How "Suite" It Is!!!

So, a quick recap of the game on Saturday:

Michigan scored on all 5 of it’s possessions in the 1^st half.

Michigan denied Maryland the opportunity to score on all of its possessions in the 1^st half.

 I know, hard to believe.

The game was essentially over after the 1^st half.

But Maryland didn’t run for the bus and they came out for the 2^nd half and Michigan accumulated 660 yards of offense.  Peppers was all over the field.  Speight and Butt set records.  Butt is the ALL TIME RECEIVING Tight End at Michigan.  Speight threw for two and rushed for 1 TD.  Hill had 2 interceptions!

Ummmm, Yeah…..I may have been unnecessarily worried about Maryland…

But, as the master Jimmy Harbs says, every game is a championship and every week brings another opportunity to improve.  Wilton Speight had one of the best halves of football I’ve seen out of him.  Was every throw perfect?  No, but most connected with their intended target.  And his little hop, skip, jump TD into the end-zone for the 2^nd TD of the game kind of cracked me up.

 

Yep, there was a little something for everyone on Saturday, unless you were part of Durk’s Twerps.  But I have a feeling the right coach is in Maryland and they will be competitive moving forward. 

Now, I’m not going into the next part looking for the loyal readers of the MMQ to be envious or anything like that.  But I would be remiss if I didn’t share the Luxury Sky-Box experience that we had on Saturday.

If you read Friday’s post, E-Kitten came through with tix and we got the opportunity to experience the game from the sky.  It literally feels like you’re that high up and I believe I was actually further away from the field than when I’m sitting in row 74.  But the view is amazing!

Sitting in the Suite, it was very easy to watch plays develop and see the action unfold.  That’s probably what I liked best.  And the Maize leather seats with back rests was also a nice touch!  Incredibly comfortable, posh and luxurious with a nod to the utilitarian nature of College Football.  True prudes would be upset knowing that the suite didn’t have its own restroom.  But the community bathroom was clearly the nicest one in the entire stadium! 

Literally the only drawback seemed to be detachment.  Our TD reactions in the suite felt solo-ish.  Granted, if we filled the suite up with the loyal readers of the Blog, I know it would be going crazy to the point where the Suite Police would have to come down and say “Knock it off!!  You’re going to collapse the joint!!”  And wouldn’t matter who the opponent is!  So, part of it had to do with being “Properly” behaved as a suite guest. And I

think the adjoining suites may have been experiencing some of the same thing.  Everyone wanted to be on their best behavior in order to get a 2^nd invite should the opportunity ever arise.  Another drawback that goes hand in hand with the TD reactions was we felt so disconnected as to not have an impact on the opposing team’s offense during critical plays.  I know I’m not having much of an impact from row 74 either, but I still feel involved.   In the suite, not so much. 

But hey, if that’s the only complaint – I can live with it!!!

 

All things being equal, as AP says, “If I hit the lotto, we’re gonna’ have a suite!”

Bring on the Hawkeyes!!!

The Rest of the Mess

In no particular order this week….

Navy @ Domers:   Silly Domers.  This is getting as ugly in South Bend as it is in East Lansing.  Perhaps it’s the Curse of Harbaugh that two of the most hated rivals have fallen on such hard times.  I mean, Coach Kelly keeps blaming everyone but himself, so it can’t be him.  Gotta’ be the assistants and players that don’t have a clue.

MSU vs. Texas A&M:  Another score that when I saw it, I believe we all looked around and grinned at each other and more or less said, “Another Bites the Dust!!!  Thanks Mississippi State for solving that problem in the CFP!”

Wiscy @ Northwestern:  Wiscy is a tough team to beat on the road!  The Wildcats stayed in the game for awhile, but in the end the Cheeseheads were too much.  In the West, I believe Wiscy controls its own destiny at this point and just needs to win to get a re-match with somebody in Indy. 

PSU @ Iowa:  PSU is looking better and better all the time and Iowa is looking more and more like the Iowa of old.  Before Hayden Fry I mean.  It’s almost like the B1G West doesn’t even try when they play a B1G East team…Speaking of which:

Cornsuckers @ the Suckeyes: Is Mike Riley on the Hot Seat after this road blow out?  63-3?  That’s bad.  And the cornsuckers were supposed to be a Top 10 Team?  I’m not so sure.  But it would appear that the suckeyes have righted the ship and JTB is back on track.  It’s going to be WAR on November 26^th.  Outright WAR! 

Purdon’t @ Gophers:  Don’t look now – Gophers are 7-2!    And as was tweeted to me, should have beat PSU early in the season when PSU didn’t know what they were doing.  Big showdown shaping up in the West this weekend that I believe will have New Year’s Day Game implications.  Whoever wins between Gophers and cornsuckers will be in line to get the last New Year’s Day bowl game, assuming they continue to win.  Should be a good one to watch…. 

Colorado vs UCLA:  This game and the seasons of these two teams could be entitled, “The Complete Reversal of Fortunes Regarding 2016!”  Colorado is now 7-2 and about to play the WORST RICH ROD TEAM EVER at 2-7.  UCLA is 3-6 and is in dire straits to become bowl eligible.  I know Mora changed the O-Coordinator to better compete in the Pac 12, but I think I’ve got to add him to the Hot Seat list this week.  . 

Washington vs. California:  The Huskies stay perfect to lay claim to a Final 4 spot after Texas A&M graciously removed themselves from the discussion.  Again, I would’ve had the Huskies in anyway, so the committee can wipe the egg off it’s face and simply say, “Re-Set!”

Bama @ LSU:  Watched a lot of if not most of this one.  IF you like offense, this game WASN’T for you.  IF you like Defense, you were frothing at the mouth.  LSU simply couldn’t find a chink in the armor of Bama’s defense.  But, I’m not sure they have all the tools you need in order to beat Bama.  Ogeron, unfortunately, didn’t do what he needed to do to keep his job and the interim tag will stay and LSU will do something silly and hire a guy without Ogeron’s passion….   

Clemson vs. Syracuse:  I believe everyone thought this game was going to be a heck of a lot closer than it was.  Clemson still hasn’t Clemsoned this season and they are also looking better in November…

Seems like I’m forgetting some other nonsensical, menial, nothing team or something….Oh Yeah, now I remember!

Sparty @ Illini: 

SOS  SOS  SOS  SOS  SOS  SOS  SOS

That’s 7 – count ‘em – SEVEN SOS’s and counting this season.  Oh, and did I forget to mention that’s IN A ROW!!!  The MMQ hasn’t had this much fun with a hated rival since Charlie Wuzzles was coaching the Domers.  Sparty and Antonnini are definitely BAD this season.  There’s no other way to describe it.  They are without question potentially the worst team in the B1G East.  And this week’s Super Bowl of Super Bad teams will be the deciding factor!  Rutgers and Sparty go at it in East Lansing at noon and while I will be on a Sandy Beach watching incredible works of art being created using only sand and water, I may have to drag myself away to one of my favorite Tiki Bars to watch the carnage.  Oh how sweet it is watching Little Brother sludge through the cellar of the B1G East!

The 5 Stages of Slappy Fan Grief

1. Denial and Isolation –I believe Texas A&M fan is here.  Because they were considered to be a Top 4 team by the committee when they had one loss, they are all probably thinking that they the best two loss team out there, with the floor for their rank being right about PSU at what I think will be 10 or so?  Yeah, good luck with that.  The Committee will punish you for losing to a sub 0.500 team and you may go down farther than that…. 
2. ANGER –Domers again.  Losing to Navy brings out some of Rock’s House finest at NDNation and they were out in droves.  Mostly angry that both $warbuck$ is still running the “Shit-Show” known as Domer Football and that the school is going to have to suffer another season of Kelly.  Selling tickets, promises to never watch another down of Domer Football again, all the major themes were covered.  . 
3. Bargaining –Wiscy Fans…..They are for sure convincing themselves (accurately, I might add) that if they win the B1G West and beat the B1G East Champion in the B1G 10 Championship Game, they’re in the CFP.  It’s a tall order, but it’s all the Cheeseheads have at this point.
4. Depression –Sparty…Why not?  I hate to pick on guy…Jeez, I can’t say it again so I’m just going to say that Sparty Fan is depressed to the point of not even returning my “Are you still alive?” texts.  I’m throwing Texas down here this week too as Strong keeps winning and that is going to make it that much more difficult to let him go at season’s end…
5.  Acceptance – Lot’s and lot’s of fans down here as the Winds of November have blown early and November never gives up her dead in College Football...
    
   
   

 

Idle Thoughts from Saturday

-Game day in Ann Arbor!

-Believe it or not, it’s November and this was one of the nicest days we’ve had!

-No Rain (Two games this season)

-Not Cold (One game this season we froze and happy to have on LJ’s!)

-And it was beautiful and sunny!

-Great Tail-Gate Crowd for Maryland!

-Amazing food provided by Everybody!

-We didn’t even get to it all…. 

-Lot’s of new names on the Can Game Scoreboard!

-SS made an appearance!

-Even hit the Big Game!

-I think that’s a first….Not entirely sure.

-TM from Indy made an appearance!

-Not sure the final count of sleeping bags and cots in the garage TM!

-Of course, there’s a little matter of the suckeyes in Columbus that will need to be dealt with.

-JG made an appearance too!  Right before the band went by!

-Always good to see everyone. 

-Corner spot at the Southwest Corner of Hoover and Greene.  Can’t miss us!

-Heading in to the Suite!

-Elevator ride up was almost religious…ascending into Football’s Valhalla!

-That’s a Ufer thing….

-Doors open and spilled into a receiving area that led to the long hallway

-Quiet.  Plush.  Pretty much what you’d expect for Suite Hallway.

-Damn!  We’re high!

-I think I’m farther away here than I am in my own seats!

-But Nice Chairs!

-Rick Leach back in the House!

-The Crowd!

-Here we go!

-Offense clicking!

-Did Speight just do that?  Did he?

-Who does he think he is?  Peppers?

-Peppers on the reverse – Wait a Minute – Back to Speight, Speight downfield – Yes!

-Maryland is not good.

-This could get ugly really, really fast.

-It’s getting ugly.

-Can we get everybody else up here?

-If you know anyone in the Suite, you get 4^th Quarter Tickets.

-Those are new tickets that you can take down and bring people up to your Suite.

-Nice to know and keep that in mind!

-I always guess the Attendance when Carl Grapentine starts with the crowd thank you for being the LARGEST to attend a Football Game today.

-My nephew LH was with me when I made my prediction:  110, 623

-Announced Attendance:  110, 626

-Call Bob Barker.  I mean Drew Carey!

-That would have won both Show Cases!

-I wonder if the marketing guy for Ruth’s Cris still has a job?

-That’s another 50% off on steaks for the week!

-Sparty LOSES AGAIN!

-Texas A&M Goes down!

-Saturday’s in November.   College Football at its finest!

 

THE MMQ’s “I DON’T NEED A COMMITTEE!”

10 Weeks into the season and we still have 4 un-defeateds! 

Top 4 teams in the Country and if the play-off were played today:  Without a Doubt:  Bama, Michigan, Washington and Clemson.  

That is my current CFP Final 4.  Best Chance to remain?  Probably Clemson, which, I thought was a fraud, but destroying the Cuse changed my mind…A little. 

Who’s still got a shot:

1. B1G Champion:  Pretty sure 2 loss Wiscy is driving the B1G West Bus!
2. SEC Champion:  Auburn has a shot.
3. ACC Champion:  Clemson.  Va Tech maybe?
4. PAC 14 Champion:  Washington or Colorado. 

The Hot Seat

Week #10’s Hot Seat Mascot.  This week’s Hot Seat Mascot is answering the question from one loyal reader who asked, “How come no Blondes this season?”  In response to that, I give you Hot Seat Mascot for Week #10 Summer Daniels!!!!

 

 

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. 
    
   Electric Chair of Death Seat!

1. Kelly and $warbuck$ - I get the sense that both of these fellas might be getting a lot of heat from fans and the administration.  Lots of money getting spent on the sports complex and the fan base is pissed. 
2. Charlie Strong – Texas.  He won again, but so many “Texans” have come out with who the favorite is and the inside tracker (Herman) is already in the bag….   

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 – Georgia a mess….He might not get the full 3 years.
3. Butch Jones – Cremesicles.  Three losses in what was supposed to be the Cremesicles year to win the SEC East is a problem….
4. ANTONIO, MARK – They won’t fire him and I can see sparty losing the last 2 out of 3.  Potentially all 3 games left!  Yep, I can really see it. 
5. Grobe – Baylor.  He is an interim so almost not fair to put him on the list….
6. Mike Riley – Not canned, but letting suckeyes hang 63 on you as a top 10 team is not a good look.
7. Rich Rod – He’s 2-7 and on track to his WORST SEASON EVER.   That’s a problem…
8. Muschamp – still here just because it would be THS without Will! 

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 –Already hired behind the scenes?
4. PJ Fleck –Rowing the Boat….for Purdue?
5. Willie Taggart  - Oregon????
6. Les Miles – AVAILABLE FOR HIRE – Hired a new agent and is interviewing coordinators and still doesn’t have a job!!
7. Mike Leach – The Pac 12 is taking notice!!!
8. Dan Holgersen – Just a hunch here, but he might be tired of the crap at WVU and the Big Xii…..
    

Side NFL NOTE:  The Lions win in OT in a great game against the Vikes!