All Things SkunkBear

[ACamp1900]

driskel tweeted that out earlier

The guy I took it from was just some random fan who didn't cite anyone... fun times tho

 

[OhioIrish31]

Saw this on facebook, no idea if it's even correct but it made me smile:

"Fun Fact::: VA Tech backup QB Ryan Wills has more road wins over ranked opponents in 2018, than every Michigan team from 2007-2018 combined."

That is a VERY fun fact! Sucks that we need them to be good this year for SOS. On second thought...let them shit the bed the rest of the way. I like our chances if we can keep it together and run the table.

 

[ulukinatme]

That is a VERY fun fact! Sucks that we need them to be good this year for SOS. On second thought...let them shit the bed the rest of the way. I like our chances if we can keep it together and run the table.

Fuck 'em, I'd rather Michigan lose every game for the rest of the season. SOS will be fine if we win out.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Fuck 'em, I'd rather Michigan lose every game for the rest of the season. SOS will be fine if we win out.

Yep, I continue to see myself cheering against them every week, but then think in the back of my head "wait...do we actually need them to win?.....nah, **ck it."

 

[connor_in]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It only makes sense.<br><br>FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS!<a href="https://t.co/d9CDpaSDfc">https://t.co/d9CDpaSDfc</a></p>— The Black Sheep MSU (@blacksheep_msu) <a href="https://twitter.com/blacksheep_msu/status/1050816373671284742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[dublinirish]

<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8z7bfkDM7Sw" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[KizerWilhelm]

Wow, a ringing endorsement https://freebeacon.com/culture/mahmoud-ahmadinejad-‏endorses-university-michigan-wolverines/

 

[dublinirish]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...-football-drew-singleton-transfer/1677856002/

Michigan football redshirt freshman linebacker Drew Singleton has decided to leave the program as a transfer.

U-M spokesman Dave Ablauf confirmed the news Wednesday. It was first reported by 247Sports.

Singleton joined Michigan as the No. 80-ranked player nationally, per 247Sports, in the 2017 recruiting class. He played at Paramus (N.J.) Catholic High School, the same school that produced former Michigan star Jabrill Peppers and current players Rashan Gary and Juwann Bushell-Beatty.

 

[Irish#1]

And the questions of whether we will or should pursue him begin in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..............

 

[TomHaverford]

And the questions of whether we will or should pursue him begin in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..............

if he doesn't want to compete at Michigan, what makes you think he would at ND?

He'll probably go to some crappy school where he can start right away like Rutgers.

Outside of Gary and Brad Hawkins, those NJ boys have been big fat flops for M lately. Kareem Walker, Ahmir Mitchell, Ron Johnson, and now this guy.

 

[calvegas04]

Outside of Gary and Brad Hawkins, those NJ boys have been big fat flops for M lately. Kareem Walker, Ahmir Mitchell, Ron Johnson, and now this guy.

And every um QB

 

[Rack Em]

if he doesn't want to compete at Michigan, what makes you think he would at ND?

He'll probably go to some crappy school where he can start right away like Rutgers.

Outside of Gary and Brad Hawkins, those NJ boys have been big fat flops for M lately. Kareem Walker, Ahmir Mitchell, Ron Johnson, and now this guy.

Hey buddy, where the hell ya been?!?! It must be nice to be winners of 6 straight games! Did the skunkbear boys finally get smell of that mushroom stamp off their face from the ND game? Glad you finally made it back since you felt it's been a sufficient amount of time to show your face around these parts!

 

[greyhammer90]

if he doesn't want to compete at Michigan, what makes you think he would at ND?

He'll probably go to some crappy school where he can start right away like Rutgers.

Outside of Gary and Brad Hawkins, those NJ boys have been big fat flops for M lately. Kareem Walker, Ahmir Mitchell, Ron Johnson, and now this guy.

You lost.

 

[TomHaverford]

And every um QB

Rudock was pretty damn good. Those first 3 games were rough, but then it just clicked with him.

Speight pretty much sucked. O'Korn was even worse- maybe the worse I've ever seen. Peters was mediocre but only a rs freshman.

Patterson keeps getting better every week and McCaffrey looks very talented. Peters is probably transferring at the end of the year. One more year of Patterson in 2019 and then it'll be McCaffrey's team in 2020 and 2021.

 

[irishog77]

Rudock was pretty damn good. Those first 3 games were rough, but then it just clicked with him.

Speight pretty much sucked. O'Korn was even worse- maybe the worse I've ever seen. Peters was mediocre but only a rs freshman.

Patterson keeps getting better every week and McCaffrey looks very talented. Peters is probably transferring at the end of the year. One more year of Patterson in 2019 and then it'll be McCaffrey's team in 2020 and 2021.

The years michigan finally makes it to having all their football and basketball players major in kinesiology, general studies, and african-american studies. The 70% threshold of players is what has been holding them back. Will you also proceed to tell us how even more of these fine student athletes that don't graduate with a shit degree are "michigan men?"

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

if he doesn't want to compete at Michigan, what makes you think he would at ND?

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

 

[Ndaccountant]

The years michigan finally makes it to having all their football and basketball players major in kinesiology, general studies, and african-american studies. The 70% threshold of players is what has been holding them back. Will you also proceed to tell us how even more of these fine student athletes that don't graduate with a shit degree are "michigan men?"

Timeout.

We need to give Jimmy H a break..after all...

 

[koonja]

Tom, I do find it funny you show up only after Michigan has been getting national pub and being talked about as playoff contenders after their first big win in how many years.

But on a serious note, how confident are you Shea stays? I had been assuming he'd go pro in what is a weak QB draft.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Tom, I do find it funny you show up only after Michigan has been getting national pub and being talked about as playoff contenders after their first big win in how many years.

But on a serious note, how confident are you Shea stays? I had been assuming he'd go pro in what is a weak QB draft.

Was it? Was it really?

Wisconsin looks like absolute trash this year.

 

[koonja]

Was it? Was it really?

Wisconsin looks like absolute trash this year.

To Michigan? Borderline superbowl. But no, Wisconsin sucks. And Wisconsin is my 2nd team so I hate to say that. Hornibrook has the arm of a 12 year old. I'm not even sure he's truly left handed. The OL hasn't been what it was cracked up to be, and the defense is sneaky bad.

They were ripe to get knocked off by a lesser team again if Michigan didn't get to them first.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

To Michigan? Borderline superbowl.

Fair point. Carry on, sir.

 

[Irish#1]

To Michigan? Borderline superbowl. But no, Wisconsin sucks. And Wisconsin is my 2nd team so I hate to say that. Hornibrook has the arm of a 12 year old. I'm not even sure he's truly left handed. The OL hasn't been what it was cracked up to be, and the defense is sneaky bad.

They were ripe to get knocked off by a lesser team like Michigan.

FIFY

 

[NDLS_USMC]

Outside of Gary and Brad Hawkins, those NJ boys have been big fat flops for M lately. Kareem Walker, Ahmir Mitchell, Ron Johnson, and now this guy.

You gotta be more of a historian of your own team, Bruh. Ron Johnson was your answer to Jim Brown back in the day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Johnson_(running_back)

 

[TomHaverford]

Tom, I do find it funny you show up only after Michigan has been getting national pub and being talked about as playoff contenders after their first big win in how many years.

But on a serious note, how confident are you Shea stays? I had been assuming he'd go pro in what is a weak QB draft.

Been busy.

I'd be kind of shocked if Shea goes honestly. Haven't seen anyone project him as a high pick and he just hasn't played that much football. I think he started 9 games at Ole Miss in two seasons. This is his first year playing in a pro style offense. There's been a lot of good from him over the last 7 weeks but also a lot of wtf was that Shea as well. Very talented, but sometimes he just does reckless shit. He just needs to keep honing his game. He's gotten a lot better though.

He's completing about 69% of his passes and he's thrown 10 TD's against 3 INT's. And honestly his numbers should be better. He got robbed of a long TD against Maryland because of a bs phantom holding call on RB Tru Wilson and 2 of his INT's were entirely the fault of his TE's. But he also got away with 2 INT's in which he threw the balls right to a defender against SMU and again vs Wisconsin and the defender dropped them. So that's kind of evened out.

He's taken care of the ball for the most part as a passer, but as a runner in the pocket he tries to do too much and he's careless with the way he holds the football.

He's super talented though. I could maybe see him leaving but right now he probably has a 2nd round grade at best. Probably realistically more like a 3rd or 4th. If he came back and just kept working out the kinks he could vault himself way up draft boards. Which is why I think he probably stays.

 

[greyhammer90]

Been busy.

 

[Rack Em]

Been busy.

I'd be kind of shocked if Shea goes honestly. Haven't seen anyone project him as a high pick and he just hasn't played that much football. I think he started 9 games at Ole Miss in two seasons. This is his first year playing in a pro style offense. There's been a lot of good from him over the last 7 weeks but also a lot of wtf was that Shea as well. Very talented, but sometimes he just does reckless shit. He just needs to keep honing his game. He's gotten a lot better though.

He's completing about 69% of his passes and he's thrown 10 TD's against 3 INT's. And honestly his numbers should be better. He got robbed of a long TD against Maryland because of a bs phantom holding call on RB Tru Wilson and 2 of his INT's were entirely the fault of his TE's. But he also got away with 2 INT's in which he threw the balls right to a defender against SMU and again vs Wisconsin and the defender dropped them. So that's kind of evened out.

He's taken care of the ball for the most part as a passer, but as a runner in the pocket he tries to do too much and he's careless with the way he holds the football.

He's super talented though. I could maybe see him leaving but right now he probably has a 2nd round grade at best. Probably realistically more like a 3rd or 4th. If he came back and just kept working out the kinks he could vault himself way up draft boards. Which is why I think he probably stays.

I would come back if were him...and move up the draft boards like:

Wilton Speight
John O'Korn
Jake Rudock
Brandon Peters
Alex Malzone

 

[IrishLion]

I wonder if it hurts Tom that Ian Book is better than Shea Patterson

You know Shea Patterson, the transfer QB that still isn't very good, but scUM continues to place all their hopes on the transfer QB anyway, because Harbaugh can't find or develop one of his own?

 

[connor_in]

What trick is Dantonio hatching for Michigan this time?

He’s up to something. You know he is.

Just when you think Mark Dantonio has run out of ways to torture Michigan, he’s conjuring up an ingenious one. I’m not saying Dantonio is some mystical wizard capable of unleashing horrific misfortune upon Michigan State’s only true rival. I’m just saying I wouldn’t be surprised if the Wolverines are driving late in the fourth quarter Saturday and the skies open up and drop fishes and frogs on the field.

The plan is unfolding perfectly. First, Michigan State loses two games to unranked teams, to dampen expectations. Then more players get hurt, compounding the adversity. Then the Spartans dupe James Franklin and Penn State, just to plant a seed of hope in East Lansing and a crop of doubt in Ann Arbor. Then Dantonio comes out and says nice things about Michigan and Jim Harbaugh, softening them up. Rumor is, he even suggested the winged helmets “aren’t completely ugly,” although I can’t confirm it.

All the while, Michigan is minding its own business, winning six straight to climb to No. 6 in the country, oblivious to what awaits. Now the Wolverines head to East Lansing yet again as the favorites, yet again as the unsuspecting foils, certain this is the year they return the rivalry to its natural state, and by “natural state,” I mean “the 1970s and '80s.”

More: Detroit News predictions: Michigan at Michigan State

Listen. Should Michigan win Saturday? Based on normal tangibles, sure.

Have the Wolverines finally acknowledged the enormous importance of the game and admitted losing eight of 10 isn’t totally a fluke? Publicly, yes. Privately, I’ll get back to you on that.

Do the Spartans still view this game as the ultimate measure of their self-worth as players and humans, as their manifest destiny, as the apex of their lives? Yep, and that’s the gap the Wolverines have struggled to close.

Over the past decade, since Mike Hart politely complimented the Spartans on their sibling status, this has turned dramatically, although not surprisingly. While Michigan was trying the RichRod Experience, and then a whirl on the Hoke-and-Poke, Dantonio was building a band of angry Spartans, like in the movie “300.” (On a sad note, all 300 Spartans in the movie perished, although the Wolverines obviously had nothing to do with it.)

At the risk of over-simplifying a rivalry once dominated by Michigan, let’s just say the Spartans proudly wear chips on their shoulders, while the Wolverines have been known to don tassels. Whether it’s disrespect chips, poker chips, potato chips, cow chips, Chips Ahoy! or chips and salsa, it doesn’t matter how sloppy the shoulder pads get. Again and again, the Spartans under Dantonio demand to know: When will you stop doubting us?!

Easy answer: When you stop losing inexplicable games that stir the doubters, then cleverly win inexplicable games that mock the doubters. I’m not saying it’s the Spartans’ fault, but it kind of is.

It’s also Michigan’s fault for not recognizing and matching Michigan State’s singular obsession. According to my imaginary sources, the Spartans’ trophy case prominently displays the Paul Bunyan Trophy, right next to the Muffed Punt Trophy. After practice, they reportedly break down their huddle with, “One, two, three, trouble with the snap!”

Of course, that was Dantonio’s cruelest twist ever, convincing Michigan’s punter to bobble the ball with 10 seconds remaining three years ago. Dantonio always has something extra for this game, and throughout his career, is famous for naming trick plays. There was “Little Giants” against Notre Dame in 2010, “Mousetrap” against Northwestern in 2010, “Charlie Brown” against Nebraska in 2013, and “Monsoon Conditions” against Michigan last season. This year, I heard he’s going to spring an unorthodox gadget called “6-Yard Run.”

From what I understand, Harbaugh is altering his strategy too, and plans to bring an actual quarterback or two to the game. You might recall, Michigan employed a completely different strategy last season, throwing three interceptions and turning the ball over five times in Michigan State’s 14-10 victory. The Spartans were so confident they’d keep getting the ball back, they spent most of the second half taking a knee on second and third downs.

Don’t get me wrong. Dantonio is a darn fine coach, and there’s no firm evidence he’s a registered wizard with a master’s degree in sorcery (Hogwarts Class of '79). But it’s clear somebody performed a mind-bend on Harbaugh, tricking him into calling pass plays in the driving wind and rain.

Now the forecast calls for a chance of precipitation (not necessarily frogs), and because of their new congeniality, Dantonio and Harbaugh discussed it on a recent phone call, fabricated and secretly recorded as always:

Dantonio: “Jim, looking forward to a great day of football. Low 70s, light breeze.”

Harbaugh: “Perfect. No need to pack the rain cleats?”

Dantonio: “Nah. Also, just to let you know, we have so many injuries we’re hoping to piece together an offense with backups, walk-ons and graduates with eligibility remaining.”

Harbaugh: “Sorry to hear that. We’ll try to take it easy, in the spirit of sportsmanship.”

Truthfully, I don’t know if Michigan will fall for it again. Michigan State has covered the spread 10 straight years, easily most times. The Wolverines are favored by seven and actually won on their last trip to East Lansing (I double-checked to be sure).

This game will be won in the trenches, between the white lines. The Wolverines better hope it’s not won between the ears.

Pick: Michigan 20-10

I gotta say...Muck Fichigan

Also, while this guy is right and Dantonio focuses heavily on this game and always seems to have a trick or two up his sleeve especially for these guys, the fact that one of scUM's biggest strengths is going up against what was going to be a weaker OLine for MSU this year that has truly been decimated by injuries (I don't think the same 5 have started a game yet this season) really doesn't bode well for a shaky Sparty offense. MSU's only hope is that their pretty stingy D hold M to a low scoring game like they did with PSU last week. I also find it hilarious that scUM actually seems to be practicing some restraint and their seems to be a lot of respect and calm feelings between the teams instead of the usual war mentality and/or arrogance.

I figure that this guy's 20-10 score probably will be close to true. I know supposedly a strong M makes our win against them look better for our SoS, but I can't help myself and want them to crash and burn vs Sparty.

 

[koonja]

What trick is Dantonio hatching for Michigan this time?



I gotta say...Muck Fichigan

Also, while this guy is right and Dantonio focuses heavily on this game and always seems to have a trick or two up his sleeve especially for these guys, the fact that one of scUM's biggest strengths is going up against what was going to be a weaker OLine for MSU this year that has truly been decimated by injuries (I don't think the same 5 have started a game yet this season) really doesn't bode well for a shaky Sparty offense. MSU's only hope is that their pretty stingy D hold M to a low scoring game like they did with PSU last week. I also find it hilarious that scUM actually seems to be practicing some restraint and their seems to be a lot of respect and calm feelings between the teams instead of the usual war mentality and/or arrogance.

I figure that this guy's 20-10 score probably will be close to true. I know supposedly a strong M makes our win against them look better for our SoS, but I can't help myself and want them to crash and burn vs Sparty.

I'm rooting for MSU and it's not even a question. Same with Wisconsin last week. We don't need Michigan for SOS.

They're arguably the biggest recruiting thorn besides Stanford. Plus they're smug, lack self awareness, always think they're better than they are, and actually think they'd beat ND even though we handled them 21-3 before we stopped playing offense, and without Dexter Williams and Ian Book.

Part of the reason I respect USC and USC fans more - they wouldn't be naive enough to think this way.

Michigan is a fake tough guy. But it's still fun to see the fake tough guy get his reality check.

 

[Rack Em]

I'm rooting for MSU and it's not even a question. Same with Wisconsin last week. We don't need Michigan for SOS.

They're arguably the biggest recruiting thorn besides Stanford. Plus they're smug, lack self awareness, always think they're better than they are, and actually think they'd beat ND even though we handled them 21-3 before we stopped playing offense, and without Dexter Williams and Ian Book.

Part of the reason I respect USC and USC fans more - they wouldn't be naive enough to think this way.

Michigan is a fake tough guy. But it's still fun to see the fake tough guy get his reality check.

Koon nailed this. Michigan isn't going to end up 6-6 this season because the B1G is such a pile of crap this year after OSU/UM (I'm not convinced PSU and MSU are really that good and Wiscy got straight exposed last week). It's important for our recruiting for Michigan to lose these rivalry games, road games, etc. so the narrative in the media is that Harbaugh can't beat quality opponents, Michigan folds like a tent under adversity, and that he can't develop a QB. When Michigan loses, this story becomes easier to prove.

And it's better for them to lose and increase the likelihood of us getting a Big10 team to expose should we make it to the playoffs. That would be easier on our OLine.

Side note: I haven't met too many USC fans/alums who just disrespect the Irish. It was easy to rag on ND when Carroll was living rent free on campus, but that has really leveled out now since they started hiring their coaches directly from Clown School.