What’s a Hoosier? Anyone?

And before we even try to answer that question, now that they are not that competitive in basketball, why is this team still in the Big 11? But, we can’t kick them out as we eventually need to bring Northern Indiana – South Bend Campus (Read: Domers) into the Big 10 at some point and IU will be needed to balance things out. But, you get absolutely no credit for beating them and you risk APP STATE like horror when you lose to them, even when they put together a relatively decent game plan… 467 total offense is not “bad defense” on Michigan’s part - at least it’s not 100% to blame. And the Defense got tough in the red zone, or Indiana kept shooting itself in the foot…One or the other depending on your point of view. Obviously, Indiana can move the ball and they will surprise some people this year. And this game also showed how big a deal the O-line is…Having a guy snap the pigskin who never played the position – even in high school – is going to present some problems down the road.

On a side note, the Warren INT was questionable…That much is for sure. Replay looked at it for 3 minutes and finally had to keep the ruling on the field…But did Bill Lynch throw his gum into the stands or at his players? What was THAT all about? And if you’re going to get that upset, why not punch it in on one of your many trips into the red zone?

Unfortunately for Michigan, what price victory? Tate got banged up again, furthering the fear that this kid just isn’t big enough to play Big 10 ball. If we hear that he is not practicing this week – which has more or less been confirmed - I am very concerned going into East Lansing against a desperate Sparty looking to SOS – you know – “SAVE OUR SEASON!” “Beat Michigan!” Yadda, yadda, yadda…..Tate is looking at a sprained AC which apparently can’t get worse but takes a while to get better.

But this game was needed and necessary as it were to kick off the Big 10 season. Michigan is now sitting on 4-0, but are they more of a contender or a pretender? If I was to force myself to rank them amongst the other 4-0 teams, well, they going to be below the middle. But, they wouldn’t be at the bottom, either. That’s what college football seasons do – they effectively line everything up for a really crappy post season…

Speaking of the BCS, which will come out in the next couple of weeks and we will start commenting on, I would like to ask once again why a system as corrupt as this one continues to perpetuate itself among smarter thinking, college professionals. Three of the top 6 teams lost this weekend (for those of you keeping track at home – Ole Miss, Cal and Penn State)…Were they over rated? Uh, YA! So why rank teams before the BCS??? Of course, what really ticks you off is that each and every team sport in Division 1 Athletics is settled in head to head or tournament play – Basketball, Swimming, Baseball, Hockey – you name it. Only D-I college football doesn’t and they claim it will, “interfere with academics.” I’m still banging the drum for a playoff.


THE REST OF THE MESS

DOMERS (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!)– PURDON’T SPOILERMAKERS: Note to Spoilermakers – if you’re going to spoil a season, JUST DO IT! Don’t tease us like that with a score late in the game and then collapse on defense and let the Domers march down and score. AND WHY DID YOU CALL TIME OUT WITH 37 SECONDS LEFT???? Didn’t you watch the Michigan game and watch what the Big Butt did against the Wolverines? Jeez….Domers aren’t that good…Plain and simple. They have some tough games coming and I think we’re going to see them exposed as a not so good 3-1 team.

SPARTY vs. CHEESEHEADS: I saw this written up as a signature must-win game for Dantonio to show the world that he has truly turned the Sparties around. I think that’s a little unfair. Dantonio has turned the team around and he is certainly a better coach than Bobby W or JLS ever were. I would just hope that you can keep him when a serious program comes looking…AKA Satan. So don’t throw Dantonio out with the bath water just yet…

But I think a little criticism is allowed for the overall coaching performance this year. Central was a must win – you can’t lose that game. Domers should have gone down with the last minute mistakes of missing a wide open Caper and throwing the INT – and now a mistake filled turnover fest in Madison. That’s what I would criticize. I mean, if the MMQ had posed the question:

“Which Michigan Big 10 school will be 4-0 and which one will be 1-3 going into East Lansing on October 3rd?”- what would your answer have been? Yeah, mine too. But it’s not the way we thought and now there is some serious pride on the line. And SOS hasn’t won back to back against Michigan since the Bump Elliot years in the 60’s…so someone is going to be very unhappy at 4:30 on Saturday. Quick Stat: Top Rushing Team has won the game last 33 out of 36 times…Michigan is 8th in the country going into Saturday rushing….Sparty is 86. But, and this is a Charlie Wuzzles (BIG BUT) – Sparty’s strength goes right at Michigan’s weakness….Passing offense vs. passing defense. Which means Cissoko is going to get lit up like a Roman Candle...unfortunately...

OLE MISS vs. GAMECOCKS: Did the MMQ warn you about this game and that it would be close? I think so! And wasn’t this on the Upset Special alert – Yep. I had a feeling Ole Miss was fraudulent and the Ole Ball Coach would expose them…

GOLDEN BEARS vs. DUCKS: And I think I had this one on the Upset Special alert as well! Cal should drop out of the top 20….

THE SUCKEYES vs. ILLINI: Oops…Well, not everyone is perfect – while I didn’t call it an upset, I would have taken the Illini and the points…Ahem, I am humbled. Zooky better dust off the resume. There’s no reason that the Illini should be this bad this year and that team is looking like it’s getting ready to fold.

PSU vs. IOWA: Joe Pa really needs to schedule a better warm up game that they can win in order to get ready for the real games when they come along. Iowa proves once again that beating worthy opponents gets you ready for exactly this type of situation. So, where do we rank PSU? Top 20?

GANGSTAS vs. HOAKIES: Somebody had to lose. And I am glad we get to shut the Miami supporters up…Good Job Hoakies!

RAZORBACKS vs. SATAN’S WARRIORS: After last week’s offensive display, I really wanted to take the Razorbacks in this one, but I also wanted to see how they faired against a good defense. As I suspected, the Puppy Dogs don’t have a D, Alabama has a GREAT D, and they just might be the best team playing in the country right now.

GATORLAND vs. Wildcats: Yeah, yeah….Kentucky is road kill and Gator food….but at what cost victory? That GASP! you heard was Everyone in Gatorland taking a gulp of air when Tebow went down and didn’t get up – BTW, why was he in the game at 31-7? Heisman stats anyone? It sounds like he’ll be okay, but look out for the season if he isn’t the same old Touchdown Tim everyone has grown to love. And it usually takes 3-4 weeks for a concussion to completely heal… The bye week couldn’t have come at a better time…

SEMINOLES vs. SFU: OOOOOPS! Don’t upset a top 25 team at their house, think your good and come home and lose to an unranked rebuilding South Florida squad – THAT STARTED A BACK UP QB! That has to be the quickest Hot Seat Reversal ever!

SHORTHORNS: Still Rolling…


Idle Thoughts From Saturday

1. Is it the end of the world if USC isn’t in the Top 10? Why are writers still trying to push them up there?
2. And what’s with the love for BYU? They got PASTED at home by FSU. Can’t we dismiss the MWAC at this point?
3. Same for Utah? Can we stop talking about them now?
4. As noted by EDSBS, who is going to beat Cincinnati? Anyone?
5. And who is going to beat Boise State? They might just be the number 1 team at the end...and the most undeserving.
6. If Florida isn’t as good as we thought and Georgia isn’t as good as we thought and LSU isn’t as good as we thought…Well, then is the SEC as good as we thought?
7. Speaking of which, why think? Do we need pre-season polls to tell us how good someone is supposed to be?
8. Let’s just play the games through October 1 and then rank them on performance. Slotting teams based on preseason is a bad format.
9. Can the Domers win 4 more games? Me-thinks they are going to have it rough from here on out without a D and without an effective running game. Without at least 7 wins, New Years Day will be free of the Domers again!
10. Will the Cornsuckers win the Big 12 north? Oklahoma looks beatable…maybe.
11. Missouri is out there lurking…
12. Trivia: So what’s a Hoosier?
13. Answer: The first recorded instance of Hoosier meaning "Indiana resident" is dated 1826; however, it seems possible that senses of the word recorded later in the Dictionary of Americanisms, including "a big, burly, uncouth specimen or individual; a frontiersman, countryman, rustic."
14. Well, there you go….Uncouth and Rustic. Yep, that’s Indiana...
15. Isn’t Hoosier just the American version of the Canadian word “Hoser?” – You know, from "Strange Brew"?
16. “Take Off, You Hoosier!” – Yeah, that works! Okay, maybe not…
17. Can Sparty win 5 or 6 more games? Assuming they lose this weekend, of course.
18. Did you see the 30 year tribute to the Original number 5 Wangler to number 1 Carter on the 30th anniversary of “The Play?” Cool….
19. Who’s going to win the Heisman? It’s wide open now….
20. God, I hope Robinson gets better fast.

The Hot Seat

I happened to be in front of the TV last Wednesday and the Tigers were crushing the Indians and there wasn’t much else on, so I tuned in to “Cougar Town”….Is Courtney Cox REALLY old enough to be classified as a Cougar? Shouldn’t the new Cougar age be 50? Shouldn’t there be a pre-Cougar term like “Puma” or “Lynx” or something for 40ish, still kind of hot Mom’s? Anyone? Anyway, looking at CC bouncing around in her lingerie made me think that she would be an EXCELLENT HOT SEAT MASCOT and I thought about at what point in time I liked her the most…As Bruce’s chick?


As Alex P. Keaton’s Girlfriend?

As a Friend?

Or as a COUGAR! (So, why do I like the Cougar version the best…Anyone?)


HOT SEAT RANK
1. Wuzzles – Bought another week….
2. Zookie – It will be quick when it happens – maybe today? That would be an awesome prediction…but this week wouldn’t surprise me.
3. Bobby Bowden – beating a top 25 but losing to unranked at home the following week will do this to a coach…
4. Al Groh - I am surprised he’s still there.
5. The Vest – The love THE Suckeyes used to have for this guy is waning…
6. Richy Rich – needs a defense

GETTING COOLER

1. Rich Rod – Maybe he gets off the list all together if he beats Sparty.
2. Ole Ball Coach – Wins will do that for you…

THIS WEEK

1. Big Game - Michigan vs. SPARTY – is this the “True Signature” game for one of these coaches?
2. FSU at BC – Can the Seminoles bounce back, or is 2-3 staring them in the face?
3. Washington at DOMERS: They beat one Storied Rival…Can they repeat after losing to Stanford?
4. LATERS vs. GANGSTAS: Big game between Top 20 teams…Who’s for real? My guess is the Laters…
5. LMU vs. PUPPY DOGS: LMU spanks the puppies….
6. AUBURN vs. CREMESICLES: Quietest 4-0 team? Tigers…Most talked about 2-2? Cremesicles. Time for Kiffin to put up or shut up.
7. RUBBERS at CAL: Careful here, faithful readers. Cal might not be that bad...
8. Arkansas St. vs. IOWA: Guess who the other 4-0 Quiet team is – yep…And they have beaten 3 BCS Conference Teams…and they have a sleeper this week with Michigan coming in next week.

UPSET ALERT

1. Only one – I like Washington to beat the Domers. They beat USC, they can beat the Wuzzles…
2. I know, I thought CAL could bounce back, to, but I just don’t think they are that good so this is more of an upset maybe but not with any real conviction...

This is a Test - The MMQ is Adding "Ad Sense" to The Blog

Not sure exactly how this works or whtether or not I want to do this, but I keep getting requests that there are enough of you out there clicking that advertisers are hungry for space on my Web Log! Can you believe it? Me either...but whatever, I will try anything once.




So, this is the test. I will include more if this works and is not annoying.

Enjoy!

Cut The MMQ a Little Slack

Jeez, yes, I hear you.

The Slappy Michigan Monday Morning Quarterback is Back! But, I mean, do you KNOW what we endured last season as Michigan Fans? 3-9? Are there any other tradition and history laden programs that had to endure what we did in 2008? Domers, go away, your program doesn't count...

Believe me, I know this team needs a defense. And without one, I am still holding on to my prediction that a 5-7 season might be lurking out there. The Big 10 is still the Big 10, folks. I'm a realist with a whole lot of optimist inside just looking for a way out.

So while I may suggest that we will be playing on a New Year's Day Bowl, it is with my tongue FIRMLY in my cheek that I would make such a claim. One solid hit on Forcier, one critical injury to the offensive line, or injuries or disciplinary actions on one or two defensive starters and it's a slippery downward spiral into oblivion...We saw that with this offense last year at Michigan and even at WVU when their superstar went down against Pitsburgh in the midst of the Rod's last season there - which was undefeated up to that point. I know how fast it can change...

But right now, the Wolverines are 1 win better that I thought they would be at this point and they are looking, well, not like the "team" that we witnessed last year. With 9 games left, my assumption earlier would be that we would win three of those. Indiana, Purdue, and Deleware State. Iowa, Sparty, Illinois, and Wisconsin are all tough games ON THE ROAD. PSU and OSU are the meat of the Big 10 and aren't going to go down easy. Granted, you have to believe, as a Wolverine, that you beat the I-Schools, but that's simply believing. Whether or not it actually happens is a whole other enchilada.

Iowa - Beat Penn State last year when they hadn't beaten anybody and PSU was looking invincible.
SPARTY - It's still Sparty. And we play them up there. They haven't gone back to back on us since the 60's, but there's always another time.
Illinois - Zook will have them pumped to play us...
Wisconsin - Don't think they aren't still stinging from last season's collapse in Ann Arbor.

PSU and OSU - I'll believe them when I see them.

So, Yes, I am giddy as a kid with a new bike right now and I can't wait to get out there and take it for a spin. However, I know there are losses coming.

Just let me enjoy the moment....

The MMQ

The Eagle Has Landed – With a THUD!

Before we get going, I just have to say: Anyone who doesn’t watch the 12 week play-off known as College Football is really missing something. Saturday had everything and my remote favorite key must have been punched 1,000 times as I went around the dial watching the slate of games from 3:30 on. With the Domers and Sparty leading the way, not to mention what happened in Seattle and an SEC clash with nearly 100 points scored, how can you not like what happens on Saturday? Unless, of course, you’re team loses…

MICHIGAN vs. EMU: Michigan matches the victories from last season in its first three games. Is it just me, or have things really gone south for Eastern ever since they quickly and without a fight gave up the “Hurons” name and went to the “Eagles”? Can anyone of you Eastern Grads (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) out there provide some data that correlates the two? I mean, I know Eastern will always be Eastern, but they used to field a team occasionally and not just be an easy victory in the MAC.

Upon further review, I (ahem) may have come down a little hard on the Rod last year. I needed to understand that it was a rebuilding year and that he needed to get the players he had in shape – Thanks Lloyd - and also get the right players to play his offense. While he is not yet completely off the hook for 3-9 last year, I am starting to “see” what the hype was all about. Will it all end well this year? Time will tell. And we still need an away game to test the mettle of this team….October 3rd is starting to look like a big date on the calendar.

I don’t want to canonize Tate Forcier yet as so many others seem to want to do.
(Click here for National Player of the Week Honors)

However, I do think it’s possible he is in his first year of possibly winning 4 Heisman’s. Just Kidding!!!…A little (OK - NOW who sounds like a Domer Jackass? Yes, your own MMQ – but more on the Jackasses in South Bend in a minute). There is an interesting Heisman Predictor on EPSN.com that looks at the last 6 winners of the award and via empirical data, has synthesized a formula for predicting the Heisman trophy winner. Now, I haven’t looked at it that closely (a lie) but I can see that Tate is in the running for the award…But I digress. If any of you want to see the calculation, click here.

Every Heisman winner has a team around him. Coaches and players that make him better. And Michigan needs to find a defense that will stop other teams and they need to find it quickly. They’re going to need it in the Big 10. But if they can make a run and tally up victories that are close to double digits, well, who knows?

Seeing as how Michigan’s game was the least interesting on Saturday, let’s get on to some that had the intrigue that College Football has become:

THE REST OF THE MESS

Domers (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!)– Sparty: Someone had to lose. Someone had to be 1-2. Hee-hee…HAHAHAHA! That earth moving rumble you heard coming from South Bend? Wuzzle’s Big Butt breathing a sigh of relief as he collapsed into his chair. Yes, this game had everything including a waddling, babbling fool, er genius, on the sidelines wearing Blue and Gold talking about refereeing from last week’s game and complaining about a thrown non-punch that ruined the Domer’s chances of winning multiple National Championships and a Heisman Trophy for his QB in one season.

Dantonio was on the other side looking to right the Green and White Ship that had briefly taken on the distinction of the Greatest Football Program in Michigan. Memo to Sparty: That’s a big load of cargo when it comes right down to it and you aren’t ready for that kind of responsibility after two years of playing decent football. But that distinction lasted right up to the point that Central kicked the game winning field goal – not to mention that it was gone this season for good 3 and ½ hours later when Greg Matthews caught the pass from Tate (for Heisman) Forcier. It would seem Sparty doesn’t have to burden itself with that title anymore and will soon be bowing and kissing the ass, er, ring of Michigan soon enough. (Everyone is free to yell at me for writing this if Sparty upsets the Michigan Juggernaut).

How different the game would have been had Cousins only hit Caper with the pitch and catch pass one play earlier. I mean, he was wide open – I am pretty sure the MMQ could have made that pass. This had to have the Domer fans feeling a little Deja-Vu from last week when Savoy bobbled the pass from Tate. And then, unfortunately, Cousins won the Domer MVP with his oops of a pass that was picked off. Let’s not forget that missed extra point. If Sparty makes that, he can run the ball and kick the field goal and win the game.

But, somebody had to lose and go 1-2. Now, I will say this: That 1-2 team is the best 1-2 team in the nation, and I do think the rest of the season will bear this out. It just tickles me to death that one of our most hated rivals – after hearing the proclamations of Big Ten Title contenders is now 1-2 and looking for a reason to keep fighting and will be on the Road in Cheesehead land looking to get even for the season.

Is Domer fan really happy with this win? What price victory? Floyd’s out for the season. And Charlie’s off the hot seat, right? I know you have mixed feelings out there because you know that you’re stuck with him now until at least USC. For more complete coverage of the Domers and why they’re so much fun to hate, they have earned a spot in the side bar with links to blogs that look at the good and the bad associated with being a Domer.

GATORLAND – CREMESICLES: Yes, you knew that with the 9 month plus war of words that had erupted out of Kiffin’s mouth that there would be hell to pay in the swamp…This is the SEC after all where there is no mercy shown, you call time out in order to run up the score, and mother’s inform on their sons – only not necessarily in that order.

I thought Touchdown Tim was a nice fellow, but apparently he has a mean streak. However, he didn’t improve his Heisman status as much as you would have thought. And Tennessee, if the had any offense, was in a position to win this game relatively late via the Defense allowing them to hang around. Kiffin may win one of these games sooner rather than later.

#1 GatorFan Caryl brought up the idea that the Gators could run the table this year. Not so fast, Caryl. There’s a lot of football left to be played in the SEC and that’s a mighty tall order. I am not changing my position that they will play in the National Title game, but running the table? They don’t have the receiver speed they used to have and if anyone gets on top of the Gators early…Well, let’s get within reasonable sight of that goal before we start talking crazy....

CROOKS – BUMBLE BEES: Thursday Night Lights! Tech couldn’t last against the Canes and the Gangstas are starting to look for real. But can they run the ACC? We’ll see.

CORNSUCKERS – HOAKIES: Pelini vs. Beamer. New vs. Old. Youth vs. Wisdom. What else can you say? This game had everything and went down to the wire with a last second pass that edges the Hoakies past the Cornsuckers…Someone had to lose.

THE SUCKEYES vs. Rockettes: Well, if this OSU team had played USC, they would have won walking away. And speaking of the RUBBERS,

RUBBERS vs. Huskies: As predicted last week in the MMQ Upset Alert, the Huskies dethrone Pete Carrol and the Rubbers from the Top 5 – should have been out of the top 10 - I suppose they are #12 in the ESPN poll...I had a feeling that the O-coordinator might know a thing or two about how to stop the Rubbers on Defense and also how to move the ball against the Rubbers’ D….Sure enough, Student defeats Master and Master appears...

RAZORBACKS vs. Puppy Dogs: This game had more offense and so little defense it almost made me wonder if the two teams met early and said, “Let’s just pad our stats in the 3rd quarter and play for real in the 4th quarter.” Puppy Dogs came out on top, but Richy Rich needs a Defense. And former Michigan QB Mallet looked impressive for the Razors in Petrino’s offense.

SHORTHORNS vs. Tech: McCoy stayed the course on his run for the Heisman, but looked shaky in the first half.

Oregon Ducks vs. Utah: Thanks Oregon! One MWAC team down...

FSU vs. BYU: Same to you Bobby B! You're officially off the Hot Seat this Week!

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!: Boise ST. vs. Fresno St: Wow – another offensive battle that unfortunately ended with Boise St. looking like they can run the table. But talk about a back and forth affair.

IDLE THOUGHTS FROM SATURDAY

1. Trivia Time! Quick: Who was the last freshman to win the Heisman Trophy? Answer Below.
2. Get up Tate…Get Up Tate…Get Up Tate…
3. Thank God he’s up.
4. How does Michigan go from no QB to a dual threat in one season? System and recruiting, anyone?
5. Is Terelle Pryor really upset he chose THE Suckeyes over Michigan?
6. I hope everyone caught last Wednesday’s post. If you didn’t, you have to check out the LSU Freak submission with the Monty Python clip. It’s a classic…
7. Speaking of Classics – Michigan 38-Domers 34. Most points scored in a single game in the series.
8. Can the Gators run the table? In the SEC? Really? Last undefeated in the SEC – Auburn, 2004 – and they did it with DEFENSE. LAST YEAR’S ALABAMA DOESN’T COUNT – Satan’s Warrior’s lost to Florida in the Title Game…Sorry. Undefeated is undefeated – no blemishes. O in the Losses column.
9. Economic Indicator: Khaki Pant and Blue material sales in Indiana are up due to Wuzzles needing an entire new sideline wardrobe this year.
10. Okay – I didn’t really think that last one on Saturday – what I actually thought was “Jeez, His Ass IS Fat!” and I tried to find a funny way to communicate the thought.
11. In all honesty, I will miss Charlie when he’s gone…Just like I miss JLS, Super-Cooper, Willingham, Bobby “This is my Team?” Williams, Satan and a host of others that Michigan owned…
12. Ergo, I won’t miss THE Vest.
13. Nor would I miss Pete Carrol. Dammit…He’s a good coach.
14. Is it right to assume that THE Suckeyes and USC are better than Michigan and the Domers, respectively? They each play the other this year, right? I guess we’ll see, won’t we…
15. Trivia Answer: No one. A True Frosh has never won the award. The Only True Sophomore to win it was Tebow. Bradford won it as a Sophomore also, but he was a red-shirted as a Frosh, so he doesn’t count.
16. Since Michigan and Woodson represented the first time a primarily defensive player won and “stole” it from Peyton Manning, is another first time and “Grand Theft Heisman” in store?

17. Maybe? Reasons: Tebow already won it, Bradford is out and McCoy’s numbers might not match last season’s. That leaves the pre-season favorites pretty wide open to a newcomer or a surprise player that didn’t get any pre-season hype….

18. And let’s not forget the X-Factor - Who is the most exciting guy to watch? Will the Michigan Love and the soft spot the press and voting public has for The Forcier continue? And can he keep winning? Time and 9 more games will tell.

THE HOT SEAT
With so much love forth-coming for Michigan this year, I think it’s only appropriate that we feature a “Chorus Line” of Michigan Cheerleaders as this week’s Mascot:

HOT SEAT
1. Wuzzles – Training table is supposed to be for the PLAYERS!
2. Al Groh – Virginia’s woes, and therefore Groh’s, continue...
3. Zookie – Tubberville for Illini Head Coach, anyone?
4. Richy Rich – needs a defense
5. The Vest – he needs to win a big game - not just paste the patsies on the schedule..

GETTING COOLER

Rich Rod - Could be 4-0 going to East Lansing for In State Showdown...

THIS WEEK

1. Hoosiers at Michigan: Is Indiana capable of playing on the same field as the Wolverines?
2. Sparty at the Cheeseheads – will Sparty get caught looking ahead to a Wolverine at home next week?
3. Cal at Oregon – where great teams go to die
4. Gangstas at the Hoakies: Can the Hoakies bounce back?
5. Illini at THE Suckeyes – Look for Zook to make a statement
6. Razorbacks at Alabama – Same for Petrino…

UPSET ALERT
1. Purdue over Domers – Too many emotional games in a row for the Domers. They might get caught sleeping
2. Cal at Oregon - I am not sure how good Cal is at this point...

3. Maybe Upset Possible - Razors at Bama - good game to watch none the less.

SPECIAL NOTE:
Ernie Harwell is announcing his final chapter. Last Wednesday night I was getting all choked up, tears running down my face, getting chicken pimples and goose bumps as I drove home, listening ON THE RADIO – as you all should have been – to the tribute the Tiger’s Fans gave him at Comerica Park. As Ernie spoke and thanked the crowd – only the way Ernie could - I thought about the announcers who inspired and made listening to the radio or watching games on the tube that much more enjoyable. Hence, the update on the side bar in honor of the UFE! He will always be the one and only…But Harwell is truly a class act...We’ll miss you Ernie. God Bless.

Classics on the BTN & EDSBS

While they haven't added the latest edition yet, I will update this post with the Maize and Brew's links to the greatest finishes of Michigan and Notre Dame in History...

Yes, these are the ones where MICHIGAN WINS....

Click here to go to Maize and Brew and check out the clips.

And THIS, SPORTS FANS, has to be one of the better cut and paste with respect to Rich Rod, Lloyd, the Wuzzles, and most of all

MONTY PYTHON

Many Thanks to EDSBS....

Enjoy....
MMQ

Worth a 2nd Look

Everyone who knows me knows that I usually allow a celebration on the Monday after a big game and then it’s on to the next opponent. However, with the win on Saturday, so much happened that to go through it in its entirety would have taken a lot of space and maybe not everyone wants to read the gory details, especially our Domer (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!) brethren. But for those that simply can’t get enough of this memorable victory over the much hated rivals of South Bend, here’s some more by the numbers:

1. Michigan is still the best damn program on top of College Football in all the land. With a winning percentage of 0.73982, followed by the much hated Domers with 0.73639 and Texas with 0.71785. And that includes Domer wins over schools that no longer exist and “High Schools” from around Chicago. The NCAA has reviewed and reviewed this and has let the victories stand, but statisticians around the country have removed some of those wins and Texas is a whole lot closer or even ahead of the Domers in winning percentage when you take those out.
2. Total Wins and Games Played….To say that I am extremely pleased that the Wolverines move the Domers down a notch on this list is an understatement:

Rank Team Won Lost Tied Played
1 Michigan 872 295 36 1203
2 Texas 832 317 33 1182
3 Domers 831 284 42 1157

So the Domers lose out by a game to Texas for Games Won. I am sure that the faithful are looking at that and the 30-22 record for Wuzzles (that’s .580 in percentage terms) and the hate is growing…but I could be wrong.
3. Michigan Defense – While I knocked them pretty hard for Saturday’s performance, I wasn’t aware that Cissoko was as banged up as he was. In addition, when you look at the front O-line of the Domers, we were outweighed by nearly 35 lbs. on average. Yes, they gave up 490 yards, but I think the Domer offense has improved in the last year since we played them. Time will tell, but the Domers might surprise some people, including the Rubbers. They will need that win big time to Save the Wuzzles – if that’s the plan.
4. Brandon Minor. I’m glad he’s back. He quietly rushed for 109 yards and could have rushed for more as I saw holes in the Domer’s front line that we weren’t exploiting nearly as much as we should have. But I digress from the true hero….
5. Tate Forcier. I really don’t know what to say about this wunderkind that hasn’t already been said. Who does he remind me of? Doug Flutie comes to mind. But in Michigan’s lineage, I don’t know that we ever had a wiry, scrambling, passing attack like the one we have right now. Leach? Harbaugh? Henson doesn’t qualify as he didn’t play long enough…Demetrius Brown and Michael Taylor – but not like this… And he’s doing it as a Freshman. I am more impressed with the game presence (Poise is so over-used) then I am with the actual ability...And if he’s this good this early, where does he go from here? Don’t sweat the INT late in the 4th – upon review that was a Matthews misread on the defense. And the Savoy drop was the only incompletion in that last drive. Living with the last minute finishes is going to be a little easier with Forcier in there...and he knew that the 4th down field goal would tie the game and take it to OT, so he was playing with somewhat of a cushion. Except that we didn’t have a proven kicker that could make the clutch kick, so I was glad it turned out the way it did.
6. The Tuna (Wuzzles) has a losing record against the arch Rivals – Michigan, USC, and MSU. Go away Purdue and Navy. Granted, those are rivals and bad losses, but you are measured by Michigan, USC and MSU. And right now, Wuzzles sucks. Should the Sparties pull off the upset, well, I can’t imagine that Wuzzles makes the Presser on Monday. If he does, than it all comes down to October 17th when USC visits South Bend. So Circle October 18th as a possible “Announcement Day” when the “Tuna gets Canned”. Of course, all bets are off if MSU, Purdue or Washington pull off upsets or a combination of those teams manage to squeak a victory away from the Domers – then it could all get accelerated.
7. The game stats are still surprising. Notre Dame, similar to what Michigan did last year, beat the Wolverines in practically every category except Yards rushing fumbles lost and kick-off return yards. And of course the final score….
8. Hee-hee……MMQ’s brother just sent an e-mail asking if it was bad to take satisfaction in the fact that either Sparty or the Domers will be 1-2 on Saturday night…I said, yes, because then you are stooping to their level.
9. But in this particular case, it’s okay.
10. I can’t stop laughing and smiling to myself– is that a bad thing?
11. JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!

So, to give the Domers a little something to chew on in this post, let’s can the Tuna right now. Sorry, Charlie. Your yesterday’s news. The AD obviously isn’t running the show or it may have already happened. But the real question here is:

Who will they get? And what, MMQ, are the odds on those individuals?

25-1 Peterson – Boise State. Has to be the number one guy on several search lists and Notre Dame might be one school he seriously looks at, but he has turned down numerous other offers.

30-1 Wittingham – Utah. This guy is young and keeps making the BCS with good teams out of the MWAC. But he might be eyeing a PAC 10 job when the right one comes along – I know he was rumored for the UCLA gig but politely declined.

30-1 Kelly – Cincinnatti. I don’t know what is with this guy, but the schools that have hired in the last couple of years have really taken a hands off approach. Maybe he’s told them that he wants an out in the contract for Notre Dame? With a name like Kelly, he has to be interested…But are they interested in him?

35-1 Skip Holtz – East Carolina. An obvious legacy and another candidate for top schools – but no offers. Is he holding out for the Notre Dame job?

Long Shot: 100-1 Urban Legend Meyer. Stop Laughing - Now. The Reasons? What else can he do at Florida – assuming they win it all again this year? And Tebow is gone after this year. Granted, he’s as much a part of that University as Spurrier ever was, but he might want to fix the school that can’t be fixed and take on the challenge. The pros simply aren’t an option for Urban….Midwest boy Saves The Domers….What a story, eh? And the Domers would pay dearly to have Urban Legend roaming the sidelines. Only Urban's Ego can keep him at Florida and away from the Domers. If he starts feeling full of himself, well, he may go to see what he can do.

Whoever it is, I have a feeling that for the Domer faithful, it can’t happen soon enough. But, to continue banging the drum – Notre Dame can’t fix the problem when it HASN’T recognized, or rather, refuses to recognize what the basic problem is: No Conference affiliation.

The fire Charlie and pro Irish websites are all of the belief that a new and “forward thinking” coach can make everything right again inside the hallowed halls of South Bend. And while that might be true for a short period of time, the absence of having a conference allegiance will eventually doom Notre Dame to 2nd tier Bowls and continued mediocrity. I have stated the reasons before and they still hold true now. But the arrogance and stubbornness of the Domer elite will eventually be its long term downfall.

The Game That Cooked the Fatted Calf

Monday – Glorious, Wonderful Monday…….Overheard on the Domer (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!) sidelines spoken by Clausen when their Defense was on the field….

“Jimmy Loves Football!”
“Jimmy’s ready to play Michigan!”
“Jimmy’s DOWN!”
“Jimmy Loses!”

(With apologies to Jerry Seinfeld episode #105)

(Click here for "The Jimmy)


With all due respect, Clausen had a surprisingly good game – and I loved the Statue of Liberty…And his stats were worthy, dare I say it, of Heisman consideration, but (hee-hee) he lost the GAME! (Hee-Hee) and the best scene of the day had to be Lou Holtz (HEE-Hee-Hee) sitting on the ESPN Game Day Final set right after the game with a tear in his eye (HA-HEEE-HEEE-HA-Ha) lamenting in spite of the fact that the Domers LOST that Clausen had Heisman like numbers (HO-HEE-HAHAHAHAHA!)

The Domers (Jeez I Hate These Guys!) and their fans have been extremely patient with Wuzzles – NOT! I love the billboard that was erected in South Bend wishing Wuzzles luck on his 5th year in his internship as a collegiate head coach.

By the way I hear the are renaming Touchdown Jesus to:

Charlie Wuzzle's Assometer!
His Ass is THIS BIG This Season!

I am sure that the fan base will only turn the heat up the Wuzzles resign efforts. So much for the savior; The Chosen One. The NFL genius. But my guess is the finances in Domerland will require that they keep Wuzzles for his entire contract. Don’t mention the fact that his record is no better than the Scorge of Humanity (Losingham). If anything, the closeness and the competitiveness of the game may have in fact saved Wuzzles job. But when the opposing QB (Forcier) makes a comment in the presser that even HE was surprised that Charlie didn’t rush the ball in the last possession to force Michigan to burn their Time Outs and use up some of the clock, well, let’s just say that doesn’t bode well for the Fatted One. Especially with a pissed of Sparty team on the way down to South Bend….More on that in a minute.

And let’s give some credit where credit is due. Tate Forcier. Usually, that’s a guy wearing the OTHER TEAM’S uniform doing that to Michigan. Somehow, finally, that guy is wearing Maize and Blue and giving other Defensive Coordinators headaches – no – Nightmares. The Rod called a good game and made the right decision to punt late – I really thought that’s where we lost it and that was going to be the second guess today. Yes, I can’t believe Forcier’s a FRESHMAN. Can we keep this kid on the ground? Do we need or want to? He seems so cocksure of himself that only a loss will bring him down – maybe. And it will happen. But he might be the type that just shakes it off and comes out swinging the following week. Michigan’s Defense has too many holes to plug….We’re going to need all the offense we can get. The Rod’s time out in the first half to allow the review of the out of bounds step by the Domers was perfect. Oh, and Michigan lost every statistic – Time of Possession, Total Yards, Defensive Yards allowed…But won where it counted most – the Final Score. The Difference Maker – One Stonum Kick-off return for a Touch…It’s the little things, doncha’ think?

Yes, if The Force gets sacked, if Matthews drops the ball, if, if, if…I would have been writing a completely different submission this AM. But none of the bad things transpired. Oh, there was a late INT that made my stomach turn, but it was quickly replaced when we marched it down the field into scoring position.

Finally, what, if anything, will it take to convince the collective group of clueless dolts in South Bend that the power of an athletic conference is what makes great teams great? Sure, you can be down, but you won’t be out. History has proven this over time. And independents will soon go the way of the Dodo. Don’t think there’s power in conferences? Look at the WAC and the MAC. If the WAC qualifies two BCS teams – highly possible, BTW – that should be all the evidence the Domers need. But it will be ignored, of course.

I will not comment on Michigan rising into the Top 25, accept to say that any poll before October 1 is worthless. Let’s see where everyone is after 5 games.

The Rest of the Mess

Sending out an SOS----SOS----SOS----SOS----SOS----SOS-----SOS

Oh, how I would love to bring the MMQ Hammer down on Sparty.

SCENE: Saturday A.M. I happened to be at Meijer’s wearing the colors and a group of about eight Sparty’s - male and female - were prepping for a big tailgate. You know, Natty Light, Milwaukee’s Best, Five Star Vodka – the Volume vs. Quality thing. I made a comment and wished them luck and they made comments back that I am only partially paraphrasing, “Thanks, but you’re going to need it more than us.” And, “Yeah, we’ll take care of Notre Dame for you next week.” Hmmmmmmmm…..Who’s the arrogant team now?

Same Ole Sparty. It wasn’t the fact that you lost, but how you lost that continues to baffle. You had not one, or two, or three, but four separate opportunities to win that game late. And you blew all of them in Sparty fashion. Again, I would love to come down on you harder, but let’s see what happens this week in South Bend. My guess is you, like all your fans, were peaking ahead and checking the schedule and knew that the Domer game was coming and this was just another tune up. Let’s see who bounces back the best. And of course, we’ll settle it all on October 3rd in East Lansing.

And will it be possible for Michigan to come into East Lansing undefeated? Could happen.

CHIPPEWAS: CONGRATS! That was a great victory and you earned it! Sparty wasn’t going to lay down for you and you marched in there and took what was rightfully yours!

THE SUCKEYES of THE Ohio State University vs. Rubbers: I have been in error on reporting on THE Suckeyes and I have now corrected this terrible error. They will now always be THE Suckeyes.

Wow. What a game. And what a GAG by the Vest. He let a Navy 4th down result impact his decision to go for it early at home when the Rubbers offense was still tying it’s shoes. I know he took a lot of heat for that 4th down call against Navy, but man, when you have the Rubbers by the short hairs, punch it down their throats and rely on your crowd and your Defense to rattle the crap out of them. So many positives could have come out of that. Scoring a TD. Turning it over and holding them for future field position. Blocking the punt for a score when the Rubbers were deep in their own end zone. Etc. The Vest was extremely outcoached. He should have a play drawn up for a situation like that and let Pryor gain the confidence he needs. That single call, in my opinion, did more to crush the spirits of the Suckeyes than anything that happened in the 2nd half.

And with Toledo coming in on a roll….Well, look out for the MAC.

BRUINS – CREMESICLES: Kiffin discovered big time college football on Saturday. Cremesicles were good, but not good enough. And the Bruins might be trying to establish early that there is a Pac 10 rivalry that is alive and well in LA.

GATORLAND: Beat another no-name school that didn’t deserve to be on the field with them…We’ll talk more when you play a real team.

HOAKIES: Bounce back in convincing Fashion…

CORNSUCKERS: Looking tough early. But Big 12 is starting to look a little suspect…

SHORT HORNS: Needed an entire game to put away Wyoming.

AGGIES: Byes are nice…Even if they’re early….

LMU: Don’t fret – Les has them playing Football again.

IDLE THOUGHTS FROM SATURDAY

1. Is there anyone as overweight in collegiate athletics as Wuzzles? Anyone? I am opening this up beyond football. Rollie Massimino comes to mind…Mangino, but they are both smaller than Wuzzles. We’re talking more than portly or husky, here. This is down right BIG.
2. I think Michigan Stadium sounds louder on the tube. Just thinking….
3. Why did the Domers choose Blue and Gold? Anyone? Could it be that it’s as close as they could get to the colors of their rivals…Could Be!
4. I wonder if the NBC announcers watch the Notre Dame Michigan game on ABC to see how “unbiased” reporting and game calling is handled…
5. I wonder if the FREEP guys read other newspapers to see how investigative journalism should be reported.
6. Do Domer fans make a noise if you leave them in the woods with a 1-1 record wondering “Where to from here?”
7. Do Domer fans wonder what makes it so hard to play MSU after Michigan?
8. If I had a dollar for every up-down emotion I had on Saturday – well, I’d have a lot of dollars....
9. You're passing!!????!!! Really???? After tearing off runs all day?
10. Thanks Wuzzles!
11. Pete Carroll is a Good Coach....Dammit....



HOT SEAT

Allright - I might have "Screwed Up" a little with Last week's mascot. I received the e-mails enlightening me to the fact that Tila is bisexual and her whole MTV show was about some lucky fan -male or female - getting a "little shot of Tequila"....Bad research on my part.

HOWEVER! I believe I make up for it with this week’s hot seat mascot: The University of Michigan Cheerleaders! Posing with a loyal MMQ reader TC from the Lakeland Football Team. Way to go TC! Did you get any phone numbers? Or does everyone just text now? Names? Anything? Regardless of what you got, Great Job! (But what's with the Attire? Can't your Old Man spring for a Michigan Shirt?)

BTW - You, too, can see the Cheerleaders, Band and Team go buy the Greatest Tailgate in Ann Arbor at the Southwest Corner of Hoover and Greene! Just show up on Game Day! (Home Games, Of Course!)

HOT SEAT
1. Wuzzles – Stick the Apple in the Pig’s Mouth…Ah, seriously, he will make it this year, but if he loses to USC again, it’s over.
2. Al Groh – he has to be next – losing to a D-II school with a fan base that wanted you gone last year has to be the breaking straw
3. Zookie – C’mon – He simply isn’t that good of a coach.
4. Shiano – From being heavily recruited to go anywhere to yesterday’s news
5. Bobby – I know they are going to let him stay as long as Joe-Pa, but the Seminole Fans have to be getting tired of the Urban Legend thing.
6. Dare I even put him on here? Okay – THE VEST. THE Suckeyes’ arrogance will start whining and complaining to bring someone in that can win the Big One.
7. The Ole Ball Coach - Dropping that Game to Georgia had to hurt...

GETTING COOLER:

Rich Rod – what a difference a winning record makes…

WHERE’D HE GO?

Tommy Two-Tone – Is he done with coaching?
Tommy Bowden – ditto – Clemson was a tough job….


NEXT WEEK:

Domers – Sparty: This one will be good
Wramblin’ Wreck – Crooks of Florida: Thursday Night Lights!
CREMESICLES AT GATORLAND: Time for Kiffin to Put up or Shut Up!
CORNSUCKERS AT HOAKIES: Same thing for the Men of Corn!

Upset Alert:

Washington over USC

Tate Forcier's BTN Post Western Interview

If you haven't seen it and want to get a "feel" for Tate and his grasp of football in general, this is a great clip.

Confirms my game day observations that the guy was reading defenses on the field before the snap, during the play, and didn't force the ball if the opportunity wasn't there. Makes you more confident that this guy is a whole lot more than an athletic find - he has the mental capacity and instincts to play QuarterBack.

Click here for the interview.

MMQ

Tommy Hates Michigan Football

Kudos to loyal reader and brother of the MMQ, Greg for catching this article.

I have to admit, it brought a tear to the MMQ's eye. There's hope for every Domer out there and it's possible to bring even the most loyal of them over to the Good Side of the Force once they see the True Blue Light and understand what it means to be a Michigan Wolverine. I believe we could convert Rudy if he was to approach the rich Michigan tradition with open eyes and an open mind that wasn't tainted by the Evil Empire of Doom. Click on the link below for this heartwarming story of how the University of Michigan saved a lost soul....

Conversion - It's possible and we will do it one alumni, student, and family at a time.

All you Domers out there - Repeat after me:

"IT'S GREAT - TO BE - A MICHIGAN WOLVERINE!"

"IT'S GREAT - TO BE - A MICHIGAN WOLVERINE!"

"IT'S GREAT - TO BE - A MICHIGAN WOLVERINE!"

MMQ

1st Win of 2009 - Bronco Beating

Wow. I have seen fast teams on the field in the Magnifecent House that Yost built and Martin has improved, but they were always usually wearing some other colors besides Maize and Blue. What I saw on Saturday made me sit up in my chair and take notice.

Speed in college football is the one discriminating factor that separates teams, or so the pundits say. I have always believed (and seen) that a well coached offense and relentless, pursuing defense can win games, too. But I saw a Michigan team that was crazy quick off the ball in the first half on Saturday. I don't know how much of that can be attributed to emotion, but the Bucking Broncos at times looked like they were standing still. And the Western's QB that is supposed to be a 2nd round pick looked like a Lions 3rd stringer in the making...

So while we didn't get Western's A-Game, we looked pretty impressive in the process of dismantling what they did bring - which in the end, wasn't much. The 2nd half produced a long TD for the Ponies where they managed to find a way past our defense, but too little, too late, or so the saying goes.

Due to the fact that I said we would eke out a win over a good Bronco team, this was very surprising. But does that change my opinion of the season? See Below. Let's see what Saturday brings against the Domers (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!) for a true measure of improvment.

However, I noticed some things that will make a difference this year:

QB play: I am sure EVERYONE could tell when Sheridan took the field. Play was dramatically different. Not so explosive. Almost painfully slow play development. And of course, the INT right before half. Forcier looks extremely promising, but there will be pains. And Denard Robinson is everything that we've heard - Crazy fast and able to accelerate with the "extra gear" that exceptional speed seems to have.

O-Line Play: Forcier had TIME. Last year, time was precious. This year, it looks like a common commodity. But again, the caliber of the opponent is somewhat suspect.

D-line: Quick off the ball and Graham looks smaller and quicker than we have ever seen. This was easy to see on the Tube but maybe not as much in the stands. And the secondary is always going to look better when the QB is under pressure.

Am I willing to change my prediction from 5-7 at this point? Maybe - but a lot of that is based on what I saw in the rest of the Big 10 - They really stunk. And if we beat the Domers, well, that'll be one I wasn't counting on.

The Rest of the Mess

Domers (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!): Beat Nevada. A lesser opponent than Western, but that means absolutely nothing. You can feel them out there getting nervous. Michigan is prepared to give them a game, and they know it. We will see what comes to be in the Big House, but one coach's Hot Seat rank will jump to number one on Saturday at 7:00 P.M.

Now, I need to clear the air and don my MMQ "JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!" Hat for a minute. Holtz senior has become even more senile in the last 9 months and from his ESPN Game Day Final seat is lobbying for Jimmy Clausen's inclusion in the Heismann race....Sorry about the pause, but I just up-chucked in my waste basket. This has to be one of the most abused positions at ESPN for a former coach to pimp, er pump his former school and promote them shamelessly without regard to reason or logic. Mark May did a great job of pointing out that Clausen's last two games were against pass defense's that ranked in the three digit area code for 2008. So, let's not put the cart before the horse.

However (Wait - there's more coming up - okay, yesterday's burger is now history), in all fairness, let's say J. Clausen is in the Heismann discussion. What's he really accomplished? He beat Michigan in a year where everyone beat Michigan. He hasn't beaten USC - hasn't even COME CLOSE. HE LOST TO NAVY. IS this really what Heismann guys are made of? Granted, it's a single season performance award, but is this just more of the same Mighty Quinn, Ron Paw-less, and a myriad of other forgettable QB's that have since gone on to primarily back up pro-careers?

Next Saturday is gonna' be fun to see, isn't it?

SUCKEYES: Can someone explain to me how a bunch of guys that are going to spend 6 years of their lives serving their country after their football careers are over without so much as a whiff of a pro contract were able to make this a game with 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter against the 6th ranked team in the country??? Everyone was saying how they were "keeping it simple" to not show USC too much....I am here to tell you, USC saw everything they needed to see - an offensive line that played horribly. A defense that played like, well, Michigan's D last year....And special teams that were atrocious. I usually expect big Suckeye routs in these early pre-season games. So either Navy is really good and heading to a bowl, or the Suckeyes are in for a massacre when the Rubbers come to the Shoe Saturday Night.

SPARTY: MSU beat MSU. Eh. Whatever. But the QB situation at MSU looks promising. And they were one of the better Bog 10 offering's on Saturday. I was flipping, but what I saw will make an interesting season for Sparty and they may be a dark horse surprise....

HAWKEYES: Nearly blew it to Div II Northern Iowa. From the "what the hell were they thinking?" files of how not to block and recover a blocked kick. I thought Ferentz was going to have them ready to play, but they looked bad....I may want to notch this as a win if Iowa continues to play like this.

FUMBLING ILLINI: Juice Williams looks dried out and Mizzou looked impressive. If they play with that kind of inspiration all season, this is another team we can beat....

Big 10 Summary: They looked bad...Cheeseheads didn't play well in their victory. Kitty Kats looked okay, but Akron ain't much. Gophers beat the 'Cuse in OT, which was nice.

GATORLAND: Yes, they beat their cupcake and The Divine One had a great day. And the Heismann field thinned a little when...

LATERS: QB Bradford went down with a shoulder injury. He won't be the same and while I beleived Oklahoma would get beat this year, I didn't think it would be the first game of the season and I didn't think they would lose their star, similar to what happened when Adrian Peterson went down and the Laters ended up going 7-5...However, it's kismet, karma, retribution, call it what you will that you lost to the Short Horns and still went on to play in the National Title Game. It's simply the Later's turn to pay the price.

SHORTHORNS: McCoy had a great day, they looked impressive.

CREMESICLES: Lane Kiffin has arrived....Pasting WKU with 63 points is a take no prisoners attitude.

SATAN'S WARRIORS vs. the HOAKIES: Former looked impressive, latter - not so much. Beamer and the ACC needs to get a lot better earlier and beat these teams.....

FSU vs. Miami: Game had it all, just with the wrong guy winning...Wait a minute, either way, I was happy to see one of these teams lose, so it was all good.

Cincinnatti - Rutgers: Which Moron(s) scheduled a RIVALRY GAME 1st game of the season? If this was to improve recruiting, Schiano just pooched it, bad. In fact, he may be at Rutgers forever at this point.

Thoughts From Saturday (In no particular order):

1. Maybe Michigan is going to be better than I expected.....
2. If anyone says one more thing about the "controversy" created by the FREEP article, I am either going to thank him or kill him.
3. Speaking of the FREEP, they are now reporting ON THE ARTICLE ITSELF and dedicated three pages of Sunday's paper to the reports on the first report. This included editors trying to defend the original article, columnists commenting on other columnists comments and more dribble than I can go into here. The FREEP has truly lost it journalistic integrity and should just call itself what its become: A supermarket tabloid with some facts thrown in. The faster they go broke, the better off we'll all be.
4. Jeez, we're fast. Or Western's slow.....
5. Denard will tie his shoes at some point this season - I think.
6. Charlie Wuzzles has NOT taken the Nutri-system challenge.
7. For having a stroke in the off season, Corso still has it - thankfully.
8. Did Herbstreit suffer from a stroke in the off season, also?
9. Fowler, as always, the stable anchor...
10. GOD I LOVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!

THE HOT SEAT

I know, a lot of you skip to right here to see what's going on. Well, we need to start off with a bang, so here goes -

Because I heard her name in the NEWS repeatedly this weekend - and frankly, I didn't know who she was - and since she was in the Hot SEAT, who better than Internet Sensation Tila TEQUILA for this weeks HOT SEAT MASCOT!

(BTW - How old is this girl, anyway? And is the MMQ liable for republishing these kind of images of girls that aren't old enough to vote? OR am I just getting old?)

1. Rich Rod - Honorary First Seat Position. Even though there's zero chance of his getting canned before another head coach gets the ax this season, I figure he earned it with everyting else that's going on.
2.Wuzzles - If he loses to Michigan with this year's team, well, its going to be evaluation time. And I think the Domer faithfull may have had enough of the jolly good fellow.

3.Zookie - How do the Illini come out that flat against a border rival? Didn't and doesn't make sense with a senior QB....Of course, Michigan lost to APP STATE with Henne at the helm.

4. Groh - Virginia lost to D-II school and Groh has been on thin ice for two years. He could be the first to go....

5. Schiano - How can you get pasted by a rival like that in the opening game?

6. Bobby - Come on - haven't we seen enough of him? But I still like the FSU Cheerleaders....

THIS WEEK:

SUCKEYES vs. TROJANS: I have a feeling the outcome will be similar to last year. They're just playing the game in the Shoe this year....

MICHIGAN vs. the DOMERS: My early prediction was that the DOMERS would win in a squeaker...I may be feeling a little Maize and Blue this morning, but I am liking Michigan's chances.

Day 3 of the Michigan Free-Press Expose

I thought I grilled the FREEP pretty bad, but here are other maintstream and not so mainstream news media and bloggers that had a whole lot more to say.

I think they are all worth a read, but the Genuinely Sarcastic goes on a little long.

John Chait - click here. - This one is by far the best and gives a real news person's first hand account of what the FREEP did and why it was so wrong to let Rosenberg write the article. I think he hits the nail right on the head and the FREEP should respond as to the ethics and policies used when judging the newsworthiness of a story, it's source, and whether or not a columnist should actually report an investigative study.

Adam Rittenberg at ESPN - Doesn't come right out and say that the FREEP article was groundless, but certainly alludes to the fact that there aren't many facts and the information is hearsay from disgruntled players.

Genuinely Sarcastic is long, but he makes a great point near the end and I will paste it here to give him full credit:

"One man could make this better. One man who I hope realizes that while this is a direct attack on Rodriguez, any damage done to him damages Michigan. If that is as sacred as it is made out to be, then it's time to speak out. Unless it turns out that this is not about "Michigan", and another agenda comes to light. I choose to reject that, because I view him as the rest of you do: a man of honor, of integrity. So I ask, with my hands outstretched, and I plead: when Michigan Football needs you, where are you, Coach Carr? As Bump Elliott once aided his successor, your great friend, will you rise and help your successor when he needs it?" - GS

Bo had the support of Bump. What's with Carr? Is he really staying out of this because he's the leak that GS referenced? Are the former players going to him and is he telling Rosenberg where to go to get the stories? IF that is true....Wow. My opinion of Carr was once so high, but the picture GS puts together is compelling and thought provoking- and makes we want to reassess Carr at this point - especially if he doesn't speak up. You have to read the entire GS link to understand the position, but, like I say, it is compelling thought.

I honestly believe that after a couple of weeks, this is going to amount to much ado about nothing and actually give Michigan some much needed recognition for being above board and managing a big time program in accordance with NCAA rules. The NCAA may be chastised for the rules reading the way they do, but I don't think we're going to see any serious infractions or penalties result. But I could be wrong and if I am, well, there's a long laundry list of schools that I would like to see Snyder and Rosenberg go write for and leave town.

C' ya.