Bama IS Bama - Purdue Theft At Crisler

The NC Re-Cap

Georgia was more or less cruising in the first half and squandered so many opportunities to put away Satan’s Warriors.  Bama couldn’t get anything going on offense and the Dawg’s D was looking like everything it’s been billed to be all season.  But, kicking figgies will eventually catch up to you (are you paying attention Harbaugh?) and it definitely caught up with Georgia.

After a sleepy first half, I was almost ready to turn the game off in the 3^rd quarter even though Bama had pulled Hurst and put in the 2^nd string guy who’s name I’m not even going to attempt to spell as I will have to re-learn how to spell it next year, anyway. 

That became the decision that every pundit on TV and the radio is singing Satan’s praises about.  While to me it seemed like a no-brainer if Bama was to have any chance at winning the game due to the fact that Hurst was non-existent. 

A couple of TD’s later, a first time ever OT in the NC, another Figgie by the Dawgs and what looked to be a crippling sack of the in-experienced freshman QB for a loss of 16 yards and everyone was thinking that Georgia and the Georgia D might just get away with one due to the fact that Bama had no kicking game…And then this happened:

Why do I put stuff like that on my blog?  To remind me that all it takes is one play.  One good play.  One great look off and throw to an open receiver and you go from ultimate loser to Champion.  I know it doesn’t always happen that way, but when it does, well, it’s pretty sweet.  Please note that the football flew 50+ yards in the air on a ROPE to the receiver.  And Tagovoiloa is a freshman!  So I did look up how to spell his name afterall...

A lot of people are discussing the Satan Legacy this week and now that he has 6 NC’s, can there be any dispute that he’s the GOAT?  It’s a tough argument against, so I guess I’ll just sit it out and nod my head in agreement. 

With respect to the state of Georgia:  Less than a year ago the Falcons lost in the same building after building up a 23-8 lead late in the 3^rd quarter of the Super Bowl.  Georgia looked like the better team on Monday until they weren’t.  It’s been a brutal year to be living in Georgia and I’m sure that the folks there wish Karma would hurry up.

Anyway, 8 months till kick-off and we re-boot the entire thing!

Purdue Commits Robbery At Crisler

Why do the rules change in the last minute in college hoops?

Games  – Dates – Time – Result - Record

Illinois(H)                  January 6^th               Noon                          WON  79-69              14-3

Purdue (H)                January 9^th               9:00 PM                     LOST 70-69              14-4

Sparty (A)                   January 13^th              Noon

Maryland (H)            January 15^th            6:30 PM

Nebraska (A)             January 18^th              8:00 PM

Rutgers (H)              January 21^st             Noon

Purdue (A)                 January 25^th              7:00 PM

Northwestern (H)    January 29^th            7:00 PM

Minnesota (H)          February 3^rd             2:30 PM

Northwestern (A)      February 6^th              6:00PM

Wiscy (A)                   February 11^th            Noon

Iowa   (H)                   February 14^th           6:30 PM

Suckeyes (H)           February 18^th           1:00 PM

PSU (A)                      February 21^st            7:00 PM

Maryland (A)             February 24^th            Noon

Game Highlights

As I sat watching this game last night riding the roller coaster of emotions that is College Basketball, I had a funny feeling after Michigan took its first lead with just under 5 minutes left that it happened too soon.  There was too much game time left and Purdue is a good team.  That feeling sat there and gnawed at me.

This had been a great game up to this point and if you watched it, you kind of didn’t want it to end or you at least wanted to see an extra frame to see if one team could finally better the other.  OT was looking like a real thing.    

Then, tied at 69, Michigan had the ball with under 10 seconds left and got a feed to Matthews who made a move to the hoop and a Purdue defender managed a clean poke from behind on the ball and the ball went OOB.  Michigan ball.

Until Painter asked to have the play reviewed.  And it was reviewed.  AND REVIEWED.  AND REVIEWED SOME MORE.  For a total real time of over 5 minutes, from about 10:59 to 11:05, this play was reviewed. 

And the ball was awarded to Purdue. 

I’ll say this up front:  IT was the right call as it looked to me that Matthews hand had stopped the downward motion of the ball and actually accelerated it out of bounds.  But that call is usually always called off the defensive player.  And yet this one changed.

This subsequent in-bound foul call on Wagner who was defending Haas also looked legit, but isn’t that a spot where you let them play and hopefully let a game as good as this one had been get decided in OT?  Don’t you?

I guess you don’t get that call in Crisler.  Beilein needs to be a bigger dick, I guess and maybe he gets that call in the future. 

The take away:  This will probably look like a good loss to the committee and won’t be held against the Wolverines, that much.  Still, a win here would have been nice.  Beating the Boilers in West Lafayette will be a tall order, one that this team will need to figure out how to manage in less than a month’s time. 

On to Breslin and the Izzone on Saturday.