realfootballfan

so everyone's heard and debated about Crazy Charlie's spring game anti-Michigan remarks. but if you haven't:

“I’ve always been one never to make excuses and not blow hot air. I believe you have to back up your words by performance on the field. I think that’s the message our team is going to try to stay, we’re gonna start on September 6 with San Diego State, we’re going from there. I think the first opportunity we’ll have to make a statement is that day.

“Then we’ll listen to Michigan have all their excuses as they come running in, saying how they have a new coaching staff and those changes. To hell with Michigan.”


i'm all for riling up the troops. i encourage it. "f*ck you, buddy! i root for(fill in the blank).. your team can go to #ell in gasoline soaked drawers."
i just wonder why now? and why Michigan? is it because they are the easier target? they are going through a transition right now. and the general public is predicting a collapse of epic proportions. why not? as Weis said before last year's ND/UM matchup, "i'd bet against us, too".
but the Irish are coming off their worst season in, like, ever. Michigan has had some bad moments but i haven't been alive to witness their worst team ever. i wonder if the Tillers, Tressells and Wieses of the world are supplying the ammo for a very good season.

i know about the change in schemes. i know about the graduations and early declares for th draft. i know about the transfers. i know about the QB situation. i know about the lawsuit, Pryor and the #1 jersey.

but i also know this is Michigan. we were so spoiled by Henne and Hart that we forgot they they, too, started as freshmen. Manningham kept the WR tradition alive but he also shot to stardom as a freshman by catching the game-winning TD against Penn State. its almost funny how people have forgotten about McGuffie, Stonum, O'Neil and the rest of the nation's #10 recruiting class. we won't be great but we will win. but then again, with so much bulletin board material being posted about UM everyday the chip on the shoulder might be heavy enough to be great.

i suggest that Weis and the suddenly hardcore anti-Michigan ND fanbase concentrate on the other 2,999,999 things that went wrong for the Irish last year. this may be a transition year for Michigan but at least we don't have Purdue fans posting things like this:

"And you believe you need to back up your words on the field? Well, I do, too, and that's admirable of you. But you lost 38-0 last year to an 0-2 Michigan team that was QBed by a freshman (Ryan Mallett) who hated his coach. And you're going to talk smack? And to bash a program like Michigan, well, I would think it'd make more sense to bash us, you know? If we got mad, what's the worst we could do? Beat your ninny boys by a couple TDs? Michigan might hurt you. Like, physically damage your pretty-boy QB."

aaaaaaaaaand i'm out.