Now They're REALLY Pissing Me OFF!

Sparty Week

I had started this post one way, but now...NOW I'M PISSED.  You don't do this to the "M" and I'm shocked that the Greek Society in Ann Arbor has let us down.  I thought there was an all night vigil that guarded the "M" during Sparty week...What the hell?  What happened?  I know you can't even begin to get close to Sparty during this week or even during basketball week.  I'm extremely disappointed and calling out my nephew who's there now.  Get your collective acts together and remember why you went to Michigan - to not let Sparty fans do crap like this.  And also to remind them that this type of activity will serve them well in their future careers as fry makers and burger flippers.  This is "Alabama-ish" Sparty...And it's just wrong.

Unacceptable, Michigan Students.  

And I would expect a reciprocating response that's equally childish in its approach. Security cameras and police records be damned!!!

I hope this fires somebody up.  I hope this actually wakes BranDictator up to the fact that this is something the AD should be spending money on - protecting campus during rivalry week.  Hey, DB:  Red Alert:  ohio is away this year, but Sparty just gave all those south of the border taggers a butt-load of ideas.  Get with the program!  Protect the Cube and protect the "M"!

Originally, this is how I was going to start today:

Well…I can’t say I’m excited or looking forward to this Saturday in what I know in my heart is going to be an ass-kicking to end all ass-kickings.  I can’t be sure Michigan was ever favored over Sparty by as many points (17).  I’m not even sure where to search for such trivial info where it might be all neat and consolidated and I’m looking for anyone on the distribution that might have free time on their hands to search for a site that might track such things.  In any event, it’s going to be ugly and it’s going to be a really long, scary afternoon. Unless of course…nah…Even I’m too much of a realist at this point to dream.  With Rich Rod, we had a slugger’s chance.  I think the Borges offense had plays that somehow kept us in the game against ohio last season…With Hoke and Nuss, we have the chances of a clapping seal against a killer whale….

Not gonna’ happen.  But….We can always hope.  If you are a Michigan fan and want a feel good story before the game, Wetzel has a pretty good article on Gardner andeverything that he has accomplished and done off the field, even though theaccomplishments haven’t shown up on the field. Makes me think maybe…maybe there’s a chance…but it’s really, really slim….

After re-reading this...its sad what the MMQ has been reduced to. 

Michigan Hierarchy – What’s Next?

First, contrary to suspicious rumors that the fan who sent all these angry e-mails toBranDictator is actually the MMQ, I didn’t do it.  But still, it’s hard to believe it’s not me!

Brian at mgoblog.com does his best to summarize the “Fire Brandon & Hoke” rhetoric and the “Next Man Up” meme with who Michigan is looking at for AD and Head Coach.  AD – Jeff Long, Arkansas.  Head Coach – maybe Jim Harbaugh…but I’m having a really difficult time buying either of those guys or the entire scenario.  Jeff Long is rumored to be the next SEC Commish…And you don’t turn that gig down for Michigan’s AD.  Bates from BC is probably the more likely guy to leave and come to Ann Arbor, anyway….And Harbaugh?  Even if he’s not the coach of the 49er’s next season, pro-football is in his blood and that’s not something you just walk away from…not when Oakland is sitting there right next door.  Jim wouldn’t even have to sell the house… 

My short list? That’s tough….AD is tough because anyone established will probably only leave their current gig for Big Money and Michigan will be looking to trim the budget (which shouldn’t be difficult) vs. growing the department.  And you need to know and understand the culture of Michigan.  That’s a big pre-requisite.  Bates or the unknown guy, which, why not?  Anyone could come in and be an instant hero by “Walmarting” the ticket prices (In other words:  Roll Back!) and PSL’s for 5 years or until Michigan wins a B1G Title.  Instant hit with the fans and instant job status.  Maybe you have to cut a program or two that nobody except for those athletes is all that concerned with anyway…that’s the way it is Women’s Field Hockey and Men’s Water Polo…just sayin’.

Short list for coaching is even tougher.  It used to be a guy from Baylor or Okie State would truly look at jobs like Michigan as a destination, but those places are all legit now and have big budgets themselves.  It’s all short term anymore everywhere and if you’re successful, you’ll be rewarded.  There’s even rumors that Oklahoma is fed up with Bob Stoops losing 1-2 games a season and not being able to get back to the National Title.  Would Michigan take Bob Stoops?  If I was AD, that decision would be made in less time than it takes poop to run through a goose…. Realistically who’s the next coach?  Dunno….What’s Ogeron doing?  He seemed like he turned USC around pretty quickly after Kiffin…

In a related bit, Mark Snyder actually had a good article (for a change) in the Sunday Freep-Det-Newsabout Bob Ufer and how he personally went around to all the regents at the timeand lobbied for Don Canham to be the next AD. Bob Ufer.  Here’s the link. 

The best part?  Canham thanked Ufer for the rest of his career for making that happen.  A Radio guy.   Granted, they had a lot of pull way back when people did stuff like listen to radio.  Maybe bloggers are the new radio guys? 

Final 4 Nightmares

Is it too early to start with “Two teams from the SEC in the Final 4” rhetoric?  By my math, there’s a scenario that exists where Miss State beats Ole Miss then loses to Georgia in the SEC Title and, voila:  three 1-loss SEC teams who each have a pretty good reason as to why they “should be in the Final 4.”  Yikes…that makes my stomach hurt.  The SEC should be playing 9 league games to keep stuff like this from happening and the NCAA should REALLY be sticking it’s nose in here (hard) in an effort to keep things fair.  But that’s not what the NCAA is about when there’s student athletes out there signing autographs…

Domer Tears…

To all of the wonderful domer fans that didn’t agree with the MMQ’s observation that the “the correct call was made” late the end of the Noles-domer game, “The OPI Call”, a quick refresher:

Everyone has a “pick play”.  Everyone.  (well – except for maybe Hoke and Michigan.  Hoke would probably ask what a “booger” has to do with offense) Every Defense is coached to understand the pick play when you see two or more receivers lined up in a stack or slightly separated formation to break someone open.  More often than not, the defense breaks into a zone coverage with everyone taking a spot/man and trying not to get “picked” out of their coverage.  It’s not complicated, but at the same time, it can be tricky and good offenses find ways to make it work elegantly and legally.  The key on the offensive side is to initiate “incidental” contact but not grab the defender. The defender tries to avoid contact and not interfere with the receiver.  Yes, FSU blew the coverage, but clearly the domer receiver grabbed the defender.  The call was correct.  Doesn’t matter if it’s in the first or the last minute.

Enough already…Of course…It could all be a Domer Consipiracy!  Brilliant work there…Truly brilliant and there might be some truth in there…somewhere.

Hey!  Idle Thought for Wednesday:  BranDictator for SEX…er…SEC commissioner!!  How do we get that rumor mill up and running?  They need advertising and lots of stuff broken…DB is the man for that job!!!

Death Not An Option

This is a game that a co-worker I had the pleasure of working with used to love to play.  He’d give you two options of anything to see where you stood on a particular issue.  For a while it seemed like I would get one of these a day.  And it’s not a bad exercise for the ‘ole brain….

I’ve been thinking about this for some time (maybe a year???) and I have a proposition for the readers of the blog and I’m going to encourage you to vote.  By voting for one of these scenarios, you’re saying that you’d be willing to trade for a program straight up, regardless of where’s it’s been or its history.  Mostly, I want to see what you think when it comes to where it’s going. 

So, the game is:  You have to pick one of the following programs (Football/Basketball Combined) to replace the Michigan Football/Basketball program with.  You have to vote and the winner will be the program that garners the most votes.  But you will have had the history and crap associated with that athletic program up to this point and also whatever rewards you suspect they might have waiting for them moving forward.  If I have both listed, you have to trade the Michigan Football and Basketball program.  (If I didn’t list Basketball or Football, then I consider the situation “Equivalent”, as in Michigan and Florida Basketball) 

DEATH NOT AN OPTION!!

1.  Michigan Football/Basketball:  Disaster on the PR front with an AD that lacks any clue about his general fan base and the wants and desires of that fan base.  Luckily, he hasn’t gone out of his way to “Break” the Basketball team.  Football program hopelessly mired in tradition and the current AD has effectively screwed up two hires in a row and lost any and all credibility with any new potential hires.  New AD and Football coach imminent, but nothing close towards a decision has been made.  John B. is the latest “Wunderkind” coach and has recruits coming in from everywhere that are shooting machines.  JB has done with hoops what Oregon and others have done with football; that is, he’s built a program on the 3-Point shot and not let a pre-dominantly defensive conference get in his way to successful NCAA runs.  Just won the B1G conference outright and made a championship appearance two years ago.  This year’s squad is young and inexperienced, but full of promise.
2. Penn State Football/Basketball:  Program mired in a distasteful debacle of child abuse and lack of institutional control by its once beloved (and still respected – in some circles) Legendary Head Coach, JoPa, that probably stayed 10 years past his time.  Received close to the death penalty from NCAA President Emmert in a “look at me” move that was designed to inflict pain on the institution, but took away opportunities for better people to do the right things.  Seems to be on the right track with a new administration, AD, and head coach.  Basketball – What’s that?
3. USC Football/Basketball:  Slapped with harsh penalties due to the Reggie Bush money taking scandal in addition to Basketball sanctions.  AD is a former player who by some accounts, is a control freak of the worst kind.  Head coach is un-proven, but talent is aplenty in the LA and Southern Cal area and they want to go to USC.  Sarkisian is unproven and was not super successful at Washington.  FCG Head Coach Andy Enfield hasn’t lived up to the FCG expectations that everyone was hoping for (except for the hot LA wife), but he’s starting his second year with a group of promising freshmen.  Time will tell.
4. Florida Football/Basketball:  Football program is a joke and the laughingstock of the SEC.  Top 10 level recruiting last 4-5 years, but nothing shows up on the field, even after firing and hiring the 3^rd OC by Muschamp.  Latest loss is such an embarrassment that the stadium attendance at the end of the game was estimated to be at under 15,000. Muschamp removal more than likely at the end of the season.   AD hired Urban Meyer, but has also whiffed with Ron Zook and apparently Muschamp.  But it’s the SEC and Florida can recruit itself.  So, with the right HC, the ship should be unsinkable.  Basketball on par with Michigan, a straight up trade here wouldn’t bother this fan either way.  Donovan is younger than JB and has a National Championship under his cap.
5. Indiana Football/Basketball:  I’m throwing this in only to show that basketball schools can suffer immensely as well.  Indiana hired the latest hot-shot coach in Crean, but he suffered the humiliation of not only missing the NCAA tournament, but was then omitted from the NIT tournament as well.  With the latest pre-season polls out, the Hoosiers are no closer to turning the corner this year than they were last year.  But they may make the NIT…Football under Kevin Wilson seemed to be turning a corner, but the Hoosiers are getting hit with injuries this season.
6. Tennessee Football/Basketball:  Once a proud football program, they have had two consecutive bad coaching hires with the third and still current coach, Davis, trying to figure out if he can make it all work in the SEC.  Tennessee’s geographic location in the SEC make it a “winter” school in a conference full of warm weather year-round alternatives for athletes that look at that kind of thing….Basketball program had “The Coach” in Bruce Pearl, but due to flimsy NCAA rules violations, fired the turn-around magician and has since wallowed in mediocrity and now has a new Head Coach for the 2014-15 season.
7. Arkansas Football/Basketball:  Suffered through “Petrino-Gate” and “JLS Interim” era.  Stole a proven HC in Beliema, but that has yet to produce a single SEC victory.  Annually considered the “no better than 4^th best” team in a 7 team division that is the toughest in all of football.  Would appear to be more competitive this year than in the last two seasons, but again, have not turned the corner.  A long non-factor in Basketball since Nolan Richardson left the program almost 20 years ago.
8. Texas Football/Basketball:  Traditional Big12 power that has clearly fallen way down the pecking order in all of college football.  9 years removed from the last “Glory” of a National Title in 2005.  New coach Strong has proven himself in what was once considered a “weak” conference, but has yet to demonstrate any ability as a Power 5 Head Coach.  Was capable assistant at a Power 5 prior to Louisville era.  Basketball not a focus at Texas, but enjoys an occasional appearance in the NCAA
9. Miami Florida Football/Basketball:  Has not been a football factor in over 10 seasons after being a dominant power for 20-25.  Golden appears to be a capable coach, but was hamstrung with the threat of sanctions and scholarship restrictions due to illegal recruiting practices, player payment for performance, strippers, and other shenanigans associated with a single booster.  The administration has since cleaned up the program, but is that type of booster activity exactly what made the program great to begin with?  Basketball has never really established itself as a real threat to the Tobacco Road Tough Guys and may never reach those heights.  Larranga reached the Sweet 16 two years ago, but in the ACC, it’s tough.
10. Iowa Football/Basketball*:  Stuck in a quagmire of a situation with Head Coach Ferentz in football that has an insurmountable buy-out, is not universally loved by the fan base, but seems to find a way to get Iowa to a bowl game on a regular basis, but no always a New Year’s Day event.  It’ll be 2020 or after before a new coaching staff can come in and breathe new life into the program. Basketball guru Fran McCaffery is everyone’s favorite coach that hasn’t quite turned the corner with his squad yet, but everyone seems to be betting on the fact that it’s only a matter of time. 

*(Strongly considered putting Nebraska here as the 10^th option, but I believe Iowa current situation is worse than Nebraska for avid Football and Basketball fans. Nebraska has up and coming B-Ball coach and Pelini is somewhat favorite son, but is more easily removed if and when the time comes).

Other Programs considered:  Duke Football/Hoops, UNC Hoops/Football, Nebraska Football/Hoops, and Washington Football.

Again, Death NOT an option.  You will need to vote for one and you can of course vote for your current situation if you are a Michigan fan.  OR, if you are not a Michigan Fan, you can vote for the situation that you think might be on a better track to recover or you can vote for a situation that you think is worse and spiraling downward.  I don’t know which one that might be…but that’s why we’re voting!!! 

I’ll leave this poll up for a while to get as many votes as possible.