Four days into February and Ohio State basketball remains undefeated. If you’re not a dubious Buckeye fan, you’re enticed, euphoric and excited. Others may be waiting for the ball to drop on OSU’s unblemished 23-0 season. Last night in Columbus, Ohio State collected a win against rival Michigan. The Buckeyes notched a 62-53 victory over the Wolverines, looking like a team that could definitely win a national title. Textbook-skilled freshman, Jared Sullinger hammered in 19 points and 15 rebounds to lead everybody else who saw minutes on the court, on either team. Sullinger turned the ball over four times but otherwise was outstanding. The Wolverines enjoyed a three point lead at the half, but their archrivals rallied to improve to 9-0 in the Big 10. OSU is the only unbeaten team remaining in college basketball. That’s definitely something to cheer about. With Sullinger at the helm, there’s no telling how far this team can ride their unbeaten streak.
The Buckeyes faced Michigan for the second time in less than a month on Thursday night. In January, OSU squeezed out a four-point triumph over the Wolverines. Ohio State took control early on in the game last night. OSU carved out a 7-0 advantage in the first two minutes of the contest. Following a timeout, Michigan slowly climbed back into the game. The Buckeyes were outplayed by Michigan and trailed 26-23 at halftime. Darius Morris fired 10 shots and added five rebounds to lead the blue and maize in the first half. Michigan forced ten first half turnovers and limited the home team to 36% shooting.
Ohio State mopped up the damage of the first half as Michigan struggled to grab takeaways after the break. David Lighty led the OSU charge in the second half. Lighty’s jumper six minutes into the second half gave the Buckeyes the lead, and Ohio State never trailed again. Michigan did tie the score momentarily at 36, but Aaron Craft’s defense started an 8-0 Buckeye run. Michigan fought hard to stay in the game. Evan Smotrycz and Hardaway traded threes to cut the Michigan deficit to two. But Ohio State was clearly up for the test. The Wolverines lost the second half rebounding battle as the Buckeyes’ defense stepped up. Tim Hardaway led the 13-9 visitors with 15 points on 3-of-7 from downtown. William Buford had a strong game for Ohio State, finishing with 13 points and hitting three timely 3-pointers. The 6’9” Sullinger wore out Michigan defenders. The Wolverines were called for 23 fouls on the night and shot just four three throws of their own. Lighty and stupendous senior, John Diebler contributed 9 points in the win.
Parting Points: Song of the day- “Starting Today” by Natalie Imbruglia
Not a whole lot going on. The Mets’ owners are in hot water, Andy Pettitte’s days on the diamond are done, LeBron scored 51 points and the debate for NBA All-star snubs is on.
Showing posts with label Michigan Wolverines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michigan Wolverines. Show all posts
Friday, February 4, 2011
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Rival Romping
Ohio State grabbed a share of their record-tying sixth straight Big Ten title with a 37-7 win over rival Michigan at the ‘Shoe. The 11-1 Buckeyes put up 24 second and 13 third quarter points, respectively on their rout of the visiting Wolverines. Michigan fell to 7-5 in their seventh consecutive loss to the Buckeyes. Ohio State shares the conference spotlight with Michigan State and Wisconsin.
The Wolverines put up a fight in the first quarter but never led during the contest. Michigan’s electric quarterback, Denard Robinson, was a one-man show. Robinson rushed for 105 yards and completed 8-of-18 passes. Rich Rodriguez’s kicking unit is unreliable at best, and the Wolverine offense was forced to go for it on fourth down situations. The Maize and Blue had little success against the persistent and pervasive Buckeyes’ defense. The Michigan offense came into Saturday’s showdown averaging 37 points per game. Yesterday, they had more than a little trouble reaching that average against some of the Big Ten’s best defenders.
Terrelle Pryor, the exciting signal caller for the home team, was just as phenomenal with the football as Robinson. Both quarterbacks slipped through the defenses and fended off tackles. Pryor threw for 220 yards and a pair of scores, while adding 49 yards on the ground. Michigan shut out Pryor and the Buckeyes during the first quarter and succeeded in keeping them out of the end zone until midway through the second. The Wolverines won the coin toss and opted to kick off despite having perhaps one of the conference’s more dismal defenses. But the Buckeyes went three-and-out on their first drive and Michigan responded by shaving five minutes off the clock with nothing to show for it on the ensuing drive. Ohio State punted again after Jake Stoneburner fumbled a pass and failed to convert a third down. Robinson headed another lengthy Michigan drive, but the lost the ball deep in the red zone. Ohio State recovered the ball and in the second quarter, Devin Barclay kicked a 33 yard field goal for the day’s first points.
The Buckeyes coasted to a 10-0 lead on Dane Sanzenbacher’s seven yard pass from Pryor with 12:29 remaining in the first half. Senior receiver Sanzenbacher scored the first touchdown of the game and finished with 71 receiving yards. Michael Shaw netted the only Michigan touchdown with a second quarter one yard run. Robinson set up the score with a diving try at the end zone, falling just short of the goal line. Shaw’s touchdown trimmed the OSU lead to three points, but the slim deficit wouldn’t last long. Jordan Hall returned the kickoff 85 yards for another Ohio State touchdown to put the Buckeyes up 17-7. The Buckeyes continued to romp Michigan, coordinating an impressive 60 yard drive on their next possession. Pryor propelled the Buckeyes with his legs and moved the chains with efficient, smart throws. The drive ended with DeVier Posey’s catch covering 33 yards that sent OSU into the locker room with a comfortable 24-7 advantage. Posey had an 82 yard day for the Buckeyes. Despite piling up 258 total yards, the Wolverines’ lone touchdown was all they had to show for it. Ohio State did pick up a pair of questionable celebration penalties for forming an “O” with their gloved hands.
Robinson exited the game for several stretches during the second half. Tate Forcier replaced the dynamic quarterback and began by being intercepted on his first play from scrimmage. Travis Howard’s leaping snag shifted the momentum even more the Buckeye way. Howard also recovered two fumbles. The Buckeyes declawed Michigan the rest of the game, with Dan Herron scoring on a 32 yard third quarter run and Barclay extending the lead with a pair of field goals. Herron had just five carries on the day but finished with 175 yards, including a school record 89 yard run. Forcier couldn’t complete anything, as Michigan gained just 93 yards after the break. The Wolverines’ closest chance at scoring occurred in the fourth quarter with the Jim Tressel’s team sitting on a 30 points lead. Forcier’s six yard pass was incomplete at the OSU six yard line, and OSU took over in their own territory. Ohio State had 478 yards on offense and converted 10 of 19 third downs in decking Michigan.
Parting Points: News from Miami- Randy Shannon is out at the “U” and the Heat continue to wilt.
Kudos to FSU for knocking off Florida and the Razorbacks for defeating LSU.
“All Americans come from Ohio originally, if only briefly”- Dawn Powell
The Wolverines put up a fight in the first quarter but never led during the contest. Michigan’s electric quarterback, Denard Robinson, was a one-man show. Robinson rushed for 105 yards and completed 8-of-18 passes. Rich Rodriguez’s kicking unit is unreliable at best, and the Wolverine offense was forced to go for it on fourth down situations. The Maize and Blue had little success against the persistent and pervasive Buckeyes’ defense. The Michigan offense came into Saturday’s showdown averaging 37 points per game. Yesterday, they had more than a little trouble reaching that average against some of the Big Ten’s best defenders.
Terrelle Pryor, the exciting signal caller for the home team, was just as phenomenal with the football as Robinson. Both quarterbacks slipped through the defenses and fended off tackles. Pryor threw for 220 yards and a pair of scores, while adding 49 yards on the ground. Michigan shut out Pryor and the Buckeyes during the first quarter and succeeded in keeping them out of the end zone until midway through the second. The Wolverines won the coin toss and opted to kick off despite having perhaps one of the conference’s more dismal defenses. But the Buckeyes went three-and-out on their first drive and Michigan responded by shaving five minutes off the clock with nothing to show for it on the ensuing drive. Ohio State punted again after Jake Stoneburner fumbled a pass and failed to convert a third down. Robinson headed another lengthy Michigan drive, but the lost the ball deep in the red zone. Ohio State recovered the ball and in the second quarter, Devin Barclay kicked a 33 yard field goal for the day’s first points.
The Buckeyes coasted to a 10-0 lead on Dane Sanzenbacher’s seven yard pass from Pryor with 12:29 remaining in the first half. Senior receiver Sanzenbacher scored the first touchdown of the game and finished with 71 receiving yards. Michael Shaw netted the only Michigan touchdown with a second quarter one yard run. Robinson set up the score with a diving try at the end zone, falling just short of the goal line. Shaw’s touchdown trimmed the OSU lead to three points, but the slim deficit wouldn’t last long. Jordan Hall returned the kickoff 85 yards for another Ohio State touchdown to put the Buckeyes up 17-7. The Buckeyes continued to romp Michigan, coordinating an impressive 60 yard drive on their next possession. Pryor propelled the Buckeyes with his legs and moved the chains with efficient, smart throws. The drive ended with DeVier Posey’s catch covering 33 yards that sent OSU into the locker room with a comfortable 24-7 advantage. Posey had an 82 yard day for the Buckeyes. Despite piling up 258 total yards, the Wolverines’ lone touchdown was all they had to show for it. Ohio State did pick up a pair of questionable celebration penalties for forming an “O” with their gloved hands.
Robinson exited the game for several stretches during the second half. Tate Forcier replaced the dynamic quarterback and began by being intercepted on his first play from scrimmage. Travis Howard’s leaping snag shifted the momentum even more the Buckeye way. Howard also recovered two fumbles. The Buckeyes declawed Michigan the rest of the game, with Dan Herron scoring on a 32 yard third quarter run and Barclay extending the lead with a pair of field goals. Herron had just five carries on the day but finished with 175 yards, including a school record 89 yard run. Forcier couldn’t complete anything, as Michigan gained just 93 yards after the break. The Wolverines’ closest chance at scoring occurred in the fourth quarter with the Jim Tressel’s team sitting on a 30 points lead. Forcier’s six yard pass was incomplete at the OSU six yard line, and OSU took over in their own territory. Ohio State had 478 yards on offense and converted 10 of 19 third downs in decking Michigan.
Parting Points: News from Miami- Randy Shannon is out at the “U” and the Heat continue to wilt.
Kudos to FSU for knocking off Florida and the Razorbacks for defeating LSU.
“All Americans come from Ohio originally, if only briefly”- Dawn Powell
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Excellent Evan’s Euphoric Ending
It wasn’t quite Bo Schembechler versus Woody Hayes, but Ohio State’s 69-68 triumph Friday was escalated because it came against rival Michigan. Basketball games between the schools seldom have the fervor of football games but are still filled with pugnacious play. There’s something special about this rivalry no matter what the sport. It’s considered a huge setback to lose. Buckeye junior, Evan Turner, sent the Wolverines packing with a buzzer beating 37 foot shot in the Big Ten quarterfinal at Conseco Fieldhouse. The top ranked Bucks erupted in celebration after Turner took an inbounds pass with 2.2 seconds on the clock and released a shot over Michigan’s Stu Douglass as time expired. The blue and maize, seeded eighth in the tournament, rallied from 13 points down in the final ten minutes. They took the lead on junior, Manny Harris’ beautiful pull-up jumper with 2.2 seconds remaining. The two point netter should have sealed the surprising win for momentum-snatching Michigan. Officials consulted replay before officially ruling Turner’s basket a good shot. Turner, the probable player of the year in men’s college hoops, finished with 18 points and 8 assists to lead the Buckeyes. The phenom is closing in on 500 points this season. Harris drained 26 points in a disappointing loss for the Wolverines.
Friday’s win jolted the Buckeyes into a semifinal Saturday showdown against Illinois. Ohio State is now 25-7 and will have a legimate chance at a number one seed in the NCAA tournament if they win the Big Ten. Ohio State was down 23-19. The Bucks struggled with consistency on offense and suffered early foul trouble. Dallas Lauderdale went to the Buckeye bench with nine minutes in the half, but Ohio State overpowered the Wolverines to recapture the lead. Jon Diebler notched eight points during a 13 point run for Ohio State. Michigan was forced to play catch-up after trailing by ten at the break. The Wolverines outscored the Buckeyes 43-34 in the second half. Turner made just one of eight shots in an ailing and inaccurate second half for the junior. John Beilein’s Wolverines chopped the Buckeye’s edge to four points on back-to-back treys by Douglass. Douglass followed up with another 3-pointer to maintain the four point deficit before Ohio State went on a 9-0 run midway through the second half.
Harris sparked Michigan’s comeback with 22 second half buckets. Thad Matta’s Bucks allowed Michigan back into the game, something Hayes surely would not accept had this been on the gridiron. The Wolverines cut the Buckeye lead to two points in the fine frantic minutes. Harris’ floating jumper over Lauderdale was the highlight of Michigan’s comeback, and unfortunately for the Wolverines, the last hurrah. Turner put an end to the short-lived Michigan jubilee. The Wolverines chose not to defend Turner on the inbounds pass from David Lighty. The Big Ten Player of the Year’s remarkable shot will go down as one of the most memorable clutch plays in history of Ohio State basketball. Turner’s 37-footer did not even touch the backboard. It was nothing but net for Evan, and nothing but awesome for the scarlet and gray. I love how Matta plays his starters for all forty minutes. That decision is a testament to the trust he has in his players. All four Buckeyes who clocked forty minutes logged double digits. The Buckeyes are a rhythmic, grinding hardwood team. They played with plenty of heart against a motivated Michigan team. If #21 is not the player of the year, it’s time to eradicate the voters.
Parting Points: It’s nice to see Minnesota go on a bit of a run. They really cranked it up a notch in overtime against Michigan State in order to advance.
The Big East final is set for Saturday—A meeting between Georgetown and WVU.
Kansas pulled away from Texas A&M to reach the finals in the Big 12.
Friday’s win jolted the Buckeyes into a semifinal Saturday showdown against Illinois. Ohio State is now 25-7 and will have a legimate chance at a number one seed in the NCAA tournament if they win the Big Ten. Ohio State was down 23-19. The Bucks struggled with consistency on offense and suffered early foul trouble. Dallas Lauderdale went to the Buckeye bench with nine minutes in the half, but Ohio State overpowered the Wolverines to recapture the lead. Jon Diebler notched eight points during a 13 point run for Ohio State. Michigan was forced to play catch-up after trailing by ten at the break. The Wolverines outscored the Buckeyes 43-34 in the second half. Turner made just one of eight shots in an ailing and inaccurate second half for the junior. John Beilein’s Wolverines chopped the Buckeye’s edge to four points on back-to-back treys by Douglass. Douglass followed up with another 3-pointer to maintain the four point deficit before Ohio State went on a 9-0 run midway through the second half.
Harris sparked Michigan’s comeback with 22 second half buckets. Thad Matta’s Bucks allowed Michigan back into the game, something Hayes surely would not accept had this been on the gridiron. The Wolverines cut the Buckeye lead to two points in the fine frantic minutes. Harris’ floating jumper over Lauderdale was the highlight of Michigan’s comeback, and unfortunately for the Wolverines, the last hurrah. Turner put an end to the short-lived Michigan jubilee. The Wolverines chose not to defend Turner on the inbounds pass from David Lighty. The Big Ten Player of the Year’s remarkable shot will go down as one of the most memorable clutch plays in history of Ohio State basketball. Turner’s 37-footer did not even touch the backboard. It was nothing but net for Evan, and nothing but awesome for the scarlet and gray. I love how Matta plays his starters for all forty minutes. That decision is a testament to the trust he has in his players. All four Buckeyes who clocked forty minutes logged double digits. The Buckeyes are a rhythmic, grinding hardwood team. They played with plenty of heart against a motivated Michigan team. If #21 is not the player of the year, it’s time to eradicate the voters.
Parting Points: It’s nice to see Minnesota go on a bit of a run. They really cranked it up a notch in overtime against Michigan State in order to advance.
The Big East final is set for Saturday—A meeting between Georgetown and WVU.
Kansas pulled away from Texas A&M to reach the finals in the Big 12.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Forcier's Final Fumbling Flop
The Michigan Wolverines are assured their second straight losing season. The Ohio State Buckeyes are assured a Big 10 Title and trip to the Rose Bowl. The greatest rivalry in college football went the Buckeye way for the sixth straight year. Thaddeus Gibson’s interception with 3:34 left at the Michigan 42 yard line sealed the deal for Tate Forcier and the 5-7 Wolverines. Forcier, a true freshman quarterback, was picked off four time in the 21-10 loss in Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes are headed to the Rose Bowl riding a five game winning streak and 10-2 record. The Wolverine fangs didn’t do the damage necessary to defeat OSU. It was a return to normalcy of sorts for Ohio State’s running game that distinguished doom for Rich Rodriguez and the school up north.
Forcier fumbled on his first drive. Pinned inside their own five yard line, the possession ended in disaster for Forcier and the Wolves. Ohio State defensive tackle, Cameron Hayward, recovered the fumble and scored the first touchdown of the day. The Buckeyes upped their lead to 14-3 following a mid- second quarter Michigan 46 yard field goal. Jason Olesnavage drilled it through the uprights, after an earlier miss from 24 yards. The Bucks’ backfield kicked it into high gear and quickly established the run, an enigma the Wolverines struggled to solve. Brandon Saine ended an 80 yard, 6 play OSU drive with a 29 yard surge into the end zone. The entire touchdown drive consisted of run plays. Jim Tressel’s offense must be centered on the backfield. Ohio State has proven for weeks now they are most effective when gearing up the ground game. Sophomore, Terrelle Pryor is a dual-threat quarterback with fast feet and the ability to make something out of nothing. His nine yard scramble in the second was followed by a 25 yard surge to set up Saine’s touchdown. Ohio State scored their fewest amount of points since September 19th against Michigan State. The Wolverines’ defense held the Buckeye receivers in check and kept this a game. As usual, Ohio State’s offense was extremely conservative. Tressel’s head-scratching play-calling is nothing new for OSU fans. The Buckeyes succeeded in Ann Arbor because they were able to control the clock and carry the ball for 251 rushing yards. The inexperienced UM quarterback made key costly errors and couldn’t complete the passes he needed to sustain drives. But, the Buckeyes offense did little with their first-half possessions and the Michigan defense did a good job at containing them.
Vincent Smith’s reception five minutes into the second half trimmed the Buckeye lead to four. Forcier hit his running back for an 18 yard pass. The score was set up by Pryor’s first turnover in four games. Ohio State responded immediately on their next possession. Pryor marched 89 yards after beginning the drive on the OSU 11 yard line. Dan Herron caught a 12 yard screen pass from Pryor to put the Buckeyes on top by 12. The Buckeyes capitalized on Michigan’s mistakes to extend their winning streak in this suddenly lopsided rivalry. Herron continued to stomp and pound it out against the Michigan defense. Saine, Herron and Pryor exchanged rushes in the fourth quarter to run out the clock on another murky Michigan season.
Pryor finished 9 of 17 for 67 yards. He also ran for 74 yards. That goes to show you how terrific Tressel’s team was at running the football yesterday. Herron added 96 yards on the ground with one touchdown. Saine broke free for 86 yards and a touchdown. DeVair Posey lead the OSU receiving core with a handful of catches for 38 of the Bucks’ 67 total yards. Senior safety, Kurt Coleman, snared a pair of picks in front of the 111,000 fan blend of maize, blue, scarlet and gray. Devon Torrence and Gibson hauled in the other two Ohio State interceptions. Freshman receiver, Roy Roundtree, grabbed a game-high 9 receptions for 116 yards for the losing team. Smith ate up just 32 yards on the ground with eight carries, and Forcier was 23 of 28 for 226 yards. He hadn’t thrown more than one pick in a game this season before facing the Buckeyes. Saturday was Tressel’s eighth win against hated Michigan in nine tries. The Buckeyes were nearly outgained in yardage by the Wolverines. The refined running game was the unique advantage. It was the net rushing yards that made the difference at the end of the day. Forcier is usually a play-maker, and he did show glimpses of greatness early Saturday. The Wolverines couldn’t put things together on big plays to make strides against their rivals. Now, the Buckeyes can rest easily and treasure their small “gold pants” charm. They’ve made headway since the shaky start this season. They downed their arch rival and earned another conference title. The Buckeyes were able to identify their strengths and exploit their opponents’ weaknesses. They converted turnovers and responded on every set of downs to restore their leads. The coveted Rose Bowl awaits in Pasadena. Pac-10 powerhouse Oregon is in line to play against them. That means it’s time to cover the Rose Bowl from soup to nuts. Hopefully, it will be the Bucknuts tasting some Duck Soup in January.
Parting Points: Is it too much to ask the Giants not to lose five games in a row?
Forcier fumbled on his first drive. Pinned inside their own five yard line, the possession ended in disaster for Forcier and the Wolves. Ohio State defensive tackle, Cameron Hayward, recovered the fumble and scored the first touchdown of the day. The Buckeyes upped their lead to 14-3 following a mid- second quarter Michigan 46 yard field goal. Jason Olesnavage drilled it through the uprights, after an earlier miss from 24 yards. The Bucks’ backfield kicked it into high gear and quickly established the run, an enigma the Wolverines struggled to solve. Brandon Saine ended an 80 yard, 6 play OSU drive with a 29 yard surge into the end zone. The entire touchdown drive consisted of run plays. Jim Tressel’s offense must be centered on the backfield. Ohio State has proven for weeks now they are most effective when gearing up the ground game. Sophomore, Terrelle Pryor is a dual-threat quarterback with fast feet and the ability to make something out of nothing. His nine yard scramble in the second was followed by a 25 yard surge to set up Saine’s touchdown. Ohio State scored their fewest amount of points since September 19th against Michigan State. The Wolverines’ defense held the Buckeye receivers in check and kept this a game. As usual, Ohio State’s offense was extremely conservative. Tressel’s head-scratching play-calling is nothing new for OSU fans. The Buckeyes succeeded in Ann Arbor because they were able to control the clock and carry the ball for 251 rushing yards. The inexperienced UM quarterback made key costly errors and couldn’t complete the passes he needed to sustain drives. But, the Buckeyes offense did little with their first-half possessions and the Michigan defense did a good job at containing them.
Vincent Smith’s reception five minutes into the second half trimmed the Buckeye lead to four. Forcier hit his running back for an 18 yard pass. The score was set up by Pryor’s first turnover in four games. Ohio State responded immediately on their next possession. Pryor marched 89 yards after beginning the drive on the OSU 11 yard line. Dan Herron caught a 12 yard screen pass from Pryor to put the Buckeyes on top by 12. The Buckeyes capitalized on Michigan’s mistakes to extend their winning streak in this suddenly lopsided rivalry. Herron continued to stomp and pound it out against the Michigan defense. Saine, Herron and Pryor exchanged rushes in the fourth quarter to run out the clock on another murky Michigan season.
Pryor finished 9 of 17 for 67 yards. He also ran for 74 yards. That goes to show you how terrific Tressel’s team was at running the football yesterday. Herron added 96 yards on the ground with one touchdown. Saine broke free for 86 yards and a touchdown. DeVair Posey lead the OSU receiving core with a handful of catches for 38 of the Bucks’ 67 total yards. Senior safety, Kurt Coleman, snared a pair of picks in front of the 111,000 fan blend of maize, blue, scarlet and gray. Devon Torrence and Gibson hauled in the other two Ohio State interceptions. Freshman receiver, Roy Roundtree, grabbed a game-high 9 receptions for 116 yards for the losing team. Smith ate up just 32 yards on the ground with eight carries, and Forcier was 23 of 28 for 226 yards. He hadn’t thrown more than one pick in a game this season before facing the Buckeyes. Saturday was Tressel’s eighth win against hated Michigan in nine tries. The Buckeyes were nearly outgained in yardage by the Wolverines. The refined running game was the unique advantage. It was the net rushing yards that made the difference at the end of the day. Forcier is usually a play-maker, and he did show glimpses of greatness early Saturday. The Wolverines couldn’t put things together on big plays to make strides against their rivals. Now, the Buckeyes can rest easily and treasure their small “gold pants” charm. They’ve made headway since the shaky start this season. They downed their arch rival and earned another conference title. The Buckeyes were able to identify their strengths and exploit their opponents’ weaknesses. They converted turnovers and responded on every set of downs to restore their leads. The coveted Rose Bowl awaits in Pasadena. Pac-10 powerhouse Oregon is in line to play against them. That means it’s time to cover the Rose Bowl from soup to nuts. Hopefully, it will be the Bucknuts tasting some Duck Soup in January.
Parting Points: Is it too much to ask the Giants not to lose five games in a row?
Monday, August 31, 2009
Rodriguez's Rules
The soap opera that is Michigan football began a new chapter this weekend. Allegations from former and anonymous players accused head coach, Rich Rodriguez of holding practices far beyond the NCAA limits. An emotional Rodriguez addressed the media in an Ann Arbor press conference today. He reiterated several times how his coaching staff cares deeply for the Wolverine players. Rodriguez denied the reports about his program, suggesting the complaints were intended to tear up the rebuilding Michigan team. The Big 10 coach also drove home the point his school abided by the rules while he choked up in his 15 minute address.
Bill Martin, Michigan’s athletic director, is taking the allegations seriously. Martin released a statement on Sunday saying he believed the university was in compliance with the NCAA regulations, but would still investigate the situation. The Big 10 and NCAA have been alerted of the investigation attempt. The current NCAA rules allow a player to spend eight hours a week on mandatory workouts in the offseason. Players on the 2008 and 2009 Wolverines criticized Rodriguez for commanding workouts that greatly exceeded the NCAA limit. There were additional reports that quality-control staff members attended voluntary, player-run scrimmages. This is also an NCAA violation. The dismal blue and maize stumbled to a 3-9 record in Rodriguez’s first year in Ann Arbor. Rodriguez built and stabilized a successful program at West Virginia prior to taking the head coaching job at the winningest football program in the country. He took over for Lloyd Carr, who Michigan fans attacked and virtually ran out of town.
I find it interesting the players wanted to remain anonymous because they feared the repercussions. They went to the Detroit Free Press to break the story Saturday night. What do they think will happen after the fallout from the accusations against their head coach? The dissention in the locker room can’t be too comforting and appealing with the season beginning this weekend against in-state rival, Western Michigan. This is no way to start a new season. The distasteful situation will shake things up at the Big House, and the fans have a right to be angry. The press is jumping to conclusions based on a few reports. The former Wolverines claimed they practiced over the maximum 20 hours a week during the season. In my opinion, even if they had exceeded the practice limit, they should not be talking to the press. The right thing to do would be go to the coaching staff or the athletic director. Keep the problem an in-house one before making it a national issue.
Rodriguez praised his players during Monday’s press conference. He acknowledged their hard work and good grades. Rodriguez is a great coach and he should receive the support of his staff and team. It seems like the Wolverines are trying to find anything negative they can and dwelling on their failures of the past. I am sure it is an embarrassing situation for Rodriguez to be called a rule-breaker. If he did in fact fail to adhere to the rules, he should suffer a penalty. But the athletic department should have been notified prior to the player reports appearing in print.
Parting points: I can’t believe today is the final day of August. It’s time to go back to school already.
Movie of the day- “Ferris Beuller’s Day Off
Bill Martin, Michigan’s athletic director, is taking the allegations seriously. Martin released a statement on Sunday saying he believed the university was in compliance with the NCAA regulations, but would still investigate the situation. The Big 10 and NCAA have been alerted of the investigation attempt. The current NCAA rules allow a player to spend eight hours a week on mandatory workouts in the offseason. Players on the 2008 and 2009 Wolverines criticized Rodriguez for commanding workouts that greatly exceeded the NCAA limit. There were additional reports that quality-control staff members attended voluntary, player-run scrimmages. This is also an NCAA violation. The dismal blue and maize stumbled to a 3-9 record in Rodriguez’s first year in Ann Arbor. Rodriguez built and stabilized a successful program at West Virginia prior to taking the head coaching job at the winningest football program in the country. He took over for Lloyd Carr, who Michigan fans attacked and virtually ran out of town.
I find it interesting the players wanted to remain anonymous because they feared the repercussions. They went to the Detroit Free Press to break the story Saturday night. What do they think will happen after the fallout from the accusations against their head coach? The dissention in the locker room can’t be too comforting and appealing with the season beginning this weekend against in-state rival, Western Michigan. This is no way to start a new season. The distasteful situation will shake things up at the Big House, and the fans have a right to be angry. The press is jumping to conclusions based on a few reports. The former Wolverines claimed they practiced over the maximum 20 hours a week during the season. In my opinion, even if they had exceeded the practice limit, they should not be talking to the press. The right thing to do would be go to the coaching staff or the athletic director. Keep the problem an in-house one before making it a national issue.
Rodriguez praised his players during Monday’s press conference. He acknowledged their hard work and good grades. Rodriguez is a great coach and he should receive the support of his staff and team. It seems like the Wolverines are trying to find anything negative they can and dwelling on their failures of the past. I am sure it is an embarrassing situation for Rodriguez to be called a rule-breaker. If he did in fact fail to adhere to the rules, he should suffer a penalty. But the athletic department should have been notified prior to the player reports appearing in print.
Parting points: I can’t believe today is the final day of August. It’s time to go back to school already.
Movie of the day- “Ferris Beuller’s Day Off
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