Wild game

My alma mater (Eastern Michigan) isn't quite what you would call a football power. Usually they have been one of the bottom teams in the Mid-American Conference, while state rivals Western and Central have flourished and gone to bowl games in recent years. Both seem likely to head to bowls this season.

The lack of success resulted in Jeff Genyk being fired a few days before the season finale. Genyk was named the coach during December of my junior year and I covered the team during his first season at helm. That season (2004) turned out to be the best season he would have as coach as EMU finished 4-7.

The only thing my school has been able to really hang their hat on in recent years is success against Central. Entering Friday's game, Eastern had beaten Central in three of the last four years. And CMU has won MAC West titles in two of those years.

This year Eastern was able to knock off Central 56-52 in a wild game that featured EMU quarterback Andy Schmitt setting a record for completions in a game (50) and receiver Tyler Jones tying the NCAA Division I mark for receptions in a game (23). With it being the last game of the Genyk era it was a good way for him to go out.

But the game also was heated between the teams with penalties and a little drama with comments CMU coach Butch Jones said to an EMU assistant prior to the start of the game. The drama carried throughout the game and even to the post-game hand shake when Jones accused Genyk of acting with a lack of class. A few papers have reports on this and the links are below, but a column by a writer at the Morning Sun stood out to me. I usually don't like to comment on stories in other newspapers, but I felt compelled to comment on this story because I thought the writer was making an unjustified slam on EMU. The column is located here: Morning Sun column

Here is a blurb from the column

What happened Friday was not winning with class.

Jeff Genyk, you should have acted like you have been there before.

Instead, you acted foolish, embarassed yourself, your players, and the university that gave you a chance to make a name for yourself.

You acted like you just won the national championship, when in reality, you completed a 3-9 season and a 16-42 career at Eastern Michigan.

I can understand the emotion that goes into beating a rival. But, there is a line that was crossed.

It is easy to blame Butch Jones for telling your assistants he wouldn't help them get a job, but honestly, I wouldn't either as your staff allowed your team to challenge the CMU football team while it was stretching.

This columnist views seemed completely one-sided to the reports posted in other publications. Here are those stories.

Ann Arbor News
Detroit Free Press
Detroit News

Despite the extra curriculars though, this was a good win for Eastern and hopefully they are able to find a coach to help the team make progress toward becoming an upper tier team in the MAC. Buffalo used to be horrible at football and were worst than Eastern a few years ago but this year they are playing in the MAC title game. And CMU and WMU have shown they can do it so there is no reason why Eastern can't be successful in football despite being in the shadows of the University of Michigan.

Associated Press photo

0-16 seems very likely

After seeing the Lions absolutely get demolished on national television as well as Sunday's disappointing loss, a winless season seems very likely for the Detroit Lions. I hope it doesn't happen but I know a lot of people pulling for them to go 0-fer.

To me, this season is similar to in 2003 when the Tigers were close to setting a record for losses in a season. I was in college then and remember going to a couple of games during one of the Tigers final homestands and hoping it didn't happen. And it didn't and I was relieved.

I can't say I'm too optimistic about the Lions chances. Their remaining schedule is tough and filled with teams that are in playoff contention - Minnesota, Indianapolis, New Orleans and Green Bay. A lot of people say its impossible to go winless in the league but this could be the year. Or the Lions could be like last year's Miami Dolphins, who were also on the path to become the first winless team in NFL history. The Dolphins ended their drought in Week 14 of last season by beating the Baltimore Ravens. Maybe Week 14 will be the lucky charm for the Lions.

But the way this season has unfolded has been utterly surpising to me. I know the preseason is meaningless, but how can a team win all their preseason games only to go winless in the real season. And how can a team that started 6-2 last year have only won one game since that time.

On Sunday they blew a 17-0 lead and got beat by the Tampa Bay Buccanneers. And that isn't the first time they had a lead only to choke it away. In the Thanksgiving game they just got destroyed and let Chris Johnson run untouched for touchdowns.

Regardless of how this season unfolds, I'm more excited about the changes that lie ahead. Detroit is getting a new GM for sure and a new coach could also be possible. And if its a respectable GM drafting for them, the path to recovery could be in place. The Lions will have three of the first 35 picks in next year's draft which could be a good start to addressing their many problems -- if they don't waste their picks on players that ended up flopping like receivers Mike Williams and Charles Rogers.

Detroit News photos

Home for the holiday

This year marked the first time since I've lived in Adrian that I've been home for Thanksgiving. In the past I've usually driven up to Ypsilanti to eat with my aunts, uncles and grandparents, but this year I made the two-plus hours drive home.

On my drive as soon as I passed Kalamazoo I was surprised to see the accumulated snow that was sitting on the ground. And that was on the ground most of the places between Mattawan and Coloma.

On the trip I got a chance to see my close friend from college Renae's new born baby. Renae was the first person I met from EMU that actually grew up on the west side of the state. Most people from EMU that I knew were from southeast Michigan and it seemed rare to find a person that lived in the southwest corner of the state.

I'm not good with kids and never have been around many newborn babies if at all but ended up holding it when she asked if I wanted to. I posted the picture on facebook and my friends teased me about how I was holding it - but don't worry people I'll get it down!

The nightmare season is over

When this fall began, there is no way I envisioned it would turn out like it did for the Michigan football team. But a season in which all kinds of records for futility were set by the Wolverines is finally over. And it ended in a fitting matter - getting drubbed by Ohio State 42-7.

Taking a look at this season here is the kinds of things the Wolverines accomplished.

- The worst record ever in school history (3-9)
- First time losing to all our rivals in the same season in 20 years (Notre Dame, Michigan State, Ohio State)
- First loss ever to a MAC team.
- First team to lose five games at the Big House (Utah, Illinois, Toledo, Michigan State, Northwestern)
- 33 year old bowl streak comes to an end
- Suffered a fifth straight loss to the Buckeyes (first time in the history of the rivalry U-M has lost five straight to Ohio State)

And the list goes on.

It seems not much progress was made throughout the season. And when it seemed as if U-M showed signs they were about to turn the corner they displayed another dismal performance. After beating Wisconsin (who needed overtime to beat Cal Poly today) and Minnesota it seemed as if the Wolverines were about to make a turn for the better. But then they ended up dropping their following games. Against Illinois, U-M was blown out thanks to Juice Williams. Northwestern ended Michigan's chance for its first two-game win streak of the season when they won at the Big House last weekend.


I was a little optimistic going into the game being that a rivalry game and that anything can happen. But when Stevie Brown intercepted Terrelle Pryor early in the first quarter and the Wolverines were unable to capitalize on the strong field position that was a sign of what was to come and an indication of what has occured all season. Later in the first quarter Martavious Odoms couldn't clean a punt and Penn State recovered. Granted it was a tough catch for Odoms, but that has been another problem that has plagued U-M all year

About the only thing U-M fans can take solace in as that Michigan State (aka Little Brother) got killed by Penn State. I usually try to root for the Spartans when they aren't playing U-M, but when Mark Dantonio can't even pull for U-M in a scenario that would favor his team, the dude has issues. He also was pretty lame for calling back-to-back timeouts at the end of the game when his team was getting blown.

Seriously if U-M would have won and the Spartans would have best Penn State, MSU could be celebrating a Big Ten title and a trip to Pasadena. As a poster commented in a forum, maybe pulling for the Buckeyes to win was bad karma for him.

The Spartans did have a great season this year and I tip my hats to them. But where were they in every big game they had. Most MSU fans had the term Same old Spartans, but really who did they beat this year? A terrible Michigan team? Each time they were matched up against a team that was ranked in the top 25 they failed. They lost on the road at Cal in their season opener, getting blown out by Ohio State at home and getting drubbed by Penn State in a championship-like game.

Another thing to take note in concerning college football - Notre Dame lost to Syracuse at home 24-23. Talk about bad losses, thats another one for Charlie Weis. After barely beating Navy last week, the Irish blow a 14-point lead and fall to a 2-8 Syracuse team at home. And the Orange just fired their coach last Sunday. Weis may not as ND's coach much longer.

Associated Press photos

A good sign of things to come

The fall has been dreadful for the University of Michigan with the football team having its worst season in my lifetime. But it appears the basketball program in Ann Arbor could be back on the map.

I'm pretty excited about what lies ahead for John Beilein's hoops teams after the Wolverines just upset No.4 UCLA at Madison Square Garden tonight. Granted I believe UCLA is probably a little overrated with the losses of Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook from last year's Final Four team. But still, they are UCLA and they have Darren Collison back as well as stud freshman Drue Holliday.

In the first game of Michigan's I've been able to watch, they look WAY improved this season. Manny Harris has had a strong start to the season and DeShawn Sims was a major force in tonight's victory over the Bruins. Why he isn't starting is surprising to me, but hopefully he will find his way in the lineup. True freshman Stu Douglass made some big shots for the Wolverines as well.

A win over Duke either tomorrow or in a couple weeks when they come to Ann Arbor will only further help fans forget the disappointing football season. How nice would it be if this is the year U-M can find its way back to the NCAA tourney for the first time in a long time.

Granted its still early, but I'm real encouraged by what I saw. Hopefully Beilein can continue moving things in the right direction.

Here are a few stories about the game
Ann Arbor News
Detroit Free Press
Detroit News
Los Angeles Times
USA Today
ESPN

Associated Press photos

headlines

Of late Sarah and I have watched segments where Jay Leno has gone over odd headlines that have been appeared in newspapers. One of the ones recently shown was the Sturgis Journal that had a headline on the front that read: "Missing child found in Colon"

Of course Colon is the name of a city, but you get the drift.

When I was on ESPN.com earlier today I came across a headline on the front page that read:

Faldo would like another Ryder Cup captain shot

When I glanced at it quickly the first time I had to do a double take before realizing what the headline actually meant.

Jokes are on

I was talking to my good friend Amy from EMU and she informed me of a crazy joke that I've seen more often as the Ohio State game looms.

It goes......................

Did you hear the Ohio State-Michigan game got canceled? Apparently Michigan couldn't get past Toledo.



For those who don't get it, the reference is because of Michigan's loss to Toledo at the Big House earlier this season. I happened to be at the game and was standing on the sidelines when K.C. Lopata missed the field goal as time expired to seal the win for the Rockets.

By the way, Toledo's coach resigned a couple weeks ago. The Rockets are having another dismal season and are just ahead of Eastern Michigan in the MAC West standings. Toledo is 2-8 and their only wins are against teams from Washtenaw County (Eastern Michigan and Michigan).

Speaking of Eastern, when was the last time they had the same amount of wins as Michigan in a football season. EMU plays Temple today in what could be a winnable game and closes with Central at home. They always play Central tough and beat them last year after they had already clinched the MAC West title.

And kudos to Ball State keeping its perfect season alive by holding off Central tonight. How cool would it be if they earned a spot in a BCS bowl. The odds are against them with them being behind Boise State and Utah in the BCS standings, but still it would definitely be a big deal for the MAC.

Usually I don't like to root against in-state MAC schools unless they are playing Eastern, but this is one instance where I hope Ball State knocks off WMU next week.

Detroit News photo

The Answer?

The Allen Iverson addition to the Detroit Pistons has been a work in progress thus far. Despite losing to New Jersey and being blown out by Boston at home in the first two games of the AI era in Motown, the Pistons have looked better the past two games.

Last night proved to be a big victory with the Pistons defeating the LA Lakers. The Lakers were the last remaining unbeaten team in the NBA prior to the loss. What was even more impressive about the win was the following: it came on the back end of a back-to-back for the Pistons. The night before Detroit knocked off Golden State. The game was also at the Staples Center.

As the Pistons get more accustomed to playing with Iverson, I expect to see improved play and more results like the win against the Laker. I don't think the Pistons will pull off wins like this all the time, but hopefully come playoff time the addition of Iverson will really pay off.

Also hopefully McDyess is back with the team then as well and the Pistons can try to make another run at a championship. The road will be tougher with the defending champion Boston Celtics and the improved Cleveland Cavaliers in the way. But with the Iverson-Billups trade, this may be the best chance for Detroit to succeed in the deeper rounds of the playoffs.