I Don't Know What This Is, But I Like It

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We played nearly perfect today, at least when the game mattered...and we didn't need to.  We can win without playing perfect.  And that is the real difference between this year and last.  Michigan completely dismantled the Hawkeyes, from the 11:30am tip to the basket by Eric Puls, winning 64-49 in front of a hungover student section at Crisler arena.  64-49...and it wasn't nearly that close.

I'm a big fan of winning, and that seems to be what Michigan Basketball plans to do this year.  This run is nothing if not improbable, and delightfully unexpected.  The bulk of the season is still in front of us, but we seem to be able to manhandle the bottom of the conference, play tough against the middle of the conference, and based on our preconference "upsets," just might steal a couple from the top of the conference.  We are dangerously close to NCAA buzzword time...rank, seed, RPI, strength of schedule, signature wins, bad losses, and perhaps even BUBBLE.

By all accounts, playing .500 basketball for the next 8 weeks is all that needs to be done in order to dance, which is all that we have wanted for the better part of 10 years.

Next up...Illinois for the second time in 10 days.  This time, it's in Champaign.  And maybe it wasn't an elbow, but legion is still a dick.  Wednesday, 8:30pm, BTN.

"The Great Michigan Spirit" Brings More Afternoon Delight

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​We did it folks, and we did it together. My cubical row had their headphones in and gametrackers loaded on screen...what about yours? Aside from a ten minute scoring drought for both teams (In case you are wondering, ten minutes is a full quarter of an NCAA basketball game) that seemed like 3 hours, it was a decent performance and a good win. Just round one folks, keep the faith. Tongue and cheek game review from MGoBlog...

Victory! Michigan's road to San Antonio began today with a thrilling 6-4 victory over Iowa that featuerd a 12-minute field goal drought for both teams combined. Prediction for tomorrow's game against Wisconsin (noon, ESPN): Michigan 7,000, Wisconsin 5. Suck on that, BAD-gers. Zing!

Here here...by all means Barry Alvarez, suck it.

Amazingly enough, Iowa still cares about athletics, and they are somewhat perturbed with the loss. Here's Black Heart Gold Pants for ya...

That just happened. Not exactly a "march" on San Antonio. Perhaps "stagger" back to Iowa City is more fitting? The loss today was every bit as ugly as the entire season. You could show today's game to someone who hasn't watched a second of Iowa basketball this year and they would know. They'd just know. The inconsistent defense and turnovers may not have been enough to lose it today, so we added a new weapon to the mix. That weapon? Getting Cyrus Tate to the free throw line 17 times. See, this is bad, on account of Cyrus being one of the worst free throw shooters in school history. We went over 16 minutes in the second half with no field goals -- none -- and just 8 made free throws. It was hard to watch, like the entire season, and now it's mercifully over.

I have a funny feeling I might be using the same words tomorrow. For now though, we continue to visualize what it will be like when we win that lottery, and thank god we're not Northwestern...

69 NCAA Tournaments and we STILL have yet to qualify. Fun times.

Well, at least they live a world without expectations.

So You're Saying There's a Chance

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​Ever bought a lottery ticket? Sure you have. It's funny how we often wait until the number goes over $100 million before we consider buying tickets, as if that minimum $12 million payout isn't enough. The truth is, most of us buy lottery tickets to be able to dream of what we'd do with the money. If only for a moment, we imagine what it would be like to tell the boss what we think, to travel the world, or to buy the corner of Main and Stadium from Ann Arbor Golf and Outing and build a party barn. What's a party barn? It's a place where I put all the tailgate stuff so I don't have to lug it back and forth to my home. There's a stove in there, large meat smokers, a couple of bathrooms, a home theater with satellite tv, and air conditioning. OK, I'm getting off topic...my point is that those 10 easy pick numbers you buy give you only an infinitesimal mathematical advantage over someone that doesn't even buy a ticket. The difference? You get to dream and they get to be naysayers. It almost makes it money well spent.

I've seen a lot of basketball, and while I'm not exactly well versed in the intricacies of the 1-3-1, I am well versed in what Ufer once called "The Great Michigan Spirit." Because I am so in tune with the Maize and Blue, and because I have seen shades of competitiveness from this team, and because the Big Ten is a lackluster conference at best, I can tell you this: That which you covet is not impossible. Tap into that part of your psyche that you use when buying that lottery ticket. Think about winning the next four games. Think about everything that is wrong with Michigan Basketball disappearing in a single weekend.

Just how ridiculous would it be for Michigan to win the Big Ten tournament? Well, it would be pretty nuts. But not more ridiculous than, say, a team from the Colonial Athletic Association making the Final Four. Not more ridiculous than Michigan dominating the Florida Gators in the Citrus Bowl. Not more ridiculous than The Giants over the Patriots. Not more ridiculous than Goody being married for more than 6 months.

So, yes, I'm saying there's a chance. And because there's a chance, it is your duty to support that chance until there is no more chance. Dream...don't naysay. And while it is much more likely that the chance will disappear at about 2:30pm Thursday, we don't deal in likely. Jalen is back. He's named the names of the once damned but still fabulous five. The demons have been exorcised. We are about shocking the world. For god's sakes boys, you've packed for it, now do it.

High noon...Thursday...Hawkeyes...

This is IT.

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​It's funny how a ten-hour tailgate in Happy Valley makes a 3:30pm kickoff seem like it's too soon. A drizzling morning sky and chilly temperatures kept us huddled under the tents for much of the day. But just as it was time to head to the stadium, and not long after a mini-football war with GarsWorld, the skies cleared and the sun came through in full force to make the gametime temperature nearly 60 degrees.

A sluggish Wolverine offense mustered only three first-half points. Fortunately, that was three more than the Wolverine defense allowed in the same time period. The Wolverines would increase their offensive output every quarter, with 0 points in the first, 3 in the second, 7 in the third, and 10 in the fourth. Both Wolverine touchdowns came by way of Mike Hart, who along with the offensive line, became stronger as the game went on...while Iowa's defense got weaker. Chad Henne was as accurate as he has been all season, going 23-33 for 203 yards, despite some questionable pass blocking that resulted in 3 sacks and several scrambles.  

The Michigan defense reaffirmed their position as the best defense in the country. Even Drew Tate said so. They allowed just 1.7 yards per carry for a total of 41 yards, and did not allow a touchdown in the game for the first time this season. And while the game was close (10-6 heading into the 4th quarter), the result was never in doubt. Michigan wins 20-6 behind a second-half-heavy running game and brilliant defense.

The nation is ready for the impending game of the century between Michigan and Ohio State on November 18th, and for the next month, it's all you will hear about with regards to college football. The Big Two, Little Nine scenario so often referred to in the Big Ten has become a Big Two, Little 117 scenario for the nation. The winner of The Game will advance to, and become the odds-on favorite in, the BCS National Championship Game. All that stands in the way of the plan for the Wolverines is Northwestern, Ball State, and Indiana. For OSU, it's Minnesota, Illinois, and Northwestern. So, barring a miracle, THIS IS IT. But it doesn't feel like it, does it? Perhaps it's the amazing World Series run by our own Detroit Tigers that has muted your response to the Wolverines perfect season. Perhaps you are still reeling from last year's 7-5 abomination. Perhaps you're confidence has faded due to back-to-back average offensive performances. Perhaps you're just scared...of Ohio State...of Jim Tressel...of Columbus.

But seriously...THIS IS IT. It's everything you hoped for and more than you ever dreamt of. We have exercised the demons with convincing wins over Notre Dame and Wisconsin, handing both of them their only losses to this point. We returned the Little Brown Jug to Ann Arbor. We validated Super Mario's last second heroics of 2005 with yet another win at Penn State. We dominated two teams, Iowa and Michigan State, that took us to overtime just a year ago. We were handed one of the nation's toughest schedules, and remain unblemished through the late part of October. So it's time now to smile, celebrate a bit, puff up your chest, and walk tall. We're coming Columbus. I'M COMING COLUMBUS. Coming to ruin your pathetic lives once again.