**Quick Note: This is part 2 of the week-long series that covers the forgotten powerhouses of college football. On Monday, we covered the "Da U" aka the Miami Hurricanes, today we cover "Big Blue" aka Michigan. Stay tuned for Wednesday thru Friday as the fallen powerhouses keep on coming. -Ed.**
I was sitting at home, watching ESPN News one day, when something came across the ticker that made me sick. It simply read:
“Michigan plans on using three different quarterbacks in the season opener against Western Michigan.”
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Once upon a time, the Michigan Wolverines were the class of the Big Ten, and one of the best teams in college football. Maybe Lloyd Carr saw the writing on the wall, and got out of there at the perfect time, because they are the complete opposite of what they once were. Opponents would come to The Big House, and know they not only had to deal with a great team, but also had to deal with 100,000+ fans in the stadium.
Back in those days, there were monsters at every position. To give you an idea, since 1994, Michigan has produced Ty Law, Tom Brady, Jon Jansen, Charles Woodson, Braylon Edwards, Amani Toomer, Tim Biakabutuka, John Runyan, Dhani Jones, Tyrone Wheatley, Steve Hutchinson, Jake Long, Lamar Woodley, and many more. They have produced a League MVP and the best quarterback in the decade (Brady), the ONLY Heisman trophy winner on defense (Woodson), and all-pro linemen (Jansen and Runyan), and more Super Bowl winners as well (Cato June and Lamar Woodley). That’s why last season’s 3-9 season was so hurtful for fans, former players, and alumni of the Wolverines, and exactly why they must improve from last season.I know Michigan is rebuilding, and I have faith that Rich Rodriguez and staff can make them contenders again, but My God: last season was a disaster; it was pathetic, deplorable, disgusting, and just absolutely terrible. Their schedule isn’t completely murderous, so it should help them do well, especially since they are a young team, and still are getting used to the Rodriguez Regime. If nothing else, just get to a bowl game, even if it’s one of the ones played in mid-December. Hopefully they will make all the right steps this season to improve, and if so, the Big Ten and college football will be better for it.
What else can Michigan do to improve? Will the Rodriguez Regime = success??
Be easy.
-K. Masenda
http://www.edthesportsfan.com/
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Xshot!\
MacSpeech
Comments
32 Responses to "Believe It or Not...The Michigan Wolverines Used To Be Raw"MUCK FICHIGAN!
*starts slow clap for Jeremy*
On the real tho...
I HATE Michigan..BUT...to your point yesterday Ed, I do respect them...a little...very little.
And the ONLY reason I respect them is because like Red Sox/Yankees...Ali/Frazier...Gatti/Ward...Pepsi/Coke...you really are made better by facing your mortal enemy.
But, since Michigan sucks balls it just ain't as fun anymore. Don't get me wrong, it's still great trouncing Michigan, but it'd be nice if they had a chance.
To Rod, I say that Michigan needs to fire him immediately if they know what's good for them. Because even if he does get Michigan "good" he's just going to be the Ann Arbor version of John Cooper. Good coach, helluva recruiter, but doesn't take the OSU/UM thing seriously. There's a lot to be said about having a coach who "gets" it. And he doesn't.
Intelligent Buckeye fans know that a strong Michigan program helps us. Not only is it college football's greatest rivalry, but we need them to put their share of BCS bowl money in the pot for all eleven teams to share. If they're 3-9, we have to carry them.
ABC and ESPN don't shell out $300 million to show Northwestern games. Our marquee teams must stay prominent if the Big Ten is to get its respect back.
Nothing's finer than crushing their title hopes when they're coming to Columbus with an 11-0 record and #2 ranking (2006). Beating a 3-8 team by the score of 42-7 is a snoozer.
JAG
The greatest rivalry in college football is Oklahoma-Texas, but we'll touch on that, later down the line.
The greatest rivalry is definitely TEXAS/CHOKElahoma. Because we all know the Big 12 plays much better football that the Little 10. But people need to realize that Rich has to get his players incorporated into that system before it works. Its just not smart to try out 3 quarterbacks in a game. He needs to identify his quarterback now and stick with him until it is apparent that he can not handle the job.
Hey JAG are you ready for another season of banter?!!! USC/OSU is coming up in 3 weeks care to send down some more of that Graeter Ice Cream after that USC defense folds Terrelle Pryor
Next to OSU my favorite team is App St!
Appalachian State 34, No. 5 Michigan 32. (9/1/07)
Hookem' - Thought you were a Texas fan. Now you're for USC? I guess you're a frontrunner who goes where the wind blows...That Texas-USC Rose Bowl game must have been very confusing for you.
Glad you enjoyed the ice cream. Sorry to disappoint, but there won't be another shipment since Pryor and the Buckeyes will even the score!
;-)
JAG
http://espn.go.com/endofcentury/s/other/bestrivalries.html
I'd like to refer Soul to #1 on THE list...and #4 on the "wish" list...
As long as I've been reading ETSF, I can assure you that the last comment doesn't matter to Ed. ESPN is a great reference, but doesn't factor into the facts. Fact is in the last 10 years, no one has done it better than OU vs Texas...2 national championships, great games, and every game mattered.
Can't say the same about OSU vs Michigan...
I keep forgetting that I'm corresponding with a bunch of teenagers.
I stand corrected. Over the past five years, OU vs. UT has been the best rivalry.
JAG
The greatest college football rivalry is Army-Navy, first off. Secondly, and I say this with great pleasure, FUCK MICHIGAN! I couldn't be happier to have a team fall from grace. Fuck Jason Avant (in college, I actually like him on the Eagles), your foot was out of bounds and you know it. Fuck Mike Hart and the Big 10 officials, you know you fumbled on that last drive of the first half (2005). Fuck that bullshit ass time added back to the clock. Fuck Lloyd Carr and his old-ass face. And fuck that last-second touchdown.
I hope Michigan sucks forever.
Rev...you know you my dude, but the greatest rivalry isn't Army-Navy...it just ain't.
I don't care about any purists, or the history, because that game has not been relevant since Staubach was the QB at Navy...
-Ed.
Go to the game and you'll be pumped. Michigan-OSU and Okla-Tex are awesome though.
And fuck Michigan.
Not bitter.
OK, very bitter.
@ JAG
I stand corrected. I should have used a better choice of words. The greatest rivalry is OSU-Michigan, but the best rivalry is OU-UT. I think we can come to an agreement. With that being said...
@ Chuck
That link is meaningless. God only knows how old it is. It doesn't discuss anything, post-1997.
I agree the Big 11 need Michigan for no other reason than financial. No one is paying to watch the Illini or the Hawkeyes, etc. etc.
As for the rivalry, a one-sided affair is bad for business.
Oh, I forgot that I'm debating sports in a vacuum. Because in that case, The University of Florida is the greatest team of all times.
The list I provided said EVER. Not of the last 10 years. OSU/Michigan beat ALI/FRAZIER, DUKE/NC AND CHAMBERLAIN/RUSSELL!!!
So...what if I take the last 15 years then? All four teams have a title in the past 15 years and the OSU/UM tandem produced 13 top 10 finishes while Tex/OU produced 11.
Does that mean that Tex/OU ain't a dope game every year? Absolutely not...but just give respect where it's due.
See I'm gonna eff Chuck up at the next DGL meeting...
the point of controversy is the "used to" versus the "present day" and any self-respecting sports fan would say that in more recent years Oklahoma vs. Texas has been the best rivalry in college football, hands down.
So by you adding years to the time frame doesn't take away from the present day, that's why the article is called, "Believe it or not...the michigan wolverines USED TO BE raw" as in they suck ass now. Period.
And as far as that ESPN post you showed me, its no way and life OSU/Michigan beats Ali in anything...I don't even need Frazier. Ali > Any sports story ever.
-Ed.
Just because an ESPN poll states that, it doesn't make it gospel. I love ESPN too, but my God, man! Besides, I conceded on my choice of wording earlier, when it came to great and best.
I won't even touch the Ali-Frazier thing, but I'd go as far to question them for saying it's better than Duke-Carolina.
ESPN is rapidly becoming to sports what MTV is to music.
Where are my highlights on Sportscenter? I don't want to see 15 talking heads discussing everything under the sun. I want my damn highlights.
Actually JAG I am an advocate of seeing osu fall on their face. Terrelle Pryor will be doing a lot of that when he plays against USC. I AM STILL A LONGHORN JAG...sorry to disappoint you.
but TEXAS-chokelahoma is still the best rivalry theres a reason why the college football world has 10-17-09 circled in their calendar. I am renicknaming the Red River Shootout this year "The Battle of Armageddon"
Hookem - Since you despise OSU so much and they're so terrible, why just cherry pick the tough games? Let's put a benji on each game.
If the Buckeyes go 0-12, you'll be sittin' fat down south. You'll even be able to afford to go to a Cowboys game in that $1.4 billion stadium.
;-)
JAG
oh this is a very informative
post! i actually enjoyed reading
this - very well explained too. thanks, this is very useful!
Great information..
Samantha
Wireless Home Alarm Security Systems
Because I am no dummy JAG. osu is terrible in the big games. That is my cash cow. osu just has the benefit of being in a very bad conference. Put them in the SEC or Big 12 and they would be fighting bowl eligibility with Vandy and Baylor. My prediction is that OSU will lose three games: They will get blown out by USC again, they lose a close to to Penn State, and they get shocked in the Big House against Michigan. Yet they will get off the wagon and beat Fresno State in the Humanitarian Bowl
Ohio State is not terrible in big games. We are the only #1 ranked school to defeat two #2 ranked teams in the same season. (One of them was Texas, by the way).
You don't have seven national championships by being terrible in big games.
If it's true that you're no dummy, then I'm sure you will agree that a two game sample size is not adequate to determine a teams performance in big games. Ohio State has had a prominent presence since 1942 and we've won plenty of big games. We've also lost plenty of big games but that's what happens when you're on the grand stage as often as we are.
Yes, we lost to Florida and LSU (at the Superdome). Where was Texas??
JAG
In recent years osu has lost in some pretty big prime time games. That win vs Texas was to a #2 team based on them winning the National Championship the year before. Colt McCoy was only in his 2nd start as a redshirt freshman and osu had one of the best defenses at the time but ok you all got it. Texas was winning bowl games when osu was getting their doors blown off. My question to you JAG is where was that OSU secondary when Quan Cosby scored that TD in the Fiesta Bowl. As it looks now JAG thats 3 BCS games that OSU has lost. You and Ed got alot in common because CHOKElahoma has the same dubious distinction currently. Please read this article:
We're No. 2: Oklahoma, Ohio State have a lot in common | NewsOK.com
FYI Texas is on the same grand stage as Ohio State except we beat the USC's of the world. We will prove it again when we go undefeated and beat Florida for the title in the Rose Bowl. My thought is that had Texas along with most other teams in the south used racial tolerance and allowed Blacks to play in the 40's and 50's the granduer of the Big Ten including may have never existed. Just a thought..
-Hookem
First you said that we perform terribly in big games.
Now you've changed your statement to say that in recent years we've lost some big games.
That's a big difference.
I can agree that we've lost some big games but losing a game in the last 30 seconds is certainly not performing terribly.
Your statement that "Texas is on the same grand stage as Ohio State except we beat the USC's of the world" also makes no sense. Ohio State has beaten USC several times, most notably in the '69 Rose Bowl when OJ and the Trojans were ranked #1.
Please get your facts straight and do another "revision" when you get a chance.
I have nothing against Texas and applaud them for helping to tear down racial barriers. I'm just defending the erroneous and false comments you continue to make about Ohio State.
JAG
Hookem',
I'm not sure what your point is when you say that Texas was winning bowl games when Ohio State was getting its doors blown off in National Championship games.
Texas was in the ALAMO and HOLIDAY bowls, for crying out loud.
Florida Atlantic won the Motor City Bowl last year. By your definition, they had a better year than Oklahoma since the Sooners lost the National Championship Game.
Originally, I agreed with you when you stated that you're no dummy.
You're about two posts away from me having to change my opinion.
;-)
JAG
I never said that they had better seasons but lets remember these bowl games are lasting impressions that lead into the next season. My lasting impression for the buckeyes is that questionable defense they had when Quan scored that TD. And did you seriously bring up a game with USC from 69? OJ was 25 years away from being a felon at that point and half of us weren't even bored. As the monday night football crew say. C'mon Man!!! Lets keep it on this side of the century. None of my facts are erroneus....slightly skewed because I didn't no we were going to take it all the way back to slavery to find a time when osu beat a #1 USC. And by performing terribly I mean not living up to the crazy high expectations that you fans have for them.
JAG we are in for one long football season...hopefully you, Ed, and myself can do like the President, that harvard professor and that cop by meeting in person and having a beer.
Your facts are slightly skewed?? What is that supposed to mean??
Facts lend themselves to a binary condition. They're either correct or they're not. Yours are not.
I stated that OSU has beaten USC several times. I just mentioned '69 because it was such a big game. If you don't know your history, you're doomed.
If winning minor bowls makes you feel better about next season, more power to you. I don't get it but I'm happy for you.
Yes, Ed and I are in for a long season. The BCS National Championship game isn't until January 7th, 2010.
Don't worry. Texas' season shouldn't be as long. The Poinsettia Bowl is December 23rd!!
Hope that Bowl win sets you up well for next year!
;-)
JAG
LMFAO @ The Poinsettia Bowl...too funny.
I'm gonna be quiet before OU plays in the MicronPC.com bowl...
-Ed.
JAG please don't worry about the National Championship Game its going to be in the Rose Bowl and we all remember what happened to OSU the last time they was in Cali. OSU not even picked to win the big ten so you can forget about the National Championship or a BCS game anyway. Texas however is picked to run the table provided they get past CHOKElahoma (Every Sooner Prays Nobody remembers 45-35). So I think you should just get ready to watch your team play in the Cereal Bowl
December 6th and if you are not too busy come to DU's Black and Gold Ball.....we can watch it together. I will TIVO it.
Sorry I am two days late I only worked a half day yesterday so I could watch the Cowboys practice
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