M-Borg vs. THE Flavortown U Thread, Orig. by Buckeye Paul, absconded w/by talent.

[iam416]

The fans, by and large, think OSU is fairly ranked.

The roster is imperfect. Some positions still lack quality depth. But, the team is moving in the right direction. Next year will be super interesting and, perhaps, a lull season as they lose 4 OL, Hyde and probably Miller. It'd be nice to have this season's schedule next year. VT will give them problems.

But, overall, the trajectory is up. They'll be an honest, no doubt elite team soon enough.

[hack]

In particular, honest.

[Mike]

Ohio and the football program treat the Michigan game as if it really matters

Michigan prefers this "oh this is just another game" approach. Basically the John Cooper approach. You see the results it gets you over the last dozen years. I prefer the "obsessive" method

I can assure you. Michigan has never taken the osu game as just another game. Where did that come from?

The results over the last decade are due to (1) cheating by osu under tressel, (2) massive talent differential since maybe 2004, (3) the Rodriguez disaster and it's after math.

Going forward, I don't see much of a change. osu desperately needs high level competition in the conference. I don't think it is going to come from M anytime soon.

You boys are on your own to find the national recognition you seek. You might want to start by rising to the top of the heap in 2013, playing Bama or Oregon, whipping those guys and proving that the team is as good as the fans and ufm think it is.

Michigan doesn't approach the ohio state game as just any other but DSL is correct in that Michigan's approach pales in comparison to the intensity ohio state brings to the contest. IMO, Michigan really REALLY would like to win that game. Ohio state would rather die than lose it. There's a difference. We can sit here and deride them for being obsessed or deranged or just plain fucking crazy... and we'd be right.

Problem is, that doesn't help Michigan on the football field. I think the wholesome student-athlete image Michigan loves to project actually HURTS us on the football field. I half expect to see Mrs. Hoke break out a plate of orange wedges on the sideline so when our guys get all tuckered out they can have a shot of fresh vitamin C direct from their favorite home-room mom!

I forget who said it a while back but it is 100% correct: UM's #1 goal is to make as much money as possible and ohio state's #1 goal is to win everything. I'll add that they are both hugely successful in relation to their goals. Which approach do you prefer as a fan?

[iam416]

I can't remember the last time OSU played in WL with even a hint of sun. I'm convinced that giant sinkhole of of soulless purgatory is the actual victim of C. Montgomery Burns' plan to block out the sun. Or maybe even the sun won't go near WL. In any event, my beliefs are about to be tested. The forecast calls for 50 degrees and sunny. I'll believe it when I see it.

Until then, F W Lafayette: http://www.elevenwarriors.com/2013/10/27873/pit-of-despair-ramzy-purdue-boilermakers-ohio-state-buckeyes

[Optimus Prime]

I forget who said it a while back but it is 100% correct: UM's #1 goal is to make as much money as possible and ohio state's #1 goal is to win everything. I'll add that they are both hugely successful in relation to their goals. Which approach do you prefer as a fan?

Interesting, according to Forbes Alabama has reached heights makes his 5.5M salary appear modest in equation.

Imagine if Brandon suddenly grew a pair and began discreetly search for an NFL-type coach willing to jump back to the college ranks worthy of 4-6 M a year salary in order for Michigan to achieve its full financial potential. As Carroll jumped from USC to Seattle, there gotta be a few successful NFL coaches looking to head the other way.

Just look at the Bama's revenue growth under winner Saban.

http://college-football.si.com/2013/...ct-on-alabama/

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2...ocketed-since/

[hack]

Michigan's particular brand of magical thinking doesn't include the concept of investing in something and being rewarded later. It wants all the revenue, but is too uncomfortable paying at the high end of the scale. That would make it look like they really care about winning. They insist on winning without appearing to want to as much as the others do.

[Mike]

They insist on winning without appearing to want to as much as the others do.

This hits the nail on the head perfectly! You've just articulated in one sentence what has been bugging the shit out of me for years.

[Mike]

Interesting, according to Forbes Alabama has reached heights makes his 5.5M salary appear modest in equation.

Imagine if Brandon suddenly grew a pair and began discreetly search for an NFL-type coach willing to jump back to the college ranks worthy of 4-6 M a year salary in order for Michigan to achieve its full financial potential. As Carroll jumped from USC to Seattle, there gotta be a few successful NFL coaches looking to head the other way.

Just look at the Bama's revenue growth under winner Saban.

http://college-football.si.com/2013/...ct-on-alabama/

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2...ocketed-since/

Alabama, like ohio state, uses the correct approach. Winning leads to money and as long as the championships continue to flow, so too will the dollars. Brandon takes the opposite approach - I'll call it the "crackwhore" - where every possible dollar of revenue must be capitalized on immediately while peddling a mediocre product. He assumes the money will flow like an endless river and he is wrong. Very, very, wrong.

[hack]

Thanks, Mike. I too have spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out just how to describe this. Maybe that's a good attempt.

[iam416]

It's sports dandyism. The affectation of superiority and indifference.

Of course, Brandon is as low brow as most ADs get, so there's that.

[hack]

LOL @ sports dandyism, but, of course, it's not an affectation. We ARE superior to you and everybody knows it. And you DO care more than us. You and Sparty both are quite uncomfortable with the question of who is Michigan's main rival.

[iam416]

It seems like your main rival ought to be one you can beat, so I guess Sparty wins.

[Jeff Buchanan]

It seems like your main rival ought to be one you can beat, so I guess Sparty wins.

No, Michigan's main rival is itself ........ and the dandyism that afflicts the upper levels of the institution.

I like that ......"dandyism."

Hack, great description of the program in a single sentence. I agree with Mike on that one.

[iam416]

Seems like we've really cut to the bone on M problems today. Nice job, boys!

[hack]

That's how the universe provides symmetry. Michigan is an elite learning institution, and understanding the mentality of its football programme is difficult. OSU is an elite nothing at all, and understanding the mentality of its football programme requires nothing more than maybe a tour of your county jail.