Update: It’s going to be 8/17, more info here. At the 2008 Michigan spring game, Rich Rodriguez was asked by an M blogger whether there’d be an opportunity to meet the players this year a la’ the Fan Day events during the past few seasons. Coach Rod said there would be something in August, in conjunction with the team picture day. He also mentioned the possibility of something else during the summer but that ain’t going to happen. Here’s the short audio clip from the spring game presser: [display_podcast] There hasn’t been an announcement yet but that’s not unusual. Scrolling through the press releases from last year it looks like the Fan Day was announced a couple weeks before it was held on August 25, 2007. I lobbed a call in media relations and asked about if this was going to happen. In Fort Schembechler form, the short answer I received was ‘maybe, no announcement yet’. I asked about where it would be held if it were a go, again, really nothing except for they’d have to see what facilities are available. My sense is that this is a go (it’d be foolish not to, especially after closing the spring game), it’s just a matter of making it official. Update: After posting this I got a note from Bruce Madej…
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Phil Steele on 97.1, Webb talks Newsome rumors (audio)
The audio of college football guru Phil Steele on Valenti and Foster. A lot of stuff you already know but a couple items of note: * Projects Michigan in the Alamo Bowl vs. Nebraska. * Sees Utah as a major test [agreed] and Steele picks the Utes to take the Mountain West conference. * Says Michigan is currently a 3 point favorite over Notre Dame in Vegas, but thinks the Irish will be better than folks think. [display_podcast] Elsewhere: Each morning at 7:40am Sam Webb provides his recruiting round-up and started off again with Kevin Newsome. Click here for the clip. Webb is holding firm that there’s no info that leads him to think Newsome isn’t sticking to his commitment. Webb spoke to his parents as recently as yesterday. Newsome’s brother did attended the Va Tech summer camp and Webb advised that coach Frank Beamer did ask his brother about Kevin. [Sidenote: Someone needs to tell Webb what the phrase ‘in lieu of’ means – he says it all the time as if it equates to ‘in light of’]. Sklars do Jungle: Don’t miss Michigan grads the Sklar Brothers on Jim Rome’s radio show Friday 7/18. Here’s a clip from last time where they interviewed Coach Rodriguez.
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Back of the Line
mgoblog announced the adds/drops to the BlogPoll including a note: NOTE: With the departure of three Michigan blogs I can now lower the cap on voters per team to four, and have done so. Bollocks.
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Las Vegas sets Michigan’s Over/Under
ESPN radio’s Colin Cowherd revealed today that the Vegas Sports Consultants released their lines for the projected win totals of every college football team. Thanks to a caller to Cowherd’s show we learned that Michigan is set at 8. I would have thought it’d be set a tad lower (was thinking somewhere between 6.5-7.5 before I heard it). Keep in mind this only covers the regular season (no bowls, no conference championships). Here’s the complete list of over/unders (scroll down past the odds of winning the national championship, M still 40-1 fyi). Here’s an audio clip with Ken White of the Vegas Sports Consultants where he talks about a few of teams including the Buckeyes: [display_podcast] Like Cowherd mentions in the clip, I also like to watch that Vegas poll. And I love that they are waiting for AP poll to drop before they release theirs. Expect Michigan somewhere in there given the 8 Over/Under and the recent odds released to win the national championship. I also love that White reveals that chumps like you and me tend to bet overs, therefore the lines are padded that way. Guest columnist Schlimmy slipped this along, the odds were also released to win the Big Ten championship, of note: Michigan 11-2, Ohio 2-3, Illinois 4-1, Wisconsin 3-1, Penn State 5-1, MSU 12-1.…
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Fritz Crisler didn’t sign all three of these
Great observation by MVictors guest columnist Lew. He suspected some funny business in comparing the signatures on the two letters I wrote on in the last eBay Watch. Lew’s comment: Great stuff, as usual, MVictors. I’m no handwriting expert, but what’s up with the “Fritz” signature on the Biggie Munn letter? Lew’s instincts are correct in that there’s something goofy, but after a little digging, I think he’s actually got it backward. In looking back on some older posts, it looks to me as if the Biggie Munn letter of recommendation signature was delivered by Crisler himself, it’s the signature on the letter congratulating Ohio State that ol’ Fritz left to his secretary! Here’s the evidence: The signature from the 1954 Football Bust has got to be authentic and while I’m also not a handwriting expert, it certainly shares many characteristics with the Munn letter of rec, and it’s nowhere in the neighborhood of the OSU letter. Also, how and/or why would someone falsify Crisler’s signature at a football bust? Case closed. You’ve got to chuckle a bit that Crisler didn’t bother to sign the OSU letter, although I’m sure it wasn’t meant as a slight to his colleague in Columbus.
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Celebrity Columnist Wanted
Those of you in the Ann Arbor area may recall that last season the News ran a regular pre-game piece where they asked Verne “Mini-Me” Troyer a few questions along with a prediction on the upcoming game. Needless to say “And Mini Me Makes Three” was unbelievably lame, but whatever, it was fun I guess. Well, with the release of the tiny M fan’s X-rated tape, it’s safe to say Troyer won’t be back next season. Thanks to my buddy Rosey who sent me this shot of Mini-me donning his favorite gear with his “co-star”, 22 year-old Ranae Shrider a waitress aspiring model/actress: Finding a replacement won’t be easy especially given where Mini set the bar last year. Rumored candidates include ‘the rock’ at the corner of Hill and Washtenaw and a Mr. Spots cheesesteak.
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eBay Watch: Righteous Docs
I mentioned last time that the memorabilia auction action has picked up a bit. There’s been so many one-of-a-kind items lately that I feel an obligation to get them out there. Here you go, apologies for the dump: 1. Bo and Woody’s Notes. An incredible item. The seller claims the following: In 1969, the University of Wisconsin requested that all Big 10 coaches send to them a sampling of plays and words of wisdom that they kept in the athletic department for 35 years. They auctioned off all of it a few years ago and I was given chance to pick up 2 of the items.. Here’s a look at what Bo submitted: his eleven thoughts on “Basic Offensive Thinking”: Woody Hayes diagrammed a few plays which are also included in the auction. Again, from the description: The Ohio State University coach Woody Hayes diagram of 4 plays a Trap, 14 pass, 14 sweep and 98 Jet Pass(all hand diagramed by Woody). He also has notes on here like “”QB Look deep as you come out” Funny thing is that he chose 2 passes which was 2 more than he would be willing to run. Here’s a link to the auction. It was bid up to just under $1,000 but did not meet the seller’s reserve. 2. Game Contract between…
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Brandstatter on Karsch show (audio)
Michigan radio color man Jim Brandstatter sits in with Doug Karsch on 97.1/1270 and hits on the $4M buy-out and Michael Rosenberg’s recent piece [mgoblog’s blow-by-blow analysis] that trashes Rodriguez. [display_podcast] UPDATE: Today’s editorial in the News ties the Rodriguez settlement to the athademics scandal: If anyone is under the illusion that Michigan football is part of the universe of public education, get over it. Sure enough, we’ll get over it. Will you?
