Guest post by Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis. I encourage you to subscribe to Dr. Sap on YouTube and follow Sap on Twitter
That was one of the most satisfying Michigan wins in recent memory! Yes, it was a rivalry game, but it was more than just that. It was the proverbial monkey being lifted off Jim Harbaugh’s coaching back.
They all count as one, but win #950 for the University of Michigan turned the corner for Jim Harbaugh’s program. He is now 2-2 against MSU and can now look forward to a bye week and November – where wins matter the most.
But if you want to look back one more time, Bob Ufer summed up the feelings & emotions of the Michigan fan base some 39 years ago when Michigan won their “Revenge Bowl” against MSU in 1979:
Revenge Bowl or Revenge Tour, whatever you want to call it, does it sound or feel familiar? Either way, it feels Great – to be a Michigan Wolverine!
Onward!!
OFFENSIVE CHAMPIONS – It wasn’t a perfect game, but adversity and the elements were overcome by the ENTIRE OFFENSE and that is a big step for this team & this unit in their development. Gaining 400 yards against your in-state rival is big. Winning on the road is always tough, and winning the Paul Bunyan Trophy in your neighbor’s backyard is extra special, so ya, helmet stickers for all of you! The O-line opened up enough holes for Karan Higdon to gain over 100 yards rushing on this tough Spartan defense and gave Shea Patterson plenty of time to make some big time throws to his receivers.
Speaking of receivers, an extra helmet sticker goes to DPJ for striking a very fitting pose after his TD!
DEFENSIVE CHAMPION – Just when you think Don Brown’s Dudes have done it all, they hold MSU to fewer than 100 yards of offense and less than 2 yards per play! Crazy! Without Rashan Gary, this defense just shut down MSU’s offense & throttled another Big Ten QB. Beyond impressive!!
SPECIAL TEAMS – Punter Will Hart was special. He showed great poise, a great leg and great hands – especially during all the windy & rainy conditions throughout the game. Think about all the other players that fumbled or mishandled the ball on Saturday. Then think about all the punts Hart had against the Spartans. No slips. No shanks & no muffs.
Lastly, I wanted to point out something that burns my ass, as Bo used to say. This college game we all love so dearly is played by teenagers & young men and sometimes they get emotional and say and do emotional things. I get that. But when coaches encourage their young players to do such things, as what happened in the pregame warm-ups on Saturday, then I think you have to call them out – just like Jim Harbaugh did when asked about the pregame scuffle between a few Wolverines and MSU’s chain-link of helmeted players. Harbaugh learned from Bo & called the move “Bush League.”
Mark Dantonio, a Jim Tressel disciple, pulled a prank that was right up there with the bomb-sniffing dogs that the SweaterVest greeted the 2004 Wolverines with or Woody Hayes going after the M Club Banner – twice!
Cheap. Classless and yes, Bush League!
