Martin -"Rodriguez..He will be our coach next year"

Freep.com
Rodriguez, "I just think there's a faction --"

Question: How many more players will bail, if any?

Michigan vs Ohio State Weak I mean Week

For the last three weekends I have hoped, prayed and meditated on the possibility that this Michigan team would snap out of whatever it is in. But that was not meant to be, the reality of the situation has revealed itself in flying colors and unfortunate for Michigan fans those colors are Maize and Blue.

A feeling of weakness and confusion is apparent in the body language of a team that leaped into the season 4-0 and had a swagger that was surprising and unexpected. Then, things started to fall apart and by "things" I mean everything.

I feel that this team lacks true leadership. There is no hard nosed, kill or be killed attitude that should flow from the coaching staff through to the players. Seeminly each player is going in a completely different direction.

Michigan players are getting outplayed in just about every position except for that one spot on Defense filled by #55. (Shoutout to Brandon Graham)

Are the players not buying into the Rich Rodriguez system? Are they given a choice to buy in or not? I will tell you one thing, Bo didn't give his players the choice. Either buy in, play your ass off until the final whistle or hit the f***ing door.

The University took a chance completely changing the system at Michigan and guess what? they are going to have to live with that choice. At this point in the Big Ten season I see smaller, faster players that are absolutely worn out from being hit hard and leaned on by larger, more determined players.

Whatever happens on Saturday Rich Rodriguez and his staff have allot to prove and I have a feeling he has a limited time to in which to prove it.

I am usually very pumped for Michigan vs Ohio State week but this season, not so much. As much as I want Michigan to beat OSU, whatever the outcome, does it really matter? At Michigan 5-6 is just as impressive as 6-6.

Other News:

Jim Harbaugh

Practice Logs

Michigan don't die on me now

Michigan 36 Purdue 38
Michigan drops to 1-5 in Conference and 5-5 Overall.

This Michigan team is gasping for last breaths of life, as sad as it seems, there is little to no hope to resuscitate this 2009 season.

If miracles do exist Mich beats either Wisconsin or OSU, will it really matter? They will end up in a Pizza Bowl?

I always hold out hope that Michigan will beat Ohio State but as far as this season goes, for the 2nd yr in a row it is yet another total loss with Rich Rodriguez at the helm.

Going outside of the program was a calculated risk for U of M. Now two horrible seasons into the new system, how will U of M react? Will they stick with Rich Rod or do I hear the mobs stirring?

Hail to the Victors

It is great to see the team go to the Student section after a win at the Big house. Great new tradition.

Very fond memory of being at the Rose Bowl game in 97 when the team came over and sang The Victors with all of us fans after beating Washington State.

Looking forward to seeing it again after the game saturday.

Go Blue !!
All In !!

A Picture is Worth...

Have you seen this?

The Michigan Football Website (BOOM)

*Note to Rich Rodriguez, Please do not put Toledo "on the map".

Mike Barwis...He can only prevent communism from taking over the world. And puppies from flying off into space. READ MGOBLOG

Coach RR and the Big House Crowd

'"I hope they're not booing the kids, they boo the coaches. Obviously we've got to play better. I didn't see a lot of people leave. That was the thing I'm tickled to death. Sometimes you play that poorly, a lot of people exit. Not at the Big House. They hung in there and they were all there at the end." ' Detroit News

Michigan v Notre Dame Week

"To Hell with Notre Dame"

1989, The Big House, on a rainy September 16th. This game and the two kickoff returns by Rocket Ismail sealed my hatred for the golden domers. Although this wasn't my first game at the Big House, it was one of my first memories as a teenager and a young burgeoning Michigan fan.

I can still hear the pitter patter of the rain hitting my parka and every time Michigan beats Notre Dame I feel it is just one more step in the redemption they have to pay for ruining one of my first Big House experiences.

This season both teams come into this game looking like dogs that need to be put out of their misery, but as the years have taught me, this rivalry brings out the best in these athletes. the stats, wins and losses all mean nothing when the whistle blows this Saturday at Notre Dame.

Some recent History of this Rivalry. Article about Wies and "To Hell with Michigan", and highlights from last years game.

2002 M 23 ND 25

2003 M 38 ND 0

2004 M 20 ND 28

2005 M 10 ND 17

2006 M 47 ND 21

2007 M 38 ND 0

2008 TBA

Nothing like a hairy viking growling, GO BLUE. Think he trains with Barwis?

Context

And they move in

1989-1990

2007-2008

Wolverines lost consecutive openers for the first time...

Not a surprise, but it still hurts. High points in today's game, Special teams and 2nd half Defense. The Barwis effect was apparent late in the game.

Offense=atrocious.

Next: Miami of Ohio, Go Blue!

Edit: No, I haven't given up hope and I really don't feel the need to criticize Rich Rodriguez or his plan coming into this game. Coach kept it pretty simple.

The plain truth is, all of the athletes Michigan needs are not on campus, yet. It may take a few years before Michigan is back in the top tier of the College Football elite, that gives indigestion to many, including myself. Michigan fans just may have to put up with many more losses then they have ever experienced in their lifetime.

I do believe there will be a payoff. It may take a year or two or three, but I do believe that RR and his crew will build this team into a National Power once again. It will look awkward to all of us old school, line up and smashmouth football fans, but I do see a bright future for the Michigan program.

All of us want instant gratification but in the real world winning takes tons of hard work and even more patience. Every loss will be a gut shot but pretty soon Michigan will be giving the gut shots instead of receiving them.

The Defense showed what they can do in the second half and the Offensive line will get better, count on it.

GO BLUE!

19 mins of Rich Rod Big Ten Media Day

Jim Brandstatter

On the biggest difference Michigan fans will see on the field in the fall:

“They’ll be leaner and they’ll be faster. The little things that you see – how will they get to the line of scrimmage – you won’t know because they’re going to be there. When this offense gets going, they’ll be lined up and ready to go. And I think the defense will feed off of that. Rodriguez whole theory is play fast. Be prepared. When the ball is marked ready for play by the referee, your hand is down, your butt is in the air and you’re ready to go. I think it will be a much faster Michigan team in those aspects and I believe it will be faster and leaner that you will notice as you go forward in the game. That’s his style and that’s what he likes. He likes quickness and he likes to put the defense under pressure where they have to man up and you look for that mismatch and for the defense to make a mistake. Give them a lot of sets, give them a lot of different looks. Know that they will make the mistake and then you take advantage of the mistake. So that’s what it’s going to look like.”

Here is the whole interview.

Rodriguez, Michigan to pay WVU $4 million

"Now if only that pesky lawsuit would go away" DONE

Rich Rod's first installment payment is due in November vs tOSU.

Michgan Football in the News

Kevin Grady: DUI Arrest: The Michigan Daily

Can Rich Rodriguez Revive the Wolverines? ESPN.com

New Adidas Michigan Jerseys: M Go Blog

Another writer picks Utah for the App State of 08

Well kind of, he (Smock) says that Utah has the game to be this years BCS buster. I wonder how much of these predictions of Michigan losing another home opening shocker is rooting for the underdog or just more AA or RR hating? I think Utah will be good, and they always are a talented bunch but, they will not beat Oregon State and predicting a TCU or a BYU game is just foolish.

Doug Smock The Charlston Gazzette

"I project this team to give Rich Rodriguez a fitting start at the "Big House" in Michigan, laying a big, fat "L" on the Wolverines. The Utes should also beat Oregon State at home in a Thursday nighter in early October, and they get TCU and BYU at home."

Read the whole article. also see Matt Hayes of Sporting News.

Dream or Nightmare

Woke up this morning in a panic, in deep depression and scrambling for my watch to see the date.

I had a dream in which Michigan started the season off with two losses. Rich Rodriguez was being hounded by media the fans and alumni were lighting torches.

I found my watch and wiped the the fog from my mind to realize it was just a dream, just my mind playing tricks on me.

Like years of being a fan of the Wolverines hasn't already shortened my life enough, now my dreams are stressing me out.

I am in no hurry for the season to start, but the questions linger.

Will Rich Rod be able to put together a winning season his first year at Michigan? We shall see.

August 30Th isn't far off. I hope my dream doesn't turn into a real life nightmare.

I Almost Cried, Almost.

Bwaahahaha!!

"I'M RICH BIATCH!"

Video Footage:

MGOBLUE.COM

Michigan, welcome to the 21st Century of College Football.

New Coach Rich Rodriguez

SUNDAY UPDATE:

Press conference Monday morning.

WVA Coach Meets with U of M

"Rodriguez met with Michigan athletic director Bill Martin and school president Mary Sue Coleman in Toledo today to discuss the open position, two people at U-M confirmed to the Free Press. The Sporting News first reported the meeting this afternoon."

Detroit Free Press

"Rodriguez would seem a curious fit in Ann Arbor, as he has no direct ties to the Big Ten. (He did play three years for Don Nehlen, a former Bo Schembechler assistant at Michigan, at West Virginia.) And Rodriguez's spread-option offense wouldn't appear to be a fit for a school accustomed to a pro-style attack.
Rodriguez, however, is a good coach with a clean record who would represent the school well."

Sporting News