Twitter Thursday, A Primer

So...twitter.  I know most people think that it's a website where you do something akin to updating your facebook status, and that's where it ends.  But let me tell you, once you build a group of people in your feed, like esteemed bloggers, media members, and celebrities, you get a really nice ticker of things you are interested in.  And if something is going down or there's a game you want the inside info on, there's no better place to get up to the millisecond information.

During the Tuesday press conference on NCAA infractions, while everybody searched for a link to the video of it, I had it basically dictated to me by the staff of AnnArbor.com (@mikerothstein & @davebirkett) and MGoBlog.com (@PaulVBlue & @MgoBlog) through the magic of twitter on my cellphone.  It's raw, opinionated, and it's RIGHT NOW.  There's something to be said for getting your news this way, before it's swallowed up and regurgitated by assclowns like Drew Sharp.

Later that evening, while in attendance at the Michigan Basketball game vs. Illinois (worst. game. ever.) I was able to resist the urge to jump up and down for a slice of pizza and instead checked twitter on my phone during timeouts to get instant stats from Michigan Daily sports writer/editor Nicole Auerbach (@nicoleauerbach, @michdailysports)...things like "Zack Novak is 4-8 from three, and the rest of the team is 1-16," or useful opinions from @UMHoops like "Just a terrible half."

I interrupt this post to give you a real world example!  ESPN's Adam Rosenburg, @ESPN_BigTen on Twitter, just posted the following:

Final three MSU players plead guilty - http://tinyurl.com/yl65pzy

See, twitter can brighten your day!

Anyway, even if you never plan to update your status and contribute to the madness, I encourage you to get yourself an account, follow some people, and install TweetDeck on your PC for a streamlined interface to get the whole Twitter picture.  Rock on.

Oh, and don't forget to follow us, UMTailgate.com....@umtailgate.

Stupid

​First of all, where's Bill Martin?  I think we're still paying him, right?  Regardless, Dave Brandon (are we paying 2 AD's?) led the presser today that ultimately revealed a notice from the NCAA that contained ticky-tack violations, and no surprises beyond our internal investigation.   It seemed to outline a loosely managed paper trail that blurred the lines of what "stretching" is and when it is or isn't ok to punish an athlete. 

How many feel good stories were there about 6am summer stadium laps under Lloyd?  Braylon.  Arrington.  Askew.  Just to name a few.

Complete and utter bullshit.

In an anonymous survey I conducted with my own common sense, I concluded that every other team in the country blurred the same lines.  The difference between Michigan and everybody else?  Rosenberg's hard-on for a local pulitzer.

More later.  Maybe.

Update:  Violations allege Michigan went over the 20 hour allotted practice time by 20 minutes...in October of 2008.  I think the investigators just wanted to come to Zingerman's.

Hang on Tight

Michigan will hold a press conference at 1pm to discuss the results of the NCAA investigation of "practicegate." MGoBlog will liveblog it, so extend your lunch and head over there.  Coleman, Brandon, and Coach are slated to speak.

Weekend Roundup, NIT-ology Edition: February 22, 2010

​Here's what you may have missed around the internets while you fantasized about working for Sterling-Cooper (yes, I'm now on a Mad Men kick).

• There's a website called NIT-ology, and it prognosticates the NIT field.  Michigan isn't in it.


• Athlon has the recruiting class rankings, and Michigan comes in 13th in the country, 2nd in the Big Ten.


• More on the victors rally from our old friend Mark Snyder.


• Very cool article in USA Today profiles our new AD Dave Brandon.  Dude took a $1.8 million per year pay cut!


• I like the underdog role.  I like "playing with a chip on our shoulders," like Coach Rodriguez says we will.  I like under-promising and over-delivering.


• ESPN says Michigan is still #1, but overall attendance at college football games fell by 1%.  I blame the handicapped.


• The Tigers signed Johnny Damon for $8 million for one season....and I want Curtis Granderson back.


• JoePa had eye surgery and no longer needed his signature coke bottle glasses, so they were sold at auction for $9000.


• Some JT Turner fluff that I hope is all true from AnnArbor.com.  This secondary is going to be very young and very raw.


• Start looking to the future ('cause the present sucks) with a basketball recruiting roundup from UMHoops.com.

Rich Rodriguez: Michigan Man

​The Victors Rally: A Celebration of Michigan Football took place on Sunday at the Michigan Theater.  Speaking on behalf of the current regime were Larry Foote, Gary Moeller, Jim Brandstatter, and Jerry Hanlon...among others.  Last year we were "All-In," so I guess that makes this year "The Re-Buy."  And while it may seem way too early to talk about the hot seat, and what it's going to take for Coach to stay or go, it's important to realize we're 6 weeks away from spring practice...and less than two months away from the April 17th Spring Game (which is slated to also be the UMTailgate.com spring reunion).

Anyway, the reason I'm mentioning all of this is because I am still behind Coach.  Some of you are too, and some of you are not.  I'm not judging.  I don't make the rules for Michigan fandom.  It's just that between the options of Les Miles, Ron English, Jim Harbaugh and Rich Rodriguez...I'll take Rodriguez every time.  So I hope and pray that things will turn around, under THIS regime, and soon.  So I give you this video of Coach's speech from the rally...  Still emotional.  Still committed.  Desperately trying to become a Michigan Man: