An Introduction

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7Mar 2017
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An Introduction

(Image via traditionsportsonline.com)

My earliest memory of being a sports fan is watching Remy Hamilton kick a field goal to beat Notre Dame in 1994.  I must have been a Michigan fan before that moment because my immediate reaction was to pick up the phone, call my dad at work, blurt out an off-key rendition of “The Victors,” and then hang up the phone.  

We generally inherit our sports affinities.  I inherited the Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots genes from my mother.  These teams have given me plenty to cheer about over the years, but college football has always been my favorite.  My dad graduated from Michigan in 1972, and my Michigan fandom comes directly from him.  When I was little, Saturdays in the fall consisted of mowing the lawn and watching the Wolverines.    

As I grew up, so did my fandom.  I didn’t attend Michigan, but I was an athlete in college and got the chance to compete against the Wolverines, albeit on the water rather than the gridiron.  In that time, I never missed the chance to watch a Michigan game, even if it meant running home after morning practice.  

After college, I moved to California to work in the tech industry, and eventually became a high school teacher.  Still, I try to make it to Ann Arbor each year to watch a game with my dad and brother.  

If you’re reading this, you probably know that being a Michigan fan can be an obsession.  I’m that guy – the fan who will pour over Twitter and blogs, consuming as much information as possible.  I’ll call my dad or brother and talk to them about the game, the team, the coaches, or the recruits until they stop listening to me.  

When I was offered the position at TTB, I was thrilled.  I don’t claim to be an expert.  In fact almost everything I’ve learned about tactics and schemes comes from TTB and MGoBlog, and I’ve never played a down in my life.  But what I am confident in is my fandom.  I’ve watched every game since 1995, and I’ve watched most of them twice. I’ll try to bring that perspective to my interviews and blogs.  This doesn’t really feel like a job to me – it feels like the next development in my life as a Wolverine fan.  Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as me.  

6Mar 2017
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3-6-17 Recruiting Update: Boston College is lurking

Seattle (WA) Garfield DE Sav’ell Smalls (image via NWPR)

It’s been a while since I’ve done a 2020 recruiting update, but I’ll combine it with a few bits from the last week on the 2018 class.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2020

Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep running back Jalen Berger was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Maryland, Rutgers, and Syracuse. Don Bosco’s head coach recently retired and was replaced by former Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel.

Brooklyn (NY) Poly running back Lamy Constant (formerly Lamy Montini) was offered by Michigan, his first. He’s a 6’0″, 188 lb. prospect with one other offer from Boston College. He attends the same school as Georgia-bound offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson.

Hit the jump for several more 2020 offers.

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5Mar 2017
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What I’ve Been Reading: Deception Point

Back in 2001, before the world went nuts for The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown wrote a political, science thriller named Deception Point. I truly haven’t been a huge fan of the Robert Langdon series, although I find the involved pseudo-history interesting. The reason I’m not a fan of the Langdon series translates directly to Deception Point, too.

Deception Point starts with the premise that NASA has discovered a meteorite buried under 300 years’ worth of snow and ice on the Milne Ice Shelf in the Arctic. Not only that, but the meteorite contains evidence of extraterrestrial life. This is, of course, a huge discovery for NASA. There are all kinds of scientific, historical, and political ramifications. The female protagonist, Rachel Sexton, is a government official who happens to be the daughter of a U.S. senator who happens to be embroiled in a tight race for the presidency, and Rachel gets sent to the Arctic to investigate. Action ensues.

The aforementioned issue I have with Brown’s writing is his insistence on clean, stilted dialogue. Robert Langdon, Rachel Sexton, and virtually every other character speak like they’re writing a research paper for a Master’s degree. There is no chummy banter, no natural relaxation at any point. For the entirety of the series of events in each book, every character is at the top of his or her game for fear that someone might notice an absence of a five-syllable word in even one sentence.

The first half of the book did actually have me intrigued. Brown is very good at setting up cliffhangers. The setting, the premise, and the political maneuverings are all very interesting. There’s a little bit of a House of Cards thing going on at times. But the dialogue and the conclusion left something to be desired.

What have you been reading lately?

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