Welcome back to FreeForAll Tuesday. Today, we discuss the machinations and dislike-ability of the Team Up North, the CFP Committee’s validated wisdom and, of course, sweatshirts. Enjoy and thanks for reading. Feel free to take a paid subscription, joining the millions of witty, urbane and sophisticated readers already impressing friends at cocktail parties.
We hated them all year long. Every single one of us. There’s no hate left in the world. We used it all up on Michigan.
We never gave them a chance, either. Never. They might have been ranked in the Top 4 the whole year, might have flashed a defense as good as any in the country, but we just assumed they’d lose at some point. Even as most of America outside Ypsilanti never gave them a thought, good, bad or indifferent.
A billion Chinese doubted Michigan, after first asking, “What is Michigan?”
"We was getting so disrespected all season, man," linebacker Michael Barrett said. "All the bulls--- that's been thrown at us, we just overcome it all together.’’
Oh, yeah. Almost forgot the disrespect angle.
"Just think about how far we've come, all the hardships that we went through as a team and as a brotherhood," QB J.J. McCarthy said.
Yeah. A real Valley Forge. Somehow, we missed it. How blind of us.
George Washington, right, standing, imitating Jim Harbaugh in 1776
They didn’t play the game at the glorious Rose Bowl last night. They played it in Bucks County, PA. Jim Harbaugh crossed the Delaware River in a tri-cornered hat, on his way to blowing out the Hessians. The year was 1776.
It’s a neat trick the Wolverines played, one that’s becoming very familiar. They turned a dirty deed one of their own people pulled — ALLEGEDLY — into a battle cry.
"It's almost been an unfair advantage, all the things that the team has gone through,’’ Harbaugh decided in the wake of Michigan’s valiant and terrific overtime W against Alabama. No snark intended. None at all. It was valiant and terrific. “We don't care anymore. Don't care what people say. Don't care about anything that comes up.’’
I’m not sure what the coach is saying. It was an “unfair advantage’’ that Michigan had this M-V-World motivation its opponents lacked?
Harbaugh overlooked the inconvenient truth that it was one of his hirelings filming opponents games. Harbaugh can say forever he knew nothing of it. That might be so. But it’s his team, his program, his $9 mil salary that makes him accountable for all that occurs on his watch. It might not be his fault. It is his problem.
It was Harbaugh who sat out six games for Michigan’s misconduct. It’s fair to say the Wolverines overcame much. It’s no less fair to say their wounds were self inflicted. It’s a little like purposely burning down your own house, then blaming the fire department for not getting there sooner.
Using Harbaugh’s logic going forward, any time a team doesn’t appear emotionally up to its challenges, its coach could simply ask one of his minions to break a rule or two, allegedly, then turn the accusations on their collective head.
We’re being persecuted for something we did wrong. Allegedly. Unfair!
Oh, the injustice.
It sounds like the tactics of a certain former president.
“We play for each other. We've overcome obstacles and adversity. People can say it's adversity. People can say we cheated. But I really don't give a f---,’’ added guard Trevor Keegan.
Really? Sounds like you did give a freak. Sounds like everyone in maize and blue gave a big freak. To such an extent that what the Wolverines achieved became secondary to their grievances. Will folks remember the goal line D that won the game? Or will they recall the perceived disrespect/slights/whatever?
It was fun watching a Big 10 team beat the high-holy Nick Saban and the perpetually full-of-itself SEC. It was even better watching Michigan do it by smashing mouths.
Six sacks, 10 tackles for loss. Thirteen pressures on 33 dropbacks. That epic final scrum from the Michigan 3, that fairly embodied whom the Wolverines had become this fall. Even if the play had no chance the instant it was called. A QB draw on 4th down from the Michigan 3? Into the teeth of a great defense that had busted ‘Bama’s mouth all game? Sheesh.
Regardless, it was a Big 10 kinda W, against the best of the best. Honestly, I hadn’t given a lot of thought to the game-filming stuff, until Michigan players and Harbaugh reminded me. In no uncertain terms.
"The whole month, everyone was talking about Bama this, Bama that. Bama fast. Bama big," defensive tackle Kenneth Grant said. "We came out and did the unthinkable. No one believed in us from the start. We came out and did it and proved everyone wrong."
Well, good on ya.
Meantime, what’s the Over/Under on freshly minted Washington fans? I’d guess 100 million. I’ll take the Over.
Now, then. . .
THE COMMITTEE GOT IT RIGHT. The Committee generally does. Hindsight validated thoroughly its choices. The job is to pick the best four teams. It’s not a question of who deserves what. Of course, FSU deserved to be considered for the Final Four. And of course, had the Seminoles been invited, it would have been a train wreck, even if some of those players dedicated to good ol’ State U. had honored a national semifinal game with their presence. Alabama more than justified its invitation.
A farcical bowl season of diminished rosters, boring blowouts, uninspired play and human Pop-Tarts was rescued Monday by two great playoff games. The playoff expands to 12 schools next year, almost making irrelevant the overabundance of “reward’’ games for seasons well played.
Is it possible college football has lucked into something great?
IF I COULD, I’D LIVE IN SWEAT SHIRTS EVERY DAY. One of the many pleasures of being a heathen sports scribe was, I never wore a tie to work. I can’t even imagine it.
My sartorial choices are, shall we say, High School Modern. Since Covid, it’s been sweat shirts and long nylon pants like the ones middle-aged white college hoops coaches wear. HuggsWear inspires me.
What’s not to like?
I have two suits, a tan one and a dark blue number. Weddings and Funerals, I call them.
This prompts a question:
Are you like me? Do you consider it an imposition to be asked to wear shoes you can’t slip on? Has all that tie-wearing over the decades constricted blood flow to your neck and up to your brain to such an extent it has cost you IQ points?
And more importantly: What’s your favorite sweat shirt?
Many years ago, I invested in a lined hoodie from Cabela’s. Better than any winter coat I’d ever had. I still wear it. It’s 2nd-best now, behind the Carhartt hoodie my wife gave me for Christmas. The new one isn’t lined. But it’s thick and sturdy and makes me feel like I should buy an F-150 this afternoon.
Beyond that, I have a highly impressive rack of Champion sweatshirts, in multiple colors. No showy logos, just the little “C” on the sleeve. I don’t like big logos on anything.
Can you top my rack? Nothing Nike, please. Evil Sneaker Empire gets none of my discretionary dollars.
TUNE O’ THE DAY. . . Thanks many times over for Little Steven and his Underground Garage. Can’t tell you how many new tunes that satellite radio station has turned me on to. Here’s one, sort of a California group’s attempt at Southern Beach Music.
Yes, clever cat names. I knew some dogs named Elway. I worked as a hardware buyer for a high tech computer company in Colorado Springs and used to get some free tickets to the Bronco's games. Best, most colorful and loudest football crowd I've ever been in! That place rocked. There was never room for opposing fans. They just got squeezed...(oranged) out. My favorite player, other than Elway, was Ed McCaffrey, Christian's father who was called one of the best playing wide receivers of all time back then. He would pop out of a crowd downfield and snatch the ball fearlessly and take it in for a TD. He played in 3 super bowls in his carreer, XXlX, XXXll and XXXlll. I loved that guy. Sure wish the Bengal's had acquired his son Christian. He would fit in really well with Burrow & Family.
Great music again!! After hauling , on my knees, a million boxes of Christmas decor, it was good listening!!!