Since I got back from my travels, I've been trying to decide what to do with this space. Obviously, my thoughts of late have been centered on Michigan football, particularly with some exciting stuff going on right now.
I hemmed and hawed a bit about turning this into a Michigan football blog. It's not really why it existed in the first place, and furthermore, I felt that there's really little that I could add to the Michigan Sports Blogosphere, especially in a time when MGoBlog is incredible, beautiful blogzilla that it is. I can't touch what Brian does there in terms of in-depth analysis and reporting.
But one thing I do have: Proximity to Michigan Stadium. As I drove by yesterday, I noticed that the back wall of part of the press box has been knocked out and gutted. With all the talk of the renovations, this was the first indication I had seen or heard that the press box seems likely to come down *this year*. (The construction plan does call for a new pressbox, but it is also slated to take part in phases over the next several years.
So, I thought a blog dedicated to Michigan Stadium, and all the ancillary facets of Michigan football might be a fun little niche that I can fill.
While driving by the Big House a few nights ago, I was struck by the sign on the gate at the SW corner that I'd never really noticed before, prominently noting the address of Michigan Stadium: 1201 S. Main.
Seemed as fitting an address as any for a blog dedicated to the stadium.
However, as I set up the name this morning, much bigger things are stirring in the world of Michigan football... The head coaching search is at a boiling point. As of early this morning, ESPN was reporting that Les Miles was going to be Michigan's next head coach, and not only that, but that he'd already picked out his new defensive coordinator.
Since then, however, ESPN and the world of Michigan chatrooms, blogs and message boards has been a maelstrom as reports have come out that he has in fact signed an extension to stay at LSU. Reports and counter-reports have been flying back and forth. Tension is high, anyone's guess at this point how this is going to shake out, though it's not looking promising for Michigan at the moment. (But that could change. It already has several times today).
So yeah... my blog dedicated to Michigan Stadium already has three posts on it, not one of them dedicated to Michigan Stadium. It happens.
But without further ado, I present in it's earliest, rawest form, with a temporary layout, etc:
1201 S. Main
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Updates? Updates.
There's really not much to update though. We're not much closer to knowing what bowl Michigan will be in OR who our next coach will be.
We do know one bowl and one coach that WON'T be matched up with Michigan, soon, however.
The Outback Bowl in Tampa has extended an invite to Wisconsin, which they accepted. And Iowa's Kirk Ferentz has been eliminated (whether by his choice or ours hasn't been specificied, though it appears to be his) from the coaching search.
So where does that leave us? (Bowl edition): At this point, it all depends on whether Illinois gets a BCS bid or not. If they do, we'll most likely be in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on New Years Day. (If I understand the rules and trust posters on the Victors Board correctly, we would be the only team left that Capital One could take with OSU and Illinois BCS-bound and Wisconsin already committed to Tampa.)
If Illinois does not get a BCS bid, it's believed that they will get the Capital One invite, dropping us to fight it out with Penn State for two undesireable late-December games: The Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, and the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando. I'd imagine we'd probably go to Champs Sports in this case, and PSU to Alamo, since we were just in San Antonio two years ago, and there can't be many M fans eager to repeat that trip. PSU, on the other hand, has only played there once--8 years ago.
So where does that leave us? (Coach edition): Miles away. Or, Miles closer. The speculation is almost unanimously on Les Miles at the moment. Brian Kelly's name has been tossed around, and one ridiculously unreliable rag even went so far as to say that he was in "if the interview doesn't turn off the Woman President". Bwahhahah.
Few other candidates have been receiving much attention lately, which seems to indicate Miles is at the very least, Michigan's clear next choice. That Ferentz was apparently their first choice is scary, but that bullet appears to have been dodged for now, so no harm done.
If things with Miles don't pan out, Kelly certainly appears to be next in line. Rumors have it that he has been contacted by Nebraska about their opening as well, though, so we may need to move quickly to avoid having to fall down to choice #4.
And it's anybody's guess at this point who that might be.
We do know one bowl and one coach that WON'T be matched up with Michigan, soon, however.
The Outback Bowl in Tampa has extended an invite to Wisconsin, which they accepted. And Iowa's Kirk Ferentz has been eliminated (whether by his choice or ours hasn't been specificied, though it appears to be his) from the coaching search.
So where does that leave us? (Bowl edition): At this point, it all depends on whether Illinois gets a BCS bid or not. If they do, we'll most likely be in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on New Years Day. (If I understand the rules and trust posters on the Victors Board correctly, we would be the only team left that Capital One could take with OSU and Illinois BCS-bound and Wisconsin already committed to Tampa.)
If Illinois does not get a BCS bid, it's believed that they will get the Capital One invite, dropping us to fight it out with Penn State for two undesireable late-December games: The Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, and the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando. I'd imagine we'd probably go to Champs Sports in this case, and PSU to Alamo, since we were just in San Antonio two years ago, and there can't be many M fans eager to repeat that trip. PSU, on the other hand, has only played there once--8 years ago.
So where does that leave us? (Coach edition): Miles away. Or, Miles closer. The speculation is almost unanimously on Les Miles at the moment. Brian Kelly's name has been tossed around, and one ridiculously unreliable rag even went so far as to say that he was in "if the interview doesn't turn off the Woman President". Bwahhahah.
Few other candidates have been receiving much attention lately, which seems to indicate Miles is at the very least, Michigan's clear next choice. That Ferentz was apparently their first choice is scary, but that bullet appears to have been dodged for now, so no harm done.
If things with Miles don't pan out, Kelly certainly appears to be next in line. Rumors have it that he has been contacted by Nebraska about their opening as well, though, so we may need to move quickly to avoid having to fall down to choice #4.
And it's anybody's guess at this point who that might be.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The hunt is on
So yes, as expected, Lloyd did officially announce his retirement on Monday morning. He will coach the team through the bowl game, and then the Lloyd Carr chapter of Michigan football will be closed.
It's strange to see the perception of the man in the aftermath. It's as though the fanbase overall is tripping over themselves to try and figure out how they feel. There is a very strong outpouring of gratitude and warm remembrance towards Lloyd for all that he brought Michigan, but it is mixed with equal doses of relief and joy that he is finally moving on. The past 13 years have had some of the finest moments in Michigan football, but they've also had some of the lowest. He's been responsible for both.
What isn't being debated though, is that he is a class act and a fine gentleman and representative of the University and that we have been lucky to have had him here.
But there's also little hiding the excitement of the possibility that a new coach could elevate Michigan to a consistently elite level that, outside of 1997, Lloyd always seemed to fall just short of. So who might this superman savior be? For those who haven't been spending the past days scouring internet message boards and newspaper clippings, here's a pictorial rundown of the likely and not-so-likely candidates:
Front Runners:
1. Les Miles, Head Coach, Louisiana State - You'd have to have just emerged from under a rock to not know who Miles is at this point. A "Michigan Man", Miles played for Bo and was later an assistant under both Bo and Gary Moeller. He has the pedigree of being part of Bo's lineage, yet has spent considerable time outside the program, including as an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys, and as the head coach of Oklahoma State and now LSU, where he has the Tigers poised to win a National Championship. The notion of a coach leaving in the midst of, or immediately after, winning a National Championship is unprecedented, but Miles has made it clear that Michigan is his dream job. The timing, however, is going to make things incredibly tricky. Could or would Michigan lure him away before the National Championship game? Can they afford to wait a month and a half until it's over? The best case for Miles to be the next coach is ironically for LSU to lose either against Arkansas on Thanksgiving, or in the SEC Championship game.
2. Kirk Ferentz, Head Coach, Iowa - Ferentz's name has been tossed around occasionally over the past couple of years as a potential replacement for Lloyd. Just today, speculation and rumors have put him neck and neck with--and depending on who you listen to, ahead of--Miles. Ferentz has had several very successful years at a program where recruiting and winning is much more difficult than at Michigan, however, his past few seasons have not been so shiny. UM President Mary Sue Coleman was the president at Iowa when Ferentz was hired there, and they are reportedly very close. In addition, Ferentz has a daughter at UM. Of the available coaches out there, Ferentz would be the most like Carr, both pros and cons. As AD Bill Martin has been quoted as saying he'd like to "clone" Lloyd Carr, this seems to point towards Ferentz as being exactly the type of character coach that Martin would strongly consider. It may very well drive the fanbase nuts, though.
Reasonably Possible Candidates:
3. Brian Kelly, Head Coach, Cincinnati - If Michigan is looking for their very own Tressell--someone with local ties and a high track record of success at a lower level--Brian Kelly is that man. Before taking over at Cincinnati, Kelly led Central Michigan to the MAC Championship, and prior to that, he built Grand Valley State into a Division II powerhouse, winning two DII National Championships there.
4. Greg Schiano, Head Coach, Rutgers - The man has built a successful program at Rutgers. Yes, Rutgers. Being an East Coast guy, though, it is believed he is planning to wait it out for the Penn State job to become available. Good luck with that, Greg. That job will not be available until Joe Pa dies, and at the rate he's going, his entire team might be made up of juiced-up cockroaches before that happens.
5. Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach, West Virginia - Has been very successful in Morgantown, but WVU is his alma mater. Seems unlikely we'd pull him away from there, but it's possible. And how much would WVU fans hate us if we poached RRod just a year after stealing away basketball coach John Beilein?
6. Mike DeBord, Offensive Coordinator, Michigan - It's largely believed that he was being groomed as Lloyd's hand-picked successor, but his offenses always left Michigan fans wanting so much more. There was much rejoicing when he left a few years ago to be the head coach at Central Michigan, but he resigned there after just a few short, disappointing seasons, citing that the program had "barriers to success" (His successor, #3 above, didn't seem to have a problem with these obstacles, though you could argue that Kelly benefited from DeBord's recruiting at CMU). If he wanted to jump start his candidacy, a 91-yard, 3-point outing by his offense against Ohio State was not the way to do it. DeBord will get a courtesy interview, but Bill Martin will have a fan mutiny on his hands if he actually hands the keys to the program over to him.
7. Ron English, Defensive Coordinator, Michigan - a more palatable choice than DeBord, but his lack of experience and relatively short tenure at Michigan are not doing him any favors. Nor are his defense's performances in several key games over the past couple of seasons, although his initial impressions were very high and he is very well liked by the players.
8. Mike Trgovac, Defensive Coordinator, Carolina Panthers - Trgovac is another former Michigan player. He has NFL experience, but no head coaching experience. I really don't know anything more about him.
9. Cam Cameron, Head Coach, Miami Dolphins - Cam was a long-time assistant at Michigan, where he was praised for helping to develop many of Michigan's star QBs and WRs of the late 80's and early 90's. His career has been up and down since then and has included stops with the Washington Redskins, Indiana Hoosiers, and San Diego Chargers. Unfortunately, he seems to be a much better assistant than head coach, based on his track record thus far.
10. Bret Bielema, Head Coach, Wisconsin - Bielema's name sort of came out of nowhere recently. He's only in his second year as Wisconsin's head coach, and while he's been fairly successful, there does not seem to be enough evidence to prove that he'll be a great coach, and even less to indicate that he has any interest in Michigan.
Longshots:
11. Jeff Tedford, Head Coach, Cal -Tedford has done an amazing job at Berkley, building an academic powerhouse/football doormat into a perennial challenger in the Pac 10. He is particularly known for his success in grooming successful quarterbacks everywhere he's been. His disciples include Trent Dilfer, Joey Harrington (yes, Lions fans, please remember that he was actually a good QB in college!), Akili Smith, Kyle Boller and Aaron Rodgers. He is firmly entrenched on the west coast, however, there have been reports that he's not happy at Cal and may have hit the ceiling there and could be looking to move on to a more promising program. Unless he thinks Pete Carroll (USC) or Mike Belotti (Oregon) are going to be hanging it up anytime soon, that would most likely mean leaving the coast and heading inland.
12. Jim Harbaugh, Head Coach, Stanford - A year ago, Harbaugh would have been a very intriguing choice. One of Michigan's favorite sons, he burned a lot of bridges after taking over as Stanford's head coach by repeatedly taking verbal shots at Michigan's academic standards and expectations regarding their athletes. He had a very successful run as the head coach of the University of San Diego before taking over at Stanford, where his first season has been disappointing, save for a shocking upset over USC.
13. Steve Spurrier, Head Coach, South Carolina - Laugh if you will, but rumors are the "Ol' Ball Coach" wants out of SC. Personally, I can't stand the guy, (and he's 3 months older than Carr) but if by some chance he was interested in the position, you absolutely have to at least talk to him.
14. Jon Gruden, Head Coach, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Gruden's name has been linked to some degree with both Notre Dame's and Ohio State's previous coaching searches as rumors have crept along The Internets that he is interested in coaching at the college level. But whether there's any basis in those rumors or whether they just keep resurrecting themselves every time a major collegiate position is open is unknown.
15. Bill Cowher, currently retired - The longtime coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers retired after winning the Super Bowl two years ago, but he is only 50. It is conceivable that he could still return to coaching, either at the college or NFL level, though he seems to be content to be out of it. His alma mater, NC State, apparently approached him last year and he declined, so getting him up here seems incredibly unlikely.
My personal preferences? It's hard to say where I'd rank the Longshots, other than Tedford being my overall clear number one (aside from the Ludicrously Unpossibles, such as Pete Carroll, Bob Stoops, Bill Bellichek and Cryogenically Restored Fielding H. Yost). Of the Front Runners and RPC's, my preference is as follows, with the cut-off line between "excited about" and "disappointed with" being drawn at 4.5:
1. Les Miles
2. Brian Kelly
3. Rich Rodriguez
4. Greg Schiano
5. Kirk Ferentz
6. Cam Cameron
7. Ron English
8. Mike Trgovac
9. Bret Bielema
96. Osama Bin Laden
97. A wooden cut-out painted in the likeness of Woody Hayes, Block O cap and all
Update: A couple other names that have been tossed about which I forgot about: Randy Edsall, Head Coach, UConn and Paul Johnson, Head Coach, Navy. Both have been relatively successful at lower-profile D-IA schools, and I'd list them probably under the Reasonably Possible Candidates. On the Exciting-Disappointing line, they'd probably fall somewhere between Ferentz and English.
Update to the Update: I also forgot Bobby Petrino, Head Coach, Atlanta Falcons. Petrino was instrumental in building Louisville into the national contender that they've become. I'd also file him under the RPCs and would rank him either side of Rich Rodriguez.
It's strange to see the perception of the man in the aftermath. It's as though the fanbase overall is tripping over themselves to try and figure out how they feel. There is a very strong outpouring of gratitude and warm remembrance towards Lloyd for all that he brought Michigan, but it is mixed with equal doses of relief and joy that he is finally moving on. The past 13 years have had some of the finest moments in Michigan football, but they've also had some of the lowest. He's been responsible for both.
What isn't being debated though, is that he is a class act and a fine gentleman and representative of the University and that we have been lucky to have had him here.
But there's also little hiding the excitement of the possibility that a new coach could elevate Michigan to a consistently elite level that, outside of 1997, Lloyd always seemed to fall just short of. So who might this superman savior be? For those who haven't been spending the past days scouring internet message boards and newspaper clippings, here's a pictorial rundown of the likely and not-so-likely candidates:
Front Runners:
1. Les Miles, Head Coach, Louisiana State - You'd have to have just emerged from under a rock to not know who Miles is at this point. A "Michigan Man", Miles played for Bo and was later an assistant under both Bo and Gary Moeller. He has the pedigree of being part of Bo's lineage, yet has spent considerable time outside the program, including as an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys, and as the head coach of Oklahoma State and now LSU, where he has the Tigers poised to win a National Championship. The notion of a coach leaving in the midst of, or immediately after, winning a National Championship is unprecedented, but Miles has made it clear that Michigan is his dream job. The timing, however, is going to make things incredibly tricky. Could or would Michigan lure him away before the National Championship game? Can they afford to wait a month and a half until it's over? The best case for Miles to be the next coach is ironically for LSU to lose either against Arkansas on Thanksgiving, or in the SEC Championship game.
2. Kirk Ferentz, Head Coach, Iowa - Ferentz's name has been tossed around occasionally over the past couple of years as a potential replacement for Lloyd. Just today, speculation and rumors have put him neck and neck with--and depending on who you listen to, ahead of--Miles. Ferentz has had several very successful years at a program where recruiting and winning is much more difficult than at Michigan, however, his past few seasons have not been so shiny. UM President Mary Sue Coleman was the president at Iowa when Ferentz was hired there, and they are reportedly very close. In addition, Ferentz has a daughter at UM. Of the available coaches out there, Ferentz would be the most like Carr, both pros and cons. As AD Bill Martin has been quoted as saying he'd like to "clone" Lloyd Carr, this seems to point towards Ferentz as being exactly the type of character coach that Martin would strongly consider. It may very well drive the fanbase nuts, though.
Reasonably Possible Candidates:
3. Brian Kelly, Head Coach, Cincinnati - If Michigan is looking for their very own Tressell--someone with local ties and a high track record of success at a lower level--Brian Kelly is that man. Before taking over at Cincinnati, Kelly led Central Michigan to the MAC Championship, and prior to that, he built Grand Valley State into a Division II powerhouse, winning two DII National Championships there.
4. Greg Schiano, Head Coach, Rutgers - The man has built a successful program at Rutgers. Yes, Rutgers. Being an East Coast guy, though, it is believed he is planning to wait it out for the Penn State job to become available. Good luck with that, Greg. That job will not be available until Joe Pa dies, and at the rate he's going, his entire team might be made up of juiced-up cockroaches before that happens.
5. Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach, West Virginia - Has been very successful in Morgantown, but WVU is his alma mater. Seems unlikely we'd pull him away from there, but it's possible. And how much would WVU fans hate us if we poached RRod just a year after stealing away basketball coach John Beilein?
6. Mike DeBord, Offensive Coordinator, Michigan - It's largely believed that he was being groomed as Lloyd's hand-picked successor, but his offenses always left Michigan fans wanting so much more. There was much rejoicing when he left a few years ago to be the head coach at Central Michigan, but he resigned there after just a few short, disappointing seasons, citing that the program had "barriers to success" (His successor, #3 above, didn't seem to have a problem with these obstacles, though you could argue that Kelly benefited from DeBord's recruiting at CMU). If he wanted to jump start his candidacy, a 91-yard, 3-point outing by his offense against Ohio State was not the way to do it. DeBord will get a courtesy interview, but Bill Martin will have a fan mutiny on his hands if he actually hands the keys to the program over to him.
7. Ron English, Defensive Coordinator, Michigan - a more palatable choice than DeBord, but his lack of experience and relatively short tenure at Michigan are not doing him any favors. Nor are his defense's performances in several key games over the past couple of seasons, although his initial impressions were very high and he is very well liked by the players.
8. Mike Trgovac, Defensive Coordinator, Carolina Panthers - Trgovac is another former Michigan player. He has NFL experience, but no head coaching experience. I really don't know anything more about him.
9. Cam Cameron, Head Coach, Miami Dolphins - Cam was a long-time assistant at Michigan, where he was praised for helping to develop many of Michigan's star QBs and WRs of the late 80's and early 90's. His career has been up and down since then and has included stops with the Washington Redskins, Indiana Hoosiers, and San Diego Chargers. Unfortunately, he seems to be a much better assistant than head coach, based on his track record thus far.
10. Bret Bielema, Head Coach, Wisconsin - Bielema's name sort of came out of nowhere recently. He's only in his second year as Wisconsin's head coach, and while he's been fairly successful, there does not seem to be enough evidence to prove that he'll be a great coach, and even less to indicate that he has any interest in Michigan.
Longshots:
11. Jeff Tedford, Head Coach, Cal -Tedford has done an amazing job at Berkley, building an academic powerhouse/football doormat into a perennial challenger in the Pac 10. He is particularly known for his success in grooming successful quarterbacks everywhere he's been. His disciples include Trent Dilfer, Joey Harrington (yes, Lions fans, please remember that he was actually a good QB in college!), Akili Smith, Kyle Boller and Aaron Rodgers. He is firmly entrenched on the west coast, however, there have been reports that he's not happy at Cal and may have hit the ceiling there and could be looking to move on to a more promising program. Unless he thinks Pete Carroll (USC) or Mike Belotti (Oregon) are going to be hanging it up anytime soon, that would most likely mean leaving the coast and heading inland.
12. Jim Harbaugh, Head Coach, Stanford - A year ago, Harbaugh would have been a very intriguing choice. One of Michigan's favorite sons, he burned a lot of bridges after taking over as Stanford's head coach by repeatedly taking verbal shots at Michigan's academic standards and expectations regarding their athletes. He had a very successful run as the head coach of the University of San Diego before taking over at Stanford, where his first season has been disappointing, save for a shocking upset over USC.
13. Steve Spurrier, Head Coach, South Carolina - Laugh if you will, but rumors are the "Ol' Ball Coach" wants out of SC. Personally, I can't stand the guy, (and he's 3 months older than Carr) but if by some chance he was interested in the position, you absolutely have to at least talk to him.
14. Jon Gruden, Head Coach, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Gruden's name has been linked to some degree with both Notre Dame's and Ohio State's previous coaching searches as rumors have crept along The Internets that he is interested in coaching at the college level. But whether there's any basis in those rumors or whether they just keep resurrecting themselves every time a major collegiate position is open is unknown.
15. Bill Cowher, currently retired - The longtime coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers retired after winning the Super Bowl two years ago, but he is only 50. It is conceivable that he could still return to coaching, either at the college or NFL level, though he seems to be content to be out of it. His alma mater, NC State, apparently approached him last year and he declined, so getting him up here seems incredibly unlikely.
My personal preferences? It's hard to say where I'd rank the Longshots, other than Tedford being my overall clear number one (aside from the Ludicrously Unpossibles, such as Pete Carroll, Bob Stoops, Bill Bellichek and Cryogenically Restored Fielding H. Yost). Of the Front Runners and RPC's, my preference is as follows, with the cut-off line between "excited about" and "disappointed with" being drawn at 4.5:
1. Les Miles
2. Brian Kelly
3. Rich Rodriguez
4. Greg Schiano
5. Kirk Ferentz
6. Cam Cameron
7. Ron English
8. Mike Trgovac
9. Bret Bielema
96. Osama Bin Laden
97. A wooden cut-out painted in the likeness of Woody Hayes, Block O cap and all
98. A friendly amoeba
99. Mike DeBord
Update: A couple other names that have been tossed about which I forgot about: Randy Edsall, Head Coach, UConn and Paul Johnson, Head Coach, Navy. Both have been relatively successful at lower-profile D-IA schools, and I'd list them probably under the Reasonably Possible Candidates. On the Exciting-Disappointing line, they'd probably fall somewhere between Ferentz and English.
Update to the Update: I also forgot Bobby Petrino, Head Coach, Atlanta Falcons. Petrino was instrumental in building Louisville into the national contender that they've become. I'd also file him under the RPCs and would rank him either side of Rich Rodriguez.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
It wasn't supposed to end like that
It rarely does the way it should.
"Sometimes life just kicks you in the balls" -Dave Mineau, 11/13/1993
Maybe later I'll have more words.
"Sometimes life just kicks you in the balls" -Dave Mineau, 11/13/1993
Maybe later I'll have more words.
Bo
He would never want the emphasis to be on himself.
But that is why we remember him today.
April 1, 1929 - November 17, 2006
Go Blue. Beat the Buckeyes.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Recommended reading
If you've stumbled randomly across this quiet, desolate little corner of the net this week, and have enjoyed the small oasis of Michigan memories found here, I highly recommend that you track on just a bit further...
Brian @ MGoBlog - "Empire of the Fallen"
Sunday Morning Quarterback - "Say Goodbye to All That"
Johnny @ RBUAS - "Eulogy"
Also, I do have one last post for the week queued up and ready to post first thing tomorrow morning, so if you have time amidst your pre-game routine tomorrow, please feel free to drop by. I promise it will be a much shorter read than my usual.
The Michigan-Ohio State game always tends to bring out the dramatic and the melodramatic. The end of a four-month stretch of a passionate past-time for another year will do that. But this year it is clearly more than that in Ann Arbor. That the entire fanbase is weeping in nostalgia as we wind down on the end of the week, the season, the era, tells just what Mike, Chad, Jake, Mario and yes, even Lloyd, have meant to Michigan.
Brian @ MGoBlog - "Empire of the Fallen"
Sunday Morning Quarterback - "Say Goodbye to All That"
Johnny @ RBUAS - "Eulogy"
Also, I do have one last post for the week queued up and ready to post first thing tomorrow morning, so if you have time amidst your pre-game routine tomorrow, please feel free to drop by. I promise it will be a much shorter read than my usual.
The Michigan-Ohio State game always tends to bring out the dramatic and the melodramatic. The end of a four-month stretch of a passionate past-time for another year will do that. But this year it is clearly more than that in Ann Arbor. That the entire fanbase is weeping in nostalgia as we wind down on the end of the week, the season, the era, tells just what Mike, Chad, Jake, Mario and yes, even Lloyd, have meant to Michigan.
Thank you, Part II
One night in April of 1995 was a dark spot in the history of Michigan football. Then head coach Gary Moeller's night of bad judgement at a metro Detroit restaurant promptly led to his dismissal. A short while later, his defensive coordinator and good friend was named interim head coach. Exactly 6 months later, 10 games into his first season as head coach, the 'interim' label was removed, and Lloyd Carr officially became the 16th head coach at the University of Michigan.
Born in Tennessee, Carr's family moved to Riverview, MI when he was 10. He was a star quarterback at Riverview and later at Northern Michigan. He returned to the metro Detroit area and taught and coached at several high schools before becoming an assistant at Eastern Michigan. In 1980, he was hired as an assistant on Bo Schembechler's staff at Michigan. For 27 years now he has walked the sidelines of Michigan Stadium in some capacity or another. He is a Michigan Man.
Carr's career as head coach has been marked by both incredible highs, and frustrating lows, but now, after nearly 13 years, it appears to be coming to a close.
It's been a familiar drill this time of year for each of the past several seasons. The internet starts to rattle and hum with rumor and speculation that this could be the end of the Carr era. Each year the speculation grows more intense, but this year, it would appear to finally be correct. Multiple sources, most notably Brian Cook at MGoBlog have reported that the decision is final and that all that's left to decide--for Carr anyways--is the timing of the announcement. Carr would never be one to put the center of attention on himself rather than the players or THE GAME, so there will be nothing before Saturday. But an announcement could be coming as early as next week.
To say that Lloyd Carr has been universally beloved by Michigan fans would be a gross overstatement, if not an outright lie. A fanbase used to high expectations has grown increasingly weary of disappointment against lesser teams. Struggles against middling teams early in his career, and a failure to win against Ohio State or in bowl games over the past several years has turned many a Michigan fan against him. The historic upset against Appalachian State and utter dismantling at the hands of Oregon early this season were the final nail in the coffin for many, and helped seal even most ardent Carr supporters' opinions that regardless of the successes he's had, it was time for him to go.
But yes--Don't for a second be fooled into thinking that Carr has not been a successful coach at Michigan. During 12 full seasons under Carr, Michigan has posted a winning percentage of 0.75839, good enough for 9th in the nation. By the time this season is complete, they will probably be 7th. Only five active coaches have a higher winning mark. For comparison's sake, during the last 12 years of Bo Schembechler's career, Michigan's winning percentage was 0.75172--also 9th in the nation over that span. Carr's 121 victories and 5 conference championships put him third all-time at Michigan in both categories, behind only Bo and Fielding H. Yost.
And of course, Carr did manage to do what no other Michigan coach--including Bo--had done since Bennie Oosterbaan did it in 1948: win a National Championship.
In 1997, Carr was entering his third year as Michigan's head coach, and the pressure was starting to build. His first two seasons each featured 4 losses, including disappointing bowl losses to Texas A&M and Alabama. Going back to Moeller's last 2 seasons, Michigan was riding a streak of 4-straight 4-loss seasons. Michigan had not been to the Rose Bowl in 5 seasons, marking the first time since 1975 that a group of seniors had played a full career at Michigan without getting to play in Pasadena.
As if the pressure of the losses wasn't trouble enough for Carr, he had himself a quarterback controversy to resolve. Over the two previous seasons, both Scott Dreisbach and Brian Griese had split considerable playing time. Dreisbach had shown considerable promise early on, including leading a 17-point fourth quarter comeback against Virginia in Carr's very first game as head coach. But injuries and confidence issues had opened the door for Griese later in the season both in '95 and '96. Griese struggled at times, though he did lead Michigan to victories over Ohio State in both of those seasons. The fanbase was somewhat divided, though the majority seemed to like the potential of the younger Dreisbach, and were quite displeased when Carr opted for the 5th year senior Griese.
But, Carr, it seems, knew what he was doing afterall. Four months later, the Wolverines found themselves in Pasadena, celebrating their first undefeated season and National Championship in 49 years. While Charles Woodson took home the Heisman Trophy in December, the MVP of that Rose Bowl game was Brian Griese. Carr, for his part, was named national Coach of the Year.
Aside from 1997, some highlights of Lloyd Carr's tenure have included an utter domination of rivals Penn State and Michigan State. After losing 3 of his first 4 games in East Lansing, the last on a highly controversial "last second" play, Carr's Wolverines have now won 6 straight games over MSU, including three in a row at Spartan Stadium. Against the Nittany Lions, the domination has been simply unfathomable as Michigan has defeated PSU in 8 straight meetings going back to the "Judgement Day" domination in 1997 that launched the Wolverines into the #1 spot for the first time all season.
One black hole for Lloyd Carr's Wolverine teams had always been South Bend. Despite taking favored teams into games against the Fighting Irish, time and time again, they came up short when playing on the road. Add in a frustrating upset at home in 2005, and it was beginning to look like Notre Dame had a decided edge over Carr's teams. But in 2006, Lloyd's boys got over the hump in grand fashion, destroying the #2 ranked Irish on their own field, 47-21. This season, a 38-0 whitewashing gave Lloyd his 3rd blowout victory over Notre Dame in 5 meetings, not to mention a much needed shot of penicillin to cure the ails of an 0-2 start.
When it comes to Ohio State, Lloyd's career is a tale of two halves. Not coincidentally, those halves are split in Columbus along a different and distinct line: The Cooper-Tressell line. In the first six games of his career, Lloyd Carr held a 5-1 record against John Cooper and the Buckeyes. In the 6 years since, Jim Tressell has held up a mirror to that record, levelling Carr's all-time record in THE GAME to 6-6. Assuming that this is, in fact, his final season, this week's game will seal Carr's legacy in THE GAME.
Lloyd Carr has been called many things, a good number of which are not suitable for print here. Yet throughout his tenure, across his ups and downs, no one has ever seriously questioned his integrity. Even his most ardent detractors acknowledge him to be great person, and a fine representative of the University. His teams have won without scandal and all who have met him speak very highly of his personal interactions with the fanbase. This alone, coupled with the success of his teams, indicates that he deserves to go out with dignity and on his own terms.
Lloyd, as a fan who has attended every home game of your tenure save for the very first, and more than my fair share of road and bowl games, I thank you for all that you've given to Michigan. I wish you all the best in your retirement, and in your remaining games as Michigan's head coach, whether it be just two, or more.
Thanks, coach. Thanks for what you've been and done for Michigan.
GO BLUE!
Born in Tennessee, Carr's family moved to Riverview, MI when he was 10. He was a star quarterback at Riverview and later at Northern Michigan. He returned to the metro Detroit area and taught and coached at several high schools before becoming an assistant at Eastern Michigan. In 1980, he was hired as an assistant on Bo Schembechler's staff at Michigan. For 27 years now he has walked the sidelines of Michigan Stadium in some capacity or another. He is a Michigan Man.
Carr's career as head coach has been marked by both incredible highs, and frustrating lows, but now, after nearly 13 years, it appears to be coming to a close.
It's been a familiar drill this time of year for each of the past several seasons. The internet starts to rattle and hum with rumor and speculation that this could be the end of the Carr era. Each year the speculation grows more intense, but this year, it would appear to finally be correct. Multiple sources, most notably Brian Cook at MGoBlog have reported that the decision is final and that all that's left to decide--for Carr anyways--is the timing of the announcement. Carr would never be one to put the center of attention on himself rather than the players or THE GAME, so there will be nothing before Saturday. But an announcement could be coming as early as next week.
To say that Lloyd Carr has been universally beloved by Michigan fans would be a gross overstatement, if not an outright lie. A fanbase used to high expectations has grown increasingly weary of disappointment against lesser teams. Struggles against middling teams early in his career, and a failure to win against Ohio State or in bowl games over the past several years has turned many a Michigan fan against him. The historic upset against Appalachian State and utter dismantling at the hands of Oregon early this season were the final nail in the coffin for many, and helped seal even most ardent Carr supporters' opinions that regardless of the successes he's had, it was time for him to go.
But yes--Don't for a second be fooled into thinking that Carr has not been a successful coach at Michigan. During 12 full seasons under Carr, Michigan has posted a winning percentage of 0.75839, good enough for 9th in the nation. By the time this season is complete, they will probably be 7th. Only five active coaches have a higher winning mark. For comparison's sake, during the last 12 years of Bo Schembechler's career, Michigan's winning percentage was 0.75172--also 9th in the nation over that span. Carr's 121 victories and 5 conference championships put him third all-time at Michigan in both categories, behind only Bo and Fielding H. Yost.
And of course, Carr did manage to do what no other Michigan coach--including Bo--had done since Bennie Oosterbaan did it in 1948: win a National Championship.
In 1997, Carr was entering his third year as Michigan's head coach, and the pressure was starting to build. His first two seasons each featured 4 losses, including disappointing bowl losses to Texas A&M and Alabama. Going back to Moeller's last 2 seasons, Michigan was riding a streak of 4-straight 4-loss seasons. Michigan had not been to the Rose Bowl in 5 seasons, marking the first time since 1975 that a group of seniors had played a full career at Michigan without getting to play in Pasadena.
As if the pressure of the losses wasn't trouble enough for Carr, he had himself a quarterback controversy to resolve. Over the two previous seasons, both Scott Dreisbach and Brian Griese had split considerable playing time. Dreisbach had shown considerable promise early on, including leading a 17-point fourth quarter comeback against Virginia in Carr's very first game as head coach. But injuries and confidence issues had opened the door for Griese later in the season both in '95 and '96. Griese struggled at times, though he did lead Michigan to victories over Ohio State in both of those seasons. The fanbase was somewhat divided, though the majority seemed to like the potential of the younger Dreisbach, and were quite displeased when Carr opted for the 5th year senior Griese.
But, Carr, it seems, knew what he was doing afterall. Four months later, the Wolverines found themselves in Pasadena, celebrating their first undefeated season and National Championship in 49 years. While Charles Woodson took home the Heisman Trophy in December, the MVP of that Rose Bowl game was Brian Griese. Carr, for his part, was named national Coach of the Year.
Aside from 1997, some highlights of Lloyd Carr's tenure have included an utter domination of rivals Penn State and Michigan State. After losing 3 of his first 4 games in East Lansing, the last on a highly controversial "last second" play, Carr's Wolverines have now won 6 straight games over MSU, including three in a row at Spartan Stadium. Against the Nittany Lions, the domination has been simply unfathomable as Michigan has defeated PSU in 8 straight meetings going back to the "Judgement Day" domination in 1997 that launched the Wolverines into the #1 spot for the first time all season.
One black hole for Lloyd Carr's Wolverine teams had always been South Bend. Despite taking favored teams into games against the Fighting Irish, time and time again, they came up short when playing on the road. Add in a frustrating upset at home in 2005, and it was beginning to look like Notre Dame had a decided edge over Carr's teams. But in 2006, Lloyd's boys got over the hump in grand fashion, destroying the #2 ranked Irish on their own field, 47-21. This season, a 38-0 whitewashing gave Lloyd his 3rd blowout victory over Notre Dame in 5 meetings, not to mention a much needed shot of penicillin to cure the ails of an 0-2 start.
When it comes to Ohio State, Lloyd's career is a tale of two halves. Not coincidentally, those halves are split in Columbus along a different and distinct line: The Cooper-Tressell line. In the first six games of his career, Lloyd Carr held a 5-1 record against John Cooper and the Buckeyes. In the 6 years since, Jim Tressell has held up a mirror to that record, levelling Carr's all-time record in THE GAME to 6-6. Assuming that this is, in fact, his final season, this week's game will seal Carr's legacy in THE GAME.
Lloyd Carr has been called many things, a good number of which are not suitable for print here. Yet throughout his tenure, across his ups and downs, no one has ever seriously questioned his integrity. Even his most ardent detractors acknowledge him to be great person, and a fine representative of the University. His teams have won without scandal and all who have met him speak very highly of his personal interactions with the fanbase. This alone, coupled with the success of his teams, indicates that he deserves to go out with dignity and on his own terms.
Lloyd, as a fan who has attended every home game of your tenure save for the very first, and more than my fair share of road and bowl games, I thank you for all that you've given to Michigan. I wish you all the best in your retirement, and in your remaining games as Michigan's head coach, whether it be just two, or more.
Thanks, coach. Thanks for what you've been and done for Michigan.
GO BLUE!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Thank You, Part I
Four years ago, history was made when, on the eve of the season opener against Miami of Ohio, Lloyd Carr opted to let a true freshman lead his offense as quarterback to kick off the 2004 season. It was the first time a true freshman had started at quarterback for Michigan since Rick Leach in 1975. Gone was veteran starter John Navarre and in the week leading up to the opener, Navarre's heir apparent Matt Gutierrez suffered an injury to his throwing arm, which sadly, for all intents and purposes, ended his career at here*. Thus started the Chad Henne era at Michigan.
Over the course of the 2004 season, Henne showed tremendous promise. He was not without his struggles, but his freshman campaign was marked with pockets of brilliance. More than anything, he showed a penchant for poise and confidence when trailing late that Michigan fans hadn't seen since Tom Brady. The wonder of his late comeback scoring drive over Minnesota, capped by a TD pass to Tyler Ecker with just 1:57 left in the game, was completely blown away just a few weeks later. With some help from Braylon Edwards and Jason Avant (and an onside kick recovery by Brian Thompson) his performance in the final 8 minutes of regulation and 3OTs against Michigan State is already the stuff of legend. By the time the year was done, Henne had cemented his place in history by becoming the first true freshman quarterback ever to lead a team to the Rose Bowl, where he led seven offensive scoring drives and threw 4 touchdowns, tying both the UM and Rose Bowl records for touchdown passes in a single game.
Chad's poise and late-game heroics were not limited to his freshman campaign. As a sophomore with his team struggling mightily, Henne gave fans a gem of a memory with a literal last-second touchdown pass to Mario Manningham against Penn State. It was the Nittany Lions' only loss of the season. As a junior, Henne connected with Manningham for three long touchdowns at Notre Dame, exorcising demons that had haunted the Wolverines in South Bend since 1994, and doing it in style. Even a slow-starting and injury-riddled senior campaign was not without some highlights, including an encore to his 2004 performance against Michigan State--down 10 points with under 8 minutes to go, Henne tossed two touchdown passes to seal his career sweep over the Spartans.
Chad Henne will leave Michigan owning the school record book for quarterbacks. He already is the career leader in passing yards, completions and touchdowns, while he needs just 66 more attempts to lock down that record as well. If he can manage 6 touchdowns in his final two games, he will tie Purdue's Drew Brees' for the Big 10 record for career touchdown passes. He is certain to carry on the legacy of success that Michigan quarterbacks have had over the past 20 years playing in the NFL.
* For the record, Gutierrez eventually transferred to Idaho State for his final year of eligibility. After a successful senior campaign there, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New England Patriots, where he is currently backing up Tom Brady. He is the 8th former Wolverine quarterback since 1990 to play in the NFL.
Jake Long came to the University of Michigan in 2003 from the town of Lapeer, not far from my old stomping grounds. He redshirted his freshman year, but was being heaped with praise throughout spring practice later that year. The expectations for him for the following year and beyond were as big as his 6'7" 315 pound frame.
But on a warm June night the summer between his freshman and sophomore years, tragedy struck. The house that Long shared with several team mates caught fire and burned to the ground . Long, awakened by the smoke detector, had to jump from his second story window to escape the blaze. While everyone in the house thankfully made it out alive, several had minor injuries. Long got the worst of it, and spent several days in the hospital as a result of smoke inhalation.
All this proved to be but a pile of sand to the road-grader who has been wearing number 77 for the Maize and Blue. Long has since started 38 games at tackle for Michigan, compiling a track record and reputation as one of all-time great linemen at a school which has produced it's fair share of them.
As a red-shirt freshman in 2004 he earned 2nd team All-Big 10 honors, as well as Freshman All-American. Injuries hampered his 2005 season, but in 2006 he came back strong as a consensus All-American and the Big 10 Offensive Lineman of the Year.
It's difficult to write at length about the career highlights of an offensive lineman. There is no glory in the position, and it's said that the only time a lineman is noticed is when he screws up. Jake Long's play has gone largely unnoticed by the masses. But it has not been missed by his teammates. Twice they have elected him as their Team Captain.
As early as the fall of 2002, the internet started to buzz with jaw-dropping clips of a pint-sized running back from tiny Onandonga HS near Syracuse, New York. As a sophomore, junior, and again as a senior, he led his team to Class C/D State Championship titles. His 65-yard touchdown run in the championship game his junior year will live forever in YouTube lore as "The Run", though perusing the "Related Videos" section will show that it was hardly a lone highlight.
By the time he graduated from Onondaga Central High School, he held national records for touchdowns, points scored, and 100-yard games (46 games... consecutive, by the way.).
The buzz across fan message boards following his recruitment had elevated him to the status of a cyber folk hero, but the recruiting services and scouts were less impressed. He was too small, at 5'9, 175 lbs. He was too slow, with a 40-yard dash time listed as a charitable 4.4. And while his runs looked impressive, they came against the smallest and least-competitive division in the state of New York. He was a novelty, but considered unlikely to ever be a starting running back at the Division IA level. Even Lloyd Carr was reportedly doubtful that he'd ever much more than an occasional role player, but the Wolverines were one of a handful of major programs to make a scholarship offer to the tiny wonder from Onondaga.
Mike Hart chose Michigan.
He played very sparingly in Michigan's first two games, but by the third game of his career, Mike Hart was Michigan's starting tailback. He ran for 124 yards against San Diego State that day, and has been seen as an elite Michigan back ever since. His ability to squeeze out extra yards with such steadfast consistency is matched by his determination to hold onto the football. He lost a fumble just once his entire freshman season. He has not lost one since.
Overwhelming success against underwhelming expectations. That is what Mike Hart has represented. He is very much like a mythical folk hero. It is a common practice in literary fiction to give characters names that evoke certain qualities that we are to associate with that character. Some great author fittingly gave this young man the name "Hart".
Rarely before has a player been seen who better typifies the cliche of "playing with heart" than Michael Hart. His lack of physical stature and top end speed only add to the mystique. How could a slow, small kid from a tiny high school in New York ever be a contributing player at an elite college football school? By playing with heart. By working harder than the next guy. And by refusing to be stopped, literally, and metaphorically.
As a true freshman, Hart began piling up yards from his first start. By mid season, he notched three consecutive games with 200+ yards rushing--the first Wolverine player ever to accomplish such a feat. This season, despite missing approximately 4 and a half games in total, he surpassed Jamie Morris and Anthony Thomas and became Michigan's all-time leading rusher. Even in Michigan's two season opening losses, Hart ran for a combined 305 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The play that most typified Hart this season may have come late in the Appalachian State game. Dinged up early in the game, Hart was held out for most of the second half. On a few occasions, the coaches had to nearly physically restrain him to keep him on the sideline. But with 4:36 left in the game, the Wolverines found themself in an unthinkable position--trailing 31-26 to a Division I-AA team. Hart sought to correct that. He re-entered the game and put the entire team, the entire crowd of 109,000 people on his back, and carried us all 54 yards to the endzone. That dazzling touchdown put Michigan back in the driver's seat and the lead for the first time since the first quarter. It should've been enough, but the defense let it slip away yet again, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Mike Hart is already a legend, and will forever be remembered not only as one of Michigan's greatest players, but one of it's favorite sons. But one thing remains.
Chad Henne, Jake Long, Mike Hart, and the rest of Michigan's seniors have never defeated Ohio State.
Yet.
Thank you Chad, Jake, Mike and the rest of the seniors. You've given us 4 years of fantastic memories.
This Saturday, make some great ones for yourselves.
Over the course of the 2004 season, Henne showed tremendous promise. He was not without his struggles, but his freshman campaign was marked with pockets of brilliance. More than anything, he showed a penchant for poise and confidence when trailing late that Michigan fans hadn't seen since Tom Brady. The wonder of his late comeback scoring drive over Minnesota, capped by a TD pass to Tyler Ecker with just 1:57 left in the game, was completely blown away just a few weeks later. With some help from Braylon Edwards and Jason Avant (and an onside kick recovery by Brian Thompson) his performance in the final 8 minutes of regulation and 3OTs against Michigan State is already the stuff of legend. By the time the year was done, Henne had cemented his place in history by becoming the first true freshman quarterback ever to lead a team to the Rose Bowl, where he led seven offensive scoring drives and threw 4 touchdowns, tying both the UM and Rose Bowl records for touchdown passes in a single game.
Chad's poise and late-game heroics were not limited to his freshman campaign. As a sophomore with his team struggling mightily, Henne gave fans a gem of a memory with a literal last-second touchdown pass to Mario Manningham against Penn State. It was the Nittany Lions' only loss of the season. As a junior, Henne connected with Manningham for three long touchdowns at Notre Dame, exorcising demons that had haunted the Wolverines in South Bend since 1994, and doing it in style. Even a slow-starting and injury-riddled senior campaign was not without some highlights, including an encore to his 2004 performance against Michigan State--down 10 points with under 8 minutes to go, Henne tossed two touchdown passes to seal his career sweep over the Spartans.
Chad Henne will leave Michigan owning the school record book for quarterbacks. He already is the career leader in passing yards, completions and touchdowns, while he needs just 66 more attempts to lock down that record as well. If he can manage 6 touchdowns in his final two games, he will tie Purdue's Drew Brees' for the Big 10 record for career touchdown passes. He is certain to carry on the legacy of success that Michigan quarterbacks have had over the past 20 years playing in the NFL.
* For the record, Gutierrez eventually transferred to Idaho State for his final year of eligibility. After a successful senior campaign there, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New England Patriots, where he is currently backing up Tom Brady. He is the 8th former Wolverine quarterback since 1990 to play in the NFL.
Jake Long came to the University of Michigan in 2003 from the town of Lapeer, not far from my old stomping grounds. He redshirted his freshman year, but was being heaped with praise throughout spring practice later that year. The expectations for him for the following year and beyond were as big as his 6'7" 315 pound frame.
But on a warm June night the summer between his freshman and sophomore years, tragedy struck. The house that Long shared with several team mates caught fire and burned to the ground . Long, awakened by the smoke detector, had to jump from his second story window to escape the blaze. While everyone in the house thankfully made it out alive, several had minor injuries. Long got the worst of it, and spent several days in the hospital as a result of smoke inhalation.
All this proved to be but a pile of sand to the road-grader who has been wearing number 77 for the Maize and Blue. Long has since started 38 games at tackle for Michigan, compiling a track record and reputation as one of all-time great linemen at a school which has produced it's fair share of them.
As a red-shirt freshman in 2004 he earned 2nd team All-Big 10 honors, as well as Freshman All-American. Injuries hampered his 2005 season, but in 2006 he came back strong as a consensus All-American and the Big 10 Offensive Lineman of the Year.
It's difficult to write at length about the career highlights of an offensive lineman. There is no glory in the position, and it's said that the only time a lineman is noticed is when he screws up. Jake Long's play has gone largely unnoticed by the masses. But it has not been missed by his teammates. Twice they have elected him as their Team Captain.
As early as the fall of 2002, the internet started to buzz with jaw-dropping clips of a pint-sized running back from tiny Onandonga HS near Syracuse, New York. As a sophomore, junior, and again as a senior, he led his team to Class C/D State Championship titles. His 65-yard touchdown run in the championship game his junior year will live forever in YouTube lore as "The Run", though perusing the "Related Videos" section will show that it was hardly a lone highlight.
By the time he graduated from Onondaga Central High School, he held national records for touchdowns, points scored, and 100-yard games (46 games... consecutive, by the way.).
The buzz across fan message boards following his recruitment had elevated him to the status of a cyber folk hero, but the recruiting services and scouts were less impressed. He was too small, at 5'9, 175 lbs. He was too slow, with a 40-yard dash time listed as a charitable 4.4. And while his runs looked impressive, they came against the smallest and least-competitive division in the state of New York. He was a novelty, but considered unlikely to ever be a starting running back at the Division IA level. Even Lloyd Carr was reportedly doubtful that he'd ever much more than an occasional role player, but the Wolverines were one of a handful of major programs to make a scholarship offer to the tiny wonder from Onondaga.
Mike Hart chose Michigan.
He played very sparingly in Michigan's first two games, but by the third game of his career, Mike Hart was Michigan's starting tailback. He ran for 124 yards against San Diego State that day, and has been seen as an elite Michigan back ever since. His ability to squeeze out extra yards with such steadfast consistency is matched by his determination to hold onto the football. He lost a fumble just once his entire freshman season. He has not lost one since.
Overwhelming success against underwhelming expectations. That is what Mike Hart has represented. He is very much like a mythical folk hero. It is a common practice in literary fiction to give characters names that evoke certain qualities that we are to associate with that character. Some great author fittingly gave this young man the name "Hart".
Rarely before has a player been seen who better typifies the cliche of "playing with heart" than Michael Hart. His lack of physical stature and top end speed only add to the mystique. How could a slow, small kid from a tiny high school in New York ever be a contributing player at an elite college football school? By playing with heart. By working harder than the next guy. And by refusing to be stopped, literally, and metaphorically.
As a true freshman, Hart began piling up yards from his first start. By mid season, he notched three consecutive games with 200+ yards rushing--the first Wolverine player ever to accomplish such a feat. This season, despite missing approximately 4 and a half games in total, he surpassed Jamie Morris and Anthony Thomas and became Michigan's all-time leading rusher. Even in Michigan's two season opening losses, Hart ran for a combined 305 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The play that most typified Hart this season may have come late in the Appalachian State game. Dinged up early in the game, Hart was held out for most of the second half. On a few occasions, the coaches had to nearly physically restrain him to keep him on the sideline. But with 4:36 left in the game, the Wolverines found themself in an unthinkable position--trailing 31-26 to a Division I-AA team. Hart sought to correct that. He re-entered the game and put the entire team, the entire crowd of 109,000 people on his back, and carried us all 54 yards to the endzone. That dazzling touchdown put Michigan back in the driver's seat and the lead for the first time since the first quarter. It should've been enough, but the defense let it slip away yet again, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Mike Hart is already a legend, and will forever be remembered not only as one of Michigan's greatest players, but one of it's favorite sons. But one thing remains.
Chad Henne, Jake Long, Mike Hart, and the rest of Michigan's seniors have never defeated Ohio State.
Yet.
Thank you Chad, Jake, Mike and the rest of the seniors. You've given us 4 years of fantastic memories.
This Saturday, make some great ones for yourselves.
Remembering Saturday, November 22, 1969...
The day they came to bury Michigan,
All wrapped in Maize and Blue.
The words were said,
The prayers were read,
And everybody cried.
But when they closed the coffin,
There was someone else inside!
Oh, the Buckeyes came to bury the Wolverines,
But Michigan wasn't dead!
And when the game was over,
It was someone else instead!
Twenty-two Michigan Wolverines
Put on the gloves of grey,
And as Revelli played 'The Victors',
They laid Woody Hayes away!
-Bob Ufer
All wrapped in Maize and Blue.
The words were said,
The prayers were read,
And everybody cried.
But when they closed the coffin,
There was someone else inside!
Oh, the Buckeyes came to bury the Wolverines,
But Michigan wasn't dead!
And when the game was over,
It was someone else instead!
Twenty-two Michigan Wolverines
Put on the gloves of grey,
And as Revelli played 'The Victors',
They laid Woody Hayes away!
-Bob Ufer
This is a belated Wednesday post. I hope to have more up later (today) tomorrow.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
We've got highlights...
Do you think a game with this much history might have some classic highlights from games gone by? As Ufer would say, 'You bet your cotton-pickin' Maize and Blue heart it does!'
Let's punt--er, kick--it off right with the most exciting single play I've ever witnessed in person:
Let's back up a bit. Maybe I should explain why we hate these guys so much:
The 1995 edition of THE GAME featured a Heisman-winning Running Back. But it was this guy who ran for 313 yards:
Well here's a random one. Not really much of a highlight, but I thought this was funny. Would you believe that this man once had such an amazing day running, passing and kicking the football at Ohio Stadium that he got a standing ovation from the full crowd as he left the field? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... Tom Harmon, Cereal Spokesman
Yes, Brent, the "Buckeyes came up big in the biggest" in this one, but I would be remiss if I didn't include anything about last year's titanic #1 vs. #2 showdown:
On a brighter--or at least bluer--note, how about taking it back 10 years for this gem, compliments of Tai "Takin' it to the" Streets:
Did I mention why we hate these guys?
The guys in the "Don't Give a Damn" video certainly gave a damn about Steve Breaston, Chris Perry and Braylon Edwards later that day...
Winding this down, let's take a look at the game that put THE GAME back on the map, the start of the modern era of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, Bo Schembechler's first meeting against Woody Hayes in 1969:
Finally, let's wrap this up with a nice bookend to match the first clip.
Let's punt--er, kick--it off right with the most exciting single play I've ever witnessed in person:
I can recall with great distinction jumping on my seat in Section 26, sreaming beyond my voice, extolling Sir Charles to "DO THE HEISMAN! DO THE HEISMAN! DO THE HEISMAN!" as he trotted down that same sideline into that same endzone and towards that same sought-after hunk of copper that Desmond Howard had done 6 years earlier.
Let's back up a bit. Maybe I should explain why we hate these guys so much:
WARNING: Might want to turn your speakers off for this one, lest your ears be punished with the sounds of "Hang On, Sloopy".
The 1995 edition of THE GAME featured a Heisman-winning Running Back. But it was this guy who ran for 313 yards:
"Eddy WHO?"
Well here's a random one. Not really much of a highlight, but I thought this was funny. Would you believe that this man once had such an amazing day running, passing and kicking the football at Ohio Stadium that he got a standing ovation from the full crowd as he left the field? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... Tom Harmon, Cereal Spokesman
The real catch is that, unlike in this clip, he was wearing Maize and Blue that day.
Yes, Brent, the "Buckeyes came up big in the biggest" in this one, but I would be remiss if I didn't include anything about last year's titanic #1 vs. #2 showdown:
RIP Bo.
On a brighter--or at least bluer--note, how about taking it back 10 years for this gem, compliments of Tai "Takin' it to the" Streets:
Two words to drive any Buckeye nuts: "Springs Slips"
Did I mention why we hate these guys?
The guys in the "Don't Give a Damn" video certainly gave a damn about Steve Breaston, Chris Perry and Braylon Edwards later that day...
The 100th edition of THE GAME
Winding this down, let's take a look at the game that put THE GAME back on the map, the start of the modern era of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, Bo Schembechler's first meeting against Woody Hayes in 1969:
"They've got Schembechler on their shoulders! Ripley couldn't have written it any better. The final score: Michigan 24, Ohio State 12!"
Finally, let's wrap this up with a nice bookend to match the first clip.
Hellooooooo Heisman!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Michigan-OSU Monday: Painting the Bowl Picture
I had a lengthy post queued up on Thursday to post on Friday outlining the various bowl possibilities given the possible scenarios that could play out over the last two weeks for Michigan. I didn't get it posted, and now, with not only Michigan but also Ohio State losing on Saturday, the picture is far more simple, yet far from complete.
Michigan and Ohio State both are tied for first place in the Big 10 at 7-1. All other teams have at least two losses already, so the winner of THE GAME is the outright champion and will therefore be the conference's BCS representative and will play in the Rose Bowl.
IF MICHIGAN WINS...
The Wolverines will be celebrating New Years Day in Pasadena for the fourth time in five years. The other half of the Rose Bowl picture is still as hazy as the LA smog, but there is a very distinct possibility that Michigan could find themselves squaring off again against Dennis Dixon and the Oregon Ducks. *shudder*. Arizona State and USC are both within striking distance of the Pac 10 title should the Ducks either stumble, or if they cruise all the way to the title game. If OU does make the title game, their spot would go to an at large, which could mean the Pac 10 runner-up, or could mean another non-traditional matchup against a top team from another BCS conference.
Meanwhile, Ohio State's holiday destination would be a little less clear. Despite coming off two straight losses, there's a chance they could still be eligible for an at-large BCS bid, likely the Orange or Sugar Bowls. If they don't make the cut, or would be seen as unlikely to bring the $$$ with a disappointed fanbase (unlikely, I say, as OSU will travel well regardless of where they're at and their record), then the Capital One Bowl would have to make a tough choice between Illinois (who beat OSU head-to-head), or an Ohio State team that is likely to bring the fans. I think this one goes to OSU, since they have not played in the Capital One/Citrus Bowl since the 1995 season. That would suck for Illinois, though, to be honest. The loser of that decision will find themselves in Tampa for the Outback Bowl.
IF OHIO STATE WINS...
There is still an outside mathematical possibility that a win over Michigan, coupled with at least one more loss by 5 of the top 6 six teams could get Ohio State back into the Championship game in New Orleans, but the odds of that are incredibly slim, especially with three Big XII teams all round-robbining in the mix ahead of them. Though, this has been a crazy year, so I have to acknowledge that (almost) anything is possible.
While failure to make the Championship game would be surely disappointing for the Buckeyes, they would have to be happy about finally returning to Pasadena. It's crazy to think about, but in spite of (and in a way, because of) the success that Ohio State has had over the past several years, they have not been to the Rose Bowl since the 1996 season!
Michigan meanwhile, would most likely have a New Years Day date in Orlando for the Capital One Bowl--the biggest of the non-BCS Bowls. The Wolverines have not played in Orlando since the 2001 season, when they got shellacked by Tennessee in the then-named Citrus Bowl.
Again, assuming Illinois wins out, they will be tied with the loser of THE GAME for second place, but a decision between Michigan and Illinois should be a no-brainer for the Capital One committee. Not only did Michigan win head to head, but they should travel better, with the disappointment of the season being offset by the prospect of seeing Mike Hart, Chad Henne and--probably--Lloyd Carr on the Michigan sidelines one final time.
If the Capital One opts for the Illini, it would relegate Michigan to the Outback Bowl in Tampa. Thankfully, there do not appear to be any circumstances that could drop us back to another disastrous outing in San Antonio.
At this point, with several regular season games and a championship game yet to be played in the SEC, it's pointless to speculate who the SEC representatives to either the Capital One or Outback Bowls will be. How crazy would it be if LSU stumbled and the Capital One matched up Michigan with the Tigers in a Winner-Gets-An-Office-In-Schembechler-Hall-Next-Season deathmatch? (If you don't understand what I'm talking about here, watch this space later this week for more details.)
Sunday, November 11, 2007
THE GAME
"Hello everybody! Yes, sir it's finally here--Meeechigan versus Ohio State in football! ...Call it what you will, it promises to be two and a half hours of some of the most exciting football in the hundred and four year history of man's inhumanity to man...This is what intercollegiate football is all about! All morning long the caravans of cars filled with Buckeye fans have been pouring across the border from down south and echoing from each of those cars is the old, familiar chant, 'We don't give a damn for the whole state of Michigan!', while all of us up here in the Water Wonderland never forget that 'Ohio' is still a four-letter word! Isn't it great? I can hardly wait until kickoff and I know that you can't either!" - Bob Ufer
This is only the second time in history that both Michigan and Ohio State are going into THE GAME while coming off of losses in the previous week. Not exactly the sort of history either team wanted to be setting, especially after last year's historic #1 vs. #2 matchup, but the more things change, the more they stay the same: the 2007 edition of THE GAME is for the undisputed Big 10 Championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Just the way it should be. Yesterday's results took care of all the ambiguity and other scenarios that might've been out there, so right now, it's as simple as history: win THE GAME; go to the Rose Bowl.
Right now, Wisconsin does not matter. Illinois does not matter. Appalachian State and Oregon do not matter, nor do the 18 combined wins the teams have notched so far this season. All that matters right now is which team will claim that 19th win and all the spoils that go with it. All that matters is the Maize and Blue, the Scarlet and Grey. Woody, Bo. Winged Helmets and Buckeye Stickers. The Victors and Script Ohio. From State Street to High Street, men, boys, women, children and families will turn their thoughts, chats and dreams this week to a game involving 22 young men agitating a bag of wind up and down a hundred yards of plastic and ground rubber.
Isn't this great, indeed, Bob.
GO BLUE! BEAT THE BUCKEYES!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Must-See TV
Seriously, short of a victorious, post-OSU, Lloyd Carr Retirement Special hour-long episode of Michigan Replay, could there be an hour of television more perfectly tailored than tonight's Heroes...
... with Detroit native Kristen "Veronica Mars" Bell...
... running around kicking ass...
... in Ireland?
Seriously.
And I'm going to be driving all evening.
Please, Our Lady of Blessed Comcast DVR, don't fail me now.
... with Detroit native Kristen "Veronica Mars" Bell...
... running around kicking ass...
... in Ireland?
Seriously.
And I'm going to be driving all evening.
Please, Our Lady of Blessed Comcast DVR, don't fail me now.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Rainy Day, Busy Day
Frantic work issues, a fresh glass of hazelnut mocha.
My cozy Tigers sweatshirt
and both windows open letting in the sound and smell
of a steady autumn rain.
The dulcet tones of Liam O'Flynn's piping carrying it through the day.
My cozy Tigers sweatshirt
and both windows open letting in the sound and smell
of a steady autumn rain.
The dulcet tones of Liam O'Flynn's piping carrying it through the day.
Friday, October 5, 2007
I resemble that punchline!
Swap out livejournal for blogger, and that about sums up my April-June!
But you already know that.
Anyways, props to this comic that someone just pointed me in the direction of. Give it a read... it's some good stuffs:
XKCD
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
By the light of Tiki torches and a nearly full moon on a perfect, cloudless night...
Young's Oatmeal Stout, a couple sweet-apple chicken sausages grilled up and topped with sauerkraut and Stadium Mustard, fresh corn on the cob, and few sad, sweet tunes on a Hohner Blues Harp.
Oh, and did I mention?
WE OWN....PENN STATE!
Life is pretty fucking good right now.
edit: Icing on the cake? Awesome season premier of Heroes, with the final scene set where else, but Cork, Ireland. Feckin' A!
Oh, and did I mention?
WE OWN....PENN STATE!
Life is pretty fucking good right now.
edit: Icing on the cake? Awesome season premier of Heroes, with the final scene set where else, but Cork, Ireland. Feckin' A!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Triumphant Return
No, I'm not posting about the return to glory of Michigan football.
This evening, I booked my a flight to Ireland.
Thanks to Aer Lingus' 48-hour sale, I could not pass up the opportunity to return, even if just for a short trip. Not for $300 for a round trip, especially when I have places to stay and won't need to rent a car, so the entire trip is going to cost nothing more than that rather minimal airfare, food, and Guinness.
Unfortunately, it's a little ways off, what with football season, the holidays, and an inevitably busy January production cycle at work.
But February 21st I'll be back on Irish soil again for a nice 5 day stint of catching up with old friends and old haunts.
Life is good right now.
This evening, I booked my a flight to Ireland.
Thanks to Aer Lingus' 48-hour sale, I could not pass up the opportunity to return, even if just for a short trip. Not for $300 for a round trip, especially when I have places to stay and won't need to rent a car, so the entire trip is going to cost nothing more than that rather minimal airfare, food, and Guinness.
Unfortunately, it's a little ways off, what with football season, the holidays, and an inevitably busy January production cycle at work.
But February 21st I'll be back on Irish soil again for a nice 5 day stint of catching up with old friends and old haunts.
Life is good right now.
Monday, September 17, 2007
The passing of another Ann Arbor icon
First off, yes I am still in afterglow mode from Saturday, but will wait until after the Penn State game this week to truly gauge my optimism regarding the rest of the season. Notre Dame just really is that bad.
But I need to take a solemn moment up here to mark the sad news of the passing of a man who, after losing Bo last November, may well have been the next most well-recognized man in Ann Arbor... "Shaky" Jake Woods.
If you've spent any time living in Ann Arbor, you know Shaky Jake and have seen him around. He'll be missed.
Godspeed to you, Jake...
But I need to take a solemn moment up here to mark the sad news of the passing of a man who, after losing Bo last November, may well have been the next most well-recognized man in Ann Arbor... "Shaky" Jake Woods.
If you've spent any time living in Ann Arbor, you know Shaky Jake and have seen him around. He'll be missed.
Godspeed to you, Jake...
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Yes, Lucy, I'm ready to kick that football again.
Ever have a recurring situation, which no matter the logic and reason, you keep feeling the incessant need to repeat past detrimental behavior?
I'm psyched for the game tomorrow.
I can't wait for Michigan to go out there and kick the living crapbags out of Notre Dame tomorrow.
This is the one day of the year where all my whacked out faux-Irish wanna-be tendencies are wiped away and I might as well be Oliver fuckin' Cromwell for my hatred of leprechauns, clovers and the Rakes of Fuckin' Mallow... Dress our D in Black and Tan. Oppress those motherfucking dirtbag French northern Indiana Amish obstinant arrogant insults-to-the-fine-people-of-the-Republic-of-Ireland pricks. And God Save the Queen.
Nevermind the fact that we have no defense to speak of, a true freshman with only one half of game experience starting at QB and a coaching staff that has to take the short bus to the stadium.
As long as we have Hart, we have Hope.
GO BLUE! BEAT THE IRISH!!
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
The sun still rises in Ann Arbor
Just got back from a nice walk around the block. The sun is out, and it's a beautiful day, despite wide-spread reports of snow showers all weekend long just up the road.
Been going through the various stages of the grieving process all weekend:
1. Denial: Woke up Sunday morning, shaking off a bad dream. When does football season start again?
2. Anger: DAMMIT LLOYD!
3. Bargaining: If we can somehow beat Oregon...and ND... and PSU, MSU and OSU.... and win the bowl game... that might almost erase the pain. Almost.
4. Depression: Who am I kidding. We won't be any of those teams. We flat out suck.
5. Acceptance: check back with me in a few years on this one.
PS - I still (heart) Hart.
Been going through the various stages of the grieving process all weekend:
1. Denial: Woke up Sunday morning, shaking off a bad dream. When does football season start again?
2. Anger: DAMMIT LLOYD!
3. Bargaining: If we can somehow beat Oregon...and ND... and PSU, MSU and OSU.... and win the bowl game... that might almost erase the pain. Almost.
4. Depression: Who am I kidding. We won't be any of those teams. We flat out suck.
5. Acceptance: check back with me in a few years on this one.
PS - I still (heart) Hart.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Go Blue.
I guess running off to another country for a few months and then spending the latter part of summer scrambling to readjust to reality had the inadvertant side-effect of really throwing off my mid-to-late-summer football jonesin'.
I've been in this hazy awareness that another season of football was coming right down the pike, but even moving into a house where I can look down the street from my front lawn and see Michigan Stadium didn't really kick the adrenaline into high gear the way it normally is this time of year.
If any of you are also suffering from a disturbing case of football lethargy, or if you're full out craving and need a fix to wind the cork even tighter, you might find that these will help.
They worked for me! GO BLUE! BEAT THE MOUNTAINEERS!!
Stevie B, doing what Stevie B does
DOMINATION!
1997
Daydrian Taylor
The Braylon Edwards Show, 2004
The Best MMB Half-Time Show Ever - Part I
The Best MMB Half-Time Show Ever - Part II
"One man... goodbye! Hellooooo Heisman!"
More Desmond
Embedding is disabled on this one, but if you've got a HART you'll want to click on it.
Thrilling last-second heroics...
...and the man that invented them:
I've been in this hazy awareness that another season of football was coming right down the pike, but even moving into a house where I can look down the street from my front lawn and see Michigan Stadium didn't really kick the adrenaline into high gear the way it normally is this time of year.
If any of you are also suffering from a disturbing case of football lethargy, or if you're full out craving and need a fix to wind the cork even tighter, you might find that these will help.
They worked for me! GO BLUE! BEAT THE MOUNTAINEERS!!
Stevie B, doing what Stevie B does
DOMINATION!
1997
Daydrian Taylor
The Braylon Edwards Show, 2004
The Best MMB Half-Time Show Ever - Part I
The Best MMB Half-Time Show Ever - Part II
"One man... goodbye! Hellooooo Heisman!"
More Desmond
Embedding is disabled on this one, but if you've got a HART you'll want to click on it.
Thrilling last-second heroics...
...and the man that invented them:
Monday, August 20, 2007
Adventures in Home Rentership
Okay, so as it may seem obvious by now, this space is starting to wake up again. I'm not sure how long it'll last, but with the new changes and adventure of settling into my new place, I figure I'll have a lot of amusing observations and anecdotes about the house, and about living back in Ann Arbor. I'm going to be pretty busy the next few weeks, so don't expect anything of great substance, but I hope to toss a couple thoughts here and there.
For now, I'm dealing with the fact that none of the rooms in the house other than the kitchen and, (ironically) the sun room, have light fixtures. At the moment, I have one floor lamp that I have to keep moving from room to room with me. Meijers trip number one: floor lamps.
Also, I'm bemoaning the lack of an accessible Einstein Bros bagels. There is one in town, but it appears to be in the University hospital. I'll have to scope it out later, but I have a feeling its not a place that can be hit up for an easy, morning bagel-and-Mel's-Cool-Cap run. Instead, I ran out Barry Bagels on Jackson. Unimpressed by their selection, but the asiago I just had wasn't bad and they make a tasty iced mocha, so all may not be lost.
On a related note, I'm going to be living on bagels and cream cheese for probably the next 36 hours or so.
For now, I'm dealing with the fact that none of the rooms in the house other than the kitchen and, (ironically) the sun room, have light fixtures. At the moment, I have one floor lamp that I have to keep moving from room to room with me. Meijers trip number one: floor lamps.
Also, I'm bemoaning the lack of an accessible Einstein Bros bagels. There is one in town, but it appears to be in the University hospital. I'll have to scope it out later, but I have a feeling its not a place that can be hit up for an easy, morning bagel-and-Mel's-Cool-Cap run. Instead, I ran out Barry Bagels on Jackson. Unimpressed by their selection, but the asiago I just had wasn't bad and they make a tasty iced mocha, so all may not be lost.
On a related note, I'm going to be living on bagels and cream cheese for probably the next 36 hours or so.
Abhaile Sweet Abhaile
I forgot to mention that it has been at least drizzling ever since I crossed over the Michigan-Indiana border Saturday afternoon. It's currently pouring. I just checked the forecast for this week:
Today
Showers and thunderstorms...heavy rainfall possible. Highs 63 to 67. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100 percent.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 74 to 78. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph...turning to southwest late. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy through mid morning...then becoming partly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 85 to 89. South winds 5 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 86 to 90. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Friday
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 82 to 86. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 77 to 81. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Did I really ever leave Galway?
p.s. - It was definitely better moving whether than what we've had a majority of the time since I've been back. I love a good rain shower/thunderstorm. It's just the endlessness of it that gets tiresome.
Today
Showers and thunderstorms...heavy rainfall possible. Highs 63 to 67. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100 percent.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 74 to 78. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph...turning to southwest late. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy through mid morning...then becoming partly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 85 to 89. South winds 5 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 86 to 90. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Friday
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 82 to 86. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 77 to 81. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Did I really ever leave Galway?
p.s. - It was definitely better moving whether than what we've had a majority of the time since I've been back. I love a good rain shower/thunderstorm. It's just the endlessness of it that gets tiresome.
Home Sweet Home.
After a rather chaotic, busy and tiresome weekend, I am now, save for a few odds-n-ends, fully moved in to my new place.
Now unpacking and settling in is a different story altogether. It will hopefully not involve anything as dramatic as moving trucks tearing bumpers off of innocent bystanding cars, police reports, rain storms, or 3 hour traffic jams, making it instantly better than this weekend.
Now unpacking and settling in is a different story altogether. It will hopefully not involve anything as dramatic as moving trucks tearing bumpers off of innocent bystanding cars, police reports, rain storms, or 3 hour traffic jams, making it instantly better than this weekend.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
The Parting Glass, raised in honor of Tommy Makem, 1932-2007
I haven't been perusing some of the Irish music forums frequently lately, but I just happened in for the first time in a while today. Had I waited another day, I likely would've missed seeing that Tommy Makem passed away last Wednesday. Tommy was a legend of the Irish folk music scene, performing for many years with The Clancy Brothers and as a solo act. I had the good fortune of finally seeing him perform at the Milwaukee Irish Fest a few years ago, and his voice and enthusiasm were every bit as golden as in the recordings that made up some of my very first musical memories.
To Tommy Makem, the Bard of Armagh, we raise this toast:
To Tommy Makem, the Bard of Armagh, we raise this toast:
Oh all the money that e'er I had, I spent it in good company
And all the harm that e'er I've done, alas, it was to none but me
And all I've done for want of wit to memory now I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass, good night and joy be with you all
Oh all the comrades that e'er I've had, they are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e'er I've had, they would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot that I should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call good night and joy be with you all
If I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile
There is a fair maid in this town, that sorely has my heart beguiled
Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips I own, she has my heart enthralled
So fill to me the parting glass, good night and joy be with you all
My dearest dear, the time draws near when here no longer can I stay
There's not a comrade I leave behind, but is grieving for my going away
But since it has so ordered been what is once past can't be recalled
Now fill to me the parting glass, good night and joy be with you all
If I had money for to spend, If I had time to waste away
There is a fair maid in this town, I feign would while her heart away
With her rosy cheeks and dimpled chin, my heart she has beguiled awa'
So fill to me the parting glass, good night and joy be with you a'
If I had money for to spend, I would spend it in her company
And all the harm that I have done, I hope it's pardoned I will be
And all I've done for want of it to memory I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass, good night and joy be with you all
A man may drink and not be drunk, a man may fight and not be slain
A man may court a pretty girl and perhaps be welcomed back again
But since it has so ordered been by a time to rise and a time to fall
Come fill to me the parting glass, good night and joy be with you all
A seat house on the 50
I have a home!
Last night I signed a lease for a 2 bedroom house in Ann Arbor. It's a small house, but it is very close to The Big House. In fact, it is 1 block exactly due west of the 50 yard line!
I'm definitely excited to have a new, fresh, change of scenery to mix things up, and looking forward to my triumphant return to Ann Arbor residency! Being within walking distance not only of the stadium, but also downtown, Yost Ice Arena, Washtenaw Dairy, etc. is going to be great.
I take possession on the 16th, but for now I just need to figure out how and when I'm going to collect all my assorted belongings from their various locations and get moved in!
Last night I signed a lease for a 2 bedroom house in Ann Arbor. It's a small house, but it is very close to The Big House. In fact, it is 1 block exactly due west of the 50 yard line!
I'm definitely excited to have a new, fresh, change of scenery to mix things up, and looking forward to my triumphant return to Ann Arbor residency! Being within walking distance not only of the stadium, but also downtown, Yost Ice Arena, Washtenaw Dairy, etc. is going to be great.
I take possession on the 16th, but for now I just need to figure out how and when I'm going to collect all my assorted belongings from their various locations and get moved in!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Still Life Talking
The past couple weeks have been pretty subdued. To be honest, I've really been in a bit of a depressed funk to have come down from what an incredible high I was on for 3 months and back to the reality of work and a 'normal' life. I'm still a bit down, but there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, for now.
My primary focus for now is on finding a place to stay. With all due respect to my dad and family, living here for even just a few weeks has been a somewhat detrimental arrangement. To go from such a ridiculous level of independence to living back under a parents' roof is a very jarring adjustment, nevermind the fact that I'm working from here, I have a step-sibling who is home most of the day, and I really don't even have more than a bed to call my own here. My bags are still barfing their contents on the floor where I dropped them three weeks ago when I got back.
So, to expedite improving my situation, and to allow for the possibility that settling back in Michigan isn't quite something I'm as ready to do as I had long imagined, I've decided to put off buying a house just yet and rent for 6-12 months and see where I am then. There's still questions to answer...roomates vs. no roomates, apt. vs. house, in town vs. out, etc, but I hope to start resolving those pretty quickly over the next couple of days and ideally will have a lease signed by the end of the week. That's the first and most important step to trying to get back on the happy side of life.
Of course, trivial pleasures will always help as well, and tonight came a pretty big one that'd been long-anticipated, but never quite certain until now: the commitment of the star of this highlight video to be a part of Michigan's incoming class of football recurits next fall. He's been quite the internet sensation for several months now with highlight videos that have been the most eye-popping thing since those that floated around of a pint-sized high schooler named tearing up the competition in upstate New York four years ago. (You might've heard of that kid, too... Mike Hart, anyone?) But for now, ladies and gentlemen, I present, the newest Wolverine, Sam McGuffie:
My primary focus for now is on finding a place to stay. With all due respect to my dad and family, living here for even just a few weeks has been a somewhat detrimental arrangement. To go from such a ridiculous level of independence to living back under a parents' roof is a very jarring adjustment, nevermind the fact that I'm working from here, I have a step-sibling who is home most of the day, and I really don't even have more than a bed to call my own here. My bags are still barfing their contents on the floor where I dropped them three weeks ago when I got back.
So, to expedite improving my situation, and to allow for the possibility that settling back in Michigan isn't quite something I'm as ready to do as I had long imagined, I've decided to put off buying a house just yet and rent for 6-12 months and see where I am then. There's still questions to answer...roomates vs. no roomates, apt. vs. house, in town vs. out, etc, but I hope to start resolving those pretty quickly over the next couple of days and ideally will have a lease signed by the end of the week. That's the first and most important step to trying to get back on the happy side of life.
Of course, trivial pleasures will always help as well, and tonight came a pretty big one that'd been long-anticipated, but never quite certain until now: the commitment of the star of this highlight video to be a part of Michigan's incoming class of football recurits next fall. He's been quite the internet sensation for several months now with highlight videos that have been the most eye-popping thing since those that floated around of a pint-sized high schooler named tearing up the competition in upstate New York four years ago. (You might've heard of that kid, too... Mike Hart, anyone?) But for now, ladies and gentlemen, I present, the newest Wolverine, Sam McGuffie:
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Pulse check
Just a quickie to let everyone know that I (and this blog) am still alive and well. I've been meaning to put together a post on my first week (now crawling into week-and-a-half) back, but to be honest, so far there just hasn't been all that much that's been terribly exciting. It's a lot of indecisive ponderings about living arrangements and the future in general, with a bit of mixed contemplativeness on the past, both recent and otherwise. But not a lot of entertainment value, really.
Plus, I am back to work, albeit only half-time so far, so that's obviously cutting into my blogging time. Although I was working when I started this thing and found time for it, so that shouldn't be too much of an excuse.
So yeah... my week in a nutshell:
Went sailing with Dad and Judy my first full day back. That was great, except for a little engine mishap that led to us being towed up the Clinton River at the end of it. Not so great. Nothing like being welcomed home with a three hour tour. A three hour tour.
I got to spend some good quality time with my nephews, and have been gradually reconnecting with friends that I haven't seen in a while, too. Oh yeah, and I made it to the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on opening night. Let's just say I hope I enjoy Book 7 more than Movie 5.
So yeah... nothing exactly comparable to spontaneously deciding to take off and fly to the Aran Islands for a couple of days, or planning a few days in France... But some big stuff should be in the works soon with living arrangements, so I'll keep you posted as I start to figure that out.
Plus, I am back to work, albeit only half-time so far, so that's obviously cutting into my blogging time. Although I was working when I started this thing and found time for it, so that shouldn't be too much of an excuse.
So yeah... my week in a nutshell:
Went sailing with Dad and Judy my first full day back. That was great, except for a little engine mishap that led to us being towed up the Clinton River at the end of it. Not so great. Nothing like being welcomed home with a three hour tour. A three hour tour.
I got to spend some good quality time with my nephews, and have been gradually reconnecting with friends that I haven't seen in a while, too. Oh yeah, and I made it to the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on opening night. Let's just say I hope I enjoy Book 7 more than Movie 5.
So yeah... nothing exactly comparable to spontaneously deciding to take off and fly to the Aran Islands for a couple of days, or planning a few days in France... But some big stuff should be in the works soon with living arrangements, so I'll keep you posted as I start to figure that out.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Home.
Back at Dad's house in Dearborn. Very long day. Nearly 24 hours since I woke up in Galway. Drive back from Chicago was uneventful, save for getting my Taco Bell fix on. HUGE thanks to Emma and Dad for providing transport to and from airports today, respectively, despite them both being substantial drives!
I hardly slept at all on the plane, so I'm crashing now, finally. Looking forward to spending some time (sleeping) on the boat tomorrow while trekking it up to Mt. Clemens, then seeing the rest of the family on Sunday!
More later when I'm a bit more rested.
I hardly slept at all on the plane, so I'm crashing now, finally. Looking forward to spending some time (sleeping) on the boat tomorrow while trekking it up to Mt. Clemens, then seeing the rest of the family on Sunday!
More later when I'm a bit more rested.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Shutting down now. Again.
We were supposed to have left almost 2 hours ago. Word is our plane has at least finally arrived, though. Ran into a friend from sessions in Chicago though who is on the same flight, so between that and chatting on Messenger, have killed the time okay.
But at this point, I just want to be on my way......... You may have noticed that the "Rambling" clock above has stopped. I set it to stop when we were supposed to leave. I guess I'll have to add about 2 hours... heh.
Anyways, next post should be from back on American soil.
But at this point, I just want to be on my way......... You may have noticed that the "Rambling" clock above has stopped. I set it to stop when we were supposed to leave. I guess I'll have to add about 2 hours... heh.
Anyways, next post should be from back on American soil.
A Different Destination
Around the time I was finishing up the previous post, another column of US soldiers--all Marines this time--appeared in the waiting lobby.
I offered my laptop to a few of them to check and send email, but they politely declined. Spirits seemed high. I grabbed a sandwich and had a seat near another group, including an older officer--a colonel, I believe--just as a page came over the terminal intercom for 'Mike Hunt'. The colonel shook his head and laughed, and with a chuckle, I asked "that was one of your guys, wasn't it?" He just smiled and nodded.
Given the spirits, and that the last group I ran into here was homeward bound, I guess I assumed the same. Still, I leaned in and asked one of the other fellows if they were "heading over or back home".
"No. We're going to a different destination" was the reply.
Lump in the throat.
I finished my sandwich and as I got up to use the restroom, I wished them good luck and thank you. They all replied in kind, and one of them, seeing my hat, offered up a "Go Blue".
Lumps.
Best of luck, men. As they say over here... Slan Abhaile. "Safe home".
I offered my laptop to a few of them to check and send email, but they politely declined. Spirits seemed high. I grabbed a sandwich and had a seat near another group, including an older officer--a colonel, I believe--just as a page came over the terminal intercom for 'Mike Hunt'. The colonel shook his head and laughed, and with a chuckle, I asked "that was one of your guys, wasn't it?" He just smiled and nodded.
Given the spirits, and that the last group I ran into here was homeward bound, I guess I assumed the same. Still, I leaned in and asked one of the other fellows if they were "heading over or back home".
"No. We're going to a different destination" was the reply.
Lump in the throat.
I finished my sandwich and as I got up to use the restroom, I wished them good luck and thank you. They all replied in kind, and one of them, seeing my hat, offered up a "Go Blue".
Lumps.
Best of luck, men. As they say over here... Slan Abhaile. "Safe home".
So What Happens Now?
Well, this is it. The end of the Great Adventure. I'm back once again at Shannon Airport. My bags are checked and I'm through security. Hopefully they all make it through intact. I could still turn around one more time, but if I did so now, I'd be returning to Galway with nothing but the clothes on my back, my laptop and my pipes, whistles and harmonicas. Hmmm.... come to think of it, that's not all that bad. Heh.
No, all great things must come to an end, and this is a good end. Staying last week was the right decision. So was shuffling things around again to come back today rather than in another two weeks. My last week was good, and my final night last night was just right. Not going out with some crazy bang, but certainly not the near-literal whimper that my last "last night in Galway" was.
I've been thinking a lot for a while now about not only what life is going to be like for me after I get home, but also specifically, what purpose this blog will hold. It's easy to imagine that it will not be as interesting reading about some schmuck living and working back home in Michigan. I'm sure for a bit, I'll still fill it with reflections and memories, but it won't take long for that content to dry up. As to how I will rectify that in the long run, I'm still trying to figure out.
But, I have figured one thing out.
This entire trip, as much as being an adventure, has been an accomplishment. It was a goal and a dream, and I made it happen. So what to do after accomplishing something like that?
Do it again. Find another goal. Fulfill another dream.
One other thing that I've long believed is that I have a book in me. Or a screen play, perhaps. My next Great Adventure is to find it, excavate it, and get it published.
I have a lot of ideas, including fiction and non-fiction. Certainly I have ideas and inspirations I can take from this trip, but I have many other passions in life that have been little touched upon in this space that I can tap into as well.
The possibilities are endless. But among whatever else I keep track of here, I plan to continue to chronicle my progress on this next goal here, or in some similar follow-up site.
Stay tuned!
No, all great things must come to an end, and this is a good end. Staying last week was the right decision. So was shuffling things around again to come back today rather than in another two weeks. My last week was good, and my final night last night was just right. Not going out with some crazy bang, but certainly not the near-literal whimper that my last "last night in Galway" was.
I've been thinking a lot for a while now about not only what life is going to be like for me after I get home, but also specifically, what purpose this blog will hold. It's easy to imagine that it will not be as interesting reading about some schmuck living and working back home in Michigan. I'm sure for a bit, I'll still fill it with reflections and memories, but it won't take long for that content to dry up. As to how I will rectify that in the long run, I'm still trying to figure out.
But, I have figured one thing out.
This entire trip, as much as being an adventure, has been an accomplishment. It was a goal and a dream, and I made it happen. So what to do after accomplishing something like that?
Do it again. Find another goal. Fulfill another dream.
One other thing that I've long believed is that I have a book in me. Or a screen play, perhaps. My next Great Adventure is to find it, excavate it, and get it published.
I have a lot of ideas, including fiction and non-fiction. Certainly I have ideas and inspirations I can take from this trip, but I have many other passions in life that have been little touched upon in this space that I can tap into as well.
The possibilities are endless. But among whatever else I keep track of here, I plan to continue to chronicle my progress on this next goal here, or in some similar follow-up site.
Stay tuned!
Back... to the Future
So here I am, enjoying my last few days in Galway and I heard this pop and a roar and look out my window and see a set of flaming tire tracks running down O'Connaire Rd. Probably not the strangest thing I've seen over here, but it's up there.
There's a knock on the door. Then I remember I sent myself ahead in time to ask me about my time here three months ago. I wonder briefly how I knew to wait an extra week.... :)
Looking back, I really nailed the answers to several of these.
So I says to myself I says to me..............
(Original speculative answers from three months ago in blue)
Q: Did you find a job? Are you going to be staying, or returning shortly?
I've acquired a permanent position as a Guinness taster. Unfortunately, I won't ever be returning home because I am unable to pick myself up off the floor of the pub. Kidding. In all seriousness, this is a bad question to start off this interview with, and I'm going to have to break character already because I really have no sense at this point for whether I'm even going to want to try and stay longer, let alone, whether I'll be able to. There's still a lot of great things to be had about staying for 1 year, but the goodbyes I've said in the past few days have been rough enough. Coming back in July only to have to turn back around and leave for a longer period of time would be much worse. Not to mention the fact that I likely have a very promising employment situation that will likely be waiting for me in 3 months. It's questionable whether it'll be there for me in a year. But still, the rich experience of living here for an entire year and seeing all the seasons cycle through with all that brings with it is an enticing draw.
No. I'm looking forward to resuming my services to Synthesis Technology, who made this all possible. Furthermore, there are no seasons in Ireland. Only varying levels of rain and temps in the high versus low 50's.
Q: Where did you end up living?
Galway, in a house with three other fantastic people.
Yup. Except that it was five other fantastic people, though never more than three at any one time. Aoife was here the whole time (sans when she was out of town, which was frequently), Conal for about the first six weeks, Kesstan for about three weeks when Aoife was in Sligo, Emma for about the last six weeks, and Julia for about the past month.
Probably the biggest surprise of the housing situation was that of the five other people who lived here during my time, four of them were American. Only Emma was a native Irish girl, and even she was from the other side of the country.
I think the main reason for that was that the primary means our landlord (who lives in NY, btw) has used to advertise the space is craigslist, which just has not gained critical popularity over here, despite there being a Dublin site, anyways.
Q: What other countries did you end up seeing?
Italy, Germany, England, Scotland. Didn't make it to Wales, France, Poland, Spain or any place else I was hoping to hit, unfortunately, but that'll save something for next time. Particularly bummed about Wales.
All true, except that I did make it to France. Wales will be very high on a return trip priority.
Q: What did you miss the most?
Family and friends.
Of course.
Q: Okay, so maybe that's a given. What trivial aspect of daily life did you miss the most?
Hi-powered laundry dryers.
Not gonna lie, that is certainly up there. Spending sometimes a day or more trying to get a load of laundry dry in Ireland's climate can be frustrating, not to mention how air-dried clothes tend to get stretched out and crunchy.
For the first two weeks, though, the answer would definitely be "internet access". I really couldn't believe how much it was driving me crazy to not have constant, immediate, hi-speed net access up until we finally got it installed here at the house.
I also missed some sports. I would've loved to have hung out with friends and family watching the Wings and Pistons during their playoff runs, as well as the Tigers. I'm definitely looking forward to getting out to Comerica Park and/or Wrigley Field when I get back.
Q: What was one thing you missed more than you thought you would?
Work. Seriously.
Wow. I have to admit, this is one I was dead wrong on. I really thought I would miss having a daily routine and expectations and such. I honestly did. While I miss the folks at work and some of the office banter and atmosphere, I can not honestly say that I missed working at all. I did do some while I was over here, and while the hours I put in were very limited, it took much effort to get even that done.
I should add, though, that this probably would have been true, had it not been for really maxing out the side-adventures. The amount of time I spent not only travelling outside of Galway, but preparing for said trips, and reporting on them when I got back really did take up a lot of my time here and kept me from having too many days when I had nothing to do.
Internet (see above) would be a better answer, and another one I didn't think of is "dishwasher".
Oh, but the number one answer: Drinkable tap water. Yes, the cryptosporidium contamination is still an issue here in Galway, and looks like it will be until sometime in the fall, so we have not had potable water my entire time here.
Q: What was one thing you missed less than you thought you would?
American junk food.
Actually, I'm going to go with TV shows here. While I did spend this morning finally catching up on what was left of season 1 of Heroes, which Justin brought over for me last week, and I'm looking forward to catching up on The Office and what was apparently the final episodes ever of Veronica Mars when I get back, it didn't really bother me at all to not be able to keep up with them as they were broadcast. The way my TV viewing habits had changed in the past year or two, I had expected that I would've really missed seeing my shows on a regular basis.
I didn't miss junk food all that much, but it was mostly because it's all pretty readily available here, not because of some newfound discipline.
Q: What will you miss most about Ireland?
The friends I've made here.
definitely true. But also...the sessions, and the scenery, and the vibe, and the relaxed, laid-back nature of things, and the easy access to other European destinations, the breakfasts, and the weather... well, maybe not the weather so much, but I'm sure when I'm sweltering in 90+ degree humidity back in the States, I'll be longing for a cool mid-afternoon shower and temps in the 50's again.
Oh yeah, and ready-made Indian food!
Q: Meet anyone... special?
Ummm... you do realize this is still me you're talking to, right? Even three months in the future?
Everyone I met was special.
But as has been already tipped here: Yes. But it ultimately was not meant to be anything more than friends. I'm glad that it worked out that way in the end.
Q: So how are the pipes coming?
Meh. Got some great pointers and had a chance to do some quality practicing, but it's a long, slow road to learn to play the uilleann pipes, and three months is but scratching the surface.
This is pretty much true. I'm a little disappointed that I didn't manage to find a teacher here in Galway to continue lessons and sort of gave up on practicing the latter half of the trip, even. However, when I was in Dingle trying out the practice set that was for sale in the shop down there, the shop owner asked me how long I'd been playing, and when I told him just a year, he sounded very sincere when he said I was doing pretty good for that. Considering how little I've put into it compared to what I should be putting in if I ever want to become proficient, that really made my day.
Of course, he was trying to sell me a 2000 euro practice set, too.
I'll also add though, that I've gotten enough of a confidence boost from certain friends who have heard me play, and even did take them to my would-be last session at Richardson's and played my small handful of tunes that I semi-know on them, and it was appreciated and enjoyed by those there, so I think there's still some hope...
Q: And the whistles?
Pretty good. Learned a few new tunes, anyways, and feel like I've improved overall.
Again, that's pretty much right on. The main reason I kind of stopped practicing the pipes regularly was because I was about half-way through my time and hadn't played in any sessions yet. I knew I wouldn't be taking the pipes to any sessions soon (which turned out to not be completely true), so I wanted to knock the rust off my whistle. It was also about this time that I discovered the "improvers" class and session at Richardsons on Monday night, so I started to put a lot more focus on the whistle.
I'm feeling pretty comfortable with it now, though I definitely still have a ways to go. But I'm comfortable enough sitting in on most sessions, if only for a tune or two. Probably the biggest change and improvement is that I am getting over my self-consciousness about playing solo in public, as evidenced by my busking outside Blarney Castle and playing for the backpackers on the hill at the base of the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye. Also, that I've gotten up the courage to sit in on sessions at not only Richardson's, but The Crane, An Pucan, Taaffe's, the pub on Inis Meain, and even that session in Scotland.
Q: Favorite single memory? (25 words or less)
*bzzzt*crackle*static*What was that? I didn't copy*bzzt* Damn sunspots... (Did I say something about a DeLorean? I meant that I was communicating with future me via an old ham radio. Yeah, that's it.) Either way, looks like we'll just have to wait until June to see the answer to that one.
Just one? Road trip to the North my would-be last week here.
Q: Who came to visit you from home?
Met up with Jen C in Italy, and Justin G in Scotland. Russ, Justin B and Mom all talked about coming to visit in June, but it didn't end up happening.
Again, I pretty much nailed it. Justin G's trip ended up being in June instead of May, and he brought along his brother.
I also got to meet up with Traci from the Grafton Pub in Chicago when she and her fiance were over here visiting his family, and I did meet up with Raeanne from Memphis when I was down in Kilfenora, if that counts.
Q: Any hassles with immigration?
Only getting back in the country from the UK after the England/Scotland trip.
Actually, not even then. In fact, the officer was talking on the phone while checking passports and he didn't bother to look at any other pages in my passport, or even ask me a single question. Rather, he gave me a stamp and wrote in the date that I have permission to stay until:
September 1st.
The first of many signals that led me to decide to extend my trip, if only for a bit.
Q: Worst thing that happened to you?
Got drunk and passed out in a pub, woke up with an atomic wedgie, a shaved chest and my wallet replaced with a stinking dead fish, after dreaming all night that I was stuck on the evil boat ride from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (original version, but with Johnny Depp's creepy glasses staring at me the whole time).
No, not that. Really, nothing too traumatic happened at all. I mean, what's a little heartbreak amongst friends? :)
Q: When are you going back?
:)
Gonna have to leave it at that, for now. I have definitely left some things un-done, though not many. I still have not been to the "sunny southeast" of Waterford and Wexford. There's a "Magic Road" in the Comeragh Mountains down there I'd love to find, though after the past month, I'd find any place in Ireland that can claim to be regularly "sunny" to be just as magical and unbelievable. I also have somehow managed to circumvent County Monaghan in all my travels, I believe. I'd have to check the map, but I believe Monaghan, Wexford and Waterford to be the only 3 of the 32 counties of both the Republic and Northern Ireland that I have not been to now. But there are still plenty of specific spots... Valencia Island, Clare Island, the other two remaining Aran Islands, the Bluestack Mountains, the peninsulas of West Cork, not to mention tons of spots to explore further where I have been.
If I have some particular goals or ideas, though, I'd love to return for about a month around this time of year and take in the Craiceann bodhran festival on Inis Oirr and piggyback that with Willie Clancy Week (piping-focused general music festival) in Miltown Malbay.
There's a knock on the door. Then I remember I sent myself ahead in time to ask me about my time here three months ago. I wonder briefly how I knew to wait an extra week.... :)
Looking back, I really nailed the answers to several of these.
So I says to myself I says to me..............
(Original speculative answers from three months ago in blue)
Q: Did you find a job? Are you going to be staying, or returning shortly?
I've acquired a permanent position as a Guinness taster. Unfortunately, I won't ever be returning home because I am unable to pick myself up off the floor of the pub. Kidding. In all seriousness, this is a bad question to start off this interview with, and I'm going to have to break character already because I really have no sense at this point for whether I'm even going to want to try and stay longer, let alone, whether I'll be able to. There's still a lot of great things to be had about staying for 1 year, but the goodbyes I've said in the past few days have been rough enough. Coming back in July only to have to turn back around and leave for a longer period of time would be much worse. Not to mention the fact that I likely have a very promising employment situation that will likely be waiting for me in 3 months. It's questionable whether it'll be there for me in a year. But still, the rich experience of living here for an entire year and seeing all the seasons cycle through with all that brings with it is an enticing draw.
No. I'm looking forward to resuming my services to Synthesis Technology, who made this all possible. Furthermore, there are no seasons in Ireland. Only varying levels of rain and temps in the high versus low 50's.
Q: Where did you end up living?
Galway, in a house with three other fantastic people.
Yup. Except that it was five other fantastic people, though never more than three at any one time. Aoife was here the whole time (sans when she was out of town, which was frequently), Conal for about the first six weeks, Kesstan for about three weeks when Aoife was in Sligo, Emma for about the last six weeks, and Julia for about the past month.
Probably the biggest surprise of the housing situation was that of the five other people who lived here during my time, four of them were American. Only Emma was a native Irish girl, and even she was from the other side of the country.
I think the main reason for that was that the primary means our landlord (who lives in NY, btw) has used to advertise the space is craigslist, which just has not gained critical popularity over here, despite there being a Dublin site, anyways.
Q: What other countries did you end up seeing?
Italy, Germany, England, Scotland. Didn't make it to Wales, France, Poland, Spain or any place else I was hoping to hit, unfortunately, but that'll save something for next time. Particularly bummed about Wales.
All true, except that I did make it to France. Wales will be very high on a return trip priority.
Q: What did you miss the most?
Family and friends.
Of course.
Q: Okay, so maybe that's a given. What trivial aspect of daily life did you miss the most?
Hi-powered laundry dryers.
Not gonna lie, that is certainly up there. Spending sometimes a day or more trying to get a load of laundry dry in Ireland's climate can be frustrating, not to mention how air-dried clothes tend to get stretched out and crunchy.
For the first two weeks, though, the answer would definitely be "internet access". I really couldn't believe how much it was driving me crazy to not have constant, immediate, hi-speed net access up until we finally got it installed here at the house.
I also missed some sports. I would've loved to have hung out with friends and family watching the Wings and Pistons during their playoff runs, as well as the Tigers. I'm definitely looking forward to getting out to Comerica Park and/or Wrigley Field when I get back.
Q: What was one thing you missed more than you thought you would?
Work. Seriously.
Wow. I have to admit, this is one I was dead wrong on. I really thought I would miss having a daily routine and expectations and such. I honestly did. While I miss the folks at work and some of the office banter and atmosphere, I can not honestly say that I missed working at all. I did do some while I was over here, and while the hours I put in were very limited, it took much effort to get even that done.
I should add, though, that this probably would have been true, had it not been for really maxing out the side-adventures. The amount of time I spent not only travelling outside of Galway, but preparing for said trips, and reporting on them when I got back really did take up a lot of my time here and kept me from having too many days when I had nothing to do.
Internet (see above) would be a better answer, and another one I didn't think of is "dishwasher".
Oh, but the number one answer: Drinkable tap water. Yes, the cryptosporidium contamination is still an issue here in Galway, and looks like it will be until sometime in the fall, so we have not had potable water my entire time here.
Q: What was one thing you missed less than you thought you would?
American junk food.
Actually, I'm going to go with TV shows here. While I did spend this morning finally catching up on what was left of season 1 of Heroes, which Justin brought over for me last week, and I'm looking forward to catching up on The Office and what was apparently the final episodes ever of Veronica Mars when I get back, it didn't really bother me at all to not be able to keep up with them as they were broadcast. The way my TV viewing habits had changed in the past year or two, I had expected that I would've really missed seeing my shows on a regular basis.
I didn't miss junk food all that much, but it was mostly because it's all pretty readily available here, not because of some newfound discipline.
Q: What will you miss most about Ireland?
The friends I've made here.
definitely true. But also...the sessions, and the scenery, and the vibe, and the relaxed, laid-back nature of things, and the easy access to other European destinations, the breakfasts, and the weather... well, maybe not the weather so much, but I'm sure when I'm sweltering in 90+ degree humidity back in the States, I'll be longing for a cool mid-afternoon shower and temps in the 50's again.
Oh yeah, and ready-made Indian food!
Q: Meet anyone... special?
Ummm... you do realize this is still me you're talking to, right? Even three months in the future?
Everyone I met was special.
But as has been already tipped here: Yes. But it ultimately was not meant to be anything more than friends. I'm glad that it worked out that way in the end.
Q: So how are the pipes coming?
Meh. Got some great pointers and had a chance to do some quality practicing, but it's a long, slow road to learn to play the uilleann pipes, and three months is but scratching the surface.
This is pretty much true. I'm a little disappointed that I didn't manage to find a teacher here in Galway to continue lessons and sort of gave up on practicing the latter half of the trip, even. However, when I was in Dingle trying out the practice set that was for sale in the shop down there, the shop owner asked me how long I'd been playing, and when I told him just a year, he sounded very sincere when he said I was doing pretty good for that. Considering how little I've put into it compared to what I should be putting in if I ever want to become proficient, that really made my day.
Of course, he was trying to sell me a 2000 euro practice set, too.
I'll also add though, that I've gotten enough of a confidence boost from certain friends who have heard me play, and even did take them to my would-be last session at Richardson's and played my small handful of tunes that I semi-know on them, and it was appreciated and enjoyed by those there, so I think there's still some hope...
Q: And the whistles?
Pretty good. Learned a few new tunes, anyways, and feel like I've improved overall.
Again, that's pretty much right on. The main reason I kind of stopped practicing the pipes regularly was because I was about half-way through my time and hadn't played in any sessions yet. I knew I wouldn't be taking the pipes to any sessions soon (which turned out to not be completely true), so I wanted to knock the rust off my whistle. It was also about this time that I discovered the "improvers" class and session at Richardsons on Monday night, so I started to put a lot more focus on the whistle.
I'm feeling pretty comfortable with it now, though I definitely still have a ways to go. But I'm comfortable enough sitting in on most sessions, if only for a tune or two. Probably the biggest change and improvement is that I am getting over my self-consciousness about playing solo in public, as evidenced by my busking outside Blarney Castle and playing for the backpackers on the hill at the base of the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye. Also, that I've gotten up the courage to sit in on sessions at not only Richardson's, but The Crane, An Pucan, Taaffe's, the pub on Inis Meain, and even that session in Scotland.
Q: Favorite single memory? (25 words or less)
*bzzzt*crackle*static*What was that? I didn't copy*bzzt* Damn sunspots... (Did I say something about a DeLorean? I meant that I was communicating with future me via an old ham radio. Yeah, that's it.) Either way, looks like we'll just have to wait until June to see the answer to that one.
Just one? Road trip to the North my would-be last week here.
Q: Who came to visit you from home?
Met up with Jen C in Italy, and Justin G in Scotland. Russ, Justin B and Mom all talked about coming to visit in June, but it didn't end up happening.
Again, I pretty much nailed it. Justin G's trip ended up being in June instead of May, and he brought along his brother.
I also got to meet up with Traci from the Grafton Pub in Chicago when she and her fiance were over here visiting his family, and I did meet up with Raeanne from Memphis when I was down in Kilfenora, if that counts.
Q: Any hassles with immigration?
Only getting back in the country from the UK after the England/Scotland trip.
Actually, not even then. In fact, the officer was talking on the phone while checking passports and he didn't bother to look at any other pages in my passport, or even ask me a single question. Rather, he gave me a stamp and wrote in the date that I have permission to stay until:
September 1st.
The first of many signals that led me to decide to extend my trip, if only for a bit.
Q: Worst thing that happened to you?
Got drunk and passed out in a pub, woke up with an atomic wedgie, a shaved chest and my wallet replaced with a stinking dead fish, after dreaming all night that I was stuck on the evil boat ride from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (original version, but with Johnny Depp's creepy glasses staring at me the whole time).
No, not that. Really, nothing too traumatic happened at all. I mean, what's a little heartbreak amongst friends? :)
Q: When are you going back?
:)
Gonna have to leave it at that, for now. I have definitely left some things un-done, though not many. I still have not been to the "sunny southeast" of Waterford and Wexford. There's a "Magic Road" in the Comeragh Mountains down there I'd love to find, though after the past month, I'd find any place in Ireland that can claim to be regularly "sunny" to be just as magical and unbelievable. I also have somehow managed to circumvent County Monaghan in all my travels, I believe. I'd have to check the map, but I believe Monaghan, Wexford and Waterford to be the only 3 of the 32 counties of both the Republic and Northern Ireland that I have not been to now. But there are still plenty of specific spots... Valencia Island, Clare Island, the other two remaining Aran Islands, the Bluestack Mountains, the peninsulas of West Cork, not to mention tons of spots to explore further where I have been.
If I have some particular goals or ideas, though, I'd love to return for about a month around this time of year and take in the Craiceann bodhran festival on Inis Oirr and piggyback that with Willie Clancy Week (piping-focused general music festival) in Miltown Malbay.
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