Let's All Go Crap On The Golden Dome

I'm so Mad I'm ready to drive down to South Bend and Spit, no, make that sh#$%t on the Golden Dome and everything we're made to believe it stands for:

In case you haven't heard, Michael Floyd did NOT get booted out of school for his third alcohol offense in less than two years while at Notre Dame.


Why does this make me so mad?

1. I HATE THE DOMERS! Ever since I was a kid and they somehow managed to beat my Michigan team and Anthony Carter under the lights in South Bend I've hated the Domers. I've hated the fact that their fans are blind to what they claim to represent. "We're different." "We're a small school against the world." "We're better than everyone else because we do it right." Well, Domer fans, this one should have you hanging your head in shame. Don't hand me the load of crap that Res Life understands that they could have potentiall ruined a life if they kicked him out...Come on, who are we kidding?

2. The Domers have more or less gone straight to the SEC level of "Win at any cost." Michael Floyd's presence on this year's team does multiple things for the Domers, and they ALL have to do with the bottom line: They'll win more games with him than without him. They'll undoubtedly sell more merchandise. And if this kid does somehow manage to turn it around and he has even a better than average season, he will be THE turn around story and "Heismann" talk about guy, even though he won't be the best college football player.

3. Once again, Notre Dame gets what Notre Dame wants.

I can proudly hold my head high as a Michigan fan and know that Rich Rodriguez and other Michigan coaches that proceeded Rich did the right thing when it came to the character building of young men and that school and football were secondary. Rich let Boubacar Cissoko go from the program and the University was close to being right behind him before he quit school. Unfortunately, the situation hasn't improved for Cissoko, but the University never the less did the right thing.

Domers, you definitely cannot say that.

Don't ever tell me you're better than the rest while this and countless other hypocritical acts, decisions, and continuing policies go unchallenged. In fact, not only are they unchallenged, they are supported throughout the University top to bottom.

That's sickening. If I were a Domer fan today, I would have to hang my head in shame. But Domers across the country won't do that. They'll be rejoicing that Kelly will have no choice but to re-instate Floyd on the team when the time comes.

Big Ten Season Schedules Released - 2013-2014

Well, it will be a long time before we can ever take out our frustrations on Illinois and Purdue again and this shouldn't be a surprise as we knew it was coming....Good riddens to the Cheeseheads. At least we have Minnesota, Northwestern and Indiana to beat up on....But these home games are pissing me off and the even years will be GREAT years to sell the season tix...Feast or Famine....

Why is it Feast or Famine? When we re-upped the contract and were "strongarmed" into agreeing with the DOMERS (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS MORE THAN DUKE!) into the odd years home (we used to be even years home. Because they wanted a "Premier" game at home (either Michigan or USC at home in opposite years) OUR home schedule now has

Odd Years:
Domers
Ohio State
NEBRASKA

Even Years:
Michigan State
Penn State....
Iowa

No offense to people at MSU, PSU and Iowa (well, maybe a little), but the Odd years for season ticket holders just literally skyrocketed in value vs. the even years.

Makes me glad I'm a season ticket holder....Of course, the University now does their own scalping with "Premium Games" and charges you more for those tix, anyway...Sigh...Remember when being a fan didn't cost you an arm, leg and your first born?

2 0 1 3

Date Opponent

Oct. 5 MINNESOTA*

Oct. 12 at Penn State*

Oct. 19 INDIANA*

Oct. 26 Open

Nov. 2 at Michigan State*

Nov. 9 NEBRASKA*

Nov. 16 at Northwestern*

Nov. 23 at Iowa*

Nov. 30 OHIO STATE*

Dec. 7 Big Ten Championship Game

2 0 1 4

Date Opponent

Sept. 27 at Indiana*

Oct. 4 Open

Oct. 11 MICHIGAN STATE*

Oct. 18 at Minnesota*

Oct. 25 PENN STATE*

Nov. 1 IOWA*

Nov. 8 at Nebraska*

Nov. 15 Open

Nov. 22 NORTHWESTERN*

Nov. 29 at Ohio State*

Dec. 6 Big Ten Championship Game

It's a Big Game in April....

The first Monday night in April is something that if you ask this question to a sports nut (in October), “What are you doing the first Monday night in April?”, the casual sports nut might have to think about it for a minute but the true sports nut will ask if you’re attending the NCAA Final Four and whether or not you’re offering him a ticket, plane ride, room, whatever. This is how sports nuts think….

Kind of like asking a Michigan or tOSU fan, “What are you doing the 3rd Saturday in November?”

I love the NCAA tournament. I really do. But I would be remiss if I didn’t let out a little frustration at this point with respect to this year’s Final Four:

-Virginia Commonwealth had 11 losses and didn't win its conference tournament

-Connecticut finished ninth (9th) in the Big East AND they are currently under NCAA investigation for something their coach did (but none of these kids were guilty of)

-Butler has nine losses

-Kentucky had eight.

(Now 9) VCU, Kentucky are Butler are now gone…And I'm not saying that UConn doesn’t deserve the national championship….But….. a ticket to the dance and the ability to win 6 games is all you need… I guess I’m a little shocked that the teams that managed to do it game in and game out all year (OSU – Kansas – North Carolina – DUKE (Jeez, I hate these guys…) – Pitt and the Domers) managed to all fail so miserably in this tournament. I mean, usually ONE number 1 seed gets in to the Final Four and wins the whole thing. That’s what it should be about. The culmination of a great season followed up with a 6 game winning streak right at the end. But this year, there were plenty of 2-3-4 loss teams that simply didn’t have what it takes to get to the final game. I have incredibly mixed feelings about U-Conn in this game and I was pulling hard for Butler. I just hate the Beast and I would prefer that they are not recognized as the National Champs.

But back to my point, what do teams have to do to win the whole thing? The good teams are capable and proved it at their conference opponent’s arenas and held serve on their home courts. This is something every basketball coach in a major conference will tell you is no easy task. So what makes it so much harder in the NCAA tournament? And how do teams that have no business being there find it so easy to put together?

Leave it to your Monday Morning Quarterback…I have a THEORY!

Of the above 4 teams, the only two that had real regular season (or post season success) were U-Conn and Butler. U-Conn started playing like they meant it in the Big East tournament and they still haven’t taken their foot off the throttle. Butler kind of did the same thing when they realized they need to win out to get a ticket to the dance punched. Kentucky didn’t do much of anything regular season but responded well in the SEC tournament. VCU…They just plain sucked and got lucky to make it in…

But when expectations are low, well, that’s when you catch people by surprise. That’s obvious. But what isn’t obvious is that when you’ve got nothing – no regular season record to speak of or anything to look back on and say, “Well, that was a success…” - then and only then you’ve got nothing to lose. And that’s a great feeling to have when the game is on the line and you have to take a shot.

Nobody was expecting us to do anything anyway and if I miss, well, I haven’t ruined anything special.

That’s powerful. And it makes you wonder if there shouldn’t be more consideration given to the mental and psychological state of teams that have a lot on the line with the number 1 seed. The number 1 seed is now a target for the 8-9 seeds that are getting better all the time. And as a coach, while you need to emphasize the regular season you need to be able to remove everything from the minds of these players and make the regular season seem like “yesterday’s news.” It’s old news, nobody cares and the only thing that matters is the next 6 games. Play them like you need to win to live…which I guess you do.

Big Nod to Ryno in the office pool I participated in for picking UConn to win the whole thing and finishing 2nd. Ryno will get prize money to the tune of $350 or so smackeroos. How many fathead stickers does $350 buy, anyway?

Wow...Just, Wow....

I had heard it existed, but you need to see this and read the blog entry by Greg over at M-Victors. This is one of the greatest memorabilia collections of Michigan tickets, artifacts and who knows what else that has been compiled by Jack Briegel. (Click to link to M-Victors). It's simply amazing and you can also see it GoBlueWolverine Mag, but I don't have a subscription...