Finally a statement out of Justin Boren on his departure: “Michigan football was a family, built on mutual respect and support for each other from Coach Carr on down. We knew it took the entire family, a team effort, and we all worked together. I have great trouble accepting that those family values have eroded in just a few months. That same helmet, that I was raised on and proudly claimed for the last two years, now brings a completely different emotion to me, one that interferes with practicing and playing my best and mentally preparing for what is required. “That I am unable to perform under these circumstances at the level I expect of myself, and my teammates and Michigan fans deserve, is why I have made the decision to leave. To those of you outside the program, the loyal Michigan fans and alumni, I know you will have trouble understanding, but I do want to thank you for your years of support. I wish my teammates the best and will always be proud to have been a part of Michigan football over the past two years.”” When I first learned that he was leaving my reaction was simple: here’s a guy that was uneasy about Rodriguez, Barwis, etc., but wanted to see how Spring ball went. A lot…

Photo: Ann Arbor News For two days. The stadium crews stopped work in support of the Graduate Employee Organization Local 3350’s organized walkout. The GEO formed a picket line at the stadium and will be out there through Wednesday. The grad students’ demands include a 9 percent raise for first year contracts. It’s unconfirmed whether the GEO is seeking immunity from any sanctions coming down from the Ann Arbor News investigation and a free chipati each semester.

One segment of Jim Carty on WTKA with Sam Webb and Andy Evans this morning, talking about the athademic investigation, although I it is clear no one cares about this: [display_podcast] Meanwhile the Ann Arbor News is continuing its focus on the investigation, offering 2 editorials on Monday and another ‘Other Voices’ submission that is critical of the University: Editorial: Educating athletes: Will faculty take lead? Editorial: 2 key academic area need reform Other Voices: Denial is the biggest problem Is it denial or indifference?

Just posted YouTube via the great “WolverineHistorian”:

A great tip from fellow Michigan blog Michigan Football Saturdays. It’s noted there in a post today that Sports Illustrated has opened up its entire archive of magazines to the public, from cover to cover. It’s a nice little widget to flip through the pages. Definitely check it out: Here’s an example from the September 6, 1976 issue with the famous cover featuring a close-up of Ricky Leach, click the photo to see more. .

Check out some notes from John Heuser of the Ann Arbor News, as posted on MLive. The Michigan football spring “scrimmage” will be held, and we’ve got a date (April 12). We still don’t know where it would be held but word now is that it’ll be at a local high school. I got some scuttlebutt passed along that it would be at Ford Field despite the word that this is not an option. Someone had the balls to ask Rodriguez if the University of Toledo was an option, check out his answer. For now, looks like a local high school & I assume that means the one across Main Street.