Michigan vs Nebraska-Omaha Live Game Blog

Final Score: Michigan 2 Nebraska-Omaha 1
Michigan will move on to play the winner of Notre Dame/Ferris State series next Friday at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. The crowd sends the Wolverines off the ice with a "thank you seniors" chant directed at Chad Kolarik and Kevin Porter, as those two have played their last game here at Yost. The crowd also requests a second encore performance from the band which obliges! It's about five minutes after the final horn and the students are still here dancing. Thanks for checking out tonight's blog...be sure to leave comments!

GO BLUE!
--9:56--
Michigan on the Power-play
Mick Lawrence was penalized for holding, giving the Wolverines their second power-play chance of the game.

UPDATE: Caparusso JUST missed putting Michigan up 3-1 as his slap shot from the right wing rang off the post. 0:48 left on the power-play.

UPDATE #2: Nebraska-Omaha able to kill of the rest of the power-play as the teams are back to full strength as there are now 2:00 left in the game
--9:50--
Great Crowd Tonight
The Student Section brought their "A" game tonight as they've moved on to a "fire Shegos" chant in reference to the poor officiating in tonights game. Shegos is a crowd favorite here at Yost, especially with the students. As Andrew just pointed out, Verizon has even installed "Shegos" as a preset word in their texting dictionary. 5:28 to go, Michigan still holding onto a 2-1 lead.
--9:42--
Northern Michigan defeats Michigan State 2-1!
They just posted the final score of Northern Michigan 2 Michigan State 1 which set off rousing chorus of "If you can't get into College go to State" by the student section. I love hockey fans. If you read Andrew "Swami" Seid's CCHA Tournament preview you'd see that he's been spot on in his predictions. He had Ferris St. beating Notre Dame in game one which they did and he's done it again tonight correctly predicting this upset.
--9:34--
2nd Period Intermission:
As the band played the traditional 2nd period intermission song: "Can't turn you Loose" by the Blues Brothers the students changed up their tradition a bit. Instead of one fan doing the dancing, the entire student section broke out in dance. Then, an unprecedented event occurred as the student section chanted for an encore from the band. This was followed by "Best Game Ever" chants...and I'd have to agree.

--9:23--
End of 2nd Period: Michigan 2 UNO 1
What a period! Michigan didn't score a goal, but they sure put up a good fight...literally! UNO seemed fired up after the brawl but Billy Sauer has been great in the goal as he's saved 18 of 19 UNO shots
--9:07--
3:20 left in 2nd period, still 2-1 Michigan
Nebraska-Omaha seems to be playing much more aggressively after that fight as they have gotten a couple of good shots off on Billy Sauer but he's been up to the challenge, keeping the score at 2-1 in favor of the Wolverines.
--9:00--
Fight! Fight! Fight!
A Brawl has broken out in the far corner of the UNO zone. There are about 10 players involved as Pacioretty is exchanging punches with a UNO player. Helmets are off, gloves are off and players have hit the deck. The officials finally drag everyone apart after about two or three minutes of brawling. Pacioretty for U of M and Nick Von Bokern for UNO have been kicked out as we'll see how all the penalties shake out

UPDATE: Now a fight has broken out in the stands between a UNO parent and U of M fan! The student section is loving it as the UNO parent is being escorted out by the Ann Arbor Police while being serenaded with the standard vulgar penalty chant.

UPDATE #2: Thanks to Christian's alertness and ability to find a pen, here's the final tally of penalties levied out after the brawl:
Michigan:
Tristin Llewellyn: 2 minutes for roughing
Kevin Porter: 2 minutes for roughing
Aaron Palushaj: 2 minutes for roughing plus another two for interference
Max Pacioretty: 5 minutes for fighting and a game misconduct
Nebraska-Omaha:
J.P. Platisha: 2 minutes for roughing
Dan Charleston: 2 minutes for roughing
Mike Phillippi: 2 minutes for roughing
Nick Von Bokern: 2 minutes for roughing and a game misconduct

YIKES!
--8:40--
Michigan 2 UNO 1
UNO has finally converted on a power-play opportunity as Michigan got a little bit too aggressive looking for a short-handed goal. Tony and Andrew had the call
--8:31--
Yet another penalty on Michigan
This time Chris Summers is the guilty party as he's pegged with a blatant cross-check. Two more minutes coming for UNO on the power-play

UPDATE: Billy Sauer is amazing
--8:31--
Early power-play chance for UNO
Michigan must feel bad for UNO because they keep committing penalties in order to give UNO a chance to put the puck in the net. That latest culprit is Chad Langlais who was called for hooking as the UNO man was in all alone on a breakway at the 18:00 mark.

UPDATE: Penalty killed off with ease by the Wolverines
--8:28--
End of first period - Michigan 2 UNO 0
End of the first period from Yost, Michigan leading it 2-0. Tony Bolton, WCBN's voice of Michigan Hockey says that the last Hagelin goal of the night really took any fight that UNO had left completely out of them. Tony even pointed out the body language of the UNO players showed a lack of energy...and that was for the pre-game introductions! Michigan is rolling right now and it sure is fun to watch.
--8:19--
Michigan 2 UNO 0
GOAAAAAAALLLL!!! Michigan's Carl Hagelin pushes the U of M lead out to 2-0 on a spectacular backhanded shot to beat the UNO goaltender. Hagelin got the puck all the way back at the Michigan blue line and took it himself, beating two UNO defensemen on his way to the net. Travis Turnball on the assist, Tony and Christian on the call
--8:10--
Power-play for Michigan
Now Michigan will have an opportunity with a one man advantage as Mick Lawrence is sent off for tripping. The crowd has filled in nicely as now just about all the seats are full with the exception of the edges of the student section-side
--8:02--
Another power-play opportunity for UNO
Another Michigan penalty, this one called on Brandon Naurato for goaltender interference. Michigan able to kill it off, making UNO just 1-8 on the power-play for the series. All we heard about coming in was that vaunted UNO power-play unit, but so far the Wolverines have met the challange.
--7:55--
Penalty on Michigan give UNO game's first power-play
Caporusso draws the game's first penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct - contact to the head, but the Wolverines have killed it off successfully. Crowd was upset with a no-call on a suspect hit put on Michigan alternate captain, Chad Kolarik.
--7:46--
Michigan 1 UNO 0
Palushaj is out on the ice and appears to be skating well as Michigan is off to another great start. Brandon Naurato has just put the Wolverines on top 1-0 at the 3:14 mark. Brian Lebler found Naurato streaking down the right side of the ice and threaded a pass off the boards to the wide open forward. Naurato made his move across the crease before wristing a backhanded shot into the upper-left corner of the net. Assists credited to Lebler and Mitera. Here's Tony and Christian on the call.
--7:41--
The crowd is slowly trickling in as we are about 10 minutes from faceoff. So far the student section is about half full with the rest of the arena not much better. On an unrelated, but equally disappointing note, the press row has already run out of pizza.
--7:25--
And we're back for game two of the 2008 CCHA quarterfinal matchup between #1 seed Michigan and #8 Nebraska-Omaha. Hopefully I can do as good of a job as Jeremy did for you last night, I know I have big shoes to fill.

We'll see if Michigan has any goals left after scoring 10 in the 10-1 victory last night. It seemed like everyone that hit the ice registered a point for the Maize and Blue so hopefully the boys saved a few for tonight as they look to complete the sweep and move onto the CCHA semifinals next friday night at the Joe.

More bad news on the injury front for Michigan as Aaron Palushaj will be a game-time decision as he battles a cold. So far he looks ok in the pre-game skate. More on this to come...
--7:03--

Michigan vs University of Nebraska - Omaha Live Game Blog

Editor's Note:
First of all, Jeremy did a great job keeping up with this barn-burner of a game. He had no idea what he was getting himself into by signing up to do WCBN's first live game blog. Secondly, I would like to apologize for those who were listening on WCBN FM 88.3 in Ann Arbor and missed the first two goals in the third period. Cell phone reception is not very good in the basement of the Student Activities Building so I missed the cue to send things back to the boys at Yost.

We hope you enjoyed the broadcast and the blog. Please leave any comments you have!
Final from Yost: Michigan 10 - UNO 1
Whew, what a game. Michigan takes the first game of this Quarterfinal CCHA match-up with Nebraska-Omaha. Andrew Seid is going to be on later tonight to give you a full recap of this game, so I'll save the statistics for now. You can listen to highlights of seven of Michigan's goals on the WCBN Sports Podcast. The podcast is complete with pictures and blurbs for those seven goals, and I know I'm going to be pumping myself up for tomorrow night's game with some Tony Bolton-Christian Montgomery-Andrew Seid goal highlights. I'm signing off for the night, thanks for joining WCBN for the extensive coverage of the game tonight. Go Blue!
--9:46:00 PM--
Michigan 10 - UNO 1
Well, I was finally beat by the Michigan offense, as I don't have a highlight for this goal, but Michigan is now up 10-1 on UNO. With 3rd-string goaltender Eric Aarnio, a small, mobile goaltender standing at 5-10, 190, in the game, Michigan took advantage. Danny Fardig picked up his 1st goal of the game, with Naurato and Lebler assisting at the 5:53 mark of the 3rd period. Shades of the Michigan-Notre Dame CCHA Tournament game in 2005 anyone? They won that one 10-1, and then won the next night 1-0 in OT... hopefully tomorrow night will be a little easier.
--9:40:00 PM--
Michigan 9 - UNO 1
Wow. Mr. Hobie Baker picks up his first goal of the game on a three-on-one break, with Palushaj picking up the assist, as Michigan goes up 9-1, 11:44 into the 3rd period. Tony Bolton and Christian Montgomery had the call.
--9:39:00 PM--
Michigan 8 - UNO 1
Michigan simply will not let up, as Chad Langlais picked up his first point of the night, assisting on the Mark Mitera goal. Michigan goes up 8-1, as Tony Bolton and Christian Montgomery had the call.
--9:28:00 PM--
Michigan 7 - UNO 1
After Michigan put up 2 goals in the first 1:25 of the 3rd period, UNO ended Billy Sauer's shutout bid on the power play, as Tomas Klempa took the pass from Scero and put it behind Sauer. Tony Bolton and Christian Montgomery had the call.
--9:27:00 PM--
18:35 in the 3rd: Michigan 7 - UNO 0
We were a little delayed coming back on the air, and normally 1:25 of missed hockey wouldn't be too big of a deal, but with this Michigan team, you simply can't relax. Michigan puts up two goals in the first minute and a half of 3rd period hockey, as they have played a relentless style of hockey against UNO tonight.

1st Goal: 0:30, Chad Kolarik from Max Pacioretty
2nd Goal: 1:25, Louie Caporusso from Chris Summers and Aaron Pulashaj

To recap, Kolarik tallied a hat trick in his first game back from the injury, and with Palushaj and Summers picking up assists on the 2nd goal, Michigan now totals 13 players with points in the game!
--9:11:00 PM--
End of the 2nd: Michigan 5 - UNO 0
11 players have points, every forward line has a goal, and Michigan is simply (in the words of Tony Bolton) "clicking on all cylinders." In the 2nd period, Hagelin put the puck past Kaufmann, with Tim Miller and Tristin Llewellyn picking up the assists. Hagelin swept behind the net and, with seemingly no angle, found a way to beat the UNO goaltender, who would promptly be benched in favor of Jeremie Dupont. Dupont wouldn't fare too much better, giving up a goal to Travis Turnbull, who took a beautiful pass from Louie Caporusso and wristed it past Dupont to give Michigan a 5-0 lead. Mitera also picked up an assist on the Turnbull goal, shifting Michigan from defense to offense with a nifty play to give Michigan control of the puck. Things are looking up here at Yost, as Michigan looks to win the first game of this Quarterfinal series against UNO.
--9:03:00 PM--
Michigan 5 - UNO 0
Oh baby, oh baby. Travis Turnbull gets a well-deserved goal, as he takes the feed from Louie Caporusso and puts it past new UNO goaltender Jeremie Dupont. Tony Bolton and Andrew Seid had the call.
--8:58:00 PM--
Michigan 4 - UNO 0
Carl Hagelin went streaking down the near-side wing, and he was not to be denied, as he wrapped around the net and roofed the puck over Kaufmann, giving Michigan a 4-0 lead. Tony Bolton and Andrew Seid had the call.
--8:50:00 PM--
16:16 in the 2nd: Michigan 3 - UNO 0
With Eric Elmblad in the penalty box, Billy Sauer has had to stand on his head. UNO's strong power play finally showed up, as they passed the puck around the perimeter, firing two strong shots at Billy Sauer, who gloved the last to give the Wolverine defense a much-needed whistle. Michigan is holding strong with their three goal lead.
--8:32:00 PM--
End of the 1st: Michigan 3 - UNO 0
Michigan played a phenomenal first period in their CCHA Tournament debut, beating up on a slower, less talented Nebraska-Omaha squad. UNO showed the ill-effects of playing a triple-OT game less than a week ago against Alaska, coming out fatigued and seemingly unable to finish any checks. Michigan took advantage of a loud crowd at Yost, who is loving the return of Chad Kolarik. Kolarik, in his last series at Yost, is making the most of his Senior year appearance in the CCHA Tournament, scoring two goals in the 1st period. Michigan will look to continue their strong play as the 2nd period is underway with Michigan up 3-0, and Nebraska-Omaha still stuck at 2 shots on the game against Billy Sauer.
--8:28:00 PM--
Michigan 3 - UNO 0
Welcome back, Chad Kolarik! The first line picked up a point a piece, as Porter and Pacioretty assisted on Kolarik's 2nd goal of the game. 3-0 Wolverines with 1:55 remaining in the 1st. Tony Bolton and Christian Montgomery had the call.
--8:10:00 PM--
Michigan 2 - UNO 0
10:29 into the game, Michigan has opened up a 2-0 lead on UNO. Chad Kolarik, in his first game back from the groin injury, took the puck away from Juha Uotila and wristed it past Kaufmann for the unassisted tally. Tony Bolton and Christian Montgomery had the call.
--8:00:00 PM--
Michigan 1 - UNO 0
GOAL! Brandon Naurato puts Michigan up 1-0 on UNO, 4:43 into the 1st period. Kampfer and Mitera picked up assists for the Wolverines, who got off to a quick start here at Yost against the Mavericks. Tony Bolton and Christian Montgomery had the call. You can also listen to the highlight on the WCBN Sports Podcast.
--7:40:00 PM--

Michigan-UNO Lines Posted
Our very own Andrew Seid did a remarkable job at predicting the make-shift lines that Red Berenson has put together for tonight's game:

Michigan Wolverines

Forwards
1st Line: Max Pacioretty, Kevin Porter, Chad Kolarik
2nd Line: Tim Miller, Carl Hagelin, Aaron Palushaj
3rd Line: Ben Winnett, Louie Caporusso, Travis Turnbull
4th Line: Brian Lebler, Danny Fardig, Brandon Naurato

Defensive Pairs
1st Pair: Mark Mitera, Chad Langlais
2nd Pair: Steve Kampfer, Tristin Llewellyn
3rd Pair: Chris Summers, Eric Elmblad

And, of course, Billy Sauer will be in net for the Wolverines.

Notables:
1. Andrew Seid was 100% correct in his prediction of the forward lines -- his only mistake came on the defensive pairs, where he assumed Coach Berenson would complement the more aggressive style of play that Chris Summers brings to the table with Tristin Llewellyn, who has played in 28 games this season. However, Berenson elected to pair Summers with Eric Elmblad, filling in for the injured Scooter Vaughan and playing in his first collegiate game.

2. Chad Kolarik is in the lineup, playing in his last series at Yost. Kolarik is back on the first line with Kevin Porter, playing for the first time since his groin injury here at Yost against Lake Superior St.

3. Matt Rust, who banged knees with the aforementioned Eric Elmblad, is not in the lineup -- as Andrew Seid correctly predicted, Carl Hagelin slid into the center position on Michigan's exciting, young 2nd line, with Junior Tim Miller taking Hagelin's spot on the left wing.

Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks

Forwards
1st Line: Brandon Scero, Joey Martin, Mick Lawrence
2nd Line: Dan Charleston, J.P. Platisha, Tomas Klempa
3rd Line: Nick Fanto, Jeric Agosta, Matt Ambroz
4th Line: JJ Koehler, Bill Bagron, Dan Swanson

Defensive Pairs
1st Pair: Eddie Del Grosso, Mark Bernier
2nd Pair: Juha Uotila, Eric Olimb
3rd Pair: Nick Von Bokern, Mike Phillippi

It looks like Jerad Kaufmann will be the goaltender for the Mavericks tonight.

Notables:
Bryan Marshall, #1 in the nation in assists per game, is not in the lineup tonight. He hasn't played in a game since UNO's 5-2 win over Ohio St. on February 9th at the Qwest Center in Omaha. Joey Martin continues to take Marshall's spot on the top line.
--6:53:00 PM--

Michigan-UNO Live Game B-Logging
We're at Yost Ice Arena setting up for tonight's broadcast, which can be heard live on WCBN 88.3-FM Ann Arbor on your radio or live on the web during the "Game of the Week" show from 7-10 PM (the game starts at 7:35, so enjoy sports talk prior to the game and during intermissions). I'll be providing a live blog of the game, and hopefully linking you to some highlights of goals right after they happen from our new WCBN Sports Podcast.


Tune in with WCBN all night on the air and on the web for extensive coverage of Michigan's CCHA Quarterfinal Game One match-up with the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
--6:41:00 PM--

Michigan's Season (Mercifully) Come to an End

Michigan's Big 10 tournament run was halted at one game as top-seeded Wisconsin disposed of Michigan by a score of 51-34. Those 34 points set a new Big-10 tournament record for futility. Ironically enough, Michigan was the team that held Minnesota to just 40 points which was the previous low, set in last year's tournament. Wisconsin jumped out to an early 10-0 lead on five layups before Michigan could put the ball in the hoop.

Michigan shot a dreadful 10-50 (20%) from the field in the game. The wolverines actually shot better from beyond the three-point arch than they did closer to the basket, hitting 6-24 (25%) of their 3 pt FG attempts and just 4-26 (15%) of their 2 pt FG.
Zach Gibson led the way for Michigan scoring eight points in the first half . Perhaps he's been reading/listening to all the criticism that WCBN's own Rushi Vyas has been dishing his way.

With Men's Basketball now done for the season, we can turn our attention fully to Michigan Hockey as they kick off their postseason tonight. Tony, Christian, and Andrew will have the call from Yost as the puck drops at 7:30. Listen live on the sports stream at www.wcbnsports.com. Jeremy Kreisberg will have our first live blog as the game unfolds so be sure to check back for that as well.

Big 10 Tournament opening game #9 Michigan 55 #8 Iowa 47

Michigan WINS!

Despite a nearly 10 minute second half scoring drought for Michigan, the Wolverines held on for a first round victory against the Hawkeyes.

Rob Salaman and Stuart Zaas had the live call on the sportstream and did a great job. Honestly, way better than the BTN play-by-play and color guys.

Michigan now advances to take on the #1 seed Wisconsin in a #1 vs. #9 matchup. The Wolverines lost by double digits at home to Wisconsin this year, but lost by only 3 at Madison.

Does Michigan have a shot?

We will find out tomorrow at noon when they tip off against the Badgers.
You can catch that call tape delayed on the sports stream as Rob and Stu will have it again.

-Go Blue!

originally posted by Rushi 3/13

Michigan Hockey - Quest for the Mason Cup

Another season has wound down for the Wolverines, a season that was expected to result in one of the team's worst in the past two decades. This was the rebuilding year for a team that was going to use 12 freshman, start a goalie that had been at best inconsistent the previous two seasons, and feature a defense headed by Mark Mitera, Chris Summers, and a motley crew headed by Steve Kampfer. This was the season to go into the CCHA looking to be lucky enough to get that first round bye. This is the season Michigan exceeded all expectations and earned the CCHA's regular season title (not a small feat in a year that saw Miami, Sparty, and Notre Dame spend most of their own seasons in the top 10 in the nation). Now the CCHA tourney heads into its second weekend with 4 series that will be exciting for all who follow the CCHA and the Wolverines enjoying the #1 seed in the tournament. I'm going to give a breakdown of Michigan's series this weekend, predictions for the other 3 series, then a prediction for what to see the following weekend at the Joe. So let's get started with the Mavs and Wolverines series.

• UNO @ Michigan - (Game 1: Fri, 7:35 PM at Yost; Game 2: Sat, 7:35 PM at Yost; Game 3: Sun, 7:35 PM at Yost [if necessary])

The boys in blue (and white and maize this weekend) get ready for a tougher than expected series with the Mavs from Nebraska-Omaha. UNO will look to be aggressive early and often with the Wolverines, as their goal will be to frustrate the Michigan players into dumb penalties that will put the Wolverines on the penalty kill. Why does this matter? The Wolverines have a PK % of 84.8%, which is respectable (given the average experience of the penalty killers), but the Mavericks come into the series leading the CCHA in PP%, scoring on a whopping 23.1% of their power play opportunities. The goal to this weekend for UNO will be to score 2-3 goals a game, with the majority coming from their PP unit, then hoping that the loss of Matt Rust and rust on Chad Kolarik's skates will slow the UM offense enough to make one of the first two games go their way, leading to a game 3, which is anyone's game, no matter the setting.
On the flip side, the Wolverines will enter this series looking to finally get back on the ice after a devastating bye week. Someone forgot to tell Coach Berenson and the boys that teams get healthier while on their bye, as both Scooter Vaughan (broken jaw from playfully wrestling with a teammate) and Matt Rust (hairline fracture in his fibula from knee-to-knee collision in practice with Eric Elmblad, walk-on replacement for Scooter) were lost for significant time. Good news is that Chad Kolarik, the Wolverines' second-leading scorer and right-hand man to Kevin Porter, will be back after missing the end of the regular season with a groin injury suffered against Lake State. The Wolverines will head into the series with what seems to be the following lines:

1. Kolarik, Porter, Pacioretty
2. Miller, Hagelin, Palushaj
3. Winnett, Caporusso, Turnbull
4. Lebler, Fardig, Naurato

Defensive Pairings:

1. Mitera, Langlais
   
2. Summers, Llewellyn
   
3. Kampfer, Elmblad

While the majority of those pairings and lines have not had the time during the season to gain the chemistry needed for consistent strong performances, the Wolverines will definitely be on top of their games thanks to the leadership of Porter, the voice of Red in their heads, and the added relief of knowing that the top line is back together.
Game 1: As for the games themselves, while, in my opinion, there may be much ado about nothing when it comes to the Wolverines PK vs. UNO's PP, that will be a key factor in the games. Watch for the Wolverines to come out strong on Friday night, open an early 1-2 goal lead in the first period, play strong through the second, then after surrendering a PP goal in the third, shut the Mavs down the rest of the the way to claim an opening night victory while dumping in an EN goal late. Final Score: UM 4- UNO 2
Game 2: Saturday night, the Wolverines will come out stoked and get plenty of early opportunities to take the lead, but the Mavericks will weather the storm and do some storming back of their own, adding a late PP goal to take a lead into the second period. The second period Saturday will be the most entertaining as this two offenses will throw their biggest haymakers, hoping to knock out the other as UNO will be in desperation mode to force game 3 and the Wolverines will be doing their darnedest to make sure the series ends that night. The third will result in a raucous Yost crowd willing their young team to another late game push, that will see captain Kevin Porter getting a game winner midway through and freshman Carl Hagelin adding another late on a breakaway as the Wolverines survive a shootout and move on. Final Score: UM 5 - UNO 3

• Bowling Green @ Miami

Prediction: Game 1: MU 4 - BG 3; Game 2: MU 5 - BG 1

• Northern Michigan @ Michigan State

Prediction: Game 1: MSU 2 - NMU 0; Game 2: NMU 3 - MSU 1; Game 3: MSU 3-NMU 2

• Ferris State @ Notre Dame

Prediction: Game 1: FSU 5 - ND 2; Game 2: ND 3 - FSU 2; Game 3: ND 3-FSU 2

Yeah, yeah, I know, too scared to pick an upset, but that isn't the case this weekend for me. I just truly believe that Ferris State and Northern Michigan need to win in two if they expect to advance (not happening) and Miami and Bowling Green are rivals, so you know that Miami won't overlook the Falcons at all.

All of this leads us to a weekend at the Joe with UM-ND and Miami-MSU the semi-finals. Talk about some great games and some NCAA tourney altering games to boot.

WCBN Broomball improves to 2-0

WCBN Broomball (2-0) picked up another victory, defeating Global Access (0-2) by a 9-0 margin. For the second week in a row, WCBN was limited to just three first half goals. Tony "Don't call me Michael" Bolton (Canton, MI / Salem High School) gave another Russell Crowe-esque inspirational halftime speech and WCBN responded with six second half goals. Player of the game, Chelsea Slater (Cincinnati, OH / Turpin High School) let her broom do the talking as she tallied four goals, all in the second half to quickly put the game out of reach.

Global Access gave WCBN a freebie off the opening whistle when a centering pass from captain, Stuart Zaas (Solon, OH/ Solon High School) was deflected by a Global Access player and into his own net to give WCBN a 1-0 advantage just 21 seconds into the game. Bolton and co-captain Andrew Seid (San Antonio, TX / Ronald Reagan High School) would add a goal a piece to round out the first half scoring.

Zaas lit the lamp with his second goal of the night with a one-timer off a beautiful pass from Ben Betzler (San Antonio, TX / Ronald Reagan High School) that was angled perfectly off the boards in front of the net. Seid capped off the scoring stealing the puck from a bewildered Global Access player and converting with a wrister that found the upper left corner.

BOXSCORE:
Goals-Assists-Points

Slater 4-1-5
Zaas 2-1-3
Gregus 0-2-2
Seid 2-0-2
Betzler 0-1-1
Bolton 1-0-1
Moore 2 Saves, 100% save percentage

Season Leaders:

Points:
1) Slater 8
2) Zaas 7
3) Gregus/Seid 5

Goals:
1) Slater 6
2) Seid 4
2) Zaas 4

Assists:
1) Gregus 3
1) Zaas 3
2) Slater 2

GAME NOTES:

• Moore and Seid combined forces for their second consecutive shutout.
  
• WCBN's 9 goal game is their second highest output in franchise history - one goal behind last week's total of 10.
  
• With the win, WCBN Sports is on a franchise high two-game winning streak. Houston Rockets, here we come!
  
• WCBN converted on one of two power play opportunities, making them 1-3 on the season
  
• Both teams received all 10 sportsmanship points
• Player of the game: Chelsea Slater - Scored four goals and assisted on one
  
• Game Time: 33 minutes
  
• Attendance: 4
  

Media Contact: Stuart Zaas (440-227-5897)

Impressions from Indianapolis - Big Ten Tourny Game 1

First of all, Conseco Fieldhouse is an amazing arena. For those who haven't had the opportunity to take in a game there, think the Palace of Auburn Hills, but smaller and much more intimate. Rob and I made the 4+ hour drive down, leaving around 5:45 this morning which put us down in Indianapolis just in time to catch Tubby Smith wrapping up Minnesota's practice.

We spent about 20 minutes scouring the many press rows courtside looking for our assigned seats (whats up with the Michigan yearbook getting a better seat than us?? and how about Michigan "B" Radio...since when do we have a second radio station covering Michigan Basketball?). We finally broke down and asked someone for help and after waiting another 20 minutes for her to find someone to help us, we were eventually shown to our table which was set up in the front of the middle deck. They turned out to be very good seats, we were able to spread out and to our delight, we found a working phone line so we were able to have the call live.

Michigan came out inspired in the first half, storming to a 14-point advantage. The Wolverines would eventually push the lead out to 15 in the second half before deciding that they were going to see what happens if they go 10 minutes without scoring. Well, the result was the lead shrinking to eight before Anthony Wright hit a deep three from beyond NBA range to put the game out of reach. Manny Harris was on fire to begin the game, connecting on five of his first six attempts from the field, including two three-pointers and a thunderous one-handed slam off a C.J. Lee steal.

As Rushi mentioned below, Michigan will take on #1 seed (oops) Wisconsin at noon tomorrow. That game can be seen on ESPN. WCBN will not have access to a phone line tomorrow, so the game will be on the sports stream at a later date.

GO BLUE!

Big 10 Tournament: Michigan vs Iowa

Michigan Men's Basketball will take on Iowa as the number nine seed in the Big 10 Tournament at noon in Indianapolis. The two teams split their matchups during the regular season with each team picking up a road victory. Iowa defeated Michigan 68-60 in the first game on January 19th. More people would remember that game for a certain football recruit who was in attendance (for all of 10 minutes) while on his official visit. In the second meeting, the Wolverines rallied from a 27-16 halftime deficit to go on and win by a score of 60-52. That win was the second in Michigan's season-high three game win streak.

On paper, this is a very even matchup between the #8 and #9 seeds. If you combine the scores from both regular season games, the teams tied 120-120. The winner of Thursdays game will go on to play #1 seeded Wisconsin at noon on Friday.

WCBN's Rob Salaman and Stuart Zaas will be in Indianapolis with the call. You (might) be able to listen live by following the link for the sports stream from our website: www.wcbnsports.com

Kevin Borseth Rant

By now, just about everyone has seen the video clip of Michigan Women’s Basketball coach, Kevin Borseth blowing up at the press conference following the 69-67 loss to Wisconsin on 2/28. It’s not often that women’s basketball makes it onto ESPN’s Sportscenter, and even rarer that a 16-11 unranked Michigan team makes it onto the nightly highlights. In fact, Thursday’s loss was one of just eight televised games for Michigan this season – all televised by the Big 10 Network which still does not reach most of its market (but that’s a whole other post in and of itself).

Now it is true that the appearance on Sportscenter did not include any game footage nor any mention of the fact that the women are on the bubble of making their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1990. It is also true that in the press conference, Coach Borseth clearly loses his temper and downright abuses the unfortunate podium that happened to come in the way of his fist. As for the glasses? Good thing he had a backup pair handy. But you know what? As long as the podium isn’t going to press charges, who did Borseth actually harm? Sure, he expressed his displeasure with the officiating and with the play of his team but he didn’t swear, he didn’t attack any of the two or three media members who were probably in the room, and he didn’t single out any official or player.

Maybe his actions should draw a fine from the Big 10 for complaining about the officiating. Surely if this was the NBA, he’d be hearing from David Stern for that part of the rant. When Athletic Director, Bill Martin got wind of the situation, he immediately demanded that Borseth write a letter apologizing for his actions. Martin worried that this wasn’t the “Michigan way.” Michigan coaches are cool, calm, collected (Michigan coaches are Lloyd Carr). Well you know what, Cheryl Burnett may have been cool, calm, and collected but she sure didn’t win games. Coach Borseth has turned a 10-20 (3-13 Big 10) team into a 17-12 (10-9) season this year.

Point being, before Borseth’s blowup, barely anyone knew anything about the type of season the Michigan women were having. While they still might not know any of the players, can’t recite our record or place in the Big 10 Standings, at least people are talking about Michigan Women’s Basketball. As they say, any publicity is good publicity.

Honey, I Shrunk the Big House

Michigan has finally reached a settlement with the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America yesterday, agreeing to add 96 wheelchair-accessible seats by next season and at least 329 seats by the time renovations are complete in 2010. Previously, Michigan Stadium only had 92 wheelchair-accessible seats out of the 107,501 capacity.

With the addition of the 96 seats for next season, total capacity will drop to 106,201 which means that the only game that Michigan will play in front of the largest crowd in the country will come when the Wolverines travel to Beaver Stadium at Penn State which seats 107,282. It is unclear at this time whether or not total capacity after renovations will top that number, so it is possible that the Big House will no longer be the biggest house in the country.

While it's unfortunate to lose that prestige, it's about time that a university which prides itself on being the "leaders and the best" finally get up to speed making the stadium more wheelchair friendly.

Hopefully Crisler Arena will follow suit (no pun intended) as Crisler's 13,751 total capacity includes just 18 handicap accessible seats! Maybe they're just trying to save handicap people the wasted time and energy that goes into cheering for Michigan Basketball?

Michigan Wraps up Big 10 Postseason Awards

Manny Harris, DeShawn Sims, Ekpe Udoh, and Ron Coleman all received postseason honors from the Big 10. Harris, who led the team in scoring at just over 16 ppg was named to the All-Big 10 second team by both the coaches and AP. Sims and his 12.5 ppg received honorable mention honors while the pride of Edmond, Oklahoma - Ekpe Udoh - and his league-leading 5 blocks per game was named to the all defensive team for the second consecutive year. Not to be forgotten, Senior Ron Coleman was honored as Michigan's recipient of the Big 10 Sportsmanship Award. Unfortunately, there were no stats available on just how good of a sport Ron Coleman is.

Michigan (9th seed) will take on Iowa (8th seed) at 12:00 PM Thursday in Indianapolis in round one of the Big 10 tournament. Should (when) Michigan goes on to win the Big 10 Tournament, they will likely be in the play-in game for the NCAA tournament next Tuesday.

You can hear WCBN's Rob Salaman and Stuart Zaas with the broadcast live from Indianapolis by visiting www.wcbnsports.com and clicking on the link for the sports stream

Purdue 69 Michigan 58 1:03 Remaining

So I wasn't exactly right about Michigan losing a close one. But I was for the first thirty or so minutes...Story of the season. Michigan was tight throughout leading a majority of the game until the last 10 minutes. All of a sudden the Wolverines couldn't play defense or make a shot even if they could get one off before throwing the ball away. The score of the final 10 minutes was Purdue 26 Michigan 8. Regardless of numbers, even when Michigan was winning it wasn't pretty. A couple of things really bothered me with the play.

Deshawn Sims wants to be the leader of this team. Sims wants to be the best player. He criticized Tommy Amaker for letting guys off too easy last year and for the players not giving their best effort. Sims' play to end the season has made him look nothing short of a complete hypocrit summed up by today's effort. Yes, he finally broke his slump and was 7-15 from the field, but he did not play well. I sat in the student section for the first time today (which by the way is terrible) and could see Sims' effort or lack thereof up close. Sometimes it seems like he is not thinking at all on the court and is just mindlessly going through the motions. Once on a fast break Sims took the ball and saw a defender coming back to block his layin. He turned and there is no doubt he saw the player. At this point, most players would do one of two things A. Attack the basket with power and try to dunk it (drawing a foul) or B. Stop, compose themselves wait for the defender to jump then go up (drawing a foul). Instead, Sims sees the guy yet still goes up weak like no one is there getting rejected by the rim and not even coming close to drawing a foul. Another time, Kelvin Grady made a great steal when Michigan was trying to come back and after the great play kicked it out to Sims at the 3 point line. But Deshawn, without a defender around him looked up away from the ball practically rolling to him, and let it go out of bounds. Opportunity lost. Not to mention throughout the game he stands out on the 3 point arc instead of doing the dirty work that a guy his size is capable of doing (setting picks, posting up, boxing out). I loved Deshawn Sims for the majority of the season and see NBA potential in him. However, he doesn't stand a chance of making the NBDL if he continues to put forth this lackadaisical effort. It's obvious Deshawn, just wake up.

That rant went on a lot longer than I would like, but here's a few more things:

Kelvin Grady: hold on to the ball, you are supposed to be a point guard whose job is to take care of the ball.
Manny Harris: hold on to the ball and play hard the entire game, you are the most athletic player by far on this team and if you give an effort the whole game teams would have nightmares about you. 8 shot attempts is unacceptable.
Ron Coleman: Goodbye and Good Riddance, you made it obvious that you have not worked at all during your four years being the same player if not worse than you were freshman year. We won't miss you.
Zach Gibson: You are the worst player by far on the team and perhaps in the NCAA. Having said that at least you try which some of the talented guys cannot say for themselves.
Maize Rage: 1. Be in unison. Example: If when an opposing player commits a foul you want to say "it's all your fault" actually have everyone say it bc otherwise, noone outside the section can hear you and it just sounds stupid. 2. Actually make noise when the opponent is shooting a free throw, you are only supposed to be quiet for Michigan free throws. 3. Having said that, this team is terrible and having sat in the student section today, I really cannot blame you for being quiet. It is extremely hard to cheer loud for this team. So big props to those who have come out to most games this year because they really aren't that fun.


Let's end with some quick positives.

Epke Udoh: You are the only one who gives a complete effort out on the floor and you showed it today. Great job defensively as usual and especially on offense today. You typically have a hard time scoring, but today carried the team on your back early which should show your teammates what happens when you actually work hard. Gasp.
C.J. Lee: You continue to impress me with your leadership on the court and effort. You might not be the best player, but you lead by example which this team needs. Being up close I could see when you are out on the court, there is more communication and you give it your all.

Despite this negative post, I still have hope for this team. This is just anger after witnessing that my criticism of the maize rage might be SOMEWHAT unwarranted due to how bad the team is. The maize rage is still stupid in the examples mentioned above, but just showing up for this team when they don't give an effort is laudable. Anywho, back to the matter, this team is talented no matter what other people say. Talent still needs to put forth an effort to succeed, though. That starts with Deshawn Sims and then Manny Harris the two most talented guys on the team. Sims should follow the lead of Epke and Manny of C.J. Lee and then they will blossom into the players they are capable of being.

I expect to see a better effort in the Big Ten tournament and will stick to my prediction of a Big Ten tourney championship until they lose. No matter what happens, Belein has to make sure he keeps these guys working hard in the offseason and next year. If he does, this team can turn alot of heads next year.

But for now, we just suck.

Be sure to tune into Extra Points tomorrow at 6 PM on 88.3 FM Ann Arbor, or at wcbn.org click listen live. You can hear everyone rant tomorrow.

Last Regular Season Game: Last Opportunity to Gain Momentum Before the Big Ten Tourney

At 4 PM today Michigan will take the court for the last time in the regular season when they take on #15 Purdue at Crisler. Michigan has been inconsistent all season and after winning three in a row, they have reverted to sloppy play dropping games to Big Ten perennial doormats in Penn State and Northwestern. Those last two games have been especially ugly for Deshawn Sims who went a combined 2-19 from the field for 6 points in the contests. For Michigan's second leading scorer and vocal leader on the court, that is unacceptable especially when he has had as many turnovers as points (6). Manny Harris has continued to carry the team getting 29 points at Penn State, but when the team plays as sloppy as they have, they have no shot. There recent lack of success, in my opinion, can be directly attributed to a lack of effort for a full 40 minutes which is something the Wolverines did give in there 3 game winning streak. If their recent fortunes are to be reversed, it will begin with the effort today against Purdue.

Purdue is coming off a loss to Ohio State that took away their chance to control their destiny in quest for a Big Ten regular season title. With Wisconsin's win over Northwestern yesterday, Purdue no longer has a shot at the regular season crown and is playing for the #2 seed today against Michigan. Purdue's success this season can be attributed to their defense and ability to force turnovers. Their opponents this season average an astounding 17 turnovers a game this season and for a Michigan team that has really struggled with ball control (more turnovers than assists) that will be a real test. The young and very talented Purdue team is lead by their do everything freshman swingman Robbie Hummel and freshman guard E'Twaun Moore. Purdue's starting five consists of 3 freshmen and 2 sophomores, but Head Coach Matt Painter has done a tremendous job surprising the Big Ten and country en route to a 23-7 (14-3 Big Ten) record. John Belein has said he wants to have a team much like Painter's in the future and Michigan has a chance to beat them today. Where the Wolverines can succeed is inside the paint and Purdue might provide a golden opportunity for Deshawn Sims to get back on track, that is if he plays in the paint and doesn't linger around the three point line. The Boilermakers' only defensive presence inside is freshman Jajuan Johnson who comes off the bench and averages only 1 block per contest. If Michigan attacks the hoop by way of dribble drives and God forbid Deshawn Sims post up for a change, then they could have some success.

Outlook: The last time these two teams met, at Purdue Jan. 5, Manny Harris and Deshawn Sims both played well (25 and 15 points respectively). Michigan only lost by five, 66-61, and was in it until the very end when Manny Harris carelessly let a ball go out of bounds off an in-bounds pass. Anthony Wright had not yet emerged as the third reliable scoring option that he has become now, so add him into the mix, Michigan should have someone else contributing, something they did not have on January 5. For Purdue, nine three pointers did in the Wolverines who have struggled all year defending the three. Purdue was 9-18 from beyond the arc lead by a 5-6 performance by Guard Keaton Grant. Jajuan Johnson, mentioned earlier, had one of his best defensive performances of the season swatting Michigan four times. Do not look for him to have the same success today though. He started that game and since then has seen a significant drop in playing time getting just around 10 minutes in his last few games.

The best thing that could happen for Michigan today is a down to the wire loss right before the Big Ten tournament. They need to show a renewed effort and an ability to compete with this great Purdue team to regain some confidence. The best chance is for Michigan to attack the hoop offensively and to try and force turnovers defensively. If Michigan plays the 1-3-1 correctly, which they haven't all year so it's a long shot, they can force turnovers and that could help them in a big way since Purdue is a great shooting team. If Michigan shows an effort, I think they can be very competetive today. Then, of course, if you listen to our shows, I think Michigan will take their renewed confidence into the Big Ten tournament and win four in a row to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time in over a decade.

Preciction: Purdue 68 Michigan 66- Robbie Hummel hits the game winning three with five seconds remaining leaving the Wolverines hungry for the Big Ten tournament.

It's So Easy, a 12-year old Can Do It!

Some are questioning West Virginia University's decision to hire Bill Stewart as its replacement for Rich Rodriguez after Rodriguez left WVU for Michigan in December. The reason? There may have been a more qualified applicant that WVU turned down.

We've already heard about how current Wolverine Offensive Coordinator, Calvin McGee was turned down due to his race, well apparently WVU also discriminated against another applicant, this one due to his age.

And he showed a knack for public relations: "Consider the publicity your campus would receive," he wrote. "I understand this would be a move more suited for a team like Temple, but I am just asking for your consideration."

A team like Temple? Really? That's a pretty low blow to be taking from a 12-year old kid if you're Temple.

PS: We know there went a month between posts but we're back and plan to update as regularly as our schedules allow. We encourage you to check out our new website: www.wcbnsports.com.
On there you'll find archived shows and game broadcasts along with some highlight clips among other cool stuff.

WCBN Broomball Victorious in Season Opener

Ann Arbor, MI -- WCBN Sports (1-0) glided to a 10-0 victory over Kelsey House in its season debut in the Co-rec B Novice Division. WCBN got on the board quickly when alternate captain, Andrew Seid (San Antonio, TX / Ronald Reagan High School) took a centering pass off the boards from team captain Stuart Zaas (Solon, OH / Solon High School) to score the game's first goal at 1:21. After a lengthy scoring drought, WCBN would add two more goals before the end of the first half off the stick Rachel Severin (Chelsea, MI / Chelsea High School) Not content with the three score advantage, WCBN received a rousing pep talk at halftime from sports director, Tony Bolton (Canton, MI / Salem High School).

Inspired, WCBN stormed out of the gates in the second half piling on 7 more goals in the final 15 minutes. Kevin Gregus (Crystal Lake, IL / Prairie Ridge High School) dominated the offensive zone of Kelsey House early in the second half scoring two goals to put the game out of reach with assists coming from Bolton. Chelsea Slater (Cincinnati, OH / Turpin High School) scored two and then Zaas added two more to push the score up to 9-0. Jon Moore (Searsport, ME / Searsport District High School) came out from his goalie position to score the game's final marker at 12:07.

Claire Otwell (Traverse City, MI / Traverse City High School) and Katie Williams (Columbus, OH / Upper Arlington High School) played stellar defense to help Moore post his first shutout of the season. The dynamic duo held Kelsey House to just two shots on goal the entire game.

After the game, Bolton praised his team's depth, "I thought each line played well today. We said before the game that the key would be to win the three minute increments. I'm satisfied with our overall effort but I felt we were a little sluggish in the first half."

Seid cautioned against overconfidence after a week one win, "We played well today, scoring 10 goals, but we aren't going to play [Kelsey House] every week. We have to go back, look at the film and get ready for next week's opponent."

Next up for WCBN Sports are the always dangerous Global Access. Game time is scheduled for 11:20 PM at Yost Ice Arena. Tickets are free for U of M students, children, and adults.


BOXSCORE:
Goals-Assists-Points

Zaas 2-2-4
Gregus 2-1-3
Seid 2-1-3
Severin 2-1-3
Slater 2-1-3
Bolton 0-2-2
Williams 0-2-2
Deneen 0-1-1
Moore 0-1-1
Otwell 0-1-1


GAME NOTES:

• Moore's shutout was his first of his career
• WCBN's 10 goal game set a franchise record for both goals in a game and margin of victory
• The win broke WCBN's five game losing streak dating back to round one of the Flag Football playoffs
• All 10 players saw significant ice time
• Rookies Claire Otwell, Rachel Severin, Katie Williams, and Andy Deneen all played in their first career games
• WCBN failed to convert on their only power play opportunity which came late in the first half after a goalie high stick was called at 13:25.
  
• Both teams received all 10 sportsmanship points
• Player of the game: Kevin Gregus - Scored two goals and assisted on one to seal the game for WCBN in the second half
  
• Game Time: 33 minutes
  
• Attendance: 2

Media Contact: Stuart Zaas (440-227-5897)

Drama-filled start to 2008 with Rodriguez COULD get worse if Pryor comes to Michigan (Recap of January and a look ahead)

It has been a while since we last updated the blog with the Capital One Bowl victory back on the first of the new year. Since then, 2008 has already been loaded with controversy for the transitioning Michigan football program. Coach Rich Rodriguez has officially taken the reigns allowing Lloyd Carr to ride off into the sunset. Coach Rod’s early ride, however, has not been so smooth. This month has seen relentless bitterness towards Rodriguez from the West Virginia faithful in the form of allegations of document shredding and recruiting violations upon leaving for Michigan (as every fan has surely heard by now). Though some of these allegations seem completely ludicrous and have since been denied (disappearing academic records? HELLO WVU is a school still and has academic records for all enrolled- denied by WVU’s President), Rodriguez, in his first month of the job has been defending himself against this self-proclaimed “smear campaign” while in the midst of recruiting. Sparing you all the details which have been flying around and can be found at all local news outlets regarding the violations and $4 million buyout case (phone records w/ Terrelle Pryor and other recruits, WVU trying to bring the case back to state court, OC Calvin Magee charging WVU to be racially biased etc. etc.) this is undoubtedly the most drama the Michigan football program has been surrounded with in at least a decade (Moeller’s drunkenness).

On top of all the Rodriguez WVU-Michigan drama is the theater surrounding Terrelle Pryor, the #1 QB in the country who is reportedly down to Michigan, OSU, Oregon, LSU, and Penn State (latest news points towards the much anticipated UM/OSU battle). A couple weekends ago when Pryor visited Ann Arbor (Jan. 19th), the focus on campus was on getting this outstanding football player to play for the Wolverines. Facebook groups and events were created to try to make Pryor and fellow recruits feel welcome. I created one of these imploring students to wear maize and blue (for a change) at least to give the recruits a vibe as to how football Saturdays are in Ann Arbor (and more importantly I saw this as an opportunity to show school spirit which we often lack). The basketball game was reportedly a sell out prior to the game (yeah..right, do not know where the athletic department got that notion as most of the seats were still empty) but still more fans were present than usual. Despite the maize rage being no louder than a student section at a middle school track meet, there was a buzz about Pryor being on campus. I, as many others, HAD BEEN praying for the 18 year old Pryor to choose Michigan as his football ability is unquestionable. At 6’6” 235 lbs. with 4.4 40 yard dash speed and an uncanny ability to scramble, Pryor obviously would be a perfect fit for Rich Rodriguez’s scheme fitting the mold of a way more talented Pat White. Terrelle Pryor WAS the end all and be all if we wanted to be anywhere near 10 wins and therefore WAS a must get. Pryor or bust if you will.

A week later, however, all my strong feelings for wanting Pryor faded when undying controversy started surrounding the kid. Most of this linked to a glass-industry big shot in Pryor’s hometown of Jeanette, PA by the name of Ted Sarniak. As many of you have probably already read from MGoBlog, scout.com, and other sources, Sarniak employed Pryor and has REPORTEDLY given or will give Pryor a corvette, perhaps as a graduation gift. Complicating this moreover are reports of Ohio State coaches going to meet Sarniak a day before Pryor came to visit Michigan. I must assert that these are only reports and not enough substance has been produced behind these claims to make any true/false statements. Having said that, it does not take a genius to see the shadiness of such a situation. Of course, this Michigan fan who has followed the Jim Tressel era, is not at all surprised by hearing OSU coaches doing such a thing (OSU abandoning Maurice Clarett to avoid investigations, Troy Smith’s troubles, and many other less documented stories with Tressel (Youngstown State players)) http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1920867 . What troubles me, is that Michigan is also desperately trying to get Pryor, although hopefully not to that extent. Regardless of if OSU coaches met with Sarniak, do we really want Pryor to come to Michigan if it means violations against the program down the road? Especially with recent news of Reggie Bush and USC getting in trouble for reported housing being given to his family and possible recruiting violations against Florida coach Urban Meyer, it should be apparent that no one player is bigger than the program. The one asset that Lloyd Carr had which nobody can refute is that he valued the program’s integrity above all else. Throughout his tenure, and the entire Schembechler era for that matter, the Michigan football program never had any scandal. And fans never had to worry about about violations with Lloyd Carr running the show and he would still bring in a top 10 class every year without fail. What good is Pryor if he comes to Michigan and even wins a national title if ten years from now that title is taken away and we have a fab five scandal move over to the most storied football program in the history of college football? Quite frankly, I would much rather see that happen to OSU as Pryor might accelerate their downfall as I believe ten years from now the NCAA will finally unveil the program’s lack of integrity from Clarett on.

Although all this controversy surrounds Pryor, it is not an attack on Pryor as a person. I am just saying there is a lot of potential baggage that comes along with him, some of which could blow up this program which should still always pride itself on integrity. Is it Pryor’s fault for taking a corvette as a graduation gift (if he does)? I say no. What 18 year-old kid would turn down a corvette? I know I wouldn’t. Is it Pryor’s fault that he has men from the ages of 18-50+ constantly calling him and trying to sell themselves to a kid who is in the midst of trying to play high school basketball with his friends? Absolutely not. Is it Pryor’s fault that he is being treated like a celebrity (camera men at the UM bball game paying more attention to him than at the actual game)? Yes and no. Pryor has seemed to relish the spotlight by calling media outlets himself and wanting a public announcement. But more so no, because he has had 50 year old coaches and reporters telling him he is the greatest gift to football and what kid has not dreamed of being in the spotlight? Pryor is a victim of being extremely talented in a culture that is obsessed with “who’s next” (myself included…I know…I know).

There is no doubt Pryor is a great addition to any team ON the field. No matter where he goes, barring injury, he will develop his skills and eventually get to the NFL with the potential to change the game. But, unfortunately, due to the society that is infatuated with a player like Terrelle, he will be put in a lot of situations that will be extremely tough (i.e. excepting a corvette). These decisions, which would be no-brainers to “normal” college students (take the ‘vette), carry a lot more weight with the student-athlete, particularly one of Pryor’s stature. Every move he, or anyone around him makes will be under scrutiny for the next three or four years. For any program that gets him, that creates a constant stress hoping that this 18 year old doesn’t do something the NCAA says he shouldn’t do. For me, I do not know if this is worth the excitement he would bring to Michigan.

I am now indifferent to Pryor except I either want him to go to Michigan or Ohio State. Yes, if he doesn’t come here, I pray he goes to that school down south. This is my logic: If he comes to Michigan, we are getting a once in a decade talent and a complete breath of fresh air in an exciting dual threat QB who will give defenses the same fits our D’s have experienced. On the flip side, myself as a fan will constantly be holding my breath waiting for the day he breaks a rule (again, not because he is a bad kid, but because his situation would be tough for anyone). If that happens, any win he gives us could be taken away and our integrity plummets.

If he goes to that ugly school down south, they are getting a great QB who will have the chance to give us fits for the next 3-4 years. Yikes. But conversely, and more importantly I believe, his situation will prompt the NCAA to investigate OSU especially with the reports of coaches meeting Sarniak. The NCAA will no longer be able to look the other way on Tressel’s acts like they did around the time of Clarett and OSU will have a scandal larger than the fab five implicating the entire Tressel era.

The reason I am not hoping for him to just go elsewhere, is because of the fact that OSU has already been implicated with the Sarniak thing and I believe the NCAA will be prompted to look into the situation in Columbus. I still am neutral on him coming to Michigan because Michigan has not been linked to Sarniak and therefore we have a better chance to avoid allegations. Still, I no longer am praying for the kid to come here.

The integrity of Michigan will always be the most important thing to this University. Nevertheless, the days of Lloyd upholding that integrity are over. Rich Rodriguez certainly has a differing view than Carr and is not the type of guy to have players recite a word from the dictionary when they come to his office. Still, Rodriguez built a WVU program without any allegations (or big name recruits) so even if he does value winning, hopefully he does not have the “whatever it takes” mentality stretching out to boosters to go “under the table.” Rodriguez is the breath of fresh air UM has been looking for on the field. His football philosophy will find plenty of success and should bring the football team up to the level of what USC, Florida, and LSU have done year in and year out. The only question is whether or not we will also accompany USC and Florida as another school to break the rules for recruits. While many fans will be disgruntled with a rough year next season, that unrest would not even compare to the uproar if Rodriguez let the latter happen.

Do I want to see the team struggle next year? No, I hope the transition is smooth. But if Pryor is what we need for success next season and that means violations down the road, then I am all for a little delayed gratification. I hope Rodriguez is patient too. He already has enough on his plate with the crazy ex-girlfriend WVU.

Victory!

What a final game for Lloyd Carr and the Big Blue. One of Chad Henne's best games and brilliant Michigan play calling result in a Michigan 41-35 victory over Florida.

Best sure to tune into Extra Points on WCBN on Monday, January 7th and check back on the blog. We will recap Michigan's best game this season and discuss the incoming Rich Rodriguez era in Ann Arbor.

Be sure to tune in on the WCBN Sports Stream or 88.3FM Ann Arbor.

Capital One Bowl

We apologize for the light blogging, finals were this past week and that took up much of our time. We are on break now and will be back over the Holidays were the blog will be updated more regularly. For now I want to tell everyone that you can listen to myself and Stu Zaas call the Capital One Bowl LIVE on January 1st by listening to us on the sports stream!

Take care and Happy Holidays.

Go Blue!

Baseball Offseason Report: Finals Week Edition

With finals week approaching, I may not have time to update the baseball offseason portion of the blog, but with my first break from constant schoolwork in about two weeks, I think it’s time to review A-Rod, the Winter Meetings, and the current Johan Santana talk (from a Mets fan’s perspective) before the Mitchell Report occupies the eyes and ears of the baseball world.

Topic 1: Alex Rodriguez re-signs with the Yankees

Shame on me for believing Hank Steinbrenner at all. Luckily, I’ve learned my lesson, and yes, the Yankees are still contenders for Johan Santana, if not his most likely destination. In all fairness, in my offseason preview for Maize & Blog on November 7^th, I did write this concerning Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees:

“Reports out of New York last week are that A-Rod would still be open to signing with New York, and while Hank Steinbrenner made it very clear that A-Rod wouldn’t be welcomed back to Yankee Stadium, can we really trust that the Yankees won’t be involved in the negotiations over the best free agent since, well, A-Rod at age 25?”

So don’t say I didn’t see it coming, but the Yankees should’ve been at the top of my list, and for that, I apologize.

This is a pretty obvious move for both sides. For A-Rod, it was easy – get rid of Scott Boras because nobody needs to sell the talent of the greatest baseball player on earth, and play where you want to play, which happens to be in the biggest media market in the country. For the Yankees, they had a vacancy at 3B, and most importantly, they had a vacancy in the middle of their lineup. Above all else this offseason, the Yanks’ top priority was acquiring a clean-up hitter, NOT acquiring another pitcher, and looking at the Yankees lineup without A-Rod and a top pitcher (Johan Santana anyone?) should reveal that:

C- Posada; 1B- Mientkiewicz/Giambi; 2B- Cano; 3B- Betemit; SS- Jeter; LF- Matsui; CF- Cabrera; RF- Abreu; DH- Damon

That equates to a lineup along the lines of: 1. Damon; 2. Jeter; 3. Abreu; 4. Posada; 5. Matsui; 6. Cano; 7. Betemit/Giambi; 8. Mientkiewicz/Betemit; 9. Cabrera

That might seem like a deep lineup, and it is, because I’m very high on Cano, Betemit, and Cabrera, but it lacks something that’s essential to a winning baseball team: POWER. Case in point, the 2007 Yankees of April and May, when they struggled in the power department and watched a Red Sox team slug their way with the likes of Manny, Papi, and Lowell to a double digit lead in the AL East. In A-Rod, the Yanks got not only the best hitter on the market, but the best hitter in baseball, and they didn’t have to give up prospects for Miguel Cabrera, they just had to open their wallet, which has never been a big deal for the Yankees. The only issue here is that Hank Steinbrenner’s word has taken a major hit, but for a franchise which thrives on smugness, does anyone think they really care?

Topic #2: The Winter Meetings

This was a whole lot of nothing for a bunch of teams that everyone figured would make a move, and a whole lot of something for two teams that I expected to stay quiet at the Winter Meetings in Nashville.

Of course those two loud teams were the Marlins and Michigan’s own Detroit Tigers, who pulled off a huge 8-player trade that sent Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera to the Tigers for Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, and 4 other prospects to the Marlins. This trade makes a ton of sense to me for both sides. As for the Marlins, they certainly could not have gotten Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin for Miguel Cabrera, and there may not be a better OF or P prospect in the majors than Miller and Maybin, so for the Marlins they add in a pitcher with diminished value and a ton of uncertainty and they end up with a hard throwing lefty and a 5-tool player who will most likely be an all-star in this league for many years along with 4 other prospects. For the Tigers, it makes a ton of sense also – the Red Sox are a juggernaut, the Indians are an improving and already successful young team with Sabathia and Carmona who can shut down any lineup on any given night, and seemingly every team in the AL is threatening to add a top pitcher. The Tigers simply had to do something if they wanted to win this year, and they did a big something by netting one of the best young hitters in baseball and a pitcher who, if he can reclaim his prior success, will make a 1-2-3 in Verlander, Bonderman, and Willis, which can challenge Beckett, Dice-K, and Schilling. My only reservations if I’m a Tigers fan are that they have an extremely righty-heavy lineup (Cabrera, Sheffield, Ordonez, etc.) and they traded a guy in Miller who might be better than Willis this year and a guy in Maybin who they’ve been steadfast in keeping off the trade block (even when the Nationals called offering Soriano a couple of years ago) because he really might be that good. With that having been said, they added 2 young guys who will help now, and they have enough young pieces that they won’t need to make another trade for 3-5 years, and they can use that time to rebuild their diminished farm system.

As for the quiet teams, Johan Santana is still on the Twins, Erik Bedard is still on the Orioles, Dan Haren and Joe Blanton are still on the Athletics, Omar Minaya still wants a pitcher, and the Angels and Dodgers kept their prospects… for now. Chances are all of these names will come up again and again for the rest of the offseason, but in Nashville it was much ado about nothing. The Orioles seem to want more than the Twins want for Johan Santana if they’re going to trade Erik Bedard, which means they’re demanding guys like Jonathan Broxton along with Matt Kemp, James Loney, or Andy Laroche (I’d assume pitching prospect Clayton Kershaw could substitute for these guys, but those are the names I’ve heard). The A’s are sending out signals that they may want to hang onto Haren and Blanton unless they get blown away. As for the Twins and Santana….

Topic #3: Johan Santana

While the reports have changed by the minute when it comes to this guy, I’ll give you the abridged version of how we got to where we are before I rant. At the Winter Meetings, it looked like Santana would end up on the Red Sox after Hank Steinbrenner put a deadline on the Yanks’ negotiations with the Twins. The Yankees were apparently offering Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera, and one or two other prospects, while the Twins were asking for a package including Hughes and Ian Kennedy, which the Yankees decided was too much. As for the Red Sox, it appeared a deal was very close on the 2^nd day of the Winter Meetings, but the Red Sox left Nashville empty-handed, but still negotiating with new Twins GM Bill Smith. The Red Sox basically made two offers, with one containing LHP Jon Lester, disappointing OF Coco Crisp, and two prospects in SS Jed Lowrie and P Justin Masterson, and one containing star OF prospect Jacoby Ellsbury along with two or three prospects (possibly including Lowrie and Masterson), and when it looked like the Twins were going to accept one of the deals after exchanging medical records, the Tigers pulled off their deal for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, the AL Central got a lot stronger, and the Twins became gun-shy. Most notably, they backed off their insistence on getting players who can help now and concentrated more on stockpiling high-ceiling guys who can help beat the Indians and Tigers in a few years, and with that new mentality, here come the Mets. Certainly teams aside from the Yanks, Red Sox, and Mets want Johan Santana and have the prospects to get him (see Rangers and Mariners with Adam Jones), but remember that Johan Santana has a no-trade clause and is going to demand a contract for 7-years and more money than Barry Zito got, potentially in the $25 million per year range, so that eliminates nearly every team that isn’t named the Yanks, Red Sox, or Mets (see Angels, Dodgers, DBacks). The word lately has been that Santana is not crazed about pitching in the Bronx, although I will still NEVER count out the Yankees – as I’ve said, I learned my lesson, and lets be honest here… if Bill Smith called up Hank Steinbrenner (I love how I’ve completely disregarded Brian Cashman as a member of the Yanks’ organization now) and said, “We’ll take Hughes, Cabrera, Tabata, and Jackson for Santana”, Hank is not going to say, “Well Bill, we’d love to do that, but you see you didn’t meet our deadline, so it’s a no-go.” However, what’s important is that Santana and his no-trade clause apparently wants to go to the Mets and then the Red Sox, and the Twins want to honor his desires, so they’ve been working with the Mets to get something done. Today, apparently the Mets offered the Twins a number of packages with either top OF prospect Carlos Gomez or high ceiling OF prospect Fernando Martinez, but none with both. The Twins said they would agree to the deal with Gomez if the Mets included either Martinez or a fourth pitching prospect in the deal, and the Mets declined. That means the Mets declined a trade for Johan Santana which didn’t involve David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, John Maine, or Oliver Perez… and I’m furious. The Mets were offered the National League pennant on a silver platter and they declined. It is idiotic to not give up prospects – let me repeat that, PROSPECTS – to get the best pitcher on the planet. Put Johan Santana at the top of a rotation with Pedro Martinez, John Maine, and Oliver Perez, and you have a team that contends for a title in 2008. Keep Carlos Gomez, Fernando Martinez, Mike Pelfrey, Kevin Mulvey, and whoever else the Mets are putting too much faith into, and they’ll continue to be an 88-win team that falls a game short of the playoffs. The Mets just had one of the biggest collapses in baseball history, and they won’t unload five prospects to get a chance at a title for their fans this year, and I, as a fan, am furious.

- Jeremy Kreisberg

All I Want for Christmas is a Playoff System

I woke up this morning and had a vision of something beautiful: a playoff system for college football. It was so simple, a solution that would keep the bowl system, but still determine a national champion on the field instead of on a computer. Here's how it works. The BCS computers actually do a decent job of synthesizing the major polls into one, so they will determine the top 12 teams in the country, with the top 4 teams getting byes. Teams 5-12 would match up in bowl games the December 21st and 22nd in the Cotton Bowl, Capital One Bowl, Gator Bowl, and Holiday Bowl (bowls chosen based on prestige and location). So this year the match-ups would be:

• (5) Georgia vs. (12) Florida in the Gator Bowl
  
• (6) Missouri vs. (11) Arizona State in the Cotton Bowl
  
• (7) USC vs. (10) Hawaii in the Holiday Bowl
  
• (8) Kansas vs. (9) West Virginia in the Capital One Bowl

The winners of those games would advance to the quarterfinals, which would be held on December 28th and 29th in the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and the Rose Bowl. Those match-ups would be:

• (1) Ohio State vs Kansas/West Virginia winner in the Rose Bowl
  
• (2) LSU vs USC/Hawaii winner in the Sugar Bowl
  
• (3) Virginia Tech vs. Missouri/Arizona State winner in the Orange Bowl
• (4) Oklahoma vs. Georgia/Florida winner int he Fiesta Bowl
  

The semifinals would be held the following week with the national championship taking place on January 14th. In addition, all the other bowl games not taken up by this playoff system would remain unchanged. To sum it all up, here is what the bracket would look like:

This setup would create a ton of excitement and give us more games between the top teams in college football during the bowl season. Just look at some of the games and possible games, how can you not be excited? These are all very good teams at the top of their conferences. Plus, we'll get to see how the coaches prepare for a different opponent every week, instead of having over a month to gameplan for only one team. How will the sweater-vest prepare for an explosive spread attack one week, and then have to deal with a completely different offense the next week? I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about all the possibilities.

Now if only I could convince the presidents of all the major conferences, the representatives from the affected bowl games, and the TV executives who hold broadcasting rights to those games to adopt my system. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. I guess I'll just have to sit back and watch the bowl games, only to wonder what could have been.