Michigan football GAMEDAY

So, anybody telling you they KNOW how U-M is gonna do today or this season are fibbing. What a wildcard this season shapes up to be. WIll the offense click with guys not recruited to run it? Will the defense be able to cover for the kinds of mistakes that can plague a spread offense? Does the defense have some gamebreakers who can change a game's course?

Not in a generation has Michigan football been at such a crossroads. With all the improvements, and nobody in Ann Arbor wants to talk about this, with all the improvements in East Lansing with their gorgeous new football building and the top flight (yes in some cases better than Michigan) recruits of this year and especially next, this is a dangerous time. Maybe things come together and Michigan doesn't miss a beat, goes 9-3 in his first year and wins a bowl game. Maybe things are tougher and they go 6-6. That sends alumni into a panic in the offseason, hoping against hope it doesn't happen in 2009.

What a wild ride it will be this year and a great example of a spread offense shows up today in the form of Utah. Is today another disappointing Appalachian State game? Oregon? That's what we mean, nobody knows nuthin.

We'll take a guess that Michigan has had enough time to get things together and eeks out a 28-27 win today in Michigan Stadium.

Get there early, construction is like a tough defender out there today.

OK, we've made it past Heritage Festival, and you know what that means...

FOOTBALL!

Do you have any expectations for EMU this fall? U-M? Both are intriguing story lines this fall. EMU is much improved and should be better than we've seen in eons, and U-M for the newness of things, the like of which we haven't seen for a generation.

Your thoughts?

Under Construction--Michigan football gameday will be a real headache

The Ann Arbor News is reporting on a few changes this year to Michigan Stadium seating and crowd movement as the stadium is under a LOT of construction. They are telling fans not to enter the gate closest to where they parked but to use new designated gates shown on the tickets. It's a real headache and you can read about the whole thing HERE.

In what can only be considered comical, ALL entrants to Michigan Stadium, per OSHA rules and being in an ongoing construction site WILL be required to either bring a hard hat or will be given one at they enter and there will be attendants with drop boxes on the way out.

FUN!

Mary Sue Coleman to 'gradzillas': "Cake or Death?"

OK YCD, what the HELL do you mean 'cake or death'? It's part of an Eddie Izzard stand up routine where the SOFTIE Church of England tries to get tough with wayward churchgoers and offers them the choice of 'Cake or Death'. The answer is always "CAKE PLEASE".

Mary Sue Coleman today became the SOFTIE Church of England with her wayward "gradzillas" by telling them "Yes, you precious little ones, we need to make sure your every need is catered to no matter what the situation based in reality says". Mary Sue met with students today over the proposed graduation sites that STUDENTS would find acceptable (and we wonder where the recently displayed sense of entitlement comes from). Mary Sue SAYS she's been listening and then asks them where they want to have graduation PROVING she's not been listening.

Senior Eric Mandell Victorson told the public meeting that not having graduation in Michigan Stadium would be:

"a tragic ending to four years".

Um, Eric, 9/11 was a tragedy, the Titanic was a tragedy, Oklahoma City was a tragedy. You having to graduate in Crisler Arena or Rynearson Stadium is NOT a tragedy.

So, U-M grads, "Cake or Death"?

Uh oh, U-M 'gradzillas' are MAD they would have to come to Ypsilanti to graduate

Now, of course that's just a catchy pot stirring headline, but according to the Michigan Daily, thousands of 'gradzillas' at U-M are awfully mad that they cannot have THEIR graduation at Michigan Stadium. Over 80 emails and 130 comments have been left on the Commencement 08 website at U-M EMPLORING Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman not to make them go to Ypsi. Why there 'gradzillas' have even started forming a group on Facebook, called 'Michigan's Graduation is meant to be in the Big House' and apparently, 2,279 Michigan students and Facebook dwellers have joined the clarion call to DEMAND U-M either stop construction on Michigan Stadium long enough to have it there OR.....well, there is no OR.

U-M says the facility will be unavailable as the bathrooms will be inoperable which means no Big House.

YCD wonders, and we're merely wondering on this and would love your input, if U-M had said graduation would be in the Crisler Arena, would the hue and cry have been this much? Is it REALLY because it's not at the BIG HOUSE, or is it because it's at EMU?

U-M Spring graduation will be held....at EMU

That's right maize and blue grads to be, we congratulate you and welcome you to Ypsilanti. With Michigan Stadium under construction, U-M cannot hold their rather large spring graduation there so instead they will hold it at EMU's Rynearson Stadium, which will allow students to invite far more family and friends than if U-M had to hold it in the Crisler Arena. Still, some U-M grads to be are sad. Hilary Coulisk was quoted as saying this about the magic that is Rynearson Stadium "I've never seen it, but I'm going to go ahead and say it's no Big House".

It's OK Hilary, LOTS of people have never seen Rynearson Stadium, mostly EMU football fans. However, and Johnny TOLD us to add:

"Beggars can't be choosers"

Remember on Monday when U-M offered a COMPROMISE on handicapped Michigan Stadium seating

Monday on the YCD:
Gloria Hage, interim vice president and general counsel at U-M:

"To be clear, we are proposing this plan outline as an offer of compromise -- in the interest of implementing our commitment to full and high quality accessibility to Michigan Stadium for individuals with disabilities who use wheelchairs, and in a way that will avoid the time and expense of protracted litigation with the Department of Justice


TODAY reality hit:
'The federal Department of Education has quickly rejected a compromise the University of Michigan filed Monday to add more handicapped seats than it had originally planned for a renovation now under way.'

Not JUST this, but also NOW the Department of Justice is joining the lawsuit against the University of Michigan.

How'd that press release work for ya Gloria? Just like YCD said it would?

Cause if there's one thing the federal government is about, it's compromise

The University of Michigan has decided to offer a COMPROMISE to the U.S. Department of Education over wheelchair accesibility inside Michigan Stadium.

U-M's 'concession' is to add 295 wheelchair accesible spots during the $226 million dollar renovation and expansion set to be finished after the 2010 fooball season.

You want some kahones? Listen to Gloria Hage, interim vice president and general counsel at U-M:

"To be clear, we are proposing this plan outline as an offer of compromise -- in the interest of implementing our commitment to full and high quality accessibility to Michigan Stadium for individuals with disabilities who use wheelchairs, and in a way that will avoid the time and expense of protracted litigation with the Department of Justice"

Yeah, uh Gloria, time and protracted litigation are what the Federal Government is BUILT ON. We wish you luck but somewhere in Washington D.C. today a lawyerly bureaucrat saw your response and found him or herself job security.

Michigan football gameday thread

Get your Buckeye hate out here...

Michigan Stadium--VIOLATING LAWS

If Johnny had some 'Jimmy Justice' in him he'd take a video camera over to Michigan Stadium and hold some feet to the fire.

That's right, Michigan Stadium is violating the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. Michigan is DISCRIMINATING against those with handicaps.

For SHAME University of Michigan, you liberal bastion of liberalism you. Perhaps the stadium should be shuttered and locked and U-M forced to play home games at EMU or Pioneer High School's Holloway Field until it can be made handicapped accessible.

If U-M doesn't get this fixed the terrorists win.