A Black Day In Ann Arbor
I've never been a good loser. I'm not a particularly good winner either. Anyway, pardon the rant that's about to follow here.
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED??
They're calling it possibly the greatest upset in college football EVER. My beloved Michigan Wolverines whom I proclaim and defend to all comers--Bonnie here mostly--lost their opening game to a team that I never heard from a college that I didn't even know existed.
This is a loss of Biblical proportions. Not since Davey beat Goliath has such an event occurred. And I'm thinking there were some who laid odds on Davey just because of name recognition--there were a couple Davids in the Old Testament, right? Reports were that Las Vegas bookies refused to quote a line on Appalachian State versus Michigan because the Wolverines were so favored to clobber them like god did the devil.
Worse yet, I was THERE! There, at the Big House among over 100,000 fans almost all wearing maize 'n blue, in a festive mood to see the debut of our latest conquering heroes. I enjoyed reading the t-shirts--my favorite read "Beating Michigan State" on the front, which didn't make sense until you read the back--"So Easy a Caveman Could Do It."
But instead of seeing our dream team, it was a nightmare. "Unbelievable," cried those around me over and again as the Wolverines stumbled, bumbled and generally stood like a deer in the headlights. Whatever could go wrong in a football game did. I watched in horror as our senior quarterback Chad Henne tried to throw a short pass to a teammate with two opponents draped all over him while another Michigan receiver stood all by himself in the end zone, waving frantically to get Henne's attention.
I think every man, woman and child in the stadium saw Michigan's top receiver wide open in the end zone. EVERYONE EXCEPT THE MAN WE COUNT ON TO THROW THE BALL TO THE RIGHT GUY!!! So it went the whole day. We lost 34-32 when we had our second blocked field goal in less than two minutes, while the other team stuck their final winning kick. Sick, just sick.
You KNOW some Hollywood outfit is going to make a movie out of this some day. I just hope they pick the right actor to play Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, who rightly took the blame for this debacle. Jim Carrey comes to mind.
Many are calling for Carr's immediate firing. I don't believe in being that hasty. He should be tarred and feathered first. THEN fired.
posted by Big Dave T @ 2:21 PM
30 Comments:
Deepest sympathies. But as they say, if you're going to schedule the Little Sisters of Mercy, you'd better beat them.
Have I ever mentioned that I got my MA from U of M. I probably won't mention it again for several football years.
Maybe they'll do better next time. Sorry they lost.
Dear Dave, Did you ever think that maybe God, in His infinite wisdom, has to occasionally make up to those unfortunate enough to live in Appalacia? I mean, really --- you have the Big House and they have a cow pasture. This one game alone may be the reason that hundreds of kids from Boone become sucessful instead of wallowing in their sorrowful little corner of the world. You can afford to be magnanimous and throw this scrimmage for a good cause. Feel better now?
Yeah, Dave, be magnanimous!
Or, you could embrace the better university in Michigan and celebrate MSU's 55-18 win over UAB!! Go GREEN! Yay SPARTANS!!
What's also interesting is how the MSU community here has not been able to stop dogging and ripping apart Michigan. I haven't heard one word from them on how great Michigan State played on Saturday (even if it was against a terrible Conference USA team that only won 3 games last year). Especially, after needing a strong effort when their future this year is very undecided. You'd think State already beat the Wolverines the way the kids are acting around here. They're pathetic. I can't wait for November 3rd.
I'm so sorry. I heard about this today from a friend of a friend. It's quite the upset. I don't get the whole getting fired bit because it's one game but ....
Funny, Kacey. I get it. People from the mountains/the south are hillbilly trash.
It's funny.
I'm one of those poor kids from Boone. Well, I'm not FROM there. Nor are many students. They go TO Boone to get a degree in, say, business. Good program. Comes in handy when they get a nice job in their poor little corner of the world doing a job that was relocated from... I dunno... an aging rust belt state too set in its ways to diversify its economy?
Anyway. You guys are great. We're crap. Keep the same attitude about our students as U of M had about our football team. We actually enjoy being underestimated. Makes victory suh-weet.
ZING!
As a fan of the Miami Dolphins (who have sucked for a few years); I have to say that as I watched the tackling I was thinking that maybe the Miami Dolphins were the ones playing Appalachian State!
I am not sure what happened, but I have to give Appalachian State a lot of credit for not choking. Many lower level teams have been on the edge of a major upset against a great team and have bumbled and fumbled it away in the last minutes.
Good luck to Michigan during the rest of the year. At least you guys are doing better than Notre Dame and probably will be doing better than the University of Miami.
As regards someone making a movie about this game, it was already done. Check out Ace Ventura (the first one) with the mystery kicker. LACES OUT!!
Ouch!! That one really hurt.
Oh my, I'm sending my most deep set condolences to you and your team.
I pity the poor coach who wronged so many fans!
Freshmanhater: May I borrow some matches?
Big Dave ~ I don't know about letting Lloyd Carr go... but SOMEONE should give Appalachian State head coach Jerry Moore a BIG RAISE! Sorry buddy but you can't win them all (even in the Big House)! ~ jb///
I try to grin and bear it when my team or someone I've cheering for loses...but deep inside I'm not a very good loser, Dave! ;) I like to be on the winning side! Hehehehehe!
I watched a wonderful movies the other day on DVD..."We Are Marshall"...true story about the college football team and its handlers etc., who were killed in a plane crash in 1970...all 75! It was a very inspiring story. I loved the movie. Great soundtrack, too. Worth a watch if you've not seen it. Matthew McCougnahey and David Strathairn.
Dear Dave, Please let me take this space to apologize to Anonymous for making silly cracks about his university and his state. I made a feeble attempt to make you smile, but unfortunately I am no Jeff Foxworthy. I really didn't intend to sound so uppity and condescending, so; Dear Anonymous, Please forgive an aging citizen from the rust belt for being insensitive. You can laugh your head off when Michigan beats Ohio State this year and I'll call it square.
Oh come on Dave, it was only one game!!!! It does sound like a little league team playing ball though. So Sorry!
Hi Dave, am I right in assuming that you expected to win this game????? it's that tough tittie factor my friend, keeps popping up every now and then so nobody gets over confident.
I don't follow college football, but I can feel your pain.
Sending you much sympathy and condolences. But I think my past week beat yours in terms of woe.
Ahhhh, I am so sorry. I don't pay a great deal of attention to football, but my ears perked up when I heard about the Wolverines losing their first game. My deepest sympathy and well maybe they will do better next game. It is only the beginning of the season.
As the old canard says, "on any given (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday) any team can be whupped", or something like that.
What I want to know is, does this worry Ohio State? I wouldn't be surprised.
Being that I am not a big sports fan, I cannot relate. The closet I can get to that is that I often supervise school sports events for middle and High School sports in our district, every once in a while I feel a twinge to cheer for our team most of the time, I must admit, I am cold and asking myself why do I even do this to myself.
In defense to some of the coaches, many of my friends coach school teams and I like to go and be supportive because sometimes the parents can be brutal.
In the end I always enjoy reading your blog : - )
Hi Dave, if you would like to follow this link it will explain what the APEC conference is and give a bit of funny detail.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article2407708.ece
I am told by friends who were exiting the game in East Lansing that the eruption of noise that occurred when Michigan lost that game was louder than the home game.
you (and I) both know your team will rebound but something went badly wrong last sat.
PS--You know I know how it feels to have your team lose for no good reason in the final minutes and there is nothing good about it.
Gotta love the big strong "S" on GREEN above!
Look at the bright side, Dave. You won't have to find a new picture or title for this week's post!
BONNIE--Be kind, Bonnie. I really AM a sore loser. I wasn't kidding about that.
Well, anyway our Detroit Tigers have been showing a little life lately anyway. I hear they've been dismantling the playoff hopes of somebody from out your way the past couple days. So save those matches you've been stockpiling. You might need them yet.
that game last week must have shaken them more than anyone thought.
there are no fair weather fans around these parts so hang in there big dave!
It's DEJA-VU ALL OVER AGAIN!! They lost to Oregon? When did Oregon stop sucking against the top teams? Or has Meee-shee-gan dropped so low??
Anyhow, my U Miami Hurricanes got stomped like rented mules by Oklahoma. 51-13. It was so bad none of the local radio station hosts could figure out anything positive to say about anybody.
Hi Dave,
I'm sorry you had a bad day...or they had a bad day. I'm not into football, but I KNOW how I feel when I lose at backgammon...and i have been on a losing baseball team so I can empathize.
Yes, tar and feather him and fire him....at least twice.
Have a good week!
I would say you shouldn't even bother to update this week. Sigh. And Rich stayed home from opera to watch the mighty ducks...
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