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This Michigan basketball team is fake and a fraud and Dusty May was incredibly lucky for a long while.  Michigan basketball lacks talent and depth.  Turnovers and dumb plays continue.  Aside from Goldin there is no offensive scheme; Wolf makes as many mistakes and turnovers as he does points and rebounds and the rest of the team are minor contributors.  It is the same lineup doing the same things for weeks.  They are all multi-year compensated, major conference players.  There is no change or improvement.  It is not going to happen this year and it may never happen with this lineup. 

Wolf may mature.  Gayle, Donaldson, Burnett, and Tschetter are not going to be different next year, if they stay.

It has always been hard to watch, but at least they were winning.  Ever since taking the Big Ten lead, and the Purdue and Michigan State beatdowns, it has been downhill.

Maryland missed shot after shot and Michigan couldn't do a damn thing.

At home.

Michigan 49 Nebraska 46

Today I'm watching and following the box score.  I need a diversion.

Gayle starting because Jones out.  Michigan short-handed is redundant.

First impression:  that guy Brice, I looked him up yesterday.  From Charlotte. another 5th year player is a hog with a nearly half-court 3 attempt; Wolf same shot.  Wolf makes some great plays; trouble is, despite his skills, he is not a star who dominates the game.  Turnovers and dumb plays are frequent.  You know, that NBA potential.  Earlier, someone put an easy layup right in Goldin's face.  Wolf just missed

Now Wolf turned it over under his own basket.  Earlier it was a missed layup and bad foul.  Casen blocked.  It is painful.  We've seen this before with the 30-foot spread offense and desperate 3-pointers. 

Goldin is the (only) low-key steady influence.  Cheddar flop (he of the elbow); Wolf looks like he is high on speed or meth or both--another missed layup.  I think he is not called for enough turnovers because he does not grab loose balls.

Edit:  painful and ugly.  3:47 left in the first half and Nebraska has 16 points.  Nebraska is throwing up wild 3's with no plan at all and they are terrible at it.  Michigan makes up for its lack of skill with aggression and defense.  Michigan has 21. Pick-up games are more skilled.

I hear the SEC is good.  In the BIG-nothing Purdue was fake and and their big two aren't always stars.  Wisconsin is not perfect.  Burnett is still trying to do too much, three times in a row.  Good time out, Nebraska:  21-21.   Wolf carries often, this time it was called.  Illinois has issues.  We'll see Maryland soon.

We've seen this before too.  Somehow, Michigan is leading 25-21

I forget the Fred Hoiberg story...  But who could refuse, Nebraska?   I hear Madison Square Garden is moving to Omaha.

Box score:  Wolf is not an asset, except perhaps in some height-scary or hyperactive way.  I have always wondered, what do those Nimari Burnett 1/6 games look like?  He cannot drive or shoot much more than stationary, feet spread, long open shots.  Goldin, not a star or dominant.  Donaldson, someone probably told him after State to get his head and his body into the game--OK.  Gayle, Jr. has been good; two free throws made, which is a lot of points in this game.  Bench (Cheddar, Cason) a complete zero.with no points, one turnover, and two Pippin fouls. 

Halftime, good.  There are better things to do.  But I'll check back. 

Two really stupid fouls on Wolf to begin half two.  I realize the announcers have to be there, but are they from Nebraska too?  Cheddar with a tackle.  When Michigan loses the lead I'm gone.

There is something about this gunner Brice Williams.  He is trying to get some kind of record, he and his father?  

25-25, 30-29 with Wolf hopefully sleeping it off is close enough... 

Those who have to wait it out and then travel home in Nebraska have my sympathy.

Nebraska 33-32 lead.  35-32.  Bye almost.

I'm really surprised.  Wolf looks like he hasn't slept in a week; he is out of it.  Michigan has nothing.  It is not a slump when you have never been good at it (3/20 from three).  Why don't you at least have a post game with two 7-footers?  

Dusty May is a really lucky guy.  35-35.  Closeup of Dusty and he looks worried, very worried.  I remember about a week ago, one of those analyze the schedules for the conference leaders; Michigan could lose them all with six left.  Turnover, turnover, turnover.  Michigan's season is slipping away.  It is still suspenseful.  What do those turnovers in the box scores look like?  Turnover again.  They are mostly panic, or too fast starts or stops, and bad passes.  It is either a step too fast or a step too slow.  It is a lack of skill, poise, or experience.  It is playground ball.

Turnover. 

Okay, Wolf took another dose and hit two shots.  Cason, he is guaranteed to be good, he has a fearless streak, right?  It went in.

45-39 Michigan, four minutes and two dumb fouls.  Those don't count as turnovers.  Wolf a pointless reach-in.

Hook and hold is, no it has nothing to do with sailors and breadfruit.  Flagrant one does not include jail time.  Ouch, 0-2 on free throws and then another turnover.

Chicken?  Natives?  Of course life is good in Nebraska.  The crowd looks more black and grey than red.  Nebraska takes terrible shots.  But wait, Donaldson just threw it over the backboard!  

I see a guy in the back end of the bench who looks like Dusty; must be his son.  He is not attending the team meeting.

I get it..  Fred is not Sam.  It is that treasured Nebraska degree (coach's son).  Brice Williams is 9/21 with zero assists.  You almost never see a really good team with a gunner like him.

40 seconds left Michigan 45-44.  Everyone is standing.  Michigan new shot clock 21 seconds.  Free throws.  Gayle.  2-2.  Bad Gayle foul on shooter Williams.  Not smart or controlled at all.  Gayle one and one miss.  Gayle!?  Michigan 94.6% per ESPN.  Donaldson 2.6 seconds, 2/2.  Now 95.3% chance.  No bad foul.  Have to go full court in under 3 seconds.  Got it away.  No.

49-46 Michigan.  Dusty May is a very lucky guy.  How many times did they say "There are no style points?"  Nebraska is not very good, at home, and they had every chance.

 

 

MIchigan State 75 Michigan 62

 

 

Tom Izzo has a 17 minute post-game video on You Tube.  He won big time.

 

Michigan basketball and Dusty May are not as good as thought.

Dusty, instead of putting your son on the team, why didn't you add another player?  

I highly suspect that I am not the only one who has focused on Roddy Gayle when watching games.  He very seldom contributes in a positive way, unless with a great assist or mistake by the other team.  He dribbles with his head down.  He picks up his dribble and leaves himself stranded; others have to help.  He is a wimp around the basked; he does not create, score, steal, or rebound. He is a poor free-throw shooter.  His passes are weak and lazy.  On offense he usually stands there, behind the play, waiting for a pass.  None of these things reflect a temporary slump.

It wouldn't be so bad if he was humble or trying to improve.  He is arrogant and self-congratulatory.  He is distinctive on the court with his white leggings.  Gayle even looks a mess.

There is a post on longtime Michigan blog Maize 'n Brew, months old, that the vehemence must stop.  In this day and age with rent-a-players who don't give a damn about the university, or the alumni, or residents of the state, or their education, or anything else but a paycheck it is warranted and appropriate.  Just like this blog post, is nice to have an historical and written record.

Gayle has been in for a long while now.  Eighteen straight for Michigan; eight point lead overcoming a large deficit.

The above is not a personal criticism of Mr. Gayle it is recognition of a weak roster.  May has not recruited them and he has not coached them up.  Gayle would not be playing but for the lack of other options.  But yes, they did come back.  Is it possible that everyone else plays better--more attention--when Gayle is in the game?

LJ Cason.  Right.  Like you are going to grab the ball out of the players hands, with both hands, from his chest.

I didn't watch the game live because I was tired--too tired to deal with the annoyances.  I followed the box score and live action on my phone.  I remember the situation when State hadn't scored in a long time.  Michigan took the lead because the Spartans did not score.  Cason put them on the line and they scored.  

Trey Donaldson...  Is he ill?  He is nonexistent.  Danny Wolf is by far Michigan's best player, passer, driver, shooter, and rebounder.   He is smart, tall, and athletic.  Gayle just touched the ball in the corner, faked a drive, then almost threw the ball into the backcourt.

"I don't like watching Rodney Gayle play" a succinct blog commenter wrote.

Gayle just missed the rim by 10 feet on a 3-pointer.  No jump, energy, or aim.  I'm hard-pressed to even call it a shot. 

Starter Ruben Jones is AA (available absent) also.  

It is almost halfway through the second half!   A replay half a day later is much easier.  

Another question:  How many Michigan players in the rivalry game are from Michigan?  The answer is zero.

I already know it a lead Michigan State will not relinquish.  

Gayle just grabbed a rebound because Wolf and someone else blocked-out.  With two hands, relatively uncontested, he dropped it out of bounds.

 The final box score after the game says it all.  Cason 5 minutes; Pippen 1.  Cheddar a few (not much impact) and Gayle 24 minutes played; Wolf 36, Goldin 33, Donaldson, Burnett 32, Domaldson 31, Jones 27.

For Michigan basketball the post-season is not going to be long or pretty.  For Dusty May the jury is still out.

 

Dusty May

I'm watching Michigan State - Purdue.  I don't really care who wins because the records are virtually the same.

But it looks like the Spartans are going to have a long celebration.  Purdue, I don't know why they are usually the highest in the rankings.  I couldn't name a single Michigan State player, but they have been above Michigan almost the whole season.  I've seen it before.  Look at the annual recruiting rankings.  By this time of the year they are fine-tuned. Their many fans know it.  Izzo gets it done.

Of course there is no love.  It isn't as dismal as living in Ohio.  No one will lose their job or their beard.  Anything but 50-50 over the next six games will be a surprise and everyone will be happy.

Braden Smith is amazing but they stole the ball from him.  Michigan exposed them.  No one can play all the time and be invincible.  They did it again.  Take away Smith and negate or get their bigs to foul-out and you beat Purdue.

Which brings us to Dusty May. Michigan plays Michigan State Friday night at home.  Michigan is undefeated at home this year.  May will have a plan.

A bunch of transfers to leading the overgrown Big Eighteen is a fluke.  Dusty May is no fluke.  You bet Indiana Wants Me him.

Wow.  The Breslin Center (and the team) are amazing.  It'll be interesting to see if Michigan fans and the team will be different.  Will Goldin and Wolf stop State's driving guards or get in foul trouble?

 

Back to the team.  Michigan basketball was a disaster in Juwan Howard's last year; it was vehemently documented here.   

Indiana and Basketball

Indiana's population is 6.9 million--I would have guessed more, and was ready to write it is no surprise they are becoming more active in Big Ten men's football and basketball.  Supposedly they have built a money cannon and they're active in portal bidding.

This is not the first time Mike Woodson has created a stir.  It feels like deja vu.  Was it last year or the year before, or even earlier in his tenure as Indiana coach?  He is such an experienced and well-liked guy, why all the disappointment and grumbling?  And he seems to start it.

Now with the season climaxing, he has resigned.  But he isn't going away.

37-25 Michigan approaching the end of the first half.  Assembly Hall is quiet.  Michigan is on the rise; Indiana is not.

Michigan has three or four good/Big Ten players and others on the floor are disciplined and well-coached.  That is what stands out:  the team has talent and they play well together.  Danny Wolf is athletic and versatile, especially for a big; Vlad Goldin is pretty agile too, and strong and experienced; Will Tschetter, ditto, big, smart, and a complete game; Nimari Burnett's shooting has improved; Tre Donaldson is having a good game in this one, and others are contributing too.  They're playing hard and diving for balls.  Probably not starting Roddy Gayle Jr. is smart.  

It is impressive Dusty May could assemble mold this team.  He is a positive, confident, capable man.  The tension surrounding Juwan Howard is gone.  Recruiting looks very good for next year and May has proven portal-savvy.

It is  43-27 at halftime.  So far, there is no sign this kind of separation is will change.  Michigan is now playing to become upper echelon while Indiana is playing for nothing.

Well.  You have to watch the whole game before commenting.  Indiana tied it.  Michigan won.

It was like watching a Michigan football game.  It was ugly.  It was close.  And it was about delaying.

First, Nimari Burnett disappeared in the second half.  The strategy of avoiding Gayle Jr. continued.  Goldin was solid; Wolf was helpful; Donaldson played; and everyone else delayed.

Second, after a quick search, Michigan basketball recruiting is not great.  In fact, it is even top twenty for a couple of years running.  Most of the portal players contribute minimally.

You cannot call it poor 3-point shooting because they were expiring shot clocks and desperate heaves.  Dusty May' smile has worn off.  Those who play do it as coach says.  This was a slow down directive and the reason was a lack of talent and depth.  It was also the strategy to reduce turnovers.  Michigan has some capable players, but not a lot of creators or stars.  Nasty, but it worked for a W.

Mike Woodson is a wimp.  If you're going to quit, leave.

 

 

The Last Hurrah

It is halftime.  Blessed more than the rest of us or just lucky?  Neither are destined to last.

Was that Chip Lindsey on the sideline?

Before the game NFL mock drafts suggested four Michigan players (three with Colston Loveland a potential) and Jalen Milroe early in the second round.

The biggest surprise has been Milroe.  Sherrone Moore was the beneficiary.

Oh no, the second half is starting.  Ball on 16.  Jordan Marshall for nothing.  The first half was Davis Warren's best ever and that is not saying a lot.

It just isn't going to work.  The analyst announcer doesn't know what he is talking about.  Michigan's offense does not have another gear.  Warren made an awful, regression to the norm play and now he is injured.  He'll say he was trying to do too much.

This may not end well.

 

Update 2/8/25

Michigan won again against Alabama to close the football season. 

 

Michigan Football, Reliaquest Bowl, and Moore

https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/what-michigan-football-offense-will-look-like-with-tight-end-coach-steve-casula-interim-offensive-coordinator-alabama-reliaquest-bowl

There are two current storylines and an overall theme.

The first story is the Reliaquest (whatever that means) Bowl.  Michigan had a lousy season with a couple of wins over rivals.  They are going to be worse in the bowl with opt-outs and transfers.  The biggest event has probably Chip Lindsey at offensive coordinator and he signed but apparently on vacation.  Great hire.  North Carolina was worse than Michigan and they all got fired.

Anyway, the news is Michigan in a bowl is no news.  I'm glad the coaches and players feel they deserve a reward and more practice/play time.  Maybe they can even have some nice dinners, sight-seeing, and even some beach time, all on the house.

Kalen DeBoer is super hard-nosed and awfully conflicted in terms of putting on a nice face for the cameras and then acting like a tyranical, single-purpose tyrant.  Not a nice guy, but that is the norm among winning coaches.  He has apparently convinced the whole team to buy into the bowl.  Happy face now, but those kind of decisions can fester.

The other current news is the Michigan roster.  I see Sherrone Moore as an overall failure, but honestly, the recruiting class and incoming portals are respectable; not "top notch" as the Caddyshack pundit (Ted Night) exhorts, but top-10ish is in the ballpark.  Of course the stats are skewed by Bryce Underwood (I'll get to that), but I usually count the numbers of likely-to-be-good if they stick with recruits as top 300 types.  Looking at the ESPN 300 Michigan has about ten or eleven.  Same in the portal:  about half, RB, DT, CB, and LB are look from afar as potential all-Big Ten or NFL type players, again, if they stick with it and don't transfer all over the place.  They can't all be stars; the world need ditchdiggers too.  

But still, unless something dramatic happens, like Aiden Hutchinson suddenly re-enrolling, the defense is going to be worse next year and the passing game has not been fixed at all.

Michigan needs to cut the roster.  They lost 16 transfers, so far -- a lot, possibly the most ever.  More than a few probably had--at Michigan--potential.   

It is all, in a nutshell, the Sherrone Moore way.  Safe, unspectacular hires with long-term dollars.  A few possible, conservative stop-gaps.  No evidence of anything big on the field, in recent history, or upcoming.

---

I have been around long enough to realize that #1 players usually pan out, eventually or in one way or another.  Same goes for prospects rated highly but below that.  Often these are kids with pedigrees, experience, coaching, and iron wills with respect to the NFL.  That is or was, of course, before the new $$$ for merely an image era.  Underwood is likely good now and destined to join the league.  Even if he is as good as humanly possible, he won't lead Michigan to significant success next year because Moore does not have the roster or the personal experience.  Picture it, maybe a little passing game fill-n and a little better in 2026; then, maybe, all bets are on for 2027.  That is the idealistic, mythical, absolute best that could happen.

It is also easy to envision something much more mediocre with possible a possible injury, transfer, turnover problems, a coaching change, etc.  Heaven forbid, a domestic abuse incident.  It is not rational for anyone to hang the hopes of the team on a 17-year old kid.

In the meantime, it nothing more than a distraction; not a hypothetical one, but a real one.  Michigan lost two other excellent QB recruits--one this year and one next.  The whole thing casts a money-crazed pall.  Underwood didn't appear to show a lick of interest in Michigan without the money.  It is a horrible precedent just as likely to backfire as it is to succeed.

The worst news I have seen about the Michigan roster is Davis Warren will be back next year.  Ditto that RE the ReliaQuest bowl.

What really is going on?  Why is the team such a downer?  Next I'll look into what is really going on.  Who are Sean Magee and Tom Gamble? 

High Marks in Low Places

 

LINK

Not.  Expected.  Luck.  Money cannon.

13-10 Ohio State Shocker

The whole game.  3.12 gb on NFL-Video.

 

Michigan Stars of the Game.

1. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant

2. Kalel Mullings

3. Aamir Hall and Makari Paige

4. Dominick Zvada (a given)

 

The Bigger Picture RE Sherrone Moore.

It is not as though he was going to be fired.  Wins over Ohio State and Michigan State means the season is a mild success.  It was ugly aside from that.  He is young and black and that is starting to take hold; it was never about the players not playing hard.  RE NIL:  it is odious but if you are going to play the game you have to play to win.  At the moment the future looks incomplete; that is solvable with the portal (and NIL money).  It took a while but Wink Martindale long-term is an asset.

 

Amazing Because

No Colston Loveland, no Will Johnson, Donovan Edwards injured, very little Semaj Morgan.  Grant and Graham looked like as though they played every defensive snap.

Even Davis Warren's completions are usually off-target; he made maybe 3-4 accurate passes the whole game with two interceptions  He had one run for a first down.  It is amazing and a tribute to the rest of the team that they could run under those circumstances. 

 

What Did He Say?

Rewind.  "A brilliant young coach.  What a coaching performance,  today nobody giving the Wolverines a chance,  this young man has a brilliant mind, is a brilliant coach, and he's just getting started..."

"Sherrone Moore says 'we didn't cheat this time''"

"He was turning the ball over way too much.  He has solved that."  Klattt on Warren.

 

Finally Saw It Live

#1 Barham Unsportsmanlike Conduct for signaling shooting  a gun.

Who was the Michigan back at the end doing backflips? #23 Marshall.  But then he was walking sadly off by himself?  Must be another #23.  They cut it off before the fight.

The Fight at the End

More

Coming Soon.

Sherrone Moore: Pimp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I Dislike About Sherrone Moore

 Many people have asked, "Peter, what is it you dislike about Sherrone Moore?"  Now, on the eve of a final, visible beatdown, one of those everyone knows it's coming but it is still humiliating games, I am providing this list.  It is all things he has done, not something vague or unprovable like "he is in over his head."

1,  He is not gracious.  He does not compliment the competition.  In post-game news conferences he shows no confidence, leadership, or enthusiasm.  He appears to lack respect for the fans, the university, reporters, or anyone besides himself.

2.  He has violations in his past and with his colleagues and he hasn't denounced it or expressed a desire to run a clean program.

3.  Recruiting with money is gross or desperation or both.

4.  He has lost too many games.

5.  He is a poor in-game manager.

6.  He has lost too many previously-commited recruits, a bad indicator.

7.  His team makes too many penalties, in particular personal fouls or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

8.  His verbal abilities are poor; he repeats coachspeak to the point of not telling the truth, e.g., for an injury he says "he is working through something.

9.  His coaching staff is unimpressive: a defensive coordinator with no college or recruiting experience; receivers coach, offensive coordinator, special teams, and perhaps other position groups have mistakes, injuries, and other notable gaffes.

10.  He is dour.  He is downright depressing.

EDIT:  No one has asked me.  I just felt obligated.

11.  He has a temper reminiscent of Juwan Howard.  On the sideline and on national TV.  He looks unaware of his surroundings and others.  Of course he realizes the team looks terrible and it is his neck on the line..  He is handling it poorly.

 

November Big Ten Football

What do you call it?  Real college football.  Good college football.  

It is still the first quarter.  Indiana at Columbus, Ohio is real football.  Indiana took the kickoff for a touchdown.  Will Howard is a really good quarterback.  He is big, White, and you'd think he is slow, one dimensional, or boring.  He is anything but; excellent passer, runner, and emotional.  He was recruited and I guess paid to put Ohio State over the top, or at least up to it.  That is the way you have to do it--you can't teach someone to do it in one season. 

Indiana is undefeated.  I will not be Googling Indiana football coach.  The game matters in the standings.

Michigan plays Northwestern at home later.

Indiana stooped OSU on 4th down at the 2.  Ohio State has a lot of yards; passing yards.  That is going to be the deciding factor.  7-7 and it is going to continue.

Michigan better hope they get lost on the way to The Shoe next week.

If Indiana wins they deserve it.  

I must be getting old, or good at this. I could see it coming, halfway through the 3rd, IU has 68 yards, 18 rushing,  OMG, the Suckeyes are going to score again.  They are a machine.  That stadium may look like the rest of Ohio--concrete, fencing, and fake turf, but it is murder.  Whatever Chip Kelly is doing, it is working; they have the matchups.  Views of the stadium are nothing but business-like red.  Don't they know those are Indiana's colors?  Intelligence was never a prerequisite.  It is not that they are not enthusiastic, it is just that there are so many they blend into one.  There are a lot of crowd barriers.  There is a lot of crowd.

And these people are not normal.  They live for it.  Only when it is zero degrees and snowing do I enjoy seeing their bestial outfits.  

It is as if Marvin Harrison, Jr. never left, and with an even better quarterback.  It is getting ugly and someone is going to get hurt.  Or maybe some extracurricular... You have to watch the whole game to see how the people react.  It is nothing like earlier in the game but Indiana is still punchy.  Ohio State is focused; no way Indiana is going to get in the way.  The Indiana transfers are not up to the task.  This one is over, but I still want to see if anyone loses their cool or if Curt Cignetti eats it.  Mark Dantonio as prophet RE pride and failure.  They have a good field goal kicker too.  Indiana has 91 yards.

Sherrone Moore should donate $5 million to charity.  He got a free year.  It begs the question of who said it first or last.  If it happens again, you're fired.

Michigan is going to get killed.  And they're going to enjoy it in Ohio.

Up Next - More Sat-Action.  Who is Brian Hartline.  I see he didn't go to college, he went to THE Ohio State University.  Just get it over with.  Ohio State has good corners; look for some interceptions.  I think Michigan is really going to have trouble moving the ball.  The game is almost over.  Indiana is playing like Michigan with a garbage time touchdown.  There is playing to win and there is just playing the game.  "Unbelievable"(Joel Klatt), Ryan Day showed-up by TreyVeon Henderson.  I try to watch the whole game.  They're singing an anthem to concrete.

Champions Circle

Jolin and Larry Ellison.  Are you f**cking kidding?

It is a story.

It is about how many people Sherrone Moore has let down in 10 months.

We should all be so lucky, to have that kind of support.

Gotta Have It

OK, I was wrong.  I had this theory that NFL-Video gets more NCAA views than NFL views.  The stats of likes or views or whataever they are is simple.  Kansas City rules.  Have you ever been to Kansas, Kansas City, or even Missouri?  I have.  I'd rather be in Southern California.  I still wonder what all the NCAA views add up to.

Those of us who need it gotta have it.  Michigan is a big dud so I have to look elsewhere.

I have this other theory:  if the world is right, USC beats Nebraska.  I know Nebraska's coach is a former big-time NFL coach who was at least well paid and sought after even if he has been a little bit of a weenie lately.  Nebraska was making strides.  Recently those strides have been teenie-weenie if not backward.  

Hard times in talent rich Nebraska.  Quick check, Nebraska has had championships as defined by Wiki since the Big 8 broke up in 1996 and became the Big 12.  Tom Osborne was still there and Frank Solich did rather well record-wise (58-19).  Solich was not good enough for the greedy Huskers who will always demand a return to some former world where cornfields rule.  Just about the only truth in NCAA football is that instability.

The question isn't if Matt Rhule is a good coach or not, it is how the hell is he going to do it in Nebraska?  Look at who you are up against!  The Big Ten has three (now 4) teams in the top 5.  James Franklin, Luke Fickell and Kirk Ferentz are better coaches than Sherrone Moore and so are PJ Fleck, Jonathan Smith and possibly others too.  Washington, USC, and maybe even UCLA are sleeping giants; all three are great schools in big metro areas with gorgeous campuses.

Note to self and others:  the new TV deal is great.  Out with ESPN and ABC; in with CBS and NBC with the best announcers and coverage existing.  There's still BTN for those non-big games like Michigan.  There is no secret behind it.  These schools are powers; they are the biggest and the best.  It is a fluke that the geographical area includes Nebraska.

Indiana isn't on a par with Oregon or Ohio State (or, sorry, forgot Penn State) but they show no signs of slowing down.  We're sitting here watching Coach Moore fumble and attempt to matriculate; Michigan is completely out of the picture.  Even Rutgers; Greg Schiano hasn't shown an ability to build Rutgers into something more but at least they are competitive.  Maryland has regressed.  Purdue is dead.  

Looking more closely at the Big Ten:  Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Rutgers are decent teams that are going to bowls.  Oregon, Indiana, Ohio State, and Penn State are killing it.  Michigan belongs with Maryland, Northwestern, and Purdue.

It is now Friday before the big Michigan-Northwestern game.  I'm still watching USC-Nebraska.  Brock Huard is my favorite analyst.  Nebraska plays like Michigan--a little emotion--correction, useless swagger--with players who think they are better than they are (this is of course not including the Michigan players who actually give a damn). Man, that is a beautiful stadium.  USC plays at the Colloseum and UCLA at the Rose Bowl.  This is third time I have really tried to watch the whole game; you have to watch the whole game.  It has been worth it.  I already know USC is going to win big and that the world is right again.

Ohio State is going to crush Michigan

 . . . In the meantime, we wait.

We are now at the second Fall vacation break.  Northwestern is in a few weeks or so and then comes the final humiliation of the season.  A possible bowl will have no impact on anything or anyone.

For those of us not in a hurry, it will be a story.  It will take a while though.  The questions and analyses will include, but will not be limited to, the following.  Why was no search done?  Who cares what ex patriot Harbaugh said or does?  And maybe, What were you thinking?

In the meantime, we have only the head-hanging gloom and doom.  Let's take a look.

 

No praise for the opponent.  Nothing new.  No confidence at all.  At least hold your head up and be proud of something.

Indiana is not a great team given that Michigan--in this one, a half of Michigan defense--can get that close.

Including Will Johnson, Michigan has three and a half great players.  Next year will probably be worse.

It will take at least next year too.

The comments on YouTube are blistering; and, they are virtually unanimous.  Even those homers, happy to have something to do and eternally optimistic, stay away.  More and more people including national commentators are realizing and writing, Sherrone Moore is not the right man for the job.

Gawd, Northwestern.  That is not something to look forward to.  I remember when it was a fun excuse to get drunk or even travel to Evanston because Michigan was having a great season and they were sure to romp.  Times don't change that much, but head football coaches do.

If this isn't proof, what is?