Given your scenario, EF, no way does AA stay with no qb and the bowl game he had.

“If we’re not committed 100 percent to everything we do in our lives, we start to fall short of our dreams.”
Mike Barwis

I'm always optimisitc at least until 3 or 4 games in when you can really gauge the state of the team. After the Notre Dame game win or lose, we will know what we are in for this season and should have a pretty good idea even after the home opener with Utah.

I also seem to remember a team down south that just a few years ago had only a few returning starters on offense no QB, with experience a few freshmen with some upside  and would have to rely mighty heavily on their defense.

BigHouseFootball


I don't have to defend my loyalties to anyone, I got the big diploma on my wall, thank you.

Do I like Rich is going to do well here? Sure. Just not this year. I'm looking at this year realistically, not through maize and blue glasses. This is going to be a 7 or 8 win year. We have no returning offense, save for Minor and Matthews, we were already thin at OL and now injuries are springing up to the more important guys. Football is won in the trenches and if the line can't open up any holes then I don't care how many great talented backs we have they aren't going to be able to do anything.

Again, I'm looking at this year objectively unlike some on this forum who have a Michigan answer for everything:

"Oh we have Barwis! We're going to be so strong, so fast, never get injured now, we are going to dominate" --players start to get injured before the season just like in years past-- "oh, it's football injuries happen"

"Our O-Live might be young but they are talented!!"---O-Line starts to go down--- "Oh, thats ok, in the zone scheme you really don't have to put a hat on a hat, just a spot, we're still fine!"

RichRod's first year record at schools have been down right terrible. No other word for it. "Oh, but Rich has never had the talent he has here!"

We have NO starting QB. We have a walk on and a guy who is the typical Michigan QB. "That's ok Rich will adapt! And with the running backs we have we won't need to throw!"

Michigan returns exactly ONE, read it again, ONE starter on offense-Schilling, are putting in a complex offensive scheme thats takes a year to work properly and we are doing it without a QB that fits the system. "Michigan is being soooooo disrespected in the media, I don't understand why!" Your going to tell me if any other team in the country was going through what we are right now you wouldn't be treating that team like the media is us right now?

I'm as True Blue as they come. I wanted to attend Michigan since I was in the 3rd grade and I did, and now I have a nice big shiny ring to show off and a diploma that takes up a ton of wall space-and a new Alumni card to boot. But being on the radio I have learned to look at this team with realistic glasses, not the pie in the sky, polyana, maize and blue specs you all are.

Hey, if Michigan goes out and some how pulls off the miracle season you are all predicting I'll come here and eat crow, I'll man up and take it, I'm not afraid of that. Are you willing to do the same if Michigan face plants this year? What if Michigan starts 1-2? 1-3? 1-4? What if they lose to MSU? What if they lose to OSU again? What if they fail to make a bowl game?

Watch this forum implode if that happens. Now I know some of the true fans will still be here, SCM, TK, myself. Because we know that this hire isn't about this year. It's about 2009, 2010, and beyond. This isn't the year. This hire was about 1-2 years from now. Take a step backward to take a major leap forward and it is not going to happen in the first year, this would be the step back part.

I'm waiting for that first "Fire RichRod!" Thread-and no it won't be coming from me, I know you have to give him at least 3 years before those talks can even start to take place. How many of the band wagoners will jump ship after only a handful of games? You know there will be a lot. How some of you can truly, honestly believe that this team is going to contend for a Big Ten Championship this year I have no idea. It must be awesome to live in dream world. But good for you, keep it that way. But I know some of you will turn on this team in a second.

Me? I'm prepared to take our medicine this year, to take our lumps, to finish in the middle of the Big Ten Standings, to lose games this year that we would never lose to under Carr,because I know that in a year or two we will be winning games that we just seemed to never be able to finish off under Carr in the latter years.

So don't question my loyalty to this team, or to this university. And despite popular belief, you can still be a fan and not follow them blindly. You can be a fan, a big fan, and still look at the team, the conference, and the country as a whole, and realize that sometimes, it's just not going to be your year.

Now that is a fair and well-written response BigHouse, and your points are logical and reasonable.  I'll quit hackin' on ya' :) 

I'm always an optimist in August-come October God knows what I'll be posting here.   

"I have marked down losses for Wisconsin, Michigan State, Penn State, and Ohio State. And then there could be others such as Illinois".-BigHouseFootball March 08

TK23Blue

BigHouseFootball


I don't have to defend my loyalties to anyone, I got the big diploma on my wall, thank you.

Do I like Rich is going to do well here? Sure. Just not this year. I'm looking at this year realistically, not through maize and blue glasses. This is going to be a 7 or 8 win year. We have no returning offense, save for Minor and Matthews, we were already thin at OL and now injuries are springing up to the more important guys. Football is won in the trenches and if the line can't open up any holes then I don't care how many great talented backs we have they aren't going to be able to do anything.

Again, I'm looking at this year objectively unlike some on this forum who have a Michigan answer for everything:

"Oh we have Barwis! We're going to be so strong, so fast, never get injured now, we are going to dominate" --players start to get injured before the season just like in years past-- "oh, it's football injuries happen"

"Our O-Live might be young but they are talented!!"---O-Line starts to go down--- "Oh, thats ok, in the zone scheme you really don't have to put a hat on a hat, just a spot, we're still fine!"

RichRod's first year record at schools have been down right terrible. No other word for it. "Oh, but Rich has never had the talent he has here!"

We have NO starting QB. We have a walk on and a guy who is the typical Michigan QB. "That's ok Rich will adapt! And with the running backs we have we won't need to throw!"

Michigan returns exactly ONE, read it again, ONE starter on offense-Schilling, are putting in a complex offensive scheme thats takes a year to work properly and we are doing it without a QB that fits the system. "Michigan is being soooooo disrespected in the media, I don't understand why!" Your going to tell me if any other team in the country was going through what we are right now you wouldn't be treating that team like the media is us right now?

I'm as True Blue as they come. I wanted to attend Michigan since I was in the 3rd grade and I did, and now I have a nice big shiny ring to show off and a diploma that takes up a ton of wall space-and a new Alumni card to boot. But being on the radio I have learned to look at this team with realistic glasses, not the pie in the sky, polyana, maize and blue specs you all are.

Hey, if Michigan goes out and some how pulls off the miracle season you are all predicting I'll come here and eat crow, I'll man up and take it, I'm not afraid of that. Are you willing to do the same if Michigan face plants this year? What if Michigan starts 1-2? 1-3? 1-4? What if they lose to MSU? What if they lose to OSU again? What if they fail to make a bowl game?

Watch this forum implode if that happens. Now I know some of the true fans will still be here, SCM, TK, myself. Because we know that this hire isn't about this year. It's about 2009, 2010, and beyond. This isn't the year. This hire was about 1-2 years from now. Take a step backward to take a major leap forward and it is not going to happen in the first year, this would be the step back part.

I'm waiting for that first "Fire RichRod!" Thread-and no it won't be coming from me, I know you have to give him at least 3 years before those talks can even start to take place. How many of the band wagoners will jump ship after only a handful of games? You know there will be a lot. How some of you can truly, honestly believe that this team is going to contend for a Big Ten Championship this year I have no idea. It must be awesome to live in dream world. But good for you, keep it that way. But I know some of you will turn on this team in a second.

Me? I'm prepared to take our medicine this year, to take our lumps, to finish in the middle of the Big Ten Standings, to lose games this year that we would never lose to under Carr,because I know that in a year or two we will be winning games that we just seemed to never be able to finish off under Carr in the latter years.

So don't question my loyalty to this team, or to this university. And despite popular belief, you can still be a fan and not follow them blindly. You can be a fan, a big fan, and still look at the team, the conference, and the country as a whole, and realize that sometimes, it's just not going to be your year.

Now that is a fair and well-written response BigHouse, and your points are logical and reasonable.  I'll quit hackin' on ya' :) 

I'm always an optimist in August-come October God knows what I'll be posting here.   

I am with TK here, I am picking up what you're throwing down. But in my heart I always go into something im about to do with a positive attitude and high expectations, hopefully these Wolverines are going with that mindset all year long. I have vanished from posting on this board for a while due to moving and working, but im back and have all my saturdays off work the rest of this year to cheer on the team. Go Blue and its great to be back on!

Woody Hayes on Bo Schembechler:
"I didn't like the son of a @#$! when he played for me, I didn't like him when he worked for me, and I certainly don't like him now."

OC Michigan Fan


Given your scenario, EF, no way does AA stay with no qb and the bowl game he had.

i am actually very disappointed he left early. I mean he left to be a 6th round pick. another year would have helped his draft stock alot. 

Well stated BigHouse... still no mention of the D, but well stated (wink!).

I'm as excited for this season as any I can remember...  Over the past few seasons I've taken to repeatedly posting (to the point of being highly annoying I'm sure) the following:

One game at a time...  it's a cliche, but I'll be darned if it doesn't ring true time and time and time again.  Right now forget the rest of the year, right now all that matters is Utah.

After last year's horrifying start, there were those here who were claiming we'd never recruit another kid here to play for Michigan, that we wouldn't win a single football game for the rest of the season, that this was the end of Michigan football...  worst of all, that we'd lose to Notre Dame.  7 weeks later we were playing to go to the Rose Bowl.  Two more losses and we were going to get blown off the field by Florida...

You just never know, this season more than any.

BigHouse makes perhaps the most salient point I've seen here in quite a while...  If we do struggle this season, that is NOT a reason to get up in arms and give Rich Rodriguez the Lloyd Carr treatment.  It is not some huge indictment against Rodriguez's ability or the hire in and of itself.  This will be a process, it will take time, it will have it's rough spots... but I am excited, I'm excited for the 30th and I'm excited for what is shaping up to be a new chapter of Michigan football.

Do I think we'll surprise people this season?  Yeah I do.  Why? 

Well I'm an eternal optimist for one, and like I said, because you just never know.  Ohio State had 2 starters returning to their defense last year... they managed to make a pretty decent year out of it.  Maize and Blue hope?  You betcha.  Totally unfounded?  No.  Also, it's not going to be hard to surprise people who think this team is destined to finish 8th in the conference and will scrape together 3 wins this season.

One thing I do know though, is that come 3:30 on the 30th, both BigHouse and I will be well on our way to losing our voices (and secretly hoping that the first play we run is the waggle), and that's the important thing.

http://www.maizenbrew.com/

What the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve; and those who stay will be Champions.
GO BLUE!

What an interesting thread this is turning out to be!

Frankly, I am harboring no expectations for this year. Why? Its a rebuilding year. And, most importantly, if I have no expectations, I can't be disappointed. Plain and simple.

Hopefully it will save some heartache in the long run. What am I hoping for? 6-7 wins and  a bowl game. Don't really care where, so long as we are eligible. But if my expectations aren't met, will I be like the people you see on TV sobbing and crying over their team? Absolutely not. I think that's ridiculous anyway. There are more important things to cry over - losing a game I have absolutely zero control over isn't one of them.

Regarding our military: "If you can't stand behind them, stand in front of them."
RIP Bo. You were an amazing man; it is because of you, I am the Michigan fan I am today.

scmgoblue


Well stated BigHouse... still no mention of the D, but well stated (wink!).

One thing I do know though, is that come 3:30 on the 30th, both BigHouse and I will be well on our way to losing our voices (and secretly hoping that the first play we run is the waggle), and that's the important thing.

I can't complain about the D. That line looks to be the strongest in the conference, if not the nation. Having Trent and Warren at the corners gives us basically two shut down guys. The only thing to perhaps sweat a little bit is the outside linebacker spots, but Ezeh in the middle is going to be a monster.


Oh how sweet would it be to see a waggle? I think we'll share a moment every time that play is run haha! Oh Gresie to Tuman, I can still see it now....

"Jim Tressel's DNA is linked to the Devil at some point, I'm sure of it."
-Doug Karsch "The Big Show"

I posted in another thread say how hilarious it would be for RR to do the waggle on the first play!  Then do something crazy on the second play, i would fall out of my seat! 

BigHouseFootball


I don't have to defend my loyalties to anyone, I got the big diploma on my wall, thank you.

Do I like Rich is going to do well here? Sure. Just not this year. I'm looking at this year realistically, not through maize and blue glasses. This is going to be a 7 or 8 win year. We have no returning offense, save for Minor and Matthews, we were already thin at OL and now injuries are springing up to the more important guys. Football is won in the trenches and if the line can't open up any holes then I don't care how many great talented backs we have they aren't going to be able to do anything.

Again, I'm looking at this year objectively unlike some on this forum who have a Michigan answer for everything:

"Oh we have Barwis! We're going to be so strong, so fast, never get injured now, we are going to dominate" --players start to get injured before the season just like in years past-- "oh, it's football injuries happen"

"Our O-Live might be young but they are talented!!"---O-Line starts to go down--- "Oh, thats ok, in the zone scheme you really don't have to put a hat on a hat, just a spot, we're still fine!"

RichRod's first year record at schools have been down right terrible. No other word for it. "Oh, but Rich has never had the talent he has here!"

We have NO starting QB. We have a walk on and a guy who is the typical Michigan QB. "That's ok Rich will adapt! And with the running backs we have we won't need to throw!"

Michigan returns exactly ONE, read it again, ONE starter on offense-Schilling, are putting in a complex offensive scheme thats takes a year to work properly and we are doing it without a QB that fits the system. "Michigan is being soooooo disrespected in the media, I don't understand why!" Your going to tell me if any other team in the country was going through what we are right now you wouldn't be treating that team like the media is us right now?

I'm as True Blue as they come. I wanted to attend Michigan since I was in the 3rd grade and I did, and now I have a nice big shiny ring to show off and a diploma that takes up a ton of wall space-and a new Alumni card to boot. But being on the radio I have learned to look at this team with realistic glasses, not the pie in the sky, polyana, maize and blue specs you all are.

Hey, if Michigan goes out and some how pulls off the miracle season you are all predicting I'll come here and eat crow, I'll man up and take it, I'm not afraid of that. Are you willing to do the same if Michigan face plants this year? What if Michigan starts 1-2? 1-3? 1-4? What if they lose to MSU? What if they lose to OSU again? What if they fail to make a bowl game?

Watch this forum implode if that happens. Now I know some of the true fans will still be here, SCM, TK, myself. Because we know that this hire isn't about this year. It's about 2009, 2010, and beyond. This isn't the year. This hire was about 1-2 years from now. Take a step backward to take a major leap forward and it is not going to happen in the first year, this would be the step back part.

I'm waiting for that first "Fire RichRod!" Thread-and no it won't be coming from me, I know you have to give him at least 3 years before those talks can even start to take place. How many of the band wagoners will jump ship after only a handful of games? You know there will be a lot. How some of you can truly, honestly believe that this team is going to contend for a Big Ten Championship this year I have no idea. It must be awesome to live in dream world. But good for you, keep it that way. But I know some of you will turn on this team in a second.

Me? I'm prepared to take our medicine this year, to take our lumps, to finish in the middle of the Big Ten Standings, to lose games this year that we would never lose to under Carr,because I know that in a year or two we will be winning games that we just seemed to never be able to finish off under Carr in the latter years.

So don't question my loyalty to this team, or to this university. And despite popular belief, you can still be a fan and not follow them blindly. You can be a fan, a big fan, and still look at the team, the conference, and the country as a whole, and realize that sometimes, it's just not going to be your year.

BHF--nice post, i for one have felt that if this team wins 7 games this year, it will be a succecful year fo RR. I just would love to see 1 of those wins aginst OSU!!!

scmgoblue

section43row50



i wasn't taken seriously last time i said it, but that is the exact reason why i feel RichRod may try this a11 offense that is becoming the new craze all around the net. doing this would drastically reduce our need for a OL. if we had a a11 built into our offense as a "reserve" that we could use when needed because of injuries it would help us win. we have more then enough depth at skilled positions. 

I'm not going to take you seriously this time either.  

This entire concept is based upon a loop-hole that defines "kick formation" and I will guarantee you that that loophole is closed the instant someone attempts to implement it at the college level.

Not so fast......

Fresno State ran the "A-11" in the Humanitarian Bowl 9 times vs. Georgia Tech last year- 2 of the plays resulted in touchdowns.  No one stopped them in the off-season.  You may see it as a change if more teams starting using it (by the way, the creator or the offense is a high school coach in the San Jose area and has been contacted by over 30 Division-I teams this off-season), but for now, I say use it as an advantage while it's there.  I'm in agreement with section43row50- this can work, but only if you run it 4 or 5 times a game (much like Michigan used to run the "diamond" receiver formation as a wrinkle from time to time about 4-5 years ago).

"How come things that happen to stupid people keep happening to me?" -Homer Simpson

BigBlue06


BigHouse, I think it may be more that if someone comes on here with a more optimistic attitude (versus a pessimistic attitude) you say we're all wearing maize and blue glasses. 

I understand being realistic but I guess that I'm the type of person that won't mentally prepare myself (before the first game) for a down year.  I cross that bridge when/if it comes.  I also won't bitch that RR has to go if we don't make a bowl.  

Kool-aid, in moderation, can be good for you! 

I agree.  How come pessimistic fans are the realistic ones and the optimistic fans are always labeled as wearing maize and blue glasses???  I guess my glasses have a maize and blue tint to them since I always seem to have a positive attitude with regards to the team heading into every season.  But, at the same time, if the team doesn't live up to my expectations by no means do I start calling for the coach's head.  Last season was an exception because I just felt that Carr's time had passed and it was time for some new blood. 

But, as far as this upcoming season goes, if Michigan can win 7-8 wins and get to a bowl, I would consider that a success.  Winning 7-8 games vs. what Rodriguez has done in his inaugural campaigns at other schools would be quite an accomplishment if you ask me.  At the same time, I also am holding out hope for Michigan to shock the world.  I don't think it's too far fetched either.  If the defense can live up to their expectations and the offense can do just enough and avoid making big mistakes, whose to say that this team can't compete for a conference championship?  I'd like to know what people's expectations were heading into the 1997 season?  Seems to me, there were many similarities including a strong defense and a former walk-on QB...

I may be an optimist wearing my maize and blue glasses, but at the same time, I won't start calling for Rodriguez' head if the wheels start to fall off on the season.  I may be optimistic, but I also can see that this could very easily be a long season considering the adjustments being made to a new coaching staff and a new offensive system with alack of proper personnel to run said system.  But, I also don't understand why so many people seem to think that Rodriguez can't adapt somewhat to the personnel he does have. 

I just can't wait for the 30th to get here so we can see once and for all what we are in store for.  I think the Utah game will give us fans a really good barometer to measure just how good or bad this team will be.  Beating Utah could be a nice springboard to carry this team to a good season.  An ugly loss could have a devastating effect sending the team spiraling to a rough season like most of the talking heads are predicting.  One thing I do agree with BigHouseFootball on is that if, in fact Michigan does struggle this season, by no means am I going to start calling for Rodriguez' head.  I do think he has the ability to lead Michigan to a national championship contender year in and year out, but I also know that this will take time and I am willing to wait for the results that I think Rodriguez will bring!


GO BLUE!!!