Add we will bring the "Big Sticks"

​

Mr. Robinson's Michigan Defense 2009
Now that "we" have spoken, and are rallying behind our coach and for our team, it becomes obvious that we must "All be in for Michigan". As much as we might wish and hope, a new tailgate location and our rally cries will not be enough. As we inch closer to the first the first battle here are a few of the fellas that will be backing up the Webmasters spirit with some old fashioned "wood layin". Without further ado, your Game #1 Defensive Primer.

# 55, Senior, Brandon Graham DE

BG returns to anchor the squad from the DE position and will be moved around the field and given opportunities to play upright in one of variety of cleverly named spots in a "hybridish" style. The move by new D.C. Greg Robinson will allow Graham to contribute all over the field as opposed to mainly behind the LOS. Look for Graham to lead the team onto the field and escort the opponents off the field with hard hits while he adds to his 19 career sacks while raising is NFL stock as well. The Detroit Crockett Rocket will build upon his UM legacy by improving on his 2nd team All Big Ten and Bo Schembechler Team MVP performance of 2008. Although he is not the "Spinner" I dream of at 6'2/265, he should have quarterbacks Tim Hiller and Jimmy Clausen's heads' spinning.

# 45, RS Junior, Obi Ezeh LB 

Obi is coming off a quality '08 campaign where he was named All Big Ten HM. For the past two seasons Ezeh has led the team in tackles and will most likely make that streak 3 seasons while anchoring the Wolverines at the MLB position. Obi has been given the distinguished honor of being put on the 2009 Butkus Award watch list and will definitely be a centerpiece to what is shaping up to be one of the best defenses in the Big Ten this season. Look for some increased leadership as opposing running backs will realize that the mouth guard and facemask were necessary in maintaining their facial anatomy when they run into or across the middle against UM and Obi in 2009.

# 3, Senior, Stevie Brown LB

Stevie B. has been one of the most talked about defenders during the offseason as he is making the move from Safety to the Linebacker or second "hybrid" slot under G. Rob. His propensity for huge hits should only increase as he is asked to support the run earlier in the action as well as drop into coverage. With a lack of depth at the LB position and two lock down corners this could prove to be a wise move schematically. I anticipate a big year from #3 in both tackles and interceptions, you should too.

# 68, Sophomore, Mike Martin DT

With the departure of one of UMTailgates favorite players in TT, (until this week that is), we will witness the emergence of MM. Mike Martin already showed moments of brilliance last season as a true freshmen and looks to establish himself as the leagues premiere nose tackle/D-linemen. The Four Star recruit from Detroit Catholic Central seems to be a guy that is going to play at one speed all the time and that is what we will need for success with our thin numbers on the D-Line. So get ready for the Double M chants. (Maybe M squared?)

# 6, Junior, Donovan Warren CB

Donny is a NFL to be cornerback and if you think he 'fell off ' a bit last year, it was undoubtedly due to him being injured. Donovan will re-emerge to eliminate an entire 1/2 of the field and make life alot easier and enjoyable for the aforementioned defenders.  So if its halftime and your saying, where has #6 been?  Thats a good thing!  If some jack-in-the-box QB, ie. Hiller and Clausen to begin with, try to throw at him, we probably will have the ball back.

So there is your quick primer on returning stars the entire depth chart via the Michigan Daily is here

Others to watch for:

#33, Sophomore, Boubacar Cissoko CB:  Should be bang or bust playing opposite a healthy Warren, I vote BANG

#58, RS Sophomore, Brandon Herron LB:  Will he emerge or will true freshmen C. Roh steal time here?  Big ?

#8, RS Junior, Jonas Mouton LB:  Similar situation as Herron, need at least one of two to be real solid

The Sons of Stars:

#29, Junior, Troy Woolfolk S:  Dad was UM All American, can he step in to fill void at safety?

#31, RS Sophomore, Jared Van Slyke S:  Dad was All-Star for Cards and Pirates, son needs to be big hitter w/o bat.

The True Freshmen

#88 Craig Roh OLB:  Pushing for starting spot, projects to be good, real good.

#73 Will Campbell DL:  "Chunky Soup" needs to get refitted to ass whooping shape, will get there eventually!

Well there is our first look at the Defense that will start us towards a championship, whether it is a National Championship, Big Ten Championship, State Championship or County Championship is the big question.  Health and rest by a more productive O will determine this groups legacy!  The talent is there, I expect an OUTSTANDING year from the Wing Tipped Defenders!  Its almost Saturday, Lets Go BLUE!

Not Doing Wonders For My Tate Confidence Level

​I've always been a little uneasy about the QBForce website.  I remember looking at it for the first time back when Tate was scanning all of his offer letters and posting them on there.  Sure, there are players out there that think they are the shit, and they talk some trash or seem smug or arrogant when talking to the media.  But this whole Brothers McQuarterback dedication site is just a little on the creepy side.  Honestly, it seems to be only about a step away from having a picture of Dad Forcier's penis emblazoned across the top of it.

As reported on Deadspin, Chris Forcier is transferring from UCLA to Furman.  New coaching staff comes in, quarterback transfers...we know this story.  But what is particularly interesting is the press release is that it is a list of "facts" about Chris, about the UCLA situation, and his desire to wear #7 again like he did in high school.

Fact: I was practice player of the week as a freshman multiple times.

Fact: I want to be part of the "Greatness of Fuhman University" academic's.

I am really really hoping that the Forcier family is sitting in a room somewhere laughing their collective asses off.  I hope that they are being funny, putting a comedic spin on things.  Because if this is serious, and Chris is as in love with himself as he seems to be...then I would imagine that we've got our own version of this problem suiting up on Saturdays in less than 90 days.

Weekend Roundup, Hold the Phone Edition: March 9, 2009

​I have fallen victim to another social network, so it is with great malaise that I utter type these words:  FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.  I digress...

Huge win.  Colossal win.  Program making win.  While you can't say that Michigan did everything they could in the Big Ten to make the NCAA Tournament, you can say that they did everything they could on Saturday.  It was gritty, gutsy, clutch, and any other word you can come up with that portrays a comeback when all, including the season itself, looked lost.  On the road, against a team that needed it and wanted it as much as we did, we showed that we belong...that we are better.  You cannot take the Gophers and not take us.

And if you could somehow take out that loss at Iowa, when Manny was pulled for the duration of the overtime collapse, when we were certain we were NIT bound, then it would be time to talk seeds...to dream of brackets.  But we lost that game.  And because we lost that game we cannot rest on our laurels.  This team, with their new found focus and "us against the world" attitude, needs to shut off ESPN this week.  They don't need to see that we are no longer appearing as the last four in or the last four out, and that as far as Joe Lunardi and the rest of the world is concerned, Michigan is a lock to return to the dance.

The problem is, I don't think we are.  Some say seven, and perhaps as many as eight, teams will be in from the Big Ten.  But would it be the biggest surprise in Selection Sunday history if they only took six...or even five?  Despite the out of conference record of the bulk of us, I can't help but think that some bean counters from the selection committee saw Penn State vs. Illinois and said, as we all probably did, "hey, that's some shitty basketball."  And that's fine.  But if that is the case, then to be certain a week from tonight that Bill Martin will get a call before 8pm we have games yet to win.  We need to be playing on Saturday.

The rest of the internets that you missed while combining nipples and beer.

• Someday, somebody will realize that there are more Michigan bloggers than there are other college sports bloggers combined.  And guess what?  9 out of 10 of them are really f'n good.  And while I myself am probably #10 in that gorilla math survey, it doesn't stop me from admiring the rest of the M-'sphere.  Before the Minnesota game, Dex of the Wolverine Liberation Army took us back to his youth, and a time of extreme youth in Michigan Basketball history.  More impressively, he does it without a single reference to fornication, which is odd for a man that can only be described as the Peter North of Cover it Live.


• MVictors covers a great man in Michigan history, Red Simmons.  I spent a couple of seasons about two rows behind Red at Michigan Basketball games.  Red was there before me.  Red left after me.  And Red fielded fans throughout the game coming to catch a glimpse of a Michigan icon.  Seriously...he was hired by Fritz Crisler.


• Dylan offers up the Big Ten tournament bracket  There's not a team in our half that we haven't beaten.  There's also not a team in our half that hasn't beaten us.  Iowa Thursday + Illinois Friday + Purdue Saturday = Dancing the following Thursday.


• Fanhouse says that Michigan State is in a class of their own.  Fill in your own "class-less" joke of your own, and be sure to include riots and couch burning.  Then remember that this is MSU's first outright Big Ten championship in 10 years.  Ha.


• This year's spring game is what the media calls "intriguing."

OOOoooooooooh... See Ya!

​This isn't getting much press outside of the 'sphere and an ESPN.com blurb, but two Michigan State hockey players have been suspended for the remainder of the season following their acts of retardedness on Saturday night.  I'm sure this story will pick up some steam soon enough, but for now, I would like to remind everyone that Michigan State is the enemy...in football, basketball, hockey, gymnastics, and table tennis.  You do not feel sorry for them.  You do not pull for them in the name of the Big Ten.  You do not wear green.  You hate them.  HATE.

The only problem with this whole scenario is that being dismissed from the  8-16-2 Spartans is probably a blessing for those two assholes.

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.