Sports often defy logic
As the season winds down, I can't help but think where we were last year at this time as well as the others in the Big Ten. It reminded of a quote I heard in Star Trek: Discovery, "It’s how I learned the the real world doesn’t always adhere to logic. Sometimes down is up, sometimes up is down. Sometimes when you’re lost, you’re found."
2020: Northwestern and Indiana each finished the season with a 6-1 conference record in a shortened Big Ten season. As every player was allowed to come back for an extra year due to COVID, I think many might have thought that these 2 teams probably won't lose too many starters and should be in the hunt once again. Some even predicted Indiana would challenge OSU for the Big Ten East.
2021: Well, up is down. Northwestern is 1-6 and Indiana is still winless in the Big Ten.
It looks like we've found ourselves after being lost last year. Focus on Maryland this week, stay healthy and then we can think about that last home game of the season and completely defy logic.
November 17th, 2021 at 8:28 PM ^
The 2020 season didn't happen as far as I'm concerned. It shouldn't even be in the record books.
November 17th, 2021 at 10:30 PM ^
We can agree that the season would have counted if Michigan won the B1G.
November 17th, 2021 at 10:55 PM ^
We raised a banner in basketball. So we counted that.
November 18th, 2021 at 5:31 PM ^
So did Illinois...
November 18th, 2021 at 5:03 AM ^
There’s also the fact that we overhauled our coaching staff after the results of last season. If last season “didn’t happen,” then why did we clean house the way that we did?
November 18th, 2021 at 1:15 AM ^
Yeah...but we didn't lose to OSU in 2020. There's at least something to be said for that, given, well...most of the past two decades.
November 18th, 2021 at 7:59 AM ^
and kept them from hanging 100 on us
November 18th, 2021 at 8:46 AM ^
There's an outside chance the VT head coach opening will have a trickle down effect. Hopefully if this happens he doesn't take any analysts or coaches with him.
BC says he's playing against OSU
Sounds like the plan is for RB to come back next year!
TD getting run with the 2's this week..
SM still thinks we have the big OL from Washington
Cheers
November 18th, 2021 at 9:01 AM ^
Assuming TD is Dunlap - Was Edwards still kind of working his way back last week or was that coaches not trusting anyone but Haskins?
Edit: Nevermind, I dug into your other posts and found one in the Offense snowflakes that said staff thought he wasn't ready.
November 18th, 2021 at 9:17 AM ^
BC = Blake Corum
RB = Ronnie Bell
TD = Tavierre Dunlap
SM = Sherrone Moore
What's the name of the big OL from Washington? Is he commited elsewhere?
November 18th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
OL from Washington = Josh Conerly
November 18th, 2021 at 9:24 AM ^
BC = Blake Corum
RB = Ronnie Bell
TD = Dunlap?
SM - Sherrone Moore?
I wonder what coaches would go? I would assume they would make more at UM....unless they systematically dont get along with JH.
November 18th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
So which coach could possibly leave for VT?
November 18th, 2021 at 1:57 PM ^
Dave Clawson>VT JG>WF
Cheers
November 18th, 2021 at 3:50 PM ^
What do you know about JH potentially looking back toward the NFL?
November 18th, 2021 at 6:53 PM ^
Well I would not blame him for taking a HC job for a P5 team but seems a big risk to hire a guy with no HC experience and was an analyst only a couple years ago.
November 18th, 2021 at 1:58 PM ^
There’s a rumor that they are interested in Gattis.
November 17th, 2021 at 8:29 PM ^
There is a logical explanation: some programs took Covid protocol seriously (or were forced to do so) during the 2020 offseason, and others didn't. Obviously there's a competitive disadvantage involved in not training all offseason . . . and a competitive advantage in training while others are quarantining.
Think it's just coincidence that both Michigan schools were terrible at football in 2020?
November 17th, 2021 at 8:45 PM ^
Even with a covid year, most kids at Northwestern and Indiana aren't even thinking about football as an end game. It was merely a means to an end. So the fact that Northwestern (especially) is ranked dead last in Phil Steele's returning experience rankings is both confirming they are mostly there for a degree while telling you why they regressed back to the mean this year. Indiana on the other hand ranks 40th in returning experience but has had injuries coupled with a new defensive coordinator. Indiana's problem is quality depth.
November 17th, 2021 at 9:19 PM ^
Except Penix was terrible before his injury too.
November 18th, 2021 at 8:44 AM ^
How is NW being dead last in returning production confirm the players are mostly there for a degree? NW and Indiana both have 8 players each on NFL rosters. Certainly isn't a ton, but isn't that far off the traditional bottom/middle of the Big Ten - MSU and Minnesota 10, Purdue/Maryland/Illinois have 11. They also had a cornerback taken in the first round of the draft last year, we haven't done that for a long time, unless you want to squint and try to include Peppers.
NW doesn't get a lot of highly recruited guys that generally play (or stay to use up eligibility) for 4 or 5 years anyways, so they have a year where they start a ton of seniors, they do pretty well, then everyone leaves and they start a bunch of 2nd and 3rd year players and have a bad season. The next year, they return almost all of their production and do well again. They also play in the Big 10 West so their overall SOS can vary wildly depending on their crossover games.
November 17th, 2021 at 8:46 PM ^
Defy the logic. Win The Game!
November 17th, 2021 at 8:47 PM ^
Defy logic, yes, OK. Probably more accurate to say that they lack certainty or absolute predictability.
A lot of really smart people - including some here - think that it's possible to distill statistics and facts to get a definitive answer. But there are so many elements that go into such a complex game - both tangible and intangible - that things are not always what they appear to be, there is always more to the story than what most of us can see, and there will always be a high degree of variability, with weather, injuries, emotions, "team chemistry", and other factors playing a part in individual games, and entire seasons.
Hence the saying "that's why they play the game."
November 17th, 2021 at 9:21 PM ^
Probably more accurate to say that they lack certainty or absolute predictability.
Wins and losses are in the error term.
November 18th, 2021 at 7:12 AM ^
Logged in to upvote this post.
I enjoy when people use that to make themselves feel better about their favorite team, specifically after a loss.
November 17th, 2021 at 9:00 PM ^
2020 was a "glitch".
November 18th, 2021 at 11:47 AM ^
How much like it? Was it the same cat?
November 17th, 2021 at 9:30 PM ^
Sports often defy logic
Is this some sort of intellectual activity to make you believe UM might actually beat OSU? Because it ain't happening. Lots of things could have gone a different way for a lot of reasons, but one thing is always the same...OSU finds a way to beat UM. It's been more than 15 years since we beat them with anything other than a lame duck interim HC. That won't change this year. I'll believe it will happen when I see it again. Until then I'm not gonna psych myself up into thinking this is the year, because it's not and I'd rather not be disappointed. Maybe it will be close and maybe it won't, but it won't be a win.
November 17th, 2021 at 9:34 PM ^
You should consider being a motivational speaker for a living,
November 18th, 2021 at 7:34 AM ^
That is one of my favorite parody sites of all time. I've been a big fan for years.
November 18th, 2021 at 7:31 AM ^
You should consider being a motivational speaker for a living,
If only I had an impact on the outcome, but alas. This is the challenge of being a fan. In some ways being an athlete is much easier. It's funny because as a former college baseball player I never got nervous competing. I get much more nervous as a fan. That's usually fine because as a UM fan we win much more than we lose. But, when it comes to OSU...I just don't watch any longer. It would be silly to get emotionally invested in thinking there's a chance to win when the past has proven it's unlikely. I'd rather assume it's a loss, catch the score once it's over, and be pleasantly surprised than think we have a chance and get disappointed again. That's what DVR is for :)
November 18th, 2021 at 12:40 PM ^
I sincerely hope that is the mindset and approach of the ohio football team. See you a week from saturday.
November 17th, 2021 at 9:50 PM ^
And how many people gave up on the team? I'd call most of them fair weather fans
November 18th, 2021 at 12:01 AM ^
Word was some of those people who gave up on the team were….on the team. Would you call them fair weather players?
November 17th, 2021 at 9:59 PM ^
2020 was just a bunch of scrimmages. Good practice time :)
November 17th, 2021 at 10:49 PM ^
No if you follow college football you would of known NW had literally 97 percent of their production leave the team and graduate.. they were picked to be horrendous this year..
Indiana had a lot of offensive players back, but with all the RULES evening up again and every team practicing normal again without covid hurting our teams as much, the cream rose to the top as usual.
November 17th, 2021 at 11:39 PM ^
they sure can. But usually the team with the most talent and depth wins most of the time (exceptions for bad matchups of strengths vs weaknesses, refs, amazing coaching, etc play out from time to time as well)
November 18th, 2021 at 12:43 AM ^
Sports often defy logic
You don't need any better example than Kansas defeating Texas in Austin.
November 18th, 2021 at 11:18 AM ^
A good example of the fun aspect of the proposition. (If you're not a Texas fan!)
November 18th, 2021 at 1:31 AM ^
Covid changed everything for the 2020 season which a lot of people argued can't be used for comparison's for the 2021 season. When you look at zero spring practice, covid protocols for coaching interaction and a modified fall camp those things matter.
Look at the 2020 Michigan team. 4/5th of the O-Line gone to the NFL. Brand new starter at QB. The teams best WR and CB opting out of the season. Even had Covid not struck, that is an awful lot for a team to over come. Even though everyone had the same practice and coaching limitations, teams like Northwestern and Indiana had a more experienced roster and that veteran understanding paid off. For whatever reason of bad luck, Covid struck at one of the most unlucky times for Michigan in the player cycle. Had Michigan had their starting line from the 2019 season and Shea Patterson under center do you think that Michigan goes 2-4 in 2020?
2020 counts but you can't use it for a reference to 2021.
November 18th, 2021 at 6:14 AM ^
everyone had the same practice and coaching limitations,
In theory. In practice, there were some programs that locked up their facilities all offseason and others who . . . didn't.
November 18th, 2021 at 11:33 AM ^
I understand that but wiping out spring practice with the starter turnover Michigan had did more damage than any programs double super secret practices did.
November 18th, 2021 at 5:51 AM ^
Logic is a little tweeting bird, chirping in a meadow. Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers that smell bad.
November 18th, 2021 at 8:05 AM ^
Thanks a lot. I was just about ready to get busy with this android and now smoke is rolling out of her head.
November 18th, 2021 at 5:56 AM ^
People, particularly the people who rank football teams, overvalued 2020--a year where more was unusual rather than typical.