Weekend Roundup, Media Guide Edition: August 12, 2012

The 2012 Michigan Football Media Guide is out (actually it's been out for a little while).  I remember when the media guide was a heavy $20 bible you'd run out and get at the MDen before the season started, and you'd go through page by page, marveling ​at the amazing history and tradition of Michigan Football.  There's probably some old timers from the tailgate that remember when the media guide was reserved for the media.  Now it's a publicly distributed pdf file, and those same old timers are squinting and reading a manual to figure out how to download it and save it as a file on their "internet boxes."  Ah, times they are a changin'.  It's available here in all of its glory.  And it's a big pdf, so be patient....especially if you're still rolling free dial-up internet from Net Zero.

Anyway, here's what happened around the internets​ while you sat in the fetal position in a corner wondering if the fact that Fitz was cleared to practice means he might play in Dallas.

• ESPN's power rankings discuss Michigan at #8.  The have the weight of the world resting on Denard's shoulders.  Denard covers some boilerplate keys to season, and the pundits talk about our difficult schedule, and O and D line issues.
• Michigan Basketball is on the map.  ESPN hopes to cover a rekindling of the rivalry of the 70's and 80's between Michigan and Indiana when Gameday travels to Bloomington on February 2.  I'm in.  Somebody find me some tickets.​
• The Shreveport Times covers the flame out and exit of the Honey Badger, who will be taking his talents to FCS football in the hopes he can make an impact worthy of an NFL draft position.  I'm not sure what Musburger and Lundquist will do with all that airtime during LSU games that has been freed up now that they don't have to suck Honey Badger's nuts.
• ​MVictors breaks down the media guide records section, and covers the historical numbers that might be in play this season.
• Trey Burke is thinking national championship, and an ESPN blogger thinks he's not crazy.​
• Ugh Ugh Ugh.  Roy Roundtree had arthroscopic knee surgery and is out for the next two weeks...as in  "A lot of guys come back in two weeks (from surgery like this)," Hoke said. "Our doctors did a tremendous job, we have a great medical staff."  Let's hope it's as minor as everybody at Fort Schembechler says it is.

Champ vs. Champ, and Make It 3 from the Sunshine State

​There will be so many Michigan references leading up to this one that they might as well televise it on the BTN. On college football opening weekend (8/30), our old friend Appalachian State will take on our other old friend Les Miles in a battle of National Champions from the two D1 subdivisions.

Chances of an upset? Zero. Just like when they played us.

I don't know what LSU is thinking with this. Did we not give them the best example of a worst case scenario with what happened last year? There is nothing to gain from playing the Mountaineers.

On the recruiting front, Michigan got their 24th commitment...their third from Florida. It's all about the speed baby. An article from the Sun Sentinel announces the LOI from wide receiver Martavious Odoms. (via MGoBlog)

Never the Bride

​She wore red tonight. The Buffalo Bills of college sports choked on another one, misrepresenting their conference and embarrassing themselves. A lot was said about the lightning fast SEC speed in the weeks leading up to this matchup, but it didn't come to fruition.

Too fast? Not really.

Too smart. Too strong. Out-coached. Out-battled.

The Buckeyes fall short again, making it 3 consecutive National Championship games (football, basketball, football) in which they couldn't get it done. They started quickly, jumping out to a 10-0 lead...and that would be it. From that point, Ohio State looked confused and frustrated. Costly, borderline retarded penalties kept drives alive. Missed assignments all over the place, missed tackles all over the place...unable to adjust to the trickeration from the Michigan Man that almost was, and unable to respond to the SEC strength.

The Buckeyes fall to 3-11-1 overall against the SEC, 0-9 in bowl games. Yummmm. Taste the tears. The Wolverines are 18-5-1 against the SEC...8-2 in bowl games.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to compare seasons here. We lost to a mountain town high school this year. OSU won the Big Ten title. I'm just giving you the final results...Michigan didn't win the National Championship, and neither did Ohio State. The rest of this is smoke and mirrors, ifs and buts. The only difference between us now?

We're on a winning streak.

There's a certain amount of satisfaction that we have the ability to do something that Ohio State cannot...beat the SEC. Our New Year's Day victory felt good and looked good. Now it's even better.

And now it's over in so many ways. The season is over. The reign of Bo has truly ended. Things will never be the same. We are moving on, moving forward. And you have to love it, all of it, even the bit of uncertainty about the new regime. These are exciting times my friends. Get on board.

Spring game up next. See you then...and at the reunion.

GO BLUE!

Just in Case You Are Waffling...

​...I would like to remind you that you are rooting for Les Miles and LSU tonight. Big Ten loyalty is something you cherish if you are Northwestern, Indiana, or Michigan State. Ohio State is something you root against if you have any loyalty to Michigan at all. So, don the purple and yellow tonight, wear it with pride, and revel in The Ohio State University being known as The Buffalo Bills of college sports.

Hmmmm....Interesting Choice of Words

​Les Miles presser certainly left the door open, and makes the whole thing look like a cover to make his players think all is well going into the SEC championship game. I guess we will have more answers tonight. Then we'll have more answers tomorrow. And on and on until there is ink on paper.

Make no mistake, he did not say "I will not be the coach at Michigan."

Right now, he's just pissed at the leaks. F'n Herbstreit messing with our shit.
Also, he took no questions. Hmmmmm.

This is a circus.

MGoBlog echoes these sentiments and more, and has a full transcript if you missed the presser

***UPDATE: Les Miles went a step further in his pregame interview, saying he will be the coach of LSU next year.  So now it's done.  I think.