Monday, October 13, 2014

PSU - I'm Not Happy....

Michigan wins Under the Lights (again) and it’s now 3-0 when playing a game at Michigan stadium that starts at 7:00 PM or later.  I appreciated and really enjoyed the first two under the lights games vs. what we witnessed on Saturday night.   Which is why I feel a little like Peter in “Office Space” trying to get today's post out….



But, before we get into all that, I have to say that the Tailgate for the “Big Games” still holds up to the billing!  Great food, great people and conversation are what it’s all about for this fan anymore.  I have to admit, when the day comes and I give up the season duckets (and its coming…I can feel it) I will continue to buy the parking pass and head down for the fun part of Michigan Football.  Yep, the tailgates can’t be beat!

The Maize and Blue won and while that is usually a reason to celebrate, for whatever reason, I sat at the after-tailgate thinking it wasn’t a great victory.  Let’s face it:  After the Rich Rod years and 500+ yards of offense on ONE SIDE OF THE BALL, a two team combined offensive production of less than 500 is, in a word:  Boring.  And sad.  Yes, I’m GLAD they won.  The players have worked hard and it would appear that Devin Gardner is once again a walking wounded soldier that continues to put himself onto the field of play regardless.  That’s called heart.  And Michigan has a lot of that…just maybe not enough good direction coming from this coaching staff.

Why am I not happy?  Am I like the little guy in the Incredibles that blasts Bob for being too good to their customers?


Why can’t I simply enjoy a victory over a scholarship depleted Nittany Lion team that has a first year head coach?  Oh, wait…Maybe that’s it.  Maybe it’s because the old Michigan would have DESTROYED a team like that.  And this Michigan now has a “Power 5” victory that shouldn’t have been that hard to get, frankly.  I’m not saying PSU is a pushover.  But here’s a program that has seen more turmoil in the last three years than anyone else you can point at.  And I saw a program that was wearing blue on that field on Saturday night that appears to be heading in a better direction with a young, dynamic coach that gets it. 

It wasn’t the team I wanted to have a bright, young, dynamic coach, obviously.  And that’s a big part of the reason as to why I’m not happy.

This season now has the feel that it’s only a matter of time before the other shoe drops and Michigan craps the bed.  Whether or not that happens on October 25th in East Lansing is debatable, but there’s certain angst inside of a lot of fans that I know and talk to.  And that angst is this: With every win, we’re just delaying the inevitable. 

Hoke is over. I don’t see how it can be saved at this point. BranDictator is debatable, but the more I read into all the tea leaves that are getting paraded around, it’s starting to feel like that might be coming to an end as well.  Let’s face it:  BranDictator has really put himself in a hole.  He left a mult-million dollar a year job to take a $500,000 salary and some bonus money.  And he’s probably one of the most vilified people in the state of Michigan short of Kwame Kilpatrick.  That’s really bad…and is the State of Michigan lucky we got to see what this guy was like BEFORE he runs for the Governorship?  I’m not sure BranDictator could have won the office before all of this crap hit the fan…now…nope…no way. 

Why did Schlissel attend a practice mid-week last week?  Why was BranDictator noticeably absent from that practice?  And BranDictator hasn’t tweeted in at least a week…and his blog hasn’t posted in over a month.  I’m getting the sense that The Prez may be trying to get a handle on this hot mess and, as was discussed extensively at the tailgate, he’s probably wondering how in the world he was thrust into this situation so quickly.  I guarantee you this never happened at Rhode Island…or wherever it was he came from.

So, yeah, the win was nice.  I hate to see Gardner hurt again, because after Devin the depth chart is just ugly.  The Green Team in East Lansing and it’s fans are foaming at the mouth and can’t wait to bring the sacrificial Maize and Blue fatted calf to the altar of the college football gods and do what they are oh, so eager to do.  And they will be more than happy to hand that “embarrassing” loss to the Wolverines and end the current coaching regime.  Yep, they will be all too accommodating.  As they will probably say, “Hey, we’re family and family helps each other out.”   Sparty’s going to treat us kind of like the girl treats this poor shoe tying guy...


And I guess that’s another reason why I’m not happy. 


The Rest of the Mess

What World IS THIS???

Can someone, ANYONE, explain to me how on God’s Green Earth the state of Mississippi has two undefeated college football teams in mid-October? And how one of those teams was a pre-season non-ranked team that is now the unanimous #1 team in the country?  Anyone?  It’s okay…I can’t explain it either.

What is frustrating is that I wouldn’t mind seeing MSU head coach Mullen lose one or two games as he is a coach that I had been watching for awhile….I guess after he spanked us in the Gator Bowl about 5 years ago is when I took notice.  Granted, Rich Rod was on his way out, but still.  He had a team with a DEFENSE that shut down a motivated Michigan offense. 

The Hawgs let me down and couldn’t seal the deal against Satan’s Warriors.  But they did enough damage with a 1 point loss that should put Bama below a lot of other 1 loss teams.  My guess is Bama loses again…somewhere along the way.

Sparty had problems with Perdon’t and I think they have always had problems with Perdon’t.  But, they won in the end with Defense…which, Sparty.

There are no undefeated Pac12 teams left.  So, who is the prettiest loser right now?  Oregon… I think. 

Baylor is the top dawg after beating TCU in the BigXII and will still have a spot in the MMQ Final Four.

Domers found a way to hold off UNC, but the committee is watching and waiting.  Big Game Saturday in Tallahassee.  There can be only one….

The 5 Stages of Slappy Fan Grief

  1.  Denial and Isolation:  Sparty – Still hoping and praying and saying all the right things that the committee might hear, but more than likely won’t “Listen” to.  Yeah, they’ll hear it….so what?
  2. ANGER:  MICHIGAN FAN….Still here…AIN’T LEAVING!!!!  BranDictator I’m sure thinks everything is fine after a packed house and a win over a power 5.  Let’s see what Indiana an Maryland brings…
  3. Bargaining:  Any 1 loss team in the top 10 has to be here.  “How can we get into the Final Four?  Who do we need to lose?
  4. Depression:  Michigan Fan still here.  Arizona fan probably new to this category and wishing they had a defense.  Hey Wildcats:  We have a solution for that.  His name is Hoke and he can help!  Indiana and Coach Wilson have to feel like crap losing their starting QB….
  5. Acceptance: Anyone sitting with 4 losses wondering how they can get to 6 wins.

The MMQ’s Top 10

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

  1. TIE  Ole Miss – Miss State – There can be only ONE!!!
  2. FSU- domers – See number 1:  This will sort itself out..…
  3. Baylor – Until they lose,  they are in the Final Four.
  4. Oregon – Mariota for Heismann…Just cause…This hurts…domers…
  5. Sparty – Has to keep the record clean….and maybe there’s a chance.
  6. Satan’s Warriors  -  FIRE SABAN!!!!  How can you only beat the Hawgs by 1 lousy point???
  7. Oklahoma – Just cause….
  8. Texas A&M – is the team with the lowest percentage to hang in the top 4
  9. K-State – Snyder is as Snyder does…
  10. Okie State….BigXII love, I guess… 
Idle Thoughts From Saturday

- Tailgate parking lot kind of empty…
-There’s a lot of apathy in the crowd.
-Not really feeling like a “Big Game” atmosphere…
-There goes Brandstatter…
-Trying to fire the crowd up on his way into the game…
-They drive Jimmy by on a little golf cart.
-I guess that’s when you know you’ve arrived. 
-You know, when BranDictator springs to have a golf cart come get you from your parking spot…
-Good crowd at the tailgate!
-And good Food!
-I always eat too much…
-Yeah…I know…I probably drink too much too.
-Have you seen Michigan play this season?
-In Person?
-It’s painful.
-So the booze is more medicinal than anything…
-And I always seem to forget how I feel when I drink too much…
-Is that a Dory thing????


-Look at that!  
-Fireball!
-Hey!  Sparty having some problems with Boilers….
-Is there a chance for Maize and Blue in East Lansing?
-Don’t go there.  It’s gonna be bad enough as it is.
-Of course, it’d be nice to win a game before that game…
-And this is the last one…
-Here we go!
-Can we generate some offense?
-NICE CATCH FUNCHESS!!!
-Talk about wanting it more than the other guy…
-Gotta love the defense..
-Of course, PSU’s offense looks like something from…well, I don’t know what it looks like.
-But, I like their coach.
-I think he was good hire.
-Oh man…Gardner down?
-Bellomy….What has become of the QB position?
-Devin back.  Walking wounded…
-DEFENSE!!!
-It was ugly…But I’ll take it.
-Something about any port in a storm comes to mind…
-Bye week…Then Sparty.
-Should we start drinking now?

The Hot Seat

Samantha Hoopes DEVASTATED the competition and was the unanimous choice for Week #6!!!  I’m thinking I might know who the finals front runner might be!  But I like this gal as she’s an incredible golfer and she’s blonde!  The HSM for Week #7:  Sophie Horn!!!








GONE LIST:

  1.  Weis – I didn’t even get to mention this because of the shenanigans in Ann Arbor.
Hot Seat Rank – No changes!  These guys are all in trouble….

Brady Hoke – It’s a foregone conclusion…         

  1. A.  Will Muschamp:  When the Hatter beats you….
  2. Beckman:  He’s got problems….
  3. Hazell:  Purdue beat Illinois….
  4. Norm Chow:  Hawaii. 
  5. Mike London:  Needs wins…

FMQ

Man…the Katy Perry Strategy didn’t work out as well as I hoped.  In fact, it down right sucked….We will have to figure something else out for this weekend…..

Northwestern (+4) @ Minnesota:Take Northwestern and the 4 for $30
LOSE….
Georgia @ Missouri (+3):  Take Missouri and the 3 for $20
LOSE…..
UNC @ domers (-16.5): Take the domers and lay the 16.5 for $30
LOSE…..
Sparty @ Purdue (+21)Take Sparty and lay the 21 for $40
LOSE….
LSU @ Florida (+1):    Take LSU and lay the 1 for $20
Win!!! Bank $38
PSU @ Michigan (+2):  Take PSU and lay the 2 $20
LOSE…
PARLAY!
Sparty  - domers – Mizzou - $20
LOSE….
Starting Bank:    $642

Total Win:  $38

BANK:           $680



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