Eastern Michigan Football GAMEDAY

It's Band Day at Rynearson Stadium today. 10 local bands will take part in a special pre-game and halftime show. So you get that entertainment PLUS you get to watch Eastern Michigan take on the Zips of Akron. Akron comes into the game at 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the MAC East. EMU is 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the MAC West.

Akron has a very adept offensive squad which will certainly challenge Eastern's less than stellar defense. Chris Jacquemain runs the show for Akron BUT he'll throw interceptions, oh will he throw interceptions. If Eastern can contain the Akron ground game, maybe get a lead and force Jacquemain to throw, the EMU side will have a much better chance. Eastern's offense had been clicking until last week's effort against Army. Akron will give up points so if EMU can establish a solid running game and work the passing game off of that, again, they'd have an advantage.

The season is growing late and the expected improvement in Jeff Genyk's team has yet to appear. A win against Army sure would have helped. After today EMU has but four games left to really show the program is on the right track. Trouble is 3 of the last 4 games are against teams vying for a MAC West title, and one, Ball State who is ranked in the top 25. Today could (and we think should) be played as Genyk's last stand.

We hope Eastern Michigan is ready to go to the wall to beat Akron. For today we'll trust they are.

Our call:
Eastern Michigan 23
Akron 21

Eastern Michigan football GAMEDAY!

Normally we roll these out on Friday night or Saturday but it's a special kickoff edition today as the Indiana State Suckamores are in town at venerable Rynearson Stadium on this fine August night. Rynearson Stadium celebrates it's 40th season beginning tonight.

Indiana State's Suckamores are in town to provide EMU with some tough competition and since Larry Bird has used up ALL his ISU eligibility, he won't be playing for the Suckamores. EMU holds a 9-3 advantage over ISU historically though the last time Eastern beat Indiana State they were the Hurons, September 23, 1978.

EMU has a pretty good record in home openers historically, going 70-41-4 all time. Under Jeff Genyk, Eastern is 2-2.

Thanks to the generosity of the Sports Information Office, Johnny will be snapping shots of the game for all of you later tonight.

Nerves, mistakes, and anxiety all run high in the opener. It's possible EMU could be TOO fired up early on but we expect them to right the ship and get a strong defensive effort, enough for the offense to get going. We'll call it like this:

Eastern-27
ISU-17

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?

2 weeks from tonight, EMU football home opener!

Get your tickets now, they're going fast......quick.....medium speed.......OK just buy your tickets! If EMU can get off to a fast start with wins over Indiana State and Toledo, who knows what'll happen. The fun, or as the sign says, 'the hunt' begins two weeks from tonight at the house excitement built, Rynearson Stadium.

Now, is God smiting the U-M gradzillas or upholding the honor of Rynearson Stadium?

Now there's a real poser huh? First off, let's check tomorrow's weather report shall we:

Saturday
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the morning. Otherwise mostly cloudy through mid morning...then becoming partly sunny. Windy. Cooler with highs 59 to 63 early...then temperatures slowly falling. West winds 15 to 25 mph...with gusts to 40 mph...increasing to 20 to 30 mph...with gusts to 40 mph through late afternoon...then diminishing to 15 to 25 mph...with gusts to 35 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

40 mph gusts? Hold onto grandma eh?

So, again, is God upholding Rynearson's honor or smiting Michigan? In our opinion it's payback for Michigan hiring Rich Rodriguez...

Thank god, U-M 'gradzillas' won't pollute pristine Rynearson Stadium for their graduation

Well, U-M still has no idea where they will hold their spring commencement for their precocious little kids in the class of 2008 but it's official, it will not be at Rynearson Stadium.

Isn't that perfect? Doesn't it say SO MUCH about the U-M class of 2008? 'We don't care WHAT kind of inconveniences YOU the university face in pulling this off, just remember, WE must be made happy'.

Personally YCD is glad they're not having it on this side of US 23. We also can't wait for the complaints to start rolling in the 'gradzillas' aren't getting enough tickets for their families to see them graduate. You'll see, give it time.

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"?

200 'gradzillas' meet with U-M Administration to keep graduation pure and on campus

The Michigan graduating class may have their graduation on U-M soil after all. Nearly 200 concerned, and agitated and wronged students met with the University of Michigan adminstration who told them they would do whatever they could to keep the graduation as pure as possible for them. Kinda like when a kid goes nuts at a mall and throws a tantrum and the parent, rather than standing up and showing the kid adults run the show, weakly capitulate to shut the kid up.

Yet, the kids keep bleating on and demanding ONLY one solution it seems. Despite the fact Michigan Stadium will have NO restrooms (Yeah, grandma is locked in the porta potty the U-M was forced to provide us with--a wonderful graduation memory to be sure) and despite the fact the electricity will be all 'jeffed up', SOME students see only ONE solution their University can provide

U-M gradzilla-to-be Marisa Costa said it was quite apparent the ONLY solution was THE BIG HOUSE:

"That's what the students want," she said. "That should be your primary concern: How do we do this?"

We wish them luck with keeping their graduation on campus at U-M because at this point we don't exactly WANT them at EMU. They haven't EARNED the right to graduate here. EMU tends to have dignified graduations.

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"

EMU football Gameday

Homecoming edition.

EMU will look to pull off a mild upset over their worthy adversaries from Western Michigan. Western comes into the game at 3-5 while EMU Is 2-6. The Broncos are certainly more adept at moving the ball both on the ground as well as through the air. Eastern does have a very tough and capable front 7 on defense and the wet wet weather today in the Huron Valley is always a great equalizer. A close game would favor the home team today to be sure. EMU looks to also have better big play threats on special teams.

EMU has shown they can score this season but they need to consistently move the ball in doing so. A key stat today will be time of possession. If EMU can keep that close and keep their defense fresh they could pull the upset.

Homecoming in Ypsilanti, we'll say EMU 26 WMU 21

EMU Gameday thread

EMU vs Ball State at Rynearson at high noon. EMU Will be honoring the 1987 MAC and California Bowl Champions. Ball State leads the series 26-20-2 and has won the last three including a gift victory on a missed extra point in Ypsi two years ago.

Coach Jeff Genyk, THIS is where it has to start to get better. It's a conference game at home. It's a WINNABLE game at home. Ball State is OK but no great shakes. If you are to turn around the program, the bedraggled program Mr. Genyk YCD thinks we'll need to see improvements in games like these. Last weeks effort was poor, EMU should be in a position by now to play a weakened Pitt team better than the 27-3 final score showed. Hopefully EMU will come out hungry, with passion and will represent themselves with an effort worthy of the 1987 Hurons. If they don't we wonder what they're waiting for. The defense will obviously have to lead the way and a + ratio in turnovers is a MUST. The defensive line and linebackers will have to somehow rattle and exploit a veteran Ball State offensive line and contain the running game. If Ball State runs they'll most likely win. The Cardinals return only 6 defensive starters so if EMU's offense is to have success and get a rhythm Saturday could be the day. EMU's offense is based on timing and the Ball State safeties are suspect playing their first road game this year and this could open up an area of attack for Eastern. Expect Coach Genyk to move his QB Andy Schmitt around often to put more pressure on the Cardinals secondary.

This is one of those measuring stick games. We'll soon see where EMU is and where they are possibly headed this season by 3:30 Saturday.