Let's Make It 6 in a Row.....For Someone We Know

I could start this entry with a re-cap of game-day in Ann Arbor and talk of winning 7 in a row...  You know, Homecoming, the wonderful feel and look of fall (there’s nothing better than Ann Arbor colors in the fall) and the pummeling of the Illini.  I could do that…And I will do some.  Just so you know I was at the game.  I can’t make everything up, you know!

Ashley has an art project and needed some photos.  Flagged this guy down and he stopped and let us take a bunch!  Actually a pretty cool little toy….And sort of a foreshadowing of the truck that's about to roll into...somewhere...

The Can Game was tougher than usual as the wind was blowing the already tossed cans out of position!  But I digress…There’s a game to run down, after all…

The Illini were not good.  21-0 in the 1^st quarter against ANYBODY should tell you you’re not good.  On top of that, the Illini only had 2 first downs in the first half and there were a busted play and a penalty.  I think they had 8 first downs total – which isn’t ab bad total against Michigan’s “D” this season….

But Michigan DOMINATED on both sides of the ball and this game was really over before it began.  You got the sense, in a weird way, that everyone on the Michigan sideline and in the stands was looking ahead…looking ahead to next Saturday in East Lansing.  Looking ahead to a Date with Destiny.  A date that will once again define which University in this State truly DOMINATES the game of College Football.  A chance to purge some of the frustration, humiliation and anxiety of the last 10 years…

It’s Coming.

The Reckoning.

You could feel the fans desire for a green and white BEAT DOWN that they’ve hungered and wanted for the last 10 years as they’ve wandered the deserted waste land of college football.... 

The DOOM of sparty will journey north later this week and they will wear Maize and Blue….

We are on the Brink of the Return to the natural order of things in this Great State Of Michigan….

Don’t hand me “records don’t matter in this one”.  We’ve seen what both teams look like on the field. 7-0 and 2-5, with 5 STRAIGHT LOSSES IN A ROW this season by someone in this rivalry….

Here’s to hoping that it will be bloody, hideous and ugly…And I for one, will love every each and every second of the 3,600 seconds that will be played. 

And when it’s over, on October 29^th, 2016 roughly around 3:30 PM (or sooner), sparty will have lost 6 GAMES IN A ROW.  That hasn’t happened since 1982, when I was just a junior in High School, back in the days when you only had to worry about sparty football about every 5^th season. 

I believe we are going BACK to those times.  When true greatness and the ability to compete and play football with anyone in the nation dwelled in The Big House of Ann Arbor.

Yes, it feels good to be an Arrogant Ass again!

Is it Saturday yet?

Bring on sparty!!!

The Rest of the Mess

If you’ve been reading me for any length of time, you KNOW I’m still smiling like an idiot on this fine, lovely, Monday morning.  And it’s actually really fun to have both a Suckeye and a Sparty here in the office!!!

Miami @ VaTech:   The Hoakies are going to make life miserable for a lot of people in the ACC moving forward.  And I think they’re still mathematically in the race to play in the ACC Championship, where they could make some noise, too….

NC State @ Louisville:  So I’ve been poo-pooing Louiville’s chances to make the CFP.  But after decimating the team that almost beat Clemson, well…I guess I have to give them a little credit.  The only problem I have is that if you have a 1 loss Louisville and a 1-loss SEC and 1-Loss B1G, the order those three represent is going to be difficult.

Wiscy @ Iowa:  Again, if I was an Iowa fan, I’d have to give up my season tickets and ask the AD why they thought it was necessary to give K. Ferentz an extension to 2025 with a $15M buyout.  Is he that good?  Do you have a JoePa complex?  Wiscy holds serve for the B1G West and it’ll be war this Saturday against the Huskers.

Purdon’t @ Huskers:  Sitting with Husker-Super Fan at the game on Saturday, I stated I thought that Big Red was going to roll over the Boilers especially with it being Homecoming and everything.  But, the Boilers have a new interim coach and I’m guessing that the Huskers might have been peeking ahead a little to the Wiscy game as well.  That’s going to define their season.  Both Seasons, really….

Hosers @ Purple Kitties: I don’t know what to think about ANYBODY anymore.  I thought the purle kitties were lying down this season, and now they seem to be playing like a team possessed.  Never doubt a Great Coach like Fitzgerald to turn things around!  And the Hosers still need some wins for bowl eligibility….

Rutgers @ Gophers:  Ahem – This is a PSA from the MMQ….There should NOT be another B1G team that lets RUTGERS score more than 20 some points in a game this season.  The furry rodents gave up 32 POINTS to the Scarlet Knights.  Are you guys auditioning to be in the BigXii or what?  More on no defense in a minute…. 

Colorado @ Stanford:  Colorado is sitting tied on top of the Pac 12 South– remember that nobody Michigan played back in September?   They keep rocking the solid teams in the PAC and are looking efficient in the process. 

Oklahoma @ Texas Tech:  So as I was sitting in the stands and Michigan went 3 and out, I turned to Aggie and Husker Super Fan and made the comment that, “You know you have a GREAT Football team when you can’t WAIT for your Defense to get on the field.  Yep, that’s what makes a true football fan feel good.  Pure and utter DOMINANCE on the defensive side of the ball.  This game had NONE OF THAT.  The Laters and Raiders combined for 1,708 yards of offense. 

Booooom….(MMQ’s head jus’ ashplode’d)  Why you no like Defense???

I for one cannot even begin to process or understand those kinds of numbers.  To mean that your team gave up close to 800 (I haven’t looked at the stat line, but it must be really ugly for somebody) is incomprehensible.  That’s 200 yards per quarter. 

Big Xii – Defense OPTIONAL!

Aggies @ Bama:  The Aggies kept it interesting, until it wasn’t.  But don’t look now as LSU and Auburn are both starting to play some decent football.  And each of those teams gets a shot at Season Redemption and potential SEC West representation in the Championship!!!   Would Michigan and Bama be sweet or what? 

Sparty @ Maryland:  SOS – SOS – SOS – SOS – SOS – SOS – SOS – SOS – SOS

2-5     2-5     2-5    2-5    2-5    2-5    2-5    2-5    2-5    2-5 

This was the proverbial last chance for sparty to right the ship and get on the winning train to at least keep the bowl eligibility hopes and probability alive.  Coach An’tonio (Lost the “D” until Sparty earns it back) cannot turn the Titanic around at this point, but maybe he can continue to re-arrange the deck chairs while it goes down.  Great Coaches figure out a way.  Antonio, not so much.  His attempt at greatness?  Calling a fake Field Goal on the final play of the 2^nd half instead of going up 3.  That was “Les Miles Mad Hatter-ish”!!!  Of course, those shenanigans eventually get you canned!   Derkins Terps had just given up 84 points (I think) in two consecutive games.  Surely the Mighty Spartans would be able to go into Maryland and re-establish their identity?  Of course, they did with Bullough getting two personal fouls in the 1^st 8 minutes of the 1^st quarter and then get ejected for Targeting.  (And thanks for sitting out the first half of the Michigan game, BTW!)  So, yes, in a way Sparty DID re-establish their throwback identity to being a dirty team that cheats every chance it gets.  Congrats to Derkins and hanging the last Year’s B1G Champion Pelt on the wall.  And yes, I’m still a little concerned about the Terps in two weeks in Ann Arbor.  But that game is in the Big House!  So, not as worried, but worried.

Suckeyes @ PSU:  This was a ho-hum game, right?  I mean the suckeyes were up 21-7 in the 4^th quarter, so no worries, everyone can turn off the TV and go to bed, right?  No chance of the Perfecta with sparty and the suckeyes losing on the same day, right?  RIGHT?  Oh, you were SO FOOLISH IF YOU DID!!!  Wonderful, mysterious things began to happen in the 4^th quarter.   That included but was not limited to a 90 yard drive for a TD by the Lions against the “STAUNCH AND RUGGED DEFENSE OF osu”!!!  Then the Nittany Lions kicked a Figgie to close it to 21-17.   But it did look over when, with 4 minutes and change left, the suckeyes lined up for a TD separation FG, that would have made PSU have to score a TD to tie.  There was confusion, some rain, A HUGE BLOCK and - Oh GREAT CEASAR’S GHOST!!!  - A SCOOP that was returned 70+ yards for 6!!!!    Did that just happen? 

 

The Nittany D came out and shut down JTB and the suckeye offense and the celebration was on! 

I know a lot of fans and people not associated with College Football would like PSU to crater into the earth to never be heard from again, but that was a great game and win for the Lions!  Maybe now, as Franklin stated, a whole lot of people can move on.

The 5 Stages of Slappy Fan Grief

1. Denial and Isolation –Laters & WVU.  One of you has 2 losses and the other fan base is screaming, “HEY!  LOOK AT US!  WE’RE UNDEFEATED!!!  HOW ABOUT SOME CFP LOVE?”  And the Laters think that a 2-Loss Big Xii champ has a shot at the 4^th slot.  I’ve got news for you:   The Big Xii is an abortion of football and the mess that was just left on the field in Lubbock is a great inidicator of that.  .
2. ANGER –Hate to keep doing it, but Got To.  DOMERS.  All by yourselves.  I almost called this the “Trifecta of the Bye Week” as it’s close enough for this fan:  1.  $warbuck$ came out this week with the dreaded vote of confidence in an attempt to calm the fans down and told everyone that b. Kelly would be leading the Domer Team onto the field next season.  (Rock’s house lit up – literaly).  2.  Donovan Jeter, a highly ranked Defensive End Recruit, DE-COMMITED from the Domers and announced that he’s committed to Michigan.  And he had this little diddy of a quote to add to his statement:
   

   

   
   

    

   Hmmmm….B. Kelly is an arrogant ass and Jimmy H is all love….LOL!!!  HAHAHAHAHA and JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!!!
3. Bargaining –Anybody with 1 or 2 losses that needs help or controls their destiny:  Aggies, Suckeyes, Wiscy, LSU, Auburn, Tennessee, Colorado, Utah .  After the suckeye shake-up in Happy Valley, a bunch of fan bases are now coolly calculating the plethora of scenarios and what it will take to get their team into the CFP.  I’ve never seen non-math majors works so hard grinding numbers.  And the suckeyes called Ann Arbor to ask for help! 
4. Depression –Sparty…Just you this week.  Basketball season can’t get here soon enough for this fan base.  Tickets are getting cheaper on stub-hub and there’s not a fan out there that once to live through what is probably going to happen in East Lansing on Saturday.  But for the die-hards, I get where you are... and you’ve got nowhere else to go...Cause you’re pathetically loyal to a fault. 

 

1.  Acceptance – Illinois.  While there’s acceptance this season, there’s also hope in Champagne as this won’t be the last time that these two Super Bowl Coaches square off against each other – and maybe the results will be different next time.

 

Idle Thoughts from Saturday

-Ann Arbor in the fall….So beautiful with all the different colors!

-No better city to drive into, in my opinion…

-I know.  I’m biased.  A little.  OK – A LOT!

-Chilly morning!  Glad I opted for Long Johns!

-And WINDY!  Damn cans won’t stay put!

-Literally blowing off the rocks. 

-Ashley makes it on the Board! 

-Yes – soda cans by kids count!  Always have!

-The Wolverine Truck stopped for us!

-Nice guy!

-Didn’t say much about it, just let us take some pics and drove off.

-Jessie P. just made things interesting at the intersection!

-RP wanting to know where the Big Game was IMMEDIATELY for Medicinal purposes.

-Kids driving…Why God gave us alcohol.

-Cleveland connection and LD(formerly T) swung by the Tailgate!

-Light crowd for Homecoming. 

-Easy in and no fuss parking in the lot.

-Wiscy taking care of Iowa, but a defensive slugfest.

-Here We Go!

-Oh man, this is going to get ugly.

-The Illini look small out there. 

-Yikes.  That’s two scores in under 10 minutes.

-Okay, well there’s a 3 and out for the Illini. 

-Yeah!  Michigan Defense back on the field!

-When was the last time as a Michigan Fan you could feel good about saying or thinking THAT?

-This game is over. 

-Michigan knows it and the Illini know it.

-Carl Grapentine, long time Big House Announcer,  was having a hard time keeping a straight voice when the Illini Defense was on the field. 

-Hell, even the fans were cracking up!

-“Chunky Clements on the tackle!"

-Swear to God…Add this kid to the “All Name Team!”

-Harbaugh on the Big Video Board….

-What the Hell’s he wearing?

-Are those Woody Hayes’ Glasses, fergodsakes?

-Jimmy…you’re cracking me up…you really are.

-Looking forward to sparty.

-I cannot see a way for them this season.

-In two short years, has it come to this?

-Jimmy and Michigan’s return to domination?

-I’m ready!

-Michigan Fans have suffered enough.

-Even easy getting out of Ann Arbor.

-Sparty and suckeyes on at the same time.

-Sparty keeping it close.

-Lining up for the figgie before halftime

-Up three at half will give you them some mo-mo.

-OMG!  What the hell was that???

-Coach Antonio is as big of a boob as Kelly

-Always take the points early!

-LSU and Fournette looking GOOD.  Maybe they can beat Satan!

-Sparty on the ropes.

-Suckeyes handling things in Happy Valley.

-Whoops – missed that TD.  PSU tightened it up.  21-14

-Hey!  PSU has added a figgie…

-Sparty over.  Leave this right here.

-suckeyes marching.  But PSU gave them a helluva fight.

-Wait a minute!!!

-ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!   YES!!!!!!

-Unbelievable!

-Chills up and down the spine!

-the mighty suckeyes are BEATABLE!!!!

-What a Saturday!

-How am I ever going to fall asleep now?

THE MMQ’s “I DON’T NEED A COMMITTEE!”

8 Weeks into the season and the shake-ups have begun!  The loss hurts the suckeyes as there’s no room for error at this point and they need to play perfect.  What did it do for everyone else?

Top 4 teams in the Country and if the play-off were played today:  Without a Doubt:  Bama.  Michigan, Washington and Clemson.   But that Clemson pick could easily be Louisville. 

Who’s still got a shot:

1. B1G Champion:  Nebraska and 2 loss Wiscy play this weekend and eliminate someone from the West debate!
2. SEC Champion:  Bama, Texas A&M, LSU and Auburn all have a shot still (mathematically) at the West Title.  Didn’t know it, either.  Bama still needs to lose twice.
3. ACC Champion:  Clemson.  Still shaky with that near miss to NC State.  FSU and Clemson Saturday with what will be the beginning of ACC CHAOS or Clemson in the driver’s seat.  . 
4. PAC 14 Champion:  Washington, Colorado or maybe even Utah…Who knows?

The Hot Seat

Week #8’s Hot Seat Mascot.  This week’s Hot Seat Mascot is ring girl Leticia Farr!!!!

 

 

 
 

 

ZAPPED List

We’ll keep track of who’s gone as the season progresses….

1. Miles and Cameron – LSU Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. 
2. VanGorder – Domer D-Coordinator. 
3. Ron Turner – FIU. 
4. Hazell – PURDUE!
5. Tim DeRuyter – Fresno State.  Fresno was a decent football team and now they’re 1-7.  I guess that gets you canned there, even though I didn’t have DeRuyter on my list. 

Electric Chair of Death Seat!

1. Charlie Strong – Texas.  Back to the 1 spot after losing to K-State who under Bill Snyder is 7-4 against TEXAS!  Maybe they should hire him?  Charlie is truly the deadest man walking between these two, but DAMN, Kelly keeps it interesting with the crap he says and the stuff that comes out of the AD’s mouth…Speaking of which:
2. Kelly and $warbuck$ - If I’m a domer fan today, I’m ready to just call it quits.  That’s no longer hate, it’s apathy.  Sure, there’s a contingent that want to see the program succeed, but the right mix simply does not exist in Domer land (See 5 Stages of Slappy Fan Grief).  I’m afraid the domers are walking a really fine line here as to how far you can go with a dysfunctional administration and football program.  Fans will quit on you – guarantee it. But Damn – It’s Fun to Watch!!!

The Hot Seat – Guy’s that have Hot Seats but Won’t get Canned, Immediately

1. Helfrich – Oregon.  Still here and in charge.    
2. Kirby Smart – Pretty sure the Dawgs had a bye, but his ass is still warm.
3. Muschamp  - letting a 1-7 U-Mass keep it to within a TD?  Bad look Will….bad look.
4. Adazzio  - Boston College
5. DANTONIO, MARK – MSU.  I can’t move him higher, but the thought that he’s on here warms the cockles of my heart.  And if he doesn’t win another game this season….Hee-hee…Oh, don’t even think like that yet!

Short List of Available or Desirable Head Coaches

1. Jimbo Fisher – LSU, another SEC or Texas Job?  ….
2. Kiffin – Domers.  Might as well go for broke…
3. Hermann –Somehow this is screaming Texas more and more…after losing to SMU!  Texas will hire a C-USA coach just to see if he can lose to SMU, too?
4. PJ Fleck –Rowing the Boat….for Purdue?
5. Willie Taggart  - Oregon????
6. Les Miles – AVAILABLE FOR HIRE – Boston College here I come!!!!
    

Side NFL NOTE:  The Lions win again by less than a TD against the Redskins who had won 4 straight!   4-3 and looking better all the time….