• Coach Red Speaks, again, for the last time (WTKA audio)

    Michigan coach Red Berenson clearly wants to put this to bed and behind his team, and after one more post I’ll do the same (for tonight).  I’ve already checked the availability of MDekers.com since I’m hockey guy now. Last night on the WTKA Red Berenson show at The Arena in downtown Ann Arbor, the Michigan coach gave hosts Andy Evans and John U. Bacon his take on the Kampfer/Tropp/Conboy incident.  Here’s the audio: [display_podcast] . Notes and quotes: Red was still concerned about Kampfer’s health and his ability to play this weekend. “The incident was uncalled for, it was unnecessary, it has been dealt with.  It  should not happen in any league.” “Kids have to remember you’re responsible for what you do on the ice.  Whether you’re a hockey player or a baseball player, when you’re holding that bat or holding a hockey stick, you’re responsible for what you’re doing with it.” Even asmuch as the kid that grabbed Kampfer, the Conboy kid, who’s a big tough kid, and was maybe out of line to jump Kampfer from behind needlessly, but maybe out of frustration, the end of the game or whatever, and he held the other kid [Corey Tropp] off that already hit him with a stick when he was down.  He held him off with one hand, and…

  • The Grind, Beilein audio and Wildcat mix-tape

    After the Penn State loss, I’m guessing most M fans would say a NCAA tourney bid is not going to happen in 2009. That’s of course a 180 from just over a week ago, but we were warned by a few folks this season might go this way. Shots aren’t falling and the team is struggling, Coach Beilein talked with Sam Webb and Andy Evans this morning on WTKA about where the team is at, what he’s doing to get things back on track, and how he & Pittsnogle faced a similar slump one year at West Virginia: [display_podcast] . The situation is even worse than Brian at mgoblog suggested just earlier this week: Moving forward, the last two games have blown whatever margin of error Michigan had in their effort to make the tournament. Even if you assume wins home and away against Northwestern and away against Iowa—potentially dodgy but absolutely necessary to make the tourney—you have to find three wins in these games to get Michigan to .500 in conference: Home: Penn State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue Away: Ohio State, Purdue, Minnesota Yikes. One of those assumed games is Saturday’s tilt against Kevin Coble and the bomb-dropping Northwestern Wildcats who showed Michigan State a little something called style last night at Breslin. A few highlights from the action,…

  • Interview: Pete Tiernan of bracketscience.com

    This week I sat down with Pete Tiernan, founder of bracketscience.com, a website with a comprehensive database that allows subscribers to slice and dice historical NCAA tournament data.  Tiernan also provides statistical trends, charts, tips and strategies for busting up your pools. Over the past several years he’s contributed a column to ESPN.com insider$ and in 2009 will be featured at CBSSports.com. Tiernan holds two degrees from Michigan and taught for a while within the English department.   His ties to the M basketball program run deep as his dad, ‘Boom Boom’ Tom Tiernan, laced them up for the Maize & Blue back when they played at Yost Field House in the early 1950s. We met in downtown Saline at the excellent Brecon Grille and over a few pints, he was kind enough to answer questions about Beilein, Michigan, tourney trends, the selection committee and more.  We close with a cool story about his son who played for the Grand Valley State team that shocked Michigan State at Breslin last year.  Enjoy: MVictors: Michigan basketball is becoming relevant again thanks to John Beilein. Let’s cut right to it, how does Beilein’s tournament coaching record stack up? Tiernan: Michigan made a very good choice.   John Beilein is the top overperforming active coach of the modern tournament era. There’s a statistic that I have…

  • Rx for Pre-game: Larry Foote on WDFN (audio)

    First off, here’s Larry Foote on WDFN back in July with his special message for Michigan State: “Go Blue and Michigan State, y’all always gonna suck.” Here’s the unabashed Rich Rodriguez backer and current Steeler on the radio today with Stoney and Wojo: Foote admits he like Tom Izzo and notes that they have some fine women up there in East Lansing. Hilarious moment, listen to him at the end of the interview sing the company line for the NFL.

  • A-Rittz Drops Factoids

    Another post-worthy mention coming out of Adam Rittenberg’s ESPN Big Ten Blog: Dan from Minneapolis writes: Adam, you pointed out the unique nature of first time coaches in the UM – MSU rivalry. I also wanted to point out uniqueness about first time coaches in the UM – OSU rivalry. Aside from Cooper, going back to WW Hayes, first time coaches have WON their first meeting in the series. Correct me if I am wrong but that is quite impressive Adam Rittenberg writes: You’re correct, first-time coaches have fared well in the Michigan-Ohio State series, perhaps because the games typically are played later in the season when coaches have a better feel for their teams. Woody Hayes lost his first meeting with Michigan, 7-0, in 1951, but Earle Bruce beat the Wolverines in 1979 and Jim Tressel did the same in 2001. The Buckeyes went through four coaches during the 1940s who went 1-2-1 against Michigan. Michigan hasn’t had a coach lose his first game against Ohio State since Harry Kipke in 1929. Kipke’s first game, interestingly enough, was played midway through the season on Oct. 19. Rich Rodriguez will have a tough task to keep Michigan’s run alive, but it helps that the game is at the end of the season. Next, Dave Dye of the Detroit News drops…

  • Braylon, the All-Time Favorite?

    A few weeks ago College Football News ran a series a roundtable discussions with a set of journalists. One of the questions asked the panel to name their favorite college football players of all-time. Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune picked Braylon Edwards as his top choice – keep in mind this was for any college player on any college team, not last 10 years, not Big Ten only, etc. I wasn’t sure if it was half in jest (he had J Leman on his list) so I emailed him: Teddy, I noticed you named Braylon Edwards your favorite college football player of all time, then didn’t offer any explanation on that. I’d love to hear it. I don’t think even the hardest of die-hard M fans would put Braylon on such a list. I think Braylon’s mom put him third. What’s the deal? Greenstein’s reply: No, I’ve talked to Braylon’s mom. She’s a huge fan, as am I. Braylon had a phenomenal senior year, as you know, and had one of the best single-game performances I’ve ever seen vs. MSU. And he was an oustanding interview before the season and then when I did a profile on him for our Silver Football award. I’m actually surprised I appreciate him more than you do. I didn’t say I didn’t appreciate…

  • Dantonio Reaches out at EL JDRF Walk

    From behind enemy lines, here’s a photo from Saturday’s for the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes held on the MSU Campus. Spartan coach Mark Dantonio was the honorary chair, here speaking to the crowd of over 1200 that gathered for the event. He and some MSU players greeted, signed and took some pics with the fans. During his speech passed along a few words of encouragement to the supporters, JDRF donors and even took a shot or two at those that lean Blue. The JDRF also holds a walk an Ann Arbor walk each year, this year it’ll be held September 14 at Hudson Mills Metro Park in Dexter. More info here. I know that Coach Bo walked in previous years. Here he is at the 2005 Walk: Perhaps Coach Rod will get out there once he settles into his new digs? Word is that the EL Walk raised nearly $300,000 for JDRF (wow!).

  • Foote to MSU: “y’all always gonna suck” (audio)

    Continuing the roll of Michigan athletes, coaches and beat writers on the WDFN 1130AM Stoney and Wojo radiothon is former Wolverine Larry Foote. As usual, Foote came hard and came raw. He hit on a variety of topics including what it’s like working out with Mike Barwis, his Steelers, and like Jalen Rose yesterday, took time to blast MSU. Notes:– Thinks this team will “shock a lot of people” based on the conditioning they are going through.– He confirmed Barwis is “a psycho”, “a freak”, is “nutso”, and has “some screws missing.”– Said Tyrone Wheatley’s been working out just “testing it out.”– Said he “had a dream” about the Detroit Lions’ season. “9-7 and they make the playoffs.”– When asked the obligatory Brett Favre question: “he’s definitely being selfish.” For your ringtones and tailgate mixtapes, here’s just Foote’s message to the Spartans as he signed off, “Go Blue and Michigan State, y’all always gonna suck.”