U of M thread (in the Lions Forum) :)

[chemiclord]

The Wolverines are currently 6-2.

Last year, they didn't win their 6th game until February 9th.

In a way, this somewhat bodes well for the football team. A year of absolute shit trying to just get all the right pieces, and quickly coming together once everything is finally set in place.

[gjdodger]

Lloyd Carr <> Tommy Amaker. Beulein had nothing to work with last year.

[chemiclord]

And what did Rodriguez really have to work with this year?

Threet? Pretty much all the big guns from last year were gone come this season.

[Rocky Bleier]

Beilein must be worth the buyout? And the hockey team just swept Sparty. Go Blue!

[Niffla]

So the new polls came out today, and UM isn't on either. They've beaten two top 4 teams in as many weeks, yet somehow they're not deemed as one of the 25 top in the entire country. Fucking bullshit.

[Niffla]

And in the coaches poll, there are still SIX teams ahead of them in the "others receiving votes" category.

[gjdodger]

OK...so they're 32nd. Last year, they were about two hundred and thirty-second. If they can go, say, 11-7 in the Big1T1en, maybe win a tourney game, you will see them in the polls, and in the NCAA's.

[Masspartan]

lol at U-M'ers playing the State give me some respect card ... we invented that card.

[NewOrleansLion]

Actually the Fontes teams used to play that card with gusto as well.

[Rocky Bleier]

Rodriguez has a fan in Leach

Former quarterback points out coach wasn't exactly stocked with standouts on first team.

Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News

Former Michigan quarterback Rick Leach, saying he had "no agenda" except that he wanted to show his love and support of Michigan, was on WTKA 1050 out of Ann Arbor on Tuesday morning.
Leach discussed a number of Michigan football-related topics, including Rich Rodriguez, Lloyd Carr and the state of the program.
Leach was very visible at Schembechler Hall during the past season under Rodriguez, and last week at the annual banquet, Rodriguez jokingly referred to Leach as his "agent." Excerpts from Tuesday's interview:


? On Rodriguez: "Once Rich Rodriguez became available in this process, I was called out of the blue from my former coach, Don Nehlen, who was my quarterback coach my last two years (at Michigan).
"After I left Michigan, he went to West Virginia and basically built that program from the ground up. Rich Rodriguez was hired on his staff and took over when Don retired.
"Don called me and shared his feelings about (Rodriguez) as a person, as a coach. That's all I needed to hear, believe me, because I know Don Nehlen is one of us. And Don Nehlen told him this opportunity only comes along once in a lifetime and if you don't take this job, you're a damn fool. God bless Don Nehlen for bringing that to us."
? On the thought the cupboard was bare for Rodriguez this season: "Let me give you a few facts. When Bo (Schembechler) came in and took over for Bump Elliott -- make it clear, when he came in, in 1969, he did not recruit any of those guys on that team that he took over. Let's see, on that team he took over, there turned out to be 28 All-Big Ten players, nine All-Americans and, oh yeah, three players that went into to the College Football Hall of Fame. That's No. 1.
"No. 2, when Lloyd Carr took over from Gary Moeller and he inherited that team, let me see, there were 24 All-Big Ten players, nine All-Americans and, oh yes, a Heisman Trophy winner in Charles Woodson.
"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, this year's All-Big Ten team just came out. Michigan had two players on the first and second team, and one of them was a punter. I rest my case."
? On former U-M lineman Justin Boren, who transferred to Ohio State and was critical of Rodriguez and his staff: "My own personal feelings -- if you don't like it here, and you don't want to be here, then move on. Because if Rich Rodriguez and his staff are too tough for you, if you don't like the way they raise their voices and, oh yes, maybe even now and then they cuss at you, guess what? Bo Schembechler did, Gary Moeller and I believe Lloyd Carr might have done that every now and then. If that's your issue, then move on."
? On the belief Carr has been reluctant to support Rodriguez: "As far as I know, there's been no comment, nothing come out publicly to support him, and to me, and I guess since I speak my mind, my feeling is, I guess silence speaks a thousand words. I wish he would, because many people came to his side when he needed help."
? More on Carr and Rodriguez: "Let me make this perfectly clear, I feel that from the time I've been here, I supported Bo Schembechler, I supported Gary Moeller and I sure supported Lloyd Carr. I'm proud that he was our coach. I'm proud of what he accomplished. I'm proud that he won the national title in 1997. I'm proud of how he conducted himself and the values he taught all those players over all those years.
"To me, if you take any player that he coached over those years and they didn't feel as strongly about him as I do my coach, Bo Schembechler, I'd be shocked.
"My whole point through this -- Lloyd Carr is not coaching here anymore, Rich Rodriguez is. And he needs the same support and the same guidance, and he needs to know players, former coaches and everybody, because we went through a real tough time (this year). We got kicked in the gut, huge. Give this man the same respect that you gave the others."
? On Rodriguez not knowing initially about the No. 1 jersey tradition and doing away with season-long captains: "The No. 1 jersey was, to me, was a total non-issue. My only thing that I wished was that Braylon (Edwards), instead of immediately going on ESPN, just call (Rodriguez). It could have been done with a simple phone call, it could have been done behind the scenes, because that was just one more log on the fire for Rodriguez."
"As far as the captains, I agree totally (with Rodriguez). I see the value of captains everywhere I've been. But Rich Rodriguez put together a group in the summer called 'the apostles.' He had eight seniors, six juniors, four sophomores. That's 18, I believe. That to me is 18 captains. Those are the leaders he wanted to make decisions, so that's a non-issue."
"Bo made it very clear your whole senior class is your leaders."

[Rocky Bleier]

How is this possible now that Sparty owns the state's best recruits?

Michigan received a commitment today from Inkster (Mich.) four-star Cameron Gordon, a two-way standout at linebacker/safety and wide receiver. Gordon is U-M's 21st commitment from the class of 2009.
He's the No. 5 player in the state of Michigan.

[SeattleLionsFan]

Sam McGuffie has officially gotten his release from U-M, and is planning on transferring somewhere's closer to home. Hopefully he won't get hit quite as hard whereever he ends up...

http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=888262

[Timmy]

Sad that McGuffie left. Guess he thought he'd have a better chance at the NFL coming from a team that was perennial in the BCS #1 hunt.

[SeattleLionsFan]

The rumor I heard was family trouble. He's apparently leaning to Texas A&M and it's not like they are going to be preseason #1 anytime soon.

And he'll have a shot at the NFL if he grows 4 inches and puts on 60 lbs. And has a brain left in his head. He had 3 concussions last year...

[CGVT]

Yeah, from what I have read, that comment was pretty unfair to the guy, Timmy