Team #134 finally takes the field tomorrow when they host the Central Michigan Chippewas at Michigan Stadium. I love the first game of the new Michigan Football season. There's just something about that first game, that first time the game pops up on the TV, the first time the team runs out of the tunnel and reaches toward the "M Go Blue Club" banner.
Michigan is pretty good on openers... 109-21-3...that's pretty good...109 wins out of 133 tries. Last year the Wolverines were thumped by Alabama...that was opener loss #21. This year there will be no loss. The Wolverines have better players, and I expect nothing but smash mouth football for 60 minuets. Michigan is going to be the Michigan of old this season, and that means running the football.
Under Rich Rodriguez the Wolverines collected smaller guys, and that hurt the Michigan power run game after Brady Hoke took over. Denard Robinson won the 2010 Big Ten Player of the Year Award, he was the most dynamic QB the Maize & Blue have ever had, and now he's gone. For as much as I loved anticipating every single snap that Robinson took, I'm even more excited to see the Wolverines return to the true Michigan Football identity...the run. I also expect to see the arm and poise of starting QB Devin Gardner. From everything I've heard, Gardner is ready for a terrific 2013 season. I was impressed by Gardner last year, and he is now the leader on the field. No more spreading out as a wideout, no more handing the ball off to Robinson. Those days are gone...forever.
Michigan will run the ball a lot, but I also expect Gardner to have a big day throwing the ball. Michigan has traditionally never run up the score when they get up big in games. Tomorrow Michigan could be up 28-0 by halftime. Or, they may stay conservative enough to win the game 24-7, leaving plenty of things for Notre Dame in week #2. My guess is something like 34-13, 27-9...but, if Hoke let's 'em play, look out...45+ points will be withing reach. It will be win #904 in the long and storied Michigan program. 904? Hey, that's the Jacksonville, Florida area code. Enjoy the football. Go Blue!
OK, I just don't know why I cannot walk into a bookstore or a Walmart here in Jacksonville and get magazines I like. I just saw this today while searching for Brady Hoke stuff for this blog.
I must acquire this issue. How cool is that cover...yes...it's awesome!
Been a long time. I started this blog a couple of years ago, but I haven't wrote a thing since Michigan defeated Virginia Tech in the 2012 Sugar Bowl.
I really didn't have any intention of reviving the blog. Most days I just don't have the stamina to write my baseball blog, this Meeeechigan blog, Tweet, post on Facebook, Instagram, etc. But the start of season #134 is almost here, and well, heck, it's a blog about Wolverine Football, talking about the Wolverines, well, what could be better? That said, it's two days before the Wolverines run out of the tunnel onto the hallowed grounds of Michigan Stadium, and with that I thought, hey, let's get the old blog back and running for Team #134. A few things... I have changed the name of the blog. Maize & Blue Football is now "My Meeeechigan Football Blog." I know, catchy, right? I love that sound...Meeeechigan!...Meeeechigan!. It reminds me of 1976-77-78, Bo, Rob Lytle, Rick Leach, Ron Simpkins, Mike Jolly, and Bob Ufer calling the games on the radio... "...God Bless his cotton pickin' Maize and Blue heart..."
I found the new blog background of Bo Schembechler searching the good old Internet. Whoever came up with this Bo/Sunglasses art work...just terrific.
Awesome, right? I love Bo. Cannot ever get enough of the man who resurrected Michigan Football and is responsible for this fans love of the Wolverines.
Bo came to Michigan in 1969, after a 18 year drought, 1951-68, where the Wolverines played in one...one Rose Bowl, after the 1964 season, under coach Bump Elliot. We're in year three of coach Brady Hoke, and while we didn't have 18 years of misery, Michigan Football under coach Rich Rodriguez just wasn't Michigan Football. I really liked Rich Rodriguez. No, really.
I felt like he was hired to fail...by the school...and, well, I'll leave that to rest. Now Brady Hoke is at the controls, and after 11-1, 8-5, year three looks to be another stellar season...10 wins? 11? 12? I know...whoa...Team #134 plays 'em one week at a time...it's Chipewas Week. Brady Hoke IS Bo...44 years later.
Brady Hoke has Maize & Blue blood running through his veins...
I'm going to try and post as much as I can, certainly a lot during game weeks...from Central Michigan...hey, that's this Saturday...
...to Notre Dame...hey, that's next week...to Sparty, the Huskers, the Hawkeyes, and the...yuk...the Buckeyes...to the Big Ten Football Championship Game...to the National Championship Game!! Oh, to dream. Follow me on Twitter this Meeeechigan Wolverines football season here... @freehan11 ... Facebook......here. ... Instgram here.
I need to change some things, work on the look of the blog, so please be patient as I try to improve things. If you're a Meeeechigan Fan, send me a picture of yourself to me and maybe I'll get it on the blog. This young lady, @Lizzs_Lockeroom has the honor of being the first Lady Wolverine Fan to grace this blog.
This is year #37 for me as a Wolverine fan.
I support the players, the coaches, the Football Department, the Athletic Department, Athletic Director Dave Brandon, and the entire Michigan family.
I may be upset after a loss, not agree with something that happens in a game. I will get upset...I will disagree. But I'm a Michigan fan. I'm not a coach, a player, an administrator. I'm a fan. I will never abuse anyone related to Michigan Football, Michigan Athletics, or Dave Brandon. I'm a fan. If you wish to comment on any posts, or chat me up on Twitter, etc., it will be my pleasure to interact with you. Be a good fan, support the players, the staff, the AD...support Meeeechigan Football. It's that simple. Go Blue!
