My shot at "Cool story, bro"
So my wife, eldest son and I hauled over from Chicago on Friday afternoon. We dropped MGoSon at Ashley's to meet some friends and drink their beer, then the missus and I wandered around town a bit checking out what has changed since our last visit: 2008's Wisconsin game.
A lot has changed and a lot hasn't changed, in a nice mixture from my perspective.
We checked Yelp for dinner ideas and wound up choosing the Chop House on Main -- whoa, price check on all the damn aisles -- those prices impressed me and we have dinner out in Chicago and burbs a lot. Bless their cotton-picking Maize and Blue hearts at the Chop House.
Anyway, we were seated at a table for two in the front window. We ordered, had a coupla glasses of red stuff, and were into our salads when a big honking limo pulled up outside and the right rear door opened. The first man trying to get out was struggling because his feet and legs were too big to pull out of the space and get out the door. Once he was out and standing, it occurred to me that the guy looked an awful lot like Bubba Paris...and the next guy looked a lot like Eddie Muransky. Another 4 or 5 huge guys exited the limo, but I didn't recognize them.
A few minutes later, another five really large guys came down Main from the south. I think one fellow was John Elliott -- among a bunch of big guys, he was clearly the biggest.
More and more of similarly sized fellows came in, most of whom I did not recognize, but a few I did included Drew Henson, John Wangler, Tony Leone, Ron Simpkins (I think), Stan Edwards (also a guess). One guy was the largest human being I have ever seen in my life, easy 6' 7'' and completely filled the double doors on the restaurant. With the number of my-era 70's guys there, I was looking for Mike Jolley, Butch Woolfolk, Billy Dufek, Rick Leach, Russell Davis, Andy Cannavino and some others, but didn't see/recognize them. One guy might have been Kirk Lewis and another Jeff Bednarik.
All these guys disappeared downstairs into the cigar room, followed by a flock of wait-persons.
A bit later, a little short dude with straight reddish hair in a grey sweatshirt and briefcase headed out -- John U. Bacon, apparently feeling underdressed with all the guys in blue blazers because he was back in about 20 minutes later with his blue sweater and khakis on.
A bit later still, another group in blue blazers came up. This crowd was different, though. There was an older square-jawed gent with his wife and a somewhat younger square-jawed gent with piercing eyes. Obviously, it was Jim Harbaugh and his folks heading in to join the crowd.
The Chop House emptied in moments, patrons leaving steaks and wine unchaperoned to go meet, ogle and take pictures with the Coach. Jim was extremely kind and outgoing with everyone who came up. He chatted and posed for pictures with diners out on the sidewalk for about 15 minutes before heading inside and downstairs. I left the table to go say hi and shake hands, and also chatted briefly with Jack Harbaugh. Jack had been on the staff back when I was in school and I knew him a little bit. He was gracious enough to pretend to remember, so I could tell my wife.
So, anyway, there must have been nearly 100 guys there down in the cigar room and going in and out. I wish I could have recognized more, but they and I are older now and much different than before.
My wife was thrilled -- she and I dated in college when a lot of those guys were there. She excused herself to powder her nose -- downstairs, of course -- and came back saying she had said hi to Jim and Wangler. Great news for a old, short, balding, bearded, low-on-the-roster baseball player with a pretty wife. She did come back, though.
So, great night all around. Lots of good guys enjoying each others' company and telling stories, having drinks and sharing cigar smoke.
Oh, yeah, one more thing -- Jim was talking to a guy whom I thought was Brandon Minor, a guy I always respected for giving so much in tough circumstances. Presumptive Minor said to Coach that it was an honor to meet one of the alltime greats. Coach's response was that he was honored to meet one of the greats himself.
I wish I had talked to Brandon.
Slightly jealous. Who cares how much the steak is at that point.
For real, cool story!
If Minor had played in this offense... wow. He ran violent the way Coach Harbaugh loves.
I was just thinking about Brandon Minor yesterday when analyzing the current talent on the Michigan roster. IMO, the cupboard is far more bare than it was in 07 when RR came in.
There are no Brandon Minor, Carlos Brown, Jr. Hemingway, Molk, Martin, RVB, Brandon Grahams etc. on this roster. Perhaps some of the guys could step up, certainly on the DL and defense there is a alot of potential....but offensively...the cupboard is extremely sparse, lacking skill and playmakers, as well as shockingly poor OL play.
Hopefully Harbaugh can turn that around...
what?
Double what?
Eat him, Wiener!
By at least one measure, the '08 team was the least talented of any in recent memory.
Look at the next five NFL drafts ('09 to '13) and tell me how many high (first three rounds) draft picks you see. (Sorry -- I know at least some people will complain about this measure.) I count Brandon Graham, Jonas Mouton, and Mike Martin over *five* years.
He just never got anything out of his players. Harbaugh has plenty of talent to work with.
You weren't thinking hard enough.
IMO, the cupboard is far more bare than it was in 07 when RR came in. (O)ffensively...the cupboard is extremely sparse, lacking skill and playmakers, as well as shockingly poor OL play.The most talented player on the 2008 offense was probably David Cone...as a rapper.
Cone was not even the starting QB. Do you remember 2008?
Scheme aside... let's compare offensive rosters.
2008 Steve Threet
2015 Shane Morris
Advantage Steve Threet. More Accurate passer.
2008 RBs - Minor, Brown, McGuffie, Cox (NY Giants), Grady
2015 RBs - Green, Smith,Injured Johnson, Isaac, etc.
Advantage 2008 group. Grady and Green are push, both 5 star busts. Issac is an unknown. Smith is a slower version of Brandon Minor. McGuffie is in the CFL. Cox in the NFL.
WRs 2008 had Clemons, Hemingway (NFL), Matthews, Odoms, Rogers, Roundtree and a sober Stonum
The 2015 group is not even close to that level of talent.
2008 TEs (poorly implmented in RRs scheme) Butler, Koger, Moore, Webb etc.
2015 TEs Butt is very good, Bunting etc. unproven.
Push
OL
2008 Molk, Omameh, Schilling (all NFL currently) etc.
2015 any NFL talent on that line? eh Cole probably, Glasgow maybe if he stays sober
RR wasted a decent roster with his scheme (albeit the one that he was hired to run). This was AFTER Arrington, Manningham and Mallet bolted.
2008 had more overall talent on offense than the current team does. This is simply a fact.
I played beer pong with Minor back in the undergrad days. A great, grounded guy.
This is infact a "cool story, bro"
cool story bro
Also, very cool story bro.
Love the story and the memories. I'm from the early 80s so really appreciate you sharing.
Go Blue!
You guys must have been having a lot of fun!
Anybody else have the same reaction that I did to a story involving all these great names under one roof?
"And then what happened?"
Maybe someone threw a Bucknut and a Sparty in there, never to be seen again. Human sacrifice. After I left.
Close, but not quite.
True story, my brother met Jimmy Johnson in Miami the night before the Super Bowl a few years ago and charmed him into giving him 2 tickets to the game. Of course, my brother was a fighter pilot and could sell a katsup popcicle to a guy wearing white gloves, but....
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Illuminati has the letter "m" in it.
Michigan begins with the letter "m".
The University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor.
The name Ann Arbor has 2 "A"s.
The name Ace Anbender also has 2 "A"s.
What shape is seen in the letter "A"?
That's right.
A triangle.
The Illuminati is a triangle.
What is the opposite of a triangle? A circle.
What letter is in the shape of a circle? The letter "o".
Ace Anbender works for Mgoblog. The name Mgoblog has two "o"s.
What else has two "o"s in it?
That's right.
Cook.
Brian Cook and Ace Anbender = Illuminati CONFIRMED
I wish more people appreciated your kind of humor.
Bo Nederlander, are you really a Nederlander? I was in JJ's dorm in boarding school if you're of the Pine Knob/Broadway/Fisher theater Nederlander's. Actually I was whether you're one of them or not :)
You're either an incredible genius or else you're just nucking futs.
Either way, it's stuff like this that makes me proud to be a Wolverine.
"What is the opposite of a triangle? A circle."
You almost had me.
That's actually where he reeled me in. I'm starting a cult named Knight if anyone is interested.
^^^ logged on just to upvote this
Also, for similar lulz, I've always loved this scene from Black Dynamite
This is my favorite non-Knowledge post on the forums in some time.
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"I wish I had talked to Brandon." Wait, Dave Brandon was there too? /s
Also the value of seeing all those guys -- absolutely priceless. Those are a lot of very, very good people.
(((((GO BLUE))))))
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With ohio, there will be another 10 year war I believe... but as far as sparty goes, I look forward to Michigan ending their brief, delusional, run of success and relegating them back to conference also-ran.
1M is MGoOldest son who was an MGoEnglishMajor.
1Ucla is second son who somehow became a Bruin.
I am just old.
Wife is still pretty.
picture of the story.
1M is MGoOldest son who was an MGoEnglishMajor.
1Ucla is second son who somehow became a Bruin.
I am just old.
Wife is still pretty.
That is a pretty great dog. He kinda makes up for the second son.