Did you catch the scene on ESPN of coach Beilein’s talk prior to the Connecticut game this evening? Nice speech and all, but was the real visitor’s locker room closed? Tell me they were at a nearby YMCA or something! Check it: I realize these are the lockers for the away team, but dude. The tiny lockers, the low bench seating, the portable white board and the topper: the Gatorade cooler for the drinks! Is there a creepy guy passing out washcloth-sized towels? Salami and Thorpe had nicer digs.

From the Ann Arbor Chronicle, writer Joel Goldberg interviews Marlena Studer, the woman behind the wine inspired by our departed coach Schembechler: Bo Merlot. I haven’t tried it but the price keeps dropping at the local store. As soon as it hits $12 I’m all over it. Check out the whole interview here. One criticism I’ve heard is that it wasn’t made from Michigan grapes, Studer explains: JG: As someone who runs a website about Michigan wine, I have to ask why Bo Merlot comes from California. MS: I researched getting Michigan wine for our Bo Merlot, but there’s limited juice available. I’m expecting we’ll bottle about 3,000 cases of Merlot this year and probably about 2,000 of the Sauvignon Blanc. Michigan couldn’t come close to that quantity and quality for us to sell at the price point we need to sell it. Down the line we might be able to bottle a Michigan wine, for a smaller production. This was also Cathy’s choice. Cathy and Bo loved California wine; they spent a lot of time going to vineyards in California, and Bo was all about the Rose Bowl; it was California! We expect that this year the wine will be bottled in Michigan. I’m in process of applying for a license; that makes it not only a project that’s…

I drove by old Yost Ice Arena today to see how the repair was coming along. Recall that the build-up of snow atop the old field house caused some damage the top of the wall, or parapet [MVictors photos] causing the Miami, OH game to be rescheduled. Here’s an update. Not a surprise to me as they are completely replacing the section that was discovered to be leaning forward. To date, it appears as though the crews have cleared the old brick and are ready to replace it. Here’s a little of the old before/after, first with the January damage and then what it looked like today: And some interesting rubble on the ground, providing some insight into the detailed brickwork of the 1920s: Go Blue tonight – beat Lake State!

HT: Michigan Sports Center Michigan announced that Delaware State will fill the October 17, 2009 slot on the schedule. They could have added Ann Arbor Pioneer and the home schedule would have still been a big one, with Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State all coming to town. My initial reaction would be the same as when I learned that Appalachian State was scheduled, and while it turned out was a disaster, you have to admit one of the most exciting games of the year despite the pain in your gut the whole time. I guess 3-9 teams don’t get to bitch about the strength of the opponents on the schedule. How about we get a few things done next year then worry about the quality of our flexible schedule. For more on the DSU Hornets, click here (hit mute on your PC if you want to avoid the produced audio). Here’s how the schedule looks:

Another signing day is upon us and you know where to go if you need your updates (not here). Like last year, Sam Webb is holding a live signing day extravaganza this afternoon on WTKA 1050AM. His first call in guest today was the #1 rated player out of Ohio Justin “J.T.” Turner. While Turner committed to Michigan last March, Webb asked him if any schools were making a push on him close to Signing Day. He mentioned Clemson was hounding him, and then dropped this little nugget—Florida’s Scot Loeffler (the popular quarterbacks’ coach for Lloyd Carr and of the Detroit Lions last season) and who just joined Urban Meyer and the Gators last month, apparently tried to woo Turner to Gainesville in the past three weeks. JT said that Michigan and “coach Gibby cut that out”, as in, squashed whatever shenanigans Loeffler was bringing. Here’s the clip where Turner talks about Clemson and Loeffler’s pursuit: [display_podcast] Come on Scoty, J.T.’s a Michigan man! Here’s the podcast of the full interview, and where you can hear the interviews with several more commitments. Elsewhere: Sean at MSC has been doing a great job as usual getting the updates out as soon as they happen. Sean’s take on the class: Michigan has actually had at least 30 different 2009 recruits commit to…

From WTKA this morning, former AA News columnist Jim Carty’s weekly call into Sam Webb and Andy Evans.  Discussing Jay Bilas’s comments on Manny Harris’s foul, ejection and on the Duke grad’s constant stream of criticism toward the Michigan program. On Bilas, Carty says: Bilas “should not be commenting on Michigan” “he lost all credibility with Michigan with he ripped John Beilein last year, and it’s all because of his relationship with Tommy Amaker” “he’s completely unobjective“ “the guy has no credibility in this, it’s a clear, clear violation of journalism ethics” Of course Carty is right on here, and I hadn’t considered the ethical aspect of this. We’re so used to hearing these guys spout off but certainly these guys consider themselves journalists, and there is a standard. Bilas needs to zip it.

Another exciting night up at old Yost as arguably the most anticipated athletic event of the 08-09 season took place ending with the number one ranked Irish edging the Wolverines 3-2. A few takes on the game from my vantage point: Rest assured the visitors’ locker room is on lock down, after adding new barricades, event staff and cops: While Michigan held a shot advantage after two periods there were very few legitimate scoring chances. Heading into the third Notre Dame led 3-0, including a nifty penalty shot goal by Thang.  It could have easily been a four or five goal deficit had Hogan and the defense not made a few nice stops late in the second. M got their groove thang back in the final period by converting two power plays with a pair of beautiful goals to get within one.   The final 90 seconds of the game was wild, with one puck traveling through the crease from one side of the rink to the another. With 1:20 and :30 left in the game, the Wolverines had two scrambles in the crease where the Irish goalie seemed to lose sight of the puck, the last one ended with the puck eventually in the net.  I believe they said the replay showed the play was blown dead before the…