So much complaining about play calling and the offense and lack of an OC. I don't get it. We had 5 TDs and should have had 6 if #83 doesn't drop it. That should be enough! Don Brown and the D got their asses kicked ... that is why we lost. Over and over we knew that slants were our kryptonite, and that OSU ran a lot of slants ...... and then the game started and we lost to 1000 yards of crossing routes. This is not on the offense or or play calling or lack of an OC.
I grew up a few minutes from E Lansing, and most of my HS friends went to MSU. Beating MSU at Breslin was so so so great. Hard to beat Poole's shot, that was an all-time moment. But Mo going off for 27 and a double digit win was my season highlight.
I'm a Michigan native living in Boston. I am NOT a New Englander by any stretch of the imagination, but the very best thing to come out of New England these days is the New England (hazy) IPA. M-43 from Old Nation is a darn good NE IPA ... as good as any I've had. It's the best Michigan beer in my opinion.
NE IPAs are just my thing though .... I think most Founder's beers are good but not great .. and Two Hearted is the one other MIchigan beer that I really enjoy.
Calls like that are why I can't be a diehard basketball fan. Too much of the outcome is in the hands of the officials.
And football is going in that direction w/ pass interference and roughing the passer, etc.
I hate the counter argument that "UM shouldn't have put themselves in that position and then they couldn't have been screwed by the refs." Games against good teams are going to be close! That was the best posible position that Michigan could manage agaisnt the nations #1 team, and then a ref hands Arizona 2 free shots to take the lead ... so lame.
Bottom is a 5th B - took the men's swim team to the top. Obviously Olympic sports don't carry the same weight, but they add to the overall credibility of UM athletics.
How conservative were your calculations? 4 points is a little too close for comfort - that's one swimmer getting out-touched
Who do you think UM will have in the 400 relay? Same 4 as at Big Tens? Those 4 guys are swimming as well as any on the squad.
Funk's 200 breast and Kamiya in the 200 back could be ley for MIchigan ... if they can outswim their seeds and score some points in those events, that would be huge. Wojciechowski hasn't had much of a meet, but we sure could use a big 200 fly out of him.
Cal has Tom Shields doing his fly,back double today, plus they are really deep in backstroke. Plus, Whitaker isn't swimming at his top level this weekend. I would guess that Cal makes more of a move today than tomorrow ... they may even take the lead.
Michigan has the 1650 tomorrow which will be a great event for us (Cal won't score a point in that event). Tomorrow is also the 400 free relay, which is Cal's weakest. I hope it doesn't come down to the last event simply because my blood pressure will be through the roof - but it sure will make for an exciting meet.
Looking way ahead, this UM team is really built to win next year - we lose very few seniors compared to other schools. Back in November, I would have thought anything above 5th place at NCAA would be a great finish for this year's squad.
Today is Cal's best day and Michigan's worst. If UM can hold on to their lead after today, that's a great sign. But it isn't all gloom and doom if Cal closes the margin or even takes a small lead after day 2.
I am pretty sure that the title is going to come down to Michigan and Cal - I don't think Arizona, Florida, Stanford, or Texas have the depth to compete with those two teams. Jaeger's win in the 500 is great for UM (as is the fact that 4 other Wolverines scored in that event) and his best event (the 1650) is on Saturday.
Michigan is in good shape after day 1. Cal dropped a lot of time from their seed times, but that was expected.
USC's Vlad Morozov had the swim of the night - he split 17.86 in the 200 free relay! I've been around swimming a really long time - I've never heard of anything like that. Arizona's Kevin Cordes also had a pretty amazing swim - splitting 49.56 in the 100 breast leg of the 400 medley relay! Arizona won that relay easily, with Cal 2nd and Michigan 3rd. IMHO, NCAA DI champs is the best swim meet of the year (and that may even include Olympic years).
I agree that UM is the favorite, but Bottom tapered the UM guys a bit for Big Tens (except Whitaker it appears). Stanford, Cal, and even Georgia guys had facial hair at their respective conference championship meets.
Cal is going to be fast and they know how to win at NCAAs - I think UM will squeek out a win over them but 100 points seems like a lot to me - I would guess they win by 30-40.
Michigan has a couple sprinters now, but not like Auburn. UM will win on depth in the strokes and IM events - and like ehatch says, relays will be key! I wouldn't be surprised to see UM not win any relays though .... 2nd or 3rd in most of then will keep them in contention. If I'm not mistaken, the 1995 championship team didn't win a single relay.
I'm pumped for this meet - some events (400IM) are going to be incredibly fast! Go Blue!
Recent Comments
So much complaining about play calling and the offense and lack of an OC. I don't get it. We had 5 TDs and should have had 6 if #83 doesn't drop it. That should be enough! Don Brown and the D got their asses kicked ... that is why we lost. Over and over we knew that slants were our kryptonite, and that OSU ran a lot of slants ...... and then the game started and we lost to 1000 yards of crossing routes. This is not on the offense or or play calling or lack of an OC.
I grew up a few minutes from E Lansing, and most of my HS friends went to MSU. Beating MSU at Breslin was so so so great. Hard to beat Poole's shot, that was an all-time moment. But Mo going off for 27 and a double digit win was my season highlight.
I'm a Michigan native living in Boston. I am NOT a New Englander by any stretch of the imagination, but the very best thing to come out of New England these days is the New England (hazy) IPA. M-43 from Old Nation is a darn good NE IPA ... as good as any I've had. It's the best Michigan beer in my opinion.
NE IPAs are just my thing though .... I think most Founder's beers are good but not great .. and Two Hearted is the one other MIchigan beer that I really enjoy.
completely agree - that lame ass call decided the last 30 seconds. how does he make that call at that point in the game. swallow your damn whistle.
Calls like that are why I can't be a diehard basketball fan. Too much of the outcome is in the hands of the officials.
And football is going in that direction w/ pass interference and roughing the passer, etc.
I hate the counter argument that "UM shouldn't have put themselves in that position and then they couldn't have been screwed by the refs." Games against good teams are going to be close! That was the best posible position that Michigan could manage agaisnt the nations #1 team, and then a ref hands Arizona 2 free shots to take the lead ... so lame.
How conservative were your calculations? 4 points is a little too close for comfort - that's one swimmer getting out-touched
Who do you think UM will have in the 400 relay? Same 4 as at Big Tens? Those 4 guys are swimming as well as any on the squad.
Funk's 200 breast and Kamiya in the 200 back could be ley for MIchigan ... if they can outswim their seeds and score some points in those events, that would be huge. Wojciechowski hasn't had much of a meet, but we sure could use a big 200 fly out of him.
I can't wait to see how things turn out. Go Blue.
http://www.collegeswimming.com/news/2013/mar/29/cordes-breaks-record-michigan-wins-morning-day-two/
Here's a nice summary of the morning. They Michigan men are performing well enough to hold off Cal and Arizona.
http://www.collegeswimming.com/news/2013/mar/29/cordes-breaks-record-mi…
I'm not so sure about Coach Bottom and Coach Bishop's shirts.
Go Blue
Cal has Tom Shields doing his fly,back double today, plus they are really deep in backstroke. Plus, Whitaker isn't swimming at his top level this weekend. I would guess that Cal makes more of a move today than tomorrow ... they may even take the lead.
Michigan has the 1650 tomorrow which will be a great event for us (Cal won't score a point in that event). Tomorrow is also the 400 free relay, which is Cal's weakest. I hope it doesn't come down to the last event simply because my blood pressure will be through the roof - but it sure will make for an exciting meet.
Looking way ahead, this UM team is really built to win next year - we lose very few seniors compared to other schools. Back in November, I would have thought anything above 5th place at NCAA would be a great finish for this year's squad.
Go Blue
Today is Cal's best day and Michigan's worst. If UM can hold on to their lead after today, that's a great sign. But it isn't all gloom and doom if Cal closes the margin or even takes a small lead after day 2.
I am pretty sure that the title is going to come down to Michigan and Cal - I don't think Arizona, Florida, Stanford, or Texas have the depth to compete with those two teams. Jaeger's win in the 500 is great for UM (as is the fact that 4 other Wolverines scored in that event) and his best event (the 1650) is on Saturday.
Michigan is in good shape after day 1. Cal dropped a lot of time from their seed times, but that was expected.
USC's Vlad Morozov had the swim of the night - he split 17.86 in the 200 free relay! I've been around swimming a really long time - I've never heard of anything like that. Arizona's Kevin Cordes also had a pretty amazing swim - splitting 49.56 in the 100 breast leg of the 400 medley relay! Arizona won that relay easily, with Cal 2nd and Michigan 3rd. IMHO, NCAA DI champs is the best swim meet of the year (and that may even include Olympic years).
Go Bue
Right you are. Miguel Ortiz just anchroed the 200 free relay in 18.79 - 3rd fastest split I think. Off to the races!
I agree that UM is the favorite, but Bottom tapered the UM guys a bit for Big Tens (except Whitaker it appears). Stanford, Cal, and even Georgia guys had facial hair at their respective conference championship meets.
Cal is going to be fast and they know how to win at NCAAs - I think UM will squeek out a win over them but 100 points seems like a lot to me - I would guess they win by 30-40.
Michigan has a couple sprinters now, but not like Auburn. UM will win on depth in the strokes and IM events - and like ehatch says, relays will be key! I wouldn't be surprised to see UM not win any relays though .... 2nd or 3rd in most of then will keep them in contention. If I'm not mistaken, the 1995 championship team didn't win a single relay.
I'm pumped for this meet - some events (400IM) are going to be incredibly fast! Go Blue!