Your Greatest Expectation v. Reality as a Sports Fan

[Billy Hoyle]

This.  He's righted the ship, and Michigan wins when they are favorites and loses when they are underdogs.  I think it'd be nice if they keep climbing a bit and are consistent favorites against the other non-tOSU big ten.  And I think that tOSU will slowly start to come back to Earth, too. They are on an unreal run, but odds are that they will regress at least a little post-Urban.

He's got to find and develop a QB. He's pretty much started all transfers. The only starters he's had who committed to Michigan out of HS were Speight (benched and transferred) and Peters (transferred).

Shea Patterson would be one of those "expectation v. reality" guys for UM fans, especially after he got the immediate eligibility waiver.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Rex Grossman, Rashaan Salaam, Curtis Enis, Curtis Conway, Cade McNown, David Terrell, Cedric Benson, Kevin White...

Marc Trestman

Slight take on this:  That the Bears would have a franchise QB outside of Sid Luckman.

[keefe]

How do alums view this? Poor record vs OSU. Haven't won the conference. Haven't made the playoff.

Has he been that much more successful than his predecessors or others who were targeted in the same hiring season?

Similar to Green Bay fans vis-à-vis the Bears, a U of M season is good when we beat Ohio. The single biggest disappointment for Michigan alums has been our inability to be consistently competitive against them.

The expectations for Harbaugh were unrealistically high and while he has returned the program to be able to win at the highest level the lack of Big Ten titles or BCS participation is problematic for him.

But here's the bottom line: Harbaugh will remain the Michigan coach for the next decade and beyond. He wins, runs a clean program, his athletes are graduated from a top university, and he has a goofy charm that resonates with exuberantly enthusiastic alumni. More important is that he's a Michigan Man (hell, he went to Pioneer High School which is across the street from The Big House.)

Contrast that with Ohio: the last two coaches have resigned under questionable circumstances, their football team sits at the very bottom of Big Ten graduation rates at an average university but they play for national championships.

Frankly, what happens in Columbus would never be tolerated in Ann Arbor. Nor should they be.

People expected Harbaugh to make Michigan the next Alabama or LSU. Thank God the administration would never pay the price of admission for SEC-style "success."     

[keefe]

I'd love to sit down and listen to any cross-over Michigan football+Marquette basketball fans discuss those respective sports/head coaches/recent success.

Comparing Wojo to Harbaugh is specious. And it isn't fair to Wojo.

Harbaugh built programs everywhere he has been: USD, Stanford, Niners.

And he took over a program that, under Rich Rod and Hoke, continued to attract elite talent but couldn't win. In fact, Michigan football was not merely lacking direction but was losing its mystique.

With Harbaugh, Michigan wins. Both on and off the field. They are competitive on any given Saturday, merchandise sales are better than ever, Wolverines continue to go to the NFL, and enthusiasm remains high.

Harbaugh arrived with bona fides. Wojo has not yet established his as a head coach.     

[Galway Eagle]

Mayo gaelic football the past decade. Probably the greatest squad to never win a title. And arguably one of the all time greatest squads but came on when the all time best was put together lost 4 times in the championship and 4 more semi final losses.

[Lennys Tap]

I thought Doc Rivers would lead Marquette back to the promised land (or something close to it).

[keefe]

I thought Doc Rivers would lead Marquette back to the promised land (or something close to it).

Lenny

Lucky Lloyd had Luke, Bo, Tatum, and Marcus then Tatum, Butch, Bo, and Whitehead.

Jimmy Boylan had Butch, Bo, Jerome, and Toone.



Glenn had Schlundt, Marotta, Lazzeretti, Smolinski, and Lloyd Moore.

How you say...sow's ear / silk purse??

[MU82]

Mark Prior.

After the 2003 season, he looked destine to be the Cubs ace for the next decade. At that time, it would have been extremely difficult to believe that his career would be over just three years later.

That's a good one. I remember old-timey baseball types waxing poetic about his "perfect throwing motion" that would keep him injury-free for a decade or more. Oops.

I thought Doc Rivers would lead Marquette back to the promised land (or something close to it).

Excellent choice. I was SOOO excited when Rick landed Glenn. Whether he was a little overhyped, wasn't surrounded by enough talent, was poorly coached or, most likely, a combination of those, it just didn't happen for us with him.

Related: Majerus. I was beyond thrilled when Hank stepped down and Rick took over. I thought for sure he'd sign one great recruit after another and lead us back to the promised land.

And Dan Marino. I was a big Dolphins fan growing up because, like many kids, I gravitated to the best team. I still can name the entire starting lineup (and most reserves) for the 1972-73 Dolphins. When Marino fell into their laps in the 1983 draft, I was ecstatic. He took the Dolphins to the Super Bowl in his record-setting second season, and there was no more exciting show in football. The Dolphins lost, but I was sure "we" would get back numerous times and win at least a couple of them. Never got there again. Marino obviously went on to have a great career, but had very little postseason success.

[Goose]

Lenny

Love Doc, but overall big disappointment to me at MU. One shot made it a bit less of a disappointment.

Crash
You are right to some degree, but I thought Doc did not come close to expectations. I am with Lenny on this one.

[CTWarrior]

Red Sox post 1975.  They had in or entering their prime Carlton Fisk, Cecil Cooper, Rick Burleson, Jim Rice, Fred Lynn, Dwight Evans, plus still very good Carl Yastrzemski, Luis Tiant, Rick Wise, Bill Lee, Dick Drago and promising young pitchers in Roger Moret and Bill Willoughby.  That's three Hall of Famers, a few border line Hall of Famers and several other multi-time All Stars.  And management mucked it up and they never won anything together.  Didn't make a postseason until 1986 when only Rice and Evans were left.

[Billy Hoyle]

Lenny

Love Doc, but overall big disappointment to me at MU. One shot made it a bit less of a disappointment.

Crash
You are right to some degree, but I thought Doc did not come close to expectations. I am with Lenny on this one.

Doc's final season was ruined because of the crap he was taking from teammates and on campus for dating a white woman (now his wife) who was also a former teammate's girlfriend. That's why he left early even though he wasn't graded out as a first round pick.

[keefe]

Lenny

Love Doc, but overall big disappointment to me at MU. One shot made it a bit less of a disappointment.

Crash
You are right to some degree, but I thought Doc did not come close to expectations. I am with Lenny on this one.

Goose

In the storied annals of MU Hoops Glenn isn't in the inner circle of greats. The talent was most definitely there but he didn't have anything near the supporting cast enjoyed by Lloyd or Jimmy.

Imagine Glenn playing for MU 8 years earlier. His game would have been elevated immeasurably. Being able to dish to Bo, Luke, McNeill, Tatum, Butch, or even Rosie?

Fuggetaboutit

[Goose]

Crash

No doubt about that. Doc was a great defender, great body and big time talent. He would have had different college career if playing with the studs.

Billy

Partially true.Difficult season for the program, no doubt. I think Doc was gone regardless, but the girl thing definitely caused big issues. 

[keefe]

Crash

No doubt about that. Doc was a great defender, great body and big time talent. He would have had different college career if playing with the studs.

Billy

Partially true.Difficult season for the program, no doubt. I think Doc was gone regardless, but the girl thing definitely caused big issues.

Goose

Re The Girl Thing: Still going strong after nearly 40 years of a very happy marriage

[Goose]

Crash

No doubt the short term hassle was well worth it for Doc and Kris. Plus, Doc and Marc had a great relationship after some time to get over things. Everyone won, except MU ball😎

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Goose

Re The Girl Thing: Still going strong after nearly 40 years of a very happy marriage

I saw on TMZ Sports (I think that's what it's called) that Doc and Kristen are separated.

[Goose]

Naughty Doc. Just read a little gossip on his new squeeze. New gal is awfully young.

[Billy Hoyle]

Naughty Doc. Just read a little gossip on his new squeeze. New gal is awfully young.

I saw that too.  34, isn't that younger than at least one of his kids?

[Dr. Blackheart]

I saw that too.  34, isn't that younger than at least one of his kids?

Ageist

[keefe]

Naughty Doc. Just read a little gossip on his new squeeze. New gal is awfully young.

[keefe]

Naughty Doc. Just read a little gossip on his new squeeze. New gal is awfully young.

What the f#ck you sayin' there, Goose??

[Billy Hoyle]

Ageist

I'm an "ageist" by asking about the age of Doc's kids? Go Doc!

[ZiggysFryBoy]

What the f#ck you sayin' there, Goose??

Not much, OBLS.  (Old balls, loose sack)

Pronounced Obliss.

[Eldon]

Brewers: Pat Listach and Geoff Jenkins

I seem to remember a lot of hype (separately) about these two players when they were in the farm system/rookies.  Sadly, neither of them led the Brewers back to the promise land.

[The Sultan]

Listach won rookie of the year (over Kenny Lofton), then injured his knee the next year.