Tuesday, December 4, 2012

It’s Over..Some Grades and Thoughts on What’s Left

Hello….It’s the MMQ back in the driver’s seat. I know its Tuesday, but I was still having a hard time focusing when I started to type up yesterday’s blog entry. Things started to blur and my mind was not exactly perfect. So, there’s a little delay this week, but understand that what has happened, this….this aberration on football…may it NEVER, EVER happen again while the MMQ is alive and well.

Domers and Bama ….Jesus Tap Dancin’ Christ….Maybe the world is coming to an end on December 12th or 21st after all when the biggest hypocrites on the face of the earth play the biggest cheaters on the face of the earth…More on that later…

Michigan Grades by the MMQ for the 12 games played. I probably wouldn’t change much after the bowl, so why not hand ‘em out now?

Offense:

QB: Grade: B- Too many costly turnovers in big games. Yes, when they weren’t facing a decent defense, look out. But when they were, well, 6 TO’s in the Domer game sealed this grades fate. Win the rest and DeRob and Devin move up to an A-minus

Running Backs: D-   I truly believe that Michigan is without a running back currently and next year, the prospects don’t look much better. Too many long 2nd down attempts after a 1st down “plow it down their throats”.

Receivers: B   If Roundtree had caught more passes early in the season, this one would be an A. But there were a couple of games where Michigan really need production here and they got it.

O-Line: B-    Nothing special, but they did some good things. Losing the core of this group is going to hurt, but hopefully they can be replaced. Is Taylor Lewan staying?

Coaching: D+ (originally C-) With two offensive weapons like Gardner and DeRob, you NEED to be able to use them both if only as decoys. I was extremely disappointed with several games this year (imagine that -all the disappointments were the losses) and Borges’ name was mentioned way too many times in this blog. This has to be an area that needs to see big improvement next year. A-B-C offenses are okay, but you need to be able to take what defenses are giving and when they take that away, move to something else.
Defense:

Safety: A    What on EARTH are we going to do without Kovacs?

Linebacker:    This group was better than anyone anticipated and proved it time and again on the field.

Corner:   B       Corner is a thankless job at any level of football. If you’re a shutdown corner with skill, they won’t throw to you anyway.

Line: B+   Better than expected

Coaching: A     I don’t think anyone expected the Defense overall to be this good this quickly after what we suffered through with Dick Rod. Hat’s off to Mattison and his crew.

Head Coach:    If this had been Hoke’s first year, I would have been a little less severe here. But too many easy road games were left for the taking (Easy is a relative term: I believe Domers and OSU were VERY winnable…Nebraska was winnable, but DeRob getting injured was an outlier…Alabama – I’m not sure how Michigan wins that game) and that has to fall somewhere. This is why they call you the Head Coach. This was an incredibly unimaginative offense at time to what we were used to seeing for so many years.

However, if Brady would like to come in and “Argue his Grade” by stating that 3 of his 4 losses came to two teams in the National Title Game and another undefeated program with a combined record of 36-1, well, I guess the MMQ would listen. BUT (notice the capital), I would say that Michigan DID NOT DO its job by knocking at least one of those teams out of the title game. What’s more: IF You could have beaten at least one of those teams...think of the possibilities. Why didn’t you and why aren’t you in the National Title Game? All that being said, I could see the effort of the argument and move him up to a B-.

The BCS Mess

I was rooting for Georgia to pull it off for no other reason than to make sure that Bama didn’t repeat. Oh well….Now we have a game in which someone that I REALLY HATE is gonna lose…Problem is the other guy has to win…And that thought in the MMQ’s mind presently sucks. Maybe we will have a close game and someone starts a “Florida or Oregon for National Champion” campaign.

What’s really sad is that the greatest sport that we have goes into what can only be described as the WORST post-season of any sport that is played at any level. If you haven’t seen the bowl match-ups yet, well, get a trash can handy because what you’re about to read just might make you puke, especially on New Year’s day (after a hard New Year’s Eve) when all the bowls were traditionally played…. In fact, on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the worst), the MMQ will add his Puke Factor (PF)rating on a few of the selected bowls.

National Championship: Domers vs. Bama (PF: 1): This should be an okay game to watch and root for a loser…I just can’t believe it’s going to be the Domers and as Jeff Probst on Survivor says, you’re guaranteed a 1 in two shot at being the National Champion….

Rose Bowl: Stanford vs. Wiscy (PF: 2): While I know a LOT of pundits are upset with a 5 loss team in the Rose, let’s consider the fact that this is NOT Wiscy’s fault as much as it is PSU’s and OSU’s. I think it’ll be an okay game based on what Wiscy did to Nebraska in the B1G Championship, among other things….Wiscy is nobody’s bitch….

Fiesta: Oregon vs. K-State (PF: 1): I think this is a game where it could be argued that the winner is the de-facto National Champion runner up and if there were a 4 team play-off, well, this is one of the semi-final games and the true champion would be the winner of this game vs, the winner of Bama-Domers.

Orange: FSU and Northern Illinois (PF: 5+): How sad is it when a MAC team that the B1G routinely invites to play and get their butt kicked in front of 100K+ gets a bid to a BCS bowl? Dave Doren couldn’t even wait to let people know that he was bolting from NIU to take the head job at North Carolina State…What has happened to the Orange? I remember Orange Bowls from the past hosting some of the most intriguing games ever….

Sugar: Florida vs. Louisville (PF: 4.5) I get the connection and the relationship. But still, a Beast re-tread that couldn’t make the ACC’s short list is going against an SEC team that will more than likely destroy the Cardinals in a yawner that’s over by half time…

Capitol One: Georgia vs. Nebraska (PF: 2.5) At least they are two big names, but after that turd Nebraska dumped in the B1G Championship, the viewability on this one may be even lower than what I rated it. I’m not saying Nebraska won’t put up a fight…I’m just saying there’s nowhere near enough fight in Nebraska to handle a pissed off Georgia squad.

Cotton: Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma (PF: 2) Big 12 traditional match-up. This should be a good game, but then again, the LATERS could show up vs. the Sooners and this one could be over quick…But I will at least have it tuned in on New Year’s day. Oh wait…This game is now on JANUARY 4th….wtf…

Chic-Fil-A: LSU vs. Clemson (PF: 3): Would have been 2, but didn’t we already see these two teams play each other this season? Oh…I guess that was last year..but still.

Outback: Michigan vs. South Carolina (PF: 2) I know, you’re all saying Michigan slappy, but this is an intriguing match-up. I like the game but would have preferred Michigan playing Johnny Football and Texas A&M…

Gator: Northwestern vs. Miss State (PF: 3) Northwestern was two games shy of representing the Legends division in the B1G. Two CLOSE games. Miss State is in for a pounding….

Buffalo Wild Wings: TCU vs. Sparty (PF: 2): I actually like this match-up and I think there’s an opportunity for Sparty here to affirm their 6-6 misery. And it’s something decent to watch on December 29th.

Armed Forces: Rice vs. Air Force (PF: 5+): Two 6-6 teams that have no business being in bowls. Air Force will DESTROY Rice…

Pizza Bowl: Central vs. W Kent (PF: 4): Just cause it’s close to home and I might end up with free tickets. I would never admit going to a PF: 5 bowl.

Idle Thoughts From Saturday

-Stanford and UCLA is a slobber knocker…
-Stanford is a good team.
-Plain and Simple.
-Why no love for National Title?
-Why?
-Cause they’re in Pac12?
-Oregon was getting love….
-Better PR machine at Oregon? Can anyone say NIKE?
-What gives?
-Stanford will probably kill whoever the B1G sends….
-Georgia looking good early….
-Maybe they can pull this off?
-Nope….fading fast
-Sad….I think this was almost (ALMOST) the de-facto National Championship.
-Unless the Domers beat Bama.
-Then….(God help me….)…then….The Domers are worthy…
-Uh no...I think...I think…I’m gonna be sick….
-Wow…Wiscy up big early in the B1G championship.
-Nebraska can’t stop the grass from growing right now…And it’s artificial….
-Jeez…this is getting embarrassing.
-Bo Pelini isn’t even hitting anybody…
-Guess he figures it’s just over?
-Sad….How does an 8-5 team get to the Rose Bowl?
-Simple…Put everybody else on probation.
-See what I mean when I refer to un-intended consequences?
-SEE?????
-well…There’s always 2013.

The Hot Seat
Hiring, firing and almost too much for the ole MMQ to keep up with. I’m still surprised at some of the folks that DIDN’T get the axe as much as I’m surprised at some of the guys that did. Some of the hires are also raising my eyebrows, but whatever. It is what it is at this point and we have a much MORE IMPORTANT DECISION that is going to be settled hereand now!  Yes, here they are, your 2012 hot Seat Mascot Finalists!  (Note:  Photos selected by the MMQ.)
 


 
 



 




 
 





The 2012 Hot Seat Mascot is ready for the Vote! All 12 girls made the finals this year and I will leave the polls open until January 1, 2013. Vote for one girl and her picture will be the one we get to look at in the upper right corner in the offseason.

The Hot Seat

1. Paul Johnson. Check again – is he still the head coach of GTU?
2. Pasqualoni – What is UConn going to do now that Cinci is taking there spot in the ACC?
3. Randy Edsall: So, who does he have photos of?
4. Mack Brown: He still has a job after losing to K-State….Amazing.

GONE (Find a full summary here):

1. Avey - Idaho
2. Phillips – Kentucky
3. Derek Dooley – I guess paying him the $4 million buyout wasn’t that big of a deal after all…Look for Charlie Strong here…..
4. Chizik – Who didn’t see this one coming. $208,000/month…I think I could live on that.
5. Tedford – What’s Cal gonna do now?
6. Danny Hope – Well, I thought he should have got a lifetime contract…
7. Obrien - NC State…Man, you knock off the Seminoles and there’s no love…
8. Embree – Colorado. Seriously bad coach on a bad team….
9. Spaziani – Boston College…Guy never had a chance…
10. Mike Price – UTEP
11. Cubit – Western Michigan
12. John L. Smith
13. Bill Curry – Georgia State
14. Rob Akey
15. Skip Holtz – This isn’t surprising and I think Skip gets a gig elsewhere….
16. Ellis Johnson

The FMQ

Editor’s Note: Error last week from the betting matrix. I have corrected and the numbers are now accurate, in case anyone was keeping track at home.

Not a terrible result, but man oh man….What was the FMQ thinking when he took Nebraska? What an IDIOT….

UCLA (+10 Today +8.5) vs. Stanford: Nothing wrong with taking a dog in a BIG GAME
Take UCLA and the 8.5 for $60 WIN: Bank: $114

Georgia (+8) vs. Bama: Ditto….And Georgia almost pulled it off…
Take Georgia and the 8 for $60 WIN Bank: $114

Wiscy (+2.5 now: +3) vs. Nebraska: So, tell me, FMQ…Why not stick with that philosophy here?
Take Nebraska and lay the 3 for $40 LOSE……

FSU vs. Georgia Tech (+14): AND here???? Why again?
Take FSU and lay the 14 for $75 LOSE…….

Starting BANK:   $483.50
Total Win:           $228.00
BANK:                $711.50

Bowl Game picks and spreads to come!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

What Happened?
" I will leave the polls open until January 1, 2013. "

I didn't happen so didn't get a Vote.