Any thoughts of Lloyd Carr, Hart, Henne and Long getting to tee off on the ACC’s #4 team are gone. Nope, they’ll get Urban Meyer and defending national champion Florida. An interesting match-up for sure, as Florida edged out Michigan for the second BCS championship spot last year and many (including Carr) were none too happy with the comments made by Meyer as he campaigned for his Gators. Water under the bridge maybe, but it’ll make for an interesting subplot. Required for the game? Your Urban Meyer Wiener gear while they last: Subplots: 1. As mentioned above, Hart, Henne, and Long and especially Carr’s last game. 2. Meyer vs. Carr after the bitterness of last year. 3. Is Urban Meyer a candidate for the coaching job? He didn’t exactly slam the door shut in recent comments. 4. Will a signficant number of Michigan fans go to this game? [Latest Ticket Prices here] 5. Will Michigan have named a coach by then? Will he be at the game?
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The Death March Final Four
Over 4,000 votes later you’ve got your Final Four in Death March Madness (current bracket HERE – background here). As promised we’re all worse off for having gone through this whole experience. The Michigan fan base is lashing out at anyone within focus and the coaching situation is pretty much as blurry as when Carr confirmed his retirement. You’ve indicated you hate #1 seed Kirk Ferentz and you now can’t stand Les Miles. Only one of the NFL candidates made it through is Chucky Gruden. As expected, Cincinnati headman Brian Kelly and Cal visionary Jeff Tedford are still alive. Here’s a look at the final Four: The Final Four is complete, here’s the current poll: {democracy}
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Everyone take a cold shower
Quoting the great Lew, a legend on this site, everyone needs to chill out a little bit. Venom is being sprayed everywhere and it is getting ridiculous. Scanning the blogs, message boards and talk shows, it seems you have a bone to pick with just about everyone: Lloyd Carr: For not liking Miles and for spinning this whole coach search to not hire Miles. Ok, so maybe he doesn’t like Miles. Since Carr coached with the man and knows him better than any of you ever will, maybe he’s on to something? Either way, if it is even true, all you are accusing Carr of doing is standing up for what he believes in, or in this case, who he doesn’t believe in. Chill out. Bill Martin: For not landing Miles. What should he have done? Secretly sign Miles before Carr even officially retired? Fine, but then he would have been accused of sneaking around and disrupting LSU’s season. Not cool. He asked for permission to speak with Miles after the regular season, that permission was granted. It looks like LSU made sure it wouldn’t happen. That’s not on Martin. Les Miles: For what? For indicating he loved Michigan and hinting he’d be interested in returning? or is it for burning Michigan? Mitch Albom suggested this was all a ruse…
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Capital One After all…[?]
To the chagrin of the Capital One bowl officials, looks like after yesterday’s shake up at the top Illinois will end up in the Rose Bowl [latest BCS projections], and that’ll put Michigan in the Capital One Bowl. Wisconsin and Penn State are already locked into the Outback and Alamo. As posted here, remember the bowl official offering an actual opinion weeks before selection: “At best, they’d be looking at the Alamo Bowl,” said Frank Frana, an official with the Capital One Bowl. “At best.” “There are at least four teams ahead of them: Ohio State, Illinois, Penn State and Wisconsin,” Frana said. “Their bowl opportunities are going to be tough.” Sorry dude. Oh, and how can I get your job? During the season you go to games to watch teams play to see if they’ll be a good fit for your bowl? You couldn’t watch them on TV, you need to go to the game. And all this ‘work’ eventhough you end up have little choice in the matter, really. Great JOB! And for Ohio State, another year where they won’t be going to Pasadena. Crazy phenomenon. Finally, it looks like this guy was on the ball.
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Herbstreit won’t back down (kind of – audio)
Here’s audio of Kirk Herbstreit before the Big 12 championship game, explaining himself on the story he broke this morning on GameDay. [display_podcast] Basically he says one of two things happened here: 1. LSU reacted to his report and signed Miles. 2. It is all a smoke screen and Miles still may be coming to Michigan. What Herbstreit didn’t address is if #1 or #2 is true, what about his report that Miles is going to Michigan? If his story is correct, then Miles is burning Michigan and his “deal”. He didn’t talk about that. Herbstreit’s of the opinion that this isn’t over (“this saga shall continue”). Miles has since clarified on multiple occasions that he’s coming back to LSU next season. And if #1 is true, so Miles had a deal with Michigan and as his team was taping up for the SEC Championship, Miles’s agent and LSU hashed out a better deal? In a hour or so after Herby’s report? Unlikely man! Meanwhile, Mitch Albom is lashes out at Les Miles for all of this. I don’t get that. I’m not a huge Miles guy but I don’t see how he acted inappropriately here. The word on the street is that he loves Michigan. His Oklahoma State players talked about it. Albom suggests that this love was all…
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Tough Day! Blue fall to Amaker, Harvard
62-51. I had a double secret correspondent and Amaker hater at the game who should be reporting back a few details. Looks like Michigan was down at half, built a small lead midway through the fourth but sagged at the finish.
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Kipke Region Finals: Petrino v Schiano
The Regional Finals of the ‘Death March Madness’ tournament (current bracket HERE – background here). Here’s a printable version. Bobby Petrino (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Greg Schiano (Rutgers) {democracy} Petrino knocked off Kansas State headman Ron Prince in the first round, then upset Iowa coach and rumored favorite Kirk Ferentz in the second. Schiano barely slipped by Florida coach Urban Meyer in the second round in the closest battle of Death March Madness to date.
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Yost Regional Finals: Les Miles v Jon Gruden
I told you this would be a DEATH MARCH! First Ferentz is hired, then Miles, then not Miles, then MAYBE MILES? Good lord! We continue: The Regional Finals of the ‘Death March Madness’ tournament (current bracket HERE – background here). Here’s a printable version. Les Miles (LSU) vs. Jon Gruden (Tampa Bay Bucs) {democracy} Miles smoked Navy coach Paul Johnson in the second round by taking 92% of the vote; Gruden easily handled Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English taking 67%.