Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Listen: Great Lakes Invitational - Michigan Hockey vs. Michigan Tech


Tune-in to WCBN Sports today as Michigan takes on the Huskies of Michigan Tech, in the consolation game of the Great Lakes Invitational.

Game: Michigan Tech Huskies vs Michigan Wolverines
Time: 4 PM
Venue: Joe Louis Arena (Detroit, MI)
Broadcast Link: YouCastr

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Listen: Great Lakes Invitational - Michigan Hockey vs. RPI


Tune-in to WCBN Sports today as Michigan takes on the Engineers of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in the nightcap of the opening day of the Great Lakes Invitational, with the winner getting the winner of the Michigan Tech/Michigan State battle in the opening game.

Game: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers vs Michigan Wolverines
Time: 730 PM
Venue: Joe Louis Arena (Detroit, MI)
Broadcast Link: YouCastr

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Great Lakes Invitational Preview

By John Zaccardelli

9 and 9!? 10th in the CCHA?? Toto, were not in Kansas anymore. The Michigan hockey team has struggled this season which has put their NCAA appearance in jeopardy. An appearance streak running for 19 straight years. First, they need to win the Great Lakes Invitational for a 3rd consecutive season. Taking place December 29th and 30th, the Great Lakes Invitational will feature Michigan versus Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Michigan State versus Michigan Tech in the opening games.

Michigan’s first opponent R.P.I. is 9-9-1 and has lost 4 of the last 5 games coming into the tournament. The engineers score 2.89 per game, but give up about the same amount at 2.79 GAA. They are led by junior Chase Polacek their top scorer in goals (12) and points (26) along with Freshmen Brandon Pirri and Jerry D’Amigo chipping in 18 and 14 points respectively. Sophomore Goaltender Allen York has played majority of the games and will have to play magnificent to win the tournament. Rensselaer has played in the G.L.I. once before in 1985 finishing 2nd to Michigan State, so they have some hope but they’ll have to do it without D’Amigo because he’ll be at the World Juniors.

Surprisingly and luckily in some sense, Chris Brown was the last cut from U.S.A.’s World Junior team. Red Berenson will not have to make too many adjustments with the top line intact. The second line will have to play more consistent and get David Wohlberg, also cut from team U.S.A., to break his 4 game pointless streak. Brain Lebler, Ben Winnett and Luke Glendening will be counted on to make hits, forecheck hard and pop in that timely goal. Freshmen forwards A.J. Treais and Kevin Lynch will play their first games at the Joe Louis Arena where they could gain some magic like Tim Miller did in his career. Michigan’s defense with captain Chris Summers and improving Lee Moffie need to keep the puck out of the net and lead the offensive charge. They need to make the smart play and crisp pass to create a smooth transition game. Bryan Hogan will have to play like he did in the College Hockey Showcase. He has improved his game in the past couple weeks but rebound control is still a must. Michigan’s objective is to score at least 3 goals. They have only lost one game when scoring at least that amount this season. They can take advantage of R.P.I.’s weak penalty kill at 79% with their power play unit that has much improved since the start of the season. Look for Michigan to play comfortably at Joe Louis Arena and defeat Rensselaer to play MSU/MTU in the championship game (most likely State). Michigan can get their revenge for two tough losses to the Spartans earlier this season.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Listen: Game of the Week

Tune in to Game of the Week TONIGHT from 7 P.M. to 10 P.M., as the WCBN Sports crew will discuss Michigan basketball, keep tabs on Michigan volleyball's trek through the NCAA Tournament, and cover the Michigan hockey game LIVE on YouCastr.com, as the Wolverines take on the 18th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Hear it all on 88.3-FM or WCBN.org and call-in to the show at 734-763-3500.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Listen: Michigan v. Arkansas-Pine Bluff


Tune-in to WCBN Sports today as Michigan takes on the Golden Lions of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, in a battle of SWAC and Big Ten teams.

Game: UAPB Golden Lions at Michigan Wolverines
Time: 2 PM
Venue: Crisler Arena (Ann Arbor, MI)
Broadcast Link: YouCastr

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Donovan Warren is leaving?

With recent news circulating that junior DB Donovan Warren will be leaving to enter the 2010 NFL draft, all I can say is that I am incredibly disappointed. With this disappointment comes many fears- I fear for the program, I fear for the coaching staff, and yes, Donovan, I fear for your future.

The Program

What can I say? Our defense was horrible last year, and the outlook for the future, especially without Warren, makes next year seem incredibly grim. Without much argument, I feel it safe to say that the three best players on the Michigan defense this fall were Brandon Graham, Stevie Brown, and Donovan Warren. Notice a pattern? All three will be gone next year. The cupboard has essentially gone from bare to beyond bare, in fact, I'm not even sure if there is a cupboard anymore.


The Coaching Staff

I don't have to be an insider to tell you that Rich Rodriguez and his staff need to have a winning record next year to keep their jobs. I also don't need to be a football connoisseur to tell you that defense wins games. My question: how does Rich Rodriguez plan on winning 8 games (an approximate of what he will need to keep his job) without any defense so to speak of? I hate to sound too pessimistic, but next year when Michigan trots out onto the field, the secondary will be ugly. In fact, do we even know who will be in the secondary? Without Warren, there are no more absolutes. While I'll admit that I'm sure that Troy Woolfolk will be a starter, I can't tell you for certain at what position.


Donovan Warren

It's funny that I fear for a man who is about to make millions over the next couple of years, but I truly do. News has been broken that Warren recently applied to the NFL draft committee to see his approximate draft position, but if Donovan Warren believes any rumors about how highly touted he is as a prospect then he is a fool. I'm sure that soon the rumor mill will begin to spew an idea about Warren being project to go early second round......sure, and Alan Branch was going to be drafted early first round (actual result: early second round) and Ernest Shazor was set to go late first/early second (actual result: undrafted). Both came into the draft as juniors, and both made bad decisions.
Warren is a very talented player, don't get me wrong, but I strongly believe that he has not reached the apex of his game, and should, therefore, stay in school. Call me crazy, but I don't think that NFL tams are salivating over the idea of acquiring a player who was not even the best player on a defense that got carved up by the likes of Joey Elliott, Nick Tolzien, and Kirk Cousins.

Stay in school Donovan: If not for yourself, then for the sake of your coaches, your classmates, your teammates, and, oh yeah, my sanity.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Listen: ACC/Big Ten Challenge - Michigan v Boston College


Tune-in to WCBN Sports tonight as the Michigan Wolverines look to bounce back from a rough holiday weekend in Orlando against the 4-2 Boston College Eagles, in a game with big ramifications for the Challenge. The Big Ten and ACC are tied at 3 games a piece going into tonight, and all games will have an impact on whether the Big Ten can win the Challenge for the first time ever.

Game: Boston College Eagles at Michigan Wolverines
Time: 7:35 P.M.
Venue: Crisler Arena (Ann Arbor, MI)
Broadcast Link: YouCastr