The Pain...But Life Will Get Better!

I'm not sure who (realistically) saw Michigan losing to the Bobcats of Ohio.  Granted, the Bobcats won the MAC and the MAC winner is always tough...Looking back, I've made quiet money in the NCAA with Central, Kent State, and others over the years.  I just didn't think this team had what it took to get by the Wolverines.

I was wrong. 

It'll be sad to see this group of seniors go.  I can't count how many times either Zack or Stewey managed to hit a 3-pointer when the team needed it most.  There was thrilling victories and crushing defeats.  And in a way, the last defeat for these guys was almost symbolic.  Play to the level of your competition, suffer the consequences. 

Of course, one or two late shots could have changed everything and were talking about a Sweet 16 berth today instead of encapsulating an otherwise successful season. 

The tournament started out, frankly, boring, for lack of a better term, on Thursday.  Friday rolled around and not much had changed.  Not until the evening when not one, but two 15 seeds got it in their head that they could knock off their respective 2 seeds.  Granted, Lehigh beating Duke wasn't nearly as impressive as the Norfolk State dismantling of Mizzou.  I think everyone was pretty suspiscious of the Duke 2 rank and had them going out in the 2nd round to Xavier after the X-Men beat the Domers (you're MMQ included in that fine analysis).  But if you had Mizzou going out in the 2nd or even 3rd round, you were in somewhat of a minority.  And while it was an exciting Friday, it lacked that buzzer beater upset feeling that past tournaments have had.  Not that I don't like it, mind you.  It just didn't have the "Oh Boy!  Here we go!" heart-stopping moment.

Anyway, for future reference, if anyone is looking for ways to make "REAL" money during the NCAA tournament and you happen to find yourself in Vegas with nothing else to do and a couple of extra C-notes in your pocket, the following is one way you could have invested it (From the USAToday):

Sometimes you have to buck the odds to make bucks in this town.
R.J. Bell of pregame.com reports that betting on Norfolk State and Lehigh in round 1 would have been good for a couple of mortgage payments.
A $100 bet (Cash line - MMQ) on Norfolk State to upset Missouri would have paid $4,000. Norfolk State was a 21 1/2 point underdog.
A $100 bet on Lehigh (+11 1/2) to beat Duke would have returned $650.
A parlay on Norfolk State and Lehigh? $30,650.

That would have been NIIIIIICE!!!!!!

HOCKEY

For those of you that might be traveling south for the Easter holiday I have some news that Superfan alerted me to.  I will be in Tampa, Florida arriving on April 5th at around noon and guess what else is in Tampa, Florida, April 5th through the 7th?

The Men's Ice Hockey Frozen 4!

Michigan is the #1 seed in the Green Bay Region and it looks like the team will have a reasonable shot at making the Frozen 4.  Michigan is making its 22nd straight appearance in the Frozen 4, which is a hell of a tribute to the program and what Red Berenson can do with a hockey team.

5 CCHA teams have made the Round of 16 which is a testament to the strength of that conference.  Again, I've said it before, but I truly have mixed emotions about leaving the CCHA and forming the Big 10 Hockey Conference.  I know it's about money....But I will miss it.

If you can't link or don't feel like it:  Michigan plays Cornell on March 23rd and Ferris plays Denver that rounds out the field.  They're in and there's a chance.  

Nothing would give me greater pleasure than heading to the Tampa Bay Times Forum and checking out the Maize and Blue at either 4:30 or 8:00 PM!   Of course....I have to sell the Trip Coordinator on the idea..But that shouldn't be incredibly difficult!

GO BLUE!

B1G Basketball Champs! Hockey...Oh So Close....

B1G Champs!  It's been 25 years since Wolverine Fans have been able to say that in Basketball.  25 years.  1986.  That was how many coaches, AD's, scandals, and players ago...I don't want to do the math.  I'm just glad that we are all here to see it and celebrate!

Yes, I will be the first to admit, things looked incredibly bleak after the Purdue loss at home.  But, in college hoops, that is to be expected.  Just like Sparty losing to Indiana and OSU coming in and knocking off the Jolly Green Giants in their own house.  It happens.  Its basketball and its March!

Only thing to really comment on is the way it happened.  I mean, if you're Sparty today (and you have to be hurting) you had a 15 point lead on an arch rival at home and couldn't get the job done?  Amazing.  I'm pretty sure I'd be feeling pretty pissed off this AM and thinking that it was not only within reach, it was in the bag!  The first half was domination.  But Sparty, taking a que from the Football team, couldn't close the deal. Couldn't deliver the big shot or the big stop when they needed to.  Not normally things an Izzo coached team does.  Usually, it's Sparty doing that to somebody else.

Not yesterday.

However, all that being said, I will add this:  If there is a more dangerous team after a loss than Sparty, I don't know who it is.  Izzo, the master motivator and pressure coach, will have this team ready for the B1G Tournament and then the NCAA's.

It won't matter that much that they lost the number 1 seed...*(HEE-HEEE!!!).  What might matter more is losing frosh Brandon Dawson to a season ending ACL tear.  But again, I wouldn't worry and I don't feel too bad for Sparty.  Something tells me they're going to be just fine.  That this loss, while it hurts, will become a great character building experience for a coach that's known for taking these types of situations and making some of the sweetest lemonade ever.

Wouldn't a Michigan - Sparty final in the B1G Championship game and again in the NCAA's be great?

Just thinkin'.....

HOCKEY

Unfortunately, the Hockey team was not as lucky and did not do what they needed to do (Sweep Bowling Green) and have someone else do some work for them, too, similar to the Suckeyes taking care of business in East Lansing.  Alas, the Wolverines didn't hold up their end of the deal, but neither did Western and Ferris State becomes the CCHA chamion and gets the CCHA Tournament #1 seed.  Why is this such a big deal?  Well, the CCHA as we know it will eventually come to an end and while Michigan will still play a lot of these teams year in and year out, I'll miss it.  The drive over games and the regional feel of it all.

Still, 2nd in the CCHA when not that much was expected should be something you can hang your hat on.  And there's still the NCAA's out there waiting!

It's been awhile, and I can't remember saying it often in March, but

"It's Great to Be A Michigan Wolverine!"

Still Alive - But, and I KNOW How Much This Pains EVERYONE...go suckeyes!

Okay.  Deep breath.  After the turd that represented the final home game against Purdue for the Maize and Blue was flushed from Crysler Arena, I'm feeling better about the fact that Michigan isn't out of a possible share of the Big 10 Title.  This is the first time they've even sniffed one since 1984.  1984.  they went BACK TO BACK IN 1985  - 1986!!  (Thank you for the correction SUPERFAN! - you are the official go to B-Ball guy on the distribution.  I try to do most of the Football stuff from memory and I believe there just isn't enough room in the old keppe for B-Ball).  I thought that Fisher had come close with the Tractor Trailer team, but it turns out the only thing they had accomplished was winning the B1G Tournament in 1998, still no small task.  (Of course, according to the NCAA, that inaguaral Championship has now never happened, but it happened for the fans).

The first thing that needs to happen is that Michigan needs to take care of business at PSU at 1:00 PM on Saturday.  SUNDAY!!!!!!  (I accidentally looked at February calendar once I knew the date...Sheesh). That shouldn't be a huge hurdle for the cagers as they have finally figured out how to win on the road. 

The second thing that needs to happen:  Unfortunately, winning a B1G share means we all have to join together and do something that repulses me more than anything else that readily comes to mind:

We have to....jeez....I'm not even sure I can type this...We have to pull for the suckeyes to beat Sparty. 

You should just be able to change the channel and it'll be right there.  At 4:00 PM...

There...It's out there.  I've done my part.  The rest of you know what you need to do.  Superfan, you better up the bet on PSU.  Everyone else, rub your rabbit's feet, stroke your good luck charm and then wash your mouth out with turpentine after yelling, "Go Suckeyes!"

And fer God's sake..Don't let your kids hear you say it!

Basketball and Hockey Dreaming...Among Other Things....

Well, now that the NFL is over and we're all allowed to start watching college hoops, I must say that it's been a LONG, LONG time since I've been this excited about saying and thinking Michigan Basketball and NCAA Tournament in the same thought or sentence.  And I'm eagerly anticipating the NCAA 64-5-6-7-8 seeding and the B1G Conference Tournament as well.  All should be grand fun and provide a lot of later winter early spring entertainment...

After watching Michigan take down the Suckeyes on Saturday and then play Northwestern to OT (which - note to J. Belien: Win the stupid game in regulation with a better shot selection. Chances are that'll come in damn handy in the NCAA's...) I'm thinking they've got a real shot at the B1G Regular Season Conference Championship which they haven't won since 1986...Folks, to let you know how long THAT has been, I was still a student! And Frieder was the coach....

Not only that, but in case you haven't been paying attention, your other Michigan Athletics that normally don't get a lot of love are doing some really great things.  The Michigan Hockey team is on a roll and looking at another CCHA Championship.  And they weren't supposed to be that great this year.  THAT'S the beauty of College Hockey.  Even when you think it might be a bad season...BANG!  You've got 1996 all over again...

Yes, it's Great to be a Michigan Wolverine in the Winter Months again! 

And don't look now, but the Men's Baseball Team is 2-1 and Women's Softball is 8-1!  The Women's Basketball team is also 19-8 and looking at their own seed in the Women's NCAA tournament...That's still 64 teams, by the way.

So, yeah, there's lots of stuff to be paying attention to.  In a way, I'm kind of glad football is over and we've got that Sugar Bowl Victory/Trophy tucked away in Schembechler hall.  It gives us a chance to enjoy everything else Michigan Athletics has to offer!

B1G Talking Home Field Play-Offs? PLEASE BE TRUE!

Don't look now:  B1G 10 leading the way for a College football playoff that would (like your MMQ predicted) have home field advantage for the first round games!

Here's the link to the Tribune story...
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-big-ten-idea-a-college-football-playoff-with-home-games-20120206,0,4747499.story

What's most interesting is that Delaney and most of the Big 10 schools are for looking at something that would force the southern and western schools to play in the midwest come December.  That has always been something that would level the playing field, at least in the MMQ's mind...

But there is a sinister side to this as well:  Follow the money.  A home football play-off would more than likely bring in as much dough (if not more) than a B1G Championship appearance.  Rumor has it that the B1G Championship game brought in more than the $8M it projected and will be a premier play-off game in the college football arena.

That being said, it probably didn't take long for a few of the AD's to sit up and say, "Hey, play-offs is where we're headed and if we're going to break the model anyway, why not at least be in charge and say what's what?"  Not only that, but the BTN is probably in EVERYONE'S ear (who'll listen) telling what potential projections are, etc.

So now that the B1G is leading the charge, where is this headed?

I wouldn't be surprised if some sort of "alliance" between the best of the PAC12 and the B1G end up going head to head at the end of the season as a way to dismiss the notion that the two best teams in College Football are ever again seen as being in the SEC.  If there is a play-off, you can bet that only teams from the B1G, PAC12, SEC and (right now) the ACC will be in it...The Big 12 and BEast will bust their collective hiny's and try to get back up and up to play off level conference numbers, but my guess is we're on the verge of very big change in the collegiate football landscape.

Signing Day - The NCAA Equivalent of the NFL Draft

Every year, on February 1st, ESPN has nothing but 12 hours of Signing Day Coverage for NCAA football recruits.  It's turned into a media event, with class rankings and "top 10 recuiting classes" named and cited in every major publication.

Frankly, I've never gotten into the whole recruiting thing (that much) but I will admit that it's almost impossible to ignore anymore.  I mean, there's simply so much information out there that you have to glean something in the process of reading about sports every day. 

And here's the thing I've taken away from it:  IF you had a lousy season, say 3-9 up to about 8-5, well, you're highly rated recruiting class is the new savior to your program and in three years you'll be reaping the fruits of that labor.  If you had a great season and you have a highly rated class, well, you're just re-loading.

Everyone has recruited "exactly the guy they needed" to fill a gap or gaps in their future line-up.  And everyone has a National Champion on paper on February 1st, just like everyone in the NFL has a Super Bowl ready team after Draft Day...Problem with all of this is, how are they going to develop and perform as their careers progress?  No one can simulate that.

Thankfully, after today, its over and we can get on with more meaningful discussion....

Joe Pa – Mourning is Over…Let the Judgment Begin

I was going to refrain from saying anything about the Joe Pa debacle that has more or less brought a highly regarded state university to its knees in the last 4 months. I was going to let Joe’s death pass and read the wonderful obituaries about the man that was. I was going to read about what he accomplished on the field. And I would ignore the elephant in the room for now.


But, as I read through them, something just didn’t feel right. And I’ve learned when something doesn’t feel right, something isn’t right.

Yeah, Joe Pa accomplished great things. And while NO ONE should ever be measured by their failures alone, there are some failures that simply can’t be overlooked. And even though Joe’s was a sin of omission, he let that omission go on for nearly a decade. That we know about.
A decade of allowing continued evil to transpire when it could have been stopped.
A decade where he could have asked the powers that be what action they were taking.
A decade where he could have made a phone call expressing his concern…
A decade where he could have done something…
A decade…So much time…so much pain and suffering.

Joe won two National Championships in 1983 and 1986 with Sandusky by his side. Joe stood with him then and celebrated in the glory of that accomplishment. If we judged them together then, what choice do we have but to judge them together now? Joe didn’t do anything to mitigate or reduce that, really, even in the end. When he had a chance.

Do we have a choice then, to measure the man without Sandusky by his side now? Due to the simple fact that Joe Pa didn’t do anything to get us to believe that he felt anything for Sandusky’s victims. Even when it became painfully obvious that he needed to. Joe had an opportunity to stand up, do the right thing and not only show remorse over what he had done (or failed to do) but that he understood his actions and the actions of Sandusky and how painful those actions were and how much he felt for the innocents. But Joe did no such thing. And I have to blame Joe and the support group around him for not waking him up to what needed to happen. And if they don’t understand that now, well, maybe PSU is better off without them, too.

I think part of where Joe (and said support group) failed was due to his lack of comprehension of the vulgarity of the issue at hand. And how people react to that vulgarity wasn’t even the issue. If you somehow can justify the lack of moral outrage by anyone that looks at Joe’s entire “body of work” and says that “he was a good guy”, well, than I can’t really help you. Yeah, it was a great 60 year run Joe had. But what does that mean when you overlook or somehow try to balance a terrible wrong against volumes of good?

Yes, Joe did great things. But he also committed the worst sin of all.

Not caring when he should have.
Not being a leader when he needed to be.
And not looking back on that time with an understanding that it was bigger deal than Football, the University, and Penn State in general. And feeling the pain and suffering that the Sandusky victims still feel to this day.

Sorry, Joe Pa. I’ll recognize the accomplishments and nod my head when they’re brought up by PSU loyalists, but I can’t put you in the “Greatest” column any more.

I can only hope in the end that I am not in Joe Pa’s situation. I wouldn’t wish that type of trial on my worst enemies…That would be an impossible conundrum. To have to stand up and renounce someone that you have known and worked with for 30 years. I’m not even sure I could do it, either. And that’s why this is so hard…so difficult for a lot of people that know and respect the coach, the teacher and….the humanitarian.

And maybe in that place, the place where you want to believe in your family, friends and your co-workers, is where I can find Joe’s humanity. For not wanting to destroy a life that destroyed so many others…But at the same time, by taking charge, he could have saved the lives of so many more…

It’s confusing, to say the least. But, as an individual, I just can’t let it go. As a society, we can’t let it go. And maybe, that will be Joe’s lasting lesson. And some good can come out of all this.

I don’t know…But I wish I did.

Still Searching for Answers….

The MMQ