I “sometimes” don’t necessarily like doing the “Pre-Season Spectacular”! Seriously!
Every Tom, Dick and Harry has
an opinion as to how the 2018 season is going to play out. Why does mine make any difference? I follow the team and CFB like everyone else
and I guess there are times when I’m a LITTLE better at prognosticating. But at the end of the day, the teams have to
play the games and everyone that follows a team wants them to finish on the
right side of the fence when it comes down to the final score.
Will I find a way for Michigan
to win all their games? Of Course! That’s what slappys do.
We always
see the silver lining…
Even though Michigan hasn’t even had
a close whiff of a B1G Title since 2004.
And while they were close to a B1G and a shot at the Mythical National
Championship in 2006, 1997 was the last time Michigan hoisted the
hardware…
However, this season for me is reminiscent
to 1997 when I didn’t think there was a snowball’s chance in HELL that Michigan
would win every game. Too much
had happened in the off-season and Michigan had a questionable QB in
Griese, even though he had just beat the suckeyes on their field and lost a
close contest in the Outback Bowl to Alabama.
Nope – there wasn’t a lot of optimism in Ann
Arbor in 1997. Three horrific
seasons of single digit wins and a sort of uninspiring coach. We knew the defense would be great but the
offense…not so much.
And then what happened was pure poetry. Truly.
Carr transformed himself into an
inspirational coach and employed a motivational tool using the guy that lost so
much climbing Mt. Everest…This became a team that simply refused to lose. Everyone wanted to keep moving the hammers…Woodson
boiled the team’s goals down to two words:
“Just Win”
Heading into the Iowa game at 5-0
after defeating #8 Colorado, Baylor, the domers, Indiana and the Purple
Kitties, it looked like the defense was finally going to have a down
day. Giving up 21 points in the 2nd
quarter (all on explosive – HUGE GAIN type plays), this guy thought it was
over, down 21-7.
Yep – no way to come back from
that.
But they did. In atypical Michigan fashion. Passing the ball. Hanging around. And a Sam Sword interception sealed the
deal.
Defense was winning games... And I started to let myself believe…
And then everything was REALLY
SEALED for me when the team went into East Lansing and more or less owned
sparty, and this happened. Yeah, still one of the best plays ever.
A HUGE Road Win of three really
tough road games in a row (Sparty, the nittany kitty kats and Wiscy). Was I a believer then? I was getting there. But I also knew that this team could rip your
heart out as they really couldn’t play offense all that much. But the defense! Oh, that defense!
Michigan faced their
2nd hostile environment in Happy Valley. This was to be the biggest “Test” to
date. The nittany lions were on a 12-game
winning streak and were ranked #2.
Michigan was ranked #4, but everyone who was paying attention
could see that Michigan was playing better than that. A ROMP in Happy Valley moved Michigan to #1 in
the AP. And suddenly, people
were talking about the Defense AND the Offense!
Wiscy ensued. You can’t overlook Wiscy and Michigan took care
of business IN MADISON and came home to face the suckeyes, and that
became one of the most famous games in the history of “The Game”.
Boston and Woodson. Woodson taking it all the way on a punt
return. Defensive guys playing
offense! Defensive stands (all day) and
in the end, Michigan was on top.
And that was it. Woodson would
then rightfully win the Heisman as the most exciting
11-0
Only Washington State stood
between Michigan and a National Title.
And we all know how that turned
out…
So why
the trip down 1997 Memory Lane?
Because I have all the same
feelings this pre-season that I had that season. Low expectations with a pretty good
returning team and superstar type players and the dread that this team might
face a let-down… somewhere.
Too many tough opponents. Too many tough opponents on the ROAD. A 12-game schedule that nobody should be able
to run through undefeated.
Yep, a lot of the same
feelings.
How good will they be on
offense? How many games can the defense
keep us in?
I think we all know the personnel
at this point. But let’s talk about some
players anyway…
OFFENSE
QB – Looks like it’s going to be Patterson. With only 2,226 passing yards (3rd
lowest since 1990) 9 throwing TD’s (and 17 INT’s – 21 Turnovers TOTAL!) last season more or less tell you that things
can only be better at the QB position moving forward. I mean, how on earth can it get any
worse? If Patterson looks half as good
as he did at MSU in his frosh season, well, everyone could again be talking
about the offense being as good as the defense. Fixing the turnover thing will
help, too.
Backs & Receivers – Black is
back. That should be huge
boost to the receiving core. DPJ should improve and Higdon and Evans will
probably take most of the carries.
Gentry and McKeon at the tight-ends should be thrilled that Shea
is chucking it to them. I’m not too
worried about this group assuming the next group below is back and
improved.
The Offensive Line – These guys were used and abused for the better
part of the last two seasons. Drevno
leaving should help the situation.
Warriner is reportedly well liked and the players seem to be responding
to him. Again, looking at some
of the numbers from last season, it really is a question of how can it get any
worse?
Kickers – So,
will the real Quinn Nordin return this season or are we stuck with the mentally
challenged Nordin that finished the season?
Hopefully an off-season of head-cleaning and Nordin the Wild Thing
is back. As far as punting, Hart and Robins
will hopefully improve. But it’d be nice
to not have to worry about the punter at all!
DEFENSE
Let’s all agree that they are
going to be good. The Defense from 2016
carried over into 2017 and if there was ANY fall off, it was due to a
lackluster offense being unable to stay on the field or support the Defense
with a little bit of scoring. Gary,
Winnovich, Hudson, Bush, Galsgow, Long and Kinnel are the names you’ll
hear. And Don Brown has given me
complete faith in his ability to coach the 3-3-5. That’s all I’m gonna’ say about the D because
they’re going to be AWESOME!
Speaking of Coaches
Harbaugh – Needs to do a lot of
things better this season than he’s done in the past. Game management HAS TO GET BETTER risk needs
to be taken when you absolutely have to have a 1st down. Again, offense can’t get much worse so we’ll
see what happens. I am a little nervous because
we still don’t know who’s going to be calling the plays.
Let’s look at the games!!!
Again – not an excuse, but
Michigan plays 5 games that feature teams that will be ranked in the pre-season top
15. Not only that, but I see the
potential of 5 NIGHT GAMES in this schedule!!!!
Jesus Tap-Dancin’ Christ On A
Cracker!!! That
sound you heard was Bo “Toe Meets Leather at 1:00PM” Schembechler rolling over in
his grave!
9-1-18 First Road Test: The domers (early line +1.5)
The domers will be good this season. They bounced back nicely last season and will
have a good to great QB under center in Wimbush. But it is the first game. And Michigan is hungry. And probably angrier than the domers. Harbaugh will make the build-up to this game
exactly what it needs to be. And I
have a feeling Michigan’s “re-booted” offense will be tricky for the domers to
handle. The domers will adjust
by the 2nd half, but by then it might be too late. I’m not going into superlatives and say this is
a BIG GAME or this game sets the tone for the season…But this IS a BIG GAME and this game
kind of sets the tone for the season.
Michigan wins one for the ages…in a night game.
Michigan 28 – domers
26
9-8-18: HOME Western Michigan
The broncos under Lester are NOT what they were on PJ
Fleck. They’re not bad, they’re just not
the giant killers Fleck had produced and could incite into a fervor to
beat the “Big Boys”. Still, after what
could be a big emotional victory in South Bend, the Broncos cannot be taken for
granted. However, I feel like Michigan
is going to see a lot of the new “Blue” Endzones here…
Michigan 42 – little
horses 14
9-17-18: HOME
SMU
More horses. And new
coaches. Dykes will be in his first year
at SMU and would like nothing more than to put a “big pelt” on his wall down in
Texas. I really don’t see the Mustangs
coming up to Ann Arbor and pulling off the upset, but still, you can’t take
anyone for granted. The mustangs
will have a couple of games to look at with respect to Michigan. But, and this is important - Michigan will
get to see SMU on film as well.
Michigan 35 – bigger
horses 10
9-22-18: HOME Nebraska
This game scares me. Frost
believes he had a “better team” and were the “harder hitting team” when UCF
came to the Big House and lost a couple of years ago. Frost will have the cornhuskers ready. But it’s still Michigan and it’s still the
Big House for a reason. I’m nervous
picking this one… the Huskers
will be ready. Big House night
game, perhaps?
Michigan 28 –
cornsuckers 13
9-29-18: At Northwestern
Again, when you haven’t dominated for a few seasons, all these
games can look like disasters in the making.
The purple kitties will be a test and because it’s the 2nd road
game, they could present problems.
If there’s one coach I have a lot of respect for its Fitzgerald. He understands how big this game is. The Purple Kitties will be ready, but it’ll
be tough for them as Michigan’s D and revamped O will have 4 games under their
belt…
Michigan 34 – Purple
Kitties 17
10-6-18: HOME Maryland
This game is another one that bothers me because I’m worried
about Maryland (not that much) but due to the fact that Michigan might be
looking ahead to Wiscy, which will more than likely be undefeated. If Michigan has already lost, not as much of
an issue. If they haven’t, after
reviewing Wiscy’s schedule (they will have already faced the Cornhuskers), this
could potentially be an undefeated showdown, distracting Michigan from
the Terps. THIS could be a close one….
Michigan 28 –
Twiddling Twerps 13
10-13-18: HOME Wisconsin
If you’ve been paying attention, you know that I believe this
will be the first “B1G” test of the season.
Chryst is a great coach and Wiscy is a good team that just re-loads
season to season. Wiscy will have had a
couple of tricky tests with respect to Iowa - away – and everyone knows how
difficult Kinnick can be, and Nebraska home, but I’m sure they’ll be
favored in both. I’m glad Wiscy is in the BIG HOUSE...
Michigan 24 – Wiscy 21
10-20-18: at LNU
Assuming Michigan is undefeated at this point, LNU
could be undefeated or easily sitting on 1-loss (LNU plays the week prior AT
PSU). The Wolverines could find
themselves facing a pissed off LNU team and, as everyone knows, they think they own
Michigan. Look for a slobber
knocker in East Lansing and Michigan starts setting the ledger straight and
getting back on the right side of history.
Revenge is in the Air…Look for a potential night game here, also.
Michigan 35 – LNU 21
11-3-18: HOME PSU
Michigan will be coming off either a very happy bye week or will
have been upset in East Lansing looking for revenge. I want to believe that this three-game “Murderer’s
Row” is survivable, but the gambler in me says otherwise. In the last difficult
test of the trifecta, we will have seen PSU and know a little bit more about
what they’re capable of. But losing 30%
of your offensive production in Saquon Barkley has gotta’ hurt. And whoever is home in the last few seasons
seems to blow the other guy out. History
may not repeat itself, but it often rhymes…
Michigan 45 – nittany kitties
24
11-10-18: At Rutgers
Chris Ash probably has the warmest seat of all the B1G coaches
(well, maybe behind Lovie Smith) but he’s going to continue to get a bye due to
the fact that he’s coaching the worst program in the toughest division in all of college football. Keep your SEC West comments to yourself. But Rutgers is still way behind Michigan when
it comes to personnel. Michigan
can only beat itself in this game.
Granted, 78-0 is probably painted on a locker room or weight room wall
somewhere…
Michigan 42 – Rutgers 10
11-17-18: HOME Indiana
Indiana was improving under Wilson but Allen is still somewhat
of an unknown. There’s an old adage from
the 70’s that in order to win the Big 10, you “have to beat the ‘I’ schools –
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa. They used to
all be gimmes but there’s no gimmes any more.
Well, maybe Rutgers. Michigan at home with
superior talent should hold serve heading to Columbus.
Michigan 31 – Indiana 13
11-24-18: At the suckeyes
It’s been way too long since Michigan has owned the
suckeyes. Every Michigan fan now knows
what it feels like to be on the other side of the “Cooper Era” when Michigan
was 10-2 over Cooper’s 12 seasons.
I think the tide is about to change in this one. Michigan should have won the last time they
were in Columbus, and that’s going to come up a lot during practice week. If these teams are both undefeated, I wouldn’t
be at all surprised to see a night game here…
Michigan 24 – Suckeyes
21
12-0
12-1-18: The B1G Championship
Michigan will visit Indianapolis for the first time since the
B1G incorporated a Championship game in 2011. This
will be the 8th Championship Game, and it’ll be an interesting question
as to who from the West will make it. There’s
a very good chance that Michigan could potentially be in a re-match with Northwestern
or Wiscy. And of course, Iowa is always a
pain in the ass. In any case,
Michigan, undefeated, would be favored, but it’s SO HARD to beat a team twice
in one season.
This team can do it. At
night, no less!
Michigan 38 –
IowaWiscyNorthwestern 27
13-0
Now,
for the “Realistic Look” from Bill Connelly over at SB Nation:
Bill’s reads are in depth and little long, but they’re
good. The only problem I have with Bill’s
information is that he uses metrics from the previous season and right now, the
offense is impossible to project, with the exception to say, “It’s GOTTA’ BE
BETTER!!!” And again, those pesky turnovers…which usually
have a way of evening themselves out year over year.
Never the less, Bill is the best. And while he concedes that this
might be the best Michigan Team Harbaugh’s had since he’s been in Ann Arbor, 5 “Top
15” games with three of those ranked teams on the road is a tall order for
anyone…
Kind of like 1997????
The Rest of the Mess
Now it’s merely a question of who are the other 3 teams in the Final
Four. The Rest of the Mess may not be as
interesting as usual over the regular season (oh who am I kidding – it’s going
to be AWESOME!!!), I’ll keep this brief as I see I’m approaching 3,000 words,
and that’s too long for ANYONE to read.
1.
Satan’s
Warriors - Really can’t pick against
them as they are pre-season favorites in EVERY GAME THEY PLAY THIS SEASON. The
only thing that MIGHT happen is a Bulldog – Bama showdown in the SEC Title
Game could have the Bulldogs in the Final Four vs. Bama. So, take your pick of those two from the SEC.
2.
Clemson
– Again, with that many defensive starters returning, how on EARTH can you pick
against them? They will be a tough and legitimate out for
anyone that faces them.
3.
Michigan
– as discussed above.
4.
The
suckeyes. In a repeat of last season, IF
the suckeyes are undefeated up to the Michigan game and ranked #2 behind Bama,
they’ll only drop to #4 (this
assumes for a minute that Satan’s Warrior’s win the SEC) and the committee will
have no choice but to include them in the play-off.
The Big iiX will eat itself alive and no one will come out unscathed. The Pac 12 doesn’t have a truly legitimate contender,
but we’ll hear a lot about Washington and their 1 loss, probably.
So, in the final match-ups:
Michigan vs. Clemson
Bama vs. the suckeyes
And if Michigan manages to clip the Tigers, beating either Satan
or Urban Legend (the latter twice in one season) will be sweet.
15-0
15 games. 15 victories…
Can you believe? Dare to
Dream?
ETC
Being a kid that grew up dreaming of flying motorcycles over
crap like Evel Knievel, well, this is too cool not to watch!!! Travis Pastrana is a modern Dare Devil that’s
known for doing a lot of crazy stunts including jumping out of an
airplane without a parachute into a safety net from 20,000 feet. Here, he recreates 3 of Evel’s most famous
jumps including the leap over the Caesar’s Palace Fountains, the jump that
nearly killed Evel and left him in the hospital for nearly two months. Pastrana didn’t perform the jump with a
modern jump bike, but instead used a 750 CC nostalgia Indian bike, making the
jumps slightly more difficult and similar to the tech that Evel used. Still cool to watch and see the jumps
recreated “successfully”.
Evel’s Failed Attempt
I guess he didn’t fail the attempt as much as he failed the landing. If you watch the clip closely, he shorted the
landing ramp with his rear tire by about a foot. I always think about this whenever I’m
considering any endeavor when “leaving it short” is WAY WORSE that over
shooting or going long…
NEVER LEAVE IT SHORT OR COME UP SHORT!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment