I’ll post a few here, my favorite first: The legend Mark Messner no doubt recalling his epic battles with Tony Mandarich, here with his two sons before the game: 1964 team captain Jim Conley says ‘Hail!’ Off topic, it was an incredible day there for tailgating. Here two wild and crazy guys lost their football in the 18th hole pond and took an unprecedented means to retrieve it: The Screaming Eagle dropped in pregame:
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Bowling Green Postgame: Still Feeling Alright
The favorites off my camera from the post game: Gardner feelin’ alright: Thumbs up from Shaw, who’s doesn’t dole out the thumbs up for anyone in my experience: Tate and Denard reflecting briefly on the big day: "How much of this stuff do he think we can stand? So much rhythm, grace and debonair from one man?" (What, no ascot???): Denard chilling as the clock winded down: QB Force got a huge cheer from the crowd when he came in. I asked him about after the game; he definitely heard it and appreciated it: Not too bad? Elsewhere: Nice shots from Brad at Maize and Blue Nation. Lon from AnnArbor.com got the shot of Denard leaping to check Gardner after the game. Dell’s shots from UMGoBlue
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Denard’s Golden Pants
A pretty good shot of the game-winning touchdown Saturday from mgoblue.com. They also have a few thoughts from Denard on the play along with commentary from the photographer Eric Bronson: But upon closer inspection….damn our new athletic director is pretty slick. BRANDON!!! <shakes fist toward direction of State Street>: P.S. Speaking of shots of Denard, if you were hoping he’d grace the cover of Sports Illustrated this week, or perhaps a corner like Tate Forcier did last year after Notre Dame, no go. But there will be a Michigan Man on the cover.
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Historical Context of Denard Robinson, 2010 Notre Dame Game
Given that John Kryk, author of the definitive history of the Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry Natural Enemies, is a mere email away, I had to get his thoughts and observations on the game. This marked the 19th time Kryk has watched the game in person and that’s exactly half of the 38 games played all-time between two schools. A few thoughts from Mr. Kryk: The only Michigan players I’ve seen that are so potentially and routinely electrifying [as Denard] are Anthony Carter and Desmond Howard (in that order). This is no fluke. The drive to open the second half vs UConn was mostly Denard completing 3rd-down after 3rd-down pass, not Denard running for first downs. And the winning drive Saturday was almost all on Denard’s arm, not his legs. He’s a quarterback, not a deluxe running back who keeps defenses honest with his throw. In fact, he tears ’em up with his throws. This game reminds me what Lloyd Carr once told me about the greatness of this series — that neither team will ever play its greatest game of the year, because it’s too early in the year, but because both teams play so hard in this game, and it’s early, you get more killer mistakes. Thus more momentum swings, thus more exciting games. It was the seventh time in…
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Irish Bullets – Sights & Sounds | Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24 (2010)
A few takes across the board from the trip to South Bend. First off, most ND fans are very courteous and to me, it’s just a pleasure to go down there for games in this rivalry. I love the trip and it’s a big reason I’m firmly behind continuing the contract with the Irish. One thing that does suck about the trip is the Turnpike. It’s not so much the concern of paying the tolls—it’s getting through the tollgates. On the return trip the wait to get onto I-69 north was like 20 minutes+ at 10 PM. Going from the press box (with laptop, phone, TV and Fan Vision nearby) to sitting in Notre Dame stadium was quite a shock. My cell phone didn’t get any reception (then died trying) and with a scoreboard that basically shows time and score. I had no idea what happened to Crist and then rumors started to circulate around the crowd that he was poked in the eye. Someone even joked he should wear an eye patch. Above is a shot when the sun came out at the end of the game—I think there were about five minutes left when the clouds broke. I haven’t seen the telecast yet but I hear they got really sappy with their description of the scene. It was…
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Laced
My perspective of the Denard Robinson show yesterday at Notre Dame Stadium. (Yes, Denard wears both a home jersey and a leather helmet in my mind’s eye).
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Who Voted for Michigan – AP poll Sept 7, 2010
A quick rundown of who voted for Michigan in this week’s AP poll which of course doesn’t really count toward anything but people like to talk about it: I don’t know if Michigan is worthy of any of this, but I give these guys credit. They did what most pollsters fail to do—they apparently crumpled up their preseason ballot and voted based on what they’ve watched on the field, how novel. Here’s the guys who jumped Michigan into the top 20: Doug Lesmerises – Cleveland Plain Dealer (Newspaper) <—wow. This OSU/Michigan love lingers in the aftermath of the moving-The-Game near debacle. Jon Sololmon – The Birmingham News (Newspaper) <—In Birmingham they love the Shoelace. Brett McMurphy – AOL FanHouse (On-line) <—Brian Cook’s old haunt. And props to U-M grad Niyo. I owe him an Underground Printing O’Sullivan’s Mug Club shirt next time I see him.
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I Think it was the Fourth of July
What a day at the Big House yesterday but it’d be a much different feeling and memory had the team fell flat. Off the Field: Artwork: I love that they honored the national championship teams with these larger-than-life displays. I didn’t get a chance to get over to the east concourse but plan to before the next game. This from the west concourse, very nicely done: Commemoratives. The renovation pin is a nice item for fans and the game program is off the hook. Some of the history features were very well prepared expect one—the section on the Little Brown Jug. Page 27, bottom right: Dating back to 1909, the battle for the Little Brown Jug is the oldest trophy game in NCAA Division I Football Subdivision. OK. That’s ok to say “1909” if they meant to say when the teams started playing for the trophy. That’s correct of course. But it continued: Heading into that 1909 contest, Michigan was undefeated in 28 straight games as it headed to Minneapolis.. Ugh. They were describing when the jug was bought and left behind in Minnesota and that was 1903 of course, in the midst of Yost’s point-a-minute teams. In 1909 Michigan rolled into Minneapolis on the heels of a furious “one” game winning streak, albeit an all-timer—the great victory over Penn…
