Early season byes suck
Or neg me to oblivion. I don't care.
It's such a tease to have the buildup for the season, then play 2 games, and now we have to wait an extra week to be entertained again. I don't care that this team needs the extra time to prepare for Wisconsin.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:28 AM ^
Well it came at a great time for this year’s team. I’d be even more concerned if UM were playing Wisconsin this week based on how they looked the past 2 weeks.
September 12th, 2019 at 11:24 AM ^
Harbaugh's teams get better with time off. Hence his impeccable bowl record.
/I'll see myself out.
September 12th, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
See also... the excuse Georgia got for losing to Texas in their bowl game last year.
September 12th, 2019 at 12:26 PM ^
Maybe his best players will quit between now and Wisconsin to focus on the draft and to avoid injury.
September 12th, 2019 at 12:43 PM ^
That's what I have been saying all along. Who are we to tell these kids they should be risking their futures playing in collegiate games!?
September 12th, 2019 at 1:44 PM ^
Put yourself in the player's position. Would you put millions on the line for an extra game with no compensation? I wouldn't.
Regardless of your hypothetical personal decision, you still need to respect that they have the right to make their own decisions and live with the consequences.
It's easy to criticize with no skin in the game. There are no guarantees for these guys.
September 12th, 2019 at 11:50 AM ^
wait, we played two games this season?
September 12th, 2019 at 12:02 PM ^
If we play a bowl game in the middle of a forest and no starters are around to play, does it draw a crowd?
September 12th, 2019 at 3:07 PM ^
The Michigan Marching Band will be there for the game. That's crowd enough.
September 12th, 2019 at 12:40 PM ^
That was the phrase I took issue with: "played two games."
Did we really? Or might it be more accurate to say, "Underperformed in one game and escaped by the skin of our ass in the other?"
Just like with Shea's passes, accuracy is important.
September 12th, 2019 at 3:56 PM ^
"played".
Cheers.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:28 AM ^
I care a lot about having extra time to prep for Wisconsin - our offense clearly needs it, and maybe it gives Shea some time to heal up.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:28 AM ^
but there's two byes this season and this current one seems perfectly timed for the team
September 12th, 2019 at 10:31 AM ^
Why is that?
Is that a new change?
September 12th, 2019 at 10:36 AM ^
It's because of the calendar. Extremely late Thanksgiving that pushes 5 Saturdays into November.
September 12th, 2019 at 11:10 AM ^
Hadn't seen that. Nice that we get another bye to prepare for the stretch run of Sparty and THE Bucknuts.
Interestingly, Sparty has their two Byes almost back to back - they play at Wisconsin on 10/12, have a Bye week, play Penn State at home on 10/26, followed by another Bye week, and then Illinois at home on 11/9. One game over basically a month.
Bad scheduling by Sparty - though I guess they could claim that at least they weren't stupid enough to put a service academy on their schedule...
September 12th, 2019 at 11:24 AM ^
I don't think back-to-back means what you think it means.
September 12th, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
I don't think almost means what you think it means.
September 12th, 2019 at 2:33 PM ^
You may be right. It's weird because I stick up for Damone. Like when people say, "That Damone, he's no good." And they say that a lot. I say, "You just don't know Damone."
September 12th, 2019 at 3:48 PM ^
Well played sir.
September 12th, 2019 at 11:31 AM ^
Don’t think Sparty or anyone else chooses their bye weeks.
September 12th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
Sparty is the one that schedules their own non-conference games. They can have their choice of Bye weekends outside of the BIG games scheduled, based on their ability to schedule other teams, similar to how we put Notre Dame in the schedule to fill a late season window.
September 12th, 2019 at 2:06 PM ^
Unfortunately we didn't schedule ND late to fill a hole. ND scheduled it late because that's what they wanted and Michigan went along with it. I still think it's stupid how ND is allowed to do everything on their terms.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:39 AM ^
I think it's just based on when Labor Day and Thanksgiving fell this year. Those are usually the opening and final week of the season.
September 12th, 2019 at 11:09 AM ^
Yes there is an extra week as opposed to most years. I would have preferred having a third bye week including back to back byes last week and this week. Any directional Michigan school would have been great for that first bye week.
September 12th, 2019 at 11:06 AM ^
The way that the season is defined doesn't definitively state that there are 12 games to be played in 13 weeks; it says that there are 12 games to be played between a start date and an end date. The start date is relative to classes starting and the end date is relative to the end of November. So, every ~5 years or so we end up with 14 weeks in a season, resulting in 2 byes.
September 12th, 2019 at 11:44 AM ^
We have three byes. The first one was in Week 0.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:29 AM ^
They suck if you're playing well. Ours comes at a wonderful time. An extra week to get Shea, DPJ, Runyan and everyone else healthy and in sync before a huge game at Wisconsin? Sign me up.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:31 AM ^
We obviously need the points system to begin working again
September 12th, 2019 at 10:32 AM ^
Oh yeah? Do we?
You haven't changed my mind, by the way.
Negged.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
Well, it is all about the fans...
September 12th, 2019 at 10:37 AM ^
Yes, and I are fan. You too. We all fans. We need entertainment.
+1 for you, because you get it.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:43 AM ^
Not this year they dont. In fact, based on what we've seen so far from this team I wouldn't have minded the bye coming immediately after the first play of the year.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:49 AM ^
The only reasonable take in this thread so far.
+1
September 12th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
I hate it from a fan perspective since I want to get as much Michigan as possible.
But I love it from a success perspective because it allows you to play a couple games and adjust accordingly. Best thing to have in lieu of an actual pre-season.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
You spelled Bolivia wrong.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:36 AM ^
I am fine with this bye. Hopefully we will see a clean reboot a week from Saturday.
And it is a bonus that MSU has kind of a bigg-er-ish game during our bye week in a good watching time-slot so I can watch and hope for some Sparty No material.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:37 AM ^
Normally I'd agree. If we'd had the bye this time last year it would've been awful, but this year, the bye could not have come at a better time. Simply put, Michigan needs all hands on deck next week if it hopes to beat Wisconsin. I'd argue Wisconsin has looked like the most impressive B1G team so far. Shutting out two straight opponents is really hard to do. They have a Heisman-caliber RB, an OL that is always going to be good, and they are going to try running the ball down Michigan's throat until the defense proves it can hold up.
An extra week off means an extra week that Dwumfour has to heal up, and we need him BADLY next week. Like.....we need him healthy in the worst possible way.
An extra week off means DPJ is closer to getting back onto the field. Closer to having 3 NFL-caliber WRs on the field at the same time and giving Wisconsin that much more of a headache to deal with on defense.
An extra week off means Runyan is closer to being back. Missing your starting LT is problematic against anyone, and I think its been the cause of some of the issues we've had thus far. Not all of them, but definitely some of them. Second most important position on the team.
An extra week off means Shea has more time to heal up and get through whatever's ailing him. I saw him play extremely well last year. He's still highly capable of playing at that level.
Any other year, I'd say yeah, a bye in week 3 sucks. But considering who's on deck in week 4, where it's being played, and considering how poorly Michigan has played thus far, this bye was extremely well-timed for the team to be able to re-group. But of course, if the offense turtles back into its ultra-conservative, run into a brick wall approach next week, its likely none of this matters.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:46 AM ^
This team, specifically, needs a bye right now. Your overarching point is correct though early season bye sucks.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:47 AM ^
I like it because September weather is still beautiful and I don't feel guilty for being a couch potato on Saturday when I should be outside.
Plus, wife day. She appreciates a nice fall Saturday with me away from the TV.
September 12th, 2019 at 11:34 AM ^
Wife day is all fine and good until you're being dragged to the damn renaissance fair.
People that wear patchouli should be deported.
September 12th, 2019 at 2:37 PM ^
My wife day is knocking out the honey do list and taking her out for a night on the town. Coat, tie, dress, heels.
Renaissance fair = nerd prom. Ugh. I don't get the patchouli thing either.
I'll have a cold one for ya!
September 12th, 2019 at 10:48 AM ^
I’m on board *only* because we have to wait another week+ before we have something new to talk about. Looking forward to the bold poster who decides to start today’s fresh new “hey guys I know the army game sucked but here’s the case for optimism...” or the “where’s the speed in space hur hur it’s harbaughs offense” threads.
Otherwise OP you’re wrong - early season bye weeks are great because it’s a chance to enjoy one more warm weekend outside and do something rather than spend each of the first 8 weeks of fall murdering my couch arms for the crime of existing while I watch Michigan football.
September 12th, 2019 at 11:15 AM ^
I will buy the argument based on weather.
+1
September 12th, 2019 at 10:50 AM ^
People have mentioned the upperclass DL that need to heal up for what's coming against Wisconsin. I would also argue the freshmen DL benefit significantly from this time off and can hopefully play a few downs against UW.
The open week couldn't have come at a better time.
September 12th, 2019 at 2:27 PM ^
I love the early bye this year for selfish reasons. Have some house painting to do Saturday and would miss any Michigan game played that day.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:53 AM ^
I agree that we need to iron out a few (many?) wrinkles that have made themselves evident thus far, but I am also disappointed that I won't have Michigan football to cheer for this weekend. I just keep telling myself that if we played Wisconsin this weekend, we'd more than likely lose, but with the extra week of prep time, we'll for sure win! And I also plan to cheer heavily for Indiana and Arizona State.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:54 AM ^
I liked the early-ish bye in 2017 so much, I scheduled my wedding for that weekend. I'm sure I am not the only one who has done that.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:56 AM ^
Before the season started I felt this way. Now, yes, I'd like to see Michigan play to get the taste of the last two games out of my mouth, but the team seems to need it really badly right now. Both because of injuries and the need to clean up the sloppiness.
September 12th, 2019 at 10:58 AM ^
You say we have to wait an extra week to be entertained. What about the last two weeks (and in particular last week) was entertaining? Im good with a bye if it means the team has more time to gel and improve. Just win baby.