Happy Birthday Bearded Fellow

Okay, well this isn't my birthday, but the Bearded Fellow Persona was born today. On this day one year ago I posted my first blog, it was about the first Brewer's Bruin encounter... Which was the Iowa game last year, kinda funny how that works out...

I just want to say it's been a great year of blogging, the blog has skyrocketed into something I never thought it could be. I have people reading it that I have no idea who they are, people retweeting my posts on Twitter to thousands of their followers, hell I've had people retweet the retweet. It's just awesome to think about how many people could have read even one entry of the Bearded Fellow.

I started this blog at the encouragement of my freshman journalism professor. He told me blogging is a great way to get my name out there. When I started, I struggled to blog anything with regularity, I was looking for those weird stories.
But then when hockey season came around, I started posting about the Red Wing games. I had avoided simple game recaps for the most part because I was looking for the strange stories to get noticed. But then I started to just post about Wings games and how they're doing with some extra stuff on the side. And that's what really got my blog rolling. I got hooked up with Spartan Edge and they still have my blog posted on their website, and more and more people started reading the blog.

This thing is bigger than I ever expected it to be and it's all thanks to you, the reader. Without you guys I would not have kept at it. But it's great to see that 62 people like my blog on Facebook. Sure small number, but I expected to have 20 tops on the page. This blog is much greater than I ever anticipated it to be.

But anyways, for the one year anniversary of the Bearded Blogger, I feel it's necessary to do something special... But what? I could repost some of my personal favorites, and ask which one you guys think is best... I could ask y'all what you guys like about my blog, what topics do you, the people, like most out of me? My hockey stuff, my NFL stuff, my college football stuff, my random stuff, you guys get it... Or I could ask if you guys think I'm just full of shit... which is probably true but that's okay, you keep reading...

I think I'm just going to ask you guys one thing... in the comment box, right down there, leave me some honest feedback about my blog. Stuff you like, stuff you don't like, my skills as a writer, or lack thereof. My opinions, if you think I know my stuff or I'm just full of it. Let me know what you, the people, think of the Bearded Fellow on Sports, I would love some feedback to let me know how I'm doing or what the people want, so please, I implore you, leave a comment, it's not that hard...

On a final note, I just want to add that I love you all for reading and following, and I hope you all continue to read and follow my blog as I go for year two of the Bearded Fellow on Sports.

So This is Justice...

I don't know if you guys have heard about this or not, the only thing I know is what I heard on 97.1 yesterday during the Valenti and Foster program. It was a story about a cheerleader at a Texas high school who was kicked off the cheer squad.

No big deal right? Happens all the time, right? Wrong. The reason she got kicked off the squad wasn't anything like grades or behavior related, none of that. She was kicked off the squad for refusing to cheer the name of a particular player, Rakheem Jamal Bolton.

Why would a cheerleader refuse to cheer for a player, doesn't that defeat the purpose of a cheerleader? Rakheem and two other males were accused of raping her. Her claim was that the three men took her, locked her in a room, and sexually assaulted her at a party. Other party goers tried to get in the room but they couldn't. When they did, two of the three men, one of which was Rakheem, fled out the window. Why the third didn't, I have no clue, maybe he's just dumb, fat, or slow... or all the above. But all three plead guilty to assault charges (not sexual assault). Rakheem was sentenced to a year of jail but got out early and was put on probation... What a load of crap if you ask me...

When asked about the whole "rape thing"... excuse me, "alleged rape," by a local TV station, Rakheem said, "I feel like it was just a misunderstanding.” Misunderstanding? Dude, No does not mean Yes...

Well this kid's out of jail, he's back at the high school, he's playing basketball for them. He's living life like nothing happened... Unfortunately for our cheerleading friend life wasn't so simple...

This is the part of the story that I get pissed... So before the whole getting kicked of the squad thing happens, the school tells her two things: She should avoid cafeterias, and she can't participate in homecoming. Ummm school, I think you're disciplining the wrong person. That's a joke. She's the victim in this story and you're telling her to avoid the caf and telling her she can't be apart of homecoming!?!? How messed up is that?

And now she's being kicked off the cheerleading team... She got kicked off the squad for refusing to cheer Rakheem's name when they were doing a cheer roll call or something, some cheerleader thing. She refused to cheer the name of the man who raped her and SHE is getting kicked off the squad.

This story just angers me so much. I don't know the talent level of this kid, but I'm guessing by all this special treatment he's probably a star. But regardless... this story just disgusts me. The kid should still be in jail, he shouldn't be on the basketball team, and he shouldn't be at that school. Why the girl who's a sexual assault victim gets treated by the school the way they did? I have no idea, it just makes zero sense to me and it angers me so much.

And a reminder guys... No does in fact mean No, and be careful, one slip up could haunt you for the rest of your life. Also, sexual violence and rape... it's not cool. Despite what Gingers in the Northeast Region say, it's not cool, it's not funny.

I just wanted to bring this story to all your guys' attention, I feel it's a story that needs to be known.

The Bearded Poll

So we're eight weeks into this amazing college football season, and things are messy like they usually are in college football. The number one team has lost three straight weeks, could it be four? I wouldn't be surprised at all... But one thing everyone likes to talk about is these silly, meaningless, BCS polls, and since I am the Bearded Fellow, it's time for me to share the only poll the matters... The Bearded Top Five.

Number Five: Michigan State Spartans
Never in my life did I think I'd see this, but MSU is a national championship contender folks. Kirk Cousin's is the most underrated quarterback in the country, he doesn't make many mistakes and he's got a solid arm. He sells the play action better than anyone in the country, combine that with MSU's ground game, which is always a threat, you got yourself a dangerous offense.
The question, as always, is the defense. It's very solid against the run, and has been much better than expected against the pass. The key is adjusting to the loss of Rucker, but Denard has stepped in and played very solid. The Spartans have the game of their season against Iowa at Kinnick this Saturday, if they win, they should finish 12-0.

Number Four: Texas Christian Horned Frogs.
Gotta love the Horned Frogs, they are scary good on defense. Number one in the country in points against, allowing only 9 points a game. Andy Dalton isn't a spectacular or flashy quarterback, but like Cousins, he gets the job done. The TCU ground game is one of the best in the country with the combination of Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker. TCU has an easy road ahead of them but face a tough game when they take on undefeated Utah on the road later this season.

Number Three: Auburn Tigers
But Dave, they're number one?!?!?! Not in my books. Auburn looks fantastic, Cam Newton has been unstoppable. He is there offense. He has put up absurd numbers both on the ground and threw the air. (Seems like I said this about another quarterback this year... hmmmm) Cam is a monster. He's big, he's fast, he's impossible to stop. But he's also the reason the Tigers aren't my number one. If a team contains him, then they will lose. That defense is terrible, it's not very good. Auburn still has to play Bama and the SEC title. If they can make it through that undefeated, then obviously they deserve to be in the Nation Championship. I just don't think that defense is good enough to get through the rest of the SEC, although Cam Newton has the Heisman Trophy won in my books.

Number Two: Boise State Broncos
I love Boise, always have. I loved back with Jared Zabranski and Ian Johnson before they played Oklahoma. I loved the BCS giving them a chance to play against Oklahoma, and I love them being put as number three to start the season. People are finally respecting the Boise State Broncos. They are a legitimate team. They can match up in a neutral site, one game situation with any team in the country. Could they run the table in the Big Ten, or SEC? Probably not, but they can beat any team in any of those divisions. Kellen Moore is a Heisman trophy candidate and a terrific quarterback. Titus Young and Austin Petis are two of the best wideouts in the country and the best wide receiver tandem in the nation for sure. The defense is rock solid and the offense is dynamic. Boise is a legit team folks, just accept it... Although, I do think their record IS a product of their schedule, but that doesn't mean they can't compete with any team in the country, and they can.

Number One: Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks are something else aren't they? I have yet to see an offense as dynamic as theirs. They put up points on everyone. Darron Thomas isn't the best quarterback I have ever seen, but he is a tremendous athlete and fits the Oregon system perfectly. The defense is a little questionable, but it's better than Auburn's, in my opinion, and it's been solid thus far. But that offense can out score any team that lines up against them. LaMichael James is a fantastic running back, the most dynamic runner in the country. He is faster than any other running back in the country, and is the playmaker of that offense. That offense is why Oregon is my number one.

I will say this... there may be seven undefeated teams, but there is no team in college football that I can honestly say is great. If I have used "great" to describe any of these teams as a whole, I apologize for deceiving you. These teams are all good, and they all have aspects that are great, but are these teams great? No. Alabama last year was great. 97 Michigan was great, That Tebow team, I believe 08? When he had his speech, that team was great. These teams aren't great. They all have flaws, they all have that question mark. Great teams, in my opinion, don't have that question mark. They are above and beyond better than their competition. These teams, I wouldn't call em great, I'd say they're good, they're very good, but I can't honestly say that any of these teams are "great,' I just can't do it.

Spartans Leave Michigan and Get it Done

The Michigan State Spartans left the state of Michigan for the first time all season and took care of business against the Northwestern Wildcats 35-27. But it sure as hell wasn't easy for the Spartans as they were down 17-0 at a point in the first half. If it weren't for a fumble at the one by Northwestern running back Jacob Schmidt it coould have been 24-0.

The Spartans struggled mightily in the first half, being dominated on both ends of the ball. MSU could not run the ball but kept trying. Cousin's had four passing attempts in the first quarter, and the Spartans failed to convert on two 3rd and 1's. MSU's ground game was non-existant along with the rest of the Spartan offense. Northwestern controlled the ball and controlled the game.

The Spartans got a touchdown before the end of the half when Kirk Cousins found Mark Dell in the back of the endzone on a first and goal play from seven yards out with about three minutes left in the half. MSU had finally put together a drive and was looking for any kind of momentum going into the second half.

MSU scored the next TD when Benny Fowler scored on an end around for 22 yards. MSU had cut the deficit down to three 17-14. Northwestern scored the next touchdown to go back up ten going into the 4th quarter.

Critical point, MSU down 10, early 4th quarter. MSU has a 4th and 6 inside Northwestern territory. Conroy would be kicking about a 50 yarder into the wind, so field goal was out of the question. What would Coach Dantonio do? After a timeout, MSU lined up for a punt and took an intentional delay of game, to give the punter Aaron Bates more room to work with. MSU, appeared to be punting, which the announces and myself, felt was the wrong decision.

I was watching with my friend, and just before the snap, he shouts "Man up Dantonio! Go for it!" Well, Bates took the snap, and did not punt it, he threw a jump ball up for Benny Fowler who benefitted from his man not paying attention to the ball. He jumped up and made the catch for the Spartan first down. Another bold fake by Dantonio pays off. The next play Cousins finds Dell for their second touchdown connection to cut the lead down to three 24-21.

Northwestern answered the MSU touchdown with a field goal to go up 27-21. MSU then had a pressure drive, down six late in the game. Cousins led a great drive down the field that culminated in a touchdown when BJ Cunningham made an acrobatic catch off a deflection to give MSU the one point lead 28-27.

MSU then sealed the game on a Edwin Baker touchdown run to make it 35-27.

This was a huge win for the Spartans. Northwestern is a better team than people give them credit for. They are efficient and good at what they do. Persa is a solid dual-threat quarterback. This was a good road test for the Spartans and they overcame the adversity of having no running game and being forced to throw it.

Now the Spartans go on the road in the biggest game of their season to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa has the best defensive line in the country, and Kinick is one of the toughest stadiums in the country. I have to give my edge to Iowa. Stanzi is a much better quarterback than he was last year, and Iowa at home is tough to beat.

But if MSU can pull it off... Rose Bowl or even National Championship dreams are that much closer to reality.

It's Duck Season No Longer

A disappointed Andaloro and Cobb leave the field after the Duck's 1-0 defeat.

The Mighty Ducks began their playoff run with high hopes Monday night, but left the field with a heart-breaking 1-0 defeat to 9 Inch Nails.

The Mighty Ducks played one of their best games of the year, even playing most of the first half down a man. An injured Conor Milroy, a member of the coed team, played on an emergency basis for the Ducks, playing on two bad ankles. But the Mighty Ducks held their own and were tied 0-0 at the half.

"The team energy was terrific at the half," said Goalkeeper Dave Cobb, "we all felt like we could win this game. It was the best soccer we had played all season and we were down a man to start. With a full nine guys out there, we thought the second half would be ours."

Cobb did not face many shots in that first half, nor really any threats to the goal. There was one instance where he charged and blocked a bad angle shot. The rebound went back to the shooter, and he then played a ball into the box right to a 9 inch nail forward. Luckily for the Ducks, he couldn't finish, or even hit the ball in the general direction of the net. Cobb saved all three shots that got on target that half.

The second half was a different story for the Ducks. They had opportunities, but the 9 Inch Nails played better in the second half than the Mighty Ducks. Cobb faced more shots, but held strong. Until one unfortunate break...

A ball was played just outside the box to a 9 Inch Nail forward, defender Kevin Alderton made a play on the ball but couldn't maintain possession. Defender Josh Andaloro came over to help, and momentarily won the ball. He appeared to be tripped by the opposing forward, causing him to lose possession. No call was made.

"i tried to cut back the other way, when the other teams forward tripped me up which caused me to lose possession. I felt like it was a foul but no foul was called," said Andaloro when asked about the goal, "I should have just blasted the ball out of bounds."

Cobb came out to charge, but the forward was able to slip it just out of the reach of Cobb's hand, giving the 9 Inch Nails a 1-0 lead.

"I don't care what anyone says, if it was one-on-one or whatever, I didn't come out square and I wasn't in a good position to make the save and it's my fault," said a clearly frustrated Cobb after the game, "I should have made that save. Bottom line."

The Mighty Ducks had trouble recovering after that goal. They were not able to mount any real offensive opportunities. The ones they had they didn't capitalize.

The Mighty Ducks had one golden opportunity late. It came on a free kick from Duck forward Duncan McGuire. McGuire's free kick looked to be goal bound, but a nice save by the 9 Inch Nail keeper kept it from going top right corner. He fumbled with the ball after the save, but managed to keep it out.

"I couldn't believe I didn't score that," said McGuire, "I thought that was a goal for sure."

McGuire took a hard foul in this game

1-0 remained the final score, and the Ducks left disappointed. It was the best game they played all year, and they came up just a little short.

"Every player has a role, the forwards score, the midfielders control the ball, and the defenders win the ball. I'm the keeper, I have one role: Keep the damn ball out of the damn net. I didn't," said Cobb after the disappointing loss, "I feel like I let everyone down, and now our season's done."

Is the NFL Trying to Take the Tough Out?

The NFL announced that they are going to crackdown on these helmet to helmet hits. Sunday saw an unusual amount of bell-ringing hits that left players with concussions and injuries. The debates amongst the experts, ex-players, and current players are heated, so now it's time for the most qualified person in the world to chime in, The Bearded Fellow. Oh and I am completely sarcastic with my qualifications...

Although I do agree that head-hunting players need to be fined and suspended, I disagree with the NFL's sudden crackdown. Hits like Brandon Merriweather's deserve to have him fined, suspended, and hell I'll even say ejected from the game. It was a dirty, no class hit and he was trying to hurt Todd Heap on that play.

But plays like Zach Follet's injury, James Harrison's hit on Mohamed Massaquoi, or Dunta Robinson's hit are not hits that seem malicious. Harrison's was iffy, but it appeared to me that the hit came high on Massaquoi because he lowered his head and pad level. These hits can be hard to avoid, and these big hits have been promoted and glorified by the NFL, so it's programmed in the players, especially the young guys, that the big hit is what gets them noticed.

I think that enforcing possible ejections or having the officials focus on these hits creates a lot of gray area. An official will now have to interpret if the hit made was an intentional helmet to helmet, or if it was just a case of the defender trying to make a play and the helmet contact came from the offensive player lowering his head and pad level.

But what about those devastating blocks? Does the NFL plan to do anything about those? They made the crack-back block illegal (See Hines Ward block) but what about those special team blocks? Guys lead with there helmet on blocks and blindside guys with a block all the time. They're defenseless too, are you going to protect them? I don't think the NFL should, with the exception of blocks that, like the hits, lead with the helmet and go for the head.

Bottom line, these NFL rules for protection are good, but produce so much grey area. The roughing the passer rules are just absurd at this point. (Roughing the passer if you touch a QB in the head, not just hit, but touch, as in graze him with you hand) I understand it wants to protect the players, but how much will this actually change? Not much until people start getting ejected and suspended.

I just read a story that James Harrison is considering retirement if he can't adjust the way he hits people. I support him on this one. His hits, to me, were legal. Only one was questionable, but the officials on the field called it a legal hit. There was no head hunting on the play, just a linebacker making a big hit on a receiver. The same kind of hit that has been glorified by the NFL, as you will see Schlereth point out.

Also, I just saw this video now, and I think it sums up how I feel on the issue perfectly. All for suspensions and fines of malicious hits, like Merriweather's, but the NFL is overreacting. Plus, Mark Schlereth brings some insight that I was unaware of and makes great points in his rant. Watch it and enjoy.

Use the Forcier, Rich

Michigan took the field Saturday for their homecoming game against the #15 Iowa Hawkeyes. Michigan was looking to rebound after a big defeat at the hands of the Michigan State Spartans. They needed a win here, but they were the underdogs at home.

They started off strong, getting a 7-0 lead but by the third quarter they were down 21-7, then Denard got injured on a run. Denard Robinson is out, all hope is lost, right? Wrong. In comes Sophomore and last year's starter Tate Forcier.

Forcier efficiently led the Wolverines down, but then they fumbled, and gave up a touchdown, falling down 28-7.

But fear not, as Forcier led the Wolverines a quick scoring drive when he connected with Junior Hemmingway on a deep ball. Iowa would score again after a Forcier interception, but Tate was up to the challenge engineering another touchdown drive. Then the Wolverines got a stop, and had a chance to cut it down to seven.
.
And Forcier would deliver another scoring drive that ended with a QB keeper for the score, making it 35-28. Michigan's D could not come up with an important third down tackle for the stop, and Iowa added a field goal to make it 38-28 which was the eventual final.

But this post isn't a recap, this post is to try and start a debate. On one end, we have the "heisman candidate" (not anymore) Denard Robinson, and on the other, the pre-modana starter from last year Tate Forcier. Who's the better fit at the helm for the Wolverines?

Let's look at Denard, he's fast, 4.2 40 time, he's elusive, he's athletic, he's Michigan's Pat White. In theory he's the perfect fit for this offense. His numbers are absurd, and he's already thrown and rushed for 1000 yards. That's something special. However on the other hand, the two times he's played real defenses, he's been terrible. He was unable to effectively move the ball against Iowa, and he was clearly flustered against State and Iowa. He clearly doesn't have the composure to be starting these important Big Ten games. He questions his first read, he gets happy feet every time he pump fakes, and quite frankly his throws aren't good. He makes bad decisions facing pressure. But do you bench someone that good, after only two bad starts?

And then there's Tate. He is smart, composed, and a dual-threat QB. He's not as dynamic and flashy as Denard, but he is more composed, a better thrower, and smarter. Tate makes better decisions, and has the better throwing arm. He can do something that Denard can't: the pump 'n go. They ran it effectively against Iowa with Tate, and every time Denard pump fakes he gets flustered. But Tate isn't as much of a big play threat as Denard. He can get you that big pass play, but he doesn't have that electric 4.2 speed that Denard does, and you don't have to worry as much about him taking off and beating you with is feet.

So which QB should take the field on October 30th against Penn State? Tate Forcier. He is clearly the better QB right now. Denard is flashy, but Tate is effective at moving the ball down the field. Tate Forcier is clearly more composed. Even last year you could tell he had ice water in his veins. He has composure, Denard doesn't. Denard is an athlete, not a quarterback. Tate Forcier is an efficient and effective quarterback and provides Michigan it's best chance to win. Michigan has great wide receivers and Tate is their best option at getting them the football.

These Big Ten defenses will continue to stop and contain Denard Robinson, so if Michigan wants to salvage their season, they'll go with Tate.


The Bearded One has hit a milestone, this was my 100th blog post. YAAAAY!!!!!! *confetti flies everywhere and there's fireworks going off* I would like to thank everyone for the support, and for taking 5 minutes out of you life to read what I have to say. I really appreciate it. Looking forward to another 100

Thanks, and God Bless,
"The Bearded Fellow"

Rose Bowl or Bust

So Spartan fans, how does it feel to have a legitimate Big Ten contender? Something I took for granted being a Michigan fan, so take it all in Spartans, it may not last long.

But seriously folks, anything less than a share of the Big Ten title will be disappointing. Sure, before the season, you would take finishing top 3 or 4 and a nice bowl game. But this team is a contender, and if the Spartan's aren't contending at the end of the year, Spartan fans should be disappointed.

Let's break this down. State has a terrific offense. It doesn't blow you away, but it gets the job done the way an offense should. They have a balanced attack, they can pound it out, they can throw the ball, and they can mix it up. They have the makings of a legitimate offense. It doesn't have the flashy names and flashy players like other top teams, but this offense gets the job done and is perfectly balanced.

And the defense has been rock solid. State is the first team all year to contain Denard (86 rushing yards) and force him to make mistakes (3 interceptions.) the secondary is weak, and got weaker when Chris L Rucker decided to drive after drinking. But the front seven, led by Greg Jones, is one of the best in the Big Ten. They specialize in stoping the ground game. The key on defense is stopping the passing game; the secondary must step up.

But what is key for the Spartans is what's left on their schedule. There is one tough game left and that's Iowa on the road. Illinois will be tricky but it is a winnable game. MSU has a real chance at running the table with this remaining schedule. State doesn't have to play the Buckeyes, easily the best team in the Big Ten, which is key for MSU's chances at winning the Big Ten and going to the Rose Bowl.

Michigan State has a real legitimate shot at winning at least a share of the Big Ten title, and Spartan fans should expect for them to at least contend at the end of the year. Anything less at this point is a disappointment.

What Happens When You Celebrate Too hard...

Chris L Rucker was arrested for operating while intoxicated. He also damaged property with the vehicle and tried to flee the scene. The senior cornerback had a BAC of a .10. This is a big deal, under any circumstance. I do not condone driving while oever the limit, don't get me wrong, but an athlete blowing only a .10, nothing more than a slap on the wrist from Dantonio would be necessary.... Except theres one key issue here... Chris L Rucker was on PROBATION.

This is inexcusable. If you guys listen to 97.1, then you have heard Valenti's view on it and I couldn't agree more with him. He's already been given a second chance and he needs the hammer thrown down on him. He's violated his probation, he made a stupid decision, and now he needs to suffer the consequences.

Now what should those consequences be? Had he not violated his probation and not been in any other legal trouble prior to this, if he had a clean slate, I'd say you suspend him for a game or two. But this is not strike one for Rucker. He was already given a second chance.

Valenti and I both agree that he must be kicked off the team. You must take a stand and set an example. He's a senior, he should know better. He was involved in the incident last year, and was charged. He was sentenced to one year probation and community service. He violated said parole Sunday, and now must pay for his mistakes.

It will hurt the team losing their best guy in the secondary, it hurts a lot to lose a senior corner. But I feel that if Dantonio doesn't step up and make an example of him, it will look bad on him and the program. It hurts to lose a key man on a team that is a Big Ten title contender, but he made a dumb choice, and now must pay for his actions.

When is Enough, Enough?

2008, Lloyd Carr is gone, Michigan is without a coach. With no worthy candidate in the system, Michigan would be hiring a non-Michigan man since the man who coined the phrase, Bo Schembechler. Michigan is coming off a disappointing year, which included a loss to App State. However they had a chance to win the Big Ten with a win over OSU, they lost, and then beat Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow in Coach Carr's last game. Michigan had a stud QB in waiting with Ryan Mallett, two great senior wideouts for him to throw to with Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington. Michigan had tons of upside. The defense had solid guys returning (but little known fact, Carr had 14 scholarship spots available on his roster, meaning he left Michigan barren with recruits coming up, and the defense suffered most.)

But Michigan is still an enticing job. They're good every year, and with the right coach, they could be a national championship contender in a couple seasons with a QB like Mallett. Michigan had it's short list of candidates, top two guys were Michigan men. The first guy to get an offer was Jim Harbaugh, he declined.

Harbaugh had been at Stanford for one season, they went 4-8. Doesn't seem like a resume that would qualify one to be the head coach of the University of Michigan, now does it? Harbaugh had success before that at San Diego, three seasons there and two of them he went 11-1. Coaching resume would say he was under-qualified, but he fit an important criteria: He was a Michigan Man. Jim had played quarterback at Michigan for four years and new what it meant to be a Michigan man.

But he turned down the job. He didn't want to leave Stanford after one, losing season. He didn't want to leave the program in a terrible situation. I respect him for doing it. Now he's turned them around. They had a heisman finalist last year in Toby Gerhart, contended for a Pac-10 title, and this year they are a contender again with QB Andrew Luck.

Next on the list, Les Miles. Current coach of the LSU Tigers. LSU was a dominant program at the time, but he was playing with mostly Saban's guys. LSU won the national title that year, but it seemed like Les was the guy. He played for Bo, Michigan man, successful coach. Everyone thought for sure he was going to be the next head coach of the University of Michigan.

And so did Herbstreit... Kirk reported prematurely that Les was going to coach Michigan, this made Les angry, and he signed an extension with LSU. "The Riverboat Gambler" was staying at LSU. Les Miles was supposed to be the guy. He was supposed to be the guy that steps in, run a similar offense but with a change from the stale past of the Lloyd Carr system. But he didn't... Now the next coach of the most storied program in football was a mystery.

The Wolverines then turned to Greg Schiano, the head coach at Rutgers. He had turned the program around and was having some success that seemed to come out of no where. It looked like he was on the brink of accepting the Michigan job, then he had a team meeting and told his team he was staying. He was crying his eyes out saying he felt bad for considering it... Not the guy I want as my coach, but hey, it works for Rutgers...

Finally the Wolverines found there way to Morgantown, West Virginia, talking to a coach by the name of Rich Rodriguez. This seemed like a desperate move for the Wolverines. He had just turned down Alabama, signed a big extension, and was coaching at his hometown school. Plus he ran a drastically different system and surely Michigan would not want to go through a drastic change. Michigan would want a fresh face who runs a similar system so he could step in and win, right?

Apparently not... Rich Rod agreed to become the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, and that's when everything went bad... The leave from WVU was messy and it cost Michigan a lot of money and a lot of bad publicity. Stud QB Mallett transfered to Arkansas and other recruits backed out of their commitment because they did not want to play in this system. Manningham and Arrington went pro, All-American lineman Justin Boren transfered. Things did not look good for Michigan...

And they weren't. Rich Rod went 3-9, the worst record Michigan has ever had. The 30+ Bowl streak ended, and Michigan went 0-3 verse the rivals. It was embarrassing. But things were supposed to improve when he got his guys. Rich Rod kept preaching give the system time...

Year two, Michigan gets off to a red hot start. 4-0 and everything was going great. Michigan looked on track and people started to believe in his spread system... Until Michigan tanked, finishing 5-7 and once again would not be playing in a bowl game. But there's Rich, preaching to us that we have to give his guys time to fit into his system.

Year three, the test year. Michigan is 5-0 and looking very impressive... on offense. The defense looks horrible, worse than last year, and last year's set Michigan records for suck. Big game against the rival Spartans this Saturday, a "must win" for Rich Rod and Michigan. He can't afford to go 0-3 verse Sparty and you have to defend the Big House.

But once again, the spread and Rich's system was thwarted by a legitimate Big Ten team. Can this spread work in the Big Ten? Rich Rod better hope it does, other wise he's gone.

In my opinion, Rich should be gone regardless of how this season ends. He's lowered the academic standard of the players, (most notably trying to recruit Demar Dorsey) his players aren't held as accountable as they were in previous regimes (Darryl Stonum, Justin Feagan) And for the first time ever Michigan has had NCAA sanctions imposed on them. Michigan just needs to cut ties with Rich Rod and try to forget it ever happened.

His record at Michigan speaks for itself. The great Rich Rod is a stellar 13-17 (includes 2010) at Michigan with an even more impressive 4-14 mark in Big Ten play. The only rival he's beaten is Notre dame, which he's done twice. He's 0-3 verse State and 0-2 verse Ohio State. And by looking at both teams, you can pretty much chalk up 0-3 verse the Buckeyes.

The rest of the season could determine if he stays or is fired at the end of the year. 0-3 verse MSU and 0-3 verse OSU is a fireable offense for a Michigan coach in my book, so the only thing left that could save him is a win verse the Buckeyes. If he does that, every Michigan fan will praise him and everything he's done, but regardless of that game, he needs to lose his job. No ifs ands or buts about it.

But who will replace him. Dave? The new guy is gonna struggle with transition too! Yes, he will struggle going from this mess to a legitimate football style. But there is only one guy I want to be the next coach: Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh turned around the Stanford Cardinal and can do the same for Michigan. He is a Michigan man, so the integrity will return, and he knows the expectations and standards Michigan has.

Jim Harbaugh is the perfect fit as the next Wolverine coach.

Once is Luck, Twice is Skill... Thrice is Dominance

SO there was a big game played last Saturday, I don't know if you heard about it or not, but Michigan and Michigan State squared off as two undefeateds at the Big House. And also if you are unaware, State dominated this affair 34-17. Couches went ablaze as Denard Robinson was shut down.

That game could have gone so many different ways, We all like to play what ifs in sports, but I don't buy in to them, Because with every what if play, lets say what if Denard doesn't throw that bad pass in the endzone and Michigan gets a touchdown. That was at the beginning of the game. So many things could and would have gone differently if Michigan had a 7-0 lead. I can't say had that one play, or other plays, go differently Michigan wins, but I can say it would be a totally different game. So for arguments sake, let's play some what if...

What if Denard Robinson hit those three guys for Michigan scores? There are three plays that stand out to me in this one. Denard's first interception, him missing a wide open Darryl Stonum (which led to a field goal) and his second interception. All three of those could (and arguably) should have been touchdowns. That's 21 points folks. His picks were both thrown behind the receiver, and both were very catchable with a good pass. Denard didn't show up in the big game, and it cost Michigan.

In all of Michigan's victories, the story has been Denard, so it's no different in defeat. He didn't have a Denard-esque game. Credit the Spartan defense for containing him on the ground, but he still managed to throw for over 200 yards. And he threw three picks. People have tried to make the argument that he had a good game, I cannot say he did. I don't care what his stats say, considering 200 yards passing and he threw for a score and ran for one, but he didn't have a good game. Stats say he had a solid game, but reality is he made crucial mistakes that led to Michigan losing this one and threw three interceptions. Not the game of a heisman trophy winner.

I would be remiss if I didn't give credit where credit is due. State's front seven dominated the game and did an excellent job at containing Robinson. The secondary was questionable as always but it took advantage of bad throws by Denard. State took care of business. Dominated the trenches and was efficient on offense. The Spartans were a well-oiled machine and didn't make any mistakes. They deserved this win.

Where does this leave Michigan and State? One could run the table, or one could fall apart... but until next time, you'll just have to wait to find out why I think that...

* Credit goes to Sully for giving me the idea of the title in a smack talk comment on my pregame blog

Hey Hey Hockey's Back

The best time of the year is here, it's October. College Football is getting into conference play, the NFL is in full swing, and ah yes, the NHL is back. The Red Wings began their season tonight, and did they look good or what? They dominated in a 4-0 win over the not Mighty anymore Ducks. Good way to start the season off, not only with a win, but a dominating performance on both ends of the ice. Let's take a look to see how that happened...

I would like to make a small side not here, in the player introduction, it was Mike Modano who got the biggest ovation. Welcome home bud.

But anyways I digress... Let's go about 5 minutes into the first period. Johan Franzen finds the back of the net on a drop off pass from Filpula. This goal was all Franzen, he scored on a tough angle and his quick release and fast shot found the back of the net. Mickey said it perfectly, by adding that "(Franzen) could be the next Wing 50 goal-scorer." I totally agree. Everything about the Mule screams goal scorer. His size, his puck handling, his quick shot, and his powerful shot. If he stays healthy, he will score 50.

Then about 26 seconds later, the Wings would find the net again. Dan Cleary had the puck in the middle of the ice, Duck's zone. While taking a hit, he dropped it off for Modano who sniped a quick writer past Jonas Hiller. Whata home coming for Modano. Didn't take him long to score his first goal as a Wing and he did it at home. Good for you Mike.

Second Period strolls along, it's 2-0 Wings. Zetterberg has the puck near the blue line, and he passes down to his Euro twin Pavel Datsyuk, who redirects it past Hiller from a weird angle. Pavel, instead of catching and shooting, angled his stick perfectly to redirect it. It was the only way he would score.

Then Dan Cleary had himself an interesting goal... Pavel threw the puck out front, as Cleary was crashing the net. The puck hit him, he crashed into Hiller. Net comes off, light goes on, ref says no goal. The play goes under review. Mick and the gang are analyzing the replays and see the same thing I do; the net coming off it's bearings before the puck crosses. But go figure, ref get's off the phone and tells JLA that it was a good hockey goal.

Oh and Pavel got a Gordie Howe Hat Trick... that was something. Pavel Datsyuk in a legit fight. He held his own against Coery Perry and the crowd loved it. Hell I loved it. It was great to see Pavel so feisty in that game. I hope to see that passion and drive from all the Wings this year.

The BEarded 3 Stars:
3rd Star Jimmy Howard
Oh Jimmy, how I ragged you last year, but yet through all that, people forget that I praised you and said you were the best starter we had, I just said you weren't there yet... But you are there now. I think this is Jimmy's year to be that star goalie that comes through our system we've never had in Detroit, not in a long time anyways. Jimmy got career shut out number four, adn hopefully there's more of that to come.
2nd Star Dan Cleary
Cleary had himself two points in the season debut, and he looked good all game long. Ripped a shot off the post, took a hit while delivering the pass to Modano for his goal. He had a Dan Cleary-esk game, and he gets the 2nd star for it.
1st Star: Pavel Datsyuk
When you get a Gordie Hat Trick, you know you had a good game. Pavel showed us something new tonight, he was aggressive, he was chippy, he got in a fight. I would love to see that the rest of the season. If he channels an aggressive style, he will become that much better of a player.

Pavel Fighting

Battle for Paul Bunyan's Trophy

Michigan and Michigan State square off tomorrow, in case you haven't heard, and it's a pretty big deal. Both teams go into this one undefeated and a lot riding on this game. Big Ten title hopes will be dashed for one side, and bragging rights are at stake. 1072 days and counting I believe? Tons of pressure on the Wolverines to end that streak. But before we go into the details of the game, lets take a look at the Bearded Top 3 games of the Michigan Michigan State Rivalry. (In my life and memory)

Number 3: Caper's OT winner.

This game was exactly like quite a handful of Michigan v State games. State gets a sizeable lead against Michigan, 20-6 in the 4th quarter. Michigan then rallied to tie the game at 20, including a touchdown on the last play of the game to tie it. Forcier in overtime would then throw an interception in OT, which was followed by Larry Caper's 24 yard touchdown winner.

Michigan State 26 Michigan 20

Number 2: "Little Brother"

Ah yes, the Little Brother game. Spartan fans hated Hart for his comments (now love him because State hasn't lost since.) Michigan dominated the first half, took a 14-3 lead to the third quarter. Everything was going according to plan. State scored the next 21 points and fell down 24-14 with 8 minutes left in the 4th. Chad Henne left one play with an injury, Mallett fumbled, Mike Hart recovered and got a first down, but Henne immediately returned, hobbling, and led Michigan on a touchdown drive to make it 24-21 State. After a defensive stop, Henne and the Wolverines got the ball back, and every Spartan fan had seen this before... A few minutes and plays later, Henne found Mario Manningham in the corner of the endzone for the game winning score with 2:30 left. Michigan 28 Michigan State 24.

Number 1: The Braylon Game

Who could forget what happened on October 30, 2004? One of the greatest football games I have ever seen. A tremendous comeback by the Wolverines, or collapse by the Spartans, depending on your perspective. Michigan State jumped out to a 27-10 lead with only 8:43 left in the 4th quarter. The game appeared out of reach; three scores with so little time. But this is the Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy we're talking about, it's never over til there's 0's on the clock.

But how could a true freshman (Chad Henne) lead a comeback in his first start in this rivalry game. Michigan drove down to get a field goal to make it 27-13 with 6:27 left in the 4th. Still a big hole to climb out of. Rivas then did a kangaroo kick (type of onside kick) and Michigan recovered. On the next drive, Michigan scored a TD on a jump ball to Braylon Edwards. Michigan forced State to punt and a good return gave them great field position. And Henne would throw it up for you know who and he did you know what, that's Braylon for the TD in case you don't... to tie the game at 27's with 2:59 left in the 4th. Dave Rayner couldn't make the 52 yard field goal to win, and this game was going to overtime.

But this game didn't just go to one overtime, this game went to three. First OT, both teams were held to field goals. Second OT State scored a touchdown and Michigan would answer on a tremendous catch by Avant. In triple overtime Michigan faked the deep fade to Braylon, and they ran a post to the exposed middle of the field for the score, and got the two point conversion when Henne found Massaquoi in the back of the end zone. State was unable to get into the endzone and Michigan's miraculous comeback was complete.

Michigan 45 Michigan State 37 3OT

But where will 2010 rank? Will it be a blow out or another instant classic? This match-up has the chance to be another classic in this rivalry. And who does the Bearded One having winning this one? Well let's take a look at who I give the edge to, shall we?

Defense: Push.

Both defenses are horrendous. MSU's defense as a group is probably better, but in this game both will be justa as effective. The D will be a difference maker in this one, if one can manage to get a big stop, but both secondaries are awful, Michigan's is ranked dead last. I can't give either side an edge on D in this game because their D's are just so bad. I think State's is slightly better but Michigan has a better chance of stopping State than the other way around. Mike Martin and Craig Roh will pressure Cousins and disrupt the running game. Greg Jones will make his pressence felt IF Michigan runs it up the middle. But if he has to chase Denard, sorry Spartans, he won't catch him. He is physically unable to chase down Denard if he is at full speed. No one on State is. If Denard gets past the front seven, he could get passed everyone.

On the flip side, Kirk Cousins will be able to throw at will against Michigan. Also the trio of backs (Baker, Bell, Caper) will all be effective against the Michigan D. I don't expect the Wolverines to be able to consistantly stop the Spartan attack if the Spartans do a good job at mixing in run and pass.

Offense: Michigan.

I have to give the edge to the Wolverines on this side of the ball. Denard puts up more yards per game than most FBS teams. I have never seen such a dynamic and electric player. I refuse to play the "YEAH BUT GREG JONES GONNA INJURY HIM!!!!" game because that's not how a journalist should base a prediction. Can Greg Jones even get a clean shot at a player as fast and as elusive as Denard? I doubt it... Even if Denard goes down, Tate proved he can be efficient enough throwing the ball to move the offense. State's secondary is terrible, and if Tate has to come in, he will tear up the secondary. Michigan's wideouts are way faster than States corners. Michigan will score.

However, the Spartans will put up their fair share of points. Cousin's is a very good, and underrated, quarterback who will have a field day against the Michigan secondary. The ground game will be efficient as well. However, it is not enough for me to give Sparty the edge here, Denard is just that good. No one has stopped him, and I don't see anything in State's D that screams "Denard Stopper."

Special Teams: Michigan State

Okay quick and short. MSU has a good returner, Michigan doesn't. MSU has a kicker, Michigan doesn't. MSU has a punter, Michigan doesn't. That pretty much covers special teams...

The Bearded Edge: Michigan Wolverines.

I'm going with the Winged Helmet in this one. Denard is too good, and I don't see State stopping him. He will put up 150 rushing and 150 passing at least. Greg Jones is one guy who can't stop Denard every single play. Denard will have a prototypical Denard Robinson day. It will be a shootout, but I expect Michigan to pull this one out.
Michigan 42
Michigan State 38

ESPN Slaps Michigan in the face... Twice

ESPN made two decisions that they must know are complete slaps in the face to every Michigander who even knows what football is. People need to be up in arms about this, and I am bringing it to the attention of all three readers... ESPN, this is just not cool...

First off, they sent College Gameday to Alabama vs South Carolina instead of Michigan vs Michigan State. that's a joke right? Undefeated, top 20 rivals isn't as good as the number one team vs an unranked conference opponent? That's a joke, that's not even a good game. This is the game of the week, but not according to ESPN. That SEC biased has never appeared so true than it does right now. Theres no way that Bama Sou Car is better than the Battle for Paul Bunyan's trophy. As a football fan living here, I take it personally that they chose that location over ours. It's a joke. Shame on you ESPN...

And as if that wasn't enough, the ESPN/ABC masterminds made another great decision. If you, like me, cannot go to the game, you will be treated to the soothing sounds of Matthew Millen. The man that single-handily drove our football franchise into the ground, is coming to Michigan to commentate and give his "expert opinion" on our state's biggest game. If that's not a slap in the face then I don't know what is.

I just want to bring attention to all of those who were ignorant of the travesties that occurred. It's a shame what ESPN has done to Michigan, and I, for one, am not going to be silent about my displeasure.

Ducks Hunted

Keeper Dave Cobb on the ground after ankle injury

It was a rough weekend for the Mighty Ducks. The Coed starting things off Sunday, and only eight players showed. The Ducks played almost the entire game with down a man. The Ducks had a lot to overcome, but it looked like they were going to do it. The Liz scored the first goal of the game when a cross found it's way over the keeper's head and into the net. Down a man, the Ducks managed to get a 1-0 lead early. But late in the first half, Keeper made a very costly mistake, turning the ball over resulting in a goal. In a game that would be so difficult to win, he makes a crucial error costing the Ducks the lead.

The second half, the tired Duck team was dominated. Cobb made save after save as the Ducks could not get anything going. There were mad scrambles in front of the net constantly, but somehow the ball never went in. Conor Milroy, a former keep, sacrificed his body making a leaping save on a wide open net. Cobb made a bad run at the ball. Conor injured himself on the play, but later returned. The game finished a 1-1 tie.

It was a success for the Ducks, getting a tie when down as many as two men, but in the eyes of the keep, it was a failure. "That score should be One nil... I blew it."

Perhaps the young keep was too harsh on himself... He made a countless number of saves, including a couple charging and diving saves. He kept that game 1-1, but in his words, "I may have kept it a tie, but I also made it a tie. I gave them that goal."

In the night cap the Mighty Ducks would be taking on Flints finest, and sparks flew right off the bat. "You could tell just right from the start the way they were going at us, and us them, that it was going to get chippy. I said that to myself after the first foul I saw, I could tell," said Cobb after the game.

But chippy doesn't even begin to describe what happened. Not even five minutes into this match, a Flint player made probably the worst tackle I have ever seen in a game I was apart of. It was late, it was from behind, it got zero ball, and on top of that, it got no cards. Oh, and it injured Duck midfielder Ryan Williams, forcing him to leave the game.

"It was dirty, it was cheap, and it was ****ing bull ****! It should have been a red, no doubt," said midfielder Joshua Andaloro when asked about the tackle. And he's right, it was at the very minimum a yellow. I don't care if it was early, it was a bad tackle that injured a player.

Captain Dave Cobb could be seen on the other side "conversing" with the ref after the tackle. "I said to him, 'What the hell is that? Why is he not gone? Why is he still playing?' he just said 'his call, not mine,' and I said back to him 'this is a joke, you're a joke' then he yellowed me. Of course I get yellowed, and the other guy doesn't, I wasn't happy."

It set the tone for the rest of the match, every foul call went against the Ducks, the players out cried, and the refs weren't having it. Erik Grodus got threatened with an ejection for shouldering a player. It was bad, and the Ducks played with anger and fire. The game went tied at 0's to the half.

Second half was a different story, the Ducks still played feisty, but not smart. Costly turnovers led to two goals for Flint's Finest. The officiating was still poor. And Obscene geasture, in the rulebook an automatic red, was made at Duck midfielder Grodus that went "unseen."

It was later learned that the refs were friends with the Flint Douchbags... Captain Cobb called IM services the next day complaining and calling protest.

"It's not fair to us that they get let off the hook because they know the refs. I just want a fair ruling. They played better, but the officiating was biased and terrible. All we want as a team is a fair match. That was anything but."

The protest is pending, waiting word from IM services.

Ilitch to Buy Pistons

Fresh of Larry Lage's Twitter feed this morning, the Bearded One learned that Mike Ilitch, Little Caesar's founder, will be the new owner of the Detroit Pistons. We all know that by now, I just wanna throw my two cents in on it.

Personally, I like it. Ilitch turned the Dead Wings into the powerhouse franchise it is today. The Tigers were miserable for awhile but now have only had one losing season in the past five. This will be good for the Pistons, there are for sure staying in Michigan, and probably getting a downtown arena with the Wings. A much needed arena for the Wings and also get the Pistons in the Detroit area.

The one concern that I have, and everyone has, is will he be able to spend on all three teams without one being thrown to the way-side? Well to be honest, I don't think it's possible for him to spend evenly. The Red Wings used to get his biggest investment, until the cap was made, then the Tigers finally got money put into them. If a team gets shafted, it will most likely be the Pistons. But Ilitch is a terrific sport's owner and I don't think there is a better local man that could have bought the team.

Big Ten Play Begins

Big Ten got underway Saturday, and the important part of the season begins. No more cupcakes, no more scrubs, just conference play left to go. The conference opener is always an important game. You never want to start things off on the wrong foot. Both of our local squads would have games that would test their grit. The Wolverines start things off on the road against the pass-happy Hoosiers, and the Spartans hosted the #9 Wisconsin Badgers. Both teams could easily start things off with a loss, but both passed the test.

The Wolverines defense would be tested by the air-raid offense of the Indiana Hoosiers, and it was not up to the test. The Hoosier quarterback Ben Chappel had 65 pass attempts, including 480 passing yards and three touchdowns. But luckily for Michigan, Denard Robinson has been a bit unstoppable. He had himself another 200-rush and 200-pass yard day, and five touchdowns on top of that. It was back and fourth, no team had a bigger lead than seven. Indiana tied it late on a 19 yard touchdown on 4th and 5, then Denard led the game winning drive. Rich Rod said the touchdown play was supposed to be up the middle to set up the game winning field goal. A win is a win for Michigan, but that defense will be their Achilles heel.

The Spartans hosted the favored and #9 Wisconsin Badgers in their Big Ten opener. It would be a tough test for the Spartans to see if their D could stop the Wisconsin ground game. The Badgers are notorious for their ability to swap runningbacks in and out, with guys like John Clay. MSU played great defense and held the Badger backs in check. They turned the ball over three times, and still won the game. The offense was efficient, and the defense held tough when it had to. The key play was a 4th and 1 touchdown on a play action pass to seal the victory for the Spartans.

So with both teams winning, this sets up a great match-up this Saturday. The annual game for Paul Bunyan's Trophy. Both teams are 5-0, both teams have high hopes. This is a huge game for both, but a tad bit bigger for Michigan. Rich Rod's job could hinder on this game, and if Michigan loses, who know where the season could turn? The Spartans want to keep "big brother" down, and would love to spoil the Denard hype.

But who's gonna win? Well you'll have to read that later...