Martin to M Fans: Throw Stuff & You’re Gone ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN SEPTEMBER 11, 2005 Michigan fans threw crap on the field after the refs reversed a couple of calls against the Wolverines in favor of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Here’s a note from Bill Martin: During Saturday’s UM/ND football game, a number of objects were thrown onto the field from both student sections. The throwing of objects onto the field is dangerous and unacceptable. A golf ball narrowly missed a reporter on the sidelines, while a photographer was not as lucky. He was hit in the head with a bottle and taken to the hospital. The action of a few has disappointed and embarrassed the entire University community. We will eject any individual throwing objects onto the field. The resulting actions could lead to possible criminal penalties as well as revocation of your right to purchase season football ticket(s). Bill Martin Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
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Irish Prevail over Bumbling Wolverines 2005
First clever ND drive, poor Henne play stop #3 BlueANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN SEPTEMBER 11, 2005 There were certainly a lot of questions going into the annual rematch with Notre Dame. The Irish were coming off a decisive win over ranked Pitt, and Michigan’s defense showed some holes in their win over Northern Illinois. But in one of the most baffling performances in recent times, the Wolverines stepped on themselves leading to their first home loss since 2002. To show you how dumbfounding this game was, check out the table below. To the left, the conventional wisdom on the street before kick-off. To the right, what actually happened during the game. Some of the pre-game hype was validated, but most left you scratching your head: Pre-game conventional wisdom/What Actually happened The game would be a shoot-out. The over/under was just around 60 points.Both offenses struggled for the most part, in the 17-10 score. The Notre Dame win over Pitt was meaningless. On Friday night Pitt lost to Ohio.Notre Dame scored at will against Pitt and moved the ball right down the field in one of the most impressive opening drives witnessed in Michigan stadium (12 plays, no third downs!). That said, the Pitt game wasn’t meaningless – Notre Dame has talent. Notre Dame couldn’t stop Michigan’s brilliant offenseNotre Dame stopped Michigan’s…
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M Downs Northern Illinois, D Struggles
Long run, sustained drives bring memories of 2004ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN SEPTEMBER 6, 2005 Michigan took down a solid Northern Illinois team on Saturday but questions remain on the defensive side. Whether is was coach Bo Schembechler at halftime or talk radio after the game, the word on the street is that the defense does not appear to have the solved the problems that plagued last year’s end of season. On the bright side, the offense looked great, converting when it needed to. You had the feeling Michigan could have ran every play. Freshman Kevin Grady looked good in his Wolverine debut. His acceleration through the holes, and awareness on the field was impressive. Mike Hart still looks strong and M is obviously looking to use him more as a receiver. Surprise punter Ross Ryan looked pretty good; we’ll see where that goes this season. But the missed tackles, assignments, and in some cases, just getting beat by the man across the line (Gabe Watson!), won’t fly this week against Notre Dame. I heard Coach Carr’s press conference immediately following the game. He seemed oblivious to the defensive struggles – telling the press that they shouldn’t expect to keep teams’ offenses completely down anymore. He drastically changed his tune on the weekly Monday call, which they actually held this Monday (Labor…
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The Road Game Blues
Wisconsin Looms; Can M Buck the trend? Wolverines Struggle in first road game each season SALINE, MICHIGAN SEPT 21, 2005 Five seasons in a row Michigan football has headed into its first game on the road undefeated with sights on another national title. 5 straight times the Wolverines have stumbled. That said, heading into the Wisconsin game, Michigan has two positive trends on its side: M has won 6 straight against the Badgers (Lloyd Carr has never lost to Barry Alvarez) and get this: the Wolverines have not lost a Big Ten opener since 1981. Unfortunately, that loss was to the Badgers. Taking it back to 1998, Michigan has actually dropped 6 of 7 road openers. Here the summary: Year Opponent Result 1998 @ Notre Dame Loss – 36-20 1999 @ Syracuse Win – 18-13 2000 @ UCLA Loss – 23-20 2001 @ Washington Loss – 23-18 2002 @ Notre Dame Loss – 25-23 2003 @ Oregon Loss – 31-27 2004 @ Notre Dame Loss – 28-20 There’s no positive spin. This is a team that has and should have national title aspirations and basically they’ve been derailed right off the bat in all of these seasons. If there’s a good side it’s that Michigan has rebounded in these years, winning Big Ten Titles in four of these seasons. The…
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Letter to Mitch Albom: Willingham Dismissal was Just
Rambo fires back at Mitch By Mike Kennedy DETROIT, MICHIGAN DECEMBER 9, 2004 [Editor’s note: This is a letter to Detroit Press sports writer and author Mitch Albom in response to Albom’s December 1, 2004 column criticizing Notre Dame for firing coach Tyrone Willingham. You can read Albom’s column Here] Mitch, I read with great interest your column in the Free Press with regard to the Tyrone Willingham firing. While I commend you for not playing the obligatory race card like most other pundits, I must take issue with the general premise of your article. You call the move coldhearted, but if you have followed the Notre Dame Football program closely during this tenure, you would notice some glaring problems that resulted in Notre Dame’s program slipping to mediocrity, with no tangible evidence of recovering. Sub-par recruiting efforts, horrible overall technique exhibited by the players, lack of player development, a general lack of game preparedness, and non-existent game day adjustments are but a few of the problems that have led to the regression of this program and the subsequent firing. Further, a multimillion dollar buyout is hardly the coldhearted equivalent of Joe Six Pack getting a pink slip from the mill. If the acceptance of mediocrity at a program as storied as Notre Dame is your idea of normal, then…
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Irish Expose Michigan in 2004
Notre Dame shows Michigan where it hurts SOUTH BEND, INDIANA SEPTEMBER 12, 2004 I arrived home late Saturday night, threw down my bags and dug into my pockets where I found the crumpled ticket stub. I looked at it a moment then tossed it into the trash. Another great trip to South Bend that goes unfulfilled, another Michigan loss with a team that looks as though is has more talent than the Irish but doesn’t get it done. Hmm. Even Timmy Adams (left, with throwback jersey) could help us out. So what did Michigan do well on Saturday? Tackling: I can’t recall a game where we tackled better. The Wolverines made several open field tackles on defense and on special teams. Overall I thought the defense played well – good enough to win. ND started several possessions in Michigan territory in the second half. Rivas: The Michigan place kicker got it done. What more can you ask of this guy? – he nailed 4 field goals in the game off the grass. Henne: While he didn’t do enough to move the ball, the guy showed he’s a warrior and will stand in there when it is tough. They are doing things they couldn’t do with John Navarre, things such as rolling out and throwing on the run. I think that…
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Victors Manhandle Irish 38-0 in 2003
Notre Dame crushed in every facet of the game by inspired Wolverines ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN SEPTEMBER 14, 2003 Somewhere in the middle of the third quarter I heard a faint jingle. A group of young Notre Dame students sat adjacent to us in Section 22, and two of them were pathetically shaking their car keys in the air. The kids were trying to symbolically indicate that the next snap would be a “key play” for ND. This was a pitiful sight as the Fighting Irish faced yet another third down and long somewhere in their own side of the field. The key jingling was not an accurate reflection of the significance of this down, but a desperate pipe dream that this play would somehow defy the brutal reality of the beating that their beloved Irish were taking. As was the case all day, the Wolverine defense immediately snuffed the play and the students’ key-waving was replaced by head-shaking and disbelief. The 38-0 pounding continued from kickoff until the final seconds rolled off the clock. Chris Perry talked before the season of leaving a legacy at Michigan. No matter how this season shakes out, this game will be remembered for decades to come. That’s what this rivalry does: each game is a chapter in the storied history of this match…
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Houston Cougars Humbled by Michigan, Irish Next
Navarre struggles. TA coming to town on Saturday. ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN SEPTEMBER 7, 2003 Oh yes, it was sweet being back at Michigan Stadium after missing Game #1 at the DALMAC. Jess and I arrived in our seats about 20 minutes before the start, just in time to see the band and the team come out. The weather was perfect: literally no clouds and a mild mid-70s. As for the game, it is tough to give any good takes due to the quality of the opponent, but I will say that Houston crushed a team (Rice) the week before, and many good/great teams (e.g., Ohio State, Purdue) struggled or lost against so-called patsies. The Michigan Wolverine defense looked much improved, which probably had something to do with the return of Shazor and Jackson. They both played great. The Houston offense really couldn’t do anything; only mustering a field goal after converting a 4th down. The holes created by the M offense were as big as I can remember. The M fullback, Dudley, had some great blocks for Perry and Underwood and the rest of the runners. “Duds” was the player of the game of WJR. John Navarre looked average. I felt the receivers could have made a few more catches, but Navarre wasn’t putting the ball in a good place.…
