Friday, January 26, 2018

If You Aren't Going To Take Purdue To the FF...

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What a game!  I guess?  I don’t know how to feel right now except to say that I felt like I just watched a Final 4 game or even better between two teams that know they could face each other at least once or maybe twice more this season, depending on seeding in the B1G Tourney and the NCAA’s
Fingernail biting, free throws, shooting percentages off the wall, Points Per Possession all time high…And those were the low lights.
The highlights included 24 lead changes (!) and opportunities found and unfortunately lost. 
Michigan will undoubtedly lose to a higher seed this season BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS GOING TO MISS A DAMN FREE THROW.  Or worse, Michigan will go down at the end of the game because nobody can step up and pull a Walton and make a shot when Michigan needs it.  The empty possessions without at least drawing a foul NEED TO STOP.   Michigan went up three in the middle of the 2nd half and all were rejoicing until the subsequent 4 minute run by Purdue had Michigan down 9 where Michigan hadn’t scored at all!!!
Sigh…The game was a good one, as billed and there were times it looked like Michigan was going to snatch the victory away.  It all felt right, until it didn’t.  Until the last missed 3 went up (and a poorly selected shot at that) and then the futile 2 point lay-ups with under 20 seconds to go I did not understand…
I guess maybe KenPom?  Michigan actually WENT UP to 24th in the KenPom with the loss, and I know there’s a point factor in there, but I guess it had a lot more to do with the fact that Purdue is #2 in Kenpom and losing to the #2 team is better than beating a top 50-100 team
After this game, I will say that Michigan can play with anyone in the country on a good night.  And Michigan had a very good night.  60% from the field along with a season high of 1.35 points per possession ….in a LOSS!  How in the hell does that happen?  Season highs in a loss.  Jeez.  For Comparison Purposes:  OF the 210 games played in thw 2017-18 season where a team was able to amass 1.35 PPP, 209 of the teams that managed that feat WON THE GAME.  Michigan exclusively holds that lonely 1
Insane game from West Lafayette and Purdue ties a school record by recording its 16th straight win. 
Michigan fans CAN NOW forget about winning the B1G regular season title.  PSU tried to help and took down the suckeyes last night on a buzzer beater that’s too good NOT to share.
But Michigan couldn’t answer to create havoc in the B1G at the top of the conference.  So Purdue stands alone without too much standing in their way, with the exception of a Sparty visit sometime in February. 
Games  – Dates – Time – Result - Record
Illinois(H)                  January 6th               Noon                          WON  79-69              14-3
Purdue (H)                January 9th               9:00 PM                     Lost    70-69              14-4
Sparty (A)                   January 13th              Noon                          WON  82-72              15-4
Maryland (H)            January 15th            6:30 PM                     WON 68-67               16-4
Nebraska (A)             January 18th              8:00 PM                     LOST 72-52              16-5
Rutgers (H)              January 21st             Noon                          WON  62-47              17-5
Purdue (A)                 January 25th              7:00 PM                     LOST  92-88             17-6
Northwestern (H)    January 29th            7:00 PM
Minnesota (H)          February 3rd             2:30 PM
Northwestern (A)      February 6th              6:00PM
Wiscy (A)                   February 11th            Noon
Iowa   (H)                   February 14th           6:30 PM
Suckeyes (H)           February 18th           1:00 PM
PSU (A)                      February 21st            7:00 PM
Maryland (A)             February 24th            Noon
Michigan is 7-3 in their last 10.  Now, they get to play a somewhat hot and surging purple kitties who are looking for quality upsets and may be a bubble team according to certain trackers.  (Lunardi does not have the #64 KenPom Kitties ANYWHERE, FWIW)  Two of the next three against them could be tricky, especially in Evanston.  Northwestern knows it and Michigan should know it. 
I’m still sticking with my 6-2 record over the remaining 8 games.  But it could go one game either way, too. 
Hello Enos – Good-Bye Enos!!!
Yes, and thank you for all the e-mails and texts regarding QB Coach Dan Enos who left Arkansas roughly 15 days ago to come to Michigan and is now exiting Michigan to go to Alabama.  Here’s all you REALLY NEED TO KNOW:
Arkansas set up Enos’s contract with a non-compete clause stating that he couldn’t talk to other SEC schools.  Something fairly typical in SEC country and other conferences.  Enos leaves Arkansas and comes to Michigan. That gets him out of the non-compete clause and let’s Satan pick up the phone and call him.  Enos accepts the offer and splits. 
End of story.  Michigan was used like a Kleenex and that will forever be remembered by all the right people Remember:  Karma’s a bitch…
ETC.
As Expected, The Sparty Torch And Pitchfork Crowd Turn On Hollis
This didn’t surprise me in the least, but the snowball affect is going to rip through MSU and the Board of Trustees in a bad way.  I guess what’s unfortunate is there will probably be more than a few innocent bystanders sucked into the rage that lose everything because of one guy…But it can only get worse for Hollis as more and more is uncovered and he will be the guy that “Didn’t do anything.”  Even after his Football Sexual Assault Scandal should have been the wake-up call. 
Howes Calls Out Entire Fiasco Of The State Of Michigan Board and Regent Process
This was only a matter of time, also.  Michigan is the last state to elect Board of Trustees and Regents by State Ballot, meaning that during any major election where the sitting board member is up for a revote (every 8 years) they get to ride the “party ticket” and usually get the nod.  Howes does a good job of calling out the bad guys and calling for State Election reform. 
And The Snowball’s Destruction Continues As Hollis Announces He’s Done
Hollis claiming he’s retiring, but I’ve seen both Resining/Retiring.  Either way, it would appear that Hollis is out.

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