A few random takes on Minnesota, closing out the week: * Man, I can’t believe Tim Brewster didn’t rush things a little bit down the stretch. After watching Michigan control the ball in the final minutes of the game it’s clear it wouldn’t have mattered, but Brewster walked off the field with all three timeouts, right? And as the ESPN guy kept pounding home, they had no sense of urgency on offense in the fourth quarter. I don’t blame them for kicking that field goal, but they needed to get some hustle on. * Speaking of down the stretch, after all we’ve been through this season I caught myself watching the clock on every play. I wasn’t convinced we were going to win this thing until a few minutes to go. * Angelique suggested there might be a quarterback controversy this morning. I’m not sure about that–yes, Sheridan looked great but I’m still much more comfortable with Threet back there if he’s healthy. * A few in the local media have suggested that Michigan has given up in games, thrown in the towel, dialed down the effort. I haven’t seen it. In fact, during the Michigan State game one of my takeaways is how somehow these guys think they’re bad. Not bad meaning bad but bad meaning good. I mean…
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I promised myself I wasn’t going to cry
AP Photo
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Slick Nick Sheridan
To the victor goes the spoils, look who was seen with #8 in Minneapolis after the game: So let’s get down to it:* Sheridan played great, not just good. I, like you, expected a train wreck today so give him a lot of credit.* His final passing stats don’t do justice (18-30, 203 yards and 33 rushing). He played smart, he protected the ball, and actually threw a handful of very nice balls downfield, at least two of which were flat out dropped by the receivers.* Give Sheridan half the credit, the rest to Scott Shafer and the defense for protecting the Little Brown Jug, which will now be held in the familiar confines of Schembechler Hall until November 2011. How ’bout dem apples!:
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Jug Deal: Win One, Get two Free
The original Little Brown (White?) Jug, from Historic Michigan Football Photos. HT: Caught this nugget on Sam Webb’s show this morning and it really hurts. The winner of Saturday’s battle will keep the Little Brown Jug for not only a year, but until November 5, 2011 (!). Bollocks! Yes, due to the way the schedule shakes out the Wolverines and Gophers don’t meet for another three years. Thankfully that game is in Ann Arbor (kick-off time hasn’t been determined quite yet). That’s our jug! As Lloyd Carr reminded everyone last year, we bought it, they stole it. It’s ours–let’s keep it. Should we fail, it’ll be the longest stint that the jug’s been in Minnesota since a four year stretch from 1960 until Michigan won it back in 1964. Previous to that, Minnesota’s great Bennie Bierman-led Depression era teams held the receptacle from 1934-1942.
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Coach, Mention The Jug
The original Little Brown (White?) Jug, from Historic Michigan Football Photos. Surely Coach Rod has a lot on his mind and the history of the Little Brown Jug is likely not one of those things. Just after the hire last December I wrote the following: Count me as a one who will be disappointed if during his Monday press conference on November 3, 2008, Coach Rodriguez fails to recount the history of the Little Brown Jug, as Coach Carr did each year during his tenure Here’s to hoping we’ll get some mention of the Jug today. Update: Here’s today’s press conference broken down into clips thanks to MLive. Mention of the jug? Yes but barely. Rodriguez mentioned the jug as something that they have to play for this week and said that it’s “neat”. It’s really NEAT man!: Video: “11/3 Monday Press Conference Rich Rodriguez from MLive”
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Blue Books: Historic Michigan Football Photos
I just received a fresh copy of ‘Historic Photos of University of Michigan Football’ from Turner Publishing. Michelle O’Brien authored the collection, which pulls together fascinating photos from the vaults over at the U-M Bentley Historical Library over the past 100+ years. It isn’t confined to games and practices; it also includes a few unique looks at the band, the fans and in some cases, the excitement on campus and outside the stadium. Each photo contains a detailed caption describing the photo often along with a relevant background from the period. O’Brien did a very nice job-it’s a fine collection and would make an excellent gift. While I’ve seen a few of the photos before but most were new to me. Here’s a few of my favorites, click to enlarge: Louis Elbel, the man that composed The Victors after the 1898 Michigan game at Chicago, conducts the Michigan Marching Band in 1952 The original Little Brown (White?) Jug. I love the “Not to be taken from the Gymnasium” instruction painted on the top. Can you imagine? A photo as they break ground on Michigan stadium, with a clear shot back to Yost Field House in the background. Gorgeous.
