News and Notes-8/6

-The 2000 Michigan-Purdue game (a game for which I was in attendance) airs on the BTN tonight at 8ET. I went to two games that year, both of them losses to the eventual Big Ten Co-Champions (the other, of course, being Northwestern in one of the most bloody-mindedness-of-the-universe games I have ever been to). If you're the masochistic type, set the DVR and go to town (or not). The defense that year was just absurd (in a BAD BAD way).

From a purely historical perspective, this was probably the peak of basketball-on-grass and Coach Otto von Bismarck's--ahem, Joe Tiller's--reign. If you close your eyes and pretend like Michigan is not the one getting torched, that Drew Brees guy is fun to watch.


The 2000 team was a frustrating and senseless fusion of extremes; the excellent '03 offense+the take-your-pick-ok-2008-it-is defense.

Either way, it's football, and you can stop watching at halftime if you want.


29 days:

-PRESEASON POLLS (!). The Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll is out, to everyone's great delight. Michigan State, a team that won one more game than a hapless Michigan squad, received votes, which is a bit curious if you ask me. Not that it matters much, or even at all really. Preseason polls are about as important as the Iowa Caucus in terms of predictive ability. But, people like lists, so there you go.

Anyway, the Big Ten is looking a little top-heavy for now. Michigan hopefully returning to their typical form should help that a bit, although the prospects for the likes of Illinois, Minnesota, etc. look grim. FWIW, between Iowa and Wisconsin, I think the Badgers end up having the better season. Either way, both games will be tough, despite being in the New and Improved Big House.

Bonus-I'm looking into doing a sort of informal UFR for the 2008 Capital One Bowl, similar to the one I did for the Ohio State-Oregon Rose Bowl. I read somewhere on the MGoBoard the other day that Brian supposedly promised to do one and didn't; I wouldn't mind watching that game for the 278th time. It won't be as aesthetically pleasing and table-savvy as Brian's work but it's something to look at to pass the time between now and UCONNageddon. I'm hoping to have it ready by Monday, so watch out for that. Additionally,there should be a good amount of content coming before the school year school starts up, especially with practice starting in but a few days (!).



Other than that, have a great weekend everybody and Go Blue.