Izzo with, if my instincts are keen, Sgt.Lt. Krumm, former Spartan football player (photo: Detroit News) Via UM Tailgate, mad props to Tom Izzo from Lloyd Carr, straight from Pete Thamel of the New York Times: DETROIT — At the end of a telephone conversation about the Fab Five and cheating in college sports, the former Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr added one request. “If you see Izzo, tell him I’ll be cheering him,” Carr said of Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo. “He and Jud Heathcote, those are two of the best guys in the game.” It’s not clear where UM Tailgate sits on this based on the title of the post (“Noooooooooooooooo. No. No. No. No. No.”) Me?  My title UMT-style title would be “I’m fine with this but it’d be more funnn if Carr ripped Izzzzoooo!” This is probably a real kick in the pants to many of the Michigan faithful (see Rick Leach) who feel Carr should vocalize his support for Rich Rodriguez, that is, if he supports Rich Rodriguez. RELATED: As he notes Thamel’s reason for the call to Carr was to discuss the Fab Five and NCAA indiscretions.  He takes a look back at the Fab Five in the Quad Blog: But as the years passed, the grand jury testimony was heard and the N.C.A.A.…

Fab 5’er Jimmy King talked about the upcoming celebration (it’s no longer being billed as a Fab Five reunion).   Per King, they shifted the focus of the event to open it up to all fans and one set of fans in particular:  Spartans.    He noted that Ray Jackson will not be there so safe to assume you’ll have Juwan, Jalen and Webber joining King at the event. The partial reunion will be held at the Elysium Lounge in Detroit on Saturday, April 4.  The doors open at 9:00 PM and parking is available.   It’s not clear if there’s a ticket charge, or a cover, or whatever.   I’m guessing it’ll be $20 at the door or something like that. Also you’ll see Desmond Howard, Mateen Cleaves, Braylon Edwards, Mo Peterson, is working on getting the “big dog” there–Magic Johnson. [display_podcast] . King also talked about Kevin Kelvin Grady’s departure, and Michigan State’s chances in the Final Four.

Update: Anthony Thomas – RB, 1997-2000 – in Via MSC and Rich Rod’s Facebook fan page, the rosters for the flag football battle between distinguished Michigan alums is filling out.   The game will be held prior to the April 11 final spring practice at Michigan stadium and will surely be a hoot.  A few of the names released: Rick Leach – QB, 1975-78 (audio, if you need it) Bill Dufek – OT, 1974-78 Jim Betts – S, 1968-1970 Michael Taylor – QB, 1987-89 Kenny Jackson – DB, 1996-98 Scott Dreisbach – QB, 1995-98 Mike Leoni – OL, 1978-79 Chris Bohn – LB, 1988-1990 Chris Calloway – WR, 1986-89 Jay Riemersma – TE, 1992-95 Andy Mignery – TE, 2001-03 (and his good friend Lucas) Jason Carr – QB, 1993-95 Todd Richards – WR, 1993-95 Aaron Richards – WR, 2000 Larry Foote – LB, 1998-2001 (audio, if you need it) Mark Bihl – C, 2003-06 Ron Bellamy – WR, 1999-2002 Thomas Wilcher – RB, 1985-86 Aaron Shea – TE, 1996-99 Ali Haji-Sheikh – PK, 1979-82 (Sweet!  FGs were actually worth 5 pts back then) Brandent Englemon – S, 2004-07 Guest Referee: James Hall – DE 1996-99 Per the Facebook page “Former Players Flag Football Game: Prior to the final practice, former Michigan football greats will participate in a flag football game. Gary…

Last night local author, radio host and now, award-winning U-M professor John U. Bacon received the 19th annual Golden Apple Award and delivered his version of a ‘last lecture’.   I stopped by to check it out and it was outstanding. They actually started giving this award when I was on campus, the first going to must-have pysch professor Drew Westen. I’d offer up some bullets to prove I was there but that might cheapen Bacon’s message.  Instead, I’ll offer a slacker’s guide to the lecture takeaways: don’t play hockey for coach Bacon turn in your papers on time in Bacon’s class bring your hat size with you to Montreal don’t go in Bo’s office. Look for the video of the lecture on YouTube soon, or check out the piece in the Michigan Daily today which includes video the speech in two parts: Related: Varsity Blue was there as well, recap.  (Who was manning the blogosphere during this time?)

Per the hustling Mark Snyder of the Freep, the Fab 5 reunion that was scheduled to be at the Motor City Casino before being canceled this week, is back on, with a change of venue (via BiggieMunn).  The deets: The "Celebration of Michigan Sports" event, hosted by members of the Fab Five, will now take place Saturday at Detroit’s Elysium Lounge, organizer and former Michigan basketball player Jimmy King said today. Elsewhere:  Check out Snyder’s piece on the Michigan coaches’ scouting report on UConn.  I wonder if Beilein and Izzo actually spoke about this.

Sam Webb announced this morning on WTKA 1050AM that they will be expanding their Michigan spring football coverage by broadcasting live from the last spring practice, live next Thursday April 9 from 3-6pm. Interviews will include Rich Rodriguez before practice, Mike Barwis, and other guests that are “yet to be confirmed”.

Much hubbub is being made of incoming quarterback Denard Robinson’s 100 meter dash time, a 10.44 according to the reports (HT: mgoblog).  Always nice to see these metrics but of course track stars unleashed on the gridiron haven’t exactly set the football world ablaze.    The current world record in the 100m belongs to Usain Bolt, the 9.69 he ran this summer in Beijing.  Robinson’s time would have been the world’s best back in the early 1920s, when the record was held by US runner Charlie Paddock.  The 10.4 time bested fellow US athlete Jackson Scholz who put up a 10.6 in 1920.   If those names sound familiar, Paddock and Scholz were two of the high profile American athletes featured at the 1924 Paris Olympics in the 1981 epic Chariots of Fire, probably the best movie ever made. Fans of the movie may be interested to know that the lead character, English sprinter Harold Abrahams, took the gold in the 100m in Paris with a time of 10.6.  Here’s the clip of the race from the movie.  The Prince of Wales is the gent talking to the runners at the beginning, note the wager he makes with our man Paddock.  (We lost).   If you’re wondering why the old man punches a hole in his hat, you should rent the movie.

The athletic department put up a tightly produced piece promoting the April 11th Spring Game.   If you’re at work and the folks around you like the banging of pots, pans, and garbage can lids, crank up your volume: One note: At 0:53 in, is that a photo of Kevin Grady right before he fumbled inside the five against Notre Dame?