Posting Today and will re-cap PSU Hoops Game on
Friday.
Michigan defeated the Domers (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!)
twice last weekend in a Home and Home where they were not favored in either
game. Michigan has since moved up to 13th in the National Poll (The domers dropped to
#5 as a result of the drubbing) and Michigan is probably (again – I use that
term loosely) probably in the Frozen Four.
Their “Pairwise” ranking is what the Frozen Four Committee looks at
more than the overall ranking. I
am not going to pretend to know anything about the pairwise except to say “Higher
ranking is good”.
And then there’s one MORE component, the “Pairwise
Comparison” ranking and Michigan (I think) is doing well here,
also.
But you’ll need a hockey geek to explain it all
to you or if you need some night time reading material, you can try to go
through it on line. Either way, higher
is better.
So, they’ve got that going for them, which is
nice, and only 2 more games at home against Arizona State is left on the schedule.
For an indepth look at the pairwise, read the
summary here (mgoblog suggesting there's a 95% chance Michigan get's an at large bid):
I did but I still don’t get it. College Hockey! Gotta love it!
Michigan Softball
The Michigan Softball Team is in the middle of
its southern tour and last Saturday, they BLANKED both the Domers
and FSU. Unfortunately, they played the
same two teams on Sunday and dropped a pair. So, not quite as successful as Men’s Hockey,
but a good showing. Beaubien is looking like the Heir
Replacement on the mound this season as Schaeffer struggled in both games on
Sunday. But we’ll see how
Schaefer develops as the season wears on. Michigan is currently 5-4 on the season and
still in the Top 20. Barely.
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 WON 58-47 18-6
Minnesota
(H) February 3rd 2:30 PM WON 76-73
(OT) 19-6
Northwestern (A) February 6th 6:00PM LOST
61-52 19-7
Wiscy (A) February 11th Noon WON 83-72 20-7
Iowa (H) February
14th 6:30 PM WON 74-59 21-7
Suckeyes
(H) February 18th 1:00 PM WON 74-62 22-7
PSU (A) February 21st 7:00 PM
Maryland (A) February 24th Noon
Big Game Tonight at Penn State. The uppity Nittany Lions (7-2 last 9) have
become problematic and are on some bubble trackers, so you know they’re gonna’
be hungry. Michigan could actually
improve their “Quadrant 1 Wins” record with a victory as PSU is
in the top 75 at this point. That would be
a Quad 1 Road win.
So, yeah.
It’s a Big Game. TUNE
IN!!!
The NCAA’s – An Update
Michigan still in. Relax…Deep Breath and try to figure out if
Michigan can get that Detroit Little Ceasar’s Arena 1st and 2nd
round game.
The Laters have lost 6 in a row. This was a team that I at one point had
picked for a Final Four berth (I’ve changed my mind) and is now reeling and
potentially on the bubble looking dangerously close to being kicked out.
LNU can move up to the 1-Seed line by
winning out and winning 2 games in the B1G Tourney (according to Palm). Winning 2 in the B1G Tourney as the 1-Seed
would give them 1 additional Quad 1 win (assuming chalk holds in B1G Tourney).
Louisville Has To Take The 2013 Banner
Down
In what is probably the biggest
non-news item of the day on Tuesday, the NCAA upheld their ruling to vacate all
Louisville victories from 2012-13-14-15 or the span that covered Strippergate
– A Louisville Love Story. Of
course, in a just world, Michigan would get that title handed to them as a
result.
It’s funny listening to a lot of
the Louisville
fans crying that no one else has ever had to vacate a National Title and
vacating the wins and the fines should be enough. Here’s the thing: Would you have won those games and the title
assuming you were clean and you DIDN’T GET those players to play for you? That’s why you’re vacating the title. Probably wouldn’t have won and as a
deterrent to you and others that believe they can “get away with it”.
The FBI probe may bring a few
more of those NC banners down at other schools.
Hopefully.
Which Scandal Has Done The Most Damage
and How Do They Rank?
This was a question posted to the
fans on a radio show the other day. The idea
being that there are scandals and then there are SCANDALS and individuals and
Universities suffer as a result. I
thought it was interesting as there have been some folks that were otherwise
very successful that have since gone down in infamy for actions either on or
off the field. The candidates that were brought
up by callers and discussed (in no particular order and I looked up and added a
few of my own):
Pitino – Strippergate and FBI
Probe
LNU – Larry Nassar Scandal at
Spartyville
Paterno – Jerry Sandusky Scandal
Simpson, OJ – Murder of Nicole
Simpson and Ron
Briles – Football Team Multiple
Rape/Assault Allegations
FBI College Basketball Probe –
2017
Minnesota Football/Basketball
Scandals
SMU – Death Penalty
Carrol/Bush – USC Money Payment
to Bush Family
Michigan Basketball Scandal – Fab
5
Baylor Basketball – Denehy Murder
by a teammate
Miami 2011 Football Scandal –
Nevin Shapiro
Larry Eustachy – Iowa State Frat
Party
north carolina - Academic Fraud
Scandal
Woody Hayes – 1978 Gator Bowl
Punch
Michigan vs. LNU 2001 – “Sparty Bob
Game”
Football Scandals can be
found here:
Baketball Scandals can be
found here:
So, to put these in some sort of
Context and in an attempt to order them from the worst to they happened, we
need some criteria:
1. How often
is the
controversy brought up and when brought up, how many people are aware or
acknowledge that it is/was a big deal?
Weighting: 50%
2. How many
people were involved?
Weighting: 20%
3. Did people
die (This is a tough one as people die and the controversy might not be that
big) Weighting: 20%
4. Is the institution
or individual still suffering as a result? Weighting: 10%
Some of this is tough because either it just occurred or is occurring
as we live and breathe. So, the order
can change over time, but for now, this is how I see it.
1. Larry Nassar University Sexual Abuse
Scandal: Due to the sheer number
of people involved, victims that are still alive or that took their own lives, the unbelievable
number of Nassar supporters, the length of time it lasted, and the
subsequent ongoing fall-out, this one has to be at the top of the list. Its topic is lewd and disgusting and the
fact that it went on so long and was at many points in time condoned by the
University Admin’s and Larry’s Boss as misunderstood “Therapy” is sickening. LNU will feel the results of this for years
and it is more than just “sports fans” talking about it. People will talk about this one for
generations to come.
2. Paterno –
PSU Sandusky Scandal: This
one was the number 1 scandal until LNU overtook it.
Clearly a major screw up over a long period of time that was
intentionally covered up by key players to protect a legendary coach
and his staff. Sickening one that even
my mom knew all the details about this which tells me it wasn’t just sports
fans talking about it.
3. Fab Five
Basketball Scandal: Michigan’s
Basketball program was forever tarnished and it’s hard to find anyone that
doesn’t know something about the alleged money given to the Fab 5 players. “Chris Webber got $250,000 from that booster!”
is something that you can find people with knowledge of in any walk of life,
sports fan or non-sports fan. Fisher
was never able to coach at a major collegiate program again. Michigan, for the most part, has recovered.
4. FBI
Basketball Probe: I know
nothing has really come down yet, but with the evidence that IS there and the
FBI being involved and not dropping the charges and leaking that “Half of the
Top 16 teams in the Committees early selection for the 2018 NCAA Tourney are
involved” is quite a shot across the bow of College Basketball. The sport may forever be changed once
everything is said and done and may actually save LNU from owning the top spot
of all time scandals, unless of course Izzo and LNU are involved in this, also.
5. Louisville,
Pitino, FBI Probe Scandal:
Louisville can easily slide up this list as there’s so much they “accomplished”
on the scandal list including, but not limited to: Paying strippers and hookers money at
recruiting parties over a period of 3 years, give or take. Paying players to play at Louisville per the
FBI probe. Employing a coach of
questionable character and moral turpitude for multiple years because
he won basketball games.
6. Simpson
Murder Scandal: While it didn’t happen
while OJ was in college, his legacy has certainly taken a hit and it’s hard
to watch any USC highlight reels (when they’re shown) from that period
and not reflect on the fact that he would eventually be guilty of double
homicide.
7. SMU “Death
Penalty”: Clearly a big one that
has stood the test of time. Young
fans have heard about or seen the “30 for 30” on it and are aware and most
people that aren’t football fans have a general memory or knowledge of
the event. Some argue that SMU has never
fully recovered from this event.
8. Miami
2011 Football Scandal: For a
while, Nevin Shapiro’s name was synonymous with scandal and everyone
thought that the NCAA was going to dole out the “Death Penalty” to Miami, which
was clearly warranted, until the legality of how the evidence was obtained
by the NCAA was brought into question and later deemed inadmissable. While not as popular in the general public,
at the time, it was juicy reading for all. Probably would have moved up on the list if
the NCAA
would have actually Death Penaltied the Hurricanes.
9. North carolina
Academic Fraud Scandal: The
fallout from the NCAA was nothing due to the fact that the NCAA flat out
botched another case, along the same lines as the Miami scandal. Otherwise, this would be much higher and closer to the top
of the list with multiple Basketball NC Banners coming down in Chapel Hill.
10. Briles
Rape & Assualt Scandal: This one
was a big deal and it still has ongoing investigations and fall out from a coach knowingly
bringing sexual assault convicted offenders on to campus and giving them a “second
chance” on the football team.
When 60 minutes does a piece on your scandal, it’s a big deal.
11. 1978
Peach Bowl & the Woody Hayes Punch: I know this one doesn’t compare to some of others,
but
Hayes’ legacy was clearly tarnished or he would still be considered among the
greatest to ever coach the game.
12. Carrol/Bush
Scandal: I guess I’m adding Pete
Carrol to the Bush scandal as he should have done a whole lot more to stay
involved with his players, make sure agents were kept off campus and
insure that crap like this wasn’t going down.
Bush gave up his Heisman as a result.
13. Baylor
Basketball Denehy Murder:
At the time, it was a HUGE deal but very few people remember this
one when you start discussing scandals.
Unfortunate as an individual lost his life at the hands of a team
mate.
14. Minnesota
Football/Basketball Sex Train Scandals: Between the Football team threatening to sit
out the Bowl game and the ensuing discussion about what actually went down with
the 10 players suspended, Minnesota owned the national stage in the college
football discussion. However,
probably not as well known and discussed at the kitchen table among all family
members.
15. Larry Eustachy
Iowa State Rick Neuheisel Sports Betting and Mike Price Stripper Binge: I decided to add all three of these coaches
to the list as they came up when I poked around on the internet. http://www.espn.com/page2/s/caple/030611.html
At the time, these were all big
deals and it was kind of funny that these guys were caught doing dumb
things.
16. Michigan
vs. LNU Football 2001: “Sparty Bob Game” The only time where
openly
cheating in a college football game with regards to the game clock was allowed
to happen. I know this isn’t
high on everyone’s list, but It’s ON MY LIST!!!
