• Dr. Sap’s Decals | Wind-chilled Hawkeye Edition

    Straight to Sap’s honors for that mess in Iowa City.  I added the Editor’s pick: OFFENSIVE CHAMPION NONE – I didn’t see one. Not Devin Funchess Manball. Not Devin Gardner. Not Fitz Toussaint. Not Derrick Green. Not Jake Butt. Not Jeremy Jackson. None. DEFENSIVE CHAMPION JAKE RYAN – He forced the pick-six to start the game, laid the wood later in the first half and seemed to be back to his normal, pre-injury, self. He was hitting guys like I haven’t seen a Michigan Linebacker hit guys since Ron Simpkins back in the late ‘70s. SPECIAL TEAMS CHAMPION RAYMON TAYLOR – Michigan didn’t block Iowa’s attempted field goal in the first half, but Taylor recovered the muff. It was momentum that you take when you are on the road in the Big Ten. I guess that momentum was blown away by all the wind in the 3rd quarter… HUSTLER / SPARKPLUG JEREMY GALLON – Not a Champion, but certainly a Hustler on Saturday. I can honestly say that after the first few games of Gallon’s Michigan career I NEVER thought I’d be saying this in his senior year: “I’m gonna miss that guy.” He has truly been deserving of wearing the #21 jersey and has come to play every game this year, and last year and the year before that.…

  • TWIMFbH: Live! Old 98’s Magnum Opus

    I’ll be live in studio talking Tommy Harmon and his final game in the winged helmet, played on this day November 23, 1940.   Much has been said and written about the performance and that continues this morning :)   My talking points: Crisler stopped the train on the way to the game because the players were goofing off (talking about parties & girls).  Fritz pulled the team off the train in Toledo, read them the riot act.  The players actually kept up the tomfoolery after Crisler’s speech, but captain Forest Evashevski assured the coaches that the team would be ready.   Evy (also in his final game) wouldn’t let Crisler put in subs during the game until the very end. Near the end of the game, Evy grabbed a cigar out of a fan’s mouth and took a big puff. Harmon scored 3 TDs and broke Red Grange’s scoring record in the game. Harmon’s and the official game stats are here – he did it all  – rushing for 136, passing for 157, 1 interception, 2 punts for 117 yards, punt/kick returns, 4 extra points, scored 3 TDs – 22 points scored total. The Ohio players congratulated Harmon as he left the field at the end of the game, and Harmon famously received a standing ovation from the Buckeye crowd.  Some…

  • Ohio State - Michigan 1963

    Moving The Game for JFK (1963)

    In 2009 I asked Dr. Barry Dehlin, a sophomore on Bump Elliott’s 1963 squad, to talk about his memories of the historic day in 1963 when President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.   The day after the shooting Ohio State was scheduled to be at the Big House but understandably that game was postponed to honor the President.   Here’s what Dehlin shared:

  • Guilty.

    As a youth, a friend of mine and I visited Monmouth Park in NJ to enjoy the ponies.   My buddy had never been to the track before so I gave him some advice: if your horse is winning the race, just play it cool man.  It’s nobody’s business what your horse is doing or not doing, dig?   Maintain. Minutes later the horse we both bet on was pulling away from the field as they came down the stretch.  Naturally we both jumped around and screamed like little girls as we air-jockeyed that doggie across the line. Saturday: Via Ace at mogblog: If you’re wondering about the identity of the guy in the black jacket running around like a manic behind the goalposts, that’s Greg Dooley of MVictors.  Livin’ the dream, Greg. Guilty.   And the white-shirted fellow waving off the kick was Northwestern AD Jim Phillips:

  • Meet the ‘73 Wolverines

    You might have caught a reference to the player intros in Dr. Sap’s Bovember post (see Dave Gallagher).  Thanks to Sap here’s a look at the TV intros prior to the 1973 Ohio State game.   It’s short clip but worth your time: You gotta love seeing the players’ faces right before the game & the different salutes they offer up are epic.  If you didn’t know Gallagher was team captain before seeing this clip, now you know after you watch how he carries himself.    Finally Bo’s reaction to the camera is absolutely classic. Sap says he has a few more of these…including the appearance of a toothpick…which has to be pure gold.  I’ll work on getting those out.  In the meantime: Follow MVictors on Twitter

  • Dr. Sap’s Decals | Waterlogged Wildcat Style

    Sap has stuck through the decals this season thick or thin (except when it got really thin that one time).  Decals for Northwestern, once again Editor’s Pick and Ufe selections are mine OFFENSIVE CHAMPION DEVIN GARDNER – I gotta be honest with ya – I watched this offense sputter its way to a 3rd down conversion goose-egg during regulation and I thought, “How can I pick a “Champion” from this offense?” Sure Gardner still has his shortcomings, and yes he still doesn’t set & plant his feet on every throw (probably due to defensive lineman in his face all game), but when he scored in the 3rd overtime – on an OPTION RUN no less – I felt VERY happy for the guy. New 98 never gave up – just what a true leader does. Nice going DG! DEFENSIVE CHAMPION THOMAS GORDON – Aside from the game-clinching INT, Gordon was solid all game. He delivered a smack-down shot on Wildcat QB Kain Colter in the 1st quarter and then snuffed out an option run in the 2nd period. He brought the wood like I haven’t seen in a UM secondary in a LONG, LONG time. Dude was sending a message all game and I dig that from the defensive secondary! SPECIAL TEAMS CHAMPION DREW DILEO – Not only did he…

  • The Chicago Hustle (Michigan 27, Northwestern 19)

    For good reason, we spend so much energy talking about offense and defense, but you have to take a moment and acknowledge what happened with the special teams unit on Saturday.  Offhand that was the most complete special teams performance I can recall and if not, definitely the most significant as it relates to the outcome of a game.   In the slippery & windy conditions, to cleanly execute all those kicks (save the long FG), punts catches, and coverage during the game was exceptional.  If Northwestern blew this game by not hanging onto the ball, the difference for Michigan was the play of special teams. The coaches have taken a beating since week 3 so give STC Ferrigno and Hoke major credit for the military-style discipline and execution by the special unit throughout the game…all the way to the wire: Hoke called that one of the best single football plays he could remember.  While we’ve seen several ridiculous individual plays over years (and Hoke was there for the best–Woodson’s ‘97 pick at MSU), based on the number of variables that had to cleanly function and fall in place in those few frantic seconds it’s hard to argue with him.   You’ve heard now that Michigan practices that every week, & Gardner joked postgame that he appreciated that they finally got to…