Next up on eBay Watch, someone’s listing what they claim is the winged helmet and facemask belonging to former Michigan hockey goalie Billy Sauer: The seller says this mask was worn in the 2007 NCAA playoffs and Frozen Four, per the description: Game worn Billy Sauer University of Michigan helmet worn during the 2007 season including the NCAA Playoffs and Frozen Four. Itech mask with gorgeous Michigan paint job by Gilders(see all attached pictures). Helmet shows good usage with puck/stick marks on the top of the helmet and as well as on the chin area. Tough to argue on the authenticity here, and the seller points out a chip on the chin that appears to be on a photo of Sauer: According to a quick Googlestalk, Sauer is currently playing with the ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Looks like he’s struggled a bit early on but he did get his first professional win last week on Wednesday. Great to hear. The seller didn’t explain how he came to own the mask or why it was put on the block. It doesn’t appear to be tied to a University charity or fundraiser. The auction closed tonight, and no one bit on the $1,599.00 asking price, which seems way steep. Other cool stuff: A pin from the 1927 Illinois game at Champaign. Starting at…
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How they Voted: AP College Football Poll 11/08
This week’s look at the AP college football poll vote. After reviewing each of the voters’ rankings here’s a few things that stuck out: Top Slots: For the third straight week, every voter has either Florida, Texas or USC in their top 3. The exception once again Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News. He had USC in Week 9 (who then lost the following week), then he put Oregon in USC’s slot at #2 in Week 10 (who of course lost yesterday). He now has Cincinnati at #2 and put Florida at #4. Milner gets the hate mail award this week, no doubt getting some from Gator fans. Overslept: Last week ESPN/ABC’s Kirk Herbstreit didn’t get his ballot in due to some logistical issues. This week Alex Abrams, a writer from Arkansas, failed to get his ballot in. [Ed 11/08 9PM – I found this tweet from Abrams – “Also, Pollspeak tweeted that by AP Top 25 ballot was missing today. But because of recent change, Robbie Neiswanger has taken over my vote.” I’ll include Neiswanger next week.] Top 10/Region – Here’s the national vote, spliced by the region of the voters (Central is effectively Big 12 country, mostly dudes from Texas): Big Ten by Region –Here’s how the Big Ten (and Notre Dame) was rated, by…
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Official Official Statements after the game
The U-M Media Relations department circulated this after the game. I’m not publishing it because I have some beef with the calls or think they had a major impact on the game. I haven’t seen the replay of the lateral yet but assume they made the correct call, and it looked like Michigan got a huge break on the fumbled punt that was negated by the bad interference call. I’m not sure who’s asking the questions– Following are the quotes from Todd Geerlings, the Referee from today’s Michigan-Purdue Game. What was the interpretation on the fourth down review with the forward lateral? What was it that the replay official saw? TODD GEERLINGS: “The replay official saw that the ball, when it left his hand to the point where it touched the receiver’s hand, was clearly forward from the 13 to the 12 yard line. That’s why we had an illegal forward pass from the spot of that pass.” Who called for the review? GEERLINGS: “The booth called for the review and I announced that on the field prior to. The coaches on the field were trying to but Purdue did not have a challenge left so they couldn’t have. They were trying to but just as I got the buzz on the pager, I just turned to Purdue and said…
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Full Rodriguez Press Conference (audio Purdue)
Took 9 photos – this one was the most flattering Here’s the complete audio from Rich Rodriguez following the Purdue game. I’ll add some notes and more in a bit: [display_podcast] – And it got a little chippy about midway through the presser. Apparently when Rodriguez and Purdue coach Danny Hope met to shake hands, the Boiler coach brought LG Zach Reckman along with him to meet RR. Why? Reckman was suspended by the Big Ten the week after the Jonas Mouton suspension and Hope blames Rodriguez for the whole thing. Hope wanted to put it in his face, officially dropping a match on the snake oil feud which had seemingly died. Reckman missed the Notre Dame the following week. Here’s Rodriguez explaining the encounter after the game, not happy and I can’t blame him. Needless exhibition of childlike behavior on Hope’s part after their great win: For the record, I thought Rodriguez pushed the Mouton-Big Ten thing waaay to far, but that doesn’t excuse Hope’s postgame stunt. Other shots: Minor giving a local reporter the stink eye during the post-game, flashing a dizzying array of tats: Forcier, signing after the game, knee iced:
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Purdue Pregame: Tate and the Giant Drum
For a November day in Michigan, it can’t get any better. Heading toward mid-60s, you can get away a light jacket and a golf shirt today. Mesko warming up: I blasted a Tweet before the game to this effect, but I caught Tate trotting off the field toward the lockers before the initial stretching, etc. The Purdue band was rolling that giant drum down the tunnel and Tate decided to tried to squeeze by. He made it (barely), but Tate – BAD READ!
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What’s the Frequency? 104.3 WOMC, 10am Saturday
Yo! I’ll be on joining “The Michigan Football Network Tailgate Show With Lucy Ann Lance, Dean Erskine, and Doug Karsch” at 10AM EST on Saturday for a segment or two. For those in Ann Arbor, tune yourselves to 104.3 WOMC or those out of town listen live here. They broadcast in that yellow tent just off Stadium Blvd outside Crisler so come by to check it out. I’ll be signing jugs afterward. Replica Little Brown Jugs, that is.
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This Flag is Signed, Sealed but not yet Delivered
According to my deep cover, bunkered moles at the athletic department, this sweet item has been relisted on the auction to support the Pat Maloy Scholarship. A frame and signed ‘M’ flag containing the signatures of an amazing array of Michigan football greats. From the auction description: You will never find a greater piece of Michigan football memorabilia anywhere. This is a two foot tall by three foot wide Michigan flag autographed by 46 of the greatest players to ever don the Maize & Blue in Michigan Stadium. The flag is professionally matted and framed with UV protectant plexiglass. The flag is autographed by all of the following former Michigan stars: Charles Woodson. Jake Long, Ron Kramer, Anthony Carter, Jim Harbaugh, Anthony “A-Train” Thomas, Larry Foote, Victor Hobson, Elvis Grbac, Will Johnson, Morgan Trent, Tim Jamison, Aaron Shea, Rick Leach, Don Dufek Sr., Don Dufek Jr., Ali Haji Shiekh, Bill Dufek, Harlan Huckleby, Stan Edwards, Steve Morrison, Adam Kraus, Derek Walker, Chris Floyd, Clint Copenhaver, Ron Simpkins, Glen Steele, Mark Messner, Jamie Morris, Bob Chappuis, Greg McMurtry, John Wangler, Marcus Ray. Billy Taylor, Reggie McKenzie, Buster Stanley, Jim Brandstatter, Scott Dreisbach, Mark Campbell, Rondell Biggs, Carl Diggs, James Hall, Doug Skene, Ron Bellamy, Andre Weathers and Eric Mayes. Bid high and often and good luck. Item is hanging in Moe…
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Unsolved Questions | Little Brown Jug Lore
I started this project with a list of questions about the jug and the answers I found formed most of the posts in this series. Here are a few questions that remain unsolved: 1. What happened to the cap and ribbons that used to be atop the jug? In older photos of the jug there clearly is a more pronounced cap, which apparently held in place some decorative ribbons: They are missing from the real trophy today (but you can see them on the replica in Schembechler Hall). I asked Jon Falk about this. He told me he remembered there being a cap on the jug but doesn’t recall what happened to it or when it disappeared. I took a variety of photos of the jug and from the looks of it, someone ripped the top off but we just don’t know when. Note the inner circle of the jug, which looks to be torn (maybe Leach did it): 2. Where did the Jug’s carrying case come from? It was a surprise to learn that the jug has a customized carrying case. It’s basically a chest with a padded, velvety interior. Jon Falk showed it to me and here’s a compilation of it from different angles: What I haven’t figured out is who had this built, and when it came…
