Panel on The Impact of Sports Collective Bargaining on Labor Relations in Society

While perusing the program for the upcoming American Economic Association annual meeting (Jan. 6-8) in Chicago, I noticed an interesting panel devoted to sports collective bargaining. Details are below:

The Impact of Sports Collective Bargaining on Labor Relations in Society (Workshop) (J1) (Panel Discussion)

Panel Moderator: Gabriel Gershenfeld, Cleveland Indians, and Michael Wasser (American Rights at Work)

DeMaurice Smith (NFL Players Association) Sports Collective Bargaining: Sports Labor Perspective

Rob Manfred (Major League Baseball) Sports Collective Bargaining: Sports Management Perspective

Arlene Holt-Baker (AFL-CIO) Impact of Sports Collective Bargaining on Labor in America

Martin Mulloy (Ford Motor Company) Impact of Sports Collective Bargaining on Management in America

Delany gets it right: B1G/Pac-12 announce scheduling agreement

One year ago, Jim Delany almost allowed the biggest blunder in Big 10 history when word leaked that the Michigan-Ohio State game was going to be moved from its traditional spot at the end of the regular season.  Hell, it was so bad, I immediately returned from blogging retirement to man the keyboard in protest of this boneheaded decision.  Thankfully, The Game stayed put (unfortunately for my productivity, I somehow kept blogging).

That hair and those eyebrows just
scream evil genius

Yesterday, Delany teamed up with his counterpart in the Pac-12, Commissioner Larry Scott, to announce "a collaborative effort to enhance long-term scheduling commitments between the two conferences across all sports amongst the 24 institutions."  And more football specific, starting in 2017, "the objective is to create an annual 12 inter-conference game schedule between the two conferences."

And just like that, the SEC's addition of Mizzou and Texas A&M seems so...quaint.  The Big East's addition of Boise State and...who again?... seems so 2011.  As Scott points out, the B1G and Pac-12 gain a lot of the upside of expansion (broader reach, new markets and recruiting areas( without actually expanding.  And with the conferences' TV deals with ESPN expiring in 2016, the BTN and the Pac-12 new network stand to make a financial killing.

The new scheduling means the B1G nine-game conference schedule that was being discussed is kaput.  And it also means replacing one non-conference with the new Pac-12 game (whether that "replaced" game is the annual crap-fest against some MAC or 1-AA school or ND remains to be seen.  I for one wouldn't mind showing ND the door, or at least not having that game every year). 

According to the Freep story on the announcement, "together, the Big Ten and Pac-12 encompass 15 states holding 43% of the nation's population and 22 of its top 50 television markets."  Not a bad national footprint and recruiting pitch.  Plus, it doesn't take much foresight to see this positions the B1G (and the Pac-12) as the leaders for any future shifts in the college football landscape.

So while last year during the M/OSU bruhaha, I hated Delany with the intensity of a thousand suns, today I must tip my maize and blue cap to him for getting so far out in front of the curve, the other conferences must now rethink their plans as the contemplate catching up.

The Great Offensive Myth of 2011

In a column called Grading the First-Year College Football Coaches, Yahoo sports editor  Mike Huguenin graded all 22 new head coaches (not including interim coaches) on their initial campaigns.  After guiding the Wolverines out of The Dark Period to a 10-2 record and BCS bowl berth, Michigan's Brady Hoke received an "A" with Huguenin stating:

Hoke left San Diego State and arrived at a Michigan program that had a full cupboard on offense. But the defense had been atrocious, and Hoke made a masterful hire at defensive coordinator when he snagged Greg Mattison away from the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. The Wolverines’ offense isn’t as good as it was last season, but the defense made huge strides – and that improvement is why the Wolverines are in their first BCS bowl since the 2006 season. Hoke is a good fit at Michigan, and assuming his recruits pan out, the Wolverines will be back among the Big Ten’s elite for the foreseeable future.

There.  Did you you catch it?  The Great Offensive Myth of 2011:

The Wolverines’ offense isn’t as good as it was last season

Really?  By what measure?  Because I've seen this assertion made a couple other times in various places, but is it true?  Is Michigan's 2011 offense "not as good" as the 2010 variety?  Or is former coach Rich Rodriguez's reputation as an offensive guru and his introduction of the spread in A2 overshadowing the facts on the field from last year to this one?

So let's take a look.

According to cfbstats.com (which is a great site if you've never checked it out), Michigan's scoring offense (including its bowl game) for the 2010 season ranked 25th in the country, averaging 32.8 points per game.

So how does the 2011 squad stack up in that category?  With its bowl game to go, Michigan ranks 22nd in scoring, averaging 34.2 points per game.

Now, I'm no math wiz, but I do believe that 22nd is better than 25th, and 34 is more than 32.  Then again, I was just a liberal arts major at Michigan and didn't study the hard sciences.

Let's check out some other stats, shall we?  Last year, Michigan's rushing offense averaged 238.54 ypg.  This year, they have fallen waaaay off -- just 235.67 ypg.  Almost 3 yards a game LESS than last year.  Fucking Borges.

The big "advantage" for 2010?  Passing yardage.  Last year, U-M averaged 250.2 ypg through the air.  In 2011, that number dipped to 187.4 ypg.  Of course, it's hard to say how much Michigan being completely out of games such as MSU, Wisco, OSU and Mississippi State in the 4th quarter last year inflated that stat.  No need to play tight when you're smoking the other team.

And yes, Denard also rushed for 1,702 yards last year vs. "only" 1,163 this season.  But Michigan also established a second running threat in 2011 with Fitz Toussaint (1,011 yards) to lesson the load on Denard and make opposing defenses worry about another set of legs besides just those of the U-M QB.

More?

2010:  Offense averaged 6.8 yards per play
2011:  Offense averaged 6.41 yards per play

2010: Team passer rating of 145.99
2011: Team passer rating of 141.19

2010: 3rd down conversions -- 44.77%
2011: 3rd down conversions -- 48.39%

I'll stop because I think you get the point -- which is that Michigan's offense didn't really take any measurable step back in 2011.  In fact, with Denard taking less of a beating and the emergence of another running option in Fitz Toussaint creating a more balanced attack, I'd say they took a step forward. 

Put it this way, if you were an opposing coach, which Michigan offense would you least like to face?

New Sports Illustrated column: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. sentenced to 90 days in jail

Here's my new SI.com column on Floyd Mayweather pleading guilty to reduced charges for battering his ex-girlfriend.  He'll get 90 days in jail; originally was facing 34 years in prison. 

A Detailed Look to the Future

So Ferrum has finished the first season under Coach Harper. I for one am very impressed and satisfied with the results of this season. While Ferrum did not win the USA South conference, they did far better than some people would have predicted, and even outpaced the coaches poll projection from Media Day.
So where does Ferrum go from here? While the 2011 season was one where the Panthers were in contention, and put themselves in a position to play for the conference championship, there is still room for improvement.
First they need to assess their talent. Who is returning, and who is not?
The offense looks to me that it will suffer the most losses:

QB/PR  Marcus Mayo
OL  Jack McDowell
OL  Michael Walker
OL  Ivan Eames
RB  Steven Harris
RB  Corey Smith
RB  Justin Donnelly
TE  Chris Duble

On the defensive side of the ball, Ferrum will lose only two players:

DB  Delano Hall
LB  Tremaine Whitney

While it would appear that the Panthers are fortunate on defense, the offensive losses will leave the coaches in a position of having to fill quite a few holes.

The loss of Marcus Mayo is huge to the offensive productivity. Look for this void to be filled by Tim Reynolds, or Tyler Brubaker. Reynolds appeared in eight games for the Panthers, and in his freshman season, ran for 106 yards on 9 attempts. That translates into an 11.8 yard per rush average.... he also scored two rushing touchdowns.  Reynolds played his high school football in Arlington at Yorktown High School, and had a successful high school career. He has a strong arm, and good speed. I look for him to have very productive years at Ferrum. Tyler Brubaker also is in contention for the starting assignment. Very athletic, Brubaker brings good speed, and ability to what will be his Senior year. He has been used mostly at Wide Receiver where this past season,  he caught 13 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown. While Brubaker has been valuable in that role, look for him and Reynolds to be in strong competition for the quarterback job.

The offensive line is an area that Ferrum really must solidify. Losing Jack "fear the beard" McDowell, and Michael Walker leaves two gaping holes in the O-line. These two players were very instrumental in Ferrum's conference leading rushing attack, and someone will need to step up the take their place. I look for Zach Bossio, and Cam Bailey to return as starters, as well as J.L. Tyree. Beyond that, experienced players seem hard to come by. Michael Cherry is a possibility, but he only appeared in two games this past season after playing in 7 in 2010. If available, I would look to him as a potential starter. Other names that jump off the page are James Schambach, and Robert Reed. The O-line has plenty of depth, but whoever fills these voids, will lack experience. In the long run I doubt that this will be a problem.

Ferrum will lose three running backs, and while all three had major roles in the offensive game plan, Ferrum has seven returning backs for the upcoming season. Among those are Dontavious Gilbert, Dominique Lesine and Ty Saunders. Look for these three to get the majority of the carries, but I would expect some rotation of less experienced backs when appropriate to build playing time.

On defense, Ferrum will have to replace two major contributors to this year's team. Delano Hall and Tremain Whitney were involved in 121 tackles, and combined for 5 interceptions. The loss of these two players are key, but Ferrum is fortunate in that losses are minimal on the defensive side of the ball.
Look for the DB position to be filled by either Alphonso Green or Devaris Mosley, while the LB position will likely be filled by Jatavious Adams. Ferrum will be solid at linebacker.
From my perspective, I look for Ferrum to again be a solid team. If I were to guess, I think they will be recruiting for all of the positions being vacated, but overall the cupboard is quite full, and I look for Ferrum to have another successful year.

Strength and conditioning training will be of paramount importance as time goes on. It is vital that Ferrum build a team that is well conditioned, bigger, faster, and stronger than their opponent. This past season, Ferrum was successful in most of their endeavors, but in their three losses, of which I saw two, I personally believe that a lot of the problem was size, speed, and strength and conditioning.  To me this is one of the next hurdles that Ferrum must cross to compete for a conference title, and beyond.....and beyond is where the goal should be. Ferrum, in my opinion must seriously look into implementing a department of strength and conditioning for all athletes. This will  mean hiring a staff that is dedicated solely to athletic conditioning. This is already in place at CNU, and other colleges around Virginia. Yes this would mean hiring more full time staff, and more expense to the college, but it is necessary to take all Ferrum sports forward.
I was in a restaurant this past week, and was wearing my Ferrum Alumni cap. The cashier commented that he had never heard of Ferrum, and asked where it was. After answering, the poor guy probably wished he had never asked. I can get pretty enthusiastic when talking about Ferrum, and before I had my change in my pocket, he knew where it was, its football history as a Junior College, when it transitioned to DIII, that all pro running back Chris Warren went there, and is now on the coaching staff, and that the Norton Center will be opening in the spring of 2012. He may have wished he had never asked, but one thing is for sure...He can never say that he has never heard of Ferrum ever again.
I bring this up as I see this as another opportunity for the college to put the focus on getting the word out about Ferrum, and in particularly Ferrum athletics. I believe that all of the athletic teams can benefit if Ferrum will dedicate another full time position in the office of Sports Information. This, as I have said before, is important mainly due to the growth that Ferrum athletics is experiencing. (Men's Lacrosse, and Women's Swimming are the newest sports at Ferrum), and while there are two other coaches that share the title of Assistant SID, this, in my opinion needs to be a full time position.

This will likely be the final post of 2011. It's been a great year, and I can't wait to see what 2012 holds. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Go Panthers!

Thank you!

Yeah, I know: the NCAA velvet hammer came down on OSU this week.  Had planned to put up a post at how laughable the punishment was but then, well, screw it.  It's the holiday season and I still have shopping to do.  So I'll just go with this cartoon from Gary Finkler, a graphic designer and sports fan, who combined those passions and started a sports art blog called 7th Inning Sketch.

I do however want to take a moment before checking out completely for the next couple of days to thank those who helped the MZone continue to chug along this year.   There is no way I could -- or would want to -- keep the site going without all the folks who pitched in.

First of all, I must give a big shout out to Rigby who took over the all-important Photoshop post here on the MZone.  Not only are his 'shops top notch, but he was always willing to help, even if I shot him an email about some wacky concept at some ungodly hour.  You have no idea how many hours he put in.  Thanks, Rigby.

Thanks to Michigan Sports Girl who not only submitted a number of guest posts, but was constantly promoting the MZone on her popular Twitter feed @SupportBradyHoke.  She really helped push our following up over the 1,000 mark recently.  Thanks to Andy who, even though he had to step away from regular blogging, still sent us a number of great wallpapers.  Thanks to Ron for his help with fan fave Know Your Foe.  Thanks to Steve for his guest posts.  Thanks to reader Mikoyan for use of his pics when needed.  Thanks to Surrounded in Columbus for material, pics and tips from deep behind enemy lines.  Thanks to all the others who submitted links, pictures, tips and story ideas.   Much appreciated!

A special thanks to my former blogging cohort and college pal, Benny, who returned (after much "No way in hell" talk) to his Know Your Foe creation for Michigan's inaugural B1G battle with Nebraska (he's also working on the Sugar Bowl edition!).  And a bigger thanks to Benny for all the lost work hours for patiently listening to my "Is this funny?" calls throughout the season as I pitched him the latest idea for the MZone.

Most of all, thanks to you, the loyal MZone reader.  Your daily readership, comments, suggestions, kind emails and sense of community make it worthwhile and are why I keep doing it. 

Have a great holiday!

Go Blue!

Statutes of limitations, child sexual assault, and asking the wrong question

Child sexual assault has become the hot topic in the sports-and-law overlap, with allegations against several college football and basketball coaches, AAU officials, and most recently, a Hall of Fame sports writer Bill Conlin of the Philadelphia Daily News. One unifying theme is that many of these cases cannot be prosecuted because the statute of limitations has run on most of these cases (for example, Conlin's alleged assaults all occurred in the 1970s). So a frequently asked question--I was asked it in a radio interview last week and Slate's Jessica Grose raises it again--is why we have statutes of limitations for child sexual assault cases.

But I think that is the wrong question to ask.

On one hand, the answer is easy. We have statutes of limitations in sexual abuse cases for the same reasons we have statutes of limitations for every other crime (except murder, more on that below): Evidence and people disappear and memories fade or change or become distorted, thus we worry about the reliability of any result based on such stale evidence. Jessica interviews my former colleague Aya Gruber (now at Colorado), who argues that this is especially true in a case such as child sexual assault (and perhaps all sexual assault), where the key--and sometimes only--evidence is the victim's testimony. We also believe in a right to repose, or "rest easy," that at some point a person should be able to no longer fear prosecution and get on with his life and his affairs.

Murder long has not been subject to statutes of limitations because society has made a value judgment--murder is the most heinous crime, the ultimate criminal wrong, and that heinousness outweighs the procedural concerns for unreliable judgments and the substantive concerns for alleged perpetrator's right to repose. A good argument can be made that child sexual assault is as or more heinous than murder,^* thus we should strike the same balance. And that is what many states have done, eliminating limitations (as some states have done) or making them extraordinarily long and/or tolling them until the child reaches majority. For example, Pennsylvania now can prosecute a case until the child victim turns 50, meaning a limitations period of anywhere from 33 to 50 years, depending on the child's age at the time of the assault. An even better argument can be made that the old limitations periods in effect in the '70s, '80s, and '90s were woefully short (Pennsylvania was 5 years for anything involving penetration and 2 years for inappropriate touching) and based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the crime and the psychology of how child victims respond.^**

But thinking about whether there should be a statute of limitations for child sexual assault, or how long it should be, is the wrong question in considering the prosecution or non-prosecution of the current cases of interest. We are stuck with the reality that there is a statute of limitations for these crimes, that at the time of most of most of these crimes that limitations period was really short, and therefore the statutes have run on these cases and prosecution is barred. In 2003, SCOTUS held in Stogner v. California that the prohibition on ex post facto laws prohibited states from applying newly lenghtened limitations periods to crimes that occurred under an older limitations and that now are time-barred under that former limitations period. The 5-4 majority placed an extended limitations period in the second category, as a law that makes a crime greater than it was at the time of its commission. Most states statutorily avoid any possible ex post facto concerns by only applying these newly extended periods prospectively. Thus, what prevents prosecution of Sandusky, Conlin, et al., is not the statute of limiattions as much as the Constitution's prohibition on ex post facto laws.

    ^* I distinctly remember a class session in Stephen Presser's American Legal History at Northwestern, in which we debated whether adult rape was more heinous than murder, with a majority of the class believing it was, because the victim lives with the effects of the crime forever. We can multiply that for child victims.

    ^** Although what is interesting about Conlin's case is that many of the victims went to their parents and some of the parents confronted Conlin, who allegedly cried when confronted. But no one, not even the adults, ever went to the police.

Ohio: Where honoring the disgraced is just how they roll

Not much to blog about with the Sugar Bowl still a couple weeks out and the holidays on the horizon...until I got the email below from MZone reader Megan:

Fallen Heroes


As a Michigan alum living in Columbus, the picture below is one of the many reasons why I love this city.


Enjoy!   It was like an early Christmas gift.

This is so...Ohio.  Didn't realize Fathead had a Disgraced Coaches section.  Who knew?

Why do I get the feeling that if Bernie Madoff had won a National Title or two for Tosu and had a winning record against Michigan, Buckeye fans would hang a wall-sized poster of him in their double-wides?

Damn straight it's a trailer park joke!

MZone Holiday Mode

Light blogging probably from now until the Sugar Bowl draws near as real life takes over during the holidays.  Of course, the last time we said "light blogging" here at the MZone, Ohio State imploded in a sea of scandal and we never had a break.  Therefore, if Tosu decides to do it again (which would be the best Christmas present of all), you can rest assured that the MZone will fire up Ye Olde Photoshop Machine.

However, even during the craziness of the next couple weeks, we'll keep throwing 140-character nuggets your way on a regular basis via Twitter.  So be sure to follow us @MZoneBlog. And any new material will be below this post.

Go Blue!

Have a Hoke and a Smile

At the Michigan Football Bust this week, emcee Desmond Howard compared Michigan to a soft drink brand and the Rich Rodriguez years to one of the flavors:

"It’s a brand.  It’s like Coke. So, some people in the board room at Coke made some crazy decisions in the past to make Cherry Coke. But then the consumers didn’t like it too much. So, they had to go back and bring in some brilliant mind to get this thing back on track."

Now, I think Howard meant New Coke, not Cherry Coke.  And I take great umbrage if he didn't, comparing the failed Rich Rod flavor to the highly underrated Cherry Coke (which, if 11 Cherry Coke cans lined up on defense last year, could not possibly have done worse statistically than what Gerg employed). 

But that's all behind us now.  I'm just happy with have the real thing as Michigan's head coach since -- wait for it -- things go better with Hoke.

ED. NOTE: Yes, this entire post was simply an excuse to Photoshop a Diet Coke can as a Brady Hoke can. But can you blame us?  After reading Desmond's quote, it was just the sort of low hanging fruit we can't resist here at the the MZone.

Brandon hired as Christmas consultant, unveils new look for Santa

(from MZone wire reports) North Pole -- Kris Kringle named Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon as a special consultant for the upcoming Christmas holiday and changes are already in the works.  At the press conference announcing his hiring, Brandon unveiled several new looks for Santa's iconic attire and said Jolly Old St. Nicholas will be wearing each of them as he heads across the globe on Christmas Eve.

Needless to say, not everyone was pleased.

Following a brief "elf fight" upon seeing leaked photos of the new suits on the popular holiday blog Every Day Should Be Christmas, Brandon calmed the crowd by assuring the concerned elves and several of the reindeer that these were not permanent changes nor were they the only suits Santa would wear during his yearly sleigh ride.  Most of the time, Brandon said, Santa would still be wearing his traditional all-red-with-white-fringe suit.  He insisted the new "legacy costumes" would only be used for a limited time during a small portion of the trip.

"The new candy-cane-adorned suit is only going to be worn over parts of Canada, the violet snow-flaked-encrusted costume is for the Netherlands, and the tie dye look is specifically for UC Berkeley," said Brandon as Mrs. Claus and Rudolph stood nearby, modeling two of the new suits.

Brandon claimed he understood the anger expressed by those who didn't want any changes to Santa's familiar and time-honored look.  However, he pointed out that an update to the Old Man's attire was needed if Christmas wanted to continue to appeal to a younger audience.  "Look at Halloween," said Brandon.  "It's a marketing bonanza because there are so many different costumes to choose from.  Kids love it.  So while we're sensitive to tradition here at Christmas, we're also mindful of the need to keep pace with the other holidays during the year."

The new suits will be available starting Friday on The SantaDen for $60 each.

Fransesco Totti Akan Hengkang Dari AS Roma?

Kabar kurang mengenakkan bagi klub maupun pendukung AS Roma, karena kapten sekaligus ikon klub, Fransesco Totti dikabarkan akan hengkang. Hal ini tak lepas dari kritik supporter karena kegagalannya dalam eksekusi penalti saat menghadi Juventus.

Namun demikian, direktur klub AS Roma, Walter Sabatini, membantah hal tersebut. Nah, apakah Totti benar-benar akan hengkang?, ataukah ini hanya gertak sambal?, mungkin juga ini hanyalah isu yang dibesar-besarkan. Kita tunggu saja kelanjutan beritanya.

Akhirnya Lazio Lolos Ke Babak 32 Besar Liga Europa

Akhirnya SS Lazio berhasil melangkah kebabak 32 besar liga europa, setelah dalam pertandingan terakhir berhasil mengalhkan Sporting Lisbon. Kemenangan 2-0 membuat Lazio menduduki posisi ke 2, dibawah Sporting Lisbon, karena pada pertandingan lain di grup D, FC Vaslui kalah dari Zurich.

Berikut daftar klasemen akhir grup D Liga Europa:

Klub	P	Ma	M	S	K	GM	GK
Sporting	12	6	4	0	2	8	4
Lazio	9	6	2	3	1	7	5
FC Vaslui	6	6	1	3	2	5	8
Zürich	5	6	1	2	3	5	8

Daftar Juara Piala MLS (Liga Sepakbola Amerika Serikat)

Major League Soccer (MLS) atau Liga Sepakbola Amerika Serikat. Klub yang dibela David Beckham, LA Galaxy, berhasil menjadi juara di tahun 2011 ini. Berikut daftar juara piala MLS:

1996 D. C. United
1997 D. C. United
1998 Chicago Fire
1999 D. C. United
2000 Kansas City Wizards
2001 San Jose Earthquakes
2002 Los Angeles Galaxy
2003 San Jose Earthquakes
2004 D. C. United
2005 Los Angeles Galaxy
2006 Houston Dynamo
2007 Houston Dynamo
2008 Columbus Crew
2009 Real Salt Lake
2010 Colorado Rapids
2011 Los Angeles Galaxy

Tebow and the Broncos: The Power of Belief

I've been pretty quiet about the whole Tim Tebow thing here so far, but what the Denver Broncos are doing is getting too big to ignore.  Despite his limitations as a pro-style passer in the mold of Rogers, Brady, Manning, etc., Tebow has managed to help lead a 1-4 Broncos team that was 4-12 the year before to win six in a row and seven out of eight.  Certainly the Broncos have enjoyed strong play lately from their defense, running game, and special teams, but the change at the QB position has made the difference for this team.  Another factor that makes this streak even more remarkable is that the team has done all this without their best WR, Brandon Lloyd, who was traded to the Rams just before Tebow got his first start.

The addition of Tebow at QB has clearly had a synergistic effect on the Broncos.  Synergy, according to freedictionary.com is "the interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects."  Right now, the Broncos as a team are playing greater than the sum of their individual parts.  The way they are winning games is even more mind-boggling: six of their seven wins involved second-half comebacks, including three overtime wins.  They have trailed in the 4th quarter the past four weeks; yet no matter how badly they play, they manage to find a way to win ballgames.

From this article: "I don't want to give him all the credit," Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said of Tebow. "But at the same time, he comes through at crunch time every week. Every single week it's like, 'You've got to be kidding me.' It gets to the point where you say, 'What the frickin' is happening here?'"

"Merrill Hoge, one of Tebow's detractors, has finally come around as well (Mike and Mike show podcast) and is now "a huge fan" of the Broncos and Tim Tebow.  I heard him talk this morning about his amazement in what Tebow has accomplished in leading this Broncos team on this winning streak (bearing similarities to the theme of Hoge's new book, Find A Way).  Hoge says, "Now, I'm not saying they're going to win a Super Bowl, but the lessons that they are showing what sports is about; that regardless of your skills set...is how you maximize that skills set."  He genuinely admires what the Broncos are doing from a team standpoint and the value of the sport of football and he made a great point that a team doesn't have to win a championship to be champions.

Peter King quoted K Matt Prater here in his MMQB column after the improbable comeback win vs. the Bears: "You know what's fun about this?'' said Prater. "Everyone keeps saying what Tim can't do. And he goes out every week and we win. We love the guy. He's so real. Now we just feel like anything's possible.''

Mark Kisla from the Denver Post says this here: "There are more talented squads in the NFL. But right here, right now, nobody in the league is playing with more heart than the Broncos."

The answer to Champ Bailey's question about "what is happening here" is that the Broncos as a team have an incredible belief in one another that has this team playing greater than the sum of its individual parts.  The adversity that they have overcome again and again in coming back to win games the way they have only fuels this belief and the "legend of Tim Tebow."  But Tebow quickly gives his team credit here: "I don't think it's Tebow Time.  I just think it's Bronco Time, and the team steps up."  He adds here: "I think because we’ve been through these situations it makes us more comfortable.  But I think overall we count on the guy next to us. We trust the guy next to us and lay it all on the line on every play. When that’s your mentality, and you have that perseverance, and you believe the guy next to you is going to do his job, then until the clock hits zero and maybe even after that, we’re going to keep believing." 

 

Many former players say that the camaraderie among teammates is what they miss the most about the game.  I can only imagine what it feels like to be a part of the Denver locker room and having the confidence that they must have.  It is truly a special thing this team doing right now—unlike anything I have ever seen in sports.  Tim Tebow has given this team faith to not just believe that they can do the impossible, but that they expect to do the impossible.

Miscellaneous Monday

There's Now a Dead Guy in The Big House

Saw this on YouTube: some dude sprinkled his stepfather's ashes on the field at Michigan Stadium after the Wolverines beat Ohio last month...



Sure, on one hand I get it.  On the other, uh, well, there's some dead guy now on the 50 at The Big House.

The Perfect Addition to Any Office

Got the following email last week:

Felt the need to share the newest addition to my office.  I might take him home and make him the center piece for the Sugar bowl party!

I live in Nebraska so I’m thinking of putting a pile of half eaten corn under him!

Go Blue!

Nick

That's probably the only Wolverine anybody from Nebraska laid a hand on this year.

M Go Camaro!

While Nick's office addition is a fine way to show your Michigan pride, the picture below is not.

I was searching on Google for a picture for a post using the words "Christmas" and "University of Michigan" and, sadly, this popped up:

Man, we sure wish he'd have just gone with the 1/2 shirt at Wal-Mart instead.

We're not together anymore, Rich. This is getting awkward

Yesterday, Rich Rodriguez did a radio interview on The Huge Show on WBBL out of Grand Rapids.  I know: why is the new head coach of Arizona doing radio interviews in Grand Rapids, Michigan, rather than scouring God's earth for a decent defensive coordinator to join him in Tucson?  Good question.  But I digress.  Anyway, during the interview (which you can listen to here on MVictors), Rodriguez was asked the following about Michigan:

"Do you think if you were still the coach this team would have been 10-2 this year?"

"Yep.  At least."  (laughs) "But that's again being confident and a lot of things going the right way, and certainly we had to make a few changes, needed alterations and had to play better defensively." [emphasis added]

Look, I don't want to beat a dead horse here but if you're gonna say that, then pardon me while I get my whip. Okay, got it.  Thus...

You're out of your fucking mind.  I'm just happy Michigan didn't have to go through a 4th year of The Dark Period to prove it.  I'm glad we didn't have to watch another squad not only not improve during the course of a season, but get worse as the weeks wore on.  I'm thankful to not have seen a great offense get stuck in the mud each time it played a team with a pulse.

I'm glad that's all behind us.

Rodriguez's answer perfectly illustrates exactly why -- outside the obvious W's and L's -- that I was relieved after Michigan pulled the plug when it did.  When it came to the losing, that wasn't his fault due to -- get ready for the list -- injuries, "bare cupboards," everyone not "pulling in the same direction, whether it's coaches and players and administrators," etc. etc. etc. INSERT ANOTHER EXCUSE HERE.

And now that Michigan is coming off the first 10-win season by a rookie coach in A2 since Fielding H. Yost in 1901, one that not even the most optimistic fan could've hoped for?  Naturally, Rodriguez could have done just as well.  At least.

No, that's not confidence, that's hubris.  That's a man who hasn't learned from his mistakes like he claimed he has.  That's a coach I'm glad is no longer leading our team.

So what should Rich Rod have said to the interviewer's question?

How about something along the lines of, "I don't want to get into that.  It serves no purpose.  I'm the head football coach at Arizona now, not Michigan anymore.  But since I coached most of those guys, I'm happy for them, proud of them and wish them the best.  They and the current staff did a tremendous job this season."  

It's called the high road.  With no subtext to deflect blame.  No wink-wink to make sure folks "know" what "really" happened.

Instead, once again, Rodriguez sounds like an old lover who says he's moved on but then takes every opportunity to talk about why the relationship didn't work out and, more importantly, doing so via thinly veiled barbs explaining why the break-up wasn't his fault.

Contrast that with Brady Hoke's words.

When he was first hired, Hoke was asked about his expectations for the upcoming season.  Now, it would have been very easy and understandable for him to say something about lowering expectations due to a new coach with new assistants coming in with new schemes, new plays and new ideas.  He could have pointed out he was taking over the worst defense in the history of Michigan football.  He could have asked for time saying Vince Lombardi couldn't make that much of an impact in one year.  He could have said a lot of things like that.

But he didn't.

Instead, if you recall, Hoke said that the expectation is for Michigan to win the Big Ten championship.  He said that's always the expectation at Michigan.  And he stated that if they didn't do that, then he and his assistants will have failed the players.

When Michigan lost the MSU game played in the tornado scene from The Wizard of Oz, he could have shouted from the rooftops about how Michigan was robbed due to MSU's thuggish play.  But he made no excuses.

And at the end of his inaugural 10-2 season which led to a BCS bowl berth, was Hoke basking in his success or pointing out how well he did?  Quite the contrary.  Hoke said his team didn't win the B1G and thus they still had a lot of work to do.

Rodriguez also mentioned in this interview (and others) that Michigan's players this season were "his guys."  Really?  Weren't contributors this season such as Hemingway, Herron, Huyge, Molk and Wolfolk all 5th year seniors who were recruited by and thus played a season for Carr?  And, correct me if I'm wrong, weren't players like Demens, Floyd, Koger, Martin and Moore 4th year seniors who were initially recruited by Carr but still signed with Michigan when Rodriguez took over?

Point is, it's not "Rodriguez's team" any more than it's "Carr's team."  It's Brady Hoke's team.  It's Brady's team and he deserves the credit.

So good luck in Arizona, Rich.  Really.  Everybody says you're a nice guy.  And the past has proven you're a good football coach.  It just didn't work out in A2.  Shit happens.

But if you have moved on as you claim, then please stop talking about it.  And no, nobody wants to hear, "Well they asked me about it!  I didn't bring it up."  Fair enough.  So in an effort to solve that problem, here's a crazy idea: stop doing interviews with Michigan-based media outlets for awhile.  Because, going back to the old relationship example, you're gonna end looking like the dude who keeps hanging out with the mutual friend who lives down the hall on your ex's floor in her dorm. And that doesn't look good.

I'm just sayin'.

According to Rich Rod's telling of the story, the bare cupboards
were the fault of the previous homeowner.

4-2-5

I've been studying the 4-2-5 and I pulled a lot of good resources from Runcodhit, Brophy, Deuce, Blitzology, Coach Mac, and Chris at SmartFootball.  The newer links are at the top of the list under each coach.  Here are links to the 4-2-5:

Start here:
Multiplicity but Simplicity: Why the 4-2-5 Defense - Gary Patterson - DC - New Mexico (1997)
TCU 4-2-5 - Gary Patterson (Nike COY)

Runcodhit:
Defending Trips - Disguise and Scheme
3x1 Formations- Defending the Open Side
Defending Tight Bunch Formations
Stopping the Power Running Offense with the 4-2-5 Part I: Principals
Stopping the Power Running Offense with the 4-2-5 Part II: Double Tight I
BRACKET COVERAGE: PART I THE BASICS
BRACKET COVERAGE PART II: SLOT BRACKETS
BRACKET COVERAGE PART III: Combination Brackets
DOG BLITZES (TCU vs WISCONSIN)
Split Safety-Zone Blitzes
4-2-5 Alignments-Part I
4-2-5 Alignments-Part II
4-2-5 Resources
Quarter Coverage- Safety Push Technique
Quick Thoughts- Determining Coverages for a Defensive Scheme
Cover Black- Inverted Man-Under Halves
Robber Coverage Notes
Attacking the Away Side : Boise State vs TCU
Random Thoughts
4-2-5 Away Side Run Support
4-2-5 Split Field Coverage

Brophy:
1-High Nickel (4-4) Intro
No-Huddle Check-With-Me Defense
TCU Defense Explained   ***This has TCU Install video
TCU's 42 Nickel Coverage & Front Coordination
TCU's 42 Nickel Blitz & Coverage Concepts
TCU "2 Read": Adaptation to the Spread (2x2)
TCU "2 Read": Adaptation to the Spread (3x1)
Fiesta Bowl: TCU vs Boise State
AFC: Automatic Front Check
Powerpoint Playbooks / Animation
Virginia Tech Robber
TCU's 42 Nickel Coverage & Front Coordination
Brophy's Playbook and Resource Page

Deuce:
TGOG Film
Split Field Concept - The Underneath Players
Setting the Record Straight
Why Install Both Special and Solo Coverages?
Weak Safety Shuffle Technique in Solo Coverage
Two Gap/One Gap vs. One-Back Zone Option
The B.O.S.S. Blitz - An Answer to Dog Blitzing to a 3 x 1 Set
Putting It All Together - Run Fits in the Two Gap/One Gap Scheme
Morphing the 4-2-5 into the 3-3...Keeping the Offense on its Toes...
Automatic Coverage Check (ACC)
TCU Terms - Defined
Cover Blue for Corners - Deuce
Cover Blue for Safeties - Part 1 - Deuce
Cover Blue for Safeties - Part 2 - Deuce
2 Read/Blue Coverage
2 Read/Blue Coverage-The Reads
2 Read/Blue Coverage Revisited
2 Read/Blue Coverage-Run Fits
2 Read/Blue Coverage-Vs. Trips
2 Read/Blue Coverage-Vs. Empty Sets
Post Snap Communication in Pattern Reading Coverages
Simplifying and modifying TCU's blitz scheme for lower level play
Backside Safety in Quarters Coverage vs. The Run and Playaction
The 4-2-5 vs. Flexbone
The down and up stunt vs. the zone read play
The 4-2-5 and the Under, Meshing Two Great Defenses!
The 46 Nickel
Florida's Nickel Tracer/Auburn's Heat Package

Blitzology:
Blitz of the Week #17 (Super Stick)
Making It All Look The Same (TCU Pressure Package)
TCU's Thunder Concept

Coach Mac: (new site)
Concepts to Defend Trips
Defending the Spread with Quarter's Concepts
Building a Defense with the 4-2-5

This site:
4-2-5 vs the Flexbone - Secondary Play
4-2-5 Defense - The Defense of the Future - David Raley (OJW)

Smart Football:
Deconstructing the Virginia Tech defense

Coach Huey thread links:
TCU 4-2-5 Defense
4-2-5 and Under

Playbooks and Other Resources:
1999 TCU Defense / Coverage Manual - Gary Patterson - DC
2006 Baylor Defense - Bill Bradley
2004 Villanova Defense - Joe Trainer
2001 Boise St. Defense - Bob Gregory
2000 Boise St. Defense - Brent Guy
2000 Oregon Defense - Bob Gregory
1992-1997 Williamette Defense - Bob Gregory
8 Man Front - David Bailiff - SW Texas St. (2000)
DL Pressure Games - David Bailiff - SW Texas St. (2001)
Virginia Tech - Cover 2 - Robber Package
1998 Virginia Tech Defense - Bud Foster

From Our Readers...

Mark "Green Skull" Dantonio?

Got the following email from KP:

So I was watching Captain America the other night and I couldn't help but notice that Huge Weaving (I think that's his name) who plays the Red Skull looks deceptively similar to one coach in Green and White.

You make the call.

Let's take a looks, shall we?  Here's Hugo...

And here's Complaino...

Busting a Nut

The following was sent to us by Steve who runs Michigan Meets SC (as in the state)...

Back in 2006, the last time Michigan and Ohio State played for anything meaningful, a friend of mine and work colleague came back from a visit to Cincinnati Ohio, her home town, and brought me a buckeye.  Attached to it was a little flag.  One side said “Do Not Open” and the other side said “Until Michigan Beats Ohio”.  Notice even back then “State” was gone.  Huh, go figure.  It sat on my desk and over the years the nut dried out, the hull began to crack and peel away.  I could see the nut but not touch it.  I had really taken it for granted, like it would always be there.  Intact.

Anyway never giving up hope I applied tape and such to keep in intact for one day I knew I would get to peel away what pissed me off and bust that nut open.  Anyway on November 28^th at 5:00 PM I cracked that nut.  Up until my drive to work that Monday morning I had forgotten about it.  A dreary Monday suddenly turned into a day long anticipation of releasing that nut from it’s confine of tape and dried hull.  It was truly like winning all over again.  Almost ceremonial.  I hope I don’t have to wait that long again to get a nut.  Thanks Team 132.

If you have an idea, picture, link or video for the site, please send it our way!

McDowell selected to play in D3 Senior Classic

Ferrum Senior offensive tackle Jack McDowell has been selected to participate in the D3 Senior Classic all star game this Friday night in Salem, VA. This selection comes on the heels of his being named to the second team all region team (South Region) earlier this week.
McDowell, from Shady Side Maryland is the fourth Panther to be selected to participate in the game in the last two years. Last year, Willie Taylor, Zach Leonard, and All American T.J. Grzesikowski participated in the classic.

Congratulations Jack- Glad to have a Black Hat in the game.

For more information on the game, go to their website at:

http://www.d3seniorclassic.com/

Ohio Needs Our Help

Last night, we got a tweet from @BPotterR alerting us to an opportunity to help our neighbors to the south.  Apparently the fine folks in Ohio are looking for a new slogan for their license plates:

On behalf of Governor John Kasich, welcome to "MY OHIO PLATE." Ohio's new license plate and driver's license will showcase how Ohioans feel about Ohio. Please select the one slogan, phrase or fact that you think best describes Ohio. The deadline for submitting your recommendation is January 8, 2012. We'll review your suggestions and unveil the final version later in 2012.

Folks are then presented with a list of options to choose from including (and no, we're not making these up):

*  1st Traffic Light
*  White Trillium (which is not the substance the bad guy is trying to obtain in the next James Bond movie, it's a flowered plant)
*  40,948 Square Miles
*  State of Perfect Balance
*  Rubber Capital of the World

They also have Tosu-centric choices such as "The Horseshoe" and "Woody Hayes" (we're guessing somebody tried to get "Fuck Michigan" on there but was unsuccessful).

Sure, some of these are okay.  I mean, who wouldn't be bursting with state pride driving around sporting "1st Traffic Light" on their license plate.  But none of them really capture what Ohio is.  Luckily, there is a way we can be neighborly and help Ohio with this important and difficult decision.  At the bottom of the BMV page with the choices is a blank write-in box under the heading "What does Ohio mean to you."  Naturally, we have very strong feelings about that one.  So, after giving it some thought, we here at the MZone came up with a couple suggestions:

*  The Buckstache State
*  I believe in hell, I live in Ohio
*  Ohio: It's like Michigan...only without the class or scenery
*  Speed Trap Capital of the World
*  Ohio: Round ends, high inside.  Just like its residents
*  It could be worse, I could live next door in Kentucky
*  Who farted?

Anyway, we're still trying to figure out which one to submit.  And make sure you do your part for Ohio by giving them a suggestion.  Let us know what it is in the comments section.

UPDATE:  T-man sent us his submission.  Pretty darn good...

University of Illinois Official Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Email

Many Michigan fans received an email from the Alumni Association and/or the Athletic Department about tickets for Michigan's Sugar Bowl appearance and bowl tour packages.  Pretty exciting stuff.

Of course, not all bowl games are created equal.  In an MZone exclusive, we have obtained the bowl email the University of Illinois sent to its alumni and fans.  You'll notice the excitement level isn't quite the same...

Holy fucking crap!

The University of Illinois football team is just as stunned as you are to find out we were invited to a bowl game.  We're playing in something called the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on December 31 against the only team in America less deserving than the Illini, the 6-7 UCLA Bruins (I know, right?).  And as embarrassing as this is for all involved, we're actually required to send out this email inviting you to join the Fighting Illini as our interim head coach faces off against their interim head coach in a bowl game so absolutely unnecessary even hunger is ashamed to be associated with it.

You may purchase bowl tickets (limit of 14,000) for $25 -- Box Endzone (Note: the box is to be placed over your head to hide your identity just in case any TV cameras point your way), $50 -- Sideline View (of the other seven people in your section lonely enough to be spending New Year's Eve at this cripple fight), or $75 -- Club (as in you're in a special club of not very smart people who paid $75 bucks to see a team on a 6 game losing streak face off against a team that actually has a losing record).  There is also a special Family Plan Ticket Package.  Bring the family to the game and, for $40, get 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas, 2 game programs and a free evaluation by a trained medical professional curious to know why you hate your family so much.

Ticket sales begin Tuesday, December 6 at 8:30 a.m. (with the office pool over/under on when the first call actually comes in now hovering around 4 p.m. -- on December 27th).  To order tickets, visit www.lookatthepileofdogshitRonZookleftbehind.net or call the Illini ticket office at 1-877-HOW-HUMILIATING.  As an incentive, a raffle will be held at halftime of the game in which the winner will get an immediate interview for the head coaching vacancy at either of the game's participating schools.

Travel packages are also available.  Each includes hotel accommodations, game tickets, and ground transportation to San Francisco's AT&T Park on game day (although this fiasco is such a crime it should be held on Alcatraz).  Be sure to also ask about attending our Official University of Illinois Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Tailgate!  But don't delay as we only reserved a four-top at IHOP for this humdinger.

Let's paint the town orange and blue! (or, short of that, see if we can get at least one dude to show up wearing orange and another in blue)

CLICK HERE FOR TICKET INFORMATION

(no, it's not a live link as we don't think such a radical move is either warranted or necessary)

Nominasi Peraih FIFA Ballon D'Or 2011

Berikut nominasi pemain terbaik dunia, putra/putri, pelatih terbaik dunia, putra/putri, (FIFA Ballon D'Or 2011):

Pelatih Terbaik Putra:
Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)
Pep Guardiola (Barcelona)
Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid)

Pelatih Terbaik Putri:
Bruno Bini (Prancis)
Norio Sasaki (Jepang)
Pia Sundhage (Amerika Serikat)

Pemain Terbaik Putra:
Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)
Xavi Hernandez (Spanyol/Barcelona)

Pemain Terbaik Putri:
Marta (Brasil/Western NY Flash)
Homare Sawa (Jepang/INAC Leonessa)
Abby Wambach (Amerika Serikat/magicJack) 

Babak 16 Besar Coppa Italia (Jadwal)

Berikut ini jadwal pertandingan babak 16 besar Coppa Italia:

8 Desember 2011: Juventus Vs Bologna
13 Desember 2011: Palermo Vs Siena
10 Januari 2012: Lazio Vs Verona
11 Januari 2012: Udinese Vs Chievo
11 Januari 2012: Roma Vs Fiorentina
12 Januari 2012: Napoli Vs Cesena
18 januari 2012: Milan Vs Novara
19 Januari 2012: Inter Vs Genoa

Pembagian Group Piala Eropa 2012 Polandia-Ukraina

Piala Eropa 2012 akan bergulir tahun depan di Polandia dan Ukraina. Berdasarkan hasil undian, pada group B terdiri dari negara besar, Belanda, Jerman, Denmark, Portugal, menghuni grup ini. Wajar jika banyak yang menyebut group B sebagai grup 'neraka'.

Berikut Hasil Undian Pembagian Group Piala Eropa 2012 Ukraina-Polandia:

Group A: Polandia, Yunani, Rusia, Republik Ceko

Group B: Belanda, Denmark, Jerman, Portugal

Group C: Spanyol, Italia, Republik Irlandia, Kroasia

Group D: Ukraina, Swedia, Prancis, Inggris

McDowell Named to Second team All Region

Senior offensive tackle Jack McDowell (Shady Side MD) was named today to the D3 football.com All Region second team. McDowell was the lone selection from Ferrum. This selection recognizes McDowell as one of the top offensive tackles in the South Region....a region that includes 55 teams. (See link below:)

Division 3 South Region teams.

Congratulations Jack! This is a huge accomplishment.

To view the entire All Region team, view the link below:

2011 D3football.com All South Region team

MZone Autopsy: Bowl Selection Edition

Michigan got rewarded for its big turnaround in 2011 (and, let's be honest, for being Michigan, fergodssake) with a Sugar Bowl invite.  The Wolverines will take on the Virginia Tech Hokies on January 3rd in the first ever meeting between the two schools.

Let's take a quick look at the Sugar and a couple other bowl matters.

MZone Autopsy: Bowl Selection Edition

* The early line from the Wynn in Las Vegas has Virginia Tech as a 2.5 point favorite.

*  This is Michigan's second appearance in the Sugar Bowl.  The Wolverines lost to Auburn 9-7 in 1984.  Michigan's last BCS game was a 32-18 loss to USC in the 2007 Rose Bowl.  U-M's last BCS victory was 35-34 over 'Bama in the 2000 Orange Bowl. 

*  While I'm obviously thrilled to be in any BCS bowl after wandering in the football wilderness the previous three seasons, I would have much rather played Boise or K-State. 

* V-Tech is 11-2 with both losses being beat downs at the hands of Clemson

*  To those saying that Michigan didn't deserve a BCS bid: if there were a 16-team playoff, Michigan would have made it.  If there were a 4-team playoff, the teams folks are bitching the most about for getting left out -- namely KSU and Boise -- would still have been left out.  So really, the argument that Michigan shouldn't have gotten an at-large berth and a "more deserving" team should have is just an argument about which playoff format one favors, then trying to overlay their "rage" on top of the selections made.  Because outside the top 2, the system is basically about the teams that would have made a 16-team playoff forced to play musical chairs.  That's it. 

*  Best thing about Michigan's BCS bid: it pissed off MSU and Drew Sharp.  Sweeeeet!

*  Michigan is tied for the 17th toughest schedule (the other team tied at 17?  VA Tech).  K-State's schedule was 23rd, Boise's was 40th.  Michigan played 10 -- yes, 10! -- bowl-bound teams this season. 

* Dear Spartan fans: Stop bitching.  Michigan didn't "take" anything from you.  After losing the B1G title game, you dropped to #17 in the BCS rankings.  You weren't even eligible to go to a BCS game.  Yes, you beat Michigan during the season.  Congrats.  You also got smoked by ND and Nebraska, two teams U-M beat.  In both of Michigan's losses, the Wolverines had a chance in the fourth quarter.  If you should be pissed at anybody, it's the two DBs who somehow were right next to the Badger receiver but gakked during Wisco's 4th and 6 conversion that ultimately led to their winning TD.  Be mad at your coach who called for a punt block when you were about to get the ball back with just over 1:30 left in the game.  Get upset with the player who ran into the kicker.  Don't blame Michigan for having the Rose Bowl in your grasp then letting it slip through your fingers.

Then again, life is unfair.  Like when a player punches a dude in the face but doesn't get kicked out of the game.  #Karma

Actually, I'm guessing even you guys can see the irony in a team that bragged about their goal of playing "60 minutes of unnecessary roughness" each game losing the B1G title and Rose Bowl bid on a roughing the kicker call.  Doh!

* Things that are "cute" now but that you are going to get tired over over the next month until the game comes: "Geaux Blue!" and "Hoke vs. the Hokies."

*  Worst bowl match up: 6-6 Illinois (riding a 6 game losing streak and having fired its coach) vs. 6-7 UCLA (having also fired its coach) in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.  Even hunger is embarrassed. 

* Amazing how an LSU/Bama rematch is okay to the SEC now, but they were up in arms about the possibility when Michigan's only loss in 2006 was by also by just three points to the #1 team in the country...but on the road instead of at home...and less than 24 hours after the most iconic coach in school history had passed away.

*  Finally, our pal Andy, who did the "Sparty No!" pic above has put together a Sugar Bowl wallpaper for your download pleasure.  Enjoy!

A Michigan fan's weekend rooting schedule

I'm not a fan of a playoff (I'm an old bowl tie-in then unseeded +1 supporter), but this weekend's conference championship games are a complete waste of time.  Seriously, how bad is the system when the only impact from a ranking standpoint isn't at the top but whether or not #16 Michigan -- which isn't even playing -- will end up in the BCS top 14 and thus be eligible for a BCS bowl game?

I mean, just about everybody agrees that LSU can lose the SEC title game on Saturday and it won't matter -- they'll still play in the BCS Championship against Alabama.  But who doesn't want that dream match up of a team that didn't win its division versus a team that didn't win its conference to prove on the field which is the best team in America?

At least there's some excitement in the other title games.  Like will UCLA yell mercy in the 3rd quarter of the PAC-12 championship game against Oregon, in which the Bruins are a 31 point 'dog?  Or who will win the ACC, where...uh...Clemson plays...somebody else...in a game nobody watches anyway?  And let's not forget the Seat Filler B1G Championship where Sparty takes on the Badgers in a showdown featuring two of the angriest, stick-up-their-ass coaches in America.

Damn, somebody pinch me!

Of course, as mentioned above, the only reason to watch this weekend's games is to see if Michigan can rise from its current spot at #16 in the BCS standings into the top 14.  So, who do we need in which contests?  Let's discuss, shall we...

B1G Championship -- # 13 Michigan State vs. # 15 Wisconsin

Root For: MSU (although if you can't stomach the thought, it hopefully shouldn't matter)

Why: A win by either should drop the loser behind Michigan.  That goes for Sparty even though they beat Michigan since this would be their third loss.   And who doesn't like to see Sparty suffer?  However, from a strength of schedule standpoint, it might be more helpful if Sparty wins, thus dropping Wisco and beefing up U-M's SOS.

SEC Championship -- #1 LSU vs. #14 Georgia

Root For: LSU to win in a rout

Why: While it probably doesn't matter in terms of the BCS Championship, it does matter big time for Michigan.  A Bulldog victory would be very bad.  And even a close Bulldog loss could be troublesome.  Thus, this is no time for Crazy Les to be on the sidelines.  We need focused, grass-eating Les.

Bedlam -- #3 Oklahoma State vs. #10 Oklahoma

Root For: Okie State

Why: Simply put a loss won't drop the Cowboys below Michigan.  Maybe a blow out could, but it would have to be massive.  But the game's in Stillwater so don't count on it.  With two losses already, a Sooner set back would be perfect for the Wolverines' hopes.

PAC 12 Championship -- # 9 Oregon vs. How-The-F*ck-Is-This-6-6-Team-Here UCLA

Root For: UC.. I can't even type it with a straight face

Why: The answer to the question about how on God's earth UCLA is here is that 10-2 USC is on probation.  Look, obviously it would be extremely helpful to Michigan if UCLA won (as Oregon would drop like a stone in the BCS rankings) but if you're hoping for that, you're also hoping to find out Santa Claus is real this December and thinking the NCAA is actually going to impose sanctions with teeth against OSU.

Ed. Note: The only good thing about this is the where the PAC 12 stages its title game -- at the home stadium of the team with the better conference record.  Thus, there is no need for seat fillers.  And it keeps teams playing hard in order to lock up this benefit.  Take note, B1G.

#11 Kansas State vs Iowa State

Root For: Iowa State

Why: The computers love K-State.  Even though they're only #15 in the human polls, they're #11 in the BCS.  A loss ends that problem.  And ISU has a lot to play for -- they're 6-5 and another win would significantly improve their bowl outlook.  But the game's in Manhattan, KS so it's going to be tough. 

ACC Championship #5 Virginia Tech vs. #20 Clemson

Root For: Virginia Tech

Why: A Hokie loss probably won't drop them below Michigan while a Clemson win might -- maybe -- help them vault the Wolverines.  So play it safe: Go Va-Tech!

Texas at #17 Baylor 

Root For: Texas

Why: Baylor is breathing down Michigan's neck at #17.  A win -- with their Heisman Trophy candidate QB -- against a name program and there's a good chance the Bears jump the Wolverines (plus, Baylor President Kenneth Starr will sue if they don't).  Go Longhorns!

Conference USA Championship -- #6 Houston vs. #24 Southern Miss

Root For: Southern Miss in a rout

Why: This is another example of a game that may not matter since Houston is #6 and undefeated.  However, maybe a big Southern Miss win will cause voters to realize that Houston's "best" victory this season is against...nobody.

Well, Michigan fans, that's the weekend.  You now know who to root for.  Get at it!

Fingers crossed and...

Go Blue!