Sweet

High-speed photography montage.

I have to admit, I'm guilty

Lloyd...thanks and goodbye. I can honestly say I'm just as guilty as anyone else hoping you'd be finished this year. But man, what you actually did for the UM program in the same era compared to every other program is really amazing when you take a step back and look at how consistent it remained. I can't say I was asking you to ever get fired, but I was hoping you'd step down. I'm guilty. But listening to your announcement today and following the program for the last 10 years, I don't think ANYONE, even non-Wolverine Fan, could say you are a classless person. No one could argue how classy and how much you have represented the University for 13 years. So, thanks for giving us a great season year in and year out. ANY other program would die to have what you maintained for even just a few years.

As far as Saturday went, I'm sorry Lloyd, but Chad Henne had no business being in that 4th quarter. You put Ryan Mallet in for one lousy series and then went back to Henne. I shouldn't question you now that you are done, but I still have to. Why? Henne wasn't getting anything going. You already knew what you had in him. Why not Mallet for another try? Keep him in. You knew nothing was working with Henne.

Now, the hard part for Michigan, filling Carr's position. That will not be easy. Lloyd might not have had a top 5 team that often, but he was knocking on that door every year and the next guy in there has HUGE expectations to fulfill. Whomever you are...good luck. It will take a miracle to find a guy that on the average can do as well as Lloyd. But, mission number one, you have to beat Tressel. Period. That is all that matters right now. Lloyd, thanks for finishing off the Sparty's six straight times. I don't think anyone will ever do that again. I don't think it will ever happen again period.

The easy hire for Michigan would be Les Miles. No one would argue and he's been talked about for months now. If you want life easy, just hire him. But, there is a huge list. Who wouldn't want to coach at Michigan. What do you think of this possible list of Lloyd Carr successors?

(In no particular order...and disregard all speeling errors)
1. Bill Cowher
2. Les Miles
3. Jim Harbaugh
4. Pete Carroll
5. Mangini (Kansas coach)
6. Ron English (D-coordinator)
7. Brian Kelly
8. Kirk Frentz (Iowa coach)
9. Urban Meyer
10. Boise State coach
11. West Virginia coach
12. ???


Anyway, here are some more random thoughts:

On a serious note, I am curious why the trading deadline ends, in my opinion, so soon. There are still 6 weeks in the season after this Sunday. Last time I checked, a lot happens in one week, let alone six. I'm not suggesting the deadline needs to be extended until Jan. 1, but extending it into December sometime still sounds reasonable.

I heard on the AM radio this week that Fred Taylor has passed the 10,000 yard rushing mark, and apparently isn't a Pro-bowler. Wow, 10,000 yards? Is that the quietest 10,000 yards you've ever heard someone attain? If you hit 14,000, you're considered a freak. A legend. A yellow jacket front-runner. A bronze grill in Canton, Ohio. He'll probably reach 11,000 for his career. He currently has 10,117 yards rushing.

So, that got me to thinking about another good runner from the state of Florida (I'm referring to college days) who also has racked up a lot of career rushing yards but in my opinion has racked them up kinda quietly...Warrick Dunn. I wondered if he was close to 10,000 yards for his career. I really had no idea, just a thought. Well, he's sitting at 9,974 yards after today. So, yeah, I guess he is close and will reach that milestone next Sunday...if you need him.

Finally, while watching the Lions game today on the boob tube, the commentator mentioned the word or phrase "within" in reference to the Lions deficit when the score was 10-16 in favor of the New York football Giants. After Calvin "Freak" Johnson scored that TD, the Fox commentator said "that brings the Lions to within 6 points." I hate that. I absolutely hate it when George Blaha and other sports commentators use that phrase. The only time I want to hear those words in sports is when I'm kicking D'Arcy's tail on the greens and my tee shot rolls past his onto the green and "within" 10 feet for an attempt at eagle. If someone is talking about a long distance or some kind of measurement, like distance in golf, when you don't have anything to measure with, that is when I like to use the phrase "within". I feel it's appropriate in golf to say "that shot is within 10 feet of the cup." Or, "that deer was within 50 yards." Or, "I am within 5 years of retirement." Why? BECAUSE NO ONE CARES WHAT THE ACUTAL DISTANCE OR TIME IS. We don't have anything to measure it with and no one wants to. Some times it's immeasureable, so we drop the proverbial "within" phrase. YOU CAN'T BE WITHIN 6 POINTS IN A FOOTBALL GAME PEOPLE. There's no decimals used in football, baseball, basketball, hockey, etc. Take out your freakin' pocket calculator and subtract 10 from 16. You'll get SIX. Exactly six. Not 5.8 or 5.2. 6.0. SIX. The calculator isn't going to round down or up to the number 6. 16 minus 10 is always 6. You aren't saving any oxygen or using a cool hip phrase when you say "within" 6 points or 4 runs or 2 goals. Just tell me the EXACT deficit involved. Telling me my Lions are "within" six points doesn't sound or make me feel any better if you were to just come out and say the Lions are down by 6 points. The Tigers are down by 4 runs is just as bad as being within 4 runs.

Okay, enough. I'm standing on one foot on this bar of soap and I'm going to fall if I don't grab onto something here.

Thank you , I'm out.

Awesome Inventions, Part 2

This could quite possibly be, and I don't think I'm exaggerating here, the best thing ever. It makes everything taste like bacon. Think of the possibilities. (Hat tip: The Corner)

So Long

I feel like I should say something about Lloyd Carr retiring, but I can't find the energy to write much. One observation: for all the complaining I've heard over the years, Michigan will be lucky to find another coach that keeps the program at the level Carr has managed to. It seems most UM fans think it's their right to play for Big Ten titles and the occasional national championship; they owe a lot of that to Lloyd and I suspect will miss him when he's gone.

This still gets me laughing - BIG BAD JOHN

How can you forget Kansas City Sissy, I mean Royal, John Buck coming up to the dish with runners in scoring postion in a close game? He walks to the batters box like everyone else with his 10-second "pump me up" song like everyone else. Except in this situation it's the worst possible song a "man" could get to light a fire in his butt. How is that song going to get you to come through in the cluth and bang out a homerun? (According to the game log on espn.com, he was 3-3 with a walk, 1 R and 2 RBI in that game.) Big deal. You still had a lousy .243 batting average.

Anyway, I hope that took you down memory lane for a good laugh.

Best of HK-47

Video is better than quotes:

Firepower = Safety

If I ever buy a GMC Yukon, I think I'll buy it from Dillon Aero. Why? They sell them with a minigun installed.

Warhawks

I don't know much about Louisiana-Monroe, but I've got to respect a school that goes by the name "Warhawks". I'd imagine it must upset the PC crowd a bit.

Awesome Inventions

I think this is the coolest thing I've ever seen in the grocery store (maybe after Star Wars cereal): microwaveable monkey bread. Two and a half minutes and you've got monkey bread ready to eat. Not as good as homemade, but still awfully decent.

Mass Effect (Yet Again)

Loyalty

We need more guys like Adam Ballard in the NFL. That is, after they've finished the important stuff. A quote:

"When I’m older, I want to be able to look at my kids and tell them why they can go to any church and why your mom doesn’t have to wear a burqa."

Awesome. (Hat tip: Jay Nordlinger, Impromptus)

Definitely Maybe

Tooth & Nail Week, Day 7:

Cowards

Some gutless coward Michigan fan painted a block M on the base of Sparty sometime early Thursday. Apparently the vandal didn't realize the big game was LAST weekend. Or, maybe he just thought it would be easier when no one was guarding the statue, which is most of the year. Lame. The vandalism has already been cleaned up, leaving no mark on Sparty, kind of like how the vandal won't leave a mark on life.

Many Choices Lie Ahead...

We Are Tomorrow

Tooth & Nail Week, Day 6:

Cross The Line

Tooth & Nail Week, Day 5:

I forgot...

...to mention earlier: Shaun Rogers is the man. This article pretty much sums up what I thought when I saw the 340+ lb. nose tackle returning an interception. The man is scary good.

Evil (A Chorus Of Resistance)

Tooth & Nail Week, Day 4:

All-Time Part 2

Here's my definites for a Michigan State All-Time Team:

Johnny Green
Earvin "Magic" Johnson
Greg Kelser
Scott Skiles
Steve Smith
Shawn Respert
Mateen Cleaves
Morris Peterson
Charlie Bell
Jason Richardson

Potentials:
Eric Snow
Alan Anderson
Paul Davis
Shannon Brown
Andre Hutson
Antonio Smith
Jay Vincent
Tim Bograkos (Gotta love the walk-ons)
A.J. Granger

And the man who would have to be on my All-Time team... Aloysius Anagonye.

All-Time

College Hoops 2K8, releasing later this month from 2k Sports, will feature 90 classic teams, including 15 all-time school teams like All-Time Michigan State. (Hat tip: Joystiq)

This brings to mind the question: Who would be on an All-Time Michigan State team? I'll have my picks tomorrow. Michigan fans can submit their own team, if they can come up with anyone besides the historically defunct Fab Five.

Godspeed

Tooth & Nail Week, Day 3:

Secret Weapon

Tooth & Nail Week, Day 2:

Record-setting

Adrian Peterson set the NFL single-game rushing record yesterday with 296 yds, 1 yard more than the previous mark set by Jamal Lewis. This in his eigth NFL game. Peterson had a lot of hype at Oklahoma, but I can't say I ever bought it. But now he's being compared to backs like Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, etc. All rolled into one. Excessive? Surely, but he's been very impressive and has to be the leading contender for Rookie of the Year.

Midnight Monkey Madness

Some zoo needs to take this idea and run with it, it would be the best event ever.

Oh! Emetophobia!

Tooth & Nail Week, Day 1:

Clobberin' Time

The Lions routed the Broncos today, 44-7. The win brings them to 6-2, which means they need to go 4-4 the rest of the way to make Jon Kitna's seemingly crazy preseason prediction come true. Detroit has won 3 straight and will play at Arizona (3-5) next week.

UPDATE: I'm amazed fter watching Shaun Rogers score that TD. He's huge, but with all that bulk, he really doesn't move like you'd expect. I don't think he was near as winded after that run as people are probably joking.

Appease Me

I'm calling for Spartan Defensive Coordinator Pat Narduzzi's head. Preferably on a pike, but I'd settle for him being fired. Seriously, if I see more soft, point-the-way-to-the-end-zone coverage this year, I'm going to throw up. Then I'm going to cancel season tickets.

Fan the Flames

I'm not as enthused this year for UM-MSU as I've been some years, but in interest of keeping the flames burning, here's my current wallpaper from SpartanTailgate.com:


That being said, I'll probably be up for the game come Saturday. One reason? After reading some of the smack talk on the MSU Football Fans application on Facebook I'm reminded just how much I dislike many (most?) Michigan fans. Why? They're arrogant asses. Spartan LB Kaleb Thornhill feels the same way:

"It's just seeing their fans and how arrogant they really are. It's something I've witnessed. I've seen it in the stands and on the field as well. You have a hatred for them, especially when that ball snaps. I think you have to have that mentality."

Prediction: MSU will play 4 quarters of football this week instead of the half they played last week. If they win it will be because of Javon Ringer and Devin Thomas. If they lose Brian Hoyer will have collapsed in a clutch situation.

One more thing before I'm done, just imagine that dragon being replaced by a big M:



Now I'm ready.