AlbanyBlue

December 8th, 2020 at 1:38 PM ^

Eh, I mean, if it was just injuries, you would go ahead and play OSU and take the whuppin'. But with COVID positives increasing, avoiding game action is fine. 

Of course, the Herbstreit gang will push the narrative that Michigan is ducking the game, but if people believe it, they're morons. Say what you want about Warde and Harbaugh, but they seem too straight-arrow to pull a fast one. If they tried, it would come out anyway.

 

Joined: 09/11/2010

MGoPoints: 22327

Kilgore Trout

December 8th, 2020 at 1:40 PM ^

It's interesting that the number of positives really took off now. Understandably it only takes one contagious person at the wrong place and time to set it off, but I would have to wonder if people started to let their guard down a bit as the season went off the rails. Most likely an unavoidable thing with all the virus in the community, but sucks either way. 

Joined: 02/20/2009

MGoPoints: 13206

Kilgore Trout

December 8th, 2020 at 1:50 PM ^

That isn't remotely what I was implying. My apologies if it came off that way. It takes a LOT of work and meticulous attention to detail to keep 100+ people virus free these days, especially when they are participating in a contact sport. My suggestion was that it is easier to let some of that slip when the season and everything around it is going so poorly. 

Joined: 02/20/2009

MGoPoints: 13206

mpbear14

December 8th, 2020 at 1:48 PM ^

From a health perspective, this is for the best and I wish all the kids and staff a speedy recovery.

Jim Harbaugh deserves to experience this ass whooping though.  That part of this ordeal is unfortunate. 

Joined: 09/09/2009

MGoPoints: 3495

Geubux

December 8th, 2020 at 2:54 PM ^

It's hard to say the way BIG 10 refs put the ball.  I've seen them move the ball up to two yards...either way.

On that play, I'd have accepted either way they marked it.  In a big game, you can't expect an inch to make the final determination.  Hell, the line judge's foot is 4 inches wide....do you mark it in the middle, the left arch, the right arch?

Joined: 11/03/2020

MGoPoints: 995

Geubux

December 8th, 2020 at 9:54 PM ^

There were a ton of missed and BS calls that day....honestly, I thought that was your year.  And once you had the lead, the mistakes started.  One thing about Jimmy; dude has no sideline presence.  He gets so caught up, he forgets he's the coach.  He worried so much about the spot, he forgot to call a defense to stop the 15 yard TD run.....I mean, I'm thankful and all, but you guys need better....

Joined: 11/03/2020

MGoPoints: 995

Perkis-Size Me

December 8th, 2020 at 1:49 PM ^

(Not so) hot take: from a fan's perspective, this is the best thing for this program right now. Obviously the players and coaches will be disappointed, and I'll never fault them for that. But in my opinion, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, to be gained from sending that team out there and having them get dismantled 73-0 on national television. Because that's what would've happened. There was no hope of an upset. None whatsoever. OSU was going to head out and make a point to humiliate this team and run up the score. Not that I blame them for that. I know that's what I would've wanted if the shoe was on the other foot. 

Look, if the team was healthy enough to play, I'd say let them play. Its their team. Not mine, and their desire to play the game means far more than my desire to not watch them get their ass kicked. But I'm not going to shy away from stating that cancellation may end up being the best outcome in these particular set of circumstances. I truly believe that this Saturday would've ended up being the worst loss in the history of the rivalry, and would've set the program back at least five years. 

Now can someone please go crown IU the B1G East Champion and let them go play for a conference title? 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 106194

Blastardz

December 8th, 2020 at 2:06 PM ^

I've been saying this same thing all over, everywhere.  This would be the worst loss in UoM football history, not just the rivalry.  We'd suffer injuries and all sorts of other unfortunate events.  This would kill our team for the next season as the negativity surrounding our program would be insurmountable, and devastatingly toxic internally.  The damage would plague our teams for many years to come.  The damage and stigma would follow this program forever.  I say leave this one alone and move along.

Joined: 09/15/2018

MGoPoints: 2028

Perkis-Size Me

December 8th, 2020 at 3:38 PM ^

The loss would've been right up there with App State as far as being among the darkest days in the entire history of Michigan football. One of those losses that sure, after enough time has passed by the wound stops bleeding and closes up, but the scar is always there.

No one from the App State game is actively associated with the program today. That team wasn't this team. But again, the scar is always there. Its something your rivals, the media, and everyone not in your camp will be there to remind you that hey, that happened. It would've been part of the DNA of the program and what people immediately think of when they think of Michigan football. Like Penn State and Jerry Sandusky. That's something the program as a whole will carry with it forever, regardless of who plays and coaches here. Same would've been the case with this OSU game. 

I just think Michigan dodged a bullet here. This was an act of mercy from the gods. I'm sure if I played or coached on the team I'd feel differently, and again, I'll never fault them for thinking that way. But I'm a fan with no vested interest in the team being on the field for this game, so I don't feel that way. And if OSU fans think Michigan is a bunch of cowards, well, I'd say that's tough talk for a fanbase that has been coddled and spoonfed nonstop success for 20 years. Easy to trash talk when the stars align every year to go your way. I can't imagine how fast they'd all collapse in on themselves if their beloved football program ever experienced a fraction of the hardship Michigan has endured. 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 106194

los barcos

December 8th, 2020 at 1:57 PM ^

I'll say it over and over again - but this whole season kind of strips bare the notion of a level playing field.  I won't lie, it kinda diminishes college football for me moving forward.  The whole season from the B1G side was openly to get OSU into the college playoff - how do you feel if you're a Northwestern fan right now regarding the refs in the game next week?  It's all entertainment, a sham - results are more or less scripted beforehand.  Why bother going through it?  Put OSU, Bama, Clemson in the playoffs at the start of the year, and we can all play for that one open spot.  

Joined: 03/27/2009

MGoPoints: 10866

Mgoblue0405

December 8th, 2020 at 1:52 PM ^

If youre a Michigan fan and are sad about this game being cancelled I really question if you actually are a Michigan fan. Harbaugh wont go 0-6 vs OSU, we wont lose 16 straight vs them, save whatever pride we had from our other games played this year. Domani and Will Johnson wont see them put 80 on us, its best case scenario. I think we could all use a year off from losing to them. Praise be! Might be time to go the Notre Dame route and just be independent so we dont have to play them anymore. 

Joined: 01/14/2020

MGoPoints: 566