Fate, Cruelty and Our Share – Sights & Sounds | Michigan 29, Gophers 26

Given what happened two weeks ago you don’t have to feel for the Gophers – you have permission to leave the sympathy to everyone else.  But I feel for them.

They say coaches always remember the losses.  I think fans do too.  The wins feel great but the heartbreakers leave a scar.  It was pretty easy to pull together a list of the biggest gut punches in Michigan Lore in the aftermath of the State game.   But save for Wangler to Carter, I don’t think we have the same vivid memories of the countless times U-M has pulled a rabbit out of the hat or got a break/bounce/call at the end of games.

Off the top of my head: Driesbach to Hayes vs. Virginia in ‘95.  Bob Bergeron to beat Iowa in ‘83.  The conclusion of the 1998 Rose Bowl (that wasn’t exactly smooth sailing).  How about the 2013 Northwestern quick kick?   The Sugar Bowl.   The Cloaking device then Denard to Treezy at the end of UTL.  Forcier to Mathews.   Henne to Manningham.  BraylonFest.   Against the Gophers alone – the wild comeback in 2003, then Henne to Ecker in 2004.  And I was there but still forget that we won the 2000 Orange Bowl when Alabama yanked the freaking extra point in OT!   All told Michigan is 9-2 in overtime games.

We’ve had our share on both sides.  Cheers to Wilton Sheridan and another one on the good side.

Your Own Little Brown Jug.  Filed under: What took you so long?  Welcome new MVictors sponsor Rivalry Trophy.  Yes, you can own your own Little Brown Jug replica for sale in 3 epic sizes:

• Christmas Ornament
• Mini (about 1 foot tall).
• Full size replica, that is if you think you can handle it.

I have seen and touched their product and they did a nice job.  Their Paul Bunyan Trophy is awesome too, maybe I will get to see the one my Spartan brother keeps in his office someday, but that’s all I’m going to say about that.  Seriously if both your M Shrine (I know you have one) and your Christmas Tree don’t contain replica Jugs I don’t want to talk to you:

Sights and Sounds:

Nicks and Cuts.  ESPN showed a photo of that jug that appeared to show a lot of new damage, at least to the Minnesota side.  I looked back through the archives and most of that damage was there when we relinquished the trophy last season.  All is forgiven.

Bravo.  Tip of the hat to the Gopher fan who showed up as Summer Camp Coach Harbaugh.   Brilliant.

Straight A’s across the board:  1. The concept  2. The outfit  3. The rigorous diet plan that yielded that physique.  4. Layers of sunscreen to maintain the pasty white belly. 5. The gameday execution, including the front row seating.  Bravo!

The Mood.  Positive vibe by reserving a bit of the MSU sting by getting a win from what appeared to be a loss.  There are still big questions about the team’s ability to be great instead of just good.  Up to 84.

Uniform Timeline.  I think Jabrill’s stickers-inside-the-stripes invasion/violation/abomination is UT worthy.

One general note, during the BYE Opportunity Week I took the opportunity to refresh the timeline.  I reformatted the page itself to allow for larger images, and added specific sections for time periods:

2010 – current – Click here
2000-2009 – Click here
1990-1999 – Click here
1980-1989 – Click here
1970-1979 – Click here
1940-1969 – Click here
1867-1939 – Click here

Historical Notes:  Yes, this day marked 112 years since the game that spawned the Jug rivalry.   Via #1000SSS:

• With Saturday’s victory, U-M improves to 74-25-3 all-time against Minnesota, including a mark of 70-23-2 in the 95 games to date that have decided the winner of the Little Brown Jug.
• The U-M offense has converted on 28-of-29 red-zone chances this season. U-M has scored 21 touchdowns and seven field goals.
• Jourdan Lewis had one pass breakup to give him 17 on the season and 11 in Big Ten play. Lewis now trails the single-season all-time record by just one. Marlin Jackson (2002) and Leon Hall (2006) share that mark.

Elsewhere:

Seth at mgoblog:

Glasgow won the battle he’d won all game, the rest of Michigan’s goal line defense closed around him, and together they grasped the life out the old rival. For that they get to hold the Jug again.

While the Minnesotasphere will spend the next week replaying final scenarios (and the choice to play for a field goal at the end of the first half), Michigan fans will try to unpack all of the misfortunes and misplays that almost made the Little Brown Jug miss the flight home from its year abroad.

So much about Michigan has changed since then that it’s hard to remember this is still a team put together by Brady Hoke and held together by Harbaugh’s ingenuity. You can’t blame the old coach for everything, but Michigan’s recent history was all over this game.

Hoover Street:

The longer you watch college football, the more that you come to realize that even familiar tropes and scenarios can have surprise endings.  On Minnesota’s final drive, Michigan couldn’t get off the field on third and long in the shadow of the Gopher end zone, well, you start wondering what form the destroyer is to take, because God doesn’t forgive poor tackling or coverage too readily.  When the “go for broke” pass beats your coverage, you’re shocked when the replay review actually correctly showed the receiver down at the half yard line and the officials got it right.  When the Gophers wasted 90 percent off their remaining clock on the restart for reasons that were not immediately and readily apparent, “narrative” dictated that the team playing for their beloved, recently retired coach would still be rewarded for playing to win.  But narrative still must give way to physics, and the fundamental theorem of football physics says “low man wins.”  Michigan correctly presumed a QB sneak, sold out like Roger Daltrey hawking Heinz baked beans on it, and in doing so, brought the Little Brown Jug home for the next three years.

Maize and Blue Nation:

The bevy of almost interceptions was mind-boggling. Countless times Michigan’s secondary would be inches away from turning a heroic throw by Mitch Leidner into a horrible misjudgement. And every time Michigan would be just shy of sending the Gopher QB back to the sideline, that drive would ultimately end in Minnesota points.

Credit the Gophers for not giving up and just playing a like a team with nothing to lose. I’m positive the locker room was very emotional after that game as it was clear the entire program was playing for former coach Jerry Kill who’s still very much the heart and soul of this team.

Related Jug Stuff and more:

• Little Brown Jug Champions | Dr Sap’s Decals
• Never Cross the Stripes
• Getting it Wrong: Early (Incorrect) Stories about the Origins of the Little Brown Jug Rivalry
• Little Brown Jug History in < 4 Minutes | This Week In Michigan Football History
• The Different Paint Jobs on the Little Brown Jug
• The Letter Myth and Little Brown Jug Lore
• A Remembrance of Bill Daley
• Did the Original 1903 Jug Survive All These Years?
• Myths and Misconceptions of The Little Brown Jug