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MGoBlog’s channel featuring the very professional, very visual, podcast with Brian Cook, Seth Fisher, David Nasternak, and Alex Drain, plus The Teams history podcast with Seth and Dr. Sap, The Michigan Hockeycast, the MGoBlog Roundtable on WTKA.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 10, 2024
Tuesday Dec 10, 2024
1 Hour and 9 Minutes
With David Nasternak and Alex Drain
This Podcast Has a Sponsor: Michigan Law Grad Jonathan Paul is the guy with the C you want skating next to the ref and pleading your case. He's also a good guy to sit next to at the hockey games.
- Opener
- Lots of goals
- More Goals Against
- We Have to Talk About Something
- Can't Win With No Goals
- Weekend Takeaways
- Old Friends and the League
- Wisconsin Preview
MUSIC
- NHL on ESPN Theme
- "Gopher Guts" -- Aesop Rock
- Ice Hockey (NES) theme
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
1 hour and 59 minutes
The Sponsors
Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com.
Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where we recorded this.
1. Michigan Men's Basketball vs Iowa
Starts at 1:00
The first half of this game was a battle of mid-range jumpers and not turning the ball over (Iowa) vs going to the rim aggressively but turning the ball over a lot (Michigan). Michigan's amplitude of proficiency changes throughout a game are huge. This team is dead set on not taking mid-range jumpers. Addressing Michigan's rebounding woes. Did they play great against Iowa and Wisconsin? Not really. Are they still 2-0 in the Big Ten, though? Yeah. Danny Wolf turns the ball over too much by throwing the ball too hard. The play of the game played off of the big pick and roll. Michigan vs Iowa is an oddly friendly rivalry. Be careful with playing neutral site games when it comes to NET rankings.
[The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]
2. Transfer Portal Needs
Starts at 35:24
Michigan needs an offensive coordinator first. Jason Candle (Toledo head coach), Dan Mullen (former Florida head coach), and Joe Craddock (Tulane offensive coordinator) are among the biggest names rumored. Scott Frost mentioned! Michigan needs a quarterback and multiple wide receivers. Running back might be okay? Offensive line is a lot more interesting. Would like to get a defensive tackle since you're not getting either starter back. Linebacker is probably okay.
3. Hot Takes & Transfer Portal Names
Starts at 58:13
Takes hotter than the fact that Georgia should not be in the playoff because they don't have their starting quarterback. Miller Moss would be the ideal scenario at QB. There's a case for Billy Edwards out of Maryland! The list falls off pretty quickly after that. Ideally you want someone to start for the year and then Bryce Underwood gets ~100 snaps. Michigan has some connections with Oklahoma Wide Receiver Nic Anderson. Michigan needs to get as many as they can. A biomechanical engineer out of Rice would be nice. There will be some players from playoff teams that hit the portal later.
4. The 2025 Recruiting Class
Starts at 1:39:02
Bryce Underwood is not allowed to be the answer to any of these.
Favorite guy in the class?
Most unlikely to be in this class?
Sleeper of the year?
Most Important?
Michigan is 9th in recruiting but recruiting at the same quality as Ohio State. It revolves around one guy.
MUSIC:
- "It Ain't Easy" -- 2Pac
- "Vaping In Vegas" -- Wolves of Glendale
- "Let's Go Back" -- Jungle
- “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra
Thursday Dec 05, 2024
Thursday Dec 05, 2024
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Michigan Hockey watch-along tomorrow night. Be here.
- Kickstarter backers: look for a shipping update soon. Short version is yes you will have them by Christmas but most haven't shipped yet because of Thanksgiving.
- MGoStore has shirts, books.
Things Discussed:
- Michigan 13, Ohio State 10: You gotta play the game not the board. OMG and KtG are two guys apiece, so if you're seeing five in the box you're running into a seven-man box; you just don't know it.
- Wink didn't do Wink stuff, OSU's gameplan was to use those opportunities. There were checks on his blitzes and looks all game—he just didn't give them those opportunities. Chip Kelly like Urban Meyer looks where he has numbers and run the ball into light boxes, which is what they did all year (this was their passiest game of the year!). But Urban brought in Ryan Day to not be that.
- It's not like their pass game was that effective either. It comes down to blocking and tackling. It shouldn't have come to that, but fundamentally is Ryan Day going to catch up to Michigan?
- Brian's main concern: Michigan's had Hutchinson, Mason Graham…when they don't have super-elite defensive lines can they continue that going forward or do they have to play Ohio State like other teams do?
- Keep Ryan Day? Would you rather keep beating up on this guy (like one more time) or let Ross Bjork give him a $34 million buyout and hire his definition of a good idea? Brian: It's not like they're going to hire Urban Meyer. Seth: They could literally hire Urban Meyer.
- Michigan got better on defense when they moved Zeke to cornerback and Paige to nickel. Rod Moore could be the most important guy for next year.
- Hoops vs Wisconsin: Did Danny Wolf make himself an NBA guy over the offseason? Not ready to say that, but it worked against a John Tonje.
- Offensive coordinator: Tulane OC Joe Craddock has a good track record of fixing dumpster fires (e.g. at Troy). Toledo HC Jason Candle is in a weird spot where he's too successful in the MAC to move up but not successful enough for more than a Purdue job. Dan Mullen? Pro names also on the list: do they talk to Brian Griese (not an OC) or Byron Leftwich (not currently coaching)? Michigan's priority is finding a guy who will develop Underwood.
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Thank you to 247's Steve Lorenz for joining us, as always, for a Podcast-length edition of Across the Crooked Blue Line.
The Sponsors
We want to thank Underground Printing for starting this and making it possible—stop by and pick up some gear, check them out at ugpmichiganapparel.com, or check out our selection of shirts on the MGoBlogStore.com. And let’s not forget our associate sponsors: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Champions Circle, Human Element, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Venue by 4M, Winewood Organics, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, Royal Oath Insurance Group, Community Pest Solutions, Autograph: Fandom Rewarded, who just launched an app where you earn rewards for things like reading MGoBlog and listening to our podcast, and SignalWire where we are recording this.
THE VIDEO:
[After THE JUMP: People in yellow puffy jackets.]
---------------------
1. Things We're Watching and Offensive Recruits
Starts at the top
PEOPLE OF INTEREST: Jayden Sanders will sign tomorrow; that's just when his school does that. Olesh might get caught up in Oregon's big day, since he's their final target. Good that he's held out, Michigan's working the phones. Lean? Who knows. Derek Meadows: sounds like Alabama came in with a bigger NIL offer. Ty Haywood: 5-star, as long as he makes it up to campus we're in good shape.
QB BRYCE UNDERWOOD: The cackling segment. Been a five-year recruitment—there was a Bryce Underwood recruitment paragraph on every QB target since Dante Moore was on their radar; shows M is serious. Steve's comp is Trevor Lawrence, but runs like Vince Young. Ivins thinks the distance between #1 overall the the #2 and #3 guys in the class is massive.
RB JASPER PARKER: So underrated he can't be called underrated anymore. Not fast but is Hart-But-Big.
RB DONOVAN JOHNSON: Freaks list, early 5-star because IMG, big injury drop and other schools dropped out, but made Freaks list after recovery.
WR ANDREW MARSH: Elite WR. How? Bellamy did work. Seth comps to Cornelius Johnson, because elite double-moves and intellectual family.
WR JACOB WASHINGTON: Never wavered even though big Sr season and had Washington come calling. Bellamy's HS, his HC is still the HC. Adrian Arrington/Marquise Walker tall possession type, but needs a redshirt.
WR JAMAR BROWDER: Might be 6'5"—flipped from NC State and big riser, contested baller. NC State thought they had a dude. Common pick for class sleeper. Nico? Nico was a unicorn because of his speed. Bellamy recruiter of the year? West Bloomfield legend, Louisiana legend, and owns North Carolina since brother-in-law Biakabutuka lives out there.
FB ELI OWENS: Wants to be Max Bredeson!!!!
LT ANDREW BABALOLA: Comps to Stanford guys don't work; Jake Long in that he's a bit raw, basketball, length.
OG AVERY GACH: Yay Groves, Yay Seth's Temple. Zinter/Sainristil of the OL who led Groves to the greatest season in school history (along with Barry Sanders's son). Why hasn't been bumped up? Nobody was at his games.
C KADEN STRAYHORN: Funniest commit; dad is the color guy on MSU radio, but MSU was out a long time ago, won over OSU. IMG center, might be a little small.
2. Defensive Line and Linebacker
Starts at 43:25
DE/DT NATE MARSHALL: Most surprising commit x2. Big win out of Chicago. Steve sees him growing into a DT but has the athleticism to stay outside.
WDE JULIUS HOLLY: Injury meant nobody got to see him after a killer start to his Sr year but great measurables, guy Michigan sees as next Dom Nichols.
DT BOBBY KANKA: Matt Godin.
SDE BENNY PATTERSON: Might be the Wormley of the class. Build-a-bear rose late, should have been a 4-star. Edge for sure. PSU and USC were also trying to flip off senior tape.
DT TRAVIS MOTEN: Wrestlers have the stamina as well as the leverage. His Hudl looks like Chris Hinton. Might be 280 already. Seth comp: Rayshaun Benny.
MLB NATHANIEL OWUSU-BOATENG: Another early highly ranked IMG kid, injury hid him as a senior, probably much much larger than his listed 6'0"/200. More of a MIKE to Michigan.
WLB CHASE TAYLOR: The Sullivan-esque super long athlete, outside linebacker with crazy athleticism and length, finally rose late.
3. Secondary and Class Wrap
Starts at 1:00:40
CB JAYDEN SANDERS: Legit 6'3" and long. Ceiling is insane. Amorion Walker but this time he's starting as a CB. Freakish ability to move—if you can play cornerback at that size…
CB SHAMARI EARLS: Will Johnson Memorial Hey Elite Cornerbacks Are Good. Sam Webb all over this recruitment. Expect the 5-star cornerback track.
ATH ELIJAH DOTSON: Pat Narduzzi complains about Michigan throwing around money. Freaky athlete, late riser, CB-WR-S freaky athlete type. Might be best as a CB (think Jeremy Clark).
FS JORDAN YOUNG: Clemson decommit because "their recruiting class wasn't that good." Michigan operating in the real world. Flipped him after we lost Ike Taylor, similar ceiling, similar profile (think Zeke Berry) but he's right that he needs some development.
NK KAINOA WINSTON: Reminds Brian of Quinten Johnson. Reminds Seth of Rod Moore and Mike Sainristil in that Winston is a football savant. Also a sprinter.
THE CLASS AS IT STANDS: Talent parity with Ohio State! What happens when Michigan isn't disadvantaged by rules they follow and their competition doesn't? Look at 1990s: they had a LOT of talent on those teams. Now they just need to get an OC who isn't going to run 80% of the time when he has Tom Brady. Class put together in adverse circumstances: Yes a natty run but also Will Harbaugh Go to the NFL? Their slow walk to taking NIL seriously. Their rough 2024 before winning The Game.
| OFFENSE | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Player | State | Stars | In a nutshell |
| QB | Bryce Underwood | MI | 5.0 | Drew Henson 2.0, basically. |
| RB | Donovan Johnson | GA | 4.0⬇⬇ | Elite as a Fr, IMG, injured as Jr. |
| RB | Jasper Parker | LA | 3.8⬆ | Hart-selected, Alford approved |
| WR | Andrew Marsh | TX | 4.5⬇ | Gliding track athlete/deep threat |
| WR | Jacob Washington | LA | 4.0 | Parker's teammate. Big & Tall |
| WR | Jamar Browder | FL | 3.6⬆ | Giant contested baller. |
| TE | Andrew Olesh | PA | 4.4⬆⬆ | #1 target, catchy-blocky, Bama wanted. |
| TE | Eli Owens | TN | 3.7⬇⬇ | Blocky FB/TE. |
| OT | Andrew Babalola | KS | 4.8 | Elite 1st rnd type but a bit raw too. |
| OG | Avery Gach | MI | 4.1⬆ | Smart and nasty Zinterish G. |
| C | Kaden Strayhorn | MI | 3.8 | IMG, top C in class, son of MSU radio |
| DEFENSE | ||||
| Pos | Player | State | Stars | In a nutshell |
| NT | Travis Moten | KY | 3.5⬆ | Wrestling build-a-bear |
| DT | Bobby Kanka | MI | 4.0⬆⬆ | Tenacious DT |
| DT/DE | Benny Patterson | IN | 3.6⬆ | Build-a-bear flipped from Cincy. |
| SDE | Nate Marshall | IL | 4.6⬆ | Elite heavy edge, maybe DT |
| WDE | Julius Holly | GA | 3.9⬇ | Solid high-floor pass rusher. |
| MLB | Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng | MD (IMG) | 4.3⬇⬇ | Ravens-type, BJM top target all cycle. |
| WLB | Chase Taylor | GA | 3.6 | Lanky/speedy underrated athlete |
| Nk | Kainoa Winston | DC | 4.4⬆ | Rod Moore-ish Mike Sainristil. |
| S | Jordan Young | NC | 4.3 | Zeke Berry-ish burst |
| CB | Shamari Earls | VA | 4.5 | Elite tall CB flipped from UGA |
| CB | Jayden Sanders | TX | 3.9⬆ | Tall/skinny super athlete |
| ATH | Elijah Dotson | MI | 4.2⬆⬆⬆ | Very tall CB/S/WR, Belleville |
4. Hoops vs Wisconsin
Starts at 1:21:29
What did we learn? We learned WOLF! He wasn't playing like this at Yale—he was a point center but not a point GUARD. Finding that 14-foot pick-and-roll and Wisconsin has no answer. Defense is also this team's calling card, because Wolf can stay in front of a 6'5" guy. Rebounding? Maybe they didn't focus on it because everyone is still playing icebreakers to get to know each other, maybe they didn't practice it because Wisconsin and Gayle used to guard PGs.
Songs:
- “Hi, Hey There, Hello”—The Mowglis
- "Strawberry Letter23”—The Brothers Johnson
- “Mr. Fear”—SIAMES
Also because Across 110th Street will get our Youtubes taken down, the opener and outro:
- “The Employee is Not Afraid”—Bear vs. Shark
- “Ruska Vodka”—Motorboat
Tuesday Dec 03, 2024
Tuesday Dec 03, 2024
1 Hour and 9 Minutes
With David Nasternak and Alex Drain
This Podcast Has a Sponsor: Michigan Law Grad Jonathan Paul is the guy with the C you want skating next to the ref and pleading your case. He's also a good guy to sit next to at the hockey games.
- Opener
- Poor Start
- It Didn't Get Better
- Just a Game to Forget
- Professional Performance
- Weekend Takeaways
- Old Friends and the League
- Gopher Showdown Incoming
MUSIC
- NHL on ESPN Theme
- "Wild Horses" -- Bishop Briggs
- Ice Hockey (NES) theme
Monday Dec 02, 2024
Monday Dec 02, 2024
3 hours and 9 minutes
The Sponsors
Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com.
Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where we recorded this.
1. Hahahahahahahaha
Starts at 1:00
lol. lmao. An NIL booster in Dayton has no soul because MICHIGAN SUCKED IT OUT OF HIS CHEST. THE PUNTERS MOCKED YOU. There has never been a season like this that we have experienced. This is the most surprising win since we've started watching Michigan football. Ohio State probably wins easily if they just play their game but they played too conservatively. WE IOWA'D THEM. It was a little windy :( Michigan didn't get to knock them out of the playoff but now they have to regroup and win four playoff games instead of three. They should've gotten that QB that went to Syracuse. Ryan Day's insecurities are coming back to haunt him and they snowballed in this game, he's never had to learn how to lose. Ohio State is 10-2 and their fans are miserable.
[The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]
2. Defense vs Ohio State
Starts at 32:56
Let's all apologize to Wink Martindale. Mason Graham does not play defensive end, so thanks for that. Was all the weird stuff all season a rope-a-dope?? Kenneth Grant had the best game he's ever had in a Michigan uniform. Ohio State's offensive line is one of their biggest issues and they played into Michigan's biggest strength, the defensive line. They didn't run their running quarterback. Quinshon Judkins was supposed to be that guy and Makari Paige cancelled that. Who on Ohio State has dat dawg in them? Ohio State probably could've dumbed down their offense and scored more than 10 points. Rod Moore was still the Sainristil of this defense even though he didn't play. They just didn't call holding in this game.
3. Hot Takes, Offense, Game Theory, and Special Teams
Starts at 59:36
Takes hotter than anything Ryan Day sits on. Kalel Mullings had the most hoss-like game since Chris Perry. On 3rd and long they still give it to Kalel even when the percentage of success was low. Michigan's last two drives before the kneel down ate up almost a whole quarter of time. Where will Davis Warren be next year? No matter what, he's entered the lore of Michigan football. Was Michigan playing too safe as a 21 point underdog or was their bag of plays just not that deep? Zvada is the #1 FEI kicker by a billion. Tyler Morris caught the punts, woo! College kickers are back and Ryan Day is haunted by them! Ohio State still just doesn't have it in short yardage. Ryan Day doesn't believe he can get that one yard, but he keeps trying. The first incident is a kerfuffle, the post-game was a level 4 melee. With respect to the pepper spray - now the wind is important! Michigan turned Ohio State into Michigan State. Gus Johnson had a horrible game. Three controversial non-PI calls that went against Michigan. Jeremiah Smith is going to be a physical athlete that drives Seth and Craig crazy for the next two years. Need a seppuku touchdown celebration.
4. Around the Big Ten with Jamie Mac
Starts at 2:16:55
Indiana 66, Purdue 0
This game was one yard away from a total rutger. Ryan Walters was fired immediately after, he was 5-19 at Purdue. If you're Indiana, who do you want to play in the playoffs? Who does Purdue replace as their coach?
Iowa 13, Nebraska 10
Iowa wins with five total first downs and 49 rushing yards. Nebraska dominated this game all the way and still lost by one score. Michigan ended their season by finally being Iowa with upside. Cade seems to have left the program.
Rutgers 41, Michigan State 14
You've gotta really be nervous about Aidan Chiles moving forward if you're a Michigan State fan. After the game Chiles had some spicy quotes about the fans. Michigan State might not be able to just portal fix things. Jonathan Smith might not be mean enough to coach Michigan State.
Illinois 38, Northwestern 28
Northwestern outgains Illinois but turns the ball over four times. AJ Henning has 119 receiving yards.
UCLA 20, Fresno State 14
UCLA gets to 5-7 after looking absolutely terrible at the start of the year. They're a team to watch out for in the portal, though. It'll be a whole new team.
Penn State 44, Maryland 7
Maryland goes up 7-0 and then decides not to do football. They're a dead fish right now but hey they still beat USC. Penn State earns a spot in the Big Ten championship game in a year where they don't beat Michigan or Ohio State. Would they be the #1 overall seed if they win the Big Ten??
Notre Dame 49, USC 35
Notre Dame gets TWO ~100 yard pick sixes. Does USC need to think about moving on from Lincoln Riley?
Oregon 49, Washington 21
Oregon is the team that combines the west coast passing attack with a running attack better than anyone. The ducks crunch the OW game. Oregon gets 10 sacks!
Minnesota 24, Wisconsin 7
A slow motion blowout. How does Wisconsin recover from this season? Fickell is on contract until 2029.
MUSIC:
- Carry Me Ohio"-- Sun Kil Moon
- "Crybaby" -- Cults
- "Bloodbuzz Ohio" -- The National
- “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra
Friday Nov 29, 2024
Friday Nov 29, 2024
The Sponsors
We want to thank Underground Printing for starting this and making it possible—stop by and pick up some gear, check them out at ugpmichiganapparel.com, or check out our selection of shirts on the MGoBlogStore.com. And let’s not forget our associate sponsors: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Champions Circle, Human Element, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Venue by 4M, Winewood Organics, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, Royal Oath Insurance Group, Community Pest Solutions, Autograph: Fandom Rewarded, who just launched an app where you earn rewards for things like reading MGoBlog and listening to our podcast, and SignalWire where we are recording this.
Featured Musician: Tree City
THE VIDEO:
[After THE JUMP: Things said.]
---------------------
1. Ohio State Preview: Offense
starts at the top
Is Howard any better than Kyle McCord? Because McCord was actually really good in The Game last year. How Chip Kelly is the running game? How Ryan Day are they on 3rd & 3? Injuries to the offensive line have drawn in a couple of guards who weren't expected to play yet, put Carson Hinzman back at C and kicked Donovan Jackson out to left tackle, but these are first-world problems. Jeremiah Smith's freshman eligibility is a global problem. Emeke Egbuka is a dangerous slot weapon that wasn't fully utilized until he got to play there.
2. Ohio State Preview: Defense
starts at 18:02
They brought back almost everybody and added the #1 transfer in the portal, meaning 5-star Sonny Styles is now at WLB for new Bandit uber 5-star Caleb Downs. Not as relevant that you can block JT Tuimolaoau and Jack Sawyer and survive because Evan Link isn't blocking those guys. Lathan Ransom has been a superstar at Adjuster safety for them. Weakness is the cornerbacks get left in man and are not elite—a weakness that Michigan is in a particularly bad position to exploit.
3. Basketball vs Xavier and Virginia Tech
starts at 35:17
They faced a switching team and switched Everything! On-ball defense was brilliant in both games. Coming from guys we expected and from guys we didn't expect. Offensively they can find a guy (Gayle vs VT, Wolf vs Xavier) to keep them going until they get good at their offense, but that's coming too and you can see it in Vlad's usage. Seth wants an NIL program to pay Vlad $1000 per dunk and subtract $100 for every shot missed at the rim that's not a dunk.
4. Recruiting
starts at 54:36
Underwood's arm strength is THERE but he varies his angles and speed, and that's why there's a hitch. His movement is also THERE: breakaway speed to extend plays. Seth runs us through guys to pay attention to down the stretch. See you next time for our live Signing Day show.
About the Featured Artist: Tree City
I call them 7, 3, and 4. [photo: Benjamin Weatherston]
Those of you who've been paying attention know we always have a little surprise for The Game, but this one surprised even me. Nadim got in touch with local legend/Michigan grad Evan Haywood just in time to get us a preview of Tree City's highly anticipated next album "Pure Levels." For those who are tapped into the Ann Arbor music scene, you're going "Holy shit they got a copy of Tree City's new album!???" (it won't be released until December 13).
For the rest (vast majority) of you: Tree City is a hip-hop collective from Ann Arbor that formed in 2005 and quickly became an integral part of the local scene. Three original members remain: Haywood ("Clavius Crates"), Kyle Hunter ("Silas Green"), and Jacoby Simmons ("DJ Cataclysmic") along with Charles Cheek ("Cheeks"), who joined in 2008. It's a big deal because we haven't had a Tree City release since their critically acclaimed "Thus Far" back in 2010, meaning the entirety of the Hoke and Harbaugh eras went by with people wondering when these guys are going to make another. Haywood calls "Pure Levels" the…
magnum opus of homegrown hip-hop, over a decade in the making. It promises to be the definitive statement from several of the finest lyricists ever to emerge from Michigan.
Their sound is intellectual, futuristic, and—IMO—a little bit jazzy in the way they quote and reference. It's fun and danceable stuff, but the lyrics are the thing. If you like grounded philosophy in your hip-hop this is the hip-hop for you.
Songs:
- Love Hotels (produced by Dykehouse)
- Story 2 Story (Dykehouse)
- Raspberry Balm (produced by Vulfpeck)
Also because Across 110th Street will get our Youtubes taken down, the opener and outro:
- “The Employee is Not Afraid”—Bear vs. Shark
- “Ruska Vodka”—Motorboat
Monday Nov 25, 2024
Monday Nov 25, 2024
1 Hour and 7 Minutes
With David Nasternak and Alex Drain
This Podcast Has a Sponsor: Michigan Law Grad Jonathan Paul is the guy with the C you want skating next to the ref and pleading your case. He's also a good guy to sit next to at the hockey games.
- Opener
- Explosive first period
- Two Blown three goal leads
- Hage beats Grannan
- Goal Count
- Weekend Takeaways
- Old Friends and the League
- Checking in With Awkward Cousin
MUSIC
- NHL on ESPN Theme
- "Ain't No Use in Tryin'" -- Trampled By Turtles
- Ice Hockey (NES) theme
Monday Nov 25, 2024
Monday Nov 25, 2024
1 hour and 56 minutes
The Sponsors
Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com.
Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where we recorded this.
1. Offense vs Northwestern
Starts at 1:00
We got in a time machine and went back to 2023 and it felt pretty good. Michigan and Northwestern were about even in yardage towards the end of the first half and then Michigan runs the worst two-minute drill to result in a touchdown ever. Can you do anything Michigan did in the 2nd half against Ohio State? No. A rare compliment to Kirk Campbell. Looking ahead to Bryce Underwood. Michigan is also going to portal a quarterback. A few guys who will contribute next year got to play in this game. There's a vibe about upcoming coaching/coordinator changes.
[The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]
2. Defense vs Northwestern
Starts at 34:01
Michigan was playing one of the worst offenses in America and made them look like it. Who comes back next year? The defensive tackles are gone but some ends are probably back. Will Johnson is gone but Hall is probably back. Zeke Berry is a safety playing corner so he has his limitations.
3. Hot Takes, Game Theory, and Special Teams
Starts at 48:06
Takes hotter than Tavierre Dunlap. What would be this team's record against last year's schedule? What would this team's record be with last year's coaching staff? Zvada is 6/6 on 50+ field goals this year. The transfer portal opens in one week and is only open for three weeks! Evaluating next year's offensive line. It will be interesting to see how a new offensive coordinator would evaluate the talent. They're probably fine at linebacker next year but the secondary is a concern.
4. Around the Big Ten with Jamie Mac
Starts at 1:19:27
Ohio State 38, Indiana 15
Indiana's offensive line got destroyed which doesn't bode well for Michigan! Indiana's coaches are great but they played this game with James Madison's talent.
Michigan State 24, Purdue 17
This one was fun to watch after the Victors signing event. This was being enjoyed by anyone who wasn't a Michigan State or Purdue fan. Michigan State has a "win and you're in" against Rutgers!
Illinois 38, Rutgers 31
A wild ending to this one. Rutgers just stops playing defense on Illinois' game winning touchdown.
Penn State 26, Minnesota 25
Penn State just hanging on by the skin of their teeth all game. There's a blocked extra point for a 2-pt return! This was a very MGoBlog score.
Nebraska 44, Wisconsin 25
Nebraska is bowl eligible for the first time since 2016! Another poor performance for Wisconsin on both sides of the ball. Wisconsin hasn't had a losing season since 2001 (they're 5-6).
Iowa 28, Maryland 13
Iowa runs their running back 35 times, naturally. Is it time for Maryland to move on from Locksley? Iowa Nebraska on Black Friday is now a fun tradition we're excited for.
USC 19, UCLA 13
One of the Big Ten's all time greatest rivalries! There was a kickoff at the 5 yard line. The decision to bench Miller Moss is weird because he didn't appear to have been the problem.
MUSIC:
- "Life Is"-- Jessica Pratt
- "Lou's Tune" -- DARGZ, Moses Boyd
- "The In-Between" -- In This Moment
- “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra
Friday Nov 22, 2024
Friday Nov 22, 2024
REMINDER: BOOK RELEASE PARTY!
SEE YOU TONIGHT AT VENUE, 6PM
The Sponsors
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Featured Musician: Magic Toaster
THE VIDEO:
[After THE JUMP: Things said.]
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1. Bryce Underwood and Recruiting
starts at the top
High-five everybody! Is he the starter next year? What does it do for the class? Guessing this means Michigan gets Derek Meadows, who was a package deal, and keeps Olesh, and can finish strong. What to make of other flip possibilities, including an OT committed to Alabama? What happened to Jaylen Williams?
2 & 3. Northwestern Preview
starts at 24:19 (offense) and 35:38 (defense)
Offense isn't SO bad but still quite bad. Offensive line issues are not just injuries. Mirror Michigan in that they have similar weaknesses and an OC who doesn't really know what he's doing or how to evaluate what he has. Defensively well-coached guys but few dudes. One dude they do have is a cornerback who's playing hurt.
4. Basketball vs Tarleton State and Ft Myers Preview
starts at 46:57
A glitchy shooting night and a lot of fouling in a low-care blowout, but we only care about the turnover rate. Well not ONLY: Vlad Goldin needs to stop and gather when he gets the ball low in transition. Defensively the starters are so much better than other lineups. Seeing good play from Pippen—has he earned a role?
Fort Myers: Virginia Tech is Not Good but also important to beat because South Carolina and Xavier would both be very good resume games we'd like to get to. Xavier is on par with Michigan; South Carolina looks like Wake and TCU.
About the Featured Artist: Magic Toaster
As far as I can tell we're getting in on the ground floor of this local dude—and I have to know is that a sample from Chrono Trigger at the beginning of Blue Night Oberon, which is his latest single? Magic Taster calls his music "igneous rock recorded in my basement" but it's got deep prog and rock roots. The lyrics are accessible, smart, and funny. He came up on a playlist of Indie Ann Arbor music and I wrote the last couple of articles with him on in the background. I don't know any more about him but I'm featuring and finding out and giving you a selection of three different songs that show off his range. FWIW the third one—Saturday Nite—is the one that caught my ears.
Song choices:
- Blue Night Oberon
- Anything's Fine
- Saturday Nite
Also because Across 110th Street will get our Youtubes taken now now, the opener and outro:
- “The Employee is Not Afraid”—Bear vs. Shark
- “Ruska Vodka”—Motorboat