Hail to the Victors: Big Ten Commentary

I love that God made it thunderstorm, securing Michigan’s victory today.  I think He knows how bad our defense is and wanted to make sure Western didn’t come back on us.  It is my prayer that the Lord brings thunderstorms every time Michigan gets a lead.  National Championship here we come!!  (let’s make sure we choose to receive when we win the coin toss, ok Brady?)

In all ‘seriousness’ (sports are not serious), I think Michigan defense looked a tiny bit better than last year, but a tiny bit better than horrific is still really bad.  Which is understandable… last year’s scrubs + freshman = what you saw today.  Yes they had some sweet turnovers today over a bad offense, but let’s keep our composure friends, it is Western, who is bound to wet themselves at times… and deliver a gift wrapped ball to Brandon Herron for both his birthday and Christmas.  Hey, I’m not complaining, but I’m also not envisioning Denard and Brady holding up the National Championship Trophy just yet.  My preseason prediction of 8-4 is still intact, and still feels a little optimistic…

A few other Big Ten notes:

• Can we please stop calling Michigan State “defending Big Ten champions”?  They tied for first with two other teams.  They are not champions.  They are 1/3 champions.  Props to them, it is more than Michigan can say, but it is truth none the less.  They should not get rings, or a banner, or t-shirts, unless they say “1/3 champions” on them or are 1/3 of said item, and the other 2/3’s are in Wisconsin and Ohio State.  This is college sports, we should be past participation medals that make everyone feel good at this point.  A tie is not a championship.  You do not play to tie, do not celebrate it and do not say you were a champion.  Being better than Michigan and Northwestern does not make you a champion, being the best makes you a champion, and you were not the best.
• Speaking of Ohio State, their new coach Luke Fickell looks crazy similar to Adam Sandler, which is awesome because it makes me hope #1.) He will suit up one game like Bobby Boucher, and #2.) Makes me hope he will sing the ‘Lonesome Kicker’ song sometime at a press conference:

• Now before you MSU fans go getting all upset because I made fun of your 1/3 title that you keep calling a title (yes I know you beat Michigan, we have been very bad, we have had to watch Nick Sheridan as a QB, something no human should ever have to endure), it’s really not your fault.  It is just a small blip on the endless stream of the NCAA’s list of stupidity.  This stupidity pails in comparison to the BCS system of course (I’m looking forward to the day I can tell my grandkids about the BCS system and they will laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh…). But none of these compare to the ridiculous amount of scandal in college football over the last year and how I couldn’t help but watch the games this weekend with more than a hint of cynicism over the hypocrisy of those in charge and how they’ve let illegal payments of players go on forever, because it brings in big money to their pocketbooks, but then whenever a media outlet uncovers a story (isn’t the NCAA supposed to be discovering these stories, not Yahoo! and Sports Illustrated?), the NCAAers get on their high horses about how these are student athletes and their educations are of utmost importance, blah blah blah blah blah.  It was fun to watch them play football today, though I’m looking forward to the NFL starting next weekend, when I don’t have to feel so dirty as I view the product before me.
• And yes I refer to my team as “we” and “us” though I have never played for them, or even attended the school.  But if I had to watch Nick Sheridan for an entire season, I get to pretend like I’ve invested enough in the program to call it my own.