Michigan vs. Kate: Sort of Live Blog...

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​Life is full of difficult choices. Tonight, it was Kate vs. Michigan. Michigan wins. Kate and I will meet up in TiVoLand this weekend.

Thanks to Rhode Island vs. UMASS, which was a sweet matchup  12 years ago, we missed the tip live from the barn. No matter, because as they switched to the action in Minnesota, the announcers welcomed us with "the Gophers are on an 8-0 run. It was 15-4, and it felt a bit like old times. Old times being two weeks ago, that is.

Michigan battled back and eventually took the lead, at which point the announcer made the obligatory poke...

Remember that Michigan Final Four team (referring to the 1991 squad)? No. No you don't. Because it never happened."

Yep. The NCAA got out the big eraser on that one."

But that's not the best quote of the first half. It's this one:

Minnesota has lost 2 in a row. Michigan has won 3 in a row.Something's got to give."

Actually sir, no. Nothing HAS to give. In fact, if Michigan wins, nothing has "given." Both teams will have continued their current streaks. Try that again sometime when the two teams are on winning streaks, or the two teams are on losing streaks. That way, no matter what, somebody's streak is coming to an end. Come to think of it, that doesn't even make sense. OK, I've got it. If Michigan had the #1 offense, and Minnesota had the #1 defense, or vice versa....then something would have to give.

Michigan leads 35-34 at the half in a game that is not unbearable to watch so far...aside from ESPN being too cheap to send the HD crew to Minneapolis.

Offensive rebounding at both ends keeps the game close for the first 10 minutes of the second half. Michigan, however maintained their halftime lead until Minnesota tied it at the line with 10:30 remaining. The announcers then take a shot at the Michigan facilities as CJ Lee makes a quarter quart dish to Gibson for an and-1. It's amazing how the world loves to hate Wolverine nation. 'Sota takes it's first lead of the second half on an alley oop with 9 minutes to go.

Timeout sends us to highlights of American Christian vs. St. Anthony. It's a slow night in sports out there folks.

Things appearing to begin to unravel as we got to the 8 min officials TO. Minnesota up 55-52.

A bad call is followed by two big Gopher threes, one of which is flat out stupid. Really starting to unravel, but lots of time to go despite the fact the jackass announcer would like you to think this 6 point lead is insurmountable with 5:12 to go. This asshole would like to give Tubby a Marcellus Wallace.

Hmmmm. Unravelling continues. TV timeout with 3:44 to go...63-55 'Sota. Keep the faith?

In an impromptu review of Ohio State's tournament resume (because that's what I was dying to see), Michigan was listed as one of Ohio State's "bad losses." That's where we are folks. We're a bad loss. A three-pointer makes it 11, and then, as I have a flashback of Louis Bullock tapping his head, Michigan violates the shot clock. 2 minutes to go.

Should've picked Kate.

CJ Lee just got blocked so hard that his mother felt it. As we trade turnovers and the game comes to an end, the announcer reminds you that we have 6 points in the last 13 minutes. Ugh.

Michigan is 5-24 from three. That, as they say, is not good.

69-60 Minnesota. Final.

Now get over it and go see Jalen Rose at halftime on Saturday.

More Link Fun:

Basketball. Petway. Basketball.

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​Thanks to MGoBlog for turning the Michigan world on toUMHoops.com. There's some great stuff over there and they obviously have a thankless job covering what is considered these days to be the "other" sport...so, ya, props. While visiting I couldn't help but notice the words "dunk contest" and "Petway" in the same sentence. It caused flashbacks to so many great memories of bad Michigan teams whose best moments came during warm-ups...and most of those moments featured Air Georgia. Well, Air Georgia has moved on to the league now...the D-League that is...and has once again made a name for himself as a circus act dunker.

Deadspin had remote coverage of D-League all-star weekend through Hardwood Paroxysm

, which is genius on their part. The coverage had this to say about the former Wolverine 7th/8th-man:

But in the Finals, Petway killed him. After a massive lob East-Bay Funk dunk, he then place the ball on the ground under the goal, stood, leaned down, then jumped up and dunked it, standing. It wasn't impressive when you watched it. Then you thought about it. And realized how much leg power that took. The man's a freak of nature.

That he is. What'd Brent think? Well, he's got a blog, and his post regarding the evening is called "I Came, I Saw, I Conquered."

I always surprise people when I get under the lights because I show a completely different side of myself. What can I say l'm an entertainer and I love to put on a show. If you wanna see exactly how good our dunk contest was just go to YouTube and type in "dleague dunk contest."

OK...done. Then comes the challenge, or um...challege.
Also be watching YouTube in the upcoming week, I will b posting a challege to the NBA Dunk Contest winner Dwight Howard. I'm gonna do every dunk he did and put it up because I don't think my message got out that we wanna challenge the league. He's a Georgia boy, I'm a Georgia boy so let's set it up.

Hmmmm. Yes, perhaps that would be fun. Then maybe later you guys can PLAY ACTUAL BASKETBALL against each other.

Finally, in the interest of equal time for coach audio clips, I give you MLive.com's audio coverage of Beilein on WTKA on Wednesday. The program is on track? Maybe. Just be careful tonight on that weird floor in the barn in Minnesota.

Off topic...look at this crazy rap....Tressel's Cheating, but we knew that...Mike Hart combine news.

WVU vs. RichRod For Dummies...The Website

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The busy law students at the Harvard of the East Washtenaw Community College of the Appalachians have gathered together and made a new blog. This should be a wake up call to any of you out there that thought creating a blog was too difficult to manage or too technical. The fact that I have one should be enough...but that some backwoods inbreds have managed to throw one together should really inspire you. I imagine that these "people" live in caves not unlike members of the Taliban. So for them to have to drive to downtown Morgantown and get to a library to use the internet and make a blog that breaks down what for them is the trial of the century...well I just want to tell them I'm proud of them. Taking time out from the squatter's rights studies and hunting accident recreations to do this for us is downright charitable of them.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the West Virginia University Sports and Entertainment Law Society, and richrodriguezlaw. blogspot. com. Please be warned...you will need akey bump or two to remain alert while reading this.

Of note, the advisor for this little club has four names, of which he chooses to capitalize none: andrÃé douglas pond cummings. Note the accent mark on the e in andrÃ. Ever met someone that has one of those that wasn't an asshole? Now look at his picture. There. That should do it. I just made you the reader of UMTailgate.com feel better about yourself, if only for a moment.

Get Yourself Fired Up

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​I knew that someone somewhere was going to post video of the halftime activities of Sunday's victory over the Buckeyes at Crisler. As you know, Coach Rod spoke, and he had to do so over the jeers of the congregating Buckeye fans in the rafters...

Someday I will update the software on this blog to allow for embedded video...for now click through to Varsity Blue for the YouTube goodness.

The end is the best part, so hang in there. Coach makes his way into the Maize Rage and is enveloped in high fives and chants of "it's great to be a Michigan Wolverine." Also nice to see Fred Jackson get some solid applause, which is no doubt directly related to him getting Mr. Mixtape to A2.

Weekend Roundup: Knight Rider Edition: February 18, 2008

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​I'm sure there will be a YouTube or BTN video clip of it soon enough, but head coach Rich Rodriguez addressed the crowd at halftime of the Michigan-OSU basketball game. It came off of an alumni weekend and a Friday event that had 300 plus in attendance. From the Sporting News:

During his remarks, several hundred Ohio State fans seated in the upper bowl of the arena began chanting "Tressel," referring to Buckeyes head coach Jim Tressel, and held up a sign that said "1,548 days," which referred to the number of days since Michigan had defeated Ohio State in football.

Rodriguez turned to the Ohio State fans and told them, "I hope you guys up there enjoy your seats." Wolverine fans than began counter chanting, "Beat the Buckeyes." To that, Rodriguez said, "Amen. I hear ya!"


1548 days? Just threw up a bit in my mouth. Further quoting fun from the Detroit News...

"When you come in the Big House, when the maize and blue come out of that tunnel, I guarantee you they will play hard and they will play physical," said Rodriguez amidst cheers.

What if I just want them to be really really fast?

Michigan Hockey is on a serious roll. They swept Lake State over the weekend, solidifying 1st place in the CCHA and their #1 National Ranking. To summarize, I give you The Blog That Yost Built, which covers hockey like I cover Southern Omlettes in sausage gravy:

Michigan is now 5 points ahead of both Miami and Michigan State with all schools having 4 games left to play. Notre Dame is nine points back and has been officially eliminated from contention. That means that Michigan needs only split their last four to win the CCHA title outright, and can finish no worse than 3rd in the conference.

According to a Freep article, Amani Toomer isn't very friendly with Lloyd Carr:
The last time I heard a word from Lloyd was when I was playing in a (Michigan) game; it was my last play of my senior year. I caught a touchdown from Brian Griese, and I was walking off the field and Lloyd looks at me, looks at Griese, looks at me again, and goes, "Good throw, Brian." And that's the last thing he ever said in my direction.

Uhhhhhh. OK. Of note...is that a painting of Amani Toomer attached to this article?

Bullet points, baby, bullet points...