Let's Settle That '97 Thing...Over and Over and Over

News comes at you pretty fast these days.  Remember when you returned home from a day at the office, flipped on the 6pm Sportscenter, and got an update on the days events in the world of sports?  Not so much anymore.  The deuche with the Michigan State pennant push-pinned to his cubicle wall likes to artfully time his stride to catch you on the way to the shitter, just to let you know that he heard Tom Izzo talked to Judd Heathcote and he told Judd he's not making any decisions until he finds out if LeBron is going to stay in Cleveland.  Guess what fuckstick?  I've got a smartphone too.  Oh, and all the computers here have internet access.  Also, I don't give a shit.  I mean, of course I'd like to see Tom Izzo to go to Cleveland, both because I think he would poop the bed in the NBA, and because I love to see coaches leave Michigan State.  Michigan State is not a destination...it's a layover.  Nobody is looking to reach the pinnacle of their career at Michigan State.  Plus, I would just LOVE to see the reaction over there in Little Brother Land.

Anyway, I was talking about news, and how fast it is...like Demar Dorsey fast.  I wish we could see how fast that is in Maize and Blue.  Alas, all of our arguments on whether we should have offered Demar a scholarship were just a giant waste of time.  I can't help but be a little bit concerned about how this all transpired, it makes us look a bit Notre Dame-ish.  But hey, if we've got some kind of standards, and those standards are used across the board, then I guess this is the right thing to do.  Right for who?  I'm not sure.  It's a losing situation for a kid trying to turn his life around, it's a losing situation for the football team's secondary, it's a losing situation for football recruiting since we come off as elitist...but it's a win for, um, academic integrity.  So there's that.  I just wish this didn't come off as another instance of poor communication with Rich Rod.  He's gotta feel like he's got a bit of egg on his face yet again.

And ya, it's been a while since I've written a post.  It's been a long strange journey of logo infractions and front page viruses and what-not here at UMTailgate.com.  There's also been some massive outbreaks of blog laziness with a side of indifference.  Because as each day passes, it seems as if there is something new and disappointing.  Something anti-Rod, or at least something quirky and Rod-related.  A bad story here,a stupid poll there.  These things have to be building up over at casa de Rodriguez.  Long story short, though I so desperately want him to be, I don't think Rich Rodriguez is going to be the coach here by the time we get around to playing Nebraska in-conference.  Which means before long, we will go back to being slow, methodical, and predictable.  I hope I'm wrong.

Speaking of Nebraska, I google-mapped the route from Ann Arbor to Lincoln, and it's like 750 miles.  That's the Metrodome plus 100 miles.  So if the rumors are indeed true, it looks like we've definitely got a destination we're going to need to fly to.  Though I'm not 100% confident in the validity of the news that the Cornhuskers are joining us, I am 100% fired up at the prospect of something different.  And if it turns out to be true, I hope that isn't the end of it.  12 is cool, but 16 is better, so let's get Mizzou and ND in here, and let's not give up on that Texas-Texas Tech combo.  Blow the whole thing up.

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:

Building A Bigger Wall

​I thought this would have picked up a little more steam throughout the day after it appeared in the Freep and on AA.com.  This is a tough one.  I mean, Braylon was that feel good story, an under-recruited legacy who came out of the dog house and into the #1 jersey...and he single handedly led the Wolverines back from 17 down with 7 minutes to play against Michigan Agricultural College, making keepsake poster moments out of every Spartan defensive back.  Post graduation, he has given back to Michigan, donating money and establishing a scholarship fund.  It's tough, really tough, not to like Braylon for what he did, and what he continues to do for Michigan.  Quite frankly, I love Braylon Edwards.  But I grew up loving Jim Harbaugh too.

On Sunday, Braylon used Sunday Night Football to perpetuate the growing rift between Ann Arbor's pro-Carr and pro-Rodriguez camps, announcing himself as Braylon Edwards from "Lloyd Carr's University of Michigan."  I'm certain that in the coming days, Braylon will spin it as not anti-Rodriguez, just pro-Lloyd.  His dad already made an attempt this afternoon to cover his son's tracks on WTKA, saying that Braylon works with players in the off-season and generally likes Rodriguez.  Already feels a bit like that asshole that tells a racist joke, then tells you "some of my best friends are black."  Ya, Braylon is a regular Dr. Watley.  And I can assure you, this isn't the first time that Stan Edwards has had to make a WTKA appearance to clean up a mess.  I can clearly remember him brokering peace between Braylon and Lloyd on the same airways in Braylon's dog house days, telling us all how "misunderstood" Braylon was.

Honestly though, I'm not here to tell Braylon that he needs to like Rodriguez.  I'm also not here to tell him to hate Lloyd Carr.  I'm just asking him to like Michigan.  What he did on Sunday was counterproductive, immature, and detrimental to Michigan.  We've got signing day coming up in a month and one of our supposed ambassadors is basically talking shit about the current coach on national television.  Think that sits well with our verbals?  Liking Michigan means you can honor your mentor, and at the same time respect the current coach.  I don't know at what point Lloyd Carr and Rich Rodriguez became rivals, became something you have to choose between.  Lloyd Carr and Rich Rodriguez are not mutually exclusive.  Lloyd Carr was not fired.  Lloyd Carr was not forced out.  Lloyd Carr retired, of his own volition, and while he tried hard to create a Bo-like legacy of coaches to follow in his footsteps, he couldn't pull it off.  App State happened.  We moved on.  We're trying something new.

This is bigger than you Braylon, which is probably the most difficult thing for you to handle.  Bigger than you, and bigger than Lloyd.  This is not, never was, and never will be Lloyd Carr's University of Michigan, nor will it be Rich Rodriguez's University of Michigan.  Not to go all "Ohio State" on you, but this is THE University of Michigan, that's where you're from.

I'd appreciate it if you started acting like it.

UPDATE:  Like I said, the spin was coming...

Cissseeya

More bad news for a thin defense, as Cissoko is out at Michigan, becoming the 7th loss from the class of 2008 which was mostly a product of the previous regime.  This news, along with the 2007 class, which had unceremonious exits of Mallet, Tony Clemons, and Marell Evans (among others) means that the cupboards are WAY more bare than you know.  Which, if nothing else, means that my plea for patience with Coach from Monday is not a request...it's really your only option.

The fact that Coach is not keeping problems around, no matter how many stars they had on rivals, and no matter how thin we are at the position where the problem resides, is a good sign for those that are interested in keeping the tradition of creating a group of men that are leaders on and off the field.  In short, he is not Dantonio, who reinstated Glenn Winston basically minutes after he was released from prison.

Of course, you won't hear about how Rich Rod made the right decision by removing a player that was missing class, missing workouts, and missing study table.  The precedent has been set with the media, as the Feagin story resulted only in the perception of Michigan having recruited a drug dealer, with no props for his immediate dismissal.  And Kurt Wermer's bashing of the staff on his way out significantly outweighed the fact that the idiot was academically ineligible before he "left."

This week, you'll likely only hear that Michigan has another player that is transferring.  But that is not the truth.  He was "fired" before he "resigned."  I only hope he has the stones to own up to it for the sake of this program...that way Snyder can bury it on the back page if he has time to write while assisting the NCAA with the workout investigation.  Just remember folks, the story of Michigan getting back to being Michigan isn't nearly as sexy as Michigan in turmoil, Michigan failing to regain their dominance, or Michigan falling off the college football map.  They want us to lose.  They want Rich Rod to fail.  They want us to fail.  And you, yes YOU, can either stand there and take it, read it and believe it...or you can fight for THIS TEAM.

"This team" means "this staff."  The two are not mutually exclusive.  So the question is...are you really ALL IN?

A Call to Arms

The world woke up to "scandal in Ann Arbor" today, and in my life, there has never been anything more blown out of proportion than the allegations from the now-dead-to-me Free Press.  And wow, was it picked up everywhere.  It filled the airways of local and national talk radio, and took up the first 15 minutes of the 30 minute College Football Live.  It lead Sportscenter.  It came up in my RSS reader from CNN, Yahoo Sports, EDSBS, Deadspin, and literally every football blog large and small.  Sure, there were a few cheap shots taken, and that's fine.  There was also some signs of support, and a few comments about how the amount of workout time cited in the allegations seems to be in line with the rest of the college football world.  In the end, all the negatives will be dwelled upon, and all the evidence that shows Michigan did no wrong will be forgotten.  All that will remain is the stigma that has been created, even fabricated, that Rich Rodriguez is a bad person.

The press conference commenced at 11am, and it seemed all eyes were transfixed on Ann Arbor, and on the eyes of our coach.  He took to the podium, and choked up during his opening statement.  Welled up just short of streaming tears, he looked, on a day where he should be game-planning for the most important contest of his Michigan career, like a broken man.  A man that came here from West Virginia...a man that came HERE from West Virginia.  Somehow fault is found by Michigan fans in the fact that he left his alma mater...to come HERE.  It's held against him, against his character.  He's shady, they say, without recognizing that he sacrificed everything, his friends, his reputation in his hometown, and the affiliation with the University that he attended and played football for.  And he did it all, not for the money, as his raise was minuscule in comparison to most school to school transfers, but for MICHIGAN.  He fought the lawsuit for breach of contract not to save himself $4 million, but to save MICHIGAN $4 million.

We've lived in a box for far too long.  40 years of the same regime.  40 years of the same type of athletes.  40 years of establishing the run.  40 years of Big Ten dominance and Big Bowl losses.  40 years of the quiet band and quieter crowds, waiting around for something really special to happen before they utter anything but "down in front," waiting as if the team owed them something.  40 years of calling plays from the stands, and praying that the next play was going to be that signature trick play, the double-reverse.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  You asked for it to end.

Rich Rodriguez brought in a new system.  Well, new to Michigan.  And somehow we were all surprised when it failed the first year.  Really?  You thought that the athletes recruited to play in Lloyd Carr's offense would be able to run Florida's offense?  When's the last time Michigan stopped a mobile quarterback?  That's the type of player that played for Michigan...tough, slow, deliberate.  We had all the talent in the world when it came to stopping Ron Dayne, but Donavon McNabb...not so much.  We had the men in place to jam it down your throat 50 times with Chris Perry, but ask John Navarre to dodge a rush or throw on the run?  Forget about it.  So we had 100+ square pegs slated to perform in their round holes.  Not surprising, many of those players did not like their round holes, so they transferred.  With every dissention, the world laughed and mocked us.  The dissenters cited family values and coach's character, because leaving and saying "I'm a complete pussy" doesn't read well in the paper.  They left because either they were not made for this system (Ryan Mallet), or they were not willing to make the sacrafice to change their bodies and their regimen to become a contributor in the new system (Benedict Boren).  Conclusion:  THE RICH RODRIGUEZ SYSTEM IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE OLD SYSTEM.  In my world, that equates to THE RICH RODRIGUEZ SYSTEM IS BETTER FOR WINNING FOOTBALL GAMES THAN THE OLD SYSTEM.  And yet, with every transfer, you felt like we were losing something, that Coach was doing something wrong.  The truth is, he was doing something right.

They are saying we are working too much. Personally, I don´t think we´re working hard enough. - Mark Ortman

So when the Freep article cited their anonymous sources that included some "current players," you would be wise to conclude that either they were naive Freshmen that had their words twisted, or that they were current players, "square pegs," that have found themselves usurped on the depth chart by a younger player or find themselves without the wherewithal or balls to transfer themselves.  In short, on the Michigan roster right now, there are players that are cowards, and perhaps a few that are cowards with an agenda.  And yes, I'm probably bashing them a little too much.  They are student athletes.  They are young men that were put into a difficult situation, an odd transition.  Perhaps it's not all their fault.  But I am absolutely certain of one thing....it's not Rich Rodriguez's fault either.

What I saw today at that podium was a man that has tried to do everything to appease the fanbase.  He is a man that believes in his system and is trying to make the right decisions on how to mesh his youthful process with very old traditions.  He has taken his family and uprooted them from all that they've ever known, transplanted them here, and engulfed them in maize and blue.  And what has he found?  What is his reward?  A fanbase that doesn't believe in him, and a local media that treats him worse than the alma mater he left behind.  He might be better off back in West Virginia.  WE, however, will not be.  How much more of this can Rich Rodriguez take?  How much pressure can be put on him?  This is not Philadelphia.  This is not New York.  We are not assholes.  So why are we acting like assholes?

When Michigan takes the field on Saturday, they will be going up against so much more than just Western Michigan.  They will be facing a mass media that is ready to pounce on them if they lose, and ready to talk about workout schedules if they win.  They will be facing a fan base more ready to boo an offensive three-and-out than cheer a defensive one.  They will be facing the internal fight between those who believe in the system and those who don't.  With all of that, it's hard to believe that they are expected to win on Saturday.  But that's what I expect.  Because I believe.  In Michigan.  In Rich Rodriguez.

Because I'm FUCKING ALL IN, and if you're not, then stay out of my way.

You're next Clausen, you little bitch.