ameed

August 6th, 2008 at 12:43 PM ^

Based off of this link and everything else anyone has written that is out there, I don't think anyone has any idea how we are going to do this year (not that media types ever get these kinds of things correct, but i digress). I am okay with that. Better no idea than unfounded blind optimism inseminating the fan base. I wonder what the first blog poll will say.

Joined: 07/01/2008

MGoPoints: 186

jamiemac

August 6th, 2008 at 1:00 PM ^

Sporting News Preseason Mag has Michigan #18. That's the highest I have seen while SI is the lowest. 18 to 54.....wow.....not sure I have seen that sort of discrepancy before with any teams rankings.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 8446

Blue Durham

August 6th, 2008 at 1:30 PM ^

There are more important variables to this season than any one I can remember going back to 1969.

We have had inexperience QB's before and have usually done well; new coach (internally, Mo and Carr; externally, Bo); wholesale change due to graduation on one side of the ball or the other (this year, eek, offense); new approach to defense or offense (usually due to a new coordinator).

But this year we have all of these changes.  Hence the huge variance in the preseason polls and predictions. 

I for one still believe that there is a lot of talent still on this team (and complemented by the new C/S program) and the new staff and RR will find ways to exploit this talent.  And for the first time in a long while, teams will not know what to expect from a Michigan team and will have to adjust. 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 6082

Ace

August 6th, 2008 at 1:32 PM ^

but 54 is crazy-talk. That would put us in the 6-6 range. I know people think we won't be that good this year, but does SI really expect us to go .500? Everything that could've gone wrong did in 2005, and we still finished 7-5. There's just no way, IMO, we're worse than Northwestern or Iowa this year, and Little Brother remains Little Brother.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 67622

a2boy

August 6th, 2008 at 11:55 PM ^

Has anyone noticed the movement in the Vegas odds lately? We have been improving; maybe it’s all the open media press coverage with a dose of Barwis? 54 is crazy that puts us in 8th place in the BIG 10.

Joined: 08/02/2008

MGoPoints: 16

Jim Harbaugh S…

August 7th, 2008 at 12:41 AM ^

to me like Michigan does best when the expectations are low (ex: 2006 season, 2004 season) When the expectations are high (like in '05 and '07) everything seems to go terribly wrong. People always seem to be bitching that Michigan is overrated, this season lets start low and end high.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 577

chitownblue (not verified)

August 7th, 2008 at 8:09 AM ^

Whatevs. We have 2 returning starters on offense - a tackle and a tight end (I struggle to count the FB, because we'll never see him) - from a 4 loss team that barely finished in the top 25. The fact that we're not in the 25 is hardly surprising. Also, it's pre-season, so I have a hard time getting my outrage all lathered up for it - if the team plays well, we'll end up ranked where we should by the end.

Joined: 12/12/2017

MGoPoints: 0

ameed

August 7th, 2008 at 9:49 AM ^

In the presser RR mentioned that rankings shouldn't come out until October. 

Its always a part of the BCS debate and I totally agree with this sentiment.  This way teams don't live off their reputations, they put up and prove it.

(Plus, 2005 and 2007 wouldn't have been as embarassing if we hadn't fallen from the top 5 both years.  Who am I kidding, it still would have sucked just as hard.)

Joined: 07/01/2008

MGoPoints: 186

Yinka Double Dare

August 7th, 2008 at 12:23 PM ^

I don't really expect Michigan to be rated in the top 25 given the unknowns.  But behind Iowa?  And Iowa at #31?  Doesn't pretty much everyone else think Iowa will be pretty bad this year?  I have a hard time believing we're going to be clearly worse than Northwestern or Little Brother either.   If they flip-flopped Michigan and Iowa I'd buy it a lot more.  Ranking Michigan in the low 30s seems about right to me.  SI must think our defense will stink, whereas most everyone else seems to think the defense will be pretty good.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 9780

hat

August 9th, 2008 at 12:56 AM ^

9-3 is more like #10-20, and 8-4 is about #20-30.  7-5 is probably #30-40.  6-6 is probably in the 40's.  To be #54 means to be in the bottom half of the Big Ten (and in fact, SI has us 8th).  That probably translates to 5-7.  Keep in mind that there are only around 70 BCS-conference teams, and that not many non-BCS teams crack the top 50.  SI basically does not expect us to go to a bowl. 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 15

formerlyanonymous

August 9th, 2009 at 5:39 PM ^

I was digging through old stuff and thought this thread would be easily mistaken for 2009. Most of the others talk about Feagin throwing or Kevin Newsome, which would make so much less senese. Some of the old threads were priceless. This one guy railed on about how BHGPs are plagarist as if he had no idea who BHGPs was.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 38964