Baseball and Football

2:21 is left in the 3rd quarter, Michigan State vs. Michigan.  The score is  20-17 MSU.  The television sports media complex is back and it is annoying.

Wait, it gets worse.  If not for Covid distractions it would easily be called the worst defeat for Jim Harbaugh and Michigan, so first, the game.

It was 4th and 6 from the Michigan 24 with about 4:20 left, State up 10.  Michigan had not shown an ability to get it done.  It was pure desperation and with a lot of time left.  Joe Milton pulled-out a running first down.

But the running game led by Milton did not look good.  The Spartans were up to the task with losses or very short gains.  Unlike the more experienced Dylan McCaffrey, Milton, although capable, looks confused in option runs and most of his scrambles, draws, or planned runs failed.

He is riskier than just "raw" as his passing missed a lot of the time too.  There was the one deep ball to Giles Jackson that Michigan wanted a flag on that Milton threw virtually without looking.  I have never seen so many 3-yard passes to backs or receivers about to get creamed.  There were at least a half dozen drops too.  Overall, Milton is not there this year.

Jackson is the one who ran the boneheaded punt return from the endzone.  Why or how (see below) he remained in the game could have been a mystery in a different world.

Don Brown, grabby defensive backs, and a no push defensive line:  we have seen it all before.  Every year the Michigan Wolverines recruit them...

This year Michigan has been holding on to a stellar class.  A few days ago I think they were #7.  Harbaugh has had great classes before.  That provided optimism.

Those who know and follow know that the fire does not burn as hot with Jim Harbaugh.  

I always look to the losing coach to see what he has to say.  I can read it--with Michigan and Harbaugh I already had--but I wanted to see the video albeit muted with subtitles.  Harbaugh looks straight into the camera or someone's eyes and deals with it.

Fairly often football coaches don't last for decades and Harbaugh has.  He is a capable manager of a needlessly large and costly program.  All things considered he is very difficult to replace.

It has been quite a drought for sports.  I really enjoyed watching the baseball playoffs with nothing but the game and two announcers in the booth.  The strategy and the skill are really impressive.

College football isn't the same without the crowds and excitement.  You have to be good and excited yourself to warrant that kind attention.  I don't see it this year with Michigan football.

RE the sports complex, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, Kirk Herbstriet, and all the rest are no fun at all.  In the big games, or once in a while, they are tolerable.  Maybe it is that there is enough going on in those situations that you can avoid them.

The Fox telecast was completely off base in calling Michigan a top ten team and Milton an emerging star.  And Kwitty Paye is not one of the best defensive ends in the country.

The Jim Harbaugh-Charles Woodson interview is one of the things I remember.  It was awkward and I felt uncomfortable just watching it.  I don't know who that stuff is designed to impress.

If you have any investment in the team at all the Covid games are an unique opportunity to just watch the game, the players, and the coaches.  Imagine if Michigan had laid a turd like that in front of 110,000.  They were just going through the motions and the fans definitely would have let them hear about i.

Now they are up against a very good Indiana team on the road.  Harbaugh looks foolish on this one too:  you were protesting about wanting to play, some to play.  For Michigan, their backs are to the wall.  Another bricklaying performance at #13 Indiana Saturday and they, led by Harbaugh, are going get shellacked in the national media once again.  For Harbaugh it cannot be pleasant.  He knows it; everyone knows it, but the truth is he is the best man available to deal with it.

If you can take apart the complex (Brian Cook et. al. included) there are smart people and terrible investors at mgoblog.com.  A recent commenter wrote that it all starts with the leader and that is Jim Harbaugh.  It all started when he started giving way on the defense, then the offense, and finally the quarterbacks; somehow, and for some reason, he lost confidence in his way.

Another recent commenter wrote in reference to the Covid games "at least we get to watch them."  That, of course, overrides all.  The Indiana game will be a good one.