It's Like the NFL Draft...Only It's Children. Giant, 4.3-Forty Running Children.

​National signing day is here, which can mean a lot.  Scratch that, it DOES mean a lot.  Say what you want about the first year performance of Rich Rodriguez...the recruiting class that has been tentatively assembled by the snake oil wizard is tremendous.  Respect that, if nothing else.  If a few fringe non-verbals pull the trigger and LOI to the Maize and Blue...the hype machine will be full steam ahead.

Typically, the rich get richer on this day, as the best of the best from high school pick the best of the best football programs, continuing the cycle that keeps Utah outside of the BCS.

We are one of the rich...and we've got Rich.

We've morphed very quickly into a team that emphasizes national recruiting.  You can chalk up the perceived successful MSU recruiting class to the fact that we allowed them to have the home state.  Yes, the Big Ten can be won with a team comprised of the State of Michigan's finest.  But we didn't bring in Rodriguez to win the Big Ten.  And while we would be ecstatic at the idea of a Big Ten championship right now, that is not the ultimate goal here anymore.

Rebuild.  Eliminate Ohio State.  Win Bowl Games.  Win National Championships.  Yes, that order.  Yes, that's plural.

It all starts tomorrow....roundup of announcement times courtesy of The Wolverine.

Update (11:30am): Denard Robinson and Adrian Witty to Michigan.  Pearlie Graves to Texas Tech.  We are one step closer to no chance of Sherithreet.

Weekend Roundup, Super Sweep Edition: 1/25/09

What you might have missed this weekend around the internets while ingesting some minor league cuisine and scratching your balls elegantly...

• An article made the rounds about RichRods compensation, claiming that with the buyout money and his coaching pay, he garnered about $6.6 million, or 2.2 million per win.


• Our Honor Defend, a Buckeye blog, is starting to preview their incoming class. They start with the brother of a worthless piece of crap turncoat asshat, Zack Boren.


• Maize and Blue Nation reminds you that Morgan Trent sucked.


• Hockey beat Michigan State 5-3 on Saturday, getting a victory over Sparty for the second night in a row, and for the FIFTH TIME THIS SEASON.  It's the first such sweep in the history of the series, which dates back to before John Dogan's birthday.


• Some extra curriculars took center stage at the hockey game, as Michigan State got dirty and took multiple cheap shots at icer Steve Kampfer.  MGoBlog's Brian Cook had a ring side seat to the unfortunate events, and is leading a call to arms against those assholes from East Lansing.


• In lieu of my crappy and hastily made list of Michigan connections in the Super Bowl, here's a comprehensive list of Big Ten players making an appearance.  We have the most...by far.


• We're embarking on another giant construction project related to athletics, as regents have approved a new practice facility and development center for hoops.  If you build it...they might come.


• Fun with West Virginia legalese continues, as the Mountaineers now claim that Mike Barwis owes the athletic department $50,000.  Ya, why don't you try to come and take it from him.


• Minnesota has added an interesting home at home for the 2010 and 2011 seasons...with USC.  I would really like one of these cool matchups to land on the Michigan schedule, but east of the Mississippi would be preferred due to our problems converting those west coast road trips.


• Michigan came in at #8 in the all-time college football prestige rankings, which used statistics and results starting in 1936.  Ohio State came in at #3 behind #1 Oklahoma and #2 USC.  I would complain that the data set misses out on the bulk of our National Championships and our early century dominance...but I would rather leave the complaining to OSU, who is obviously pissed that any data is mined from the years prior to Tressel.


• New DC Greg Robinson answers some of my questions about why he decided to stay in college football and how he came to know RichRod.

It Wouldn't Be A Super Bowl Without the Wolverines

As a guy that was "born and raised in South Detroit," I've never had the chance to be a fan of my NFL franchise.  This season didn't make it any easier.  But there is something I do root for, and that's NFL players that once donned the Maize and Blue.  So congrats to the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers for advancing to the Super Bowl tonight.  Also, on behalf of we the Wolverine nation, a collective "your welcome" to each of you...precluding your obvious thanks for Arizona Cardinal wide receiver and punt/kick returner Steve Breaston, and anchors of the Steeler defense, linebackers Larry Foote and LaMarr Woodley.  Of note, LaMarr had seven tackles and two sacks in Pittsburgh's dispatching of the Ravens.

Good luck to each of our Michigan alums in the big game.  Here's hoping one of you get to join Desmond Howard and Tom Brady (twice) as MVPs of the Super Bowl.

Still Sulking

Sorry, don't have it in me yet.  Try back tomorrow.

Perhaps you can take solace in the fact that the basketball team is ranked 8th in the Big Ten, which is probably one place ahead of the football team (just threw up in my mouth).

Meanwhile, you might want to check in over here.