As pointed out by a reader on this site, if you try to access the “official” Michigan store on mgoblue.com you are presented with a notice.   It seems the partnership with the dreaded Texas outfit that runs the former mgoblueshop is officially severed. This morning I confirmed with a source at the M-Den that they are indeed having talks with U-M about renewing their partnership.   This isn’t a shock as I’m not sure how many other firms can handle this and M-Den demonstrated in the past they could.   Hopefully this works out and this business is back in local hands. Another great move you can chalk up to the leadership of Dave Brandon.  He’s The Cleaner or The Wolf – problems come to his desk and then suddenly disappear.   More on this later. [Ed. 6/22 –  It’s official – M Den and Michigan renew their partnership.]

I received a few emails over the past few weeks worthy of a post, here you go: That "Official" Michigan fanshop ….MGOBLUESHOP is terrible. They have not had any new items or updates for weeks. If you try to call the 1 877 phone number you get a prerecorded message saying the company is closed for a company holiday. Today the 1 877 phone is out of service. The university sure made a bad decision in going with this company. Bring back the MDEN!! – Dan A: That’s what I hear.  Since I live in the area I do my shopping locally usually at the M-Den in the mall or Moe’s on campus.  Yes, MGOBLUESHOP is was the official site of U-M but note that the local shops do have an online presence including M Den, Moe Sports Shops, or even blog-friendly Underground Printing.   (Maybe they’ll even advertise on these pages some day soon, sheesh!) [Ed.  Thanks to the comment by Gina, yes, I see a release on mgoblue.com advising they are changing store partners – great news!] I am wondering what has become of the plaque that used to be next to the entrance to the press box.  It was of Bob Ufer, commemorating his 362 consecutive radio broadcasts.  Surely it will be back at the entrance to the…

Check out this auction of a wire photo featuring L.A. Ram Tom Harmon flashing a pose. And it’s just gotta be that pose, right?  Right? Let’s make it so.  Add it to the roll, with the legendary drop by Magic: And the Thanksgiving Day Thank-You-M’am by Chuck W.: The seller must have known he was on to something with the Harmon photo, asking a whopping $95 for it.  I don’t think it’ll fetch that but we’ll see – I’m thinking more in the $30-$40 range is the right price. Thanks again to Dan for passing it along.  If you’ve got a truly unique piece of Michigan memorabilia around the house or if you spot a cool auction, let me know.

I highlighted one phrase from Dorsey’s Q&A with TomVH at mgoblog on my post earlier this morning and meant to follow-up on that.  Here’s that post and here’s that phrase: DEMAR: …..I haven’t heard anything from the coaches yet. On first glance that could be taken as a bit troublesome.  I busted into Ira and Sam’s “Recruiting Roundup” on WTKA this morning to offer up Webb some well-deserved praise and then asked Sam about this comment.  Note that earlier in the broadcast Sam was touting a yet-to-be published interview with Scout.com and Dorsey.  Audio: [display_podcast] _ So if you don’t care to listen, Sam clarifies that Dorsey told Scout.com he did speak with the coaches but added that Dorsey says his parents have handled much of the talking (and perhaps that’s what he meant in the mgoblog interview).  And later this morning the GBW/Scout piece ($) came out and there’s this: [Ed. I don’t normally cut and paste paid content but I think this safe.  Sign up for GBW.] GoBlueWolverine:  Have you been in contact with the Wolverine coaching staff? Demar Dorsey:  “Yeah, they were down here checking on me. I talked to the coaches a couple times, but my parents talked to them most of the time.” Not surprisingly, word on the street is that Rodriguez is “furious”.   Via…

Well done by Tom VanHaaren of mgoblog and U Recruit, scoring a Q&A with man of the hour, Demar Dorsey.   The money question: TOM: So, where are you at with Michigan? DEMAR: Right now, I’m still signed under my letter of intent, so I can’t do anything yet until I hear back from them. They told me that they don’t think I can get in with admissions about two weeks ago, or a week ago, but they weren’t sure. They had been checking on my grades earlier in the year, and I was on top of it. When I got home one day, my parents said that they were sending back my letter of intent. They were sending me a release form. I’m not sure what that means, or if it means I’m officially not in. I think because I signed a letter of intent, if I wanted to open up my recruitment, I would have to send that back to them. If I can’t get in from the admissions, then I have to send that back. My mom said we need to do that, so we have to send it out tomorrow, and we’ll go from there. I have the ACT score, and I have the core, so we’re just waiting to hear what happens. I haven’t heard anything…