This is midway through the first half – this is real Made it up to the game last night and it wasn’t as close as the 78-64 final score. – It’s a little frustrating to sit and watch. The offense pretty much looks for an open three and then clanks it off the rim. The good news? It seemed like they were getting good looks at the rim before then tossing the brick. – The highlight of the game was DeShawn Sims’ three-quarter court heave to end the half. The place erupted and that was nice to see. – Newsflash: Eric Gordon is amazing. Michigan kept it relatively close near half because Gordon was on the bench with three fouls. – A few local AA-list celebrities at the game including: * Coach Carr with wife Laurie at mid-court. He got a huge cheer when they showed him on the screen. * Coach Rod with a few new staffers (see pic). Both coaches spent some time with Florida grad and supreme hotness Erin Andrews. * Joe Dumars courtside checking out the talent. * Sam Webb of WTKA. – As far as the arena, it was at best 40% full with large portions of the Maize section empty. Four of us walked up to Crisler without tickets. A few different fans handed…
-
-
More on Capital One; Audio of Carr’s speech
I’m still blown away by the team’s performance on Tuesday. Looking over the highlights and the media coverage it is just amazing. When things fell like they did, with Penn State and Wisconsin locking into their bowls prior to the BCS pairings and Michigan just hanging there and then finally drawing Florida of all teams….I thought it was a good break for Michigan to get a New Year’s Day bowl but a bad one given they’d have to play the likely Heisman winner and the defending national champion. The Gators seemed to be a perfect poison for the struggling Wolverines. You had to be thinking bad thoughts or at least braced for a spanking like fellow blogger CC at Autumn Thunder. The one hope I had coming in was that we’d have a healthy Henne and Hart, and you know good things can happen when those guys are clicking. But still…it was Florida with Tebow and Harvin. Not mention they were playing essentially a home game. The way those guys played despite the mistakes – it was just incredible. Watch the highlights again and watch how hard Arrington is going and how hard the defensive line comes off the ball. Even when Tebow made a play he ended up on his arse. Finally for MVP Henne, talk about putting it…
-
Post Capital One Bowl Game, Lloyd Carr (audio – a bit choppy)
Thanks to MLive, the post game press conference from Lloyd Carr: – “Proud of our players, to deal with some of the things they’ve had happen this season…” – “The way things started this sesaon they could have folded. Never did.” – [After the game] “Told the players I loved them. Most importantly, I thanked them.” – [After down 35-31, any doubts?] “I told our kids only we could stop ourselves, which we did a number of times…we got all the time in the world we needed.” – On Arrington’s punishment this summer. Great stuff (midway through the audio, check it out)…Talks about this summer, the punishment of running the steps….says his mother called him every morning to wake him up at 5:30am to make sure he was at the stadium to walk the steps…Carr adds he only asked him to walk steps; Arrington used it as an opportunity to get in better shape. – “There were some sensational catches and Adrian made some of those.” – “I never woke up not wanting to be there” [coaching at Michigan]. – [On his wish for the program] “I hope they win every game…Every time.”
-
Live Blog: Michigan vs. Florida Capital One
If you were questioning whether this was a partisan Florida crowd, check out the stands And Carr gives some touching comments at midfield and he’s flanked by wife Laurie. Great stuff; Great win….can’t be happier for the guy and the program. And taking down Urban Meyer and Florida is a big one for the Big Ten. And Tebow scrambled for what seemed to be hours and threw it up high in the air…it looked for a moment like the Gator receiver was open but no. Incomplete and Michigan and the Big Ten win this one. Henne’s the MVP for me. They dose Carr with the cooler. The story of course is Carr but also Michigan giving a glimpse of the future Michigan offense (maybe DeBord trying to keep his job) and the final story line is M overcoming those 4 turnovers. Clock ticks to zero and what a great end to a tough season. Two incomplete passes sets the clock to 2:04 and sets up third and 10. And Trent JUST MISSES and incredible play to pick the ball off. 1:58 – Fourth Down.
-
Carr wins Dodd
Last night they announced that Coach Carr won the Bobby Dodd Foundation coach of the year award. Obviously this was a nod of respect to the departing coach who by all accounts is highly respected in the profession. Here’s the selection panel if your interested. He’s not the first M man to win as Bo won the award in its second year back in 1977.
-
Michigan Tradition 101: Study Guide for Coach Rodriguez
In his introduction press conference last week, Coach Rodriguez was up front about not knowing much about the Michigan football tradition. He promised to take a book on Bo Schembechler (I assume it was the new one, John Bacon’s Bo’s Lasting Lessons) home over the weekend and give it a read. I think most Michigan fans are concerned about wins and losses and would trade a championship for a coach that knows, cherishes and embraces the previous hundred and thirty years of football in Ann Arbor. Fine. But there are quite a few of us around that the tradition matters. Again, not to say that an outsider can’t come in and embrace it. While I’m growing tired of the Bo references to this situation, you have to consider Schembechler. Bo wasn’t quite a complete outsider as was Rodriguez, but he was an outsider nonetheless and is now the quintessential M man. Count me as a one that 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. And consider me ‘blue’ if we learn that Rodriguez doesn’t do something each practice to prepare for Ohio State, as has been done by each opponent since the days…
-
Post press conference audio from Carr
For those of you waiting from some comments from Coach Carr, here’s some audio posted on MLive of Carr addressing questions after the Rich Rodriguez introduction press conference. Sounds like all the big Michigan beat writers were on it, Chengelis, Albom, etc: [display_podcast] Carr: “I’ll be there if he needs me.” Carr: “I’m happy for Bill Martin.”
-
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…