Tuck Furco

Marty Turco is off the TLoGL Christmas Card list. It's one thing to play hard, to take advantage of available gray areas in the rules to throw an extra jab, take an extra step, or grab hold of a stick quickly to gain an advantage. But flopping in hockey should be punishable by a 10 game suspension the first time, 50 the next. I hate it, and it needs to be dealt with. Every time Holmstrom gets anywhere near a goalie, they flop around like trailer in a tornado. And the worst of them is Marty Turco. He should be suspended for this crap, as should everybody else.

Marty- we used to like you. Now you have joined the ranks of Cindy Crosby and Eli Manning as the least likeable players in sports. May you never win anything, ever.

One msu Goon Off Team, Other Gone for Season

I'm sure everybody has seen the pathetic display that is msu hockey, specifically the incident at Yost Saturday night, but if you haven't, here is the video.

The Lansing State Journal is now reporting that Conboy has left the team, and that Tropp, should he choose to stay in school, will be re-evaluated in the spring. There is also an investigation by the University of Michigan police into possible criminal charges against the two players.

Said msu head coach Rick Comley,

"I don't think the kids are bad kids. I don't think it was premeditated," Comley said. "But they made bad decisions in a critical time in the game, and it reflected badly on the program.''

First of all, maybe it wasn't premeditated, but just the fact that the kids did this shows that they ARE bad kids. Hockey is an emotional sport, and things can slide out of hand rather quickly. But to tackle a guy, and then slash him in the neck? Coach Comley, this pretty much says that yes, they are bad kids.

Secondly, it was NOT a critical time in the game. Michigan was up two with less than a minute to go, in a game absolutely dominated by Big Blue. This was not a back and forth game, where msu may have some shot of getting two quick ones, they were lucky to be in the game at all.

The Blog that Yost Built has a good writeup on the incident, including the possible criminal charges. As bad as this was, criminal charges are a stretch in a sporting event. If there is anything that would warrant it, this would be the line. If a baseball player uses his bat or a hockey player uses his stick in this fashion, this is the minimum where poor sportsmanship crosses into criminal activity.

Kampfer is OK, and expected to return this weekend, thankfully.

Open Letter to Jim Leyland

Last may, we made a decision to no longer wear our Tigers hat in public again until Jim Leyland was no longer the manager of the Detroit Tigers. It looks like that isn't going to happen any time soon, so the hat will head back into rotation on an interim basis. But in the meantime, we have a couple requests for the skipper:

- Keep moving guys around to find their comfort zone. You have a knack for solving personnel problems and getting the right guys in the right positions. Very much a positive aspect of your tenure here in Detroit. But. . .

- The Tigers at the plate have a top 10 if not a top 5 offense. Please do not hog-tie it by bunting while down a run in the 4th inning. Jim, you have no idea how many runs the other team will end up with, please do not prevent run scoring for the sake of a 4th inning tie.

- You have no closer. This is actually a good thing. Learn that a closer is not the only guy in the bull pen who can handle the "pressure" of the 9th inning. Sometimes, Jim, facing 3-4-5 in the 8th is more important, and worthy of your top reliever, than facing 6-7-8, just because it happens to be the 9th inning.

- Enough with the LOOGY (Lefty One Out GuY). Your best reliever last season was Bobby Seay, but you refused to use him for more than the one lefty you had him warm up for. Here's a tip: when you did actually leave him in, he was better against rightys than leftys. And a 0.010 benefit from the RHP vs RHH does not overcome the 0.100 drop in talent when you go to someone else.

- Pitch counts. Use them. Know them. Live them. I realize this one will be the hardest to understand, but sending a guy out there to throw 130 pitches every five days does take a toll. It is documented. I know- they used to do it back in the day. But those pitchers, even from the 70's were not facing the batters 1 through 9 they see today. Every pitch is a big one, and it is also proven that pressure pitches take a larger toll than non-pressure pitches.

The Tigers entered play last season prohibitive favorites to win the Central, and finished last. This is directly attributable to the management of the team on the field, costing them countless runs in games that were winnable. The Central is very winnable this season, but they cannot be giving up runs at the plate, and making poor pitching decisions in the late innings.

Jim Schwartz, Welcome to Detroit

Jim Schwartz was introduced as the Detroit Lions head coach today. I like this for a couple reasons:

1. He was not a defensive line coach, a secondary coach, a wide receiver coach, or a quarterback coach. While he did not oversee an entire team, he did oversee an entire side of the ball as defensive coordinator. The only caveat to this is that he better be able to relinquish control of the defense to whomever he hires as his defensive coordinator.

2. He has a scouting background. He worked with Bill Belichick back in his Cleveland days on scouting college players, so he has a background on what he has looked at before, what has worked, what didn't, and what he can do about it.

3. He comes from a solid program, and his (defensive) teams have generally ranked well. Many say that this comes more from the players than his schemes. Even better. He is coming here to be a head coach, not a coordinator. He doesn't need to have a better defensive scheme than the other guy, he needs to be able to manage a game, and more importantly whom to bring into Detroit.

4. He is a stat guy. I am a stat guy. Nerds everywhere rejoice!

Spagnuolo is a better defensive coordinator, but only time will tell who will be the better head coach. But how can he go wrong? 1-15 is an improvement.

Yup- it's time again

April 25, 2009

NFL OT

Maybe it needs to be overhauled. Maybe it needs to be more like college.

But this is the worst reasoning I have ever heard for changing OT in the NFL. . .



Sporting News fail.

Tate Forcier speaks

Wanna feel better about Michigan football? Head over to MGoBlog and read the interview with Tate Forcier. (Sorry DP.) The money quotes:

TOM: I know everyone is expecting a lot out of you in your first year, how do you deal with the expectations and pressure that comes along with this experience?

TATE: I’ve watched a lot of freshman play, and Coach Smith talked to me about this. I’m not going to try to do too much. I’m going to manage the team, rather than try to make the big play and taking a sack. The seniors and juniors make the plays, and I’ll just keep moving the chains. Take it one week at a time.

TOM: What were your thoughts and initial feelings when you heard that Shavodrick Beaver had changed his commitment to Tulsa?

TATE: Shavodrick, I told Coach Smith I knew it was going to come. I almost felt like he was just trying to wait me out, to see what I would do. I think sometimes kids make their choice for the wrong reasons, and then this ends up happening. Decommitting happens though, but this is Michigan, we should have no problem filling those spots, and we haven’t. As much as we would like to have those guys, we have found great replacements for them that are as good, if not better.

Referencing Michigan as "we," is tremendous in and of itself. But the maturity this guy is showing as an incoming freshman who will be fighting for a job (um, yeah, right) is awesome. Be sure to read the whole interview over there. It will get you pumped for the spring game.

PILE ON!

The defending Eastern Conference champs sit at the halfway point of the 2008-09 season out of the playoffs. The Pittsburgh Penguins, this blogs least likeable team in sports, have dropped five in a row, six of their last seven, and seven of their last nine games. They were just blanked 4-0 by a goalie who was coming off the flu, and had no shutouts this season. The Pens had 1:59 of a 5 on 3 advantage, and managed only one shot.

Frustration is setting in in the Pens locker room, and it is starting to show now on the ice. After a great scoring chance was wasted by Hockey Jesus putting the shot right into the pads of Henrik Lundqvist, Crosby slammed into the boards and swung his stick into the glass. This can't happen. Fans get frustrated. We here at TLoGL get frustrated. Sports talk guys get frustrated. Hockey superstars get frustrated too, but they can't show it like this.

We saw this in the Finals last year. Pittsburgh rolled through the Eastern Conference playoffs. They went up 3-0 on every team in the East, and only when the Rangers and Philly won their respective Game 4's did Pittsburgh experience anything resembling adversity. Once the Red Wings took Games 1 and 2 in Detroit, all Michel Therrien could say is something to the effect of, "I hope my stars find a way." Therrien better regain control of his team, a very young team, and quickly. He cannot afford to have the NHL's brightest star (in their opinion, not this blogger's) getting frustrated and throwing punches instead of game winning goals. They cannot have one of their top defensemen losing it in front of his own net and wailing on a guy who hit him legally, while the opposition takes advantage of the gaping hole in the defense and scoring.

Unfortunately, they will come out of this, and they will be a stronger team for it. But this entire team has some growing up to do. And a head coach who actually has some coaching to do.

Happy New Year!

Or, Happy Greatest Sports Day of the Year. College football all day long, something about a hockey game at Wrigley, and more college football.

Love it.

Happy 2009!

Repeat GLI Champs

It just looks right. The Michigan Wolverines sign hanging from the GLI Tournament banner at the Joe. Michigan dominated this year after escaping last season with the trophy, beating up on Michigan State (again!) 5-1. MGoBlue.com has all the details.

Michigan is ranked #11 in the nation in hockey, #24 in basketball, and, oh, wait- never mind about the other sport.

It's official

As if there was any doubt, the Lions went up to Lambeau and completed the first 0-16 season in NFL history.

But you know what the difference between 8-8 9-7 11-5 and 0-16 is?

Better draft picks.

That's it.

And lots of them this year thanks to the trade of Roy Williams to Dallas. The most important off-season in Detroit Lions history, has begun.

I would like to give some credit where credit is due. The refs today in the 4 games I watched were very good. They got the calls right on the field for the most part, and if not, the replays were called correctly. The Lions lost today because they were by far not the better team. Which was the same for the other games I watched. I have a tendency to ream on these guys constantly, so I like to point out when they do things right, as well. Good job guys.

The Bet

My brother was telling us about a friend who laid down $200 on a 10,000-1 bet that the Detroit Lions will go 0-16. When the Lions lose today at Lambeau, that $200 will turn into $2 million.

But, he was offered $1 million to settle it prior to the game. So the question is, would you take the $1 million, or let it ride to the game today? I would let it ride, because the Lions have exactly 0% chance to win. So it's less a bet, more an investment with a guaranteed return. They argued the opposite. They said that $1 million is enough to live off of for the rest of their lives, if invested properly.

Any thoughts?

Michigan ranked!

For the first time in almost three years, Michigan basketball is ranked in the top 25 in the AP poll. They sit at 24, after starting the year beating two #4 teams, and hanging with a #3 team on their floor. Beilein has the Blue hitting 3-pointers, and playing a stout 1-3-1 defense, causing confusion for the opposition offense. They need to get better on the boards if they want to make a run in the tough Big Ten, and of they can, they could make a healthy run out of the first weekend in The Tournament.

Yup- I said The Tournament.

HISTORY!

One year ago, the New England Patriots were gearing up for what was to be a Super Bowl preview at Giants Stadium. The Patriots were hoping for a nice chunk of history, and pulled out a come-from-behind victory to seal up the first ever 16-0 season in NFL history.

When the NFL went to the salary-cap, the league in my mind started going downhill. I didn't hate the teams I once hated, I didn't really love the teams I once loved with the same passion, because every team was basically the same team, with few exceptions. It made every game basically a coin flip, and whichever team got the bounces and/or the calls, would win. When the Vikings went 15-1 in 1998, I remember thinking that this was as high a win total as anybody can get in the salary cap era. That team was not just one of the many average teams, but was a great team loaded with talent, and if they couldn't get to 16-0, nobody ever would. I even ran some statistical analysis on the records of every team in the league in 2004, I think. I found that there was no difference between putting 32 teams of exactly equal value on the field and where the records would end up, and the actual final records of the 32 teams (it was actually a lot more in depth than this, I am over-simplifying for the sake of time). People seem to think that if that was true, they would all be 8-8. Well, not really. There is luck, and that would skew the records of some higher than others, with 13-3 being the best realistic record of any team.

Then there was the 2007 New England Patriots. They weren't just beating teams, they were beating them soundly. It wasn't luck that was pushing them toward history, but a collection of talent and coaching that would put them far and away the best team in the league. I started re-thinking my opinion of the league as just a collection of 32 average teams, and started believing that the league was actually a group of great, good, bad, and terrible teams again. I still hate the salary cap and I still think it's communist in nature. If teams can't afford to compete with the higher echelon in the league, maybe they don't deserve to have a team.

Now, any thoughts of a 32 average team league has been absolutely shattered. Just one year later, we have our beloved Lions, the first 0-15 team in NFL history. For 51 years, this team has been mired in mediocrity, and those were the good years. Since their last NFL Championship in 1957, they have had exactly 17 winning seasons, and one playoff victory. Only one. There was little doubt, that as professional football teams go, at least in my lifetime, this one has been the worst run. But this year, they join the 2003 Detroit Tigers as record setting losers.
Will they go 0-16? Of course. They haven't won a game in Wisconsin since my sophomore year of high school. That was a while back. They have no quarterback, no offensive line, no defensive line, no linebackers, no DB's, a terrible coach, and their best player is a damn kicker. They have zero chance to win next Sunday, even with a short week for the Packers.

Marinelli has shown the same talent for being a head coach as Marty Morninwheg. Good coordinators who know their positions, but when it comes to being a head coach, they have no grasp of how to run a football team. When was the last time the Lions went into a 2-minute warning with three timeouts? How many yards have been called back because of illegal procedure calls? I can think of one touchdown from yesterday.

This off-season has the chance to be the best in Detroit Lions history. With the trade to Dallas of extremely talented but perpetually confused Roy Williams, the Lions have a host of high draft picks. The gut reaction will be to go out and get a QB. They can't until they shore up the O-Line. Not even Tom Brady could lead this offense to anything as it stands. They need O-line help first. Then, they need need D-line help, for the exact same reason. They can't get pressure on any other QB without blitzing, and this is the worst running D-line I have ever seen. They get blown off the ball at the start, in the middle, and at the end of every single game. My advice, for whatever it's worth, is to parlay those high picks into more picks in the 2nd-4th rounds. Make your hay now on the role players, get a solid base, and then go get your superstars. The Lions already have the receiver who is quickly becoming one of the best in the league, leave him there. Then, take the damn roof off the building. Make this a place where when opposing teams see @Detroit, they think "oh shit, not there," instead of thinking of it as a week off. Whoever gets installed as team president, go out and mingle with the fans before games. Talk to them, associate with them. Get them excited to be a Detroit Lions fan, and stoke that enthusiasm. This is the best fan base in all of sports. If it wasn't, Ford Field would be empty each and every week.

When the Red Wings win Stanley Cups, they get a million people downtown. When the Lions finally break through, there will be 20 million people downtown.

One more thing- Who is this guy?


Photos from detnews.com.

Anything you can do, I can do better

Not to be outdone by the "referees" in the NFL, the NHL referees decided to close their eyes and decide games themselves based on nothing they actually saw on the ice.

First, in Tampa, the Avs and Bolts went to a shootout. Tampa Bay shot first and missed their first two shots. Milan Hejduk was the second shooter for Colorado, and made a move to goalie Mike Smith's (WTF! This is hockey! This better be pronounced mi-shay smu-the-lay) right. Just before making the move, Smith reached out to poke check Hejduk, but he was still too far away. As Milan made his move, Smith followed, swinging his stick over as well, putting it in an awkward position. He reached up with his blocker to make the save, and dropped his stick in the process. Somehow, the refs gathered that he was throwing his stick, and awarded the goal to Hejduk. They awarded a game-winning goal to a guy who didn't score, and for a play that the referees could not have seen.

Then in overtime in Dallas, Manny Malhotra drove the net on Marty Turco, who made the save. The puck then caromed off Malhotra's skate and in. Again, somehow the refs saw a distinct kicking motion, and disallowed the goal. Disallowing a game-winning goal on a play they could not have seen. Dallas went on to win in a shootout. Even the reply refs blew this one.

At least the Wings game was never in doubt, much thanks to Evgeni Nabakov not being able to see the puck apparently. Wings win 6-0, and hopefully gain some confidence and momentum going forward on the defensive end. After the first 10 minutes completely in the Wings end, Franzen sent a normally inicuous shot toward the net that Nabakov reacted to much too late. That got the Wings going, and it was all Detroit from there on. The Sharks looked like they played an overtime game the night before. They just kinda looked sluggish. Good for the Wings to stick it to them while they were down.

I'll post the Youtube when it goes up, but Western Michigan alumni Joe Corvo got an OT winner that was unbelievable for Carolina as well against Florida. He held the puck on defense for about 6 and a half minutes, and had a wide open net to score in. Awesome.

Meanwhile in Pittsburgh, the Penguins keep showing why there is no less likeable team in sports. Hockey Jesus Sydney Crosby continues to whine and cry his way getting the benefit of damn near every call, actually takes a roughing penalty out of frustration, and Brooks Orpik. Brooks Orpik got run into by an Atlanta Thrasher from behind, after that Thrasher was knocked down by Orpik's defense partner, and he turns and starts throwing haymakers with his glove on. That's douche-tastic in and of itself, but in doing so, he left his assignment, and Atlants scored on the play. Nice work Brooks, keep up the good work. Just another douche on a completely douchey team, led by their constantly whining coach with his horrible French accent.

Sharks - Red Wings

The Sharks have the best record in hockey. By far. They are doing everything right. New coach Todd McClellan has them playing smart hockey, not just the Ron Wilson "go out and try to outscore the opposotion" hockey. They are the best offense in the league, and the third best defense.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings are cruising along at a nice clip if you look at only their record. But they have struggled mightily this year at the aspect that has been their forte. They rank 23rd in defense, with a penalty kill under 20%. That is bad for any team, but for this one, it is horrible. Since Scotty Bowman arrived in 1993, the emphasis has always been on the defensive end. With the second ranked offense, right behind the Sharks, they have been able to win a lot of close games so far. But falling behind 2-0 in the first, and losing three goal leads in the third adds up quickly, and they will start losing a lot of these games at some point.

Tonight's game will be a nice test for them, to see if they can bounce back from a bad, bad 3-2 loss at home to Colorado. San Jose played an OT game last night in Hell Columbus, so the Wings should jump on them early. It's very early in the season, and there is plenty of time to fix what's ailing them. Hopefully it starts tonight.

67 years ago

Thanks to DP for the reminder. . .

NCAA Football Playoff

Those who know me, know that I have NEVER advocated a playoff system for NCAA Football. I hate the BCS, as it professes to be a panacea for what fans perceived to be a failed Bowl system. I would rather have the old bowl system than the BCS, and also a playoff system than the BCS. The BCS has failed, year in and year out, and the rule makers try to change the rules to overcome a problem from that year, only to have another problem creep up the following year. Personally, I believe the entire season is a playoff, and the old bowl system created the best thing in sports: the argument. I love talking to Nebraska fans about how the speed of the Michigan linebackers would have dismantled Scott Frost and the option, not to mention "the kick" against Missouri that kept their season alive and the Tom Osbourne sympathy votes to create a split championship.

This year is different. As every year is different. I think there are five teams with a legitimate claim to face off against Florida for the National Championship.

Oklahoma: Will get the shot, won the toughest conference this season.
Texas: Some would say were robbed of the opportunity to play for the Big 12 Championship.
Alabama: Already had their shot at Florida, but having your only loss against the best team in the country is a good argument.
Penn State: Were one bad week from being undefeated in an improved Big Ten season. Florida had one bad week too, remember?
USC: Another dominant team with one bad week in their results.

With all this in mind, there is a way to keep the best of both worlds. I am not the first to come up with this idea, but this is how I'd like to see it:

Take the 11 conference champs.
Then take 5 at-large teams.

Done.


Now, the rankings are from my ranking system (see below), but there will always be the arguments for who should have and should not have made it in. Just like the Basketball tourney. But the first round is played at the higher-ranked team's home field, then you move out to the bowl venues. Second round the week before New Years, national semis New Years Day, and the National Championship on January 8.

This solves my problem with dumping the Bowl system altogether, solves the problem of including everyone who "deserves" a shot, and even gives the smaller conferences a chance at the title, which is what everybody wants right?

Ratings through games of December 12

	Team	W-L	Rating	Conf
1	Florida	12-1	97.4	SEC
2	Texas	11-1	96.5	B12
3	Oklahoma	12-1	96.4	B12
4	Southern Cal	11-1	96.1	P10
5	Alabama	12-1	95.1	SEC
6	Penn State	11-1	94.9	B10
7	Ohio State	10-2	93.6	B10
8	Boise St	12-0	92.6	WAC
9	Utah	12-0	91.6	MW
10	TCU	10-2	91.1	MW
11	Texas Tech	11-1	89.8	B12
12	Iowa	8-4	86.5	B10
13	Ball St	12-1	84.4	MAC
14	Missouri	9-4	83.7	B12
15	Oklahoma St	9-3	83.4	B12
16	Cincinnati	11-2	82.8	BigE
17	Pittsburgh	9-3	82.6	BigE
18	Mississippi	8-4	81.7	SEC
19	Oregon	9-3	81.5	P10
20	California	8-4	80.8	P10
21	Georgia	9-3	80.0	SEC
22	Florida St	8-4	79.4	ACC
23	Michigan St	9-3	78.8	B10
24	Brigham Young	10-2	77.3	MW
25	Oregon St	8-4	77.0	P10

It's Great, To Be, A Michigan Wolverine

First a quick update: I predicted a 30-24 win for Florida. Final score, 31-20 Florida. Very close, but I ended up on the wrong side of the line. Fail. I thought Florida was the best team in the nation, and Alabama found that out.

Meanwhile, up in Hell East Lansing, Travis Turnbull put the finishing touches on a weekend home-and- home sweep of Sparty, netting a hat-trick in a 5-3 comeback win at Munn. Caporusso put the finishing touches on by scoring the game winner with 1:36 to go in the game. This is one night after a 6-1 drubbing in front of the Yost faithful. Michigan is ranked #14 right now, not where they want to be by any stretch, but MSU is unranked, far from the Sparty hockey teams of the last few years. Miami is the class of the CCHA, but Red has the boys working their way up to greet them. They are off until the GLI fires up Dec. 27. Speaking of working their way up the ranks...



Pure awsomeness. Michigan beats the #4 team in the country for the second time this season. First it was then #4 UCLA, now Dook. Too bad this one doesn't count for the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, it would have tied it up. Beilein has these guys playing well, both offensively and defensively. DeShawn Sims scored 28, and Michigan outrebounded Duke 35-34, something that was missing and probably cost them the Maryland game the other night. I'm not going to go into the details of this game beyond that, I just want to mention one thing. College basketball fans "storm the floor" waaaaaaay too much. The fans will run onto the court for anything any more. But I think for a team that hasn't been to a Tourney in 10 years, has been the fourth or fifth best team in the STATE for many of those years, to beat the #4 team in the country, to beat DOOK, at home, well, I think this one was OK.



As the local Kalamazoo sports guy Andy Pepper said, "After the football season these guys endured, I'm surprised they didn't take the hoops home with them."

Fail

Because a) Western couldn't beat Ball State in the season finale, b) Buffalo(!) could in the MAC Championship game, and c) Western couldn't beat a dead horse in Mount Pleasant, Western will be home for the holidays, despite winning 9 games. Because Buffalo beat previously undefeated Ball State at Ford Field, they will be taking the spot previously taken by the Broncos most probably against UConn in Toronto in the International Bowl.

Good work Ball State. Nice job Broncos.

UPDATE: Uh, Western is going to the Texas Bowl against Rice. Not sure how I missed that. It must be finals time.

Tigers Hot Stove

The latest rumors have Dumb-rowski chasing Kerry Wood from Cubs fame to backstop the bull pen. Just what they need -- another guy to fill up the M*A*S*H unit back there.

Pittsburgh is looking at Matt Joyce and Jeff Larish in return for Jack Wilson. Wilson is no better then Renteria at the plate, but can wield a mean glove in the 6 hole. The Tigers don't need offense, they need defense and pitching, so I don't hate this move. They are also reportedly looking at Adam Everett from the 'Stros. A little better at the plate, but loses a little as a shortstop. Renteria has a reputation as a solid defensive shortstop, but the Tigers didn't see it last year. He was an error machine. Everett wouldn't be bad, depending on how much scrilla DD is going to throw at him.

More to come from Las Vegas.

The Weekly Game of the Century

Just thought I'd take time out from studying to preview this week's Game of the Century. Despite the SEC sort of dropping back to the field as far as conference strength goes, they are still the top conference in the nation, and the top two team in th conference square off today.

The polls have them 1 and 2, so they make the Game of the Century for this week. The line is 9 1/2 for Florida. 9 1/2 is a lot of points, for a matchup on a neutral field between two teams that match up against each other very well. Alabama's front seven will try try and confuse and get to Te-God much like Michigan did almost a year ago. Florida has a lot of speed on the outside, but will Te-Jesus have the time to get the ball out to them? On the other side of the ball, will Florida be able to stop Coffee enough as Alabama shoves him down their throat play after play after play, only then going outside to Jones for a big play?

The keys to watch for:

Alabama needs Te-bitch to look like this during the game.


Watch Florida to run the bubble screen and a lot of quick slants to offset the blitz packages Saban throws at them. Urban wants them running, not thinking.

Prediction:
I hate predictions. They aren't worth the pixels they are written on. That said, Alabama slows down the offense pretty well today, but the Gator defense picks them up with a JP Wilson mistake. Florida 30, Alabama 24.

Piss poor

National TV + WMU Football = choke job.


Each and every time. The Broncos went down to Muncie and got their butts handed to them, as if it was ever in doubt. Starting with the 1999 MAC Championship Game, where Western had a 24-7 lead over Marshall, and lost 34-30. The next year, more of the same, losing to Marshall 19-14. They have been on the national stage a couple times since then, including a walloping by Central in Mt. Pleasant two years ago.

Oh well, at least Michigan is good, right? Right?

Lions Stay On Pace for 0-16

Drew Stanton awaits his next chance to get in the game

17-0 lead in first quarter, 21-17 deficit by the end of the first half. The absolutely pathetic referees in this game didn't cost the Lions, but they sure as hell didn't help. Maybe it would have been different with a roughing the passer call as Garcia got off another shitty pass while getting hit. Maybe it would have been different if the Tampa DB's weren't allowed to manhandle CJohnson as often as and wherever they wanted. Maybe it would have been different if Tampa was actually forced to get a play off before the play clock went out.

But then again, maybe not.

Who cares any more. This league is a fucking joke. Congratulations Roger Goodell, you took the golden egg, broke it, and it is almost ready for breakfast.

F the NFL

How are these guys paid as referees? A win in the NFL is meaningless any more as no game, and I mean that, no game that I have seen this year has been anything closely resembling a "fair" game. I am not calling this a conspiracy (although one could make a pretty damning collection of NYJets games that show that Fa-rve gets the benefit if every dispute) but just that these idiots are too old, slow, and senile to call a game correctly. Give me a bunch of guys out there from practice squads who know how the game is played, send them through ref school, and get them out there.

Case in point: Drew Stanton (WTF!) drops back, is under pressure, gets a pass off at the same time he is being hit. The idiot calls both intentional grounding and roughing the passer. What? He hadn't thrown the ball yet, and he was trying to get the ball downfield to someone, BUT HE WAS GETTING HIT.

I hate this league.

Michigan Stuns Top Ten Team

Oh, if only to have written this Saturday afternoon, not Friday morning. As it is, the Michigan basketball team rallied from 8 down at half to advance to the finals of the 2K Sports Classic by beating #4 UCLA.

I watched as long as I could, but fell asleep in the second half after Michigan made their run to take the lead. As I drifted away, I thought that was better, to go to sleep then and then read about the UCLA run in the morning. I woke up to see a message board post that they were still up 3 with two to go, and then checked the final score this morning. They looked stout on defense, with Beilein running a 1-3-1 defense against the Bruins, forcing 17 turnovers. Michigan countered by taking care of the ball, with only 9 turnovers. When was the last time a Michigan team played a full game with only 9 turnovers? They get #8 Dook and Coach K's nose tonight at Madison Square Garden for the final.

Meanwhile in northwest Canada, the Red Wings looked dominant for the first 15 minutes of the first period, and then cruised to a 4-3 win over Edmonton. The Wings were outshot 15-12 in the first, but were up 3-0. Osgood looked good when he needed to throughout, and the Wings just keep rolling along. They did this without Holmstrom, who was a late scratch with back spasms. Enter Tomas Kopecky. He filled in admirably, sticking his rear end in front of the net on power plays, scoring one and having a significant hand in another.

CORRECTION: Michigan was only down 6 at half, 29-23, not 29-21. I was tired.

Tigers reportedly Interested in Hoffman

Ugh. The dismantling of the Tigers continues. According to the Freep, Dombrowski is reportedly interested in signing all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman. In his defense, he is only interested in signing him for one year, because DD believes the farm will produce a closer for the 2010 season.

Putting aside my absolute disdain for the "closer" position for a second, the last thing the Tigers need is a guy in the bullpen who is almost as old as Chris Chelios, who has never won a single thing in his career, who has blown more big-time saves over the last 7 years, in the bull pen. Please, DD, disregard Hoffman, and dump some overpriced offense you have handy, and get some young arms. Get some young, starter arms, and move some of the failed starters into the pen.

DD is quickly eating into his free pass for taking the worst team in baseball to the World Series.

It's Ohio State week. What?

Never in my lifetime has an Ohio State week snuck up so silently. The boys over at Michigan Against the World have some solid thoughts on the program two years ago versus now.

But from an outsiders viewpoint, and I mean outsider in that I never went to Michigan, I never played for Michigan, and never met Bo or any other coach for that matter, Michigan- Ohio State week is just as meaningful. I remember the tears when I found out two years ago, on the eve of the biggest game in the history of the greatest rivalry in sports. I remember thinking that there was no way that Michigan was going to lose, not that year, not that way. I remember growing up when I started hunting, and my brother would make fun of me when I told him it was the Ohio State game today, and I wouldn't be going out. This was it. It was Ohio State. At that time it was an annual beatdown, but the other way from where it is now, and especially this Saturday. I wouldnt have missed it for anything. Watching Tim Biakabatuka roll up 300 yards, watching Desmond Howard do the Heisman in the endzone.

This year is different. This year, must be different for the OSU fans as well. There is very little build up to this game, there is very little banter going back and forth, there is very little in the way of the old worn out jokes you always hear this time of year, that are so old and so bad, yet you laugh like it was the first time you'd ever heard it.

How do you get an OSU grad off the porch?
Pay for the pizza.

What does an OSU grad call a UM grad?
Boss.

This year is the first year since I became of drinking age that I have no plans for the game. I will have it on in the background, as I finalize my secured transactions homework or work on my business organizations outline. Finals are coming up, you know. But it won't have the same feeling that it should.

There is only one question left. Will McSweatervest go for 2 to make it an even 50?

Bo

It was two years ago today. Michigan was gearing up for the biggest game in Michigan-Ohio State history, and the man simply known as "Bo" left us for better heights.

Those who stay will be Champions. This still holds true for the current and all succeeding groups.

Lions Stay On Pace for 0-16

This team is terrible. Only six to go. With the first overall pick that won't be tainted by some expansion team swooping in and taking it like last time (FU, Houston), and with Roy Williams doing his best Herschel Walker impression, the Lions are set to make a decade long run starting in 2010. Which just happens to be when we graduate from law school. That year is gonna be our year!

Then Pittsburgh becomes the first team ever to win 11-10. DP can have his 16-0 season, the Steelers won a game with a wierd score! WOO HOO!