Byes Are Nice...Michigan Can't Lose

Wow – So much is happening that I can’t seem to get to it fast enough before I need to update something else!  Kind of just random thoughts thrown out here this AM.  Hoke and Brandon managed to not say anything stupid for 3 days…so there’s that.

Big News:  Archie Manning RESIGNS as one ofthe 13 committe members due to a health related issue regarding his knee surgery. 

 Between The Lines:  Archie realized what a crap-show he signed up for and certainly wanted no part of being in the middle of an Ole Miss – Miss State discussion come November.  He was going to need to excuse himself from most of the discussions, anyway, so he figured probably better to just step back.

It’s been 1001 days (I can’t believe this) since Michigan has crossed the goal line against Sparty and scored a TD.  Sparty fan just cracked a big ‘ole grin….Michigan fans all just dropped their collective jaws at that statement…and are wondering how we got where we are.  It takes time, bad coaching ,and….Here you are.  A 17.5 point dog to Little Brother.  Nice….Real nice…

Domers – YOU CHEATED!  Get over it.  Stuff all that “Leave the whistles in the pocket on the last play” crap in your collective asses and know that you’ve still got an outside shot if you just play fundamentally sound football and don’t lose.  But the call was right….LEAVE IT ALONE!  Even the head leprechaun can’tseem to let it go.  That’ll come back andhaunt you at some point, coach!

And stop abusing Twitter!  If you had been on the other side of that, you’d be calling them cheaters….deal with it.

And if you want someone to blame...try this guy.....

I mean...come on. 

Michigan needed a bye if for no other reason than to give Hoke a week off the Hot Seat…And Muschamp QUICKLY took over the #1 spot by crapping the bed against Mizzou.  This is a Mizzou team that LOST TO INDIANA and also got blanked by Georgia at home.  My guess is that Gator Fans are thinking about taking a knife to their wrists right about now and wondering how, after only allowing 120 yards of total offense, do you lose a game in such a glaring fashion?  Frankly, it all boils down to the head cat herder in such cases, and I really don’t see how Muschamp survives. 

Speaking of Michigan, is two week’s prep enough against Sparty?  After watching Sparty dismantle the Hoosiers…I’m saying no.

Tired of all the people that are trying to rally around Hoke.  Let it go….Let it go.  After watching Sparty and OSU this weekend, Michigan is LEVELS of separation away from those teams.  They are both well coached and execute without hesitation.  I’m not even sure Hoke knows what he’s looking at when he watches those guys…but he’s not even approaching their level and the gaps are getting bigger…

Know what impressed me about most of the games I watched on Saturday?  Exceptional Special Teams play….until their wasn’t.  Gatorland was a huge victim of really crappy special teams….

Huh…Muschamp and Hoke…neither one seems to pay a lot of attention to Special Teams or offense, for that matter.

The Rest of the Mess

Sparty – You really needed Beliema and the Hawgs to win that game against Satan’s Warriors two weeks ago.  Bama laid 50+ unanswered on Texas A&M and I’m wondering how I could have been so wrong about them….Pre-season polls are crap…

Miss State doesn’t play and doesn’t lose the top spot in the AP or coaches poll?  Really?  I mean, FSU played a good team and won.  They should get the #1 spot for at least a week…

Baylor has a major brain fart and forgets how to play offense for a half.  I’m not sure WVU is that good  - but it doesn’t matter, the couches are STILL BURNING in Morganton.  Baylor did their best at making them look that good.  And what do you do with the Big12 (10) now?  Is it K-State with their one loss to Auburn that you root for to make the play-off?

BTW….What happened to REALLY GREAT DEFENSES?  Actually, Gatorland has a decent one…but absolutely nothing on the other side of the ball…And Special teams absolutely suck…

Georgia suddenly looking like a force to be reckoned with…even without Gurley.  Hanging 45 on the Hogs Defense?  Impressive.

Stanford isn’t that good….I’m not sure how I missed on that one.  They had a lot of guys back…But Stanford’s coaching, which I usually sing the praises of, has been making a lot of boneheaded mistakes….Stanford losing hurts the domers chances…

Can MSU or OSU get a nod if enough teams lose?  The SEC is going to have to have some major bloodletting for either one to have a chance….It’s still feasible, but the odds are against it.  The SEC West will begin eating its own soon enough…

The 5 Stages of Slappy Fan Grief

1.  Denial and Isolation:  Sparty – The look at us clinics that Dantonio keeps hosting aren’t having any effect.  Luckily for Sparty, the Ducks are making Sparty’s loss to them look better and better all the time.  But Sparty needs Oregon…Bad…
2. ANGER:  MICHIGAN FAN….Still here…AIN’T LEAVING!!!!  I don’t think there’s anything else I can say here.  Gatorland:  How angry and pissed off do you have to get before someone…Anyone in the administration hear’s you and announces that they will begin a head coaching search?  You’ll lose the team, you say?  Does anyone think for a MINUTE that Muschamp hasn’t ALREADY LOST the team?
3. Bargaining:  All the one loss teams that are trying to move up and figure out who needs to lose (and to whom) for them to even have a chance…
4. Depression:  Michigan Fan still here – ain’t leaving.  Gatorland, welcome to depression.  There’s alcohol there in the back.  And here in the front.  Oh jeez…It’s everywhere!   Just grab a drink and reminisce about “TEBOW”. 
5. Acceptance: God…Who knows?  Acceptance is so difficult to gauge.  You think you’ve accepted and then something happens to kick you back up into anger or depression…..

The MMQ’s Top 10

Definitely a couple of stunners over the weekend.  And one impacting the top 4:

1. FSU- They get the 1 Spot for beating a #5 team.
2. TIE  Ole Miss – Miss State – There can be only ONE!!!
3. Oregon – Mariota for Heismann…
4. Sparty – Has to keep the record clean….and maybe there’s a chance.
5. Satan’s Warriors  -  FIRE SABAN!!!!  How can you only beat the Hawgs by 1 lousy point???
6. Auburn….
7. Georgia – Back in the top 10 without Gurley!
8. Domers – Losing still knocks you down a couple notches…
9. K-State – Snyder is as Snyder does…
10. TCU – Who will represent the Big 12 and is it over for them?

Idle Thoughts From Saturday

- So, Game Day crowd is mad at ESPN and defending Famous Jamies…

-Everyone (but FSU fans) angry that Jameis is still playing.

-Why?

-Has he been found guilty of…anything?

-Yes, he probably had sexual relations with the wrong girl.

-Police couldn’t press charges due to the girl’s own story going back and forth…

-He signed autographs –maybe for money…

-I’m so sick of “Autograph-Gate”

-It’s annoying the hell out of me.

-A kid should be able to sell his signature if someone wants to buy it.

-PERIOD.  Stop with all the nonsense…

-Of course, he can’t.  But the UNIVERSITY CAN. 

-So can the NCAA….

-Brilliant….

-Gurley is probably happy.  Got through 6 games without injury and his draft stock is still up there – and probably rising….

-Does that make any sense?

-Anyone else seeing the stupidity of these rules?

-3:30 games all blow-outs…

-At least FSU-domers living up to the billing.

-Domers – you can’t do that.  Either receive or block.

-That was the first half….

-Jeez…Luck of the irish working hard tonight…

-Figures…No time left for FSU…

-WAIT!!!  Flag??!!! 

-THEY DID IT AGAIN!!!

-Cheaters…hypocrites.

-Show me a shot of B. Kelly! 

-ND Nation is probably on fire right about now...

-So many catholics all swearing at once...

-So, now there’s only 1 ACC team left...

-Others saying domers can survive this…

-Without being in a Championship game…I’m not so sure…

-Let me put it this way:  FSU wins out but loses ACC Championship Game…

-Who do you put in?

-Thought so….

The Hot Seat

Must be a lot of golfers that are avid MMQ readers out there!   Sophie Horn made the finals!  And, without further ado, this week’s HSM is another potential finalist, at least in the MMQ’s Book!  Nicky Whelan is you HSM for week #8!

GONE LIST:

1.  Weis – I didn’t even get to mention this because of the shenanigans in Ann Arbor.
2. Jeff Quinn – Buffalo.  I only put him on here because he got canned…he’s worthy.

Hot Seat Rank – No changes!  These guys are all in trouble….

1. A.  Will Muschamp – Now its getting ugly
2. Brady Hoke – It’s a foregone conclusion…   
3. Beckman:  He’s got problems….
4. Hazell:  Purdue beat Illinois….
5. Norm Chow:  Hawaii. 
6. Mike London:  Needs wins…

FMQ

I’m either going to just quit this business or stick to something I know.  I hate to report that the FMQ is heading down hill at a rather fast clip.  So many of last Saturday’s picks were a “changed my mind a the last minute” type of stuff…domers, Texas A&M….It’s just bad right now.  We need something to right the ship this weekend or this is going to be over way too fast!

Baylor (-7) @ WVU:  Take Baylor and lay the 7 for $40

LOSE….

Sparty (-15) @ IU:  Take Sparty and lay the -15 for $60

WIN!  Bank $114

Texas Tech (-13) @ Kansas:  Take Texas Tech and lay the 13 for $40

AAAAAHHHHHH….And Vegas wins….LOSE

Texas A&M (+14) @ Bama:  Take Texas A&M and the 14 for $40 (only points were taking this week!)

LOSE….Never Mess with SATAN!!!!!!

FSU (-11) vs. domers:  Take Famous Jameis and lay the 11 for $50

I was so on the fence about taking domers and points….should have fell off the other way!

LOSE.....

Starting Bank:    $450

Total Win:  $114

BANK:           $564