Final Week. Michigan 7 OSU 37

Thank God I didn't watch the game.  By fluke of family holiday planning, I was driving home from Thanksgiving from Columbus during the game.  But my son, who is a freshman at Wooster, attended the game with my niece and her boyfriend.   He texted me updates until it got too demoralizing to send anymore. 

From what I've read and from talking to Peter this morning, the game was pathetic.  The Wolverines are a pathetic shell of former greatness.  Read these these Tweets from Michigan Greats who play for the Arizona Cardinals and watched the game together (pulled from of Freep.com.).

• @jayfeely: @SBreaston15, Branch, Gabe Watson all if us are beside ourselves watching this shell of what Michigan used to be.
• @JMorris23: We are the Best Big East in the Big Ten....... Bar none!!!
• @jgoody76: This just got even more disgusting. Is it time for a change?
• @SBreaston15: Yikes! Smh
• @desmond_howard As a Wolverine who NEVER lost 2 the Buckeyes, I think U should worry less about a tie and MORE about the product on the field. #wrongfocus

The season is over.  Here's my opinion of what to do (but you probably already know it)

• Rich Rod has to go.  Resign, fired, it doesn't matter.  He has failed miserably as the Wolverine Coach.  We will never be more than a good MAC team with him as coach.  Get it over with now!  
• Admit to the mistake of hiring him.  Sue Coleman and Dave Brandon and Bill Martin need to man up and take the blame for this mistake.  We can't blame Rich Rod entirely.  He tried his best, which will never be good enough.  But someone hired him, without thoroughly checking him out.  It was a desperate reach to an "offensive new age guru" to fix something that wasn't broken.  It wasn't necessary and only made things worse.  The choice didn't respect the Michigan Traditions that our excellence is based on.  It didn't respect the players we had or the ones we recruited.  The team, former teams, alumni, students and faculty all deserve a sincere and heartfelt apology.  This is the way to  move forward.  The "Leaders and Best" know this to be true.  Own up, ask forgiveness, make it right. 
• Hire asap a football coach that respects the Michigan Tradition and understands how to coach young men to be champions.  Doesn't have to be a Michigan Man, but Brandon couldn't go wrong hiring either Jim Harbaugh or Les Miles.  How about Gary Patterson at TCU, although why he would want to leave TCU is hard to understand.  We need a hire like the one OSU made a few years ago.  Like Jim Tressel.  A great I-AA coach at Youngstown State, who knew the OSU tradition and also had been working the Midwest High School market for years, building strong relationships with the coaches and players, recruiting head to head with OSU and Michigan. Brian Kelly, at Notre Dame right now, fit this bill three years ago but he's gone now (expect to see a vastly improved Irish team next year).  Is there another "Bo Schembechler" or "Bret Bielema" in the MAC just waiting for us to tap him on the shoulder.
• The new hire has to be either a defensive genius, or hire a great defensive coordinator right away.  Rich Rod does not respect defense.  We need a head coach who understands the importance of defense and will hire a great set of defensive coaches.  Who will teach basic tackling, and will teach the defense to work as a unit, not as 11 different players.  I think we have the players.  Just haven't had the coaching.
• Run an offense that works with the players we have.  Taking the best we have and building on it.  We have some great offensive players.  Don't ditch the Spread immediately.  
• The entire team and athletic department needs to read and reread "Bo's Lasting Lessons"  one of the best leadership books ever written. The Michigan Tradition is about Leadership.  Football just happens to be the game the team is playing.  
• Turn down any bowl appearance we are offered.  It will be hard on the players who have fought hard to get the bowl game selection.  But it really is meaningless.  Winning a b-level bowl game doesn't help us a bit.  Not even recruiting wise.  Sends the message that we are serious about taking back our place as leaders and best.
   

Still, it's great to be a Michigan Wolverine.  Always better than being a Buckeye.  

Go Michigan, Beat the Broncos (Western Michigan, our first game next season.)

I probably won't be posting again on this blog until just before and after our bowl game.  And if the Michigan Leadership have the guts to turn down a bowl bid, than next season. 

Week 10 & 11 Michigan 27-Purdue 16, Michigan 28- Wisconsin 48

Sorry for the delay in getting this post up. Too depressed about the outcome of these games.

Michigan vs. Purdue:  Pathetic win.  Neither deserved a victory.  Michigan looked horrible.  Purdue looked horrible.  We were lucky to win.  We'll have a winning season as result of this game so I should be thankful I suppose.  But this game doesn't give me confidence in M winning either of our last two games.

Michigan vs. Wisconsin:  Offense played okay, certainly scored enough points to win a game.  But the defense wasn't present.  Wisconsin rolled to victory.  As will Ohio State this up coming Saturday.  No defense means no victory when you play a good team.  Ohio State is good. 

Our offense is good but not dependable.  It's an exciting offense that can score on any play from anywhere on the field.  But can't be counted on.  And certainly doesn't eat up time on clock.  With our defense, the offense needs to stay on the field as long as possible.

Still, it's always good to be a Michigan Wolverine. 

Go Michigan Beat the Buckeyes!

Week 9. Michigan 67, Illinois 65

Hail to the Victors!  Always love a Michigan Victory.  Even an Ugly One like today.

Not a game to be proud of.  For either team.  The M defense only seemed to play for one play, the Illini's two point conversion on the third OT.  Enough to to win. Not enough to be proud of.  So much for RichRod's help coaching the defense this week. 

Not sure why Robinson left the game.  But somehow I was glad Forcier was in the driver's seat in OT.

Why didn't we go for two on our last touchdown in regulation.  Would have won the game.  The whole gang at Dan McGuinness was wondering the same thing. 

I didn't see the first half.  Spent the time helping Rotary pack 40,000 meals at a Stop Hunger Now event.  Glad I didn't see the first half.  Three Wolverine turnovers turned into points by the Illini.  Would have been frustrated. 

Wolverines football went on NCAA probation for the first time in its history this week.  Not good RichRod.  Mr. Brandon, hope you are disgusted with this and don't let being bowl eligible distract you from the truth.

In three years,  We have only 5 Big Ten wins.  We haven't beaten MSU or OSU in that time.  The program is in disarray.  No defense whatsoever.  It's actually gotten worse in that time period and over this season.

Time to do what is needed.

Still...

It's good, to be, a Michigan Wolverine
Go Michigan, Beat the Boilermakers  (our last chance to have a winning season). 

Michigan 31, Penn State 41

Not much to say.  Penn State was the better team in all respects.

Their offense, lead by the second sting (and walkon) QB and Royster, racked up 41 points.  Pretty much scoring when they wanted to.  Previously they haven't scored in the Red Zone.  6 of seven times today. 

Our offense played pretty good, good enough to win if we had defense. 

Our team is dysfunctional.  How dysfunctional you may ask?  In the post halftime interview, RichRod was commenting about how poorly the offense was playing and couldn't get into the rhythm needed to score.  Not one word about the defense letting PS score 28 points. 

I can't see the Wolverines winning another game this season.

We  know what we need to do.  Let's do it. 

In spite of this:

It's good, to be, a Michigan Wolverine,
Go Michigan, Beat the Illini