It’s a tough time being a Michigan Wolverines fan right now. A season filled with extreme highs to disappointing lows concluded yesterday with another loss to the hated buckeyes. From the undefeated 4-0 start with last minute wins over Notre Dame and Indiana, to pretty much losing every game for the rest of the season. I can’t believe this is the same team that started out the year. I guess it really isn’t considering we started out with a healthy team, and the team that finished, included a less than 100% freshman qb, 2 senior running backs out, and the best offensive lineman out.
Before this season began, I boldly predicted to my friends and naysayers that the Wolverines are going to be 8-4 this year and at the very worst be at 7 wins and 5 losses. With 4 great performances by a precocious and clutch freshman quarterback, all was thought to be well in Wolverine nation as it watched Tate Forcier be anointed as the one chosen to right the program back to respectability and relevance. After 4 games I looked like a genius, but after 12, a damn fool. I guess in hindsight, it is painfully clear that this football team is nowhere near ready to play big time college football. And while a couple of more positive plays during the MSU game and Iowa game may have changed the final record, the same can be said for the results of the Notre Dame and Indiana games. Although the offense is a big improvement with true freshmen qbs Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson at the helm this year, the offense is still very inconsistent in scoring, especially when playing against good defenses.
The defense on the other hand has been a major weakness all year and needs to correct itself as soon as possible. Much respect to Kevin Leach and Jordan Kovacs, but when your starting defense has two walk on starters, out of all of the scholarship players on the roster, you’re defense is not gonna be good and it clearly showed this year. I fear for the defense next year. With one of the two bright spots of the defense definitely heading to the NFL and the 2nd very likely following right behind. It is clear the coaches gotta spend the rest of the year recruiting their asses off. Hopefully some continuity in the defensive coordinator and a year of experience will see a noticeable improvement next year. Here is to hoping that Justin Turner is the second coming of Charles Woodson everybody has hoped for and Will Campbell becoming the beast he was projected to be coming out of HS.
While watching the last few seconds tick off of today’s OSU vs Michigan game. The sixth buckeye win in a row in this storied rivalry, I could not help but feel disappointed. However, my disappointment wasn’t directed at the team. Especially the defense’s valiant efforts led by blue chip senior Brandon Graham, I was also surprisingly not as upset at the 5 turnovers by the offense, which basically gave away the game. What I was angry about was the fucking fairweather bandwagon riding fans that do not deserve to hold season tickets but do. The ones that allowed what was supposed to be a home field advantage, a loud sea of maize and blue clad irritators to be heavily sprinkled with red. The ones that turn our senior’s last home game into a neutral field. All for what? A few measly dollars? Thanks for turning Michigan Stadium into one of the easiest places to play in the entire country.
Here is a piece from the Wolverine Liberation Army
It’s senior day. Brandon Graham has played at maximum effort, valiantly, all day. Mark Ortmann and David Moosman have largely protected Tate Forcier well. It’s their last day, their last moment in a Michigan uniform, on the field of Michigan Stadium, and you fair-weathered, contemptable assholes have turned this into a road game for them.
This isn’t about liking Rich Rodriguez. This isn’t even about SUPPORTING Rich Rodriguez. This is about seeing this Senior Class that has worn the Michigan uniform for four or five years off – thanking them for the hours of entertainment they’ve provided your thankless, pathetic asses for half a decade.
“But Michigan is bad”, “I don’t want to sit in the cold and watch them lose again”, “Rodriguez is an embarassment” – fuck you. Fuck you with a barbed-wire baseball bat. Give me your fucking tickets – or anyone who cheers for Michigan, not just a winner.
This will likely be one of this blog’s last posts in it’s current incarnation, and I cannot think of a better send-off.
Michigan fans: many of you are spineless, entitled, fair-weather bitches. Show some respect to the kids you profess to cheer for. On many kids’ final game in the Big House, you have embarassed Michigan more than this team ever has on the field – you turned Michigan Stadium into a pro-OSU crowd, and it makes us, as a blog, completely fucking sick.
My sentiments exactly.
A win against the buckeyes would have done wonders for us. Finally breaking Ohio State’s win streak, give us momentum heading into a bowl game, all those extra bowl game practices the team could have had, having the football recruits see what Michigan is like when we win, but instead you useless sacks of crap, I thank you for cramping up my space when the team is doing well and for leaving at the first sign of trouble. I hope you do not purchase tickets next year or ever if you aren’t willing to make the commitment win or lose.
Here’s looking to Michigan football 2010, a more experienced offense led by a healthy Tate Forcier, a more talented defense, and hopefully a lot more wins.
Go Blue.
