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.

Greg.

​Michigan welcomed a new defensive coordinator today.  Former Syracuse Head Coach Greg Robinson takes the reins from Scott Schaffer...who is now the defensive coordinator at...wait for it...Syracuse.  Weird.

Scott Schaffer was relieved of his position because he sucked and gave up 100 points per game and he and RichRod didn't see eye to eye.  This isn't about experience, of which Greg has all kinds (and 2 Super Bowl rings).  This is about becoming a "yesman."  I'm supposed to believe that Greg Robinson has decided to become RichRods bitch?  Hmmmm.  Robinson is 12 years his senior, two hunks of gold from the pinnacle of professional football, and has a Masters in Oratory Arts...basically an advanced degree in bullshitting.  They say you can't bullshit a bullshitter, so how are they going to even communicate?  I want to know how this hire happened.  Open interview?  Do they know each other?  What is the connection?  What made Rich Rod think that this was the guy besides a resume that looked a lot better in 2003?

It might sound like I'm angry or disappointed, but I'm not...I'm just curious.  Curious as to why this guy was chosen, and why this guy chose Michigan.  His stint in college football has been less than successful, and he probably could return to the NFL in some capacity without much trouble.  Maybe he, with his amazing oratory skills, just really enjoys the recruiting trail.  I just don't know.  But I'm not supposed to know...not until September 5th.

Reactions from around the 'sphere...

Yea:

• Adam Rittenburg loves it


• Chuck Carlton loves it

Nay:

• MGoBlog has some reservations


• Black Shoe Diaries laughs at us...and claims to have carnal knowledge of MGoBlog.

Indifferent

• Maize and Brew gives the Obama treatment to G-Rob


• Fanhouse gives the two extremes


• Varsity Blue gives just the stats ma'am

You make the call.

Meanwhile, the cagers are in Happy Valley (2.5 point dogs at that!) and they're wearing the golds on the road.  BTN...right now.

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.

They're Being Groomed in Other Places

Let me preface this by saying that Rich Rodriguez is our head football coach.  My loyalty to his system is as of now unbreakable.  My admiration of his out-of-state recruiting increases with every commit.  There are those of you that would like to see him go after his first, and unfathomly horrible, season.  There are those that are even actively rooting against him.  Patience people, patience.

Plus, don't worry, if the worst were to happen, like, let's say 3-9 again...we do have some insurance.

With the break up of Lloyd Carr's staff, Michigan coaches are popping up everywhere, getting the same, or in many cases, better positions on other teams.  Former players are also finding themselves in high level positions.  Seems like, indirectly, everybody is lining up for the Michigan Football head coaching job.

• Ron English, by way of an extensive search led by Lloyd Carr, went from Louisville Defensive Coordinator to Head Coach of Eastern Michigan.  This afternoon, former running back (and my favorite all-time Wolverine) Tyrone Wheatley was added as an assistant.  He joins former lineman Kurt Anderson, and former undergrad assistant Tom Burpee.


• Mike DeBord, former assistant, is the assistant o-line coach for the Seattle Seahawks.


• Jim Harbaugh, despite his remarks about Michigan academia, is waiting in the wings at Stanford.


• Brady Hoke, who led Ball State to their best season ever, has moved to warmer pastures, and is now the head coach of San Diego State.  He leaves behind Stan Parrish to lead Ball State.  Both Brady and Stan are former Michigan assistants under Lloyd.


• Jim Herrmann is currently the linebackers coach for the New York Jets, where he coaches former Michigan linebacker castoff David Bowens.


• Les Miles was an assistant under Bo, and is the head coach of the LSU Tigers...he he.


• Scott Loeffler, former assistant, was recently hired as the quarterbacks coach of the Florida Gators.


• Terry Malone, former assistant, is the tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints.


• Early 90's safety Corwin Brown is the defensive coordinator for Notre Dame.


• Late 70's middle guard Mike Trgovac has been the DC for the Carolina Panthers since 2002.


• Cam Cameron, assistant under Bo and Mo, is the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.

I'm sure I missed a few too...  If you think of any, leave them in the comments.

Sims Goes Cold, Big Ten Run Ends at 3

DeShawn Sims was 3-14 from the floor, and had only 2 rebounds in Michigan's 66-51 loss to the Fighting Illini.  Copperyale was the only player in double figures (20), and 7-26 from 3-point is not going to get in done on most nights for a John Beilein squad.  Add in our inability to stop the biggest 7 foot dork in the Big Ten, and well, you find only disappointment.  Box score here.

It's tough to break two decade-plus-long losing streaks in one year.  We found a way to win at one Assembly Hall, but fell short at the other Assembly Hall in Champaign-Urbana.  Would have been a huge win, but it's not exactly a backbreaking loss.  We need to hold serve at home, and steal a couple on the road.  Given their record of 15-2, splitting the home-at-home with Illinois is not the end of the world, especially playing them twice in just 10 days.

Yes, I have decided to make excuses for every loss...and praise with great optimism every win.  That's what 2009 is all about.

Basketball against Ohio State...the return of the 1989 National Champions at halftime...and a chance to see Coach Beilein's 500th win.  Just your average Saturday in Ann Arbor.  Coupled with Illinois beating Michigan State, it could be a banner day.  See you at Crisler.

Go to bed.