Biggest takeaway from today...

[tarun262]

The missing link in our team is really the QB. If Ruddock is on and "plays to win" versus "playing not to lose", we will win 10-11 games...no question in my mind. If Ruddock is tentative, we will struggle. He regressed in the 2nd half after a big lead and hope he can improve on that, but he was playing freely in the first half and it was fun to watch. Our offense was clicking on all cylinders. Our defense is really good - this is the best defensive effort I have seen in almost 15 years by a Michigan team...they stayed aggressive. Someone else made this comment, they finish the play unlike the Mattison D...relentless.

I am encouraged but now the meat of our schedule starts. We were lucky to catch BYU after 4 games when they were tired and we are starting to gel. I expect we will win next week but Northwestern will be tough. We run an offense very similar to Stanford and Northwestern basically shut them down, so that game will not be a gimmie. We should be 4-1 going into NW which starts a brutal 3 game stretch for us going up to play NW, MSU, @Minn.

Also was switching back and forth on the MSU game, they seem to be playing to the level of their opponents. They are a talented team but I actually think the team last year they fielded was better (even though Eric thinks otherwise because Dantonio said so!). It will be a tough game nonetheless against them.

Only thing keeping me from being super excited is that even in the past 7 years post Carr, our September record has been unreal if I am not mistaken. I think we might have a Top 10 September record, it's the months after that where we would falter. We should have enough depth and strength to hopefully last through the coming months.

 

[Reality Man]

Let me retort.

Rudock tends to wait a little to throw sometimes...like he is confused with so many options at his disposal. He gets himself into trouble by overthinking. Don't like all his decisions but he brings enough to the table that when he is on his game he can at least be productive.

I do think BYU was a little tired but not taking anything away from the UM effort. Defense was impressive...corners were very good as was the DL. Defense looks formidable. I am not necessary shocked because I though the defense would be solid and Harbaugh would rely on his defense. I am surprised that they look really good and as you stated what is really impressive is that UM isn't interested in playing conservative...it wants to put pressure on the qb and let the lb's do their job.

I don't think going forward I am necessarily worried about October, etc. I think Harbaugh has this team looking to improve week by week and there will be a disappointment(s) down the line. This is a great coaching staff. That play call to Hill...genius. This staff is the opposite of the Hoke era. Like going from a 4.0 player to Roger Federer.

Going forward I think games are going to be decided by Rudock (game manager/efficient) and a competent running game. I am nervous on both those points because I don't UM has elite talent on those positions but the OL development gives me hope.


Reality Man

 

[tarun262]

Roger Federer huh? What happened to you arguing with me about how great Nadal and McEnroe were? Remember those posts???

 

[Reality Man]

I never said Federer wasn't great. In fact...got to give Fed props for his longevity and consistency as an argument for GOAT.

Would you now acknowledge that Djokovic could be considered GOAT after a few more years. Fed fans have to now counter the head to head with both Nadal and Djokovic.

Ball is in your court.

 

[tarun262]

Djoka could get there but he's not there yet. Competition is weak for Novak. His biggest competitor is a 34 year old! Fed is the GOAT right now, not even close. To do what he is doing at 34 is absolutely insane!!! Novak is 28 but nothing leads me to believe that Novak won't continue his tear because the gap between Novak and Fed and the 3rd best from a consistency stand point is really large right now.

 

[Reality Man]

Federer is arguably playing the best tennis of his career...part of it due to Edberg. Love the SABR.

Federer ran up a lot of those slams against some less than historically great players. Novak doing it against Nadal and Fed. Don't discount Murray who is also a fine player.

GOAT...disputable. That is my only point.

 

[tarun262]

Who else is better then Fed? Seriously - most grand slams, virtually all the records, playing Top 3 level tennis for 9 years now - which btw no player has ever done. A great athlete is measured by their total body of work. Otherwise, Bo would be hands down the best football player ever but he had a short football life. I look at players like Roger Fed, Duncan, Kareem, MJ that were able to sustain such a high level of play for well over a decade in sports where most peak after 4-5 years and that is impressive.

I view Fed in the same vain as Brady - Brady is 38 and has no signs of slowing down. He may not have all the records but to be able to play at such a high level for so long is a testament to being the greatest ever. Nadal is NOWHERE close - 5 years of greatness and he's done now - he's not going to win another slam. If Novak can keep it up for another 4 years, he may very well take over Roger.

Here's the other thing you have to understand - the GOAT will always be surpassed. The next generation of players will have a higher bar, more access to training, technology, better regimens, etc. You can never compare generational players because that is just a dumb arguement. Wilt may have been dominated by Shaq but we will never know either. For his generation in the past 10+ years nobody has been better then Fed.

 

[crazyduke3]

I'm a jokovic fan through and through, love his game, but FED is the current GOAT. Though if you wanted to say Sampras was GOAT, I think it's fair to give him that.

 

[Dr.Wolverine]

The missing link in our team is really the QB. If Ruddock is on and "plays to win" versus "playing not to lose", we will win 10-11 games...no question in my mind. If Ruddock is tentative, we will struggle. He regressed in the 2nd half after a big lead and hope he can improve on that, but he was playing freely in the first half and it was fun to watch. Our offense was clicking on all cylinders. Our defense is really good - this is the best defensive effort I have seen in almost 15 years by a Michigan team...they stayed aggressive. Someone else made this comment, they finish the play unlike the Mattison D...relentless.

I am encouraged but now the meat of our schedule starts. We were lucky to catch BYU after 4 games when they were tired and we are starting to gel. I expect we will win next week but Northwestern will be tough. We run an offense very similar to Stanford and Northwestern basically shut them down, so that game will not be a gimmie. We should be 4-1 going into NW which starts a brutal 3 game stretch for us going up to play NW, MSU, @Minn.

Also was switching back and forth on the MSU game, they seem to be playing to the level of their opponents. They are a talented team but I actually think the team last year they fielded was better (even though Eric thinks otherwise because Dantonio said so!). It will be a tough game nonetheless against them.

Only thing keeping me from being super excited is that even in the past 7 years post Carr, our September record has been unreal if I am not mistaken. I think we might have a Top 10 September record, it's the months after that where we would falter. We should have enough depth and strength to hopefully last through the coming months.

Nope

 

[tarun262]

Nope

Nope to what?

 

[BigHouseBallin]

I think Rudock is being extremely careful to prevent turnovers. I understand it & even appreciate but sometimes it's too a fault (like missing the throw to Jake Butt open on the sidelines).

However, if he pulls it down & runs for 1st downs that a suitable alternative.

 

[St. Joe Blue 3]

You guys do realize that talking tennis on this board will get you banned, right?