INTJohnSoooo……I bin thinkin’
Is the 2019 football season ‘crunch time’ for not only Harbaugh but also for Warde?
Harbaugh’s contract is up after the 2021 season; 2 and a half years from now; and I’m wonderring at which point in time Manuel either extends this or gives Harbaugh a new one or lets it simply expire and Michigan & Harbaugh part ways?
Difficult for Warde to give Harbaugh a new one If after 5 or 6 years (maybe by year 7?) he hasn’t won any kind of championship coupled with Harbaugh’s dismal record against the Buckeyes.
Also, Warde doesn’t at all, I wouldn’t think, want to be ‘that guy’ who basically has to ‘fire’ Harbaugh by simply letting his current contract run out.
Let me get this on the record – Harbaugh has been very good for Michigan. This cannot be denied:
In terms of National PR, Fan interest, recruiting, $$$ flowing into the AD and profits funneled to the University, etc BUT! if this guy can’t produce results on the field at some point Michigan WILL have to move on forcing Warde to make a very hard & tough decision that no one realy wants.
At what point does this time arrive? what events will have to take place?
Harbaugh’s predecessor, Hoke, was done in by a declining failure of on field results followed by fan apathy by not attending home games (an emptying Big House) and an ensuing lack of interest by potential recruits…….. this all lead as well to a declining positive image of the University of Michigan, in general.
The 2019 season is, I’m thinking, extremely pivotal for Warde Manuel and Michigan Football. Warde absolutely needs Harbaugh to have a successful season this fall meaning either beating OSU or winning the Big Ten East or both in ordered to justify giving/extending a new Harbaugh contract.
Without this on field success Warde simply cannot justify it and yet without it, it may be the beginning of not only Fan Apathy but also a negative effect on future recruiting IF these potential recruits begin to sense that Harbaugh won’t be there…….. The very things that lead to Hoke’s removal.
The 2019 Michigan Football season, then, is at a historical crossroad. If successful the Harbaugh era most certainly will continue; but if not it may be the beginning of its end.
As I See It………….INTJohn
INTJohnReasonable Expectations for Michigan Football……
Reasonable: “having sound judgement; fair and sensible”
Expectations: “belief that something will happen/occur in the future; that someone will or should achieve something.”
What then should be reasonable expectations of Michigan Fans regarding the achievement(s) of Michigan Football?
Some in the Michigan Fanbase expect nothing less than National Championships. But is this reasonable? I don’t think so. Given that Michigan has been awarded but 1 National Championship in the last 70 years (and that championship came about unexpectedly) it makes no sense what so ever for any Michigan fan to expect any Michigan Football team to ever win a National championship and any Wolverine fan who expects this, is being unreasonable if not outright delusional…….
What about an FBS Playoff appearance(s)? Again this is not something that any reasonable Michigan fan should expect to happen. I mean, geee if does, great! But don’t ever expect it or think it should be a goal. The last 2 Fbs playoff lineups didn’t even include any Big 10 team and the last 3 did not include the Big 10 Champion and the last 2 Big 10 teams to play in the playoffs were so soundly destroyed by the competition as to render the Big 10 Conference as little more than just barely above a Group of 5 conference champion……..
What then are reasonable expectations – if any – for Michigan Football?
East Division Chasmpionships? Sure its reasonable for fans to expect the Wolverines to win this division at least 3 times in every decade, anymore than that? Probably not.
I think its reasonable for Michigan fans to expect Big 10 Champioships maybe again 30% of the time. Given Michigan’s football history & tradition, 3 times in any decade is to be expected. If this isn’t happening then there’s a problem somewhere in the Football program. Given the state of the Big 10 West, if Michigan wins the East, they should be the favorite and expected to win the Championship game.
What are reasonable expectations within the division?
Michigan’s last 70 year record vs its principle competition: The MOPs – Msu, Osu, Psu is 80 – 78 -4 a winning % below .500……..
40% winning percentage vs OSU
54% winning percentage vs Msu
64% winning percentage vs Psu
Reasonable Expectations today then are at best to beat OSU 1 out of 3 times; to beat MSU 3 out of 5 times and PSU probably about the same 3 out of 5 times. And of course one must expect a twice a decade hiccup agaisnt the likes of Maryland or Indiana.
Overtime then, Michigan should be expected to break about even against the MOPs and IF Michigan wins against all 3 in ’19 the Wolverine record under Harbaugh against the Mops will be 8-7 approximating Michigan’s long term average……
For ’19 then, given Michigan’s present state, talent, schedule, and the state of the MOPs it is my expectation(reasonable or not) that the Wolverines go thru the Big 10 undefeated, win the Big 10 East & Big 10 Championship.
FBS Playoff appearance?? Ahhhh No……..
As I See It……….INTJohn
INTJohnThe dichotomy of University of Michigan Wolverines:
Wolverine vs The Team!, The Team!, The Team!
I’ve always found it interesting that Bo’s The Team…. is so ingrained in Michigan athletics in general & Football in particular, revered maybe worshipped?
………and the animal itself in reality , ya know a REAL Wolverine is one of the most SOLITARY, Independent self sufficient ‘there is no Team in I” creatures – at least of mammalian species – on the entire planet.
There is absolutely NOTHING about this animal that exudes Team…..! Rather the EXACT OPPOSITE!
A solitary roamer, independent, self sufficiently autonomous of the most remote and inhospitable wilderness areas of Earth they can’t even stand themselves! They are so in tune with the Karma of their own Reality- Team & Civilization are not at all a part of their DNA.
…….and Michigan has tried to take the reality of such a strong & healthy animal and turn it into a brainwashed, domesticated & trained metaphoric mascot to live by Team oriented concepts & Rules on a man-made geometric configured (grid iron) geography, while playing this metaphor of Life with a ball? Maybe human inventions of a cultural proportion like Football Games are actually the Root of all Evil or maybe the game needs a little wilderness?
I always laugh at this………INTJohn
INTJohnSince today is the D-Day anniversary I’m going to get the Military Academies football strategy off my chest. I thought about it on Memeorial Day weekend but that holiday has more specific meaning to me personally so I didn’t post anything then AND I’ll admit Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11 would be even more appropriate but it falls towards the end of football season in general and being fans we’re all focused on game day events at that time so……
Since its off season…….Now.
Has anyone ever thought about WHY all three of the Military academies employ the Triple Option Offense? None of them deviate from it.
Oh yeah there’s all of the football perspectives about smaller guys; not having talented enough players to compete, etc, etc, blah blah blah but the REAL reason is way more complex, psychologically and a very deep purpose from a traininning & educational perspective.
The US Military operates under Mission ACComplished Results perspective and this involves an Offense that implements a 3 pronged attack: Air, Land & Sea – Air Force, Army & Navy.
This is the Academy wide basic educational Philosophy. to teach these future officers – whether they play football or not – they are all taught to understand that the defense of the US is to be conducted with an Offensive capability that involves choices of all 3 options but from a Joint Service Attack perspective.
This philosophy is not new but was first designed and implemented when I was in the military when Nuclear War was a real possibility and a Nuclear offense was designed as a 3 pronged spear:
Nuclear armed Submarines
Nuclear armed Bombers
Nuclear armed ground based Missles.
While nuclear war is now – thank goodness – no longer such an immediate threat to our culture & society & people the philosophy of the Triple option attack involving the best that all of the 3 service academies can offer can be coordinated by teaching these young officers to think this way in all of the professional thinking.
So when you see Michigan play Army this fall and no doubt kick the Black Nioghts ass’s keep in mind that these young officers are doing musc much more than playing footbal. they’re being taught to think in terms of the Triple Option Attack not on a football field but in the overall health & well being of our culture, Society & people for us to live & breathe the great lives we have an opportunity to enjoy.
Appreciate their style……….INTJohn
INTJohnMichigan 15 Florida 41
This game was played by a one time one game Michigan team that we will never see again. So many players would not or could not play in this game that were a part of the regular season team and many players, Srs., etc that won’t be on the fall ’19 team.
Another big/bowl game that wasn’t much of a showing for a Michigan football team coached by an over paid staff.
On to MBB & Hockey.
As I See It………..INTJohn
INTJohnMichigan 39 Ohio State 62
“When you win say nothing. When you lose, say less.”
Paul Brown
See you next year…….intjohn
INTJohnM vs The Evil Empire
IDK wtf is going to show up in C-bus.
Neither team comes off any kind of a sterling performance. OSU has been playing the same now for generally the entire season but outside of purdue manages to eek out victories. Minn, Ind, MSU, Neb, and now Maryland all could’ve or should’ve been losses for the Buckeyes but now they’re at 10-1 with a home game opportunity for the B10 East title vs Michigan……. wtf??
As for the Wolverines, they played vs Indiana the same they have against much of the opposition this season except when they got into the red zone they couldn’t close the deal; reminded me of games last year vs AF, Cincy & purdue: field goal them to death.
Hard to feel good going into Columbus after a mediocre performance and OSU has to be the luckiest fuking team in FBS this season. If I was a betting guy that played the Vegas lines?????? I wouldn’t touch this weex game agaisnt the Buckeyes with a Saudi Princes’s money.
I don’t have anykind of a positive or negative vibe on this one. Could be a 45-42 shootout or something MSU ugly like 19-18. I do think if it turns into a blowout or semi blowout tho it will be in Michigans’ favor.
Go Blue!……..INTJohn
INTJohnThe recruitment of quality talent at the wide receiver position should not be a problem for Harbaugh & Co.at Michigan. Given that they coach these guys to excel in a pro style offense and given that a perspective quality recruit aspires to be a future NFL caliber WO; AND given that most college football programs do such a piss poor job of preparing potential NFL wideouts for actually the job they’ll need to perform IF they make it to the NFL…..
And #of catches at the college level is probably not really that important given all the other variables that NFL Wide receivers need to be able to accomplish:
Here’s 3 articles ranging in date from 2005 thru 2018 that basically say the same thing: HOW Ill prepared for the NFL most wide outs really are (and I’ll add a coach like Jim Harbaugh has the ability to teach/coach what really is needed desired for a WR/WO to succeed)
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000246769/article/toughest-transition-why-rookie-wide-receivers-struggle-in-nfl
http://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2032581
Conclusion: IF a high schooler aspires to make it to the NFL as a Wide Receiver I would think that a staff like Harbaugh’s would be exactly the kind of program such a youngin’ would most likely need to be a part of; even if its at the ‘price’ of not running up huge pass catch numbers becuase Harbaugh will teach said player the OTHER things necessary to make it to the NFL and to also stay in the NFL.
IMHO………….INTJohn
INTJohnMichigan 84 PSU/Rutgers 14
OK better late than never and it feels good to lump both PSU & Rutgers into the same paragraph……..
Michigan is running pretty much on all cylinders and I hope they’ve not peaked to soon.
Next up Hoosiers: Yes I had Indiana as the ‘trap’ game after the game they gave the buckeyes several weex back but thats certainly cooled. Every week is a new data point and with Michigan playing at home and it being Sr. Day AND the way the Wolverines are playing look for this to be another bloodletting to the Football Gods.
Go Blue!……..INTjohn
INTJohnI swear, everyone I wanted to lose, won.
MSU, PSU I thought were decent bets to again get beat at home but nope! And Northwestern beat Wisky? How did Purdue lose to MSU after notching the upset of the year last week? And that Iowa/PSU game? When’s the last time you saw 2 safeties in 1 game? And the Hawkeyes QB missing a receiver as wide open as possible for a bomb td and then throws 2 INT’s basically to wide open PSU players? Crazy games that seemingly no1 wanted to win…..
Only thing consistent was Dantonio’s Spartans winning ugly, very ugly once again. Northwestern tho has an opportunity against Notre Dame this week in Evanston – this game should be intriguing.
Michigan is on top in the East – apparently far & away too as most of the rest of the conference seems to be wallowing in mediocrity.
With the stretch run upon Michigan they have a 4 games to win and lock up the East – its theirs to lose at this point.
Next up is PSU – Michigan handles them at home. Then a pair of patsies in Rutgers & Indy then its The Game in Columbus.
Meyer commented after the Buckeye loss to Purdue about “glaring weaknesses” of the Buckeyes and how they’ll be corrected. My only response is IF the weaknesses are so GLARING! Why weren’t they already corrected by the Buckeye coaches?? Makes me think that the OSU coaches know they got problems that cannot be easily fixed and Meyer is spewing out presser bs. A Michigan fan can only hope.
Michigan has had problems closing out seasons on a winning note under Harbaugh – not this year. There’s my take on things this AM.
Go Blue!………..INTJohn
INTJohnIts starting to look like your original call that Michigan goes 11-1 may be spot on and yeah The Game in Columbus is looking more & more very winnable.
In a conversation with a friend after Michigan’s victory over MSU I expressed my thoughts that Purdue would beat the buckeyes later that evening. He was like “Realy!?” And I was like Yeah!
Indiana & Minnesota, 2 mediocre teams gave the buckeyes fits for over 3 quarters in Columbus and Purdue is a lot better than either and OSU had to go to Lafayette……. I said to him, yeah if the buckeyes play like they did against Indy & Miny; they get beat and so its happened.
3 games ina row now and OSU looks average. Now , yeah they laid an egg at Iowa last year, too but that was not after the 2 previous weex of playing like shit. When you’ve played like crap for 25% of the season at Mid Season! I’m not sure thats not a defining trend thats easily rectified by the coaching staff: The osu offense is completely 1 dimensional & predictable and their defense looks like a sieve.
Michigan is in the driver’s seat at this point for the East Title – its theirs to lose………INTJohn
INTJohnMichigan 21 Michigan St. 7
Its a great day this morning!
Michigan won! And is all alone a top the B10 East!
MSU lost!
and OSU lost too! (I think I’ll drink & toast a Boilermaker today! In lieu of my afternoon gin & tonik)
Do I realy need to say any more?
Go Blue!………INTJohn
INTJohnI’m not sure I have any big surprises about Michigan this year but its satisfying to see them play like a ‘Real Michigan Football Team’ unlike most of the last 10, 12 even 15 or 20 years or so.
They are beating handily the teams they ‘should’ beat and now its time to see if they can get over the hump and beat the ‘big boys’.
Test No 1 came last night at home against Wisky and this was passed with more than flying colors. Next up is the nemesis MSU and Dantonio just seems to have Michigan’s #. The Wolverines gotta break that curse this Saturday & bury MSU once & for all for the Harbaugh Era.
I won’t go any farther than that at this point as Michigan has a few more ‘Tests & Temptations’ before they’re matched up against “The Evil Empire”………..INTJohn
INTJohnMichigan 38 Wisconsin 13
Well, its about time! If this game doesn’t make Wolverine Nation giddy I don’t know what will. I’m not quite ready to loudly proclaim that “Harbaugh Has Michigan Football Back!”; but its definately on the right path and last night took a HUGE step in the right direction……..
This game had a lot of everything in it positive and tho there were a couple serious negatives, now isn’t the time to elaborate as this Team continues to improve, grow gaining more & more confidence.
Cryst obviously has no confidence in Hornibrook’s ability to bring the Badgers back from a deficit as plays for their running back up the middle were called again & again even when trailing by 17 points. This played completely into Michigan’s defensive hands and the lead simplay grew as the remaining time shrank.
Next week is another big test when Michigan travels to EL and the Spartans are coming off a big victory against PSU.
Go Blue!………..INTJohn
INTJohnMichigan 42 Maryland 21
Michigan started out slow, which seems to be their mo, but took care of business with a dominating win.
The first quarter was not good for the Wolverines. I.e TO on downs in lieu of a field goal attempt, etc. and after Michigan kicked a filed goal for the game’s first points, Maryland returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD, taking the lead. Michigan got it together tho with a nice drive ending with Mason punching it in from the 1, I think, making it Michigan 10-7 and the Wolverines never looked back.
Michigna’s defense kept Maryland in check all game and the Terrapins offense never mounted any scoring threats till the game was well in hand.
Down side was injuries to some Michigan players with one being taken off on the cart. This is never good – Dwumfour, I think and hope none of those injuries are serious as the toughest part of the schedule is now looming with Wisconsin next week coming to The Big House. Go Blue!……..INTJohn
INTJohnIn a general overview agree with you on the first paragraph. I’m going to wait tho before any elaboration till after the Maryland game and then I’ll spill a mid term update.
Michigan will be heading into the meat of the schedule with, as everyone generally agrees are 4 potential losses in the 6 remaining games.
All in all I’m content with 4-1 at this point, Terp’s are really schizophrenic with thier home play so expect Michigan to handle them at the Big House upping the Wolverine record to an expected 5-1 at the season midpoint…….INTJohn
INTJohnMichigan 20 Northwestern 17
This was an exciting game that kept me on edge all 4 quarters. Many thought this might be a semi easy game for the Wolverines BUT! I thought this would be a hard fought game IF Northwestern, playing at home, put together a near mistake proof effort and especially if the Wildcat QB – Thorson didn’t turn the ball over.
Fitzgerald is a damn good good coach with smart players, playing at home and I thought the NW defense would come out very motivated to keep Michigan from putting 40+ points up on em in their own stadium…….. The Wildcats certainly played their best game of the season to date; tho in a losing effort.
Michigan finally has shown me some grit & backbone by being able to tough it out against a good well coached team on the road; being able to grind out a come from behind victory; bit by bit methodically, shovel by shovelfull digging their way out of the double digit deficient hole they had dug themselves into……
Last year this game would have been a loss and I’m taking this win with pride, so will Harbaugh and the rest of the Team.
Bring on Maryland. GO Blue!……….INTJohn
INTJohnMichigan 56 Nebraska 10
Its difficult to predict a blowout win against a team with the tradition of the Cornhuskers but my intuition kept telling me it might be the case. I was thinking around a 3 score victory for the Wolverines (17 to 20 points) but tried to restrain myself from being over come by ‘giddy optisim’. Nebraska is a team that is more talented than what they displayed at The Big House but they are defeated psychology and no matter the talent & potential, if ones heart & mind isn’t into it……….well such is Nebraska.
On to Michigan. A great win vs a conference opponent and my main criticism of this game is once again the flag/no flag calling by the refs. Pathetic officiating and I won’t go into specifics we all saw them. Michigan will need to continue to win games with margins that refs’ bad calls or bad noncalls have little meaning. In a close game, the Big Ten refs will ALWAYS screw Michigan.
From a fan’s perspective one couldn’t have asked for much more and this game left me with the feeling of the old days. I’m sure there are specifics regarding the need for improvements & tweaks that those with a more refined ‘coaches’ eye could reveal in Michigan’s play but from my perspective I will continue to enjoy watching this team play & grow as a good team with good players and good young men. My joy has returned in simply watching Michigan Football……….INTJohn
INTJohnMichigan 45 Southern Methodist 20
This game started out so slow for Michigan but at least they didn’t join many of the other B10 teams this day and get beat by seemingly inferior competition.
Anyway the Wolverines took care of business, winning handily for the 2nd game in a row by scoring Touchdowns. The Patterson effect seems to be coming around as Michigan is showing they have some semblance of a passing attack. DPJ looked like an integral part of that attack……
On the running the ball side, however I became frustrated with the coaching staff making call after call for Evans to run the ball into the line on 2nd & 1, 3rd & 1, 4th & 1, etc for IDK maybe half a dozen times? Evans isn’t the kind of back that can get those tough short yards by running him into the line. When they handed off to Mason at the goal line I thought “why aren’t you using Mason instead of Evans? On those other plays?
Anyway that was my only bitch, really on how the offense played out. Defense didn’t look sharp and I’m still wondering how SMU scored 20 points on it; but then maybe the over hundred yards in penalties on the Wolverines had a lil bit to do with it?
Overall tho, a good win, a boring win but it beats an exciting, upset loss like much of the rest of the B10 teams this day….. I’m ready to do a major revision regarding some of the Wolverine’s future opponents after this Saturday’s play. Maybe the Wolverines going 10-2 isn’t so unattainable after all; not necessarily because Michigan is THAT good but because much of the B10 apparently really does suck!…..INTJohn
INTJohnOK Sunday PM Quarterback. I stayed up with some friends getting polluted & watching MSU……
Michigan 49 Western Mich 3
Harbaugh has Michigan back to where they are beating handily the teams they should beat now just need to get over the hump & start getting victories over the better ones.
I didn’t watch most of the 2nd half and assume it was played with the backup boys.
The first half:
1st series for Mich started off bad & I thought WTF?
I’m not going to elaborate on x’s & o’s or jimy & joes – there’s plenty of other’s who are better at it than me and much has already been written & said.
BUT! This half despite the score wasn’t much different than the ND game:
Same Michigan Offense & Same Michigan Defense.
Only things different was playing at Home, Western’s Offense instead of ND’s and Western’s Defense instead of ND’s.
Michigan was able to gash Western in the run game with the same plays that never worked against ND……
And ND’s deep passing attack torched Michigan’s defense while Westerns QB kept overthrowing by 5 yards……
Michigan never had to go 5 wide ’cause they weren’t down 21-3 but if the first 2 games are any indication expect other teams to run up the middle on Michigan’s defense and throw deep. The precedent seems to have been set.
So which of Michigan’s future opponents have a good run game, good deep threats, good QB play and good defenses?? Look for Michigan to struggle mightily against these teams.
SMU up next – should be more of the same as what we saw against WM
INTJohn
INTJohnI’m bullish on the Wolverines for ’19 and haven’t discounted them for ’18 perse’. Just got weary of all the preseason hype around Michigan like none of the other teams haven’t improved and just remained static. Trying to be objective and live in the real world.
I never bought into the Patterson hype & still don’t. I think Harbaugh has a lot of unlearning to do with him from whatever not great coaching at Miss with Freeze, before Jimmy can start coaching him forward. At this point, I can’t see Patterson ready for the NFL after this season……
The OL? I don’t know if Bredeson is leaving or not – I’m not in his loop. Ruiz will have his shit together by next year and the rest of that ’16 & ’17 OL class I’ll trust Warriner can mold them into something descent. TE’s & WR’s will be massive weapons and a RB will emerge from somewhere even if it seems an apparition.
There’s my take on the offense for ’19.
Defence is almost at plug & play; I’ll trust Brown, Mattison & Zoro to do an ibid…….
Special Teams? another year of Maturity, I’m confident.
Not a great fan of MGoblog. I only lurk there. Front page stuff sometimes isn’t bad if you can wade thru the cutesy pedantry but the forum posts generally degenerate rapidly. Remember; that which is for the Masses requires the Masses.
Go to credible rival sources for opinions – they are out there. In other words MSU, OSU, PSU, ND sources who live in the real world; read their takes on Michigan and sorta average it all together. What shakes out is usually pretty spot on.
Jus sayin & wait till next year……INTJohn
INTJohnYeah, I’m not going to live in the past regarding total hypotheticals of Game 1 ’18 vs Game 1 ’15. Prefer to be futuristic! Hence Wait ’till next year!
Sure Wisky & MSU are beatable. Every team is. Wisky is very strong and will be very hard to win, especially since it looks like Hornibrook has matured to where he’s cut down on his int’s. Wisky’ line is dominant, very experienced and very familiar with the Wolverine defense. Their running back might be awarded the Heisman & their passing attack is right there. Defensively they complement the Offense very well – complete Team is Wisky.
MSU is another story – Dantonio just seems to have Michigan’s #; snake bit; and his teams never awe you; they just beat you. And its not just Michigan, its PSU, its OSU, etc. The Spartans don’t awe you, they just beat you. Almost similar to Iowa who gives everyone fits at home, too…..
Also, don’t sell Northwestern & Thorson short – impressive game 1 win by them at Purdue and Maryland looked good, too against Texas with no head coach. Michigan could trip up on either of these games if they’re not bringing the A game.
Michigan fans need to be content with 8-4 anything past that is gravee and again; Wait ‘Till Next Year’.
As I See It……….INTJohn
INTJohnThe big difference between year 1 and now is that Rudock was an NFL caliber 5th year who had seen 4 years of expereince & coaching under a hall of fame coach in Ferentz and Patterson is a beginnnig Jr, coming off a significant injury having been ‘coached’ for 2 yrs by Hugh Freeze??
I think 9-3 with a bowl victory would have to be considered very successful season at this point – hell I would like to see them get 14! But I think 8-4 is about the best they can do given the tuff road games ahead. If they Learn & grow this season then next year in 2019 could be the year Harbaugh has it all together.
Thanx……….INTJohn
INTJohnNow that I’ve watched the ND game my ‘preseason’ record for Michigan is 7 wins 4 losses; I still have the NW game a toss up & the way PSU played against App St in Happy Valley, Michigan should be able to handle them at home.
I’ve seen nothing in this game what so ever that tells me the Michigan Offense has improved at all from last season:
Play calling was boring, predictable & non creative; still Can’t score a td and still turns the ball over. The vaunted Defense absolutely sucked in the first half and special teams even with the KO return 4TD was marginal…….
The Wolverines could even go 6-6
INTJohn
INTJohnAt some point in time the World needed to move past Germany & Hitler; Russia (Soviet Union) & Stalin; China & Mao; Cambodia & Pol Pot; Iraq & Sadam……… I’m still waiting for it to move on past Great Britain & its mechanistic legal/moral crap that is the foundation of Murahka.
Move on pass P,M,O SU’s…….
Everyone in Murahka is a fuking victim; A Victim of Life! Deal with it. Can UM beat them sometime on a football field?
A healthy culture & society should be able to be strong enough to withstand the loss of a couple drops of blood to a few mosquitos when it sleeps at night……..and frankly I’m tired of Murahka being run by Moral Masturbators who justify their religious based Legal Revenge by calling it ‘Justice’ in order to make themselves feel good. Get over it & move on with Life.
I did years ago……….INTJohn
INTJohnI’ll hold off on specifics regarding UM v MSU as that game is 2 months off and a lot will happen between now & then to both teams but I don’t mind elaborating a little on the ND game.
If Michigan had anykind of a proven offense I would give a thin lean to the Wolverines. But after all the hoopla for the last 3 years; ‘bait & switch’ regarding Harbaugh’s vaunted Offensive Coaching Prowess he’s gotta show me he can build an offensive unit that can both score a td & not turn the ball over…….
That being said, ND’s offense has never played agaisnt a defense as talented, well coached and schemed like that of Don Brown’s. The Irish can study film all they want; till they actually have that defense literally attacking their ass they will not really be able to get a handle on it. Expect that ND offense to look confused and unsure – tentative at least thru the first half. The Irish will be intimidated by it having never actually played against it before.
Michigan’s other tough foes – Wisky, MSU, PSU & OSU suffer no such unfamiliarity with the Wolverine defense and they all beat Michigan last year. Those opposing Offenses; They’ll all be ready, respectful BUT unintimidated…….
As I See It……..INTJohn
INTJohnI don’t want to get to deeply involved regarding Harbaugh’s HC status at Michigan in this thread as I simply meant it to be a slapping up of my pre-season intuitions regarding how the overall big picture Wolverine results may be.
If you want to start a thread on Harbaugh’s future at Michigan based on possible, theoretical & philosophical won loss scenarios I most likely would participate.
Thanx and Go Blue!
INTJohn
INTJohnYes, I think 11-1 as a preseason prediction is unrealistic – i won’t say its delusional but certainly homer optimism.
First Michigan is playing the toughest schedule in the nation and they could be significantly better on the field from last year and still lose 5 games…….
The ND game , at this point is one of my toss-ups. First game of the year in a hostile environment against a very talented ranked team. Michigan with a completely unproven offense; sorry best I can do here is ‘tossup’
……and give NW some respect. This is not the Northwestern that Bo played in the 70’s & 80’s. They won 10 games last year & Fitzgerald is a damn good coach with smart talented players; And the game is played in Evanston; And Harbaugh has shown he can’t win on the road against a good team. The NW game to me at this point is one of my ‘toss-up’ games.
Wisconsin coming into AA is the only reason I call this game a tossup. If it were in Madison I’ld call it an L. To repeat too many ?’s at this point re Michigan’s unproven offense and the Badgers are totally proven with one of the best QB’s in the B10 who has seen Michigan’s defense before.
Then the Wolverines travel to East Lansing. I’m calling this game, at this point a toss-up; only because its such a rivalry game. The Spartans are actually my preseason pick to win the B10 East. They have one of the top 10 maybe top 5 best coaches in College football; they have the best QB in the B10 in Lewerke – another dude QB that Dantonio will be sending to the NFL; they have 19 of 22 starters returning from a 10 win team last year AND they have both Michigan & OSU at home AND Dantonio seems to be the only B10 coach who has both UM & OSU’s number……..
My L for Michigan is in Columbus.
One thing you haven’t addressed is Special Teams. Also an unproven unit from last year’s not great at all ST unit. So, Offense Defense Special Teams…… Lose 2 of 3 battles here you most likely lose the game and 2 of these 3 units for Michigan are unproven.
Again after I see what takes the field in South Bend, I may revise all my verbage………..INTJohn
INTJohnHAHa lol…….
I’m not so sure he ever was a QB guru. That was the general perception of the masses at large but simply because The Masses perceive something to be true doesn’t mean it fits any sense of Reality…….
Yes the Harbaugh reputation of being a QB guru , I think, if one explores this objectively going back to his USD days or even to the Raiders days when Al Davis hired him to ‘fix’ Raider QB’s anyone with haf a brain will have to conclude that Harbaugh is a good qb coach BUT! A Quarterback GURU? Hah! Far from it.
I think much of the credit for his QB success – at the University level anyway belongs to other coaches; i.e. his assistants and a couple of rare types like Luck who would’ve been an NFL qb no matter what competent college coach worked with him…….
Dantonio at MSU & Richt now at Miami have a WAAYY better track record of QB development at the NCAA level than Harbaugh and there are others as well who are much more deserving of the title “Quarterback Guru” – IF such a title is to b bestowed – than Jim Harbaugh.
As I See It…………INTJohn
INTJohnPost Out Back Bowl:
Michigan 19 South Carolina More than 19………
Michigan definately played like they were ‘out back’……
The first half of this game was a pathetic display of offensive football as Wolverine offenses generally have been all season; but in this game especially so. The punting game too was horrible – kiking & receiving. But the worst was yet to come in the 2nd half.
The 2nd haf was a disaster – after coming out at half time and making a great TD drive to extend their lead, the Wolverines then committed 5 yes! FIVE turnovers 2 inside the Gamecock’s 10 yard line to blow a 16 point lead and lose this game……..
2017 with an 8-5 record is thankfully finished – a season that most hoped would see Harbaugh lead the Wolverines in Growth Desire & energy has been a major disappointment – especially on the Offensive side of the ball.
I’ve been on record that the school is still out as to whether or not Jim Harbaugh can Build A Team! We’ll find out over these next 3 years; but at this point, I’m beginning to wonder if he & his offensive staff can even COACH ONE !!!!
As I See It………..INTJohn
INTJohnWhats that little red ‘1’ mean? Oh is that some1 who thinks their opinioned ‘vote’ actually means something?
You can take ‘democracy’ and shove it – I’m with Harbaugh on this 1 – MERITOCRACY!!! Fuk Democracy! Your vote is bs.
Look it you fuking little coward who hides your bullshit behind some internet facade – post your fuking opinion and train of thought if your even capable of 1 HAHA!! Or STFU and cut your gaoddam fingers off.
Havin’ sum fun……….INTJohn
INTJohn(Lately I’ve been glued to FSU & Taggart) I was halfass following this and don’t have any depth ‘in the know’ at all but…….
Johnson is guilty of misdeameanor assualt and booted off Team while Perry is saddled with a Felony police officer assualt but remains???
Seems like more Harbaugh Hypocrisy……. I would love a face to face talk with Harbs with his apparent ( and maybe its not apparent at all) hypocrisy. His future may be that of Woody in more ways than 1!
I think Harbs is a great coach and great for Michigan but I wonder at what price. He’s inconsistent; evasive, vague, secretive – generally signs of a narcissist insecure yet competitive personality and any person who wrestles his brother holding him under water till the 3rd to the last bubble; to the point of near drowning him is at least borderline Pathological…….
I’ll write more in the off season on this.
Yes thats Michigan’s HC…………INTJohn
INTJohnHaha; Harbaugh has rarely recruited ANY of his first choice QB’s but has had to revert to plan b or c or z.
Peters wasn’t his first choice in ’16; niether was Milton for 2018; Caff may have been for ’17 but don’t think so.
Not even Luck at Stanford was Harb’s first choice QB recruit; he wanted a couple other guys first 1 of whom ended up at Baylor, if I recall, might’ve won a Heisman if I recall but hey maybe I’m sufferin from ole man dementia……
Josh at USD might have been his only for sure 1st choice landed QB recruit.
So how good of a recruiter is Harbaugh? This would be an interesting essay topic. Signed recruits vs those Harbs preferred?Extensive & difficult subject to have any substance but one that would be very interesting………INTJohn
INTJohnPost OSU:
Michigan 20 OSU 31
I had good intentions of watching The Game at The Backyard Kitchen in Pacific Beach which is the new Michigan hangout in San Diego; replacing Johnny V’s which was the fill in after PB Bar & Grill closed. PB B&G had gotten kinda decriped and needed to be torn down but Johnny V’s never grabbed ahold of me – seemed more like a place from the set of an old Miami Vice re-run……. The BK is a great place morning, noon & nighty nite nite! And as long as the Michigan Tom Brady fans get past the Denver Broncos fans there shouldn’t be to much of a clash. Haha
Anyway I didn’t make it. Ended up partying at Ocean Beach Friday Eve and that’s where I woke up. Ordered breakfast at the newly opened OB Surf Lodge (below Wonderland) in time for kikoff and thats where I viewed The Game.
Was enticing & uplifting for a quarter with the 14-0 lead BUT then OSU drove making it 14-7; 2nd Q. Breakfast was over and I thought if Michigan hangs on GREAT! But if they don’t; well I don’t want to watch another disappointment after a 2 td lead……..
So I left and hung out at the main beach South of The Dog B; taking in the sights, surf & the gals playing v-ball but checking in on how Michigan was doing periodically on my phone; and seeing that OSU was slowly & methodically taking over the score. After the 1st Q, it was OSU 31 Michigan 6 which is kind of how most of the powers that be were forecasting this game would go including Thunder.
This season was annoying at times:
The offensive struggles with not scoring td’s especially so but the biggest disappointment for me was the loss to MSU and that loss alone marks 2017 as ‘disappointing’. Michigan is being slated possibly for the Holiday Bowl here in SD but I’ll try to catch it at The Backyard as I’ve gotten to the age where stadium crowds are tooooooo much for me.
Go Blue………….INTJohn
INTJohnPre OSU:
Well here’s The Game we’ve been waiting for.
Up until last weex injury to Peter’s I was fairly optimistic about an upset here but until we see who plays QB for Michigan none of us can have any idea what will happen in this game – even with Peters.
I’ve read some stuff on JOK this week about his off the field Humanatarian efforts, etc which is what being a Human Being is about, etc; however Ghandi & Mother Theresa were great Humanitarians as well but I don’t really want to see either playing QB for Michigan against Ohio St.
Soooo where does this leave us?
Michigan can win this game IF they first don’t turn the ball over;
Make some plays leading to points on Special teams & defense; OSU must make some mistakes.
If OSU plays their A game Michigan won’t win no matter what; BUT & its a more than feasible But! That OSU may make some mistakes. If OSU plays like they did agaisnt Indiana, Oklahoma, Iowa and 3 quarters against PSU; the Buckeyes are VERY beatable. Make no mistake about that.
Barret has shown he’ll often turn the ball over and miss easy throws; OSU’s special Teams has played horribly at times this season – this Buckeye team can be ‘had’ by Michigan.
Michigan must play mostly mistake free – make a big play early to get the 115,000 peeps into it; defense can rattle Barret – he’ll eff up; its happened before; make it happen again.
I’m not with the doom & gloomers: The Buckeyes can B Beaten in The Big House!
Go Blue!…………….INTJohn
INTJohnPost Wisky:
Michigan-10 Wisky- More than 10
Yes, I have a hangover. Thats what too much bad wisky gives you. Michigan could have won this game IF:
1- They won the turnover ratio……….they didn’t
2- They had a big play on special teams……they didn’t
(Just the opposite as they gave up a td punt return)
3- They hit a cupl deep throws – well they kind of did do this.
But 1ish out of 3 ain’t gunna get it done. On top of that the refs stole points once again from the Wolverines but we should be used to this by now as its been going on for decades.
The big event in this game was not that Michigan lost the game but that they lost another quarterback. Peters getting creamed like Wisconsin cheese is not a good sign. He’s taken some hellacious shots in all of the games he’s started and it finally caught up to Michigan.
Maybe this is Y JOK isn’t any good? Maybe JOK has a better survival instinct as he’s the only starting QB under Harbs at Michigan who has yet to survive. Maybe JOK as a human being is a lot smarter and gifted than any of us give him credit4?
Harbaugh better figure out how to keep his QB’s uprite and healthy or if I’m the parent of a blue chip high school qb; I’m thinking; Son, you’re not going to sign with Harbaugh.
Finally!!!! Bring ON The Buckeyes!!!
INTJohn
INTJohnPost Maryland:
Oh man, did the refs forget that the game had started and they’ve forgetton what pass interference is? There’s my rant on that.
This game is the final ‘preseason’ warmup for the New Michigan Offense that is lead by Peters. It went well and was sort of a carbon copy of last weex Go4s game except it was on the road making it a lil more degree of difficulty. What happened is what should have happened and very expected.
Biggest bitch for me of this game was Wolverines looked flat footed & uninterested after half time and The Turps won the 3rd qwarter. All in all a satisfying road win tho and thats what counts.
I’m still not ready to put this team into the Top 25. 8-2 with victories against noone with a winning record and losses to those who do says that Michigan is at best a ‘B’ Team; prally more like B-. They get thier opportunity for Harbaugh’s first signature win this week in Madison and that will get them into the 25.
Onward to Wisconsin…………INTJohn
INTJohnRe the state of the B10:
Becoming obvious that its not what perception is. Perception is that the B10 East is the dominant division and yet the 2 current East divy leaders – OSU & MSU have their only losses in conference to West Division teams AND! The West Division leader – Wisconsin is undefeated having beaten All foes no matter which division so far!
Maybe jez maybe the East division is actually the pussy division of the B10 and the West is where the strongest teams are?!
Also much has been made of the ‘strength’ of the B10 but the last 2 teams from the B10 that appeared in the playoffs have been blown off the field as if they were D-2 teams at best.
Good chance B10 is left out of the playoffs for 2017 season and based on their on the field performance vs ND, OK as well as past 2 seasons playoff appearances no B10 East team SHOULD be in the playoffs……. viable conclusion is B10 East is most overrated division in FBS? Go Badgers?
Now we know………..INTJohn
INTJohnPost Minnesota:
Mich 33 Go4s 10
Wolverines keep the LBJ. When I was a kid LBJ also meant President Lyndon Baines Johnson and seems like its been that long since I’ve seen such a combined running & defensive showing by a Michigan team.
As I watched this game it reminded me of the first game I ever saw at the Big House: Michigan 35 Northwestern 0 ’83 I think. Against Minnesoata last night the Wolverines looked like a Bo team of yore. It was Good, it was refreshing, it was also at times BORING!
The time I knew Harbaugh would have Michigan back to the future would be when it was boring to watch them beat mediocre teams. That moment arrived last night and it was awesome;
I enjoyed watching this game; finally no drama, no emotional turmoil; no WTF moments just a good clean expected old fashioned thrashing of an opponent.
On to Maryland………..INTJohn
INTJohnPost Rutgers:
Wolverines 35 Rutgers 14
The euphoria is over the top for Michigan fans with the appearance of Brandon Peters taking over at QB in the 2nd quarter. O’Korn flat out was playing terrible and Peters in relief lead the Wolverines the rest of the way. It was time to get this guy some playing time.
The Harbaugh era has begun now at Michigan. Writers are calling this game the beginning of the ‘Peters Era’ but no this is the beginning of the Harbaugh Era. 2017 is the last of the Transition years at Michigan from the Dark ages and at every team Harbaugh has coached once he has gone to His recruited/drafted QB Harbs has never looked back. Expect Peters and/or McCaff(2018) to lead this team from now on……..
Michigan still needs to learn to beat its rivals consistently and Harbaugh has yet to win any kind of FBS level championship but the Dawn of the New & Resurrected Michigan has finally occured.
As I See It………..INTJohn
INTJohnPre Rutgers:
Couple years back I stroll into one of my beach haunts near Mission Bay in San Diego. It was mid afternoon – not to busy and I was craving a cold dark beer.
When I walk in here’s this rather attractive gal – dishwater blonde late 20’s maybe 30ish with a triathlon body sitting in ‘my spot’ at the bar. Conversation was initiated easily as we were both left handed.
I assumed she was a grad student at one of the 3 universites that surround the Mission Bay Area but no! She tells me she graduated from Rutgers of all places. “So, ah how’d what brought you to San Diego?” I asked.
I’m a Marine Corps officer – she says.
Really! Says me What do you do in the Marines?
“I’m a fighter pilot; I fly an F-18 out of Miramar” she says.
WHOA HOh! I’m thinkin. This is one Bad Ass bitch!
Hmmmm dishwater blonde, athletic, sexy, well educated and a Marine fighter pilot! Thats as Bad Ass Bitch as Bad Ass Bitches come!
And I said something like that to her – as the supreme compliment.
I said to her you know even tho we’re a generation and 2 wars apart we’re forever linked. Oh yeah – she says “how’s that?”
I let her know that I’m a former Air Force Pararescue man – a PJ – and that I spent 30 months in SE Asia back in the day working out of Thailand into Laos and Cambodia…….
Now every pilot thats flown in combat in the US military knows about PJ’s and what we do and in typical fighter pilot response she says to the bartender – get this guy a beer on me.
We had a couple drinks and traded war stories and a few days later partied with her & a couple of her girlfriends who are Marine attack helicopter pilots. We’ve stayed in touch and whenever the 2 of us are in San Diego at the same time we always get together for a couple drinks and trade war stories……..
What does any of this have to do with football you might be asking? Nothing really but then niether does Rutgers.
INTJohn
INTJohnPost Penn State:
PSU 42 Michigan 13
This game went pretty much as anticipated and I have nothing really to elaborate on. Michigan got beat by a flat out much better team. Kudos to Coach Franklin & PSU & hope they beat OSU & MSU.
Bring on Rutgers!
INTJohnYou touch on many items here but you don’t follow thru on most. Actually you probably could have made about 10 thread topix with what you’ve touched on and then there would’ve been more development re each item……….
In a general overview tho, at least re the Coach aspect:
(Paul Cryst needs to be mentioned too as far as B10 Coaches go).
almost every Coach at a major traditional football university who has won a National Championship has doen so by their 4th year at that university – the list is fairly long:
I’ll start with Lloyd Carr at Mich – 3rd year
Woody Hayes 4th yr; Bear Bryant – 4th yr; Parsegian -3rd yr; Devine – 3rd yr; Holtz -3rd yr; Jimmy Johnson 4th yr; Erickson – 1st yr; Coker – 1st yr; John McKay -3rd yr; John Robinson 3rd yr;
Switzer – 2nd yr; Bob Stoops 2nd yr; Tressel – 2nd yr; Carrol – 3rd yr; Saban -Twice – 4th yr & 3rd yr; Meyer – Twice – 2nd & 3rd yr; Miles 3rd yr; Jimbo Fisher – 4th yr.
This is Harbaugh’s 3rd yr – will he bring a National Championship to Mich this season…..ahhhh No. Probably not even a division championship. Maybe Next year in his 4th? We’ll see but if it doesn’t happen next year or by the 5th probably won’t happen at all under Harbaugh given the above general trend re National Champion coaches at Major Tradiotional Power Football Universities.
Bo never won a NC but he always stated The Goal was to win the B10 championship. Bo realised the asinine subjectivity of the so-called National Championship and it continues even now under the current system – completely subjective.
Truth is Michigan has only been awarded a part of a 1 NC since the late ’40s so its not like it should be a big deal whether they win 1 or not. But contending for B10 Champioships and beating MSU & OSU on a regular basis should always be expected and the last 3 Michigan coaches have not lived up to this.
In defense of Harbaugh (as well as Pelini & Richt & others) the all time winning ratio held by Michigan of approx .732 or there abouts has to be held as the highest standard and any Head Coach who is near, at or exceeds this should probaly be seen as a Very Damn Good Coach. Pelini & Richt both exceeded this standard yet were fired. Harbaugh currently, too exceeds this standard and I expect him to increase it while He’s at Michigan; but as long as he continues to lose to MSU & OSU and not win a B10 Championship on an at least semi regular basis, it will always leave the Michigan Fanbase feeling that much is missing.
A response………..INTjohn
INTJohnPost Hoosierville
How the hell does this team rush for 270 yards; have NO TURNOVERS and in fact be +2 in to’s for this game and still almost loose to INdianda?
Thafuk………well itsa win. This Team is not a top 25 team.
This defense is so there!! Buh ware the Rez uv iah ? Doh no?
Mid season 5-1 I’ll take it Tho thawt they’d b 6-0.
2nd haf will be brutal!
More………INTJohn
INTJohnPost MSU:
Michigan 10 – MSU More than 10.
I was so looking forward to watching this game – talk about losing ugly on so many levels & I don’t even know where to begin. Its too easy to say too many turnovers and seriously; I did lose count – 5 anyway maybe 6? 7? I lost count.
And couldn’t move the ball to where Nordin could kik a field goal little lone score a TD. This game was just terrible. I’ll leave it at that. Hats off to MSU and Dantonio as they came into the Big House and did what they had to do to get the W.
I’ve said a couple times that Michigan wasn’t a top 10 team and now everyone should know it. This defense is championship caliber but this offense now into its third season under Harbaugh is simply pathetic. No growth, no improvement, if anything regression and I’m not going to rag on any of the players at this point in season. This is on the Offensive Coaching staff including Harbaugh. Dantonio out coached Harbaugh & Co.
I’ll hope for improvement on the Offense and support this Team but after this season is over; The Harbaugh Mystic that so many Michigan fans have embraced will be seen as The Emperor has no clothes……..
As I see it………..INTJohn
INTJohnPre MSU:
Part 2 – hey its rivalry week coming off a bye. Time to unload;
to unload on the MSU Spartan Statue – if that’s what they want to call it. What an abomination that thing is as it doesn’t resemble any ancient Spartan Warrior whatsoever. In fact it looks more similar to the reprehensible Arno Brekker Aryan statues that he sculpted for Hitlers Third Reich Nazi depictions of its ‘Master Race’.
I think even the Ancient Spartans themselves would find the thing as nothing short of a supreme insult. The Warriors of ancient Sparta prided themselves in Battle with it well known in their culture and bond that no Spartan Warrior would return from Battle without thier shield.
“You will return from battle either carrying your shield or lying dead upon it.” This was the words an Ancient Spartan fought by.
To not have ones shield meant they dropped it and ran from the field; indicative to any Spartan of being an act of supreme cowardice…….
Look at that thing that MSU erected as a monument indicative of a Spartan – it carries no shield; no sword and carries its helmet in the hand. It depicts nothing but cowardice; Its revolting – and I can’t imagine who on that campus approved such a thing as representative of the name they’ve chosen for their athletic teams.
Any citizen of Ancient Sparta would destroy the thing not applaud it and any modern citizen should abhor it as something more akin & similar to the work of Arno Brekker.
As I See It………..INTJohn
INTJohnPre MSU:
Ok its Sat nite not Sunday AM but shi its a bye week and here tiz……
I expect Michigan to defeat Sparty ina week and m looking forward to that but I must confess I have some vividly fond memories of MSU football. Back in the day yes ‘a long long time ago’ The very first football game I ever saw LIVE, in person, in a university football stadium was in East Lansing.
It was 1967 and the game was Purdue vs Michigan State. I was so young really as to not even be able to appreciate what I was witnessing. Literally 2 of the best university Teams of all time. This was the MSU team that several weeks later would play Notre Dame to the “Game of the Century” 10-10 tie and a Purdue team that would go on to suffer only 2 losses that season – to MSU & Notre Dame – and defeat USC in the Rose Bowl.
Those 2 Teams; think of it – for MSU Clint Jones, Gene Washington, Bubba FUKING! Smith – are you kidding me!! And for the Boilermakers – Bob Greise, Leroy Keyes etc ARE YOU FUKING Kidding me!!??? MSU would win 41 – 21 or there abouts.
How was I able to be a part to witness to experience this at such a young age?
Someone had paid to truck a bus load of orphans, homeless & abandoned boys from West Michigan to East Lansing to be able to experience such a kool event. I was one of those boys.
I really don’t remember much of anything about the game itself. But i remember the stadium and so many people – I didn’t know there were even that many people in the whole world as I had always been so alone……..
I remember every time MSU scored that the people would throw toilet paper rolls , so they unfurled and they would drape all over the end zone and people would run out and pik it all up……
…….and I remember when the Notre Dame score was announced over the speakers that the entire stadium BOOOOED incessantly and I was very confused as to why they booed Notre Dame because I had seen the movies about Knute Rockne and win 1 for the gipper and just thought it was given that Notre Dame was sacred……
It left my young brain very confused…….
But the thing I remember most and has always been with me my entire life was that MSU had a kicker who kicked the football barefoot…… yes!! BARE fuking Foot! I remember thinking gawd how can that NOT hurt? How does he kik that ball barefoot and it not hurt? How does anybody do that? Kikoffs & xtra points – kikt em barefoot. How does that not hurt?
I spent the entire game never saying anything or reacting to anything just taking it all in with saucer eyes, open mouth and a brain that couldn’t comprehend……..
Who would truck a bus load of Peter Pan’s Lost Boys to a major university game today? Anyone? Is there any1?
INTJohn
INTJohnPost Purdue:
Michigan wins 28-10 in sweltering heat on the road against a good team by scoring Touchdowns!!
O’Korn fills in for an injured Sp8 and QB’s the Wolverines to its 4 touchdowns. No doubt this fuels an already simmerring quarterback controversey which I’ll stay out of as we all know the Coaches are paid millions to know whats best for this team.
Offense looked sluggish at times as it has all season.
Defense was very good but torched again on tunnel screen.
This Team to me still hasn’t proven itself to be a Top 10 team.
(Like last week I did not watch this game live because I’m first and foremost a Beach Bum and this record setting heat had me at the beach listenning to B & D via radio)
Two weeks then here comes Sparty (Who received an evening Irish ass whooppin at home.)
INTJohn
INTJohnPost Air Force:
I must confess I did not watch this game. It was just toooo nice of a late summer day to spend a Saturday afternoon glued to a screen watching football so, instead, I spent the afternoon at Pere Marquette Beach on Lake Michigan (Muskegon) listenning to B & D call the game via radio……..
Since it was Miliatry Appreciation Day and the Falcons are my third fav team I wasn’t really looking forward to the Wolverines giving them a 49 – 13 whoopin and well………
I’m glad that Harbaugh & Co ran the score DOWN to 29-13 by not letting the offense score 5 more touchdowns and hence 20 more points but risking a Nordin hammy pull by kiking all those field goals……..
I’ll never forget the extremely Sarcastic send off by Dierdorf when the First half ended referring to Michigan’s performence: “THAT’S JUST (fuking) GREAT!!”
No Dan didn’t drop an F bomb over the air but I still heard one!
Moving on to Purdue……..INTJohn
INTJohnPost Cincinnati:
Given the last 10ish years of Michigan football, never thought I’ld feel so bad after a 36-14 victory……… Last weeks game was not as close as the score indicated and this one seemed to be ALOT closer than what the score indicated.
Too close: If not for the Cincy QB doing his Sp8 impression by throwing a pik12 and also missing 2 wide open receivers that would’ve scored…….??
Seasoon Michigan TD’s: Offense 4; Defense 3;
Blah, blah, blah:
I’ve thrown all of my preseason opinions about this team away and I’m going to leave it as a Harbaugh Work in Progress. They say a Team improves the most between game 1 and game 2……….?
Speaking of Improvemeent; MOST improved player from last week to this:
Grant Perry. Yes! I came down very hard on him last week but this week he played like a Michigan Man. His first catch of the game he doesn’t lay the ball on the ground, little lone spin it; but gets up with BOTH! hands on the ball lookinng around for a ref to HAND it to – no punk manner at all – he played and behaved like a professional. This behavior continued throughout the game on all of his catches as well as when he took over return duties for a seemingly ‘lost’ DPJ……
Given the way SP8’s play has been in his last 6 games; I think there will be no gr8 improvment from year 1 to year 2 as has happened with Harbaugh’s other qb’s. Without going into detail, I’m thinking the guy has plateaued and (like Barrett at OSU) he is what he is. He’s the best qb Michigan has, tho, and thats It and that’s That. Deal with it.
The running game had flashes of goodness but, for whatever reason or lack thereof, this offense is still having problems getting the ball in the endzone.
The Defense too despite the pik 12 seemed ‘lost’ at times againt a marginal offense.
Chalk it up to being ‘young & inexperienced’ I guess and as Harbaugh has said; You learn Football by playing Football.
Color me Moved On to Air Force………..INTJohn
