A PSA from the MMPG, Coaching Update & the MMQ's

A PSA From the MMPG

Normally, I won’t be posting as the MMPG until the B1G season begins and football is behind us, but I thought I should let you all know how he’s doing.

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

PANIC!

NJIT Loss – No Defense

EMU LOSS – No Offense…..

Uh, Michigan….You’re going to need both of those at some point this season.  Ideally at the same time on the same floor in the same game.  I get that there’s a lot of youth running around out there…but still.  Don’t DO THIS TO US!!!!

I abused my liver enough suffering through football season….I can’t do it again through hoops season, too!

Coaching Update

Cutcliffe was not contacted.  Miles’ AGENT was contacted, but apparently not offered.  Michigan is waiting for San Fran to act and that’s really all you need to know at this point.  Everything else is noise (or maybe some facts – Michigan has reached out to Les Miles  - Hackett personally knows the guy, so yeah) and should be treated as such. 

The MMQ’s

Last season I tried something new and found it to be fun to do.  I will continue this until it’s not fun anymore.  Therefore, your MMQ’s for 2014!!!

MMQ for Most Improved Team – Simply because I didn’t see them coming and neither did Iowa and a few other teams in the B1G West, I have to give Jerry Kill’s Gophers this award.  Yes, Miss State and Ole Miss were considered, but I think some of us saw those two teams coming.  Therefore, I’ma sticking with Little “M”.

MMQ For Most Disappointing Team – Michigan or Northwestern…or Indiana…Or the domers…or USC…OR Oklahoma, who was ranked 3^rd pre-season and even had the attention of the MMQ after their big bowl win over Bama last year and had almost everyone returning this season.  So….I’m going with Oklahoma….Biggest disappointment by far when so much was expected.   

MMQ For the Most Exciting Game of the Season – This one is tough…I have several in mind, but the one game that sticks in there as an up and down event that kept me glued to the set was the Auburn-Ole Miss game.  And I can’t get the image of the Ole Miss receiver going in for the TD and instead, fumbling on the 6 inch line and breaking his leg on top of that.  Yes, that has to be recognized somewhere and there ought to be a definition of “Losing It All” with that picture associated with it.   

MMQ For the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Moment of the Season:  So many options

here….and the most recent ones seem to stick in my head more than the early ones.  Michigan has too many to list so I’m not going to try…I’m sure the domers will point to the “No Call” against FSU, but does that really matter anymore?  And I hate to pick on one team, but Oklahoma may have get the nod here with their last second SNAFU that gave Okie State the chance to win….I’m going with that.  Even though Michigan vs. Minnesota and the Morris Concussion with the ensuing “Concussion Gate” was worthy of the honorable mention.

MMQ For the Coach of the Year – This is tough.  I want to give it to someone that I personally think did a great coaching job under extraordinary circumstances, but I really hate giving it to this guy.  So, I’ll mention Urban Legend and his masterful development of JT Barret in a single season, but I’m not giving it to him.  I’ll mention Satan dodging every land mine presented to him and managing to land his team in the CFP after finishing last season with two embarrassing losses.  But I will give it to Jimbo Fisher.  That guy dealt with more media crap than any of the other coaches combined.  I’m not saying he won’t miss Famous Jameis, but I’ll bet he’ll breathe a big ole sigh of relief when the kid is gone.

MMQ For the Worst Coaching Performance of the Year  - Well, again, Stoops really let Oklahoma and their fans down.  Muschamp also had a promising start that spiraled downward and led to his dismissal.  But I have to look right here in the back yard and say that Hoke was definitely in the lead over everyone, even though Michigan’s Defense was one of the better Defenses of the season.  Coach Hoke just didn’t do a good job developing Gardner, the Special teams and the team overall.  Hoke wins, hands down.

MMQ For the Biggest Over Achiever of the Year –This one is easy.  For a team that didn’t start in the top 25 pre-season and climbed to the #1 slot and only lost to Alabama and their arch rival, you have to give it to Dan Mullen and Miss St.  This should be a season that fan base cherishes for years to come.

MMQ For the Biggest UNDER Achiever – Hmmmm, I have somebody in mind, but their only underachievement was losing the two games they weren’t favored in – Oregon and ohio.    But I can’t give it to Sparty because they did get to 10 wins on the season, and that’s not bad.  No…I hate to have one team sweep all the MMQ’s, but Oklahoma definitely under-achieved more than Sparty, USC or even the domers, based on expectations. 

MMQ For The Most Non-Football Related Issue that Occupied Our Time – Winston

Charges and Fire Brandon are the final nominees.  And the Fire Brandon includes Ticket Gate, Concussion Gate, E-mail Gate…I could go on, but you get the gist.  I want to say that in the National Spotlight, Jameis was probably a bigger deal.  But locally and with as many things as I posted about it, I have to give the award to BranDictator’s path to dismissal and wonder why it took so long. 

MMQ To the Team That Never Fails to Let Us Down – Wow, there really aren’t too many teams that I could nominate, but I will say that the final three this year are the domers, Oklahoma, and Clemson.  Clemson finally got the Gamecock monkey off their back and beat the Ole Ball Coach.  The domers beat their non-rival decisively (Michigan) but lost to several others in embarrassing fashion (USC, Arizona State and 100 points…hee-hee!).  The Sooners boneheaded their way into their final season loss to Okie State.  Who to choose?  What the hell, let’s do a Big12 and call it a two-way tie between the domers and Oklahoma.

MMQ for the Team That Could – In the spirit of Boise State, Marshall immediately comes to mind as the team for this award.  But there was another surprise that I didn’t see coming and I feel like they deserve some recognition.  I gave Miss State the Over Achiever, so I have to give Georgia Tech and their 10 win Season the nod for this award.  Nicely done, Rambin’ Wreck – Keep Drinkin' that Whiskey clear! 

MMQ for the Most Surprising Coaching Dismissal of the Year – Yeah, it’s Pelini.  And I’m going to add to this that hiring Mike Riley makes me think that Nebraska has followed Colorado and legalized the Devil’s Lettuce in Lincoln or something…I mean, what are they smoking out there, anyway?  Either that or their hittin’ the corn liquor again in the athletic department, which, if that’s what’s happening – send me a case!

MMQ Player of the Year – Marcus Mariota will win the Heisman and I like to give this award to a guy on a team that, without him, the team could have easily suffered several more losses.  So, looking at all the players that could receive this award, I’m picking someone that I think, again, deserves a lot more credit than he was getting.  JT Barrett helped the suckeyes to several victories that I’m not sure they would have had otherwise. 

Honorary Number Re-Think

Hopefully, after a somewhat disappointing finish to Devin Gardner’s career, we can re-think the entire “Honorary” number given to players.  And to start the re-vamping thought process: 

A:  It should go to a senior and only a senior.

B:  They truly need to be worthy, and 

C:  The player should have the choice.  Suppose the number he’s wearing means something more to him?  I mean, don’t force it on anyone, I guess, is all I’m saying.

So there you have it.  I will be posting again this week and no, I haven’t forgotten about the FMQ.  I just need some more time with the bowls!

Remember to get the vote out for the Hot Seat Mascot of the Year!!!