Ok, Ok, They're Improving

Fluke: noun, unlikely chance occurrence, especially a surprising piece of luck
Synonyms: coincidence, accident, twist of fate

I'm a teacher, you all know that.  I teach English Language Arts to Middle School students.  Today one of our vocabulary words was "fluke."  Once they were given the definition, they were able to come up with the synonyms.  It was a beautiful thing in the world of teaching.  Kids making connections, learning something new, having a growth mindset, it's what we live for in our profession.

It's also what I live for as a fan.  And guess what, I think it is finally happening with this team.  I was hesitant to post after Wisconsin.  Know that I was supremely excited, hopeful, and happy, but I've been down this road before.  One good showing, doesn't mean things have really changed.  I was afraid it was a........fluke.  It was one of the best complete games this team has put together in quite some time.  Things seemed to be clicking, improvements were seen, but I wasn't yet convinced that this was what our team was going to be moving forward.   Until Saturday.

I know many people think the Devin Bush incident was criminal, childish, uncalled for, blah, blah, blah, whatever, whatever, whatever. While I do agree it was childish, it got me fired up as a fan.  For far too long, Michigan has seemed complacent when it came to this rivalry.  They acted like it didn't matter anymore. They said it did, but they didn't act like it.  That childish move showed me it did matter.  They were tired of getting beat. Tired of taking the high road, only to be insulted by the Spartans.  Tired of the media saying they were weak.  Tired of losing and having to live with that until next season.  So, if a little dirt and turf scuffing is what it takes to get you fired up and ready to go out there and play every play the hardest you can and play through the whistle.......then scuff all the dirt and turf you need. By the way, did anyone see that locker room celebration? "It's great! To be! A Michigan Wolverine!" That helped me, too. Coach Harbaugh right in the mix, the players singing, jumping, and just reveling in the win.  They do care! They finally played like they care.

The defense is stellar. They will keep Michigan in every game for the remainder of the season.  I am confident of that.  The offense is improving week to week.  Do they still make mistakes? Of course, but they are much better. I saw a glimpse of some old mistakes in the 3rd quarter from the Oline, but the next series was better.  That's progress in my gradebook. Let's keep this trend going and finish out the season strong.  Who knows, maybe we'll be in the CFP?

Pick six motivators:
1. Could every team going forward be "bush league?"
2. Keep this revenge tour going, full steam ahead.
3. Remember how badly those losses stung last year.
4. Silence the haters and critics that say we can't beat a ranked opponent.
5. The Harbaugh of old seems to resurfacing, and I love it!
6. Being at the TOP of the Big 10 East

Yes, I'll take it

The old saying goes, "A win is a win", so yes, I'll take the win.  The teamed played lights out......as they should have against a lesser opponent.  They should hold lesser opponents to minimal yards and points, while racking up a gross amount of points and yards.  They should create turnovers and have offensive plays that go for big yards.  Harbaugh and Co. should totally out coach a MAC school. All these things should happen, and I'm glad they did. While I'm happy about the win, I'm no more confident or excited about the season than I was before the game.  This game literally proved nothing to me. It's going to take a big win, road win, rival win, for me to get excited again.  Until then, I'll still wear my maize and blue, be a proud Michigan fan, and want them to win.

~Go Blue
Bekki

Week 1 - Well that was fun!

I'll be honest, I went into last weekend excited but with low expectations.  Excited for the start of college football (my favorite time of year!) and to watch the game with my bestie (fellow blogger) and our families (big deal since we live in different states).  Low expectations because a lot of what I read up to the game was concern about the D line missing Nelson and McGlinchy and while ND had a decent season last year, there were mistakes to improve upon in the QB position.  Most of what I researched picked Michigan to win.

But.....

That's exactly the opposite of what happened!  The D line held their own.  New Defensive Coordinator Lea put together a very effective defensive plan against Michigan.  Wimbush played a FANTASTIC game!  He most definitely earned the game Ball that coach Brian Kelly awarded him.

I realize this is stating the obvious....but I was impressed and very pleasantly surprised with such an overall great performance by many Notre Dame players.  This ignites a new level excitement in me for the ND football season!  I literally can't wait for next Saturday to see who makes plays and see ND win!

With all of that said..... let's not overlook Ball State.  This game can NOT be ignored and no doubt Ball State will show up with their intentions to ruin ND.  Onto week 2 - hoping for another great win!

Go IRISH
-Gretchen

Annnnd, I'm done

It's Wednesday. Usually by Tuesday my Michigan heart has healed after a loss. It's not. And sadly, it's not even broken anymore. It's just hopeless. I'm done getting my hopes up. I'm done thinking Michigan is ever going to be anything more than 8-4 or 7-5. Maybe in a good year they'll be 9-3 or 10-2. The offensive line is no better than it was last year, despite all the reports that they were much improved.  The tackle positions were the most glaring, but the whole o-line is deficient.  I can remember just a handful of plays, and even that is generous, where Shea had a pocket and the play had a chance to even develop before he was off and running for his life.  It's a joke that Harbaugh says the o-line will look the same this week as it did against ND, and he says they are improving. No. They. Aren't. It's atrocious that in year four, there still isn't a single player on that offensive line.  I'm not one for a coach to call out one kid specifically to the media, but I'm also about being honest and real.  And if, IF he really thinks that line is improving, we are in for a hugely disappointing time over the next four months.  I was so irate after reading the press conference quotes on Twitter on Monday, I had to go to my bedroom closet, call my dad, and rant for about 20 minutes. I was so irate that I didn't want my children to hear me.  They are already afraid of me during games, I can't let them know that my rage carries on for days on end.  They will think I've lost my mind. Maybe I have.

I have no Pick Six, I have a Pick One.

1. Win a big game on the road, then I'll start believing in you.

Always and forever, no matter how much they break my heart,

Go Blue!
~Bekki

Game One

Yes Bekki, I too, am ready!

I'm ready for this season.
I'm ready for another 10 or more wins.
I'm ready for Wimbush to win it for the Irish!

What am I most ready for?
This Notre Dame and Michigan rivalry to ignite again!  And, you said it best - we get to watch the game together!

I, too, have read about ND's preparations, recruiting, spring and summer training, recruiting, and watched Trick Shot Monday.  All with much anticipation and excitement to get this season under way with a big game!

My pick 6:
1. Watching the game with my bestie!
2. Chase Claypool's catches.
3. Strength and conditioned ND players play hard!
4. Julian Love's D skills.
5. Game Day excitement on ND campus.
6. Irish Wear Green = green stadium

Go IRISH!!!
Gretchen

I'm so ready

"We want the Big Ten Championship, and we're gonna win it as a team. They can throw out all those
 great backs and great quarterbacks and great defensive players throughout the country and in this conference.  But there's gonna be one team that's gonna play solely as a team.  No man is more important than the team; no coach is more important than the team.  The team. The team. The team.  And if we think that way, all of us, everything that you do, you take into consideration, what effect does it have on my team.  Because you can go into professional football, you can go anywhere you want to play after you leave here; you will never play for a team again.  You'll play for a contract.  You'll play for this, you'll play for that.  You'll play for everything except the team.  And think what a great thing it is to be a part of something that is the team.  We're gonna win it.  We're gonna win the championship again because we're gonna play as a team better than anybody else in this conference, we're gonna play together as a team.  We're gonna believe in each other, we're not criticize each other, we're not gonna talk about each other, we're gonna encourage each other.  And when we play as a team, when the old season is over, you and I know it's gonna be Michigan again....Michigan!"


                                                                                                               Bo Schembechler 1983
                                                                                                                Head Coach
                                                                                                                Michigan Football

I promised myself at the end of last year, I wasn't going to let this team break my heart ever again.  I wasn't going to buy in to all the hype. I wasn't going to obsess over recruiting this summer. I wasn't going to analyze every little tidbit that came out from fall camp.  I wasn't going to watch every hype video created.  I'm just not going to do it.  I invest so much of my heart and soul in to this team and year after year they break up with me. I feel like a bride left at the altar.  They crush my dreams of them being Champions again. And, I'm proud to say, I've protected my heart.....until now.  I just can't get enough.  I'm checking Twitter every chance I get.  I'm reading articles.  I'm watching old games even though I know how they end.  The last time Michigan played ND, I was watching with my bestie, whom also happens to be an ND fan.  This year, I'll be watching with her again.

My Pick Six for this weekend:
1. I'll be with my bestie
2. Shea, you better be all that you're said to be
3. Receiving corps, step up or step out
4. O-line, I'll be watching very closely
5. Defense, be more amazing that you were last year.
6. Harbaugh, you better not be too soft. I like your grit

Go Blue!
~Bekki

FIS

Football Induced Schizophrenia I have it. I know I do. I'm ashamed, but I'm coming to terms with it.  Here's a peak inside my brain on Saturdays in the fall.

5:12, alarm goes off.  First thing on my brain is not, "Man it's so early!" Nope, I think about the game. Wonder if the offense is going to show?  Will we see Peters? I hope not. Find renewed confidence that our beloved coach has figured this out. Snap back into reality and realize the problems are waaaaaay too big to be figured out in a week.  Shit! We're going to get our asses handed to us on a silver platter in primetime.  Great! Just great! Maybe I won't watch, save myself the heartache and embarrassment.  Who am I kidding? I've never missed a game. Ever.  Crap, I gotta get out of bed and get ready to go to the swim meet.

While getting ready at 5:15 am, the thought of the game never enters my mind. I need to be a swim mom right now, feed my daughters a healthy, protein-rich, hot breakfast.  Make sure they have all their gear.  Put the address in the GPS, out the door by 6:15.  Girls, I can't wait to watch you swim your hearts out.  This is going to be so fun.

In the car, they're getting in the zone.  Headphones on, watching videos on the tablet.  They don't want any distractions.  For once, I want you to talk my ear off and ask me the most off the wall questions about how many leaves I think are on the trees. But no, they don't.  So, I'm left with my own thoughts, which uncontrollably wander back to the the game.

Why, oh why is our right tackle so bad? The whole O-line for that matter! Why can't our receivers bail out our back-up quarterback and make some catches? How is our defense so good? Thank God for that defense!  All they have to do is stop Saquon and we're good.  Our defense will totally keep us in the game.  Maybe we can get a defensive score and pull this out.  Hell yes we've got a chance. This. Is. Michigan.  But what if they don't?  What if this is the first big test they've had and they fail. Great. This is going to be so ugly.  Who scheduled this game anyway?! I wonder what Harbaugh will say in the locker room during his pregame speech.  Man, how I'd love to hear one of those motivational talks! I hope my kids have a coach in their life that gets them fired up!  Now that I think about it, they already have.  I hope they keep getting great coaches.

Swim meet, oh yeah.  Please let them swim well. No false starts, or DQs.  This is their first meet of the season. They haven't had much time in the water. Don't get your expectations up too high.  They're great swimmers.  I didn't know what kind of mom I'd be, but I sure do love being a swim mom.  No offense to you dance moms and theater moms of the world, but I just can't picture myself as that mom.  No, I'm a swim mom.  We walk into the natatorium and I love the sweet smell of chlorine in the morning.  I ask if they want me to walk them to the locker room and help them check in, "No thanks mom, we got this!" Alright sweeties, "Live Well, Swim Fast!" (that's our team's motto and I say it everyday before practice and meets)

So there I sit, in the stands with all the other swim moms, dads, uncles, aunts, grandmas and grandpas, waiting. Alone again with my thoughts.  How many hours until kickoff? Wonder when the heat sheets will be ready? The weather here is great, hope the weather is great in Happy Valley (checks weatherbug on phone) Yep, looks like great weather for a fall night football game.  Man, there are going to be gazillions of viewers and I can't wait to see Michigan shock them all and beat #2 Penn State at home for their stupid white-out. This is gonna be so fun.  But what if we don't? What if we have eleventy-hundred turnovers again? Man, I hate losing to Sparty.  Their fans make it so much worse for me.  Ugh! They talk about arrogant Michigan fans.  Looked in the mirror lately?  Oooo, good song playing in here, "Don't Stop Believin!" I used to love it when they played that in the Big House.  That place really is one of my most favorite places in the world.   I just love it there.  Can't wait to go back next weekend. Wonder what their uniforms will look like tonight?

Oh look heat sheets are ready, that's a good sign.  The rest of the day goes by pretty quickly. They have a great meet. One DQ, oh well, that happens.  Lots of great times, and lots of laughs.

"Quickly, hurry up and shower, we gotta get home and watch the game." We drive home, I welcome the conversation. We discuss times, events, highs and lows of the day.  They want to know what events they have on their schedule tomorrow.  We talk about those. They eat. And then we're home. Home. Game is on in a couple hours. Need to do laundry, get ready for tomorrow, and plop in the chair to watch the game. Finally, it's game time.  I'm nervous. Excited. And then........I'm not. Second play and my heart sinks. This is going to be a loooong night.

I'm going to stop right here, because the sequence of events that followed for the next three hours are not for public viewing or consumption.  I barely want my own husband and children to know how I act when the game is on.  But this just gives you a small glipmse of what FIS is. Do you have it too, or am I the only one?