss of the number 1 coaching candidate came the same day as that god-awful disgraceful piece of shit school down south is going to yet another national championship at the hands of yet another Michigan defeat. Now we can cheer Les Miles on like he IS one of our own...

I believe Michigan will be completely and utterly steam-rolled by a superior Florida football team at the hands of Heisman winner, Tim Tebow. A player that Michigan wanted but just couldn't have. (despite rumors that we stopped recruiting him with the intention of pursuing Ryan Mallett...we traded a future Heisman winner for a drunk little punk kid) It is upsetting that the chances of Lloyd Carr ending his career on a victorious note are slim. Florida is coming off of 4 straight wins and run a complete, balanced offense, one of which Michigan has never proven capable of slowing down, let alone stopping; especially in bowl games where Michigan has been nothing short of abysmal in recent years. (Excuse 2005 Rose Bowl) To win, Michigan will have to simply outscore Florida in a shootout. Unlikely.

I believe Michigan State will be slaughtered in embarrassing fashion. Matt Ryan will own MSU brain.

Excuse me while I wallow in our misfortunes. I'll be chipper again in September.