We're gonna need more lights

Michigan State will attempt to break yet another Michigan streak in this year of streak-breakers, that being not having won in Ann Arbor since 1990 (BTW, Desmond's 2-point conversion was good).  Kickoff has been set officially for 3:30pm.

Also of note, Bubba would like to remind you that THIS IS NOT MICHIGAN BASKETBALL.  In other words, DON'T BE DUMPING YOUR TICKETS TO THE GREEN AND WHITE FAITHFUL. If you find yourself unable to go to the game, then sell your tickets to someone wearing Michigan gear...and check to make sure that they don't have a green shirt on underneath it, because they are crafty couch burning little bastards these Spartans.  If I have to hear a GO GREEN, GO WHITE chant in the Big House that is unable to be drowned out by The Victors, I'm going to get Butters to start shooting people in the dick.

Remember who they are....they have 5 wins against us since 1988.  THEY ARE LITTLE BROTHER.

GO BLUE!

What Are We Supposed to Do?

Embarrassed.  Ashamed.  Disappointed.  Words, words, and more words.  I tried to find more at thesaurus.com.  "Discountenanced" is a nice one.  "Disgruntled" and "dissatisfied" also fit the bill.  Then there's the deeper, soul penetrating feelings, like "depressed," dispirited," "heavy-hearted."  Sunday has been a long, down day.  It isn't very often that I arrive home and immediately delete a game from my DVR, but I didn't want to take the chance that I would accidentally press play in a moment of weakness, and have to re-witness a game with no redeeming value.

But I'm sorry, I cannot, and will not surrender.   Actually, no, I'm not sorry.  At the halfway point of the season, I refuse to give up on the Rodriguez era, the current season, or even next week's seemingly impending doom in Happy Valley.  You either love your team because they win, or you love them because they're yours.  This is not Michigan Basketball, who in their 10th season of killing my will to enjoy college hoops, have curtailed my fandom.  But if they were to make a tournament, I'd probably take opening Thursday off work to make my way to the Round 1 site.  This is not the Detroit Tigers, who I watched sparingly from 1988 through 2005 before making them a nightly ritual from 2006's all-star break to the World Series.  This is not the Detroit Lions, who I actively root against in jest of their mess of a franchise and mock by picking up the opposing team's quarterback for my fantasy team each week.  But if they made a Super Bowl I'd probably buy a jersey and pretend I've been there all along.

This is Michigan Football, and I HAVE been here all along.  I will continue to be here, through the worst and the best of it...because they're mine.

That doesn't mean I'm not angry at what has transpired.  That doesn't mean I don't question things.  It just means I am along for the ride, wherever it goes.  Because at some point, whether it's a year or two down the line or next week against #3 Penn State, they are going to make me feel good again.

Perhaps a more football related post will come later...gotta get out of this funk.

The Unreality Continues

Hey!  We're famous again!

Ahhh yes, UMTailgate.com...featured previously in the Orlando Sentinel and the Ann Arbor News, has found itself with some fresh new publicity.

The Free Press's food maven Susan Salasky has interviewed me a few times over the past month for an article on tailgating for the paper.  What started small has ended big, and in today's life section of the Free Press, there are a couple pieces that feature UMTailgate.com. Nice stuff.

Thanks to Tailgater Patty for helping to make all of this happen.

Articles are here, here, and even though it says that the recipe is from Kevin Miller here...it was actually from me.  That's grandma's baked beans!!!

Weekend Roundup, Now What? Edition: October 6, 2008

Here's what you might have missed around the internet while you divided your time between cursing the television and taking a candy bar quiz

• We lost, now take your medicine.  Here...and here.


• Beilein says there are better days ahead for UM basketball.  That's mainly because it cannot get any worse.


• But in his defense, we did get our third commit for the 2009 class, two of which are top 150 prospects.  It's a race to see which West Virginia coach pays off first!!!! Article with local flavor here.


• RBUAS writes like you wish you could...this time about a meeting with Coach Carr, TT, Mike Hart, the Wisconsin game, and finding people on this team to identify with.


• Rich Rod makes fewer excuses every week, putting responsibility on both the players and himself, and not using inexperience as an excuse...even though he could.  This week, he flat out says "we played soft."

A Carnival With A Dash of Hot Sauce

We were a tilt-a-whirl and a couple of carnies away from being able to sell tickets to this thing.  The carnival themed tailgate was once again our best showing.  Games, prizes, elephant ears, and a plethora of fried foods set the festive tone.  We blanketed the golf course in Cholula Hot Sauce, making friends with our tailgate neighbors and hundreds of passers-by along the way.  Special thanks to KT for creating the games and furnishing the prizes, from the duck pond to pin the sweatervest on Jim Tressel.  Thanks to KT (again) and Joe for making their way across the golf course to pass out sauce and recipe books.  Thanks to Julian Gonzales, Free Press photographer, for coming out and giving us some notoriety in the metro area.  Finally, thanks to Cholula for sponsoring our day and "spicing" things up.

Quick press linkfest:

• Article on Rich Rod's mom that is nestled next to an artsy black and white of your's truly holding up hot sauce bottles and looking like some kind of tailgate troll is here.


• Freep photos of the day, including two from our tailgate (#5 and #6) that include an action shot of steak sandwich building and our own Baby Beth and friend Drew in Cholula gear.


• Michigan Football Saturdays gives us a shout out...thanks.


• Our pics from the tailgate, courtesy of Tuba and Greg.

One more note...I'm pretty sure we are going to have an article on the tailgate pop up this week in the Freep, most likely in the Life or Food section.  I'll keep you posted.

Thanks to everyone for helping put us on the map!  GO BLUE!