April 28th, 2024 at 12:20 PM ^
Love it. And love the Rose Bowl memories.
Beating Saban in his last game is right up there with beating Tebow in his last game.
The Horror is what the Horror was but never should that game be mentioned by any Gator or ND fan.
We did beat Tebow after he won the Heisman in 2007, but he played for two more years after that.
I personally think of it as payback for his victory over Michigan in 1999 right before he headed off for LSU.
Cryin Ryan is next.
Of all the players I loved on last year's team, Mikey was my personal favorite.
April 28th, 2024 at 12:27 PM ^
Say what you will about the dye job, dude knows his football.
April 28th, 2024 at 12:28 PM ^
Only if we like what he says.
Duh
April 28th, 2024 at 12:52 PM ^
Nick Saban had a preternatural ability to recognize when it was time to change his approach to football. He moved from super shutdown defenses to light-em-up offenses, then switched from QB running to spread passing, then back to QB running, benching and then un-benching a guy like Jalen Milroe.
How many people would have started true freshman Jalen Hurts, then BENCHED Championship QB Jalen Hurts in favor of Tua?
I may hate Nick Saban, but I have to respect his ability to be flexible. His 6 championships were probably won 5 different ways.
Yeah, Alabama ran Milroe a good amount but Milroe passed for just over 2800 yds this year in 13 games (for comparison JJ passed for just over 2900 yds in 15 games). Milroe had almost 2x as many pass attempts as rushing attempts in 2023.
While this is true, Harbaugh ran a much different offense than Saban. JJ didn't have to throw as much despite having at least two very good WR in Roman and CJ. We had Corum in the backfield. JJ came through when needed most in games where he need to throw more. Michigan still went 15-0 and won all of the marbles.
meh, it's really not that hard to see what's working and what's not working and move toward the former, especially when you can out-talent 98% of your opponents.
FWIW, I don't hate the guy and I do believe he knows his football. I just think he gets more credit than he deserves. Put Harbaugh as HC of Bama for 17 years with that talent advantage and he prob wins 10 titles.
Saban was a hell of a recruiter. With the talent advantage probably should have won more.
really not that hard to see . . .
Tell that to the other 200 head coaches in the last 20 years that never won a championship at any level.
April 28th, 2024 at 11:49 PM ^
Acquiring the talent advantage is part of the job.
April 28th, 2024 at 12:36 PM ^
Still not used to him being the retired interview guy, appealing to a Michigan audience.
April 28th, 2024 at 12:43 PM ^
Saban going out in glory was stolen by Michigan, and he didn't whine about it, and gotta give him credit for that, especially when praising the players who took it from him. Many would be too bitter. Hat tip to Saban.
April 28th, 2024 at 12:47 PM ^
In fairness, he shouldn't have been in the playoff at all, so it was all gravy.
April 28th, 2024 at 12:57 PM ^
I didn't think Alabama deserved the playoff spot, but they did prove to be a very worthy opponent. I can't speculate on how they would have fared against Washington or Texas or in a 12-team playoff, because I don't have insight into the specifics of how different teams match up against each other. The NFL clearly thinks very highly of the players they put on the field in the Rose Bowl.
While I think FSU should have been picked because of what they had done, if you look at the ability to win the Rose Bowl, Bama (or Georgia) were better picks. I'll leave the prognosticating to people who like the politics of the game as much as the game itself. I will say this though. IF FSU had been picked, I feel there would have been a slightly tinged feel to the Rose Bowl had we won it by 21 points or more. People (Read mostly OSU and MSU fans) would have made a point to say that we had the easiest path to a championship in CFP history. Watching all of the online glee that Bama being picked had, especially in light of the video where it appeared UM was upset to have to play Bama, it only made that victory sweeter. Like beating OSU and MSU one more time because they generally suck at life. I'm sad for FSU for missing the chance, but glad we were able to prove we were more than just an easy schedule on the way to a championship.
It was a case of what to do with FSU being picked to play in the CFP. In the end, 'Bama was a much better opponent for Michigan. The fact that the Rose Bowl game went into OT made for what was a pretty even matchup. The Good Guys won.
If FSU was selected for the playoff Michigan would have played Texas. Washington would have drawn FSU.
I mean, from a "deserved to be there" perspective that's fair, but in reality Alabama gave Michigan a tougher game than FSU would have given their situation. I was annoyed that the committee gave Bama the spot based on an injury, but frankly I think the way the games played out proved the committee right.
Well apparently they should have. Almost beat us which means they were a top team. FSU or Louisville would have gotten steamrolled. Bama would have beaten Washington too. But yes, the format sucks and on record they should have been out technically. I was pissed FSU didn't get in but boy we barely squeaked by, and the committee guessed right.
I call it the same as the first playoff. Ohio State maybe didn't belong in the first, Alabama maybe didn't belong in the last. But the game they were each in was effectively the national championship. The actual title game opponent in both would have lost either way whoever won. Yes Alabama would have smoked Oregon way back in 2015, and Washington back in January of this year.
Admittedly, it's probably easier to be gracious in defeat when you've won seven national titles previously.
April 28th, 2024 at 12:51 PM ^
For Saban to lose to the nemesis he thought he escaped in the move from MSU, may have been a little annoying. He handled it with grace.
April 28th, 2024 at 12:53 PM ^
What did he say, "There is a difference between love and LOVE"?
He said “…between love and LOVES” as in “I LOVES me some Mike Sainristil.”
Will always love Mikey. I like Saban now too.
Only 5-9. Didn't know that.
"But not as much as tooo-morrr-rrowww"
Spiral Staircase
April 29th, 2024 at 10:27 AM ^
He edited his post to ruin my joke. Glad you got it.
Down with "Apple News." OP, I'd rather not promote industrial consolidation. (I get the irony involved in defending CBS.)
Original story:
We always knew this. Sainristil can do anything on the football field, and do it well. He is a natural leader and Michigan was blessed to have him and multiple kids like him on their team. Of course, he is not the best or most physical type to play the game at his position. But when our team needed a big play, Mikey delivered it. He'll do the same at the pro level.
He knew how to handle all the defensive coverages and the jobs of every defender and how to array them based on the offensive formation. He can read routes and pattern them at the snap. And he is just a tremendous teammate, smart, considerate and studious. Great kid.
I'm a little surprised at Saban's reaction only because both Colson and Sainristil missed tackling Alabama's running backup running back who scored the first TD of the Rose Bowl.
This means even more when you remember that Saban was notoriously harder on his DBs than any other position group (esp as former player and position coach).
I have a ton of respect for Nick Saban and his accomplishments. Were there recruiting shenanigans and pay for play before NIL? Probably. But as we know, to win a championship you need everyone playing together as a team. And he was winning championships with significant coaching turnover year after year. That's not easy. He's probably the greatest college football coach of all time and it's well deserved.
I gotta say Harbaugh is better. Put Jim in the SEC with no rules and he'd have been the guy winning every year.
Harbaugh is in the discussion for sure.
Saban is in the class of the legends and likely the valedictorian.
Woulda been interesting if Harbs woulda got there but he needed to stay another 10 years at least to achieve it. I know I sure as fuck wanted that to happen. And I know there sure as fuck were a lot of people in close places and not so close places that didn't, and they did everything to make it not happen. Fuck them forever.
April 28th, 2024 at 10:08 PM ^
I love that he knew he could not achieve his goals at MSU so he spurned them and they can’t get over the rejection.
In the linked article, Chris Trapasso says Sainristil has good, not amazing tackling. How do you say you barely watched Mike Sainristil play without actually saying you barely watched him play? Mikey was probably the best tackler on the #1 defense. The fuck?
Mikey makes a team better because he's on it.
And congrats to you and the coaches who had the awesome sense to switch you to D and make you a guaranteed multi-millionaire. That wasn't happening at WR. We'll be following your career.
Sainristil will go down as one of my favorite players ever.
Also, random question: anyway to purchase a DVD (i know, I’m old) of the Rose Bowl game? The BTN in 60 cut bits of it.
Mikey made it look effortless and easy ALL the time. It wasn't luck, just pure skill. He is easily in my top 3 wolverines of ALL time.
Mikey was one of a kind. The progress this young man made in 2 years was simply amazing!
I am delighted (as is everyone) with how Mike has played. I do remember when some of were concerned that the move to defense indicated a lack of talent on the part of Mike or the lack of depth in the defense and we were very very concerned about the future. No really, can you believe it?
Mikey is one of my all time favorite Wolverines. Harbaugh is a genius moving him to DB. Jim helped Mikey make allot of money.
Mike will go down as a steal in the NFL draft. How many times have we seen "experts" denigrate a player due to lack of NFL size only to see that what matters more is heart, football instincts, and athletic ability? Mike has all of those things in spades.
As a Panther fan (not easy right now), I am reminded of Sam Mills. A supposedly undersized LB who is now in the HoF. Mike may not make it that far, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him make the Pro Bowl a few times.