Michigan Tuesday: Fun or Foolish?

I bleed maize and blue, I think many of you that read this blog do as well.  I also respect how a Michigan fan (usually) handles themselves in a big win or even in a big loss.   When you have the most victories and arguably the most tradition, youhave  the right to hold your head high as a Michigan fan.  

Michigan fans have had a difficult 3 years with the direction of our beloved program.  We have seen losses against MAC teams and struggling to beat the Indiana's of the world, while being dominated by Ohio and other major programs.  We have been down but Brady Hoke has brought hope back to the Wolverine Nation through strong recruiting and respecting Michigan's tradition.   Former players are back and Wolverines fans feel the comfort of something familiar out of Schembechler Hall.  Even our top rival OSU is in major trouble with the NCAA.   Seems the worm is starting to turn in Ann Arbor, which is good news for Wolverines fans everywhere.

With that said, we can't lose our cool or go to far.   We made fun of MSU the last couple of years when Dantonio installed count down clocks in his locker room for the Michigan game.  Sparty has 3 wins in a row over the Wolverines.  Now similar countdown clocks are in Michigan's locker room for MSU and OSU.  

Now comes a billboard on 94 that says, "Liar Liar Vest on Fire".   Funny, but does it go too far?

Billboards have become a regular occurrences for programs or fans, lately.  They buy billboards when they win a big game or have a Heisman Trophy contender, etc.    Not something I'm a big fan of, I prefer acting like you have been there before.  The Michigan Football Program has been there before.   Charles Woodson didn't need a Billboard for us to know he was the best college football player in 1997.

So where do we draw the line on these things?  OSU is in major trouble and they haven't been playing by the rules for probably many years.  The reason they turned "to the dark side" was due to "the team from up North" dominating them.   Now, I'm not saying we are going to break rules to get an un-fair advantage, I just prefer the Wolverines do their talking on the field and not on a billboard.

There is a Columbus on-line newspaper that has a regular area on their site that lists the number of days since OSU lost to Michigan.  It's a big number but is also low class.  Act like you have been there before!

Stay Classy Wolverine Billboard Guy! (if your looking to spend your money in support of the Wolverines, how about to Charles Woodson's Foundation that helps Mott's Children's hospital).

Michigan Tuesday: How I Hate Ohio State - Except When It Comes to Recruiting

Michigan and Ohio State Universities have a rivalry that only can be matched by Auburn vs Alabama in college football.  (That entire tree killing thing, went way too far.  Way too far).   Rich Rodriguez sort of got it but he really didn't.  Brady Hoke really gets it and won't use the word "State" when referring to that school in Columbus.  This is something the team has adopted as well.  During Spring Drills, "Beat Ohio" can be heard from inside the Glick Field House. 

People in Ohio can't stand Michigan and even though the Wolverines haven't put a team on the field in the last 3 years they can't imagine losing to the Wolverines and having to live with that feeling for an entire year.

So why has Michigan been so good recruiting the State of Ohio? 
The Wolverines last two Heisman Trophy winners, Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson are from Ohio.   I remember a statement from former Michigan DB Markus Ray who visited OSU and saw a sign that said, "Beat Michigan" and thought to himself:  "I want to go there".  Ray was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio.

So how does a state that hates the State of Michigan so much send so much talent to Ann Arbor?  Well it starts with Michigan coaches that were born in Ohio.  You might have heard of Bo Schemblecler who was born in Barberton and Brady Hoke who was born in Dayton, Ohio. 

People from Ohio trusted Bo and they seem to trust Brady Hoke as well.  Even Ted Ginn, Sr. who seems to hate the Wolverines sent a player to Brady last year.  Ted even sent his kids to play for Coach Hoke at Ball State as well.  Michigan signed 7 players from Ohio in the 2011 class and already has one commit in 3 star OL Caleb Stacey from Cincinnati. 

So what about this year?  Who are we looking at from Ohio?

It's well known is recruiting circles that the State of Ohio is loaded with talent for the 2012 class.  It's also known that OSU will have limited number of scholarships and there might be some backlash from Tattoo Gate. 

These Ohio players are looking good to commit to Michigan:

• 4 Star LB Kaleb Ringer - who is announcing on 4/15
• 4 Star LB Joe Bolden - visited A2 two weeks ago and will be back on 4/12 with his parents

Michigan has a great shot with these guys:

• 4 Star DE Chris Wormley from Toledo
• 4 Star OL Kyle Dodson from Cleveland

Has a Michigan Offer and seems interested in the Maize and Blue:

• 4 Star QB Maty Mauk from Kenton
• 5 Star RB Bri'Onte Dunn who has committed to OSU but seems to be interested in Michigan and is expected to make a visit to Ann Arbor at some point.
• 4 Star WR Dwayne Stanford from Cincinnati
• 3 Star TE Sam Grant, Lakewood
• 3 Star OL Kyle Kalis, Lakewood
• 5 star DE Adolphus Washington, Cincinnati
• 4 Star DE Ifeadi Odenigbo, Centerville
• 4 Star DE Tom Strobel, Concord
• 4 Star DE Se'Von Pittman, Canton
• 4 Star DE Greg McMullen, Akron
• 3 Star DE LaTroy Lewis, Akron
• 3 Star DE Pharaoh Brown, Lyndhurst
• 4 Star S Jarrod Wilson, Arkron

Can you believe the DE talent in Ohio this year?  It's crazy good.  Just with Michigan offers: 1 Five Star, 5 Four Stars and 2 Three Stars.

Recruiting will be a fun ride this year and like I mentioned yesterday Michigan could be set up for a huge year with a ton of talent. 

Michigan Monday: What is a Michigan Man?

There has been complaints about Rich Rodriguez as soon as he took his first steps on the Michigan campus. Why? Because he wasn't a Michigan Man. 

So the question remains: What is a Michigan Man?  It goes back to when Bill Frieder took a job at Arizona State before the NCAA Tournament began.  Bo Schmeblecher at the time was the Michigan Athletic Director and said, "He wanted a Michigan Man coaching Michigan".  He let Frieder go to ASU right away and the Wolverines went on to win the National Championship.   The legend of the "Michigan Man" term began.

So when it comes to football a "Michigan Man" is a former Wolverine player or coach.  After Bo retired, Michigan never left the family for it's head coach.  It was first Gary Moeller but he drank his way out of the job, then it was Lloyd Carr who after some initial success needed to walk away from the game, now it's Rich Rodriguez.   What name doesn't fit with the others?  There is a coaching theory that you never want to be the coach that replaces the legend you want to be the guy that replaces the guy that replaced the legend.  Rich Rodriguez is really the first coach to replace the Bo Schembechler family tree.

Most people look at Bo as The Michigan Man, he came to Michigan from Miami of Ohio.  He also was an assistant at Ohio State under Woody Hayes.   That's right, The Michigan Man had Ohio State on his Resume twice!  (1952 and then from 1958-1962).  He wasn't a Michigan Man when he was hired.

My point is I understand the idea around being a Michigan Man, I understand the tradition and philosophy.  Michigan fans are also lucky (or un-lucky) right now that the hottest candidate in the nation is a Michigan Man who is a former Michigan QB and current Stanford head coach.   What if Jim goes to the NFL, then what?  Do you make a reach for a Michigan Man that might not be ready?  Would TCU's head coach not be successful here?  What about Urban Meyer?  I'm sure he wouldn't be successful, right?  Chris Peterson? (I'm not speculating that they are candidates).  My point is if you limit your pool of coaches of this football program to Michigan Men, you better hit a grand slam with Jim Harbaugh or you might just strike out.

I wish David Brandon all the luck in the world, he is basically up to the plate.  I hope he is a power hitter.