Chuck Bloom

British actor Williamson ("Excalibur") dead at age of 75

2012-01-27T10:38:00.000-06:00

The death of one of the best Britsh actors, Nicol Williamson, was announced this week, at the age of 75 from a long battle with esophageal cancer. The Scottish-born Williamson, possessor of one of the great voices in movies and theater (as well as one of the more volitaile tempers) was best known for his role as Merlin in the John Boorman production of "Excalibur," regarded by many as the best of the King Arthur movies.
Williamson also played Sherlock Holmes in "The Seven Percent Solution," as well as Little John in "Robin and Marian," with Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn.
He actually passed away on Dec. 16 in Amsterdam, but his death was only announced this week on his website.

A contrasting view of two Arizona women

2012-01-26T16:07:00.000-06:00

Here is a contrast of two Arizona woman and the state of political discourse, courage versus cowardise and bitterness in our nation. One is a nasty, crabby, snarly ineffective bee-otch of a soul, sadly serving as governor, who is doing nothing more than selling books while acting as a schoolmarm by disrespecting the President of the United States in public.
The other is the very symbol of courage, having battled back from a tragic, near-fatal assassination attmept of her life, where others died but she barely survived and has triumphantly battled back, attmepting to regain as much as her life as possible. So she hugs the President, who was unwavering in his support of her efforts and rehab, at the State of the Union. This singular moment will remain with Americans long after the dust is wiped away from the speech's text.
Which ONE is really worthy of praise?

One picture IS worth a thousand words

2012-01-23T18:45:00.000-06:00

What else is there to say?

The last sad days of Joe Paterno

2012-01-22T16:19:00.000-06:00

The death this morning of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, at the age of 85, culminates one of the strangest and saddest chapters in college football this season. The man who won more games than any other head coach on ANY level is being remembered more for a scandal, over which he had little control and had even less understanding of it, than his decades long career.
If you imagine how short 90 days actually flies by, it is still hard to fathom how Paterno, in a time-span of less than three months, was idolized for the record-breaking victory, then being in the eye of the hurricane that was Jerry Sandusky, to being fired (in such an ignominous fashion) to the revelation of affliction with lung cancer to literally dying overnight. Sometimes, life AND death take place faster than the speed of light and certainly quicker than the speed of comprehension.
It would probably be proper to state that Paterno stayed too long at the dance; he should have retired a decade ago (about the time he first learned of Sandusky's behavior through McQuerry's disclosure and allegation). I can only play armchair quarterback to ask, in hindsight, what would Paterno have wanted: a clean legacy or the victories record? I don't think the record book, which is still a temporary position until someone else eventually replaces you, is any substitute for retaining your reputation and good name. Paterno will forever be linked to this scandal, even on the day he died.
Here's my hypothesis: Paterno was SO old school, so rigid in his belief system, focusing all of life to football, that when he was informed of the shower incident, involving Sandusky (his trusted right-hand man for 30 years on the job) and a 13-year-old boy, he could NOT process it. Pure and simple. His mind couldn't conceive of such behavior happening, taking place on his facility, and involving a man he trusted for three decades. In a digital age, it simply did not compute.
Paterno did inform his "superiors," despite the unwritten understanding of who lorded over whom, and continued his business of running Nittany Lion football. He didn't follow up because 1) it still didn't register and he had NO idea of the depth of the depraved behavior; and 2) he honestly thought his actions were satisfactory. After all, shouldn't school officials have taken upon themselves to go to the police?
But if you think back, right around 10 years ago, Paterno became less and less involved, on a direct basis, with the football team. His health began to decline, he spent more time coaching in the press box than on the field and most of the game decisions were left to the coordinators. Everything began to crumble - from Penn State's on-field influence to Paterno's physical well-being. About 10 years ago, fans began to hear the various calls for JoePa to step down and allow new, fresh blood into the program for reinvigorate it. However, Paterno would have none of it; perhaps because he saw no reason to exist other than running Penn State football.
In the wake of the nationwide scandal and condemnation, Paterno was fired on Nov. 5, and a few days later (seemingly just a few hours later), his lung cancer condition was diagnosed, followed by reports of a broken hip, identical to the one suffered a few years before.
When Paterno gave his only on-camera interview to Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post, the first half was conducted with Paterno sitting in a chair (although he wore a wig to cover the effects of cancer treatment). The second half, not shown on camera, was held while Paterno was lying in bed. The end was closer than people knew.
On Saturday night, the grim news leaked from different sources that family was gathering to say goodbye; his son bravely denied it through various messages, but ... you knew it was true. Which is why his eventual death was no shock; it was more a feeling of sadness for what had transpired in less than 90 days.
Paterno SHOULD be remembered for his accomplishments and achievements as a football coach - NOT for what others criminally did through an association with Penn State football. But that's not the times in which we live; we have forgotten that people are innocent until proven guilty and Joe Paterno was guilty of nothing other than growing old and failing to understand the depths by which some people will fall in the course of human behavior.
He was the last of his generation of coaches and perhaps the last of an era where one man held such an unflinching grip over a single program and a single university. All condolences to the State College community and the Penn State family.

Leader of the "Maize Rage" pack

2012-01-18T11:17:00.000-06:00

Look who was part of the Maize Rage last night... why it's Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson!!! (bouncing adn cheering all game long behind the Michigan State bench). Now that's a team/school leader who is saying loud and clear, "I LOVE being a Michigan Man." Was wearing his letterman's jacket too ... having the time of his life!
And a GREAT win over Sparty (I love it when MSU Coach Tom Izzo is hacked off at losing to Blue?).

Ten changes needed to college football’s bowl season

2012-01-09T19:03:00.000-06:00

Now that the 2011 collegiate football season has finally come to an exhaustive conclusion, having felt like one of those old WWII prisoner of war movies where everyone is in tattered shoes and physically drained, there are some changes to be made to the whole system. Some are radical and some are common sense, but all of them are very much needed.

First, in the future, only teams with actual winning records will be allowed to participate. Going 6-6, or .500, is not good enough; it means you simply suck half the time. And for sure, NO team with a losing record (regardless of circumstance as was UCLA at 6-7 this season) plays in a bowl game.

Second, no team facing, or under, any type of NCAA penalty/sanctions can participate (and yes, that is aimed directly as schools like Southern Cal and Ohio State). Rule breaking, lying and cheating should never ever be rewarded, as was the case last year (and this season) concerning the Buckeyes. It was a double sham for the 2010 Sugar Bowl because five players, subsequently suspended but made public prior to the game, were permitted to perform. Their suspension should have been doubled.

Third, the Rose Bowl shall ALWAYS be played on Jan.1, regardless of what the NFL has scheduled. The parade is held in the morning and kickoff is 2 p.m. Pasadena time. If the NFL gets upset, screw them! At some point, tradition and history MUST count for something; it was a mockery of both to see the parade and game held on Monday, Jan. 2.

Fourth, hold no more cold weather outdoor bowl games! Let’s simply forget about playing games in Boise, Idaho, or Yankee Stadium when it could blizzard or freeze. Let the NHL play its Winter Classic in an outdoor stadium for the novelty effect; college football bowl games should be seen as some sort of reward (Boise is punishment in December.)

Fifth, Outside of the BCS championship game, a city gets to host just one post-season contest. Sorry, but the organizers and chamber bosses in New Orleans, San Diego, Orlando and Dallas must pick just ONE post-season contest to use as a tourist Power Point presentation. The New Orleans Bowl will just have to find a new home.

Sixth, if a school is planning to fire, or hire, its head football coach, it must wait until AFTER the conclusion of the bowl game it accepts as a participant. In 2011, some 12 schools entered their bowl encounters with interim coaches after the game of musical coaching chairs began. In fact, two games saw both teams played under interim bosses.

But continuity always produces a better quality of football and if a school is all-too-willing to take that bowl game cash, perks and rewards, then it can damn well wait until scrambling its players and staff when the grim reaper makes its appearance.

Seventh, all these corporate sponsors are massive marketing ploys and disturb the natural rhythm of the football universe. I say go retro, back to the future, and return some of these contests to their original names. The Capital One Bowl should really be the Tangerine Bowl, which began in 1947; the Chick-Fil-A Bowl sounded better when it was the Peach Bowl, honoring the peach industry of Georgia; and the Outback Bowl had been known as the Hall of Fame Game.

If college teams can don “throwback” uniforms, which may or may not have actually existed long ago, then these games can return to their true roots.

Eighth, games should be played in cities that people actually WANT to visit in December. Birmingham, Ala.? Charlotte, N.C.? Shreveport, La.? Detroit … in wintertime? Seriously???

Ninth, a game dedicated to the U.S. armed forces should actually involve one of the academy schools. Neither Brigham Young University nor University of Tulsa qualified in 2011.

And, finally, tenth, if the FCS, and its old Division 1-A schools, can execute a legitimate playoff process to determine a national champion (it was North Dakota Stadium in a game held last Saturday in Frisco, Texas), then the big boys have no righteous excuse to avoid it.

These student-athletes have the same examination challenges as anyone in the SEC, Big 10 or Big 12. Their fans had the same travel obstacles as LSU, Alabama, Michigan or Oregon. YET … it was done very successfully (as was the case in Division 2 and Division 3 NCAA action), with no complaints from players, coaches, or administration.

So why, again, does the BCS go through its ridiculous square dance of excuses every year??? Could you imagine the overall fan interest, and television ratings (as well as stadium attendance) if you took the top eight, 12 or 16 teams and worked it out over a four-week time frame? In fact, a national championship could be played on the off-week before the Super Bowl.

The hang-up is found in the offices of the various collegiate presidents, who are the REAL powers behind the NCAA hierarchy – not coaches or athletic directors; for some reason, the prospect of MORE money isn’t as enticing as the seduction process employed by the various bowl committees. What a shame for the rest of us!

In the end, some of these lower-rung games will have to disappear – for the sake of the game itself. Nothing was gained to have Purdue edge Western Michigan, or for Illinois and UCLA to have played at all. If someone in charge will help cull these weak sisters out of the system, future action after the regular season won’t be such a major beatdown.

It might actually MEAN something.

One year later: Profile in REAL courage

2012-01-08T21:15:00.000-06:00

This photo is of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, (D-AZ), one year AFTER some madman shot her in the head during a meeet-and-greet in a Tucson parking lot. Six people died, including an innocent 9-year-old girl, and 13 were left wounded.
Through it all, she has battled to recover as much normal function as possible and, Sunday night, led a memorial service of 1,000 in the Pledge of Allegiance. As always, her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, has been by her side.
In 2011, the public's reaction and outpouring of affection for this woman, and that community, might have been the high point in a year of such ugliness and sadness.
God Bless Gaby and I hope she recovers enough to run for re-election. If not, I hope Kelly does so to carry on her fights and her legacy.

Sugar Bowl love: Kisses sweeter than whine

2012-01-04T17:56:00.001-06:00

The 2011 Redemption Tour of Michigan football is now complete and no place could have been a better finishing port than New Orleans – land of laissez faire and “Laissez les bons temps rouler” … let the good times roll. Before an announced crowd of 64,512 in the Louisiana Superdome (some of us will just have to wait until the Mercedes naming rights have been seared into our brains), the collegiate football program left for dead, just a shade over one year before, was officially resurrected and made nationally relevant by the unlikeliest of sources – its defense, its resilience and its coaching.

The 23-20 overtime Sugar Bowl victory over a very fine Virginia Tech squad brought the Wolverines their 11th victory of the season and more than immense satisfaction for its display of defensive tenacity and good fortune – on at least two overturned calls which, for once, went Michigan’s way in the post-season (just two words to say – Anthony Davis).

This victory was earned; it was NOT given by anyone. Actually, that’s not entirely true. Michigan also had lots of help from an unlikely source – the Virginia Tech coaches. On three occasions, poor game decisions and play calls led to Michigan’s win, and Frank Beamer, now the tenured dean of big school coaches, must assume responsibility and blame for what happened.

First, in what was obviously a defensive struggle from the start, leading 6-0 late in the second quarter, Beamer set aside a sure three points to call for a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1 from the Michigan 4. Although Hokie QB Logan Thomas runs well in the open field, at 6-6, it’s harder for him to get that quick first step needed to make the play successful. The Big Blue defense rose up and held him short of the first down marker. And 9-0 would have been a much bigger hurdle to face than 6-0 with the ball.

In truth, Virginia Tech never fully recovered from that failed execution for the remainder of the game. Michigan, helped by a roughing-the-punter call, marched (actually stumbled) down the field until senior Junior Hemingway made one of his patented midair catches, broke free from a gambling defender and sprinted into the end zone for a 7-6 lead with 49 seconds left in the first half.

On the ensuing kickoff, UM’s J.B. Fitzgerald stripped the ball from Hokie returner Tony Gregory and Delonte Hollowell recovered at the VT 26. Three unsuccessful plays later, Michigan executed a fake field goal play … uh, not exactly.

Holder Drew Dileo did throw a pass into the end zone, which was tipped by the Hokies before it reached that destination, only to see it fall into the friendly arms of Michigan long snapper Jareth Glanda, who rumbled to the VT 8 with 8 seconds left in the half.

All those voodoo dolls being employed by Michigan fans in the stands were obviously working. They absolutely were affecting the VT coaching.

Brendan Gibbons gave UM a 10-7 halftime lead with his first field goal on the night and a team which was completely outplayed was still winning. The difference was the play of the much-maligned Michigan defense and by halftime, no one could rationally question its worth, its talent or its bend-but-don’t-break mentality.

The second Michigan touchdown came when true freshman linebacker Frank Clark literally stole a pass out of Martin’s hands, setting up the second Robinson-to-Hemingway scoring pass and a 17-6 advantage. Again, had Virginia Tech kicked that field goal instead of trying the QB sneak in the first half, it would have made, in my mind, a major difference in how the game was played.

The second VT coaching mistake was calling for a fake punt with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter; it had no chance to succeed from initiation and the punter was smothered by the swarming Michigan defense from the snap. The gadget mistake gave Michigan excellent midfield position instead of pinning the Wolverines deep in their own territory.

In a close encounter of the fourth (quarter) kind, position means everything. Michigan took advantage by kicking the go-ahead field goal for a 20-17 lead.

Finally, as regulation time rolled down, Virginia Tech, clearly marching to a possible victory, went “defensive” on offense in the final minute. Too many plays were called to merely to establish position for the game-tying field goal (which came with 2 seconds left in regulation). But Beamer never really tried anything true shot to win the game outright…or so it seemed.

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This was the first-ever meeting between the schools and showed how a lack of familiarity can come back to bite a team (and coaching staff). For sure, the amount of team speed possessed by the Hokies could never be properly measured on film/tape. You cannot practice for it if you’ve never seen it up close and personal (not permissible since the pairing was made AFTER both teams ended regular season action).

VaTech’s speed on defense gave Michigan’s offense fits all night long, holding the Wolverines to 184 yards and just 56 yards rushing – all season lows. Quarterback Denard Robinson was the obvious focal point of the Hokie attack and with just a few exceptions, he was NOT in control of his fate Tuesday night.

Speed versus power is what distinguished the four major conferences (the Big 10 represents power football for the most part with the SEC and Big 12 displaying most of the speed). In a one-game, winner-take-all matchup, speed usually holds a significant advantage, but over a nine-week schedule, power often reduces the speed factor through sheer wear-and-tear. So it is to Michigan’s credit that it emerged victorious since speed is NOT its middle name.

The Big 10 school which manages to produce a significant speed factor over its conference rivals will dominate for the next decade and be better equipped to play Southern-based schools in bowl encounters.

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Michigan’s win helped wipe some of the manure splattering off the Big 10 mantle during this bowl season, but it remained a sorry sight for the conference to have lost six of nine games prior to Tuesday night’s Sugar Bowl. Sparty, despite all the whining about its lot in BCS life, finally decided in the second half to show up and went into triple overtime to edge Georgia. Purdue almost embarrassed itself by barely nipping Western Michigan in the Pizza Bowl in Detroit.

The strength (or weakness) of the Big 10 Conference was not on trial; the silly (non-BCS) bowl system itself was indicted for what it actually is … a fraud. To fill all those contractual obligations, a greedy conference has allowed itself to be ridiculed and teams which had NO business playing an extra game merely got further humiliated.

Just because a team becomes “bowl-eligible” means it should be “bowl-selected.” The proliferation of these unnecessary games is hurting college football. As disclosed on HBO’s “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel,” these games often are held under some guise for “charitable contributions,” but usually don’t give a penny of money to anyone but themselves. That show outlined how the bowl executives got salaries closer to seven figures than five figures, and how IRS disclosure statements revealed no funds sent to any charities.

They are mere vehicles for sponsors to primp around the host cities like they own the damn place, and college student-athletes become their unwitting pawns. No sponsor with the name “Taxslayer.com” should be allowed to sponsor ANYTHING related to college athletics and Yankee Stadium (or Boise, Idaho), in late December, is NO place to play a college football game.

I live in suburban Dallas and I can assure you there were fewer people in the Metroplex aware that Penn State was playing Houston in the TicketCity Bowl (sponsored by a service unavailable in this area) than voted for John Huntsman in the Iowa Causcuses. And the empty seats, disguised as ticket-purchasing fans, echoed that fact. For the Cougars, it was a chance to score a big win over a formerly-decent national name; for Penn State, the game meant nothing and it showed.

Same holds true for the Buckeyes, who quit against Florida, and Nebraska, who shut it down in the fourth quarter against South Carolina. Iowa was overmatched against Oklahoma from the moment the matchup was announced and Northwestern didn’t have the talent on its roster to handle an underachieving Texas A&M team, essentially playing a home game in Houston just 90 minutes away from College Station.

Of course, Illinois and UCLA (both of whom should be in witness protection) still got to “play” in the Hunger Bowl, while neither of which had named new head coaches. I wonder if they could’ve filled AT&T Park in San Francisco if they gave those tickets away for free.

To be fair, Wisconsin fought tooth-and-nail in order NOT to lose its second straight Rose Bowl and should be commended.

But you know WHO likes this system? NCAA college presidents. That’s because schools get paid to play and the honchos get wined and dined by this various bowl representatives. Of course, these are the same people (the campus bosses) who have firewalled any NCAA-BCS playoff proposal, citing the myth of semester testing and runaway practice schedules.

This Saturday, a Texas school – Sam Houston State University in Huntsville (home of Texas’ state prison and death row) – will face North Dakota State at noon just a hoot and a holler from my house. The game will be played at a soccer stadium in Frisco, Texas, and will culminate a four-week playoff process. If it works for the Bearkats and the Bison, despite the semester finals, extra practice and week-to-week uncertainty where the next game will be held, it can work for the big schools, earning even MORE money for the NCAA and its institutions.

It’s just that no one gets wined and dined to death and no fans get scammed.

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For the first time in a decade, the future looks SO damn bright, Michigan fans will need more than the best shades Oakley makes to hide the shine. Recruiting classes for 2012 (and beyond) are becoming the envy of the conference and the start of a permanent place in the top 3-4 in the nation. There are some big holes to fill in the defensive and offensive lines and more depth needs to be added.

But while other programs scramble to find their way in the dark, hoping old names in new places will be the magical answer, Michigan has defied the experts (and critics within its own circles) and demonstrated how making changes … properly … with the correct choice to be the leader … makes all the difference.

As said time and time again this season, in this blog, the personnel appeared to have been there all along – even on defense. It merely took the right coaches/leaders to have gotten the best (and complete) performance to come to the surface. The fifth-year seniors, recruited by Lloyd Carr and thought to be less-than-stellar performers, proved their worthiness and ultimate legacies in UM gridiron history throughout the season and especially in this Sugar Bowl.

Made all those beignets Tuesday morning taste that much sweeter.

By the way: Best sign(s) inside the Dome was “Spartan. Tears. Taste Like. Sugar.”

Go Blue!

Time to seriously re-think voting periods

2011-12-14T12:18:00.000-06:00

As the 2012 election marathon officially begins Jan. 3 in the snow-driven cornfields of Iowa, it is the start of a slow-drip deth spiral upon the public's head. It's been dripping for most of 2011 and will continue past the election of the next President in November.

The obscene amount of money spent by various candidates to attempt to obtain elective office should convince even the biggest partisan die-hard that a different method is needed in the United States to choose public officials. If anyone truly thinks the primary and general election process makes financial or participatory sense, when it takes almost two full years to complete – from the first public pronouncement of candidacy to the official filing and then to the final general election – then I’ve got some newly discovered Lehman Brothers stock to sell you.

A good analyst should always offer an alternative solution and I’ve got a doozy. Simply read and think about it.

First, ALL elective offices below the state level should be non-partisan. I don’t understand why the county sheriff necessarily HAS to be a Democrat or Republican when that person is a law enforcement officer.

And wouldn’t judges appear more impartial if they were non-partisan? Then you’d be voting for personal standards and performance; not along party lines. All judgeships should be non-partisan choices.

More importantly, it would save thousands of dollars in duplicate expenditure. Today, a man or woman must wage two expensive campaigns (party primary, general election) to gain such offices as county or district clerk, county treasurer, justice of the peace, constable, etc.

You hold one general election (and one runoff if needed) and let it be done. The winner would need 50 percent – plus one vote – and if the first round doesn’t produce a clear-cut victor, have a runoff 30 days from that first vote.

Second, in presidential years, hold a one-day nationwide primary, to allow as many candidates in each party to vie for the presidency; it would permit ALL Americans the same opportunity to make their feelings known. The first primary could come in August and then the November general election would pit the winners of each major party (or alternative parties if you want to be benevolent).

At the present time, a handful of small northern states get all the say-so in who becomes the next president. In 2000, if Bill Bradley or John McCain had an equal opportunity to go before ALL the voters in their respective parties, instead of getting slowly chopped piecemeal state-by-state, perhaps the outcome “might” have been different. And who knows where we would be today if a national primary was held four years ago? Would we be saying President Hillary Clinton? Or would Mitt Romney be seeking re-election this November?

When each candidate reached my home state, Texas, in early March of 2008, the nomination process was effectively a foregone conclusion. Many voters simply stayed away because they felt their vote for certain candidates were wasted without ANY legitimate chance of winning.

Why should Iowa and New Hampshire voters get SO much power and influence to pre-determine what every other state decides? A national primary would allow any candidate a fair shot at the electorate – always a better way to do things.

A 90-day campaign period would then begin – plenty of time to get one’s message to the nation without months of monotonous campaign advertising bombarding our senses ad nauseum (literally). It would also end the nonsense for holding national party conventions – good only for dull speeches, a lot of partying and staged photo opportunities and balloon drops. Nothing is ever mysterious about these trumped-up, bloated campaign rallies. No real news is ever made, which is why the networks stopped coverage in favor of anything available to broadcast.

Perhaps NBC could put the candidates through a real version of “Fear Factor?” The winner, bugs swallowed and all, gets the nomination.

Third, make early voting a national phenomenon (with clear-cut standards) and move Election Day to a Sunday (many other democratic nations already do that). Our archaic system retains the first Tuesday in November for the general election because … that was the best day when the U.S. was an agrarian society.

But does it fit a very busy 21st century America? How many people simply shun the chance to vote because of a limited (in their mind) time factor? It should be a customer-friendly process, not akin to paying one’s taxes.

Finally, the right to vote is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution; it never mentions a damn thing about voter identification requirements. This argument that voter fraud is a major virus eating at the American fabric is a canard; such laws are simply passed to oppress certain voting groups from exercising their Constitutional rights. It’s shameful and it’s un-American.

And please stop this silly rationale about needing photo IDs to fly on an airplane or cash a check. Neither activity is mentioned in the Constitution and fails to take into account that millions of Americans don’t NEED a photo ID (they don’t drive, fly and only use cash to do business). If someone wants to propose a national ID for all citizens to carry and maintain (with all pertinent legal information include, such as voter registration, social security number, other licenses, etc.), hold that discussion separately from the right to vote.

I know this will never come to be because … in your heart you know it makes sense.

Hence, it’s doomed. Rats! Can I get on “Fear Factor?”

Creole sugar tasting sweeter than rest of BCS stew

2011-12-05T20:37:00.000-06:00

It’s official: Michigan is headed to the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3 in New Orleans and the entire Bowl Championship Series is headed for the crapper. The process to select a national Division 1 football champion (without actually using a sensible playoff system) has spit out a rematch for its coveted crystal football – a game most fans, outside of the Southeastern Conference, do NOT want to see; that contest has been held and decided.

But in the wisdom and contrivance of too many computerized system, it has been declared that undefeated LSU, the legitimate top-ranked team in the nation, will play Alabama, the squad the Tigers beat 9-6 in an overtime battle of field goals in early November.

It, frankly, stinks; it is NOT what most of college football wants to see, and in the process of this ridiculous charade, many excellent programs got the shaft so hard, they might as well employ Isaac Hayes’ classic theme for their entrances (and that means the likes of TCU, Boise State, Houston, Southern Miss and, yes, Michigan State).

Michigan’s appearance almost completes the circle of full redemption from last year’s disastrous conclusion to the 2010 year in the Gator Bowl. A victory over a good (but not great) Virginia Tech squad, accomplished by playing at their best, will allow the Wolverines to feel totally vindicated.

And has anyone noticed that 10 of the schedule’s 12 opponents earned bowl bids of some kind – including San Diego State and Western Michigan. The only two schools NOT invited? Eastern Michigan (although head coach Ron English was named MAC Coach of the Year) and Minnesota. I’m not sure how many schools can equal that.

The BCS need to institute several changes to its policy for picking championship game participants – all based on the avoidance of a rematch of ANY kind (either scheduled or from conference play).

First, two teams from the same conference cannot face each other in the finals. When Ohio State beat Michigan 42-39 in 2006, they were the top two-ranked teams in America and little of what happened in Columbus changed that. Yet … they did not play a second time for the 2007 national championship. As difficult as it is to say, Michigan had its bite at the apple and fell short. Another team would assume that mantle (Florida did and won it all).

Besides, let’s assume Alabama does upset LSU on Jan. 9; what will football fans then expect? A best 2-out-of-3? The bickering could be endless; the best answer is to avoid such a scenario.

The team burnt the most by the choice is Oklahoma State, sitting at 11-1, having utterly and thoroughly destroyed in-state rival Oklahoma in the season finale. The Cowboys would be MORE than a worthy opponent to LSU, offering someone not often seen in the SEC – a potent offense. Much of the defensive statistical supremacy by a host of SEC schools can be attributed to offensively-challenged systems. No one can really name one school whose attack was superlative; Oklahoma State is capable of overwhelming most defenses so playing the best unit (LSU) could make for a compelling matchup.

People inaccurately point to OSU’s double overtime loss at Iowa State as the reason for non-placement in the BCS title game. Yet very few fans, outside of Stillwater, remember the circumstances under which that game was played.

A plane crash the night before had killed two members of the OSU women’s basketball staff and two of the school’s major boosters; all of Stillwater was in morning. YET … because the game was set for Friday night, prime time, on ESPN, it HAD to be played. Or did it? Would a postponement really have been so improper, in deference to the tragedy that also affected the football program?

Iowa State played out of its mind and Oklahoma State seemed distracted, but the Cyclones earned their win and no one from OSU bitched about it. Their performances from that point forward seemed to employ more urgency and the annihilation of OU was the capper.

Of course, the team who “might” have been the one to play on Jan. 9 is ineligible – Southern Cal. Because of that status, the Pac-12 championship march was a joke; all the quality was in one division (Oregon, Stanford) and the Pac-12 title game produced a team that is the only one going to a bowl game with a losing record (UCLA).

Come to think of it, after so many other programs have committed equally egregious violations, why IS Southern Cal on the outside looking in? All because of one player? Come on…

Speaking of UCLA, if you have a sub-.500 record, you simply cannot, and should not, be allowed into ANY post-season bowl game. Period! And if there are not enough teams to fill those slots, cancel the damn game. Sorry, Boise, you ain’t playing this year; sorry, Little Caesars, no bowl bowl for pizza pizza.

And the most worthless of the matchups should be relegated to the kind of channels the Republican presidential candidates held their debates. A few public access outlets might want to show the Belk Bowl.

Next, some conferences lose their automatic bids if their teams stink too much – specifically the Big East. It’s a basketball conference; football is an after-thought. The Mountain West has more of a legitimate claim than the Big East. And if you have members west of the Ohio River, you’re not the Big EAST anymore.

If football purists really want fewer games and better competition in the post-season, then do this: winner take all! Excluding the major games, let’s have all these 6-6, 7-5 and 8-4 schools play on an “all in” basis (especially at the Las Vegas Bowl), with the winner of the contest (and that includes the coaches and players) getting 100 percent of the payout. The loser gets squat, squa-doosh, zilch.

If that was the situation, you’d see two things: a MUCH better contest and fewer of them because many of the schools would back away from that proposal. School presidents wouldn’t have the same stomach to take that wager as they do when wined and dined by these various bowl committees and respective chambers of commerce.

One other thing: except for the BCS title game, one game to a city per year. Sorry, San Diego it’s either the Poinsettia OR the Holiday Bowl … but not both. Same goes for Orlando and New Orleans.

Obviously, an eight-team or 16-team playoff system, held between school semesters, climaxing in late-January on the weekend before the Super Bowl, would end all this nonsense about the BCS. A real national champion would be earned, not pre-anointed by some jukebox of a computer and a smoked-filled meeting room.

For anyone going to New Orleans for the first time, eat beignets and café aulait at the world famous Café DuMond at 2 a.m., see Audubon Park, ride the trolley up and down St. Francis, listen and watch the street scenes around Jackson Square, see the galleries on Royal Street include George Rodrigue’s “Blue Dog” exhibition, and eat at the greatest garden (and most decadent) buffet in the world, The Court of Two Sisters – make sure you order some mimosas.

New Orleans is a Creole city, as opposed to Cajun (which is the rest of Southwest Louisiana, also known as the Acadian region). Creole cooking involves sauces, Cajun cooking involves spices (youse gotta know dat).

So let the good times roll and Geaux Blue!

Here are the BCS bowl lineups (with comments):

Rose Bowl (presented by Vizio) (Pasadena, Calif.), Jan. 2, 5 p.m. – Oregon (11-2) vs. Wisconsin (11-2) (ESPN)

The only way Bucky Badger wins this game is ball control and keeping the Oregon offense off the field. Michigan State possesses just half the potency on offense as do the Ducks and they scored a bunch against Wisconsin. This is Oregon’s chance for redemption from last year’s Rose Bowl.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.) Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m. – Oklahoma State (11-1) vs. Stanford (11-1), (ESPN)

In a parallel world, this would be worthy of the national title. The battle could be between the top best pro-style quarterbacks in the collegiate game and NFL scouts could account for a significant portion of the crowd. The Cowboys have more to prove than the Cardinal.

Allstate Sugar Bowl (Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.) Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. – Michigan (10-2) vs. Virginia Tech (11-2) (ESPN)

There’s no history between these two schools so animosity will not be a factor. But Michigan has played, for the most part, with chips on its shoulders and this should be continued vindication on two levels – which the coaching change was the right move and there was enough talent on campus to have prevented what happened the previous three years.

Discover Orange Bowl (Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Fla.) Jan. 4, 8 p.m. – Clemson (10-3) vs. West Virginia (9-3) (ESPN)

You have to like any coach whose name is “Dabo.” And no Michigan fan should be able to like anything labeled “West Virginia” – again because of the previous three seasons.

Allstate BCS National Championship (Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.), Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m. – LSU (13-0) vs. Alabama (11-1) (ESPN)

LSU’s defense is more dynamic than Trent Richardson for the Crimson Tide. Someone will actually score a touchdown, but the real question is whether America will be so “gamed” out by Jan. 9 to care about watching…even on ESPN.

And here is the full schedule for the also-rans:

Gildan New Mexico Bowl (UNM Stadium, Albuquerque, N.M.), Dec. 17, 2 p.m. – Temple (8-4) vs. Wyoming (8-4) (ESPN)

Gildan is some kind of activewear company (that sells the blank shirts/fleece that are used by screenprinters) that I’ve never heard of… blank as in this “who cares” game. El Pinto is a great Mexican restaurant in north Albuquerque and makers of the best green chile salsa and sauce I’ve ever tasted. It should have been the sponsor.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Bronco Stadium, Boise, Id.) Dec. 17, 5:30 p.m. – Ohio (9-4) vs. Utah State (7-5) (ESPN)

Five minutes of watching any game on this blue carpet will send you straight to the ophthalmologist for severe eye damage. If you need a local/state team to boost your attendance, it’s a game that should never be played.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.) Dec. 17, 9 p.m. – Louisiana-Lafayette (9-3) vs. San Diego State (8-4) (ESPN)

Michigan played its first quality overall game versus the Aztecs, heading into Big Ten action. SDSU was better than it showed in Ann Arbor. Louisiana-Lafayette is down Interstate-10 from New Orleans and used to be the Southwestern Louisiana Rajun Cajuns. Press box food ought to be pretty good, though.

Beef O’Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl (Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.) Dec. 20, 8 p.m. – Florida International (8-4) vs. Marshall (6-6) (ESPN)

Never heard of Beef O’Bradys, which is a Florida-based eatery chain that looks like any other generic joint of its kind. So does the game, with (again) a state team needed to boost ticket sales. And why is Marshall here? So we can rehash the story of “We Are Marshall?” I’ll pass.

S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl (Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, Calif.) Dec. 21, 8 p.m. – TCU (10-2) vs. Louisiana Tech (8-4) (ESPN)

My, oh my, how Texas Christian got completely screwed! Louisiana isn’t a quality opponent for the Horned Frogs to care about, and this assignment is a complete disrespecting of the program and its conference. TCU DID beat Boise State, BYU, Wyoming and SDSU, plus Air Force to go 7-0 in winning the Mountain West, and this is its reward? It stinks!

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl (Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.) Dec. 22, 8 p.m. – Boise State (11-1) vs. Arizona State (6-6) (ESPN)

And then there’s Boise State penalized to this zero bowl game. If I am Boise, why would I give a flip for such a lousy also-ran as Arizona State, who is spending more time finding a new coach than coaching up its players to getting whipped like rented mules.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl (Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hi.) Dec. 24, 8 p.m. – Nevada (7-5) vs. Southern Miss (11-2) (ESPN)

Once again, a conference champion being given the BCS finger. Southern Miss pulled one of Championship Week’s biggest upsets by defeating undefeated Houston and then no respect. At least the Golden Eagles will spend Christmas in Oahu.

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl (Independence Stadium, Shreveport, La.) Dec. 26, 5 p.m. – Missouri (7-5) vs. North Carolina (7-5) (ESPN2)

Of all the places for a bowl game, Shreveport is probably at the bottom of anyone’s list. The stadium got renovated when it was State Fair Park, but it’s still not an inviting place to play. Just ask Texas A&M when the Aggies lost a game held in a full-fledged blizzard. This, however, would be a great basketball matchup. Can they substitute sports?

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.) Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m. – Purdue (6-6) vs. Western Michigan (7-5) (ESPN)

They better giveaway tickets with special orders of cheesy bread and thee-topping pizzas, pickup only. No one is his or her right mind wants to see this game. Thank Goodness Godfather’s Pizza isn’t the sponsor; it could sell tickets, but still suspend the game.

Belk Bowl (Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.) Dec. 27, 8 p.m. – North Carolina State (7-5) vs. Louisville (7-5) (ESPN)

Belk is a retailer chain of stores specializing in a Southern lifestyle; Charlotte is a city which likes basketball more than anything. So they had to have NC State bus from Raleigh to sell tickets. Boo!

Military Bowl (presented by Northrup Grumman) (RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.) Dec. 28, 4:30 p.m. – Air Force (7-5) vs. Toledo (8-4) (ESPN)

At least there’s a school actually representing the service academies, as opposed to the Armed Forces Bowl which does not. Aside from Rocket fans, or Air Force personnel, interest doesn’t seem to be high.

Bridgeport Education Holiday Bowl (Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego) Dec. 28, 8 p.m. – California (7-5) vs. Texas (7-5) (ESPN)

This is a crime on SO many levels. Cal is too average and Texas’ offense is one of the weakest in all of college football. What’s sadder is how this bowl game, which once upon a time decided a national championship, is reduced to this.

Champs Sports Bowl (Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla.) Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. – Florida State (8-4) vs. Notre Dame (8-4) (ESPN)

This game is more about past reputations than actual on-field performances. The Irish’s only top-flight win was over Michigan State; it was its golden-helmeted heads handed to it by Southern Cal. But FSU is not USC so Notre Dame might escape with a win in the final college game of the country’s best (and poorest utilized) receiver Michael Floyd.

Valero Alamo Bowl (Alamodome, San Antonio, Tex.) Dec. 29, 9 p.m. – Baylor (9-3) vs. Washington (7-5) (ESPN)

Baylor deserves a better showcase for the talents of Robert Griffin III than to play Washington, It used to be a Big Ten representative but the contract got changed. This year, there’s no decent Pac 12 team to match the Bears, who will destroy the Huskies.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Gerald J. Ford Stadium-SMU, Dallas, Tex.) Dec. 30, Noon – BYU (9-3) vs. Tulsa (8-4) (ESPN)

The SMU campus stadium only holds 36,000 and it will STILL be half-empty for this matchup. That’s a sad prospect.

New Era Pinstripe Bowl (Yankee Stadium, New York City) Dec. 30, 3:20 p.m. – Rutgers (8-4) vs. Iowa State (6-6) (ESPN)

What’s next? The Clam Chowder Bowl played in Fenway Park? Or the Billy (Bartman) Goat Bowl in Wrigley Field? So Rutgers had to be imported from Jersey? The ghosts of Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard are shaking in their graves (when REAL football was played in Yankee Stadium).

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (LP Field, Nashville, Tenn.) Dec. 30, 6:40 p.m. – Mississippi State (6-6) vs. Wake Forest (6-6)

Funny, I thought all mortgage companies were in ruins; I know this matchup is in ruins. It really should be against the law to have a game with two teams without above-.500 records. And Michigan fans, whatever happened to the newest charging program in America? Wasn’t Mississippi State the darling of predictors after last year’s Gator Bowl swamping of UM? To quote Rick Perry, “Oops.”

Insight Bowl (Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Ariz.) Dec. 30, 10 p.m. – Iowa (7-5) vs. Oklahoma (9-3) (ESPN)

If a team played as poorly as did Oklahoma in its traditional rival game, with the Big 12 title on the line, it deserves to face no-name Iowa. I can’t see how OU even gives a damn about this game; Iowa could pull the upset.

Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl (Reliant Stadium, Houston, Tex.) Dec. 31, Noon – Northwestern (6-6) vs. Texas A&M (6-6)

Amazing what beating Minnesota and Illinois gets you … a trip to Houston (it used to be called The Bluebonnet Bowl) to face the coach-less Texas A&M Aggies – THE single most disappointing football team of 2011. Sadly, the stadium will be stuffed with A&M fans and the 500 Wildcat followers will get lost, mistakenly thinking the game is at The Astrodome next door.

Hyundai Sun Bowl (El Paso, Tex.) Dec. 31, 2 p.m. – Georgia Tech (8-4) vs. Utah (7-5) (CBS)

Another former Big Ten/Pac-12 destination that has lost out. Too bad because the people in El Paso REALLY put on quite a show; one of the best in all America.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Memphis, Tenn.) Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. – Cincinnati (9-3) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6) (ABC)

Another former prestigious game reduced to inviting Vanderbilt, whose most memorable win is over hapless Tennessee. Cincinnati will have nothing to gain by beating the Commodores.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (AT&T Park, San Francisco, Cal.) Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. – Illinois (6-6) vs. UCLA (6-7) (ESPN)

First, neither team has a head coach; both Ron Zook and Rick Neuheisel got fired. Second, UCLA does not have a winning record and should be ineligible. Third, I’d rather see a rematch of the Oakland cops versus Occupy Oakland protesters – it will be more interesting.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl (Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga.) Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. – Auburn (7-5) vs. Virginia (8-4) (ESPN)

Once upon a time, wasn’t this the Peach Bowl? Good thing it’s being played on a Saturday because all Chick-Fil-As are closed on Sunday…so no overtime in Atlanta. Virginia is a team on the up as Auburn tries to remember what it was like to win.

TicketCity Bowl (Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Tex.) Jan. 2, Noon – Houston (12-1) vs. Penn State (9-3) (ESPNU)

Follow me here: The Cotton Bowl, one of the original Big Four, was downgraded when the Fiesta Bowl bid higher. The Cotton Bowl people wanted a shinier palace to play their game so they accepted the bid from JerryWorld to depart the actual Cotton Bowl and go to Arlington. But the actual Cotton Bowl still needed a game, so it started a new game last year and TicketCity (which has no outlets in Dallas) became the sponsor. This year, poor Houston gets the short straw on little seen ESPNU to play toxic Penn State (for reasons not needed to be said) in a really good pairing. Not sure PSU has enough offense to match UH.

Capital One Bowl (Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla.) Jan. 2, 1 p.m. – Nebraska (9-3) vs. South Carolina (10-2) (ESPN)

This is Tier 1-A from BCS games. This actually is a very good, equal matchup between two name teams, one semi-legendary coach and one semi-traditional program. Nebraska would endear itself as a Big Ten member by actually … winning!

Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl (EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.) Jan. 2, 1 p.m. – Ohio State (6-6) vs. Florida (6-6) (ESPN2)

Everything about this game is a joke – from the sponsor name to the participants. The fact that Ohio State even received, and then accepted, a bowl bid shows the shame and the sham that is the NCAA … and its rules. If 10 people outside of Columbus and Gainesville watch this game, the TV police should go to their homes and remove their cable/satellite systems.

Outback Bowl (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.) Jan. 2, 1 p.m. – Michigan State (10-3) vs. Georgia (10-3) (ABC)

Spartan fans can complain all they want, but they had the Big Ten title game won and let it go. Georgia, in turn, threw the scare of a lifetime into the BCS hierarchy by leading LSU 10-0 at half of the SEC championship. Of the sub-BCS level games, this is probably the best matchup (aside from the Cotton Bowl) and the edge should go to Sparty for playing through a more difficult schedule.

AT&T Cotton Bowl (Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Tex.) Jan. 6, 8 p.m. – Arkansas (10-2) vs. Kansas State (10-2) (FOX)

For the first time in years, the “new” Cotton Bowl has a better matchup than most of the BCS games. Arkansas was always overrated at number 3 and Kansas State was always underrated when it never entered the top 10. The Wildcats are for real, but the Razorbacks have one of the most fanatic followings. The move to Arlington was made to boost the Cotton Bowl to legitimate BCS standing; I just wish it was still played at the real palace.

BBVA Compass Bowl (Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala.) Jan. 7, 1 p.m. – Pittsburgh (6-6) vs. SMU (7-5) (ESPN)

I might be the only one among you who knows one of these coaches. Pitt’s Todd Graham used to coach here at Allen (Tex.) High School just 10 years ago, when I was working for that community paper. Since then, he’s worked for RichRod, and been head coach at Rice, Tulsa (his alma mater) and Pitt … and it wouldn’t surprise me if he bolted before kickoff here for another school. SMU’s inclusion doesn’t mean much, even here in Dallas. So enjoy.

GoDADDY.Com Bowl (Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala.) Jan. 8, 9 p.m. – Northern Illinois (10-3) vs. Arkansas State (10-2) (ESPN)

Didn’t they play the Senior Bowl here? And why are two conference champions (MAC, Sun Belt) playing in Mobile??? Oh yeah, no real coach at ASU; Hugh Freeze went to Ole Miss Monday.

If fans want to dump this silly system, it can be done by either refusing to watch these games or buying tickets to them. Economics will eventually drive/force the poo-bahs of college football to institute a playoff system, rotating the site of the tournament finals and using a system of game sites (calling them whatever bowls are used) with a wild card play-in match or two like Major League baseball.

It will bring true excitement and interest to college football instead of this pandering, manipulating (ask Coach Peterson at Boise State what HE did to try to fix his team’s chances) and near-bribery from bowl executives.

Meanwhile, enjoy New Orleans Michigan fans!!!

Twitter world: baking up sweet tweets

2011-11-29T13:11:00.000-06:00

This football season, I did something I swore upon the lives of my children I would never do. No, not rooting for Sparty; my kids KNOW how loyal I am to Maize and Blue (hell, I have my 5-year-old granddaughter shouting it out as she practices to be the next star cheerleader).

No, I joined the world of Twitter, but under specific ground rules. I only tweeted during Michigan home games, joining this blog represented in the press box by podcast executive director Brian Kiernicki and podcast host Jeremy Miller, a member of the 1997 U-M national champions.

During the 3-½ hours of air time, it allowed me to share my inner thoughts, and rants at the TV screen, with them and other followers. Last Saturday was no exception, only the game was bigger. It seemed like an eternity; the game ran through two pre-programmed DVR slots into the second afternoon game (between who knows and who-could-care-less).

In truth, not much can be said in 150 characters or less and if you specify the recipient, FAR less can be explained. But I want to expand, in full blogging regalia, some of what I was thinking at the time.

More food for thought: why is ESPN Game Day on site at a game that belongs to CBS?? Why can’t it support one of its own telecasts?

Last Saturday morning, ESPN Game Day plopped itself down in Auburn, Alabama to preview THAT game – a contest to be broadcast on a rival network. For two hours, or more, it was simply a commercial for people to watch that “other” game – not the ABC/ESPN contests at that time slot.

That sounds counter-productive to me. It would have been better if that crew was in Ann Arbor, or Madison, Wisc., or on the USC campus, or anywhere else BUT Auburn. Why give your rival free publicity to steal your potential audience? Or was the thought of more F-bombs from Lee Corso (cursing the memory of the 1980 Indiana-Michigan outcome) too frightening for ABC executives?

Not even five seconds into broadcast and Spielman is already waving his school colors. Why can’t ABC find neutral mouth to put on air?

ESPN is loaded with Buckeye alumni while Desmond Howard is the only Wolverine talking college football on air (and never as a color analyst onsite). There needs to be some balance; people belly-ached when Bob Griese was permitted to call games when his son, Brian, was playing for U-M (although I understood those concerns).

But Spielman seemed to go out of his way to nag and rag on the Michigan coaching decisions. Hey, at 10-2, I guess most of those choices were right, huh?

Too many schools use “nation” for fan following! We’re bigger, better. Make it WOLVERINE WORLD!!!!

There needs to be a statute outlawing making every team’s fan base into “nation.” It’s been beaten to death (let Red Sox fans have it because it was their’s first). I like my name – Wolverine World!!!!!! Encompasses more and is better reflective of the power of Michigan alumni!

From UMGoBlog: "The Buckeyes went after that fumble like it was a voucher for a free tattoo."

My answer: “Cruel, but funny.”

I must say the UM PSA shown during time outs hasn’t changed in 3-4 years. Needs refreshing guys! Spotlight Mott’s hospital.

The 15-second public service clip that is shown whenever Michigan plays on TV – The Michigan Difference – is the exact same one, with the exact same images, for the last THREE years. Perhaps a new series could be produced that spotlights some of the best parts of the university, such as the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital … or the Ford Presidential Library … or the Ross Business School … or many outstanding research programs …

Something please other than the warmed-over visuals than needed some serious updating.

Number 856 for Horns was not expected. Biggest win by team with worst offense EVER! Little McCoy ain’t big brother.

Had someone sat next to me during the Thanksgiving farwell to college football’s third-longest running rivalry, you’d have heard that from my lips. Never has a team with as bad an offense won such a big game. I don’t know how A&M coughed (or choked) up its fifth double-digit lead of the season (out of six losses), but it did. Aggies deserve to leave the conference with its tail between their hindqaurters.

There should be a law that only fans at Fenway can sing “Sweet Caroline.” Otherwise, it’s copycat. Instead sing “Kick out the Jams!"

Why in the world are 110,000 people doing bad Neil Diamond? Can’t someone at least get some classic Motown? Or “At the Hop” by Danny and the Juniors? Imagine how THAT would sound in the stands?!?!

Shazier pulls a “Suh” ... looks around and asks “Who me???” Yeah, YOU!

OSU freshman linebacker Ryan Shazier got flagged for a personal foul (face masking for ripping Toussaint’s helmet off his head) and, in front of God and the ABC audience, got up and acted as if he was as innocent as a newborn. Palms were raised and face was contorted in that “Who me?” stare. Worst job of salesmanship since Detroit DT Ndamukong Suh tried to ignore his version of “The Bristol Stomp.”

Robinson’s TD pass total, passing Brady ... remember Brady just played 1-½ seasons.

I believe most Michigan fans forget that Tom Brady, who actually matured as a quarterback once he got to the NFL, only played a season and a half for Michigan. He sat behind Scott Driesbach and Brian Griese and became the starter midway in 1998, battling with Drew Henson.

However, nothing can diminish Robinson’s sparkling career numbers (329 completions, eighth all-time; 4,814 yards; eighth all-time; 38 touchdowns, sixth all-time) and his accomplishments having undergone a major change of offensive philosophy after two seasons. With some tweaking (not tweeting), he will be an absolute offensive beast as a senior and one of the odds-on 2012 Heisman Trophy favorites.

Must be said that Ohio State is playing more on pride than actual talent. Its O-line has been equal to UM defense since 1Q.

I tweeted that the Buckeye front line was falling apart quicker than the façade given by Penn State assistant Jerry Sandusky. After all, the Bucks DID have several top-flight recruiting classes and there WAS lots of talent on the field, dressed in Scarlet and Gray.

And despite one’s animosity towards that program, it must come with lots of respect. After all, OSU did won the last seven meetings, did win a bunch of conference championships and felt the same way about Michigan as the Wolverines felt about them. Those kids weren’t going down without a fight.

Hey, ABC!!! STOP TALKING ABOUT URBAN MEYER ALREADY! That was only the umpteenth time! Enough already!

I swear to God, the ABC on-air crew could not stop itself from bringing up Meyer’s name and no-show presence throughout the broadcast. It felt like “Coach” “Urban” “Meyer” was inserted into every third sentence.

Of course, after he basically LIED the week before about having no interest in the job or no contact about it, no one should be shocked that before the sun rose Monday in Columbus, he had agreed to be the new head coach at Ohio State. It was the worst-kept secret in America.

That said, the new sheriff in town resides in Ann Arbor and the word needs to be sent to all corners of the Big Ten, including East Lansing (the next streak to be ended) and Madison. The road to the Big Ten title not only runs through Ann Arbor, it will stay there for the next few years to come. Meyer going to Columbus will NOT change that!

That took longer than the entire Journey Greatest Hits album.

Since I am basic old school, the thought of classic rock tunes blaring over the Michigan Stadium public address system, during timeouts or play reviews, is unsettling. Why? And when to heard almost the entire version of “Don’t Stop Believing” during the Toussaint touchdown review (yes, his knee hit before the ball crossed the goal line) means the referee was taking too much time.

It should be like Final Jeopardy; play 60 seconds of that ditty and let’s have your answer!

In this rivalry, that spiking the ball on 3rd down will be the same as Chris Webber’s TO call vs. UNC in NCAA hoops final. DUMB, DUMB, DUMB!

There have been iconic moments in this rivalry – Woody ripping apart the first down markers at the end of the 1971 contest comes to my mind. Everyone has their own special moment.

Ohio State fans will have to ask themselves and their team what happened in the final minute when the Buckeyes had the ball, and a chance to WIN the contest. After a short second-down completion, and the clock ticking under 60 seconds, quarterback Braxton Miller went to the line of scrimmage (on THIRD down) and spiked the ball into the ground, stopping the clock.

Why did he waste that play, leaving him only one more chance to get a drive-sustaining first down? Who made that call? An untrained freshman? An unproven coach (who looked pissed but not shocked that it happened)? It appeared as if a two-minute drill was foreign to the OSU offense, so who was to blame?

Those are the kind of gaffes that will keep the best of Buckeye fans warm on Columbus sports radio talk shows throughout the winter – warm from inner anger that U-M fans have felt for the last seven years. Those same fans should remember that it took a SECOND coaching change to remedy Michigan’s woes.

Finally a tweet from the Nebraska game one week earlier where I asked whether a team that cannot win its conference, or its own conference DIVISION, should be allowed to play for the BCS National Championship.

Sorry to disappoint all those Roll Tide backs, but you get ONE shot at the apple … er … crystal; two chances is one too many. In this season where only one school has stood above all others (LSU – a legitimate number 1), to have a post-season rematch is cheating the fans.

The first LSU-Alabama affair was so tight of a defensive battle, it was impossible to squirt liquid through the respective water bottles. Tension is one thing but, for most of the contest, it was not compelling. Kicking field goals does not make for good television (which is the lone purpose of holding the BCS game).

So Oregon, you’re out. Alabama, you’re out. Anyone already on LSU’s schedule is out! USC, you’re not eligible. Big Ten title winner, you’re just not good enough this season.

Oklahoma State, you might have a puncher’s chance if you beat OU in “Bedlam.” That offense versus LSU’s defense would be quite entertaining.

Of course, if Georgia throws the monkey wrench of all monkey wrenches and beats LSU in the SEC title game, then throwing darts at a board might be the only solution to the final pairing. Personally, I root for chaos!

I shall put the Twitter account away until the next home game, or if I can secure tickets for the Alabama affair in Arlington, Texas come September. But I’ll bring my son because he can actually type on those ridiculously small smart phone keypads.

Michigan-Ohio State: Magic number is now 1

2011-11-27T19:18:00.000-06:00

In Times Square stands one of the most photographed sites in America; sadly it’s not what you think, instead it’s the U.S. Deficit Clock with its running total of debt. It’s a constant reminder of our past economic decisions and future choices to be made.

A different running clock has plagued Michigan football – its program and its fans with the number 2,926 – the number of days since U-M defeated its bitterest, and most hated, rival – Ohio State. Instead of the furious pace at which the deficit grows, the U-M clock of bitter misery moved at a snail’s pace … day by day by day.

Until Saturday. After seven YEARS of complete frustration, and two coaching changes, the clock had moved into positive territory. Ding! Dong! The Vest (and all its surrogates) is dead! When the stadium clock ran to 0:00, the new magic number became ONE! Michigan 40, Ohio State 34!

Unless that last three years where Michigan was an offensive flat tire, the Wolverines outgained OSU 444-373 and controlled play for 10 minutes more than the Bucks. U-M scored more points in the first three quarters against Brutus Buckeye than in the entire Rich “Mr. Offensive Genius” Rodriguez era.

However, if truth be told, the ashes of his spread offense certainly served the Wolverines well Saturday as Denard Robinson continued to burn the Buckeye defense on the spread option and halfback Fitzgerald Toussaint avoided the interior of the Ohio defensive line to gain his yards by angling to daylight.

With their rushing performances Saturday, Robinson (26 carries for 170 yards, two touchdowns) and Toussaint (20 carries for 120 yards) each sprinted past the 1,000-yard mark on the season (with one all-but-certain BCS bowl game to play … perhaps the Sugar in New Orleans?)

Michigan now has its most dangerous 1-2 running combination in decades, surely since the 1975 duo of Gordon Bell (1,388) and Rob Lytle (1,030) – the last two U-M backs with more than 1,000 yards rushing in the same season. And that was a 10-game season and included the 21-14 loss at home to the Archie and Ray Griffin-led Buckeyes.

Michigan moves to 10-2 on the season and has been on the lips and minds of all analysts trying to matchup opponents for BCS bowl. For this program to have gone from a defensive embarrassment to a BCS team has nothing short of amazing. It is the exclamation point on a campaign to name Brady Hoke as Coach of the Year (sorry, LSU fans).

Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison should be named Assistant Coach of the Year for converting a bottom-feeding defense into one of the 2-3 best in the Big 10. It cannot be repeated enough; the defensive reversal was done essentially with last year’s personnel. Yes, Virginia, miracles DO happen!

Still, Michigan should never have had to sweat the outcome; it was a much better team entering the game and after the first quarter, should have been blowing out the Buckeyes. But mistakes and missed opportunities permitted the upstart visitors to hang around – a dangerous proposition for any proud, determined program. Say what you will about its rules violations, coaching ethics and its future, but Ohio State wants more than anything in this world to beat Michigan. Period! Hell, it awards a special (and exchangeable) award for achieving that outcome.

And the roster DOES have a decent amount of talent, led by a heralded freshman quarterback in Braxton Miller, from Huber Heights, Ohio. His initiation into big time college football has been somewhat rough, but the talent is there!

Miller played better than my expectations and much better than most Wolverine fans believed before kickoff. Although not exactly fair, in comparison to the man who SHOULD have been there (but got, to quote Mick Jagger “tattoo you” out of there), Miller resembles Terrell Pryor in some ways.

He is a strong, elusive runner and difficult to tackle. He possesses a strong, but highly inaccurate, arm and totally lacks touch on the short routes. However, that can be coached into the young man, provided he stays away from certain parts of Columbus and grows an allergy to ink.

He ran (literally away from the front four pressure) for 100 yards on 16 carries and completed 14 passes in 25 attempts for 253 yards and two touchdowns. By all standards, that was a performance worthy of a victory.

Still, the Buckeyes were fairly one-dimensional in the game and had it NOT been for two huge mistakes – the missed center snap by punter Will Hagerup and a turnover inside the UM 31 – Ohio State would NOT have been in the game as much as it was. And the disastrous double-penalty at the Ohio State 1 almost cost U-M the game. The eventual six-point margin still allowed OSU the opportunity to win the game, since the flags and subsequent field goal didn’t provide the needed two-score margin Michigan sought.

Miller played a heck of a game, BUT … it might not be his legacy from Saturday. The spiking of the ball on a crucial third down play, with time running away, was as dumb a move as I’ve seen in years. I do liken it to Chris Webber ill-timed timeout in the NCAA Finals against North Carolina, which has dogged him for years (even to the point of defining him as a player, which is unfair). Unless Luke Fickell accepts responsibility for the call, even if he didn’t ask for it from the sidelines, it will be a play shown over and over and over … on every highlight reel this weekend and for weeks to come.

The difference Saturday was Michigan’s ability to get up off the mat when knocked down – not once, not twice but a third time. When OSU took a 17-16 lead, Robinson marched his teammates on the next possession for a score.

Trailing at halftime, Robinson again was the conductor of this train, throwing an absolute dart between defenders to senior Martavious Odoms for a 20-yard touchdown and the lead U-M would not relinquish.

The emergence of Odoms is a welcome sight because of his speed and ability to run precise routes. He might be as strong as Junior Hemingway or Roy Roundtree, but he’s more of a threat at times … and Robinson has plenty of confidence in him.

Robinson also utilized his senior tight end Kevin Koger smartly throughout; two key completions included a 4-yard touchdown pass.

The game ended exactly how a close Michigan-Ohio State game should – an interception at midfield by a Wolverine defensive back (i.e., Thom Darden’s pick that set off fireworks within Woody Hayes in 1971). This afternoon, it was a diving Courtney Avery who sealed the deal and lit the fuse on the frenzied crowd of 114,132 – second-largest in history (only the night game against Notre Dame had more eyes in person).

At 10-2, Michigan is back in the talk when it comes to college football’s top-flight programs. It should make recruiting easier and richer, even if OSU hires Urban Meyer as its head coach. Meyer will become to man with something to prove because Michigan, and Hoke, already have made that statement loud and clear.

For Ohio State, its clock now reads “1.” It has 364 days to wait… tick, tock.

My new hero

2011-11-21T10:51:00.001-06:00

My new hero is Rice University professor, and noted historian, Dr. Douglas Brinkley, who stood up to the rudest kind of behavior and attitude in Congress during a relatively minor hearing on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. When he was disrespected by Alaska Republican Don Young (one of those entrenched Congressmen the Tea Party hates in theory, but supports in practice), Brinkley didn’t bat an eye:

It starts when Young called Brinkley “Dr. Rice.” (whether it was a mistake remains to be seen)…

“It’s Dr. Brinkley, Rice University is a university,” Brinkley responded. “I know you went to Yuba (Community) College … ”

An angry Young then said, “I’ll call you anything I want to call you when you in that chair. You just be quiet.”

Brinkley didn’t bat an eye.

“You don’t own me,” he said. “I pay your salary. I work for the private sector and you work for the taxpayer.”

At that moment, Committee Chairman Doc Hasting (R-Wash.) broke up the heated argument.

Brinkley, a history professor at Rice (one of the nation’s most prestigious schools), wrote "The Quiet World," about protecting the Alaskan wilderness. He also penned a guest column for The New York Times seeking to protect the land surrounding Arizona's Grand Canyon.

Go to the 31-minute mark to see the exchange.

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/11/21/rice-professor-to-alaska-republican-you-dont-own-me/

The game of the century – this year’s version

2011-11-20T16:10:00.001-06:00

Earlier this month, LSU and Alabama (two teams with Michigan connections) squared off in Tuscaloosa for the Game of the Century – v.2012. It was somewhat of a snoozer, though, a 9-6 overtime contest between the two top-ranked programs in the nation (LSU emerging on top).

It had drawn comparisons to the 21st century’s initial GAME OF THE CENTURY just five years ago when Michigan played Ohio State, in Columbus, with the same rankings placed one each squad.

But ... that is where the comparisons cease; the games were NOT comparable in meaning, purpose and emotion. It wasn’t the game of the century, decade, year or even game of the week. It was too over-hyped by the folks at CBS and SEC and didn’t come close to the affair that REALLY assumed that mantle five years before.

The date was Nov. 18, 2006 and the buildup was enormous. The Buckeyes were ranked slightly ahead of the Wolverines in the polls (and BCS rankings), both at 11-0 and the game would have double meaning attached to it. The winner would earn the Big Ten championship outright and have a slot in the BCS National Championship contest, set for Glendale, Ariz.

It was a nationally-televised affair showcasing the schools involved in the bitterest rivalry in all of college football. For the first time in this battle, each school held the top two spots in the sport.

The sports nation knows that legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler died from a heart attack the day before the contest, and cast a pall over the entire affair. The man who engineered the greatest upset in collegiate football (the 24-12 victory in 1969) was as much a part of the rivalry as any human could be. His “10-Year War” with Woody Hayes became the stuff of legends – mythical in the stories retold for the next three generations.

Many fans spent the run-up to kickoff with tears in their eyes. Even the Columbus faithful were touched; stores displaying messages such as “We Miss Bo,” or “Bless you Bo.” He was honored with a video tribute on the Ohio Stadium jumbotron, which drew a prolonged standing ovation. The Ohio State Band formed the word “BO” to start a moment of silence (after all, Schembechler WAS an Ohio State assistant under Hayes).

But it wasn’t the only tragedy ... another member of the Michigan football family had died earlier in the week. Dr. Tom Slade Jr. lost his battle with leukemia the Sunday before “The Game,” at the far-too-young age of 54. His death ended a relationship with the U-M program beginning in 1970.

The world lost more than an outstanding dentist; some of us lost a long-forgotten friend from old days in Ann Arbor.

---

Tom Slade, a square-jawed, tough-as-nail competitor with a million dollar smile BEFORE he officially became a dentist, was born in Manotick, Mich., but raised in Saginaw after he had been adopted. He was an All-State quarterback for Saginaw High School, and also played basketball and tennis.

As a 1970 high school graduate, he was one of the first quarterbacks recruiting by Schembechler, along with Larry Cipa, and the pair battled for the starting position throughout the 1971 season (when they first became eligible to play varsity football).

Although they shared playing time for the first half of the season, Slade eventually garnered the full-time starter’s role and led Michigan to an 11-0 regular season mark. Neither the swiftest of runners, nor the strongest of passers (Cipa was acknowledged to have had the better arm), it was Slade’s leadership ability, and the guts to use himself as a lead blocker for tailbacks like Billy Taylor that impressed Bo the most.

In the 1972 Rose Bowl, Slade came within 19 seconds of completing that perfect season, and possible national championship. However, Stanford, led by QB Don Bunce, upset the apple cart.

After the two teams exchanged field goals in the first three quarters, Michigan took a 10-3 lead on a 1-yard plunge by Fritz Seyferth in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, but with 6:29 to play, Indian halfback Jackie Brown tied the contest on a 24-yard run (after his 33-yard run on a fake punt).

Side note: Stanford was still known as the “Indians” back in the day before going all politically correct and changing to Cardinals (then singular Cardinal) the next season. The 1972 Rose Bowl was the last game by which Stanford employed that Native American mascot moniker.

Late in the game, Michigan pounced on a Stanford fumble close to midfield, but was unable to drive inside the 20. So Dana Coin attempted a 42-yard field goal, which was short. However, Stanford safety Jim Ferguson tried to run the ball out of the end zone, only to be slammed to the turf by Michigan fullback Ed Shuttlesworth for a two-point safety.

With three minutes to play, and the ball following the free kick, things were coming up “roses” for the Wolverines. But the Indian defense stiffened and forced a three-and-out by Michigan. With 108 seconds to play, Stanford started at its own 22, on its fateful scoring march.

Bunch (who had been Jim Plunkett’s backup one year before when Stanford beat Ohio State in the 1971 Rose Bowl) connected on five consecutive completions down to the U-M 17, with 22 ticks left. After two plays, little Rod Garcia would begin a “tradition” of undersized kickers beating Michigan with last-second field goals – this one from 31 yards out with 12 seconds to play, and the 13-12 upset over the Wolverines.

Bunce was named the game’s MVP but only played pro ball for one season in Canada. He eventually became an orthopedic surgeon and served as the Cardinal team physician for a decade. Slade also served as Eastern Michigan University’s athletic team dentist from 1984-2006.

Slade lost his starting job in 1972-73 to Dennis Franklin and turned his thoughts to his post-athletic career. After his undergraduate work, Slade attended the U-M School of Dentistry, earning his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1978. He remained there for three years as a teacher before setting up a private practice in Ypsilanti Township for the next 24 years when his illness forced his retirement.

And one of his best clients was ... Bo Schembechler.

Slade never left athletics during his business career. He served as a Michigan High School Athletic Association official for basketball, working several state finals contests, and was a Big Ten and Mid-American Conference official for women’s basketball.

He was a member of the Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce and served three terms as president of the EMU Baseball Dugout Club.

If all that wasn’t enough, he was in the press box every Saturday as a color analyst for U-M broadcasts over WUOM-fm, the campus’ official station.

In 2004, Slade was inducted into the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame – an honor of great pride to him.

But just a year later, in 2005, Slade was struck down with leukemia, In June, 2006, many former teammates, including fellow Saginaw native Calvin O’Neal, an All-American linebacker at Michigan, organized the Tom Slade Marrow Donor Registration Drive to assist in finding matching donor for Slade and other leukemia victims. The once-vibrant Slade could no longer participate in those outdoor activities he cherished – golf, running, camping.

“You do everything, live every day the fullest. Today could be the last day of your life.” He told WJRT-tv reporter Terry Camp in June of 2006.

Slade’s former coach never forgot him up to the final days. Bo would send weekly notes and messages and frequently visited the ailing Slade in the hospital.

“During a particularly difficult day in the hospital, Slade woke up to see his former coach sitting in a chair against the wall,” wrote U-M athletics historian John U. Bacon in the Detroit News following Schembechler’s death. “They looked at each other, but said nothing, and Slade fell back to sleep. When he awoke again five hours later, Bo was sitting in the same chair, looking right at him.”

According to all reports, Schembechler, ailing as he was, attended Slade’s funeral the Thursday before the 2006 Michigan-Ohio State game and followed that up with one of his traditions – a pep speech to the Wolverine team that night.

As written in the Detroit News, “Bo’s speech was not about Ohio State, the Big Ten title or a national championship. The whole speech was about Tom Slade and how, if the players worked hard, listened to their coaches and stuck together as teammates, one day they might be as good a Michigan man as Slade. That was the goal at Michigan, not national championships.”

A little more than 12 hours later, Schembechler collapsed at the set of his weekly television show in Detroit and died, of heart failure at the age of 77.

At the time of his passing, Tom Slade was married to Pam St. John, a former U-M cheerleader, and was survived by his two sons, Andrew and Spencer, from a previous marriage.

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As the world knows, Ohio State won the 2006 game, 42-39, viewed by almost 22 million fans – the largest TV audience for a regular season college football game in13 years. At the time, it set an attendance record for Ohio Stadium at 105,708 (since broken twice against Penn State and Southern Cal).

Some might challenge the superiority of all SEC schools to the Big Ten and those two representatives in 2006, pointing to what happened after “The Game.” Ohio State did lose 41-14 to Florida in the BCS Title Game while Michigan fell 32-18 to USC in the Rose Bowl.

Could it have been a case of each team having spent all its emotional capital on the field in Columbus? Perhaps; it wasn’t a question of talent. Some 40 players on each roster for the 2006 “Game” were drafted by teams in the NFL (not counting others who were free agent signees).

And there was this post-script, just 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 2006 clash – the winning numbers that night, in the Ohio Lottery PICK 4 were ... 4-2-3-9! Each person holding those winning numbers received $5,000 (a total of $2.2 million was paid out).

It WAS a special night!

Michigan-Nebraska: Welcome to the REAL Big 10, Michigan-style!

2011-11-19T17:56:00.000-06:00

Sorry, it just didn’t look proper to have Nebraska coming to Ann Arbor for an important “BIG TEN” conference matchup in November. Just as it took a few meetings to adjust when Penn State first entered, Wolverine will need a few home-and-home cycles to feel comfortable is claiming the Cornhuskers as a Big Ten school.

And after the 45-17 whipping administered to UN in this initial conference visit before 119,000 fans, the newbies now realize what true Big Ten football is all about – toughness, a power running game and up-front hard-nosed defense. In truth, their former home (the Big 12 Conference) was about speed, hoisting the pigskins 40-50 times a game and coverage.

So welcome to the Big House and the Big Time, UN (these initials should be used with Nebraska for the next year because the other “NU” – Northwestern – earned the right to that abbreviation by beating Nebraska in Lincoln two weeks ago … so UN it is!).

In what can only be described as the most complete team performance this season, all facets (offense, defense, special teams) were hitting on every cylinder. In fact, the only power shortage was inside Michigan Stadium itself, giving the contest an old school atmosphere without scoreboard replays or fan cams. It was just about the action on the field – REAL Big Ten football, Michigan-style!

It was quite appropriate that former head coach Lloyd Carr was honored before the game for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame because this team, coached by Brady Hoke, finally bore a strong resemblance to Carr’s best squads. It was good to see Carr on the sidelines when the final whistle blew, basking in the moment of victory.

Michigan, now 9-2, has the opportunity to do something no pre-season forecaster would have believed – produce a 10-win season and a possible BCS bowl appearance. Should that outcome come about, there MUST be serious consideration given to Hoke as 2011’s Coach of the Year for Division 1. And add the name, Greg Mattison, U-M’s defensive coordinator, as one of the top candidates for Assistant Coach of the Year in doing the impossible – improving Michigan’s defense from worst in the nation to best in the Big Ten…with the same talent pool from one year ago.

If the Wolverine defense retains the same level of competence delivered against Nebraska in seven days’ time, a lot of pain, suffering and frustration will be erased against that school from down south. It’s been many moons since the Big House crowd was heard chanting “Beat Ohio” in the final quarter of ANY ballgame.

Mattison’s scheme against Nebraska seemed to focus on UN halfback Rex Burkhead, who had been averaging 107 yards rushing per game. But the front line, led by Jake Ryan, Ryan Van Bergen and Mike Martin, completely bottled up Burkhead to just 36 yards on 10 carries (nothing longer than 9 yards). In fact, the U-M defense collected seven tackles for loss (24-yards to UN’s detriment).

This meeting, the first between the schools at Michigan Stadium since 1962 and the first as members of the same conference, was the first time in 2011 since the start of 2010 that quarterback Denard Robinson appeared in full Shoelace regalia. He was an offensive threat with his feet throughout the contest, either on straight option runs, scrambling out of most trouble for positive yards or rolling away from pressure to find open receivers.

Not only did Robinson beat the ‘Huskers with his arm (11-18 for 180 yards and three touchdowns), but the Wolverine offensive line held its own most of the afternoon as U-M totaled 418 yards in total offense and held the ball for more than an astonishing 41 of the game’s 60 minutes of play. Michigan also more than doubled the number of running plays (61-30) – a clear sign of domination up front.

But the REAL key to the Michigan offense is not Robinson (regardless of what Urban Meyer or Chris Speilman believe or say). The Wolverines now possess a legitimate backfield threat in sophomore Fitzgerald Toussaint, who pranced and danced through the UN defense for 138 yards on 29 carries and two scores.

In Big 10 play, Toussaint had gone for triple-digits for the fourth time and he per carry average is tops in the conference. Not since Mike Hart has Michigan possessed a backfield running threat of this caliber…and to think he was riding so much pine last year, he was developing a bad case of splinters.

Fitz should garner the nickname “Happy Feet” for his outstanding football when hitting the line and the ability to come to a full stop, then instantly move to the open crease at full speed. That’s exactly what he did to some poor (jockless) UN lineman late in the third quarter on a simple 1-yard touchdown run that was anything BUT simple.

Robinson and Toussaint ran for 221 yards and pretty much controlled everything. They helped Michigan convert 8 of 18 third-down situations (the defense held UN without a third-down conversion until late in the third period) and that was not the case in the second half of the last three seasons.

The other area of greatest improvement this season can be seen in special teams play – at first a possible liability but now a weapon to be reckoned with. Punt and kickoff coverage has been steadily getting better each week and even Brendan Gibbons launched a successful 42-yard field goal (a career best) when a Michigan drive stalled in the first quarter.

How good has coverage been? Ask the UN returners who coughed up two fumbles in the second half on solid hits.

The insertion of Martavious Odoms on kickoff returns provides Michigan with a legitimate speedster returning kickoffs and it is only a matter of time before he breaks one for six points (next week would be a real good time for such a performance). His presence as a wide receiver, catching the second touchdown in as many weeks, is simply another major headache for defensive coordinators to factor.

And for good measure, Hoke employed a fake field goal inside the UN 5 for a fourth-down conversion and subsequent touchdown. It worked because kicking a field goal by Michigan is no longer a losing proposition.

Of course, little of what Nebraska tried to accomplish worked, or made much sense Saturday. The Pelini Brothers (Bo, head coach and Carl, defensive coordinator) gambled on putting 8-9 defenders in the box, daring Robinson to be them. Needless to say, neither man should go to Las Vegas in the coming weeks…

Key penalties (a roughing the kicker and pass interference in the end zone) directly led to Michigan points and pretty much bleached away any starch left in the “black shirt” defense. In fact, the sight of Pelini’s beleaguered face at the final seconds ticked off was nice for any Big 12 fan to see. Of course, his normal mug is not exactly “don’t worry, be happy.”

Even at the end of the game, Pelini left his starting quarterback, Taylor Martinez, in the contest, risking the young man to injury, even though the outcome has well-decided. It simply made little sense as was the over-dependence on a passing attack from a player whose weakness is throwing the football.

Nebraska’s first touchdown (a 55-yard scoring strike) happened only when the Michigan defender slipped on the snap. The other scoring drives came on short fields – an interception and a negative exchange of punts. Otherwise, the Huskers looked like they were stuck in a muddy field most of the game.

And without seeming to be nit-picking, but someone in the UN system needs to teach cornerbacks how to tackle using their bodies and arms to wrap up. Too many Huskers were simply grabbing and trying to throw U-M runners and receivers to the ground. And often, that allowed runners like Toussaint and the receivers to break free and gain more yardage. Very bad technique exposed all game long.

But enough about Nebraska; time to move to the regular season finale – the one game ALL Michigan fans have been waiting for this season (and the past three seasons). For the first time, perhaps since 2003 when Michigan last won, the Wolverines will be expected to put a big hurt on the Buckeyes. Everyone knows the numbers 37-7 (last year’s score in Columbus) will be burned into every player’s psyche.

Ohio State is nothing like teams in the last seven years; it is offensively challenged and defensively not as strong. OSU has nothing to play for other than to keep from finishing .500 and avoiding a low-level bowl game in mid-December (can you say Little Caesars Pizza Bowl or Ticket City Bowl?).

Michigan, on the other hand, might be able to parlay a 10-2 record into a BCS berth in something like the Sugar or Fiesta Bowl. I’d dare say the Wolverines would prove to be an attractive marquee name (as opposed to the toxic nature still surrounding Penn State).

It’s up to the BCS people and rankings and up to the Wolverines to make a rock-hard statement to end the season. To barbecue the Buckeyes!!! Hey, Brutus … time to roast some nuts!

Ty-run-til-he is sore-us Rex: Hometown standout

2011-11-14T12:12:00.000-06:00

Here’s the thing about all this island/conference hopping by so many collegiate athletic programs: each change is a broken promise to a family. When Missouri joins the Southeastern Conference next season, it means many players and their families will have “iron-clad” promises broken by the very same people sniffing for every stray penny on the college sports beach.

Those players who signed letters of intent to play at Texas A&M fully anticipated, along with their friends and families, to play more than just home games in the state of Texas. They expected MOST of their games to be held close enough to home to drive on a Saturday and see that player before their eyes (minus a remote control). Beginning in 2012, it will NOT be the case because it’s a damn sight harder to hook it over to Gainesville, Fla., than to go to Waco, Texas…or even Lubbock.

One of those players is Rex Burkhead, a product of Plano Senior High School, a couple of miles from my house. The running back was a star for the Wildcats, leading his team to the Class 5A-Division 1 semi-finals in 2008. (Texas divides schools by attendances TWICE for football playoffs; but don’t ask, too hard to explain).

However, he wasn’t that heavily recruited, especially by the University of Texas, which finds nearly ALL its recruits in-state. His 40-yard dash time of 4.84 wasn’t particularly impressive and while he was named the Player of the Year by the Dallas Morning News, the upper echelon state schools weren’t among them.

Eventually, Burkhead was scooped up by Nebraska and on Saturday, he, and his Nebraska teammates, will make their first-ever visit to Ann Arbor to play Michigan … of the Big 10 Conference. But when he signed with the Huskers, I guarantee such a scenario was the furthest thing from his mind. After all, Nebraska was part of the Big 12 Conference and there were potential games close to home in Waco, Austin, College Station and Lubbock. Heck, his folks could make the three-hour trip to Norman, Okla. to see Nebraska play Oklahoma.

But decisions made one year ago destroyed all that. Nebraska, long wishing to escape the far-reaching shadow of the Longhorns, jumped at the invitation from the Big 10 to join it as its twelfth member (it’s odd that the Big 10 has 12 members and the Big 12 has 10…). Unless the Burkheads spend the money to fly to Detroit, book a hotel room for a couple of nights and spend on meals, they will join me Saturday searching for which ESPN channel will air the game.

As said, that wasn’t part of the deal in 2009 when Burkhead inked his NCAA letter of intent because Nebraska did not maintain its own promise NOT to completely change the scenery.

Burkhead has turned out to be an excellent signing for the Cornhuskers. This season, he has rushed for 1,072 yards on 212 carries (a 5.1 yard per carry average) and 14 touchdowns. In addition, he was caught 15 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

All this promise was evident here in Plano. As a junior, Burkhead led his team to a 13-2 record and a spot in the 5A state semifinals where Plano went out to eventual champions Euless Trinity in double-overtime. He finished the year with 1,769 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns.

As a senior, Burkhead ran 256 times for 1,776 yards and 23 touchdowns, plus 42 receptions for 592 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Plano Senior High School schedule contained five schools which had captured state championships.

While not blessed with great speed, Burkhead is a strong individual. In high school, he bench-pressed 320 pounds and squatted 500 pounds. He also had an impressive 38-inch vertical jump, which was employed in basketball where he was starting point guard, averaging 16 points per contest.

Academically, he was a solid high school student, with a 3.6 GPA and 25 score on the ACT test.

“I can catch the ball and take hits. I’m good out of the backfield too and can do anything; I can even punt or play quarterback,” he told local media back in his Plano days. “I do it all. I’m just a do-anything-type guy and can just open up the offense. But I still want to improve my pass blocking skills and make better cuts and reads.”

When people think of Texas, they often, and improperly envision, open range, oil wells, lots and lots of cattle and cowboys … and for much of the state, it’s accurate. That describes much of the acreage west of Fort Worth, but for the major population areas (Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Houston), it’s as wrong as it could be.

There is a saying in Texas, as a response to someone from this area: “Hon, I’m not from Texas, I’m from Dallas.” Dallas has always been more about high style than any other region of Texas. “Urban Cowboy” could only have been filmed in Houston because that area reflects part of the film’s message. The TV show “Dallas” reflected what the city was like in 1977, but things have changed drastically, and Plano mirrors all the alterations.

Plano is a northern suburb of Dallas - very flat, plain and ugly in terms of topography. It is significant for its subdivisions, shopping centers and athletic reputation (aside from its dark days as Heroin Capital for the fairly rampant usage in the late 1980s at … Plano Senior High School). Its alumni include several actors of decent note and three former NFL stars (Billy Ray Smith, Pat Thomas and Alan Reuber).

In the late 1970s, Plano was much smaller (72,000) than its current population of more than 277,000. Because of what is known as “build out,” Plano’s size will stay at that level for the rest of most people’s known lives.

Other area and neighboring cities have experienced even faster, explosive growth, but Plano is the model by which most DFW suburbs are marked. Any open space is either viewed as a housing development or retain opportunity.

With such growth comes expansion of the school system and in Texas, it means high school athletics. And Plano has earned more than its share of state championships, seven in football ranking behind only Celina (a small community in the same county), Brownwood and Southlake Carroll. The last one happened in 1994.

The fable of “Friday Night Lights” aside, there is nothing like the experience of Texas schoolboy football, where hundreds of thousands of supporters travel highways and back roads to watch the local sons play for the home town. And when playoffs roll around, the crowds balloon into the thousands and the venues change from high school stands to the likes of Cowboys Stadium, The Alamodome, The Astrodome, Kyle Field (at Texas A&M), Ford Field (at SMU), and many, many others.

When Plano lost to Euless Trinity, it was in front of 45,000 spectators at the (now defunct) Texas Stadium, the former home of the Dallas Cowboys. This Saturday, Burkhead will play in front of the largest live audience he’s ever seen.

And it’s miles and miles and miles away from his Plano home. That wasn’t the deal when he signed, but it’s what’s happening now.

So when schools, like Boise State, negotiate with the Big East Conference for admission, merely to get itself as place at the BCS table and a bigger share of the crumbs (someone else already ate most of the pie), think about all those families out in the Utah cold (or in Texas) who simply cannot go see their sons play in the likes of Pennsylvania, upstate New York, or any place on the East Coast.

Those expectations get trampled quicker than the chariot racer in “Ben-Hur.” And just as painful.

Michigan-Illinois: When was the last time when …?

2011-11-12T21:22:00.000-06:00

Gosh, there were SO many questions one really had to ask following Saturday’s 31-14 Wolverine win at Illinois, and they ALL started the same way: “When was the last time …?”

And the first simply goes: When was the last time Michigan’s defense played such a dominant game? When was the last time an opponent was held on its own half of the field for almost THREE quarters?

At no time under Rich Rodriguez did the Wolverine defense look as tenacious, swarming and superior (far better than the alleged second-ranked defense in the conference that was purported to have been the Illini) as it did Saturday. The much-maligned U-M front line held Illinois to 37 yards rushing on 33 attempts.

It produced a ton of pressure on Illini QB Nathan Scheelhaase (only 16 of 31 for 170 yards and no touchdowns), sacking him four times for a loss of 49 yards (three by Ryan Van Bergen).

The defense also had the star of the game, junior cornerback J.T. Floyd. He not only snagged a Scheelhaase pass, and ran it back 42-yards (to help produce the back breaking touchdown for U-M), but his blanketing coverage of WR A.J. Jenkins kept frustrating Illinois’ offensive scheme all afternoon. Jenkins did finish with 8 receptions for 103 yards, but more often than not, in one-on-one coverage, it was Floyd getting the upper hand.

When was the last time any Michigan running back looked as explosive as did Fitzgerald Toussaint, with 192 yards rushing on 27 carries. Certainly, no one since Mike Hart; and Fitz’s performance was tied for 40th best in UM history and the fourth best by a Wolverine against Illinois.

More importantly, he showed the value of straight-ahead running while waiting for holes to develop. Seldom did anyone see him running into his own interference, even carrying several Illini tackler son his back. How this talent was hidden for two years in a mystery even Hercule Poirot can’t solve.

On a side note, when was the last time you saw Big 10 game officials wait SO long to whistle plays dead? It happened often and could have caused several players to be injured by absorbing late hits, waiting for the damn whistle to sound when it was obvious people had been stopped. It was worrisome to say the least.

Otherwise, he was a non-factor and it’s unknown if it was designed that way. Once Denard Robinson left the game with his hand injury, the U-M went conservative, trying not to produce an unwanted turnover. And with the offensive line suddenly being pushed around, it made for more uncomfortable moments than necessary. After all, U-M should have won the game by 31 points or more but failed to get into the end zone three times inside the red zone.

When was the last time Michigan had a punt return game that was an actual threat? Jeremy Gallon, not much of a factor on offense, averaged more than 15 yards per punt return, and the resulting field position made a major difference. It was needed because neither punter performed well (wind might have been a factor but good kickers adjust accordingly).

When was the last time Michigan won a game without completing a single pass (or seemingly attempt to throw one) to one of its two top receivers? If you’re looking for Roy Roundtree’s name in the box score, it ain’t there. The first time he got his hands on the pigskin was recovering Illinois’ late-minute onside kick.

When was the last time you heard a better football name than Whitney Mercilous? And, give him credit, the young man is a damn good player, too. U-M’s offensive line had all it could handle with him.

When was the last time you saw another team start 6-0 and fall apart at the seams which was NOT coached by Rodriguez? That, my friends, is Illinois, which simply cannot count itself among the upper-level schools in Big Ten football.

Example? When was the last time you saw a team dilly-dally its way to the line of scrimmage, and needlessly sacrifice a strong wind advantage which seemed to be a factor in the game? That is Illinois.

When was the last time when Michigan actually made a field goal of any real significance? I assume the solution will be revealed in the 2012 season because delivering a sure three points anywhere outside of the point-after kick range is an iffy proposition.

When was the last time anyone game announcer spoke about a Michigan football recruit two years from joining the program? There is a quarterback out there who had Craig James all excited about the prospect of his playing in Ann Arbor. That alone demonstrates how the atmosphere has been changed by Brady Hoke.

When was the last time you saw a Michigan team standing at the brink of a 10-win regular season? Ohio State looks ripe for the plucking and Nebraska is not the big, bad beast rumored to have been when it entered the conference this year. If Penn State had any scintilla of an offense, it would have beaten the Cornhuskers. But faith and will cannot substitute for slow quarterback play and no running game.

NU quarterback Taylor Martinez is best when he operates the option and his top running threat is Texas-native Rex Burkhead, from my neck of the woods here in Plano. However, for the most part, Nebraska was held in check by Penn State and the Huskers are about to experience the Big House for the first time in their history.

It’ll be a slugfest, and probably low-scoring, but the game is very winnable for Michigan.

Michigan State has all but wrapped up the Legends Division title and is on course for a rematch with Wisconsin. A second-place division finish, with double-digit victories, might get Michigan into a loftier New Year’s Day bowl game – better than the Citrus and just below a BCS lineup

When was the last time anyone felt this positive about Michigan football? As is said in Texas, about a certain brand of canned chili, “Well, that’s too long!”

Side rant: Why did ESPN almost deliver ‘Heidi 2?’

It was 2:30 p.m., local standard time in my living room, and I was prepared to watch Michigan face Illinois in Champaign on ESPN … as advertised! I had my pad, pen, maize and blue knit slippers and soft drink in hand; eagerly waiting for the kickoff.

I realized that the Penn State-Nebraska game was running past its allotted time slot (if the networks would stop interrupting the game for two minutes’ worth of commercials at almost every change of possession, these affairs would actually last under two hours, 30 minutes like the old days … before cable television, obnoxious Geico commercials and self-promos for upcoming games every minute or so).

But I missed the first 20 minutes of the broadcast – as did half the country not tuned into the Texas A&M-Kansas State encounter in Manhattan. Instead, we saw all the endless post-mortem on Nebraska’s 17-14 win in State College, ad nauseum. There were interviews with coaches (including Joe Paterno’s son, Jay), cutaways to ESPN reporters in front of Paterno’s house, the same exact mimicking analysis by Lou Holtz and Mark May, trying to find the same sympathetic words for the failure of Penn State’s offense to deliver enough points – just short of bursting into tears themselves.

Then they began to show the press conference of PSU interim president Rodney Erickson, where no questions could be heard and the answers were ALL unrelated to the actual game.

What one didn’t see was the Michigan-Illinois game! Anywhere! In fact, on three of ESPN’s five English-speaking channels (ESPN, ESPN News, ESPNU), the exact same images were being broadcast (ESPN Classic was deep into some documentary and ESPN2 was still winding down the Michigan State-Iowa game and headed to some NASCAR broadcast of absolutely zero importance in the grand scheme of things).

No game … anywhere! I kept waiting for the stupid people in Bristol, Conn. to suddenly start showing “Heidi,” circa 1968. For those too young to remember, on Nov. 17, 1968, some dumb-ass at NBC, exactly at 7 p.m. (New York time), threw a switch and stopped the broadcast of the AFL contest between the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders (being a year before the NFL-AFL merger).

It might not have been so bad except the Jets were winning 32-29 in the final 61 seconds, and Oakland had the ball at its own 22. Then, as Pat Travers sang, “Boom! Boom! Out go the lights!” A gentle voice than said, over the air, “And now … “Heidi.”

In between that monumentally stupid call in the NBC operations center, and the referee’s final whistle, a period of seven minutes, fans missed one of the greatest ending in league history.

Here’s what happened, but unseen: At its own 22, Oakland’s gunslinging quarterback Daryl Lamonica threw a touchdown pass to running back Charlie Smith, but it was nullified by a penalty. But the two hooked up for a 20-yard completion on the ensuing snap and the Jets helped with a 15-yard face masking flag.

On the next play, Lamonica found Smith open for a 43-yard scoring strike, giving the Raiders a 36-32 advantage (PAT by the old man, George Blanda).

On the kickoff, Jets returner Earl Christy fumbled the pigskin after being hit by Oakland linebacker at the NYJ 12. Reserve halfback Preston Ridlehuber scooped up the ball and ran into the end zone.

A second Blanda PAT gave Oakland the win at 43-32 – all in the span of 61 seconds (stadium clock time) and seven minutes (NBC control time). After that network disaster, “the Heidi Rule” was instituted to ensure that ALL sporting events were seen from start to finish – no matter what! Sometime, it comes at the expense of sacrificing regular network programming, but NO network can afford to face the firestorm (and lose of advertisers) NBC saw in 1968.

Normally, when one game is running long, and another is set to begin, ESPN moves the start of that second telecast to another of its channels. They did it all the damn time, EXCEPT for today! As a result, Wolverine fans (NOT seeing the game regionally on ABC) completely missed Michigan’s opening touchdown run, including the 65-yard run by halfback Fitzgerald Toussaint and the 9-yard touchdown run by Denard Robinson. Allegedly, it was as sharp as Michigan looked all game, but to me, and hundreds of thousands of ESPN viewers at the 2:30 p.m. bewitching hour, it was just a rumor.

That was shameful treatment of the fans of those two schools and Big Ten football. Nothing said after the Penn State game hadn’t already been uttered by at least 50 different people on that network; nothing new was learned and nothing new was expressed. It looked more like a vulture picking looking for meat to pick off a carcass.

ESPN should have known better and did the right thing instead of getting SO caught up in the emotion. Hey, it was JUST a game after all – the emotion all happened at the start.

Shame on ESPN for what it did! I lost a lot of respect for that operation today.

Wrong is wrong, period! The end of the JoePa Era

2011-11-10T13:06:00.001-06:00

The ouster of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno Wednesday night was totally expected, but it was still sad to see a venerable figure end his 61-year career in such disgrace. But the facts and allegations comprising the background for his firing are so heinous, and disgusting, no other outcome could reasonably be expected.

“Disgusting” probably sums up most of what college sports writers have been stating and scribing about the sexual assault allegations that happened at PSU over the last 12-13 years. Here was the coach, who presided over America’s “cleanest” program, the person who was the winningest college football coach of all-time, with statues in his honor all over the campus, who is suddenly seen as a pariah.

It’s a thin line between hero and pariah as Paterno’s story will attest. One mistake, one error of judgment will render your career as little more than dust for the Dyson to gather…and in Paterno’s case, it was self-inflicted.

It’s shocking to think that the accused coach, Jerry Sandusky, was to have been the successor to Paterno in the early 80s; everyone in college football knew, and understood, that. It is now unimaginable to think what would have happened if Sandusky was the man at the helm of the program … in a position of even MORE power and authority.

As it was, following his sudden 1999 resignation, Sandusky, through this foundation (Second Mile), maintain total access to the campus and facilities. Since when doesn’t gone mean “gone?” How could Paterno have allowed Sandusky continued access to young children having clearly known what he was told?

Frankly, looking at Sandusky taken into custody, handcuffed and escorted by two officers, I did not detect an ounce of remorse, sadness or disgrace on his face. Perhaps that’s reading too much into a few seconds of tape, but others caught in the same web try to hide from cameras or look like they are about to burst into tears. Sandusky’s face was just … blank.

This is MUCH worse than the shameful 1979 Liberty Bowl incident when Ohio State coach Woody Hayes was dismissed by the school after Hayes slugged Clemson linebacker Charlie Baumann in the waning moments of that game. It was a moment of loss sanity by a coach with a history of histrionics when losing (no one can forget the 1971 U-M-Ohio State game seeing Hayes’ shredding of yard markers after Thom Darden’s interception sealed a 10-7 Wolverine victory in the final seconds).

Still, it was a jaw-dropping moment to have watch on television; yet every person in America (including all Scarlet and Grey supporters) knew Hayes was toast; it didn’t linger.

That was a sudden shock to the system; at Penn State, it has been a lingering flesh-eating bacterium inside the very fabric of the program, rotting the insides away until exposed now. And the program, placed on a pedestal for never being cited by the NCAA for a single violation, is now the very symbol of evil in athletics – that one team, one program, one man could become bigger than an entire academic institution … and dismiss morality for the protection of that name, reputation and existence.

There are all sorts of unintended victims aside from the obvious – those sexually abused by this cretin. First, there are the current Nittany Lion players, who must trudge on with the season – one in which PSU has a legitimate (if not front-running) chance to earn a spot in the first Big 10 Conference championship game. Penn State leads the Leaders Division with a 5-0 mark, entering this Saturday’s home finale against Nebraska.

How will this team react without its coach? At what emotional level will they play? And then going forth knowing every motion, play or reaction will be under a worldwide microscope – not just the world of college football?

Hell, for that matter have a little sympathy for the visiting Cornhuskers who thought they just had to worry about 100,000 fans dressed in white and waving white towels in Beaver Stadium, and the possible adverse weather conditions. They instantly become everyone’s psychic enemy, the object of all ill will and hard feelings about that last five days. No oddsmaker in Vegas can factor all that into any betting equation.

Aside from football, every athletic program (men’s and women’s) at Penn State has been tarnished; it is simply the truth. Merely wearing the words “Penn State” on the uniform will spark memories of what has transpired. Perhaps they should all revert to those old 1950s high school outfits with nothing but big numerals and no idea of alliance.

Donations will almost certainly drop like a rock off the Grand Canyon ledge. This isn’t blind allegiance like donors to the Herman Cain campaign have chosen to respond, choosing not to believe anything any accuser claims (instead taking Cain at his less-than-accurate word).

The Big 10 Conference is a victim, now speared with the second marquee school (can you say Ohio State?) undergoing such negative scrutiny. While there is little in the terms of sanctions that can be placed on Penn State, you just know that each revelation in Happy Valley is a punch in the gut in the conference offices in Chicago.

And that foundation is also a victim. I’m sure its intentions are honorable and true, but now I cannot imagine who will support it or how it carries forward in light of the information released about what was happening. If it happened to one 10-year-old boy, does ANYONE honestly believe it was a singular case (it has been reported as many as 17 others have stepped forward with similar stories)? Would anyone allow their child to be involved with a foundation that was led by an alleged pedophile?

Of course, everyone connected with this situation at Penn State needs to go – from Paterno to the athletic director (arrested for perjury as part of the cover-up), the school president, the graduate assistant now offensive coordinator (who failed to take the information to the proper authority) and the head of the campus police (who should have immediately informed local and state authorities the second he heard what was alleged).

And the PSU board of trustees also bears responsibility for NOT knowing this case over the last 12 years. Each of those men and women need to ask themselves why they were put so far outside of the loop as to have become campus “villains” for ousting a beloved figure. Local law enforcement and the various prosecutorial entities also share blame for not doing their job. It was reported to them later, but any investigation sat idle until now.

Let’s get one thing straight: the media is NOT responsible for bringing the walls of this temple down upon the university’s head. If anything, those covering the Nittany Lions for the last 12 years (and even before that) were also caught up in the bright lights that surrounded Paterno. Too many in State College treated Paterno as if he was some kind of God; certainly the riots and student reaction after the dismissal announcement demonstrated just how misplaced loyalty, affection and allegiance can be.

For most, it will take 15 years’ time, when they have children of their own, to fully understand the true horror that descended upon their school. I hate it when people employ the throwaway tag line, “It’s for the children,” because in this matter, the needs of the child/children were secondary to the reputation of a program and university.

Joe Paterno had long lost control of his program and certainly remained as head coach far too long. Like the boxer who “unretires” once too many times before being made to look like a sad shell of his former self, Paterno now must sleep each subsequent night with the knowledge of the harm his silence did to that child, his program, his legacy, his school and himself.

Bottom line? Wrong is wrong and those implicit in this cover-up need to go, including JoePa. He has tarnished his own life.

The final 10 count for Smokin' Joe

2011-11-08T11:22:00.000-06:00

There was a sense of sadness last night when I heard of the death of former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier, a victim of liver cancer at the age of 67. Not only was he among the best heavyweight fighters ofall-time (easily in the top 10), but he was part of a generational chnge in American sport - one which I witnessed.
Employing a style of always coming forward, brawling all the time and with a devestating left hook (the one that floored Muhammad Ali in the 1971 fight was delivered from behind Frazier's back and struck the enigmatic Ali unlike any other punch during his career), Frazier became entangled in one of this country's seminal sporting events of all time.
The March 8, 1971 bout might have been THE Fight of the Century between the two undefeated champions. Ali represented rebellion/defiance while Frazier was cast (not by his choice) the establishment. In truth, they were just prizefighters, facing each other at a moment of truth.
In 1971, such events were not shown over today's pay-per-view system, seeing it in the comfort of one's living room. It was closed circuit television in arenas, theaters and concert halls. The technology was still fairly rough; the images often were not as sharp as one expected. But you got to see it live - as history was unfolding.
I think I spent $5 (a tidy sum in 1971) on a cold Monday night in Ann Arbor, sitting in Crisler Arena with two dormmates (Jeff Hirsh and Merrick Schneider), glued to each round. And when the punch from nowhere struck Ali in the 15th and final round, we leaped out of our seats in shock and amazement. The long walk back to our dorm was filled with nothing but adrenalin-fueled talk about what we had seen.
Two years later, I actually interviewed Ali, in Ann Arbor, when he covertly visited a doctor following his first Ken Norton fight, when Ali suffered a broken jaw. Another life-long highlight not to be forgotten.
Sadly, as the years have passed, most sports fans have failed to acknowledge the greatness of Joe Frazier, out of South Philadelphia. He only lost to two men - Ali and George Foreman - twice each. He may well be best remembnered for Howard Cosell's call of his first battle with Foreman when the Texan's punches sent Fraizer to the canvas, with Cosell shouting, "Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!" It is NOT how the man should be remembered.
For a period of five years, he WAS the toughest man on the planet, the king of the ring and held a title only a few in the history of sports could claim - THE heavyweight champion of the world!
God rest his soul!

Michigan-Iowa: If it isn’t heaven, for Michigan, it’s Iowa

2011-11-05T20:56:00.000-05:00

Until this season’s arrival of Nebraska, the westernmost locale for a Big Ten school was Iowa City, Iowa – home of lots of corn, farms with the appropriate-sized farm boys who got converted into tight ends and defensive linemen for the Hawkeyes.

For many reasons, it is a trip that very few squads look forward to making. Thus far in 2011, no one has beaten the Hawkeyes on their home turf – as if a different team dressed in black and gold appears than the players showing up for Iowa away from Kinnick Stadium. After all, this was allegedly the same team that LOST at Minnesota the week before.

Sadly, for Michigan, the home game version of Jekyll and Hyde appeared Saturday afternoon and left with a 24-16 victory over the 15th ranked Wolverines. In all honesty, it WAS Iowa who outplayed Michigan in most facets of the game as U-M had its worst overall performance of the season.

For Michigan, it was the third consecutive setback to Iowa and the second loss in the last three games of the 2011 season. The Wolverines have one final road trip to Illinois before hosting regular season games against Nebraska and Ohio State.

In the Legends Division, where apparently anything can happen, Iowa and Michigan are tied with 3-2 marks, behind Michigan State at 4-1 (but facing its own road excursions to Iowa City next week and Northwestern to end the year) and Nebraska, also at 3-2 (who would have thunk it, Northwestern winning in Lincoln, without QB Dan Persa).

The defeat damages Michigan’s chances of winning the division, but does not destroy it. As noted, Sparty must make its trip to Iowa City and the Wildcats have proven to be a tough nut to crack. The Huskers face Penn State, Michigan and Iowa and the Hawks have a road trip to Purdue at its sandwich game between MSU and Nebraska.

The less-than-inspired tone for Michigan was set on the opening exchange of possessions. The Wolverines did absolutely nothing (three-and-out) on its initial offensive drive while Iowa ran through the U-M defense like a John Deere through a field of maize for a 7-0 lead (which was never relinquished).

Mistakes, big and little, plagued Michigan all afternoon – from penalties prolonging Iowa drives, an interception that stopped drives (including one in the Iowa end zone at the end of the first half) dropped passes left and right and overthrows of open receivers by quarterback Denard Robinson, who camped out in the pocket as if he were on a fishing trip on the Cadillac River. For some reason (perhaps under orders), he did not take advantage of his natural weapon, his quick feet and explosive speed, to run to daylight when receivers were covered.

Only once did it work, on the first touchdown pass to Fitzgerald Toussaint from 5 yards away, but most of the game, it looked like missed opportunities, forcing the offense to face tougher conversion opportunities. If the Michigan offense operates properly, the ball isn’t in the air 39 times, as it was against Iowa, and it isn’t a constant barrage of deep routes trying to score all at once.

Too many times, Robinson seemed fixated with one receiver at a time, despite seeing nine difference receivers registered receptions. Roy Roundtree didn’t make a catch until the final 90 seconds of regulation and in that time span, he was the ONLY target. Missing are the screen passes to halfbacks, the tight end drag routes and the ball possession throws to wideouts that are easier to catch than 30-35 yard fly and post patterns too often being hurled.

And those who believed sophomore Devin Gardner was ready for prime time … uh, not yet. Although I’m just an armchair quarterback, I believe it’s time to stash the two-quarterback lineup because no defense feels threatened by Gardner under center.

While on the subject of offensive sets, I don’t understand why Michigan doesn’t operate more often in the old I-formation with Fitzgerald as the up back and sophomore Stephen Hopkins at the blocking fullback. It operated successfully for almost every play called for that; Hopkins opened good holes for a hard-running Fitzgerald (who did have 58 yards on 16 carries). But less successful were the single back sets, allowing the tough Iowa defensive line to key on the lone back…or Robinson.

As a result, Michigan only gained 127 yards on the ground and just at a 3.4 yard per carry clip. As the game wore down, the running game played less of a role; a bad sign for any team NOT designed to be a passing team. Michigan is neither at this stage – not a pound the ground offense nor an aerial attacker like Stanford.

Meanwhile, Iowa plowed through this contest like a steady tractor. Marcus Coker often bulled over the U-M defense for 132 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Marvin McNutt kept using his superior size against outsized Michigan secondary personnel for a career-high nine receptions for 101 yards. Add no turnovers to the mix, and it spells a winning formula.

The Michigan defense had its moments, making two fourth-down stops and performing very well … at times. But there were plays where the Hawkeyes simply dissected its opposition and made things look too easy. On the road, the visitors must maintain its intensity almost every play or things, like Saturday’s outcome, happen.

As to the final drive, and the controversial touchdown that was disallowed for Michigan, my eyes saw Roundtree’s knee down in the zone and the ball in his possession. I saw no juggling or loss of possession.

But no one gets favorable calls on the road; you earn everything you get away from home. At no time, in the fourth quarter did I feel the Wolverines had a game-tying scoring drive in them. Things weren’t clicking and it was inevitable to come up a yard, and a touchdown, short.

Michigan’s final road trip is this Saturday and also fraught with as much danger as was the trip to Iowa. Illinois has been smarting from last season’s triple overtime Wolverine victory and possesses the same offensive mindset (and quarterback in Nathan Scheelhaase, the team’s leading passer AND rusher – sound familiar?).

And … the Illini have had TWO weeks to prepare for Michigan, which is the same scenario the Wolverines faced at Michigan State. By the way, WHY does any Big Ten school get a bye week in November? When will the higher-ups even out the schedule and get it on a level playing (and scheduling) field?

The ability for Michigan to bounce back after a hard loss and do it on the road, where it has been next-to-impossible for the program to win in several years, must be established if measurable progress can be made in 2011.

Michigan football: The OTHER Bennie

2011-10-30T13:59:00.000-05:00

In past weeks, I have tried to introduce some of the names from Michigan football’s honored past and glory days; as I have traveled back in time, there are names emerging when connected to today’s squad.

One involves Benny Friedman, perhaps the greatest quarterback in U-M history and certainly the least known among today’s fan base. The other connection is with first-year head coach Brady Hoke and the 6-0 start he posted (in his first Wolverine games) prior to the MSU setback.

Before Hoke, the coach who equaled that mark was the same man who was joined at the gridiron hip with Friedman – the person they called “the other Bennie.”

When I worked for the Sports Information Department in the early 1970s, there was a small group of former football coaches considered (unofficially) to be “Michigan royalty.” They didn’t ask for any title, but it was certainly honored in that manner because of their past ties and accomplishments for the school’s athletic program.

One was Wally Weber, a LOOOOOONG-time assistant coach and one of the jolliest, funniest men ever! He was consistently requested to speak at Michigan gatherings (especially Friday night press smokers) and while his tales seemed MUCH taller than he stood (Weber personalized the proverbial “fireplug” description), they rung through because he lived it. In fact, he was a teammate of Friedman’s in the 1920s.

There was Fritz Crisler, one of the architect of Michigan football AND Michigan athletics, serving as athletic director for many years. His presence was more regal; you simply felt greatness when he walked into a room. The second major facility built for Michigan athletics (after Michigan Stadium) bears HIS name.

And then there was the pride of Muskegon – Benjamin Gaylord Oosterbaan – better known to everyone was “Bennie,” who became a Michigan legend in so many sports, and as a coach, no man (or woman) had quite equaled his achievements – before or since. He was probably the single greatest athlete ever to attend Michigan … emphasis on the word EVER!

When Bennie “finally” retired from all University-related activities in 1972 (after coaching, he was director of athletic alumni relations), no individual earned a rest than more than he did.

Bennie was described, in many different forums, as being a “quiet” coach – not prone to yelling or screaming at players. He seldom lost his tempers and didn’t really go for the Knute Rockne-type locker room speeches for motivation. People said his favorite word, to inspire the troops, was … poise!

He lived and coached by a code established for him by HIS mentor, Fielding H. Yost, who wrote, “The will to win is not worth a nickel unless you have the will to prepare. You don’t put morale on like a coat; you build it day-by-day.”

In a Time Magazine article about Oosterbaan and the national championship, he was quoted about fame and its fickle nature: “I’m on top now, and there is a lot of backslapping. But what of seasons to come? Let me lose the opener, or a couple of other games next fall, and then watch how I’m blasted.”

I remember Oosterbaan as being a quiet man, friendly and appreciative of the remembrances of his playing and coaching career. And what a career it was!

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Born on Feb. 4, 1906 in Muskegon, he was an all-state end for Muskegon High School, leading his team to a Class A state championship in 1923 as a junior. Later that athletic season, Oosterbaan led his basketball team to a state title as he earned high school All-American accolades.

Not to be outdone in other sports, he was an All-State baseball player and state individual track and field champion in the discus. There was even serious discussion whether he could have made the U.S. Olympic team in the discus.

Bennie Oosterbaan was only one of two football standouts to earn All-American honors three times (Anthony Carter in 1980-81-82 was the other). In 1951, he was chosen to the all-time All-America squad as he was considered one of the greatest receivers of his era (forming the game’s most feared pass combination with Friedman).

After his freshman year, legendary coach Fielding H. Yost paired young Oosterbaan with an emerging quarterback star, Friedman, and the rest became collegiate football history. In his first varsity season (1925), the duo combined for eight touchdowns, helping U-M outscore opponents 227-3 (the three came at a 3-2 loss against Northwestern, played at Chicago’s Soldier Field).

And since players played offense and defense in those days, Oosterbaan was one of the keys to the Wolverine defense in a shocking 3-0 defeat of Illinois, and its star Red Grange just one year after the Galloping Ghost had tallied four touchdowns in the first 12 minutes of action against Michigan.

The next season, Michigan posted a 7-1 record, including a 7-6 win over Minnesota (for the Little Brown Jug) as Oosterbaan pounced on a Gopher fumble and ran 60 yards for the winning touchdown.

Oosterbaan could do more than merely catch passes; in the Oct. 22, 1927 Michigan Stadium dedication game against arch-rival Ohio State, Oosterbaan threw three touchdown passes in the victory.

The athletic year of 1927-28 might have been the single greatest performance by any Big 10 athlete in conference history (and yes, that would include the greatness of men like Jesse Owens). Oosterbaan was an All-American in football, basketball and baseball. He won a Big 10 scoring title on the hard court, a batting title on the baseball diamond (as a first baseman-pitcher) and conference Most Valuable Player honors in football. And then he was presented with the Western Conference Medal of Honor for his scholastic abilities.

In fact, as a basketball star, Bennie led the Big 10 in scoring (178 points with two double-doubles, but it was during the “dead ball” era for hoops) in 1927-28, was also an All-American in 1926-27 (the first-ever for U-M) and helped Michigan capture its first outright basketball conference title in 1926-27.

In retrospect, only Rick Leach (1975-79) came close to those feats as a four-year starting quarterback and four-year starter in baseball (the professional sport he eventually chose). Leach, a three-sport star at Flint Southwestern High School, could have been a starter on the Wolverine basketball team had he wanted. He played two games as a “junior varsity” member, averaging more than 20 points before walking away (he once claimed he did it “in order to see if I could”).

When his playing days were over at Michigan, Oosterbaan received nine letters – three each in football, basketball and baseball.

In 1968, celebrating the first 100 years of college football, a list of the greatest players was published and Oosterbaan sat among the top 11.

When Sports Illustrated conducted its state-by-state examination of athletics in 1999, when it came to Michigan, Oosterbaan was chosen as the state’s fourth greatest athlete, only behind Joe Louis, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Charlie Gehringer. No other University of Michigan football player was considered better than Bennie.

Of the five numbers retired from the Wolverine football roster for eternity, Oosterbaan’s “47” was THE first.

He was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954, into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1958 (as part of the four such classes) and one of the members of the first class for the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor. In 2000, Oosterbaan was chosen to the Michigan All-Century team.

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Following his graduation in 1928, Oosterbaan chose to remain in Ann Arbor as a coach, eschewing offers to play professional sports, citing religious reasons. Having been raised by his mother in the Dutch Reformed Church (prevalent in western Michigan), church members did not allow the playing of football on Sundays.

Oosterbaan stayed at Michigan as an assistant coach for football and basketball; he was a football assistant for 20 years and was named head basketball coach in 1938 until 1946. As a basketball mentor, Oosterbaan teams went 81-72.

And if that wasn’t enough, he was freshman baseball coach.

Oosterbaan was given the reins to the Michigan football program in 1948, succeeding Crisler, who hand-picked his successor after the 1948 Rose Bowl game (which Michigan won, by the way, 49-0 over USC).

“He is the best offensive mind in football,” Crisler announced, and Oosterbaan promptly went and proved him correct, steering the Wolverines to the 1948 national championship as chosen by the Associated Press. Oosterbaan was also named national Coach of the Year.

Michigan won the 1951 Rose Bowl and Big 10 titles in 1948-49-50; Oosterbaan finished his football coaching career with a 63-33-4 record.

That championship team has some of the best players in U-M history running the single-wing and T-formations on offense – players like Peter Elliot, Alvin Wistert, Chuck Ortmann, Dick Rifenburg, Dominic Tomasi and Leo Koceski.

But his schemes helped produce a legacy of toughness on defense to lead the conference in total defense for five of his 11 seasons at the helm.

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In 1958, after only his second losing season as U-M coach, Oosterbaan resigned, citing the inner pressures of a man who was so accustomed to winning.

“The pressure finally got to me – not the kind that comes from outside; not from my bosses or the fans. I mean the pressure that builds up inside a head coach whether he wins or loses.”

Bump Elliott was named the new head football coach, followed by Schembechler, Gary Moeller, Lloyd Carr, Rich Rodriguez and the current boss, Brady Hoke.

Oosterbaan died on Oct. 25, 1990, in the only place he knew as home – Ann Arbor – after arriving almost seven decades earlier.

His beloved wife of 57 years, Delmas, preceded him in death by a few months.

Perhaps the greatest compliment to Oosterbaan as a man and coach came from the unlikeliest of sources – Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes, who stated, “If he weren’t from Michigan, I’d like to have my own son play for him.” For the record, John Paul Oosterbaan, a member of U-M’s 1989 NCAA championship basketball squad, was not related to Bennie (but I’ll bet he wishes he was).

Oh yeah, just like Crisler, Yost and Schembechler, there is a building that sports Oosterbaan’s name – it is where the Michigan football team practices. Perhaps no other person ever to wear the Maize and Blue deserves it more.

Michigan-Purdue recap: Puttin’ on the Fitz

2011-10-29T19:34:00.000-05:00

The “media” around Ann Arbor-Detroit-ESPN and other Internet sources can put a lid on all the speculation about whether the Michigan football program has “really changed.” If U-M’s convincing 36-14 performance against Purdue isn’t enough evidence of the new mindset at Michigan Stadium, then the ghost of Johnnie Cochran won’t help you.

On Halloween weekend, the Wolverines resorted less on tricks than on a punishing ground game and stout defense for its treats (touchdowns, field goals and the first safety in eight years). The offense, again, produced more than 500 yards in total yardage (for the third game out of its last four) while the combination of Ryan, Martin and Roe (sounds like a new legal firm???) stuffed what should have been a formidable Boilermaker rushing attack to less than 100 yards (and if you erase QB Caleb TerBush’s 41-yard scamper, Pur-don’t had only 47 yards on 28 attempts).

While interceptions remain an area of concern, this was a professional performance from a team that has come to grips with self-knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. The defense looked dominant (after Purdue’s first scoring drive to open the game), and did so without the services of starting safety Jordan Kovacs (whose availability for the Iowa game is questionable). The front line did not budge and was able to put pressure on TerBush and reserve Robert Marve without the need for safety blitzes and other “gimmick” defenses.

Again, it should be repeated – this unit HAD talent but lacked the coaching for the past three seasons. This group of coaches, of course led by coordinator Greg Mattison, doesn’t work by panicking; it pinpoints problems immediately and makes the adjustments within moments (instead waiting to regroup at halftime). The performance following Purdue’s first drive and the next series was a 180-degree alternation in attitude.

While Michigan ran for 339 yards, and lots of numbers were called, the face of the game belonged to sophomore Fitzgerald Toussaint, out of Youngstown, Ohio, who blow through the Boilermakers for a career-best 170 yards on 20 carries. His speed is supplemented by the power to run OVER defenders and the ability to run north-south – another lacking commodity in past seasons.

In fact, Toussaint actually WAITS for holes to open in a seldom-seen “run to daylight” attitude; it’s refreshing to see a Michigan back pauses for a split-second to allow blockers to do their jobs. After all, everything is better when it sits on a Fitz, right? (Sorry, couldn’t resist).

When the running game is working, it permits Michigan to do ALL sorts of wonderful things for victory. With fumbling the pigskin NOT been a problem in the 2011 season (turnovers tend to be of the aerial variety this season), it allows for quality clock management. The key to this latest win was grinding the Purdue defense … like the ground beef they used to employ for those great Detroit burgers they used to serve in town back in the day … steamed in beer (but it’s close to my dinnertime, my bad).

Since it isn’t wise to be too ebullient over any game, the tendency to leave points on the field by the offense is still a tad disturbing. Against the Boilers, U-M abandoned a total of 29 points (either by interceptions inside the opposition’s half of the field, two field goals when stopped on touchdown drives inside the red zone and failing on a fourth-down conversion at the Purdue 1).

Such gift cards cannot go unused in the coming weeks. Because Michigan’s kicking game is suspect at best (Brendan Gibbons did notch a 37-yard for, I think, a career-best), the pressure increases on the offense to control and convert the rest of the season. It WILL be the difference between a true championship contender … and a team playing in the less-than-thrilled-to-be-there Alamo Bowl.

And props need to be given to a few more players: sophomore tackle Taylor Lewan for gutting it out on what are obviously painful knees; receiver Martevious Odoms for showing everyone a re-discovered kickoff return game, averaging 27 yards per return (10 more than usual and giving Michigan improved field position); and freshman defensive end Jake Ryan, for simply being all over the field, terrorizing everyone (the chain gang excluded).

All this positive vibe will be required for the next two weeks when Michigan makes (arguably) its two toughest excursions away from home – at Iowa next Saturday and then a possible major “trap” game in Champaign against a revenge-drunk Illinois team, who won’t be in any title contention but will be breathing fire over last season’s 67-65 triple overtime game.

The run to the Big 10 championship is NOT settled by any means; three teams sit atop of the Legends division (U-M, Moo U, Nebraska) while Penn State has a strong (but not solid) grip in the Leaders division.

Sparty has one more difficult game – at Iowa in two weeks, although it should overlook a road trip finale at Northwestern where the Wildcats might be playing to save Pat Fitzgerald’s head coaching job. The Paternonistas has this killer finale – Nebraska in Happy Valley, at Ohio State and at Wisconsin, which should decide the Leaders representative.

Poor Nebraska gets introduced to Big 10 play in its initial season with road trips to the two hardest venues – Happy Valley with its famed “whiteout” crowd over 100,000 and the Big House with more than 114,000 fans expected. No team simply can prepare for what it doesn’t know will happen.

If this is what the Big 10 officials had this exact ending in mind for its first “modern era” football season, someone obvious needs to take that acumen to Vegas and “make lots of money” (a Pet Shop Boys reference). What this has really accomplished is to clearly demonstrate the Big 10 as powerful a football conference as any in the nation, including the vaunted Southeastern Conference.

And for all of you folks in Baton Rogue and Tuscaloosa, waiting for next week’s showdown between the top two teams in the nation (and being in the same conference), all we can say is … been there, done that (in 2006), and you’ll never touch THAT seven-day period for all the tragic and human drama back then!

Good luck with all that! Meanwhile our attention is on Herky!

Bob Ufer: forever the voice of ‘Mee-chigan’

2011-10-24T10:42:00.001-05:00

It’s been 30 years this week (October 26) since the voice of Michigan football was stilled. Others have sat behind the microphone in the past three decades; others were there since the first-ever college game was broadcast from Ferry Field in 1923.

But for 37 years (362 straight games), one sound embodied everything that WAS Michigan football, and in turn, the University itself.

Bob Ufer was more than an “announcer;” he was a storyteller, cheerleader, ambassador and the single most recognizable media individual associated with Michigan football…ever!

Ufer was born in Mount Lebanon, Penn., (outside of Pittsburgh), the son of a lumber broker.

Before he sat in front of the WPAG microphone in 1945, Ufer had established himself as one of the school’s best track athletes. He attended U-M from 1939-43 and, in his time, set eight school records, including a world record in the 440-yard run in 1940 (which lasted five years and remained a varsity record for 32 years). He was also a seven-time Big 10 champion.

Ufer did play freshman football, but a lack of size made his concentrate on track. However, he retained his love for the gridiron for 362 consecutive games, beginning in 1945.

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On home Friday nights, the athletic department (and sports information department) would host “smokers” at an area hotel (in my time it was usually the Holiday Inn West) for visiting press members and team dignitaries. Inevitably, Ufer, donning the loudest maize and blue jacket anyone would ever dare be seen in public wearing, would be the speaker most remembered most, spinning tale tales … from memory, without notes … of past games against the other school. He would rattle off names, numbers, stats and hometowns, providing the same vivid, colorful recall of plays and player to the jaw-dropping, utter amazement of all those guests in attendance.

“During the 60 minutes on that gridiron, a player experiences every emotion in life ... pain, pleasure, pride, disappointment, accomplishment, hope, doubt, success, and failure,” he would often tell audiences – in person or on the air. “Prejudiced? Partial? You better b’leeve I am. Michigan football is a religion and Saturday’s the holy day of obligation.”

The man had a memory like a steel trap but you wouldn’t know it from his broadcast booth, which, in the old press box, was barely big enough to seat three people and there were more than that crammed into the working space.

He always arrived several hours before kickoff; often he rode the elevator to the upper levels with SID personnel, which had to be there at 9 a.m. for a noon kickoff.

The booth was plastered with 3x5 cards with important player and game statistics; he used them as the game proceeded. Depending on the weather, his window would be opened to absorb more of the crowd reaction and those sitting directly below him were given rare access. But so many fans carried pocket transistor radios to the game, he became the unofficial “play-by-play” voice (with former U-M baseball star Don Lund and longtime assistant coach Wally Weber as his “analysts”) within the stadium.

Ufer wrote original poetry for each contest and, of course, saved his best offerings for Woody Hayes and Ohio State. And then there was that damn horn … yes, it had come from Patton’s jeep and Ufer would be screaming glory to the football gods for another Michigan touchdown, all the while squeezing that horn beside him (honked three times for a touchdown, two times for a field goal or safety, and once for an extra point).

People must have thought the man was crazy. He was – for Michigan football.

When Ufer bounced into the Sports Information office, it was if a blast of positivity had rushed down the hallway in the basement offices. Any request was wrapped in his smile and some sort of happy greeting.

In the days when stats were shared by hand, and delivered by paper, the runners responsible for getting that split-minute (we moved too slowly for split-seconds), it was always preceded by the words, “Ufer first!”

Most people remember Ufer for his “Uferisms” which appear fairly corny these days, but people loved hearing them anyway. He called his school “ MEE-chigan,” because that was how the old man (Fielding Harris Yost) used to say it.

Here are a few of those gems:

(from 1969 about defensive back Barry Pierson) “Going down that mod sod like a penguin with a hot herring in his cummerbund.”

(when referring to Michigan Stadium) “The hole that Yost dug, Crisler paid for, Canham carpeted, and Schembechler fills up every Saturday.”

(when speaking about the 1978 trip to Columbus) “We’re down in the snakepit at Ohio State and our Maize ‘n Blue dobbers are high right now cuz we’re getting ready to do battle with Dr. StrangeHayes and his Scarlet and Grey Legions.”

(When describing a former Michigan star halfback) “That whirling dervish, Gordie Bell, who could run 15 minutes in a phone booth... and he wouldn’t even touch the sides.”

(his name for Bo) “General Bo George Patton Schembechler.”

(describing a Michigan running back) “Running through that line like a bull with a bee in his ear.”

And during almost during every broadcast – home or away – Ufer would repeat Schembechler’s most famous statement: “What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve. And those who stay will be champions.”

Anyone who has ever heard Ufer’s last-second call of the 1979 Indiana game, when Anthony “The Darter” Carter caught QB John Wangler’s pass to win the game, knows it was the (perhaps subjectively) greatest call of any single play in U-M football history (the Billy Taylor 1971 winning touchdown run is probably second).

There is the story about his appearance at a Rose Bowl kickoff luncheon in Pasadena, in front of a packed house of 4,000, and how his seven-minute speech left everyone, even Southern Cal fans, breathless.

It has been said, and written, that the two NBC commentators, Don Meredith and Curt Gowdy, decided NOT to give their planned speeches; instead they presented Ufer with a souvenir game ball for his performance … they then left the dais. There was NO way they could follow Ufer.

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Ufer lost a long battle with cancer on October 26, 1981, just nine days after his last broadcast.

He was laid to rest in Forest Hill Cemetery in Ann Arbor. His son, also named Bob, would later become commissioner of the International Hockey League.

The Bob Ufer Memorial Scholarship Fund, begun in 1983, has been used to provide four scholarships to students in Ann Arbor who “exemplify the pursuit of athletic and academic excellence, as well as the enthusiasm and love of life, which characterized Bob Ufer’s life,” according to the Ufer Foundation website.

Scholarships, totaling $20,000, are awarded annually to seniors from Ann Arbor Huron and Ann Arbor Pioneer High Schools who will be attending Michigan – now more than $445,000.

I’m sure Bob Ufer could have taken his talent to a national level but he really didn’t much interest in that. He loved living and working in Ann Arbor, he operated a successful insurance agency and he wanted to see Michigan football every week. Seeing SEC or Pac-8 games simply didn’t cotton to his needs.

Just days before his passing, Ufer received the most unique tribute ever been seen at Michigan Stadium. During its halftime performance, the Michigan Marching Band spelled “UFER” on the field and allowed Ufer to address the sold-out crowd (from upstairs). Despite bad health, he told everyone that his 37 years of broadcasting had been “a privilege, a pleasure, and a true labor of love.”

He then led everyone in a chorus of “The Victors” – what he termed “the greatest moment of my life.”

But at the start of the game, when the Wolverines would rush onto the field, jumping to touch the “Go Blue” banner, as is tradition in Ann Arbor, instead the banner read “Bob Ufer” – the team’s tribute to its biggest cheerleader.

Three weeks later, another crowd of 100,000 stood in sad silence to mourn his death.

At a memorial tribute held at Crisler Arena, the most appropriate words came from the man Ufer adored and made into a legend on the airwaves, Bo himself.

“As I stand here, I just know that Bob Ufer is looking down at me from up there in football’s Valhalla, and he’s saying to me ... ‘Bo, you can do it. MEE-CHIGAN can do it. MEE-CHIGAN can do anything.’”

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SIDEBAR: For decades, Michigan football was heard on Detroit radio station WWJ (when it was an NBC Network affiliate since it went on the air in 1920 and generally considered to be the first commercial radio station in the United States), before moving to WJR for more than 20 years, and then back to WWJ in 2006.

The first U-M game happened in 1924 at Ferry Field against Wisconsin. The great Tiger broadcast, Edwin L. “Ty” Tyson, and Leonard “Doc” Holland, put a microphone in the east end zone stands and you had the first Michigan home game broadcast … and what is thought to be the first “live” broadcast originating directly from any football stadium.

In old days, college football games in the 20s (or as late as the 30s) were heard on the radio, but they were “re-creations” – where the broadcasters were in a studio miles away from the action and a reporter in the press box wired (via telegraph connection) or telephoned the information to that studio.

Prior to that Wisconsin game, two Michigan games in 1924 were heard over the air waves. There was a radio receiver in the Tap Room at the Michigan Union for the 1924 World Series and the October 11 game against Michigan Agricultural College (which is why Michigan State is called “Moo-U” by many older alums) from East Lansing was also heard.

The next week, Chicago powerhouse radio station WGN did the Michigan-Illinois game, played at Champaign.

According to documents in the Bentley Historical Library, Tyson first approached the U-M athletic department to broadcast the Wisconsin game. Yost, in his role as athletic director, didn’t want to do it immediately, thinking a “free” broadcast would hurt game day attendance. But Yost relented, only agreeing to Tyson’s request IF the game was a sellout – an early blackout rule now enforced in the NFL.

But after the 1923 victory, 6-3 over Wisconsin in somewhat controversial fashion, a sellout was guaranteed. As a matter of fact, Yost added more seats to the east end of Ferry Field to meet the ticket demand.

“It sure was a sellout, Doc (Holland) and I had to pay to get in just like everyone else,” Tyson would later recall. “Later, the university athletic department gave us five seats to set up our microphones and power equipment.”

So popular was the broadcast that demand for tickets to the two remaining home games actually increased.

WWJ would be the Detroit home for Michigan football for decades and Tyson was its voice through 1950. Holland was Tyson’s spotter-color commentator for 27 years and remained in the WWJ booth through the 1970 season. He worked with Tyson’s successors – Budd Lynch, 1951-1952 (best known as the longtime radio-TV voice of the Detroit Red Wings), Bill Fleming, 1953-1959 (who gained national fame at ABC and was the ABC announcer for the 1969 Michigan-Ohio State game), and Don Kremer 1960-1970 (sports director at WWJ in Detroit).

Tyson, in 1927, became the radio voice of the Detroit Tigers and one of the nation’s top radio sports announcers.

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When I worked for the SID, there were handfuls of direct radio broadcasts instead of the “one network fits all” system. In Ann Arbor alone, you had WPAG (with Ufer), WAAM (with Bill Bishop), the student station, WCBN (led by Chuck Kaiton for a couple of years before becoming the longtime voice of the NHL Carolina Hurricanes) and the University’s own station, WUOM (which first carried Michigan football in 1947). For years, the great Tom Hemingway was the voice over that network.

You added WWJ, and a few other stations from the outlying cities, plus visiting stations (Ohio State had more than its share and Michigan State brought similar broadcasting needs for the Lansing market plus WJR out of Detroit, which was the Spartan station in the 1960s and ‘70s), and Michigan football blanketed the Midwest.

For generations of fans, radio, not television, was the direct link to the college game. People of my age adored men like Bob Ufer because of their ability to paint such a beautiful picture each Saturday … of Maize and Blue football, against a crisp, blue autumn mid-Michigan sky.

You can hear it now…

Reeling in the (extra) years: Willie and Wilson and the boys

2011-10-18T13:41:00.002-05:00

As we speak (or read or blog), the runaway winner for the Big Ten Player of the Year is a young man who wasn’t even attending a Big Ten school 12 months earlier, or even six months ago.

Wisconsin “senior” quarterback Russell Wilson has lit the conference on fire with his passing and running skills, and to think, just this past spring, he was thinking about his senior year. At North Carolina State in Raleigh.

Yet here he is, in Madison, leading the Badgers (clearly the best all-around team in the Big 10 Conference) to a possible BCS championship game. He is, in effect, a one-year rental by the Badgers; or what baseball would term as a one-year free agent contract. Wilson will use his success to enter the NFL Draft, with a stronger bargaining position, as well as an option to continue his baseball career.

He is using Wisconsin to turn pro. And there is nothing illegal, according to NCAA rules, about it (since senior transfers, possibly having “graduated” do NOT have to sit out a season). It’s one of those quirks that shows the hypocrisy of the collegiate rules.

How Wilson went from Raleigh to Madison is fairly interesting. He is a two-sport star (football and baseball) and his role in the latter sport has caused this entire affair.

His worth on the field is NOT in dispute. But how he came to be in Madison could be. As a Wolfpack quarterback, Wilson completed almost 58 percent of his passes in a three-year career (1,364 of 2,360 passes) for 8,545 yards, 76 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. He also ran for 1,089 yards on 372 carries and scored 17 touchdowns.

But Wilson, 22, a native of Richmond, Va., is also a member of the Colorado Rockies baseball organization, having spent last spring (and short summer) as a second baseman for the Asheville Tourists on the Class A rookie level.

When it came time for spring football practice, Wilson was unavailable and the Wolfpack coach, Tom O’Brien, who is labeled as a no-nonsense kind of guy, wanted a commitment from Wilson – football OR baseball. O’Brien needed to know how to proceed in the spring in terms of grooming the 2011 starting quarterback. When Wilson would not commit, O’Brien, the school and Wilson “mutually” agreed to give him his release from his scholarship … and placed this top “prospect” on the free agent agent … for other colleges.

Wisconsin, having seen its multi-year starter Scott Tolzien graduate, offered Wilson a spot on its roster and the rest, thus far, is conference history. Since it was his senior year, and final year of eligibility, Wilson could walk in immediately and play. It was the best of all worlds for Wilson and the Badgers – not necessarily for Wisconsin’s opponents (of which Michigan is NOT one of them unless both schools reach the Big 10 Championship Game).

While Wilson’s case is not illegal, or even immoral, it does make a statement about the condition of NCAA football where a school can basically “rent” a player for one season without a tinge of loyalty or affiliation to ONE particular institution.

The NCAA changed its rule about senior eligibility a long time ago, and well before that, altered its overall eligibility limitations. But it was NOT an uncommon practice – long, long ago – to have football players perform at multiple colleges, including … the University of Michigan.

In fact, the Wolverines’ first big start, on a national stage, came via that route.

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William Martin “Willie” Heston was an unusual man, to say the least. He was born (and died on the same date – Sept. 9, 1878-1963), in Galesburg, Ill., the son of a tenant farmer.

When he was 4, Heston’s family moved to a farm in the coal mining town of Rippey, Ia., located at the Raccoon River. While living there, Heston almost died on two occasions – once from whooping cough and another when he fell into the Raccoon and had to be rescued by his sister.

When Heston was 9, the family was moved to a ranch in southwestern Kansas and he was forced to leave school in order to herd cattle and assist raising money for his family. Just before his 16th birthday, the Heston clan relocated in Grants Pass, Ore., in southwest Oregon, near the California border. There he dug ditches that supplied water to the area mines and chopped wood to sell to the local for fireplaces.

All this time, Heston was not in any formalized level of schooling, but, according to history, the local principal, Prof. Champ Price, met Heston and “suggested” he attend Grants Pass High School, starting in 1895.

Heston’s athletic ability, particularly as a runner, was quickly established, as well as his intellect, graduating in 1898 as co-valedictorian of his class. His original plans were to become a schoolteacher and he enrolled at San Jose State Normal School (today known as San Jose State University) in northern California.

Jesse Woods, the football coach at the time, saw Heston run and suggested he try out for the football team – a sport Heston had not played before. Heston was a natural athlete; he immediately became the Spartans’ star player, scoring more touchdowns in his first year than any other on the squad.

In 1899, Heston was the Spartan team captain and led the group to a fine season, losing only to the University of California. The following year, he helped SJS to an undefeated regular season, tying Chico State 6-6 in the championship game. The two teams, wishing to settle the title on the field, agreed to hold a rematch three weeks later, which San Jose State easily won 46-0 … with the help of the Stanford University coach who came to lead the match during the run-up.

His name was Fielding Harris Yost and the coach and player would begin a rapturous relationship … but not immediately. Heston earned that desired teaching degree and has accepted an education job in Oregon in 1901.

While Heston was set to be the next Mister Chips, Yost was changing addresses – from Palo Alto, Calif. to Ann Arbor, Mich., as the new head football coach at Michigan. One of the first communiqués Yost sent was to Heston, asking the young man to move east and further his education at U-M. Originally, Heston declined the offer but was eventually persuaded and enrolled in the Michigan Law School in August of 1901.

From 1901-04, Heston, as a left halfback, became the first great player for the Wolverine program and, perhaps, the greatest player in the nation. Those Michigan teams were THE most successful in school history – known as the “Point-a-Minute” squads for that very reason, averaging at least a point for every minutes of game action. The 1901 team alone outscored its opponents 555-0 in going 11-0 on the season.

In 1902, Michigan was 11-0 (outscoring the opposition 644-12), in 1903, the team was 11-0-1 (with a point differential of 565-6; the six being the infamous “Little Brown Jug” game against Minnesota) and Heston’s final year saw the 1904 U-M team go 10-0 and outscored everyone 577-22.

And for four years, Heston was THE star. He scored on his first snap from scrimmage as a defender in the second half against Albion College. See Albion’s tendency to hurl long lateral passes to the halfbacks, so when it came time for him to play, Heston, only 5-8, but a strong 185 pounds, blew through the defensive line and simply grabbed the ball from the quarterback’s hands, just as it was to be thrown, and ran 30 yards for a touchdown.

He later wrote his greatest thrill in football was that initial touchdown for Michigan.

Heston possessed “halfback’s” speed, not sprinter’s speed. One of his Michigan classmates was Archie Hahn, the 1904 Olympic gold medalist in the 100-meters, and Heston regularly defeated Hahn in 40-yard sprints (the distance used to measure football speed).

He was tough as nails and his ability to pivot away from tacklers was nothing less than extraordinary.

“Heston could run full speed at a brick wall and, just before crashing into it, pivot and proceed alongside it with no diminishing of acceleration,” Yost explained.

In fact, the actual creation of the tailback position stemmed from Heston’s ability. Prior to 1901, left halfbacks ran one way and right halfbacks went the other. But Yost strategically placed Heston so he could maneuver and attack either side of the ball. In response, opposing coaches created schemes simply to contain Heston. Minnesota, which had used a nine-man defensive line, shifted two players off the line and backed them behind; hence the creation of “linebackers.”

And Heston was a defensive standout, as well as the main cog in the “Point-a-Minute” offense.

“He was one of the greatest defensive backs, one of the hardest, surest tacklers that ever lived,” Yost said later in life.

Sadly, the official record books do not reflect Heston’s greatness to the history of Michigan football. According to the 2002 publication, “NCAA Football’s Finest,” researchers for the NCAA Statistics Service could only verify 17 of Heston’s games (out of 36), accounting for 72 touchdowns, 360 career points (when a “touch”down only meant five points), 2339 career yards rushing and an 8.4 per gain average.

Yost, in a 1925 letter to the sportswriter Grantland Rice, claimed Heston had 106 touchdowns. Other figures have been floated out there but nothing verifiable.

In a 1903 game against the Chicago Maroons, Michigan had 267 yards rushing, with Heston running for 237 of them.

“Michigan called Heston’s signal. Maybe it was the only one they had,” wrote the immortal Ring Lardner about the performance.

In the initial Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1902, Heston ran for 170 yards on 18 carries, as Michigan defeated Stanford 49-0. Heston held the record for most rushing yards in a Rose Bowl game for 59 years.

So inspired by Heston and his cohorts, U-M student Louis Ebel, riding the train back to Ann Arbor, wrote the song that has become synonymous with the University of Michigan – “The Victors.”

All of the NCAA figures would place Heston firmly either at the top or in the top 20 in almost all U-M categories. Yet he isn’t there … officially.

However, Heston did earn several established honors – first-team Walter Camp All-American in 1903-04, elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954, and chosen by the Football Writers Association of America as its all-time team halfback for the first 50 years of college football.

After his collegiate days were FINALLY over, Heston played some professional football, in 1906 for the Canton Bulldogs, but a broken leg on Thanksgiving Day ended his pro days. He was head coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, which is now known as North Carolina State University (a six-degree tie to Russell Wilson) in 1906.

Heston later practiced law and served as a Michigan state court judge.

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The NCAA loves to show itself as some sort of beacon of purity, labeling ALL involved in sports as “student-athletes.” Russell Wilson is a pro athlete-in-waiting; being a student has little to do with it. Heston played more football to advance his education since the professional angle was not as viable as it is today.

It’s simply an oddity to see how Wisconsin is challenging for a national title with its rental. But there is history, going back to the 1900s in that regard.

World Series has a feel from five years before

2011-10-17T09:11:00.000-05:00

People seem to be shocked that the last-second entry in the National League playoffs – the St. Louis Cardinals – has made their way into the World Series. This squad waited until Game 162 to secure a seat at the table.

I’m not! Memories of 2006 spring immediately to mind when the Cards (two years removed from being steamrolled by the famed Red Sox curse braking machine) defeated the Detroit Tigers in six games, with a team not much over .500. In fact, the similarities to that team are striking.

The AL champion Texas Rangers WILL be the favorites, no doubt. They have a fantastic, potent lineup and a bullpen that won all four games against Detroit (a playoff first).

However, thanks to Rangers starter C.J. Wilson (who served up the All-Star gopher ball to Prince Fielder and lost the All-Star Game last July), four potential games in the World Series will be played in Buschland … and the road doesn’t do Texas many favors.

Here are my keys to victory in the Series:

Starting pitching – Frankly, both teams had poor starting performances, with Texas unable to secure anything resembling a quality start in the entire ALCS (and only one in the ALDS). As potent and vaunted as is the Rangers bullpen, at some point, cracks will emerge and St. Louis has proven to be quite opportunistic in the playoffs.

St. Louis has already beaten the best starting rotation in baseball (edging Philadelphia, the team most fans anointed to be in this position at this moment). It has THE best starter left standing in former Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter and is a potential three-game pitcher in this Series. His forte is keeping the ball down and NOT surrendering home runs.

Texas has lots of potential in its starting staff, but its best reliever on the ALCS was a starter (Alexei Ogando) and no starter went past the fifth inning. A team cannot keep that pace and win a World Series.

Cruz Controlling – Any baseball fan of a level above average knows about Texas OF Nelson Cruz. His power display was NOT unusual and he is NOT a no. 7 hitter in anyone’s lineup.

However, Cruz is a hamstring waiting to be pulled. He hit the disabled list three times in 2011 – all for the same basic reason. When he’s healthy, he’s as tough an out as there is in Major League Baseball; especially when pitchers cannot keep the ball out of his power zone (inside and up). Anything up-and-in flies away like a Saturn rocket.

Lineup maintenance, keeping players off the bases ahead of Cruz is critical to St. Louis’ success. And keep the damn ball down and away.

Mr. Tasty Freese – The middle of the St. Louis lineup is as potent as any team. The combination of Albert Pujols (arguably THE best hitter, most powerful slugger and most feared batter) switch-hitter Lance Berkman (NL Comeback Player of the Year) and outfielder Matt Holliday can slam home runs in all directions, including into the jet stream in right-center field at The Ballpark at Arlington.

But the “X” factor (after all, the games ARE on FOX) could be Cards 3B David Freese, who was hurt half of the year for St. Louis but has responded with a thunderous bat in the playoffs. He doesn’t have the same post-season credentials of Pujols, Holliday or Berkman, but could be more important than either of that trio. If the top of the Cards’ lineup can reach base, Freese could drive in a ton of runs.

Also look for the Series to be a good battle (offensively and defensively) between the two shortstops – Elvis Andruss for Texas and veteran Rafael Furcal for St. Louis. This is Furcal’s swan song and he will want to exit on a high note.

Auction time – The biggest potential free agent on the 2012 open market is the game’s best all-around player – Pujols. One gets the feeling that he will demonstrate exactly why he is worth every freaking penny to be offered (by St. Louis, the Cubs, the Dodgers, the Angels – you name it). Each swing means ka-ching in the piggy bank.

And real baseball fans can only imagine seeing Pujols hit into the wind tunnel in Arlington. I’d pay merely to watch batting practice on Saturday if Pujols can spend quality time in the cage.

On the other side, Wilson (another potential FA) will continue watching his stock go DOWN, as he has thrown four unimpressive outings in the post-season.

My prediction for the Series is a second visit to St. Louis ... and those fans celebrating at home after a Game 6 clinching victory. It just seems to be that kind of season…like 2006.

Michigan-Michigan State: Examining the first loss

2011-10-15T16:20:00.000-05:00

OK, Michigan is no longer an undefeated football team; the Wolverines simply did not play well enough, especially on offense (against the NCAA’s top-ranked defense, mind you) to defeat Michigan State for the fourth straight year (hasn’t happened since 1959-62).

The Spartans devised an excellent defensive scheme to bother/annoy/pursue/contain Denard Robinson, and, at the end, resort to cheap shots to punish the young man physically (more on that later). U-M could NOT muster much of a running game that did not involve Robinson, forcing too many passes and face a blitz package that the Wolverine offensive line simply could not handle.

MSU outran Michigan 213-82 as Spartan star Edwin Baker gained 167 yards on 26 carries. The junior from Highland Park (who played at Oak Park … which is quite a commute when you think about it) is probably the best pure runner U-M will face in the 2011 season; certainly the best in the first seven games.

While he accounted for 167 of MSU’s 213 yards, Robinson had half of Michigan’s 36 carries for only 42 yards while the other 18 attempts only netted 40 yards (26 of which came on one Vincent Smith run).

In fact, subtract a fake field goal run and an end-around, and NO Michigan running back did a thing. Only Fitzgerald Toussaint even touched the ball (and just twice at that). Where were Michael Shaw and Stephen Hopkins?

Without a shred of respect for the ground game, MSU spend all afternoon bull-rushing Robinson (and backup Devin Gardner) when it was obvious a pass play was called. The Spartans were well-prepared for the two-quarterback backfield (even if the ESPN announcers were not, but more on THAT later) and credit should go to their personnel and coaches. And Wolverine fans, Sparty will return as it only graduates two seniors off that defense.

However, it should still be noted the two weeks given to MSU to prepare for this game. It was one of those schedule quirks that never existed in the old days; back then, 10 games (and then 11) were played over a period of 10 or 11 weeks. No one had “championship” games because a bowl invitation was a sacred thing (Big 10 teams ONLY went to the Rose Bowl until 1976) and bowl games themselves are fewer in numbers.

There are no real excuses and I do not expect Coach Brady Hoke to employ any in explaining this defeat. Michigan was outplayed on defense and was unable to convert its second turnover into points.

Talk about NO confidence, zero, in your field goal kicker!!! One team spent almost the entire game inside the other’s half of the field, with a 35 mph wind at your back, and you are forced to go for fourth-down conversions four times!

It would be safe to say the off week “might” see a change in that position; no worse than a new battle to see who WILL at least TRY field goals.

The bye week will also allow for needed work on the offensive line. Two penalties, one being a holding call on a critical third down play, stopped potential drives inside MSU territory. Robinson, especially, was unable to move laterally in the backfield and escape the oncoming MSU pressure. He was sacked six times in the second half, for a loss of 36 yards, either trying to pass or running to the outside. Adjustments will have to be made there (including thoughts of just scrapping the two-quarterback set since no one on defense believes Gardner will do anything but throw the ball).

Now … to some REAL topics of discussion:

ESPN – I guess it is a real “honor” to have former Florida coach Urban Meyer be the color analyst along with (former Buckeye) Chris Spielman, but it does the audience no favors. Meyer might be a coaching genius, but on the air, he’s a boring monotone. Even when he was making cogent points that mere mortals would miss, he was putting people to sleep.

Spielman, a former Detroit Lion linebacker, probably knows the game inside and out, but all he did Saturday was bitch and moan and question EVERYTHING Michigan was doing on offense. I’m shocked he wasn’t wearing the old Scarlet and Gray plaid jacket seen in olden days on Columbus Dispatch writer Paul Hornung in every Big 10 press box.

And had either one of them spent ANY time watching tape of the past three Michigan games, they would have stopped the constant haranguing about Devin Gardner’s presence in the game with Robinson taking breathers. Dudes, it was a planned thing! So shut up!

One other broadcast note – in order to record complete games on my DVR, the allotted time slots, according to the network schedule, is way inadequate. This broadcast almost hit the 3 hour, 30 minute mark – ridiculous for any fan of the college game.

All that passing, and clock-stopping first downs, is one reason, but the length of commercial breaks, lasting more than 2 minutes every time play is halted (for called or network time outs) is long than one of Rick Perry’s attempts to answer debate questions … and that IS lethally long.

There WAS a time when a 1:30 p.m. kickoff still meant you left the stadium around 4 p.m., with plenty of time before dinner and parties and … sundown. This game started at noon and ended with the lights on at 4:30 p.m. Michigan time. It’s nonsense and ESPN is the main culprit; after all, one can only watch the same set of commercials over and over and over …

Uniforms – Don’t believe me when I attack this aspect. My poor wife, suffering severely from autumnal allergies, and half-conscious on Benadryl, wandered into the living room in the third quarter, looked at the TV set for five seconds and exclaimed, “Who wearing those God-awful ugly-ass uniforms?”

“Uh, dear, that would be Michigan State,” I said, nodding my head because half my game notes were about those monstrosities.

Why would ANY team wear uniforms that looked like they were designed by the Project Runway LOSER? Since when do you wear GOLD helmets, GOLD numerals and GOLD (effeminate) shoes when your fight song says your colors and GREEN and WHITE???

Oh, they are those “combat rivalry uniforms” the country was told. Combat against WHO? Nicaragua? Those uniforms were the most hideous thing this side of the University of Maryland; not to mention difficult to read.

Michigan, for its own part, dressed in a road version of the “Under the Lights” sweater, complete with the bumble bee stripes on the shoulders and arms. At least, they employed the school colors!

All this for the sake of marketing a different product to the novelty-purchasing public can go a tad too far. The uniforms against Notre Dame were special because they were unique. When you wear them more than once, ain’t unique no more. And, no Dave Pasch (play-by-play guy), those were NOT the uniforms of the 1970s – only the pants looked like that … at times!

The thing about following tradition is to following AS IT WAS; not as it might have been. Stop messing around with tradition for money’s sake!

Penalties – Here’s a question open to debate. Are penalties a reflection of player performance only, or a reflection of coaching?

Timing penalties happen when players forget snap counts or formations; it’s their fault. Delay of game penalties, more often than not, are failures to communicate between bench and quarterback; everyone’s fault.

Holding is a penalty that can be flagged on every offensive play in every game. All linemen are basically taught the same techniques; penalties happen when the techniques are exaggerated in game action and fail.

But personal fouls are a matter of discipline and discipline begins and ends with the head coach. On Saturday, most of the 13 flags against MSU were major infraction variety (plus two non-calls for taunting by Isaiah Lewis on his interception touchdown return and an obvious block in the back on a major gain by Baker).

At least three were for late hits, two for roughing the quarterback. But two calls stand out as particularly egregious. In the fourth quarter, it can clearly be seen how Spartan DE William Gholston takes his best “Manny Pacquiao” right hook to Taylor Lewan’s jaw. He brought it up from his hip and intended to cold-cock the Michigan tackle.

The official saw it in full view because he threw a flag, yet Gholston wasn’t ejected for that blatant of an infraction. Hmmmm.

A few minutes later, MSU freshman Marcus Rush was flagged for “roughing the passer;” specifically for body-slamming Robinson (in nifty WWE-style), essentially knocking the U-M star out of the game. My objection is the fact that Rush was still two steps away from Robinson when the ball was thrown and STILL scooped Robinson and slammed him to the turf – a deliberate attempt to injure.

Equally disgusting was the triumphant welcome Rush got at his bench, grinning from ear to ear and exchanging high fives with teammates. Of course, karma is a bitch and he still has to make two visits to Ann Arbor where anything can happen. I’m not wishing injury to the young man, but when you tempt the football gods, bad thing usually happen in return.

If you add to this indictment the constant use by MSU of chop blocking, going at an opposing player’s knees (which I had thought was a target of NCAA scrutiny to eliminate such injuries and techniques), as is said on “Law and Order,” you’ve got pretty damning evidence.

It is, frankly, why MSU head coach Mark D’Antonio cannot be included among the sport’s top mentors. Too many of his players wind up in jail at various times during the year (far more than seem to be academic casualties) and why his team played like it did Saturday – rough, chippy and downright dirty.

His team reflects, by its play, his coaching. I wish it appeared to be better, but I need more evidence to the contrary.

Luckily, Michigan has a bye week to recover and retool before the October 29 Homecoming game against Purdue. In the past two years, Moo U has handed Michigan its first loss of the season, followed by a fairly complete meltdown by U-M. But there WAS more fight shown in this game (even as a loss) than in the last three campaigns and the defense IS playing better.

I can guarantee you Michigan State will NOT finish division play undefeated – hosting Wisconsin next week and playing at Nebraska the following Saturday (the final four games are against the lower-tier Big 10 teams).

Michigan can STILL play for the conference championship … if it runs the table – which is asking a great deal of any team, but is what comprises CHAMPIONSHIP squads.

Michigan football: The Midterm Exam

2011-10-09T14:27:00.000-05:00

When I was a University of Michigan student, and it came time to take those dreaded mid-term exams, it meant hopping down to Ulrich’s, or the University Bookstore, to grab the tools needed to take those tests. You needed a pen that was far more comfortable than the 19-cent Bic and a pack of ruled paper in a cover, known as a “blue book.”

I have no idea how mid-terms are conducted today; I imagine the sight of an auditorium filled with students actually WRITING answers on PAPER is pretty archaic. Perhaps nowadays everyone has a laptop, notebook, or iPad, and work from those. Instead of having a mimeographed list of questions handed out to each student, professors and teacher’s aides deliver flash drives with those exams. Instead of adding your answers to a stack at the front of the hall, one might simply hand over that thumb drive.

Either way, it is a test of what you’ve learned and what you are expected to know … in order to pass the course.

For Michigan football, it is examination time as the halfway point has been reached with a 42-24 victory last Saturday over Northwestern. Just like every affair this season, the win continues to produce more questions than answers, but U-M has reached this moment at 6-0 for the first time since 2005 – a completely unexpected turnaround from the early prognostications.

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The trip to Northwestern was more of a pop quiz, if anything. It had all the signs of being a trap game and the first half certainly bore that out. Michigan (actually QB Denard Robinson) committed three turnovers leading to a 24-14 halftime deficit.

Despite 180 yards passing in the first 30 minutes, the U-M offense looked nothing like the working machine one week before against Minnesota. The short, quick, effective air strikes were not present and the running game was painful to watch as the Wildcats were quite effective, for the most part, in swallowing up Robinson and the rest of the ground attack.

But in the second half, Michigan outscored Northwestern 28-0 and stymied the Wildcats on offense, responding with two takeovers of its own. Again, the key seemed to be the coaching staff applying the proper halftime adjustments – a sign that the engine is running properly.

Every Michigan fans needs to remember that the 6-0 start comes from better usage of another regime’s recruits. In many ways, Brady Hoke and his crew are dispelling the notion that Michigan lacked the talent to compete. Beginning in 2012, Hoke will work with players HE has recruited, to mold into his own vision of how things should go; the current success is due to better coaching.

But each victory signifies that past problems seemed to have stemmed more from improper motivation and deployment of the talent present. If it is good enough to stand at 6-0 now, it was good enough to have done that from 2008-10.

Robinson continued to work his magic; he has the arm to make any pass he wishes and if he would just set his feet, he’d stop making careless interceptions. It is interesting to note the elimination, for the most part, of Michigan fumbles this season, while seeing the Wolverines AVERAGE two takeaways per game. This also as absent in the recent past.

While no Michigan back ran for further than 9 yards, it was Robinson with all the gains over 10 yards in the contest. The limitations on the runners forced the Wolverines into a huge amount of third-down situations, and an amazing amount of conversions (13 of 17 and one successful fourth-down attempt).

At times, the passing game appears to be under total control (using the tight ends almost to perfection), but the big gains against Northwestern simply came on throws best termed “jump balls” – throw it up and see who can catch it out of mid-air. Both Roy Roundtree and Junior “For Whom the Ball Tolls” Hemingway seems quite adept in out-leaping opposing cornerbacks.

And, yes, the quality of the opposition had something to do with the outcome. For the second game in a row, Northwestern (shockingly playing only its second home affair of the season) cratered in the second half – much of it due to the Michigan defense but some of it due to erratic sideline behavior. After Michigan took a 35-24 lead, Northwestern literally had the ball stripped from a carrier, who just failed to maintain a proper grip. The gas was leaking from the tank and things were going south (perhaps to Joliet).

But frankly, the game was “over” when head coach Pat Fitzgerald went ballistic over the “helmet call” with just seven minutes to play. You can laud a coach for his intensity all you want, but when he loses it on the sidelines like Fitzgerald did, it remains a sign of a program without the discipline to win consistently.

Unfortunately, there was NO clear camera angle on the play in question. One of the drawbacks to constant usage of instant replay is that often there IS no clear-cut evidence either way … unless you station cameras every 5-10 yards to record everything; it’s not practical.

From what I could tell, Jordan Kovacs came untouched on a safety blitz, hit QB Dan Persa on the shoulder pads and had his arm slide along those pads and towards the helmet. While the officials (not the sharpest unit ever to work a Big 10 game) should have stopped play once it was obvious Persa was without a bonnet, there was no way a flag could have been thrown.

I’ll give you one reason, seldom talked about, for a dislodged helmet – constant unbuckling of the chin straps by any player, especially the quarterback. Such actions cannot help by weaken the connection and make it easier for the helmet to slip off, especially when sweat has lubricated the head, allowing for easier slippage. Allegedly, the addition of a second strap to the helmet would help avoid such happenings.

Now I remember my parents always saying that if I fidgeted with something like that enough times, it would eventually break ... or fail. It might have been the case for Persa.

The 15-yard flag gave U-M possession at the NW 38, and seemed to take the remaining starch out of the Wildcats. Robinson drove Michigan for the nail-in-the-coffin touchdown, scoring from 5 yards out, with 2:19 to play.

Sidenote: Since there were sporting conflicts on the television Saturday night, I taped the football game on my DVR and happily reviewed the action (all of it) in just about an hour’s time. The handy little clicker went into overtime as the 30-second advance button was perfectly time to the pace of the Michigan offense (and eliminating most of the babble from the Big Ten Network announcers, who seemingly questioned EVERY Michigan play as being legitimate).

The clicker didn’t work as well for Northwestern’s offense, which was running at a faster clip (dammit).

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If a grade had to be assigned to the entire effort, it would have been a B-minus (A for the second half, D for the first).

And now … comes the actual exam on Saturday – a road trip to East Lansing to face Michigan State. The Spartans have a major advantage going into the noon kickoff Saturday; their bye week was last week so Sparty has two weeks to prepare for “big brother.” Michigan only has a vision of MSU’s 10-7 victory over Ohio State as a measuring gauge.

The questions to be answered will be these:

First, how will MSU defend the multiple formation sets increasingly in use by U-M offensive coordinator Al Borges? The inclusion of reserve QB Devin Gardner adds a wrinkle simply not seen in the first four U-M games while outside of Fitzgerald Toussaint, no one knows who else will run the football for Michigan.

Second, Spartan Stadium is NOT Ryan Field; THIS could be the toughest game of them all, certainly the hardest road contest. How will the Wolverines react? Exactly HOW important is this game to Brady Hoke and the staff? (It was more important to MSU over the past three seasons).

Third, which passing game will Michigan employ – short and efficient, or the jump ball attack that worked (against Notre Dame and Northwestern)?

Fourth, can Michigan run the ball effectively against a stout Spartan defense, using someone OTHER than Robinson? Against Northwestern, it was tough sledding for most of the game with the running backs only gaining 62 yards on 25 rushes (Robinson had 117 yards on 25 attempts, but was stopped for losses several times).

Fifth, Can the Wolverine defense get pressure on MSU QB Kirk Cousins? Against Northwestern, Michigan collected six sacks, even “Soupy” Campbell barrel-rolled Persa late in the contest. Can the secondary defend enough to permit the U-M blitz to reach Cousins?

Sixth, can Michigan get better return coverage than it has shown thus far in 2011? Frankly speaking, it hasn’t been good and it’s a matter of time before it will haunt the Wolverines.

Finally, is this the week the bubble bursts? Or is it REALLY a new day for Michigan football under a leader who thoroughly understands the tradition, the importance and can channel it to his players?

Michigan’s second-half schedule is NOT easy: at Michigan State, followed by the bye week, home against Purdue (homecoming), at Iowa, at Illinois and then home with Nebraska and you-know-who.

The 2011 season will be judged, not by the first six contests, but by the play down the stretch. Now it isn’t about be “bowl-eligible” anymore (that annoyance is over), but challenging for a Big 10 title. Unlike the past three seasons, that reality actually exists.

Come this Saturday, the time will come to hand in those (Go) blue books.

Tone deafness has engulfed all of U.S. society

2011-10-06T17:43:00.000-05:00

The concept of “Wall Street” is as symbolic as the term “THE government;” when you actually break it down, most people use government services in their daily lives … to their advantage. We also use the component of Wall Street daily.

The anger on all sides (tea party, protesters in many, many US cities) might be genuine, and needs to be vented toward useful solutions, based on the principle that ALL politics are local (hence, solutions are found on the local levels because actions closest to home affect the average family/person the most as opposed to Washington or even Austin for the most part).

BUT … when the major players in those headline institutions – Wall Street, Washington, corporate America – stand tone-deaf to what all parties are saying, you see the fractures happening within our society.

I respect people who work for a living, yes, including brokers (I just wish I understood the stock market because it totally baffles me that BAD news for a company causes its stock to rise and GOOD news causes it to fall). I respect people who have made it, becoming rich. I do NOT respect who step on other people to get to the top and then thumb their collective noses at the ones below them – as if they are less than worthy of anyone’s respect (yes Mr. Herman Cain, I’m talking about YOU!).

When you accept government bailout dollars, and turn around and pay your CEO (who helped screw up the system to start with and caused things like TARP to become necessary) millions more in dollars for “performance bonuses,” people get pissed off! You cannot stand around in faux shock when that anger gets expressed in public. You cannot be the CEO of Bank of America, with its ridiculous $5/month debit card fee (to use YOUR OWN DAMN PRODUCT), and justify it by saying his bidness has a right to make a profit … when BofA is ALREADY reaping millions, bordering on billions, and wonder why people are outraged!!!!! Tone-deafness!

And then BofA turns around and donate hundreds of thousands of campaign dollars as a corporation, thanks to the likes of Supreme Court justices like Antonin Scalia (“Every banana republic has a Bill of Rights”), who have opened the system to naked prostitution and corruption of our representatives. The average family then gets tuned out by that pol in favor of the old Yiddish proverb, “Sniff where the money is.”

True revolution won’t happen in this nation…we won’t go back to the Depression days with soup lines and all that misery. But in our modern times, plenty of people, who used to be happy, are miserable, locked in the depths of personal abysses. Having worked somewhat with the homeless shelter in Collin County (the wealthiest county in Texas), many people who were donors are now clients.

However, we need to be sensible. Change starts at the base. I was told by plenty of tea party people that their singular focus was on D.C. and things like debt reduction (not possible in our lifetimes), reduction of the ENTIRE bureaucracy (not possible either because everyone on Social Security wants those damn checks and wants Medicaire to cover them at 65, and wants this, that and the other things … it’s just NOT for anyone else but them). When pushed about school or city issues, it was a “I couldn’t care less.” Too many of them want to cook the pie in the sky, or dictate its recipe.

And I am SOOOOOO sick of this being “for our grandchildren …” as justification to get rid of things personally distasteful or objectionable. If we were SO mindful of future generations, we’d take care of the debt/budget problems by paying for it TODAY!!!!! Oops, can’t touch MY money… yet who WILL??? Get real! People have become selfish these days and that can can be kicked down the toll road as if Toni Fritsch were doing the booting. Tone-deafness!

Our society, which was raised by people who survived the Depression and had FAR FAR FAR more respect for leaders and institutions (because they were there when people needed them and help lay the groundwork for unprecedented economic and social growth after WWII), has decided to be screamers instead of listeners; be voyeurs instead of readers; to be stupid instead of educated; and to be haters instead of tolerant.

Despite the pronouncements of some, this is NOT an example of American exceptionalism (which Spell Check doesn’t recognize as a word). Frankly, we are embarrassing ourselves and the rest of the world is not laughing; they shake their heads over what has come over us.

I join them in that reaction.

U-M football history: Benny was the best

2011-10-04T18:51:00.001-05:00

If you ask most Michigan football fans which Wolverine was the greatest quarterback to play in Ann Arbor, the list might vary – from Tom Brady to Dennis Franklin to Brian Griese to Chad Henne to Denard Robinson … and all names in between.

My top 10 list reads as follows: 10) Todd Collins, 9) Elvis Grbac, 8) Griese, 7) Henne, 6) Robinson (and rising), 5) Franklin, 4) Bob Chappius (go look in the record books and see what I mean), 3) Jim Harbaugh, 2) Rick Leach, and …

The one probably not mentioned (by almost every other Michigan follower) is the man who REALLY was the best of them all: Benjamin “Benny’ Friedman (Class of ‘27). His place in football history is cemented by earning the Hall of Fame daily double – college and pro.

He went from young benchwarmer in 1924 to legendary status by the time he left Michigan, dubbed the “Babe Ruth of Football,” by legendary sportswriter Paul Gallico, Friedman revolutionized the sport and became its first (and perhaps best) quarterback.

Born on March 18, 1905 in Cleveland, Ohio, Friedman was the fourth of six children to Mamie Atlevonik and Louis Friedman, Orthodox Jews who emigrated from Russia. His father was a furrier and tailor while his mother remained at home to raise her children.

Friedman was a high school standout in football, basketball and baseball, playing for Cleveland’s Glenville High School … but it wasn’t always successful as a youth. He first attended East Tech High School and was cut from the varsity squad in his sophomore year.

The next season, at Glenville, he made the team and as a senior, led Glenville to the 1922 Cleveland city championship, a 13-0 defeat of … East Tech. Glenville then defeated the Chicago suburban powerhouse, Oak Park High School, in what many saw as a national high school title game.

Friedman was recruited by several schools, including Penn State, but his lack of size (5-10, 170) kept many schools away. However, several Michigan boosters suggested a train trip to Ann Arbor; it proved to be successful in convincing Friedman to enroll in 1923.

Like most other students, he found ways to earn needed pocket money, working as a clerk in the university bookstore and as a movie theater ticket-taker.

Midway through his sophomore year (1924), Friedman assumed the starting quarterback job, plus his role as defensive back and placekicker. In his final two seasons, Freidman led the Wolverines to 7-1 records and consecutive Big Ten Conference championships.

In the 1925 Indiana game, Friedman was responsible for 44 points, including five touchdown passes and two field goals and eight extra points. Later that season, he helped avenge the lopsided loss to Illinois, and its star, Red Grange, by blanking the Illini 3-0.

In 1926, he was named as a consensus first-team All-American and MVP for the Big Ten as selected by the Chicago Tribune.

“The Babe Ruth of Football, All-American Friedman was perhaps the first quarterback to step forward in the ‘pocket’ of blocking teammates before throwing,” Gallico wrote. “Charging tackles, bearing down on the passer, come at the original position of the passer, which is the apex of the angle. The passer, if he delivers the ball properly, will escape the tacklers. They will converge behind him.”

Here are some links to actual newsreels of Friedman and the 1926 season (check them out if for no other reason than the way people looked 85 years ago at Michigan; MUCH older than baby-faced teens today).

http://ummedia10.rs.itd.umich.edu/flash/bentley/bhlflash.html?dep=bentley&file=ath/1926news.flv

http://ummedia10.rs.itd.umich.edu/flash/bentley/bhlflash.html?dep=bentley&file=ath/friedman.flv

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It was a different era when Friedman played; if you wore the uniform, you played all 60 minutes on BOTH sides of the football. The ball used looked different (much, plumper like a Hygrade’s Ball Park frank, and bigger; it was harder to handle and hold. It was like carrying a medium size watermelon, only lighter.

And the rules were totally different in the 1920s – a passer HAD to stand five yards behind the line of scrimmage and if a team threw two incomplete passes in succession, it drew a penalty on the offense (imagine the length of games today if that rule still existed). An incomplete pass in the opposing end zone was a touchback and the ball was turned over on downs. Defensive players could smash, brutalize and “rough” the passer to their heart’s content.

At times, football resembled a day-long rugby scrum, but the nam who changed the perception was Friedman.

“If Michigan were to succeed in football, she would have to depend on the forward pass,” Friedman wrote in his 1931 book, “The Passing Game.”

So the kid from Cleveland developed his own training regimen – to strengthen his hands, wrists and fingers. He carried a tennis ball or handball, constantly squeezing it in his hands; he also stretched his hand muscles over railings, armrests and tried to squeeze them like Superman, and then at night, he actually pulled each of his fingers to increase them – even by millimeters – to better hold the football.

“It all helped,” he added. “Before I finished my freshman term, I was able to wrap my hand around a football and grip it as firmly as a pitcher grips a baseball.”

Friedman also followed another activity from his youth – weight lifting – making his upper body stronger than other offensive backs of the day, despite a relative lack of size.

“To be a successful forward passer, you must have sturdy forearms and shoulders,” he added “To stand the physical gaff of four periods of football, you must be in tip top physical condition and your legs, above everything else, must be strong.”

Consequently, he improved as a thrower (not unlike what is expected of a quarterback today) – hard, powerful short passes, but also long, lofty deep balls to achieve the best arc into a receiver’s waiting hands.

“When a Friedman pass reaches the receiver, it has gone its route,” Gallico wrote. “The ball is practically dead; the receiver has merely to reach up and take hold of it like picking a grapefruit off a tree. That is Benny’s secret, and that is why so many of his passes are completed. He is the greatest forward passer in the history of the game.”

“He was the complete player as a passer, kicker, runner and blocker,” added sportswriter Grantland Rice.

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After graduating with a BA in literature, Friedman wanted to study law, but his father fell ill and could not work. So Friedman decided to earn some money by turning professional, and did so with his hometown Bulldogs of the National Football League in 1927.

In 1928, as a member of the Detroit Wolverines, Friedman led the NFL in passing touchdowns, rushing TDs and scoring plus extra points. Who knows what else he would have been best, but the NFL didn’t kept things like yardage statistics back then.

His most successful years took place as a member of the New York Giants (1929-1931) when Giants owner Tim Mara purchased the entire Wolverine team merely to obtain Friedman’s services. Benny then firmly established himself as the first great passer of the modern pro era. In 1929, Friedman led the league with 20 touchdown passes – in a time when most teams never put the ball in the air. But Friedman didn’t care; he might have been the first QB to audible at the line of scrimmage on first and second down in order to call a pass play (most teams waited until third down to throw … out of necessity).

By the way, no other NFL team would even exceed 20 passing touchdowns in a season until … 1942.

“Benny revolutionized football; he forced the defenses out of the dark ages,” legendary Bears owner-coach George Halas later said.

Unfortunately, Friedman suffered a knee injury in 1931 and was forced to play in pain for the rest of his pro career. He played for the football Brooklyn Dodgers from 1932-34, as a player-coach until his retirement. Friedman was ALSO serving as an assistant coach at Yale (in New Haven, Conn.) during those Brooklyn years. It led him to a post-professional career in coaching, first at City College of New York (where the mascot, for decades, was known as “Benny the Beaver”) and then at Waltham, Mass.-based Brandeis University, as athletic director from 1949-61 and head football coach from 1951 until 1959, when the school disbanded the football team as a part of cost-cutting measures.

In between, Friedman served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a lieutenant commander. He served aboard an aircraft carrier and then was backfield coach at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station (its team played all the major universities, including those in the Big 10).

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Friedman was a fighter all of his life – he fought to build the Brandeis program from scratch; and he fought against the prejudice of the day because of his religion, being called “Jew boy” and “descendant of Palestine” in the press.

But the battle he fought the hardest was the one he couldn’t win in his lifetime – induction into the NFL Hall of Fame. Despite the numbers and the accolades, the powers-that-be kept him out of the Hall. Many saw it as a reaction to Friedman’s self-promotion (not considered “sporting” back in the day) and others said it was due to his religion. For whatever reason, he saw other players of equal or lesser caliber, honors by their inclusion while he watched from the outside looking in.

In reality, he was fighting the NFL for the same cause many retired players are still battling – pension benefits for those former stars.

Friedman actually altered the NFL game; in 1932, the rules that penalized passing were all thrown out. The ball was physically changed to make the aerial game easier to accomplish.

However, in 1958, when the NFL began to offer pension plans to its current players, all those stars of yesterday were left out in the cold. Friedman accused the owners AND players of “brashness and arrogance beyond belief.”

“There’s no reason why we pioneers shouldn’t benefit too,” he claimed.

As his “reward,” he was kept out of the Hall of Fame, year after year after year. He was also back-balled as a coach, despite his success elsewhere.

It left him despondent and broken. Combined with heart disease and diabetes in his later years, it left him literally broken, losing a leg in 1978 to diabetes.

Stating in a note that he didn’t want to wind up as “the old man on the park bench,” Friedman took his own life on Nov. 24, 1982 at the age of 76.

It wasn’t until 2005 that Friedman received his proper due and recognition from the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he was finally inducted (along with Fritz Pollard, one of pro football’s first African-American stars and coaches), thanks to the Veterans Committee.

He also is a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

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My former Daily colleague, Leba Hertz, sent me a story about a chance encounter with Benny Friedman late in his life.

“Marc (another Daily writer) and I met him at a function to honor (playwright and former U-M student) Arthur Miller in New York; we actually were at the same table as Benny.

In his speech, Miller said “a better man representing Michigan is here. Benny Friedman, please stand up.”

“Tears were streaming down Benny’s face. Two years later he killed himself. I’ll never forget Arthur Miller for doing that – what a mensch!”

In Yiddish, mensch means “a real man!” And that’s what Benny Friedman was – a Michigan mensch and the best quarterback in school history!

Little Brown Jug ‘non’-battle: as easy as …

2011-10-01T17:02:00.000-05:00

Let’s see … how about playing “fill in the blank” in the following statement – Michigan’s 58-0 victory over Minnesota on Saturday was so (blank) easy …

Break out the thesaurus for the proper word. Hmmm … surprisingly (no) … exceedingly (no) ... tremendously (no) … unexpectedly (no) …unusually (no) … justifiably (no).

A-ha! Here’s the proper word for that sentence … Michigan’s 58-0 victory over Minnesota on Saturday was so (PAINFULLY) easy … it simply hurt much of the time to watch.

Yes, painfully is the proper term to employ because it’s been eons since I’ve seen such a non-competitive game played in the Big 10 – for a revered trophy and to open the conference campaign.

And it all stemmed from the utter and total weakness of Minnesota, a team so horrid, it won’t win a game in the rest of the 2011 season (unfortunately, the Gophers don’t have the other Big 10 weak sister, Indiana, on their schedule). This team was not ready to play in any facet of the game, showed no emotion for what should have been a meaningful game (for the Little Brown Jug and to open Big 10 action) and lacked an ounce of intensity or pride in their “suckiness.”

This, by no means, subtracts from Michigan’s best overall performance of 2011; the Wolverines dominated from the first snap with a much sharper passing attack (18 of 25 for 217 yards, three touchdowns) and a bagful of odd formations-backfields and trick plays to accrue 580 yards in total offense (32 first downs and 6 for 11 on third down conversions). Michigan committed no turnovers and very few penalties (only one significant call on offense which was balanced by a Minnesota infraction on the next play).

Fans actually had to look at the roster in the game program to identify all the running backs who played and the second-string lineman who saw almost a full half of action. The three leading rushers were NOT named Robinson – Fitzgerald Toussaint led with 108 yards on 11 carries, followed by freshman Thomas Rawls with 73 yards on 10 rushes and Michael Shaw with 60 yards on 8 carries. Robinson added 51 early yards while Vincent Smith only ran 5 times for 27 yards, although you would’ve sworn it was much, much more.

It was the kind of game where offensive coordinator Al Borges must have been spinning the game wheel from “Life” in the press box, to see just how many formations and trick plays he could actually call down. Most of them won’t see the light of day again, but … just in case … it’ll be something else for the staffs in Madison, Columbus, East Lansing and State College to think about. The more time you spend on the “what if” plays of an opposition, the less you concentrate on those things a team actually WILL run against you.

And the Wolverine defense sported its first shutout since 2007 (meaning there were NO shutouts in the Rich Rodriguez era, in case anyone needed reminding why Brady Hoke is now roaming the sidelines). In fact, Michigan has only surrendered 10 points in its last three games and that hasn’t been said about that unit since … well, almost ever.

It was interesting to see, on The Big Ten Network, when defensive box Greg Mattison called out signals for his troops, no other coach was talking or shouting. All assistants’ eyes were on him – a far cry from 12 months ago when confusion often reigned from a lack of cohesiveness in delivering what the defense should be doing.

Along with scoring yet another defensive touchdown on Courtney Avery’s 83-yard return, Minnesota was rendered impotent all afternoon long – just 177 yards in total offense and just 73 rushing. The Gophers (nothing golden about them today) went zero for 11 on third-down conversions, including third-and-short situations. But no one had the courage to even try a fourth-down conversion play – stemming back to the complete lack of motivation on the sidelines and on the field.

What was stunning was a complete absence of physicality from Minnesota. Players getting bumped hard, in a collision sport, were running off the field, obviously NOT wanting to return; I actually held a concern for possible injuries.

The Gophers looked slow, exhibited some of the worst technique for a Division 1 program, and, at times, appeared to have no clue how to cover receivers or tackle ball carriers. There were SIX special team penalties, mostly for illegal blocks that appeared to be a result of laziness rather than effort, including one that erased the Gophers’ only potential score.

Except for the first Michigan possession of the third quarter, when it was a third-and-out stop for Minnesota, not one player exhibited a scintilla of emotion or enthusiasm. It made you wonder who they ever beat Miami of Ohio.

Once upon a time, not THAT long ago, Minnesota was a proud, steady and decent program. Hell, Lou Holtz coached there (albeit only for a 10-12 record) before escaping to Notre Dame. It was a school that produced the likes of Laurence Moroney, Marion Barber and Tony Dungy (a top-flight option quarterback). Gopher greats have made the College AND Pro Football Hall of Fame, like Carl Eller, Bobby Bell, Leo Nomellini and ex-Detroit Lion TE great Charlie Sanders.

Bronko Nagurski was a Minnesota man, for God’s sake!

But there are no ghosts of Bronko inhabiting the living torsos of those who wear the Gopher uniform. It could be decades before the program becomes top quality, but, as a fan, I’d settle for slightly competitive. When you score time after time, and it looks too easy to be true, you aren’t offered the best yardstick to judge your own performance.

In the end, Michigan played as if the game at hand actually MATTERED; Minnesota played as if it did not. That tells the story of two programs, under first-year coaches, with polar opposite futures.

I hate to say this, but Minnesota should politely tell Jerry Kill to eliminate the physical stress of his body (twice hospitalized in the past month for cancer-treatment related seizures), and go hire …

… Rich Rodriguez. Yes, you read that properly. If for no other reason, he’d bring some excitement to Minneapolis on Saturdays and stop people at Minnesota home games from spending all day conversing about the Vikings.

Or doing the wave. They did the wave in Ann Arbor, but it was a tidal wave that swamped the Gophers.

Next week will be a different story for Michigan – there is a potential trap game on the horizon. The Wolverines will travel away from the Big House for the first time, will face one of the top three quarterbacks in the conference (Northwestern’s Dan Persa) and will be a higher-ranked squad than before. Without motivation, U-M could be picked off like a low-hanging mango in Hawaii.

But seeing how Michigan is performing, that should NOT happen. Finally, after five weeks, this squad’s legitimacy is being verified. I doubt you’ll ever see a Brady Hoke-coached Michigan team play like Minnesota did on Saturday.

No team can get THAT low.

Chuck Bloom is a former Collin County columnist-editor and a frequent contributor to Collin County Opinions. He can be reached at chuckbloom@hotmail.com.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees still shameful

2011-09-29T19:47:00.002-05:00

When my neck stiffens and my belly hurts, I either ate some bad food (as I did last night) … OR … the Rock and Roll hall of Fame nominees have been announced. In my case, both were inflictions.

I don’t know where and how this list is collated; don’t know who gets to choose (anyone actually FROM The Who?) or the process. But it stinks (or LOVE STINKS sang J. Geils Band).

It is a shame about the groups or singers omitted or how flashes in the pan (as will be discussed) get any recognition.

But here are the official nominees for the class of 2012: Joan Jett, Heart, Rufus with Chaka Khan, Guns ‘n Roses, Eric B. and Rakim, The Cure, Small Faces/Faces (with Rod Stewart), Freddie King, The Spinners, Donovan, War, Laura Nyro, Donna Summer, The Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers.

To trim the list to a proper class of five deserving inductees, one must begin by tossing out the names who you think will simply make for a good induction ceremony/concert. That means Guns ‘n Roses, who did ONE great album and was self-destructing on its initial national tour, is OUT! The Chili Peppers, who have some longevity to their claim but nothing of earth-shattering worth (meaning HOF ability) is OUT!

Donna Summer didn’t change music, neither did Eric B. and Rakim (sorry, can’t name a single tune they EVER did).

Here should be the final five: Heart, The Cure, The Spinners, War, Joan Jett. Next year for the Beastie Boys, Freddie King, Donovan (long deserving but when limited to five, it’s a tough call) and, one day, the late Laura Nyro, a songwriter of extraordinary prowess, should get in.

Heart is obvious – largest selling sister act in rock; The Cure was a seminal group from the 1980s and its music remains fresh today; War helped change the rhythm and style of “soul” and “funk” music; The Spinners were veritable hitmakers for two decades with a smooth, unmistakable style that oozed class; and Joan Jett helped usher punk rock into the American mainstream from The Runaways to The Blackhearts (if for having only recorded “I Love Rock and Roll,” she should be included).

And the annual question remains: why isn’t KISS on this list? Call them what you wish, but it’s been 30 years of music, 30 years of entertaining and touring and 30 years as one of the most popular bands in the world. Compared to some of the weak sisters already inducted, this remains a travesty!