My Coach is Better Than Your Coach

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There's been a lot of tough Saturday's around these parts over the last few years, and during that time, we've learned something about ourselves, we've grown as fans (those that have stayed), and we've come to appreciate successes, even little ones, a lot more.  Wins mean more today than they did 10...even 5...years ago.  Yes, I am talking about basketball, and yes, I am rolling football into this discussion.  Around here it's always football season and Spring Practice is two weeks away so...ya.

The students were off for Spring Break for senior day at Crisler.  Regardless, many a Maize Rager cut the sun and sand short to catch one final glimpse of this improbable Michigan team, trying to do the seemingly impossible, sweep the Spartans.  And while I don't subscribe to the theory that Michigan State is an elite basketball program like a Duke or a North Carolina, I do recognize that in the present time, this is their game.  It's tough to argue with so many Final Four appearances.  It's also fun to laugh at their inability to capitalize on one in ten years.  It's even more fun to beat them at their own game.  Of course, I'm sure many Spartan fans would be happy to tell you about this feeling, since they currently hold serve with three victories in a row in football...decidedly OUR sport.  I am also certain that you will be hearing every green and white clad douchebag crowing about football today.  Basketball is over for them.  

Hello again, little brother.

Emotions ran high for me during Saturday's game.  Michigan State didn't put in a field goal in the first 6 minutes, but the lead was never more than 14, and I felt like we didn't properly put them away when we had the chance.  I knew in my glass half empty heart that at some point, the Spartans were going to heat up.  But it never happened.  There were too many late game mistakes by the Wolverines to even mention, but it didn't matter.  This seemingly poorly assembled bunch of random kids, playing together, working a system, made believers out of all of us.  My face half covered by my Michigan sweatshirt held up by hands held tightly in a prayer formation, I watched as Darius layed in the final dagger and the clock slipped to 0.0.  My eyes welled up just a bit.  Michigan had punched its ticket to the dance.

Embarrassingly, I mentioned post game that I couldn't believe Michigan didn't do anything for senior night...after which I took a good natured tongue lashing because obviously we have no seniors.  My faux pas aside, that's an important point to make.  This team is young.  And somehow, they owned MSU from tip to buzzer.  Sure it got close from time to time, but it was obvious who the better team was, despite the reality that there's probably not a Michigan player that would have found himself with a spot on the Michigan State roster at the beginning of this season.

That's a testament to the man in charge.

Michigan will not have to play on Thursday in the Big Ten tournament, a reward for coming in at #4 in the regular season standings.  The wacky bracket that somehow creates a single winner from an uneven 11-team field has us matched up with the Illini on Friday around 2:30pm.  The winner will likely have to face Ohio State, who we still owe for that half court bullshit that went down last year.  It's gonna be a fun few weeks.

40 days, 40 nights, 40 posts begins Tuesday...see you then.

I Did Not Enjoy That

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I felt that coming the whole time.  And I'm not the only one.  The doom was palpable in Crisler, with every missed free throw, with every missed lay in, with every missed opportunity, there was a growing sense that the other shoe was going to drop...perhaps not off the glass and in...but drop nonetheless.

Even more unfortunate is that I am completely numb to shit like that these days.  Yep, I'm a little dissappionted, but certainly not shocked.  I've seen 3-9.  You can't phase me. 

And this season is far from over.  We needed that one, but we didn't NEED that one.  And tournament or not, what has been accomplished here with the hand that has been dealt is special.  I'm a Beilein fan, and that's something I've never said before.  The future is bright, and as for the present, there is only one thing I want....a sweep of the Angry Midget's Minions.

Thanks to my old friend Mischa for the tickets, and to Cooper for the halftime upgrade.  I took horrible pictures...but I will share them anyway.  Denard sighting!

I Enjoyed That

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Michigan 5, Western 4 (OT)

Like many other people, I don't go to Yost enough.  And that's a shame, because it's awesome in there.  Saturday night was senior night, and hockey being a close knit family, the atmosphere is very intimate, very small town, very high school.  I loved it.  

Two "buzzer beater" goals, one in regulation to tie it, one at the end of overtime to avoid the shootout.

I sang The Victors for the first time since the Gator Bowl.

Thanks to the Godfather for the tickets, and a shout out to UMTailgate.com Canada Division for making the trek....glad you got out before the snow.

Couple of pics here...

Weekend Roundup, 2012 Edition: February 7, 2011

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Again, those who can't do, link:

 

  • Michigan State lost to Wisconsin 82-56 on Sunday.  This guy in my office tells me they played much better than they did when they played Iowa.  I almost didn't hear his analysis because I was laughing so hard.  But I do have this MSU blog that I trust, and he said the same thing, so ya, maybe.
  • Tate started visiting schools today.  Kansas State and Miami are on the list, but none of that compares to the update made to Tate's homepage, where a photoshopped Yoda-Bo and Tate Skywalker discuss Tate's transfer.  No, seriously.

 

  • Though this article in AnnArbor.com seems to insinuate otherwise, I believe that the current staff was happy to reach out to former players.  I do, however, believe that there were a lot of players that refused to reciprocate.
  • Phil Simms came close to cleaning Desmond Howard's clock on Saturday in an attempt to defend his son whom Howard called "one of the worst quarterbacks in the SEC."  Desmond broke the story on twitter...very 2011 of him.  Follow him: @desmond_howard.  Follow me: @umtailgate.
  • Rittenburg rates Michigan's 2011 recruiting class.
  • MGoBlog covers the 2012 offensive recruiting hotlist.
  • Brady was in the barbershop and the townspeople asked if he plans to run a man-to-man or zone defense.  An eighty year old man suggested that "zone was the only thing that worked in the past."  Another person said that if Jimmy switches to Terhune then we haven't got a prayer.  Looks like we are going with the 4-3.