Notre Dame Fight Song

Notre Dame Victory March


Of course this is a classic and everyone has heard it before. What I like most about it is that during the main part of it (the trio?), it says much more than most fight songs. Usually, we just hear things like "we will win. we are great", but the Victory March asks to "wake up the echos" and "shake down the thunder." They recognized tradition way back in 1908. Nice.

Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame,
Wake up the echoes cheering her name,
Send a volley cheer on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky.
What though the odds be great or small
Old Notre Dame will win over all,
While her loyal sons are marching
Onward to victory.

Review Pre-Season Predictions

If I have a chance, I will review how my pre-season predictions are coming along.

1. The defense is 7th in yards/gm, 7th rushing yards/gm, T7th passing yds/gm, t5th takeaways, #3 scoring. The good news is that most of the other B10 teams played amongst the easiest games of the season this past weekend, and M still has their two "stat-padding" games coming up. The bad news, of course, is I can't tell if the D is going to be any good against decent teams
2 QB controversy is not really a controversy today. If Drob plays 62.4% as well as he did Saturday, he will keep the job without any controversy
3. Regardless of what Tate's dad is saying, I think Tate is gone after the year. I hope that Tate was suspended this game for attitude issues (or whatever is going on between he and Rodrig, and if Drob struggles next week, Tate is the one that is chosen. If Gardner goes in again before Tate, I'll be pretty sure this is a correct prediction
4. As far as I know, no starters from Saturday are off the team yet.
5. I don't know if Gardner has officially blown his redshirt yet, but if he doesn't have an injury in the next couple weeks, he'll be gone in 4 (or less).
6. The polls aren't out yet so I don't know for sure what is happening this week, but I believe M will get some votes. A victory over ND may get them into the top 25 (like last year). We'll see.
7. Molk going out made me wonder about this one. One review of the OLine's performance I read, had Molk doing the worst out of all of them. We'll see how this goes.

One prediction I forgot to write down, but I mentioned to people many times was that there wouldn't be a 1000 rusher or receiver this year. I don't know if I would have specified RB or not, but clearly Drob is on his way to 1000 rushing.

Drives

M had 4 drives of 11 plays or more. If the weakness is the defense, then that ball control offense may be the best defensive strategy.

What Does It Mean?

There is no question M was more impressive than what I expected, and Drob had an amazing game. It was a very good win against a decent team. Like every other first game of the season, this victory means much more than just a victory. It allows us to have a better idea of what the remainder of the season could mean. Most M fans, especially those who were predicting 8 wins or more, are probably increasing their win prediction by a game or two after the great performance today. I, on the other hand, am too much of a curmudgeon to do that.

Why?

It could be that I have been burned before (remember, how we all felt after the ND game last year). It could be that RR's teams are inconsistent and a downfall is imminent. It could be that I just can't accept the "Drob is God" sentiment that has existed since his first play against WMU. It could be all of a little of each of these things, but it could also be because of the following:

1) Drob probably had the best statistical game he will have all year. I'm not saying he won't be effective and be the star of other games, but he was pretty much way too good today. As opposing D's scout M, they will find ways to stop slow down Drob.

2) Drob was statistically amazing in the passing game today. Against a D with some DBs with speed, the downfield passes Drob made today will be knocked down or picked off.

3) So much is put on the QB's shoulders in this offense, that losing Drob would be a heck of a blow. I know the crowd likes Gardner almost as much as they like Drob, but he is not there yet. It reminds me of the 2007 Oregon team that fell apart when Dixon got hurt. I could see that happening here.

4) M only had 1 penalty. That was a good thing for this game, but it is not going to happen again. It is great to see that discipline has been improved, but you have to expect more than that each game from now on (though less than last year, probably)

4) M had 3 fumbles. Fortunately, none were lost, but if that fumble number doesn't decrease, the lost fumble number could be a game loser.

5) The kickers are bad.

I'm sure there are other reasons, but these are the first that came to mind. I thought of a few reasons why I am wrong about the above, but I just can't allow myself to fall into the trap of thinking things are going to be OK. Not yet, I can't. They've done this to me before.

Countdown to Kickoff - day 0

September 4, 2010

Michigan ____ - Connecticut ___

Predictions are in. The stadium looked great on my run by this morning.

Go Blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beat the Huskies!

Countdown to Kickoff - day 1

October 27, 1979

Michigan 27 - Indiana 21

In celebration of the 100th year of Michigan Football, the Go Blue Brunch at the Track & Tennis Building brought back all the living All-Americans to sit at the dais. My dad kept sending me up to get autographs. Somewhere in his house, there is a photo album that includes all these signatures. I saw it over the 4th of July and was pretty impressed by some of the names - Bob Chappius, Rick Volk, Rick Leach etc. I'll try to have a post with some pictures of this later.

This might have been the Go Blue Brunch where I played catch with Schemmy Schembechler during some of the speeches as well.

For the game, my parent had horrible seats in row A in the south endzone. I was able to sit in the student section with my sister Kathy. For the majority of the game I had a much better seat than they did...

I really only remember 3 plays. With Michigan leading 21-14 and just about a minute left, the Alumni cheerleaders were challenging the current cheerleaders (and these were the real ones - in the yellow tops, not the pom-pom squad they have today) to hand walk across the north endzone. As they were most of the way across, the had to stop because Indiana was scoring what would be the tying touchdown on a long pass from Tim Clifford to Dave Harangody (I assume that is the father of Luke Harangody - the former ND and current Boston Celtic).

With under 20 seconds left and without any timeouts, John Wangler dropped off a short pass in the flat to Lawrence P. Reid. There was no way Reid was going to get out of bounds. He underhand flipped the ball ouut of bounds right into the hands of Indiana Head Coach Lee Corso. Corso was furious, but no penalty was called and M was at the 50 yard line with 6 seconds left.

Indiana jumped off side and the next play was called dead, moving the ball to Hoosier 45, setting up Michigan History. There have been numerous last second TD bombs both before and since. Staubach's Original Hail Mary against the Vikings in the 1975 playoffs, Doug Flutie against Miami in 1984, Michigan suffered the crushing loss to Colorado in 1994. But this was different, whether it was because Wangler couldn't throw the ball 45 yards or because the Michigan offense just didn't have the bomb in their play book - but Wangler hits Carter only about 20 yards downfield - he has to slip the tackle of the two defenders right on him, then out run the remaining safety to the endzone. I would put this game winner 2nd only to the Cal-Stanford band game for most unique game winning play.

When you look at the play now, so many of the choices seem archaic. Wangler makes a play action fake - I wonder if that held the linebackers who needed to be true to the run? In today's football Indiana would have 3-4 players back inside the 10 waiting to knock down the bomb, or in this case, make the tackle. And don't get me started on Corso's outfit.

Of course Carter and the other 100 players who pour off the sideline into a giant pile in celebration, all end up right in front of my parents. Their horrible row A seats paid off after all.

Eventually Kathy and I left - I don't remember how we reconnected with my parents - but I remember we could still hear the noise from the stadium all the way to the State & Packard area - I don't think too many others left the stadium, they must have just stayed and screamed.

Here's a few embeded videos capturing Bob Ufer's famous call, I like the one with the inset of a skipping Bo Schembechler - it really shows how this is really a game - that is pure joy from that old curmudgeon.








Go Blue! Beat U Conn!!!!

Countdown to Kickoff - day 2

October 30, 2004

Michigan 45 - MSU 37; 3 OT

The second version of the "Legends Game" as my dad calls it was the 2004 M-MSU game. They again invited all the former players back to form a tunnel for the players as they reached for the M Club banner.

The weather was sunny and hot when the game began, but after the sun went down the temperature plunged. I actually went out and bought a long sleeve shirt later in the game.

Michigan had no answer for the MSU spread, especially draws to DeAndra Cobb. He started the scoring off with a 72 yard TD run, pretty much untouched. Mike Hart answered later in the quarter to tie it at 7. A Drew Stanton - totally unsurprising - QB draw put the Spartans back up by 7 before the end of the 1st.

The M defense finally had a bit of a stop, holding MSU to a field goal, making the score 17-7 at about the 9 minute mark of the 2nd. Late in the half, LaMarr Woodley sacked Stanton - separating his shoulder. Stanton's revisionist history has M fans cheering the injury - I remember the standard light applause for an injured player coming off. Stanton had been very good, M didn't have much more success against Damon Dowdell.

Garrett Rivas answered with a Michigan field goal just before the end of the half making it 17-10 Spartans.

Amazingly enough, the 3rd quarter was scoreless, and the teams entered the 4th at 17-10.

A Spartan field goal made it 20-10 early in the 4th. On their next possession, Cobb had his second long TD run - a 64 yard effort - making it 27-10 with under 9 minutes left. When Steve Breaston misplayed the squib kick forcing M to start the drive inside the 10, it looked like it wasn't going to be Michigan's day.

M made it almost 90 yards down inside the MSU 10, when the drive stalled. Carr sent out the field goal team, I couldn't believe they were settling for a field goal, down 17 with ~6:30 left. In retrospect Lloyd knew what he was doing... Rivas made it 27-13. Michigan sent out two kickers for ht kickoff - Rivas squibbed it toward the Michigan sideline a Spartan misplayed it and Brian Thompson recovered it for what might be the biggest play in the comeback.

From here Braylon Edwards took over. Michigan dodged a long field goal attempt at the end of regulation.

The overtimes were at the far end of the field. Michigan settled for a field goal on their first possession - giving M their first lead of the game - the D was able to hold MSU to the same.

MSU scored quickly on their second possession to go back up by 7. Henne hit Jason Avant in the back corner of the endzone, the PAT tied it back at 37.

M went first in the third overtime on the second play Henne hit Edwards on a crossing pattern he went in the rest of the way for the 24 yard score. Starting with the 3rd overtimes, the teams have to go for two. Henne hit Tim Massaquoi in the back of the endzone for the 2 points giving M the 45-37 lead.

Four incomplete passes from Dowdell and Michigan had completed comeback from a 17 point deficit late in the 4th quarter.