tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post116399872999746919..comments2023-10-10T03:21:23.580-04:00Comments on Motown Sports Revival: Rematch 101Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-1164606104388232502006-11-27T00:41:00.000-05:002006-11-27T00:41:00.000-05:00Well said.Well said.Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-1164590444756671142006-11-26T20:20:00.000-05:002006-11-26T20:20:00.000-05:00Well, it appears that USC and OSU are in, and, by ...Well, it appears that USC and OSU are in, and, by the way USC throttled Notre Dame, I am actually excited. I think USC has grown a ton in the last few weeks and will present Ohio State with a much more challenging game than I first believed. USC appears to have a formidable defense and an offense likely better than UM's that should score frequently on the Buckeyes (If UM's game was any indication.) After seeing the first UM-OSU game, and initially wanting a rematch, I now feel it is at least somewhat fair to have USC match up with Ohio State. I can now more easily say, "Well, UM had their shot," and put aside the fact that they are probably the second best team in the nation and truly deserving of a rematch. Besides, OSU can take out both teams from last years BCS after already beating the team that probably should have been in it this year. If that is the case, that is one heck of a season,and a perfect exclamation point to finish it.<BR/> <BR/>As for Michigan playing Notre Dame, all I can say is that sucks. One reason I started to switch my initial thought on the rematch between OSU and UM was so that both Big Ten teams could clean up on the best of the rest. I am always pro Big Ten, so getting two big victories would, in my opinion, be better than watching one team take out the other. But if Notre Dame is the other team, rather than Florida, this idea would be virtually nullified. Even if Notre Dame somehow won, it still would lack excitement and by no means become justified.<BR/><BR/>As for the people out there that are still blaming UM's loss to a 15 yard penalty, all I can say is get over it. First of all it was clearly the right call, second of all, it would have been called that way anywhere, and third of all, that is not why UM lost the game. Having over 500 yards of offense pasted on a supposedly great defense is probably why you lost. Having a plus 3 turnover differential and not being able to take advantage is probably why you lost. I think anybody who watched that game with a hint of discretion believed that Ohio State was the better team and for every if and or but a UM fan had, OSU had one as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-1164175165351151652006-11-22T00:59:00.000-05:002006-11-22T00:59:00.000-05:00The fact that Michigan deserves a rematch is a jok...The fact that Michigan deserves a rematch is a joke. USC is far more deserving than any other team at this point. <BR/><BR/>Lets forget that USC lost to an actually decent Oregon State team instead of #1 Ohio State. Look at who the Men Of Troy have beaten this year. If USC can beat Notre Dame and UCLA then they would have beate more top 25 teams than Michigan and Florida combined. USC will have beaten Arkansas in Fayetville, Nebraska, Cal, and Oregon. <BR/><BR/>Michigan had their chance and lost. Maybe they should just go play another garbage team from the Big-Ten like Northwestern or Indiana while USC plays one of the toughest schedules in the country.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-1164164630453402992006-11-21T22:03:00.000-05:002006-11-21T22:03:00.000-05:00The very fact that this scenario exists is a compe...The very fact that this scenario exists is a compelling argument in favor of a playoff. Michigan and Ohio State are clearly by far the top two programs in the Big Ten (sorry, Penn State) and among the top programs in the nation. Their annual matchup is usually the last game of the season for both schools. The chances that these two schools could both enter that game undefeated or with only one loss between them again sometime in the near future is nontrivial; the last time it happened was less than 10 years ago (1997). I doubt the other conferences would be very happy about the prospect of having an all-Big Ten NC game once every ten years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-1164163470293117802006-11-21T21:44:00.000-05:002006-11-21T21:44:00.000-05:00Kevin, there was absolutely no excuse for the refs...Kevin, there was absolutely no excuse for the refs to choke on their whistles on the play you are talking about. That was actually more blatant than the Crable penalty. The refs were not consistent with those two calls. Considering how much the Crable call impacted the game, it was maddening to see the refs stand idly by on that play. <BR/><BR/>It's actually pretty interesting that some people think the game wasn't as close as the score indicates and others think it was just as close. The Game had a ton of potential game-changing events that came so close to happening on both sides. For every argument that can be made that Ohio State should have won by more, there is an equal argument that Michigan could have won the game. <BR/><BR/>Amit, I respect your opinion. However, which loss is better; Oregon State or Ohio State? Whether people like it or not, (and I don't because I want a playoff), the BCS is designed to pit the top two teams against each other. Michigan had no wins by less than eight points this year and its only loss was by three points to number one Ohio State on the road! USC beat Washington State and Washington by six and Arizona State by seven. All three of those teams are borderline bad.<BR/><BR/>I can understand the lack of interest for people outside of the midwest. I certainly would not be interested in a USC-Cal rematch for the National Championship. But, the way the system is set up, I have to say that a Ohio State-Michigan rematch is probably the best matchup. Just compare resumes. There is no way USC's resume is equal to Michigan's. It remains to be seen what will happen. I don't necessarily think any fanbase should want their team to play against Troy Smith. Be forewarned if your team has the misfortune of playing in the BCS Championship game!Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-1164057999355393042006-11-20T16:26:00.000-05:002006-11-20T16:26:00.000-05:00Anonymous is Kevin that is just how it posts. Com...Anonymous is Kevin that is just how it posts. <BR/><BR/>Come on, he led with his shoulder and ended up hitting helmets on the follow through. It was THE most important play of the game. Nobody was hurt and it had no impact on the outcome of the play. The center call had NO impact on the game other than delaying a punt for 3 downs. How is that wash? The pass interference was crap but "technically" correct. What if that had decided the game?<BR/><BR/>Ask yourself this. If that was not called would anybody have ever noticed it? No. <BR/><BR/>Jake, at the end of the game Manningham gets hit by a second guy on accident while he is out of bounds. No call. Why? because of common sense. To little to late. <BR/><BR/>To quote the Bad News Bears "Let them Play"<BR/><BR/>This was the single biggest call in Michigan history in a ties with the Desmond Howard tackle in the endzone against MSU. Would UM have won? I have no idea? Whould we know for sure who was better yes.<BR/><BR/>And by the way. No Barringer on the 2 runs up the middle meant Mundy flying past the runner once, into the ref on the other and on the Ginn pass he bit on the fake. Burgess being hurt killed them as Graham had to play the pass which he is not fast enough to do as shown on the Gonzalez slant. Tough injuries in a close game.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-1164056593993398732006-11-20T16:03:00.000-05:002006-11-20T16:03:00.000-05:00There was some insighful commentary there. My thou...There was some insighful commentary there. My thought are below.<BR/><BR/>"A lot of pundits are saying that Michigan deserves to play in the 2006 National Championship against the Ohio State University in spite of losing to them in the regular season finale. I disagree..."<BR/><BR/>More at http://chillifrost.livejournal.com/#item748Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-1164052396688150362006-11-20T14:53:00.000-05:002006-11-20T14:53:00.000-05:00Thanks for the comments. As for the helmet to helm...Thanks for the comments. As for the helmet to helmet, I didn't mention it and I'm not dwelling on it because a). it's over and there isn't anything that can be done about it, and b). Michigan had plenty of opportunities. It is a catastrophe to have a game decided on a play like that but it's on Crable. He pulled a Jeremy LeSeur (2001 UM/MSU game). I agree that may have decided the game but you can't really blame anyone except for Crable. Although, I have to admit that it is extremely difficult to think about that when you're about to nail the QB. It wasn't a late hit. It was just helmet to helmet. It's a rule. I was very disappointed that the refs did not call a late hit penalty again OSU near the end of the game. I can't remember when it happened but it was blatant. I just want consistency. But, it all boiled down to UM not being able to stop OSU. <BR/>Take care!Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-1164034808881657562006-11-20T10:00:00.000-05:002006-11-20T10:00:00.000-05:00Come on, I need one place on the internet to ackno...Come on, I need one place on the internet to acknowledge THE most important thing about Saturday...the fact that a 15 yard penalty (for what we were never told) decided the game. Before the 3rd down I turned to my dad like I am sure ever fan did and said "this is the game." The penalty prolonged it but when the ball fell incomplete I was elated. Then the flag. I judgement call flag on the biggest Michigan play of the season. I hit (apparently after the fact a helmet to helmet hit although again we were not told that was the case) on a scrambling QB with both feet in bounds and who's arm was still moving forward. That play kept the drive alive and ensured that Michigan would have to score 2x's. Without that judgement call they punt Michigan gets the ball with 6 minutes and a chance to win the game. OSU has a chance to stop them but if they score OSU probably has a chance to have one last drive to seal the season. Now THAT would have been a real game. A game that was a true "classic." This game was a tease and the reason why everyone cares if there is a rematch now is because the game was totally unsatisfying because of that call. Imagine that call was not made and imagine that UM's drive at the end was for the title. The pass interference judgement call that Herby deemed totally correct that was a crap call on a ball he would not have caught anyway. That call could have decided OSU season. They had stopped Michigan, the game was over but no that call gives them a 2nd chance and Michigan scores. Then how would Michigan or OSU fans feel about that game? Like I did all weekend. Completely unsatisfied.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com