Ohio State researchers studied 113 college students who were watching the 2006 game against Michigan (when both teams were undefeated and ranked #1 and #2 in the country.) The students were asked to check in during commercial breaks and say whether they thought their favorite team would win or lose, how suspenseful the game was, and if they were having fun or not. The results showed that the group that enjoyed the game the most were the Ohio State fans who were convinced that the Buckeyes would lose the game. (They won by 3.) It seems to suggest that folks get more satisfaction out of the negative emotions that sports create, because sports fans are sick, perverted masochists.

Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, co-author of the study and associate professor of communication at Ohio State University, explains:

"You need the negative emotions of thinking your team might lose to get you in an excited, nervous state," Knobloch-Westerwick said. "If your team wins, all that negative tension is suddenly converted to positive energy, which will put you in a euphoric state."

In other words, winning is more exciting if don't believe in your team to begin with. Also, if you expect disaster and your team always fails, then you're never disappointed! (That explains why Lions fans exist.) But the most important ramification of this study is that we now have proof that people who strut around all day long boasting that their team can never be beaten are really just obnoxious pricks.

Seriously, fuck those guys.

Don't be happy, be worried: Sports fans need dose of negative [Eureka Alert]

Even worse, what could have been just an amusing case of mistaken identity has turned into a full fledged SCANDAL since two different Department of Public Safety employees accused Martin of "assaulting" them after he tried to enter the special VIP area at Michigan Stadium without a pass. The first incident happened at the Notre Dame game back in September:

Just before halftime, [sophomore Jackie] Turner was in charge of opening doors to let patrons out of the area when three males wearing University of Michigan polo shirts attempted to come through the doors, according to the report.

Turner told DPS she stepped in front of the doorway and told the man in the front of the group that she needed to see his pass to let him in. In response, the man, Martin, put his hand on her shoulder and said "Honey, I'm the athletic director," pushing her just enough so she would get out of his way.

Turner didn't report the incident until she heard that it happened at the Delaware State game last month:

Arif Kahn [an Eastern Michigan student and DPS employee] said he put his hand on the door and asked to see their passes. In response, the man "forcibly grabbed" Kahn's windbreaker and pushed him slightly.

The man then said, "I am the athletic director, I can go in," according to the report.

After Kahn refused to allow the man into the area without the proper credentials, the man grabbed Kahn's identification badge and asked to know his name. Kahn told DPS that a University Development Events staff member then identified the man as the athletic director and let him into the area.

Did you read that? He grabbed his windbreaker! Bill Martin is a monster who clearly belongs in prison, but only if he is not allowed to retire from his current job. (It would be more entertaining that way.)

Bill Martin apologizes for incidents [Detroit News]
AD Bill Martin accused of shoving two DPS staffers at Notre Dame and Delaware State games [Michigan Daily]
Michigan AD Bill Martin's Favorite Pastime–Shoving Students [Last Angry Fan]
[Photo via Michigan Daily/Clif Reeder]

After the game, Rodriguez went out to midfield for the customary handshake with Purdue head coach Danny Hope. The problem was Hope brought a guest: Purdue offensive lineman Zach Reckman, who was suspended earlier this season for one game for a late hit, a suspension which Purdue seemingly believes was due to Rodriguez's meddling. Rodriguez made some public comments regarding how Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton was suspended for throwing a punch at a Notre Dame player during the Wolverines-Irish game:

"My conversation with the commissioner was that we will watch every Big Ten game very closely and any non-football act, whether it's a six-inch jab or anything that's not called for the game of football we're going to ask that person get the same type of punishment Jonas Mouton got. I'm sure the league will do that."

Reckman was subsequently suspended, even though no one can say for sure that Rodriguez's comments had anything to do with it. Nevertheless, it seems that Purdue wanted to make a point, which they did, and Rodriguez didn't seem too pleased about it.

"I was a little disappointed after the game (when Hope) seemed to bring the lineman over like I was the reason the lineman got suspended for that one game," Rodriguez said. "So he brought him over and said, ‘thanks for this' or whatever… I don't know where that came from. I talked to (Hope) on the phone and told him it wasn't me, this is way back when. I didn't have anything to do with that young man getting suspended for that one game.

"What are you going to do? I usually go over and shake hands and say good luck on the next game. To come over and say something about that? Whatever."

Ooooh, burn. Enjoy your comeuppance, Coach Rodriguez, because you just got come-upped on!

Michigan, who started the season 4-4, are now 5-5 (1-5 in the Big Ten) and are in jeopardy of missing out on a bowl berth, which I'm guessing wouldn't sit real well with the Wolverine faithful. Maybe if the Wolverines practiced more...

Either way, I'm guessing staying put at West Fuckin' Virginia doesn't look too bad right about now, huh?

Purdue wins at Michigan 38-36, 1st time since 1966 [Yahoo!]
Rodriguez meets disgruntled Boilermaker after game [Detroit Free Press]
#2: Colleges They Didn't Attend [Stuff White Trash People Like]

Here's a hint: Strippers. And cars and motorcycles and houses and guns and terribly ill-conceived real estate deals. Basically, any way that you can imagine a middling NBA player squandering his entire fortune, Robinson did it. He also managed to piss away hundreds of thousands of dollars in money that didn't earn, thanks to a shady bank officer who floated him and his friends over a million dollars in illegal loans. So where did it all go?

In August 2006, Community State Bank filed suit and found Robinson had spent the money on clothing and jewelry at upscale boutiques such as Louis Vuitton, Bodega, and the Royal Shop. He had bought steak dinners, plane tickets, and expensive hotel stays at a Jamaican Ritz-Carlton, the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and the Abbey Hotel in Miami Beach. He had blown nearly $800 on smokes at Coco Cigar in Coconut Grove, and even bought a $10,000 M16 machine gun at Miami Police Supply in Little Havana.

He also leased at least three luxury Mercedes and BMW vehicles, and bought new Ducati motorcycles. When he didn't pay those bills, creditors demanded the vehicles back. Since 2006, Robinson has also been sued in Miami-Dade Court for not paying the leases on two Mercedes and a 2005 Maserati Quattroporte.

He didn't drive those precious vehicles very carefully. He has racked up 18 moving violations in Miami-Dade County since 2001, including twice driving with a suspended license. Robinson spent $1,500 of the business loan cash at Traffic Ticket Guy, a Deerfield Beach law firm.

Obviously, he's been sued into oblivion, but it doesn't matter because he's completely broke. One friend put his predicament into stark relief.

"He pulled up in a brand-new Mercedes SL500. He asked me if I had $20 for gas. He took me to seven or eight strip clubs, starting with Tootsie's. He would buy a Coke and nurse it for an hour or two, and I didn't see him give a dollar to the dancers."

You know, I don't want to be the obnoxious MSU fan here and I'm not trying to gloat over the misfortune of an ex-Wolverine ... but okay. I am genuinely curious. What if he doesn't make those two free throws against Seton Hall? Is he still a first-round drat pick? Does he make the same amount of money? Attract the same friends? Even if he does make the NBA, did that moment and all that came with it make him less humble, more entitled, more greedy? Did it change his character at all? Or was he always going to be the guy who blew his paychecks on strip clubs he shouldn't be at and cars he couldn't afford?

Every so often an athlete has their life dramatically changed by one specific moment. Before that moment in the NCAA Championship was Robinson's fate avoidable? Or was there always going to be a day at some point in his life when he would have to explain to a lawyer at a deposition that his only worldly possession was an extra pair of pants?

How Hoops Hero Rumeal Robinson Lost His Guns, Cars, Stripper Girlfriend... and Even His Mama's House [Miami New Times]

Now, let me first say that Chait is an excellent reporter who has much better things to do than to preach ethics at workaday sportswriters from his lofty perch at the magazine that gave us the Bell Curve and Betsy McCaughey. He has decided, nonetheless, to lose his freaking mind.

Rosenberg, he wrote, has "hated [Rich Rodriguez] from the moment he appeared on Michigan's radar and has made it his life's work to run him out of town." He "has crusaded" against Rodriguez, a coach whom Rosenberg, "with his deep connections to the anti-Rodriguez community" and with his "strong anti-Rich Rodriguez opinions," is actively "trying to get fired." Chait called the story "journalistic malpractice," and Michigan fans have been forwarding around the column ever since. The notion that Rosenberg is irredeemably biased against Michigan, his alma mater, is quickly hardening into fact.

But is there any truth to it? I went spelunking through the archives and counted 19 stories — columns, news items, Q&A's — in which Rosenberg makes more than passing reference to Rodriguez. Here they are, from first to last, with pertinent excerpts:

Dec. 17, 2007
Headline: "GREAT EXPECTATIONS; RECOGNIZING DIFFERENCES WOULD HELP TRANSITION"

Michigan hired a great football coach Sunday. Not a good one, like Greg Schiano. Not a very good one, like Les Miles. A great one. ... For the Michigan football fan who has complained incessantly for the last 10 years, Rodriguez might as well show up at this morning's news conference dressed in wrapping paper and a bow.

Dec. 18, 2007
Headline: "NEW BLUE THE JOB AHEAD; MANY HOPE RODRIGUEZ'S SUCCESS WILL 'SPREAD'"

The offense, of course, is the spread. But Rodriguez is fond of saying that while every wishbone offense is the same, spreads are all different. Sort of like how Tolstoy wrote that all happy families are alike, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. (Did I just compare Rich Rodriguez to Tolstoy? Good grief.)

Dec. 23, 2007
Headline: "SLIPPERY SLOPE: RODRIGUEZ NEEDS TO EMBRACE U-M TRADITIONS"

Rich Rodriguez appeared to make a huge mistake this week when he summarily dismissed all of Michigan's assistant coaches. He started to rectify it when he rehired running backs coach Fred Jackson. Rodriguez would be smart to rehire two or three more. As I wrote when Rodriguez was hired, I think he is a great coach. But as I also wrote, this is a major transition, and he needs to understand that.

Jan. 27, 2008
Headline: "GREAT PROSPECT STILL NEEDS GREAT TEAM"

I've never seen so many people act like the future of Michigan football hinges on one recruit. If that's really the case, coach Rich Rodriguez is in trouble, whether he gets Pryor or not. No program should be that dependent on one player.

Feb. 7, 2008
Headline: "COACH ROD HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING"

Michigan football will never be the same. That's not necessarily bad or good. It's just reality. Rodriguez is changing the culture of the program.

[...]

Rodriguez also seems to think he was the wronged party in his tussle with West Virginia — and in some ways, he might be right. His old employer is doing everything it can to make Rodriguez look like a shifty, lying weasel. But it's hard for Rodriguez to claim the moral high ground in that one because the fact is that he signed a contract that contains a $4-million buyout, and now he doesn't want to pay it.

[...]

Rodriguez could charm the skin off a snake, and he clearly can coach. But he rarely seems to think beyond the field, and it shows.

Rodriguez's lawyer recently said the coach took this job because of what West Virginia failed to do, not because of what Michigan offered. That's quite a change from 'a Michigan man will coach Michigan,' but these days, Michigan football is all about change.

Feb. 8, 2008
Headline: "RODRIGUEZ-WHITE THEORY IS FLAWED"

Proponents of the Pat White Theory say Rich Rodriguez has earned his reputation off Pat White. After all, Rodriguez was just 33-22 at West Virginia before White took over. Was he such an offensive genius then?

I find the Pat White Theory interesting for two reasons. First of all, I don't buy the conclusion. It's one thing to rip a coach for losing with a great player, quite another to rip him for winning with a great player.

This reminds me of the people who say Lloyd Carr never would have won the national championship without Charles Woodson. So what? He had him.

Besides, Rodriguez was a great offensive coach before he ever met Pat White. His offenses at Clemson and Tulane, where he was coordinator, were highly productive. Plus, Rodriguez's pre-White record is distorted by the 3-8 in his first year at West Virginia. He won 30 of his next 44 games before Pat White showed up.

July 10, 2008
Headline: "ORDEAL EXPOSES UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT RODRIGUEZ"

Michigan is just a name to him. The school is just a platform for winning championships. This is evident in everything Rodriguez does, from his abandonment of a century-old captains tradition to his bristling at the notion that Michigan holds itself to a higher standard. "The Michigan way is just the right way," he said in December, before adding that a lot of schools do it the right way.

Rodriguez is an excellent coach. I'm not sold that he is the right coach for Michigan.

He can charm the media, which is nice. But those who have attended his practices say Rodriguez's staff uses some of the foulest, most degrading language imaginable.

I know coaches curse, and I'm no prude, but this goes way beyond a few dirty words. He belittles his players. This is a big part of why offensive lineman Justin Boren left the team. He felt his dignity was at stake.

Aug. 31, 2008
Headline: "TALKING POINTS WITH . . . MICHAEL ROSENBERG"

Would a Les Miles-, Greg Schiano- or Lloyd Carr-coached team have won Saturday?

Impossible to know for sure, of course, but the best guess is: probably. That's not because they are better coaches than Rich Rodriguez. But all three would run a more conventional offense than Rodriguez, and that means they almost certainly would have kept Ryan Mallett, who is much more talented than either Threet or Sheridan. Even if you remove Mallett from the equation, a more conventional offense would suit the skills of Threet and Sheridan better than Rodriguez's spread does. That doesn't mean this offense will fail in the long term nor that Rodriguez was a bad hire. It just means there will be a few steps backward before the offense moves forward. These are transition pains.

Aug. 31, 2008
Headline: "ADMIRERS OF NEW REGIME JUST GOT A REALITY CHECK"

Rich Rodriguez's spread offense is supposed to score all sorts of points, and after one game of the Rich Rod Regime, I must ask: for which team?

For the longest time Saturday, every time Michigan's offense took the field, Utah fans got excited.

Very strange.

Michigan's defense, meanwhile, gave up an astounding 7.5 yards per play in the first half and fell behind, 25-10, early in the second half. But that's weird, too, because I've been told that Lloyd Carr's teams were poorly coached, and Rodriguez would finally (FINALLY!) get the Wolverines to play to their talent level from the opening kickoff.

Hey, what happened to all that?

Rich Rodriguez is 0-1 at Michigan, and let's be clear on this: One game, no matter how ugly, does not define a coach or even a season. Rodriguez has been successful in the past and could win a ton of games at U-M.

But this game should end the deification of Rodriguez and bring fans into reality. Frankly, it is only fair to him. Don't expect miracles and don't assume he will improve a program that made three Rose Bowls in the past five seasons.

Yes, Rodriguez has updated the strength and conditioning program. No, that does not mean the old staff was soft on players. Yes, he is bringing a different brand of offense to Michigan. No, "different" does not necessarily mean better, just as it doesn't necessarily mean worse.

[...]

If this happened to the old regime - heck, when it happened to the old regime - a lot of fans screamed about poor coaching. It was way overdone then, and I'm not suggesting fans overdo it now.

But when a coach takes over the winningest program in college football history, the free pass ends when his first team takes the field.

Welcome to Michigan, Rich. I know you expect better. So does everybody else.

Sept. 7, 2008
Headline: "MCGUFFIE SHOWS OFF U-M'S FUTURE"

It is often said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you saw beauty in this one, we're penalizing you 10 yards for beholding. Michigan's 16-6 win over the Miami RedHawks "certainly wasn't pretty," in Rich Rodriguez's view. But it was definitely well-earned.

Oct. 14, 2008
Headline: "SYSTEM FAILURE: THE EARLY TAKE ON RODRIGUEZ: ATROCIOUS"

Rich Rodriguez may yet restore Michigan to Big Ten supremacy. He might win a national title and justify athletic director Bill Martin's decision to hire him.

In the meantime, this needs to be said:

Rodriguez has done an awful coaching job this season.

[...]

Once again: Rodriguez might win big. He is six games into his Michigan tenure, and it would be foolish to give up on him after six games. He might win championships when he gets "his guys" into "his system." But the guys who are already here should have a much better record, and that falls on the head coach.

Oct. 24, 2008
Headline: "RODRIGUEZ'S RECRUITING MAY BE HELPING DANTONIO'S"

Nonetheless, there has been a pretty clear shift in philosophy. Rodriguez is looking for a specific type of player, especially for his spread-option offense. He targets small, shifty athletes. Nine of his 17 commitments are listed at 190 pounds or less, according to Rivals.com. His linemen tend to be lighter and more agile, too. None of his recruits is heavier than 272 pounds. Only two are from Michigan.

[...]

Rodriguez's approach might do wonders for U-M, but it is also helping Michigan State.

Oct. 26, 2008
Headline: "IT CAN STILL GET WORSE FOR U-M; PLAYING FOR A BOWL BID NO LONGER A MOTIVATION"

I know it seems like it can't get worse for Michigan. But it can. It can get worse if the coaches continue to put it all on the players, and if the seniors feel like their final games don't mean enough to everybody else. That is Rodriguez's challenge now.

With Michigan football these days, the talk is mostly about the future - about what Rodriguez will do when he gets his players, and whether U-M is taking a step back so it can take two steps forward. Sometimes you hear talk about the past, about the bowl streak and the pro-style offense.

But for the seniors on this team, there is only the present. These past four games still matter to them. We'll find out soon if they matter enough to everybody else.

Nov. 16, 2008
Headline: "CRAZY EIGHT; U-M SETS SINGLE-SEASON FUTILITY MARK IN FALLING TO WILDCATS"

"We are what our record says we are," Rodriguez said. "But again, we're making progress Sunday through Friday, and it ain't showin' up on Saturday."

No, it is not. Rodriguez's track record and Michigan's history suggest that he will win big down the road. In the meantime, this transition is about to get uglier.

Nov. 22, 2008
Headline: "PERMISSION TO SPEAK FREELY? NO!; LET'S HOPE RICH ROD'S NEXT REMARKS ARE DULL"

If Rodriguez has shown anything since taking the Michigan job, it is that he will do it his way. He is recruiting more heavily out of state than Michigan once did. He says what he thinks and bristles at his critics. Before he even looked at the Michigan roster, he was trying to lure Pryor, the No. 1 player in the country, to be his quarterback.

And this "his way" theme takes us to the controversy surrounding Rodriguez this week, when he said this:

"The biggest thing that is disappointing is when somebody, not necessarily the media, but when a fan or somebody would make it personal to your coach or to your players, especially to the players, because those guys are amateurs. When they would make a personal comment or say something that's not related to coaching or not related to playing.

"I don't get on message boards. I don't think anybody, any of our players or family should, but it's amazing some of the things that people would say or amazing things people will yell at you of a personal nature. You almost want to tell them, 'Get a life.' "

Rodriguez's defenders say the comment was taken out of context. They are correct. It was taken out of two contexts.

First, of course, Rodriguez was definitely not telling all fans to "get a life." He was speaking to a small group of fans who go way over the line. Most of us agree that some fans are indeed rude, vulgar and hurtful.

But the second context is the question that Rodriguez was asked. I don't think many people have any idea what it was:

Q: What have you learned about yourself this year?

How do you go from that question to telling some fans to get a life?

Nov. 23, 2008
Headline: "TRANSITION'S OVER, COACH: TIME TO CLEAN UP THE MESS"

It will definitely turn around; Michigan obviously won't keep going 3-9. The question, then, is this: Once Rodriguez turns this around, how far in the other direction will he go? A lot of pieces have to be in place. Rodriguez can start putting them there now.

Feb. 5, 2009
Headline: "HOME AND AWAY"

The Rich Rodriguez Era is truly starting to take hold. With this recruiting class, Rodriguez has brought in the kinds of players he likes, the ones who fit his style.

Rodriguez has signed a 5-foot-6, 159-pound running back; a 5-8, 165-pound running back/receiver; and eight other players who are listed at 6 feet or smaller. The Wolverines now are favored to win the 2010 Big Ten Limbo Championship.

Will the smaller, faster Wolverines win big? Rodriguez thinks so. He clearly errs on the side of speed, quickness and playmaking ability. And offensive coordinator Calvin Magee said some of the recruits play a lot bigger than their size.

One thing has become clear about Rodriguez's spread-option: Quarterback is even more important in this scheme than in most offenses. And that is where Forcier comes in.

Forcier plays a lot like his older brother, Jason, who started his career at Michigan. Jason loved everything about the school but didn't fit former coach Lloyd Carr's offense. Jason was a mobile quarterback. So is Tate.

Last fall, as U-M stumbled to one of its worst seasons ever, Michigan fans wondered what Rodriguez's offense would look like with a quarterback who fit the system. They are about to find out.

Aug. 11, 2009
Headline: "Win at all costs a poor formula for Rodriguez"

Rich Rodriguez said Monday that he had no idea former Michigan football player Justin Feagin had dealt drugs in high school, as Feagin admitted to police in June. He also said he didn't know Feagin had been arrested twice in high school, as Feagin told police.

Rodriguez said "as soon as we found out" that Feagin had apparently brokered a cocaine deal in his first semester on campus, he dismissed him. "That instant," Rodriguez said.

I will take Rodriguez at his word. But other questions need to be asked, starting with this:

Should he have known?

Aug. 24, 2009
Headline: "QB contest will unfold during fall action"

Rich Rodriguez said Sunday he probably will play three quarterbacks in Michigan's Sept. 5 opener against visiting Western Michigan, and I think it would be awesome if he played all three at once. Perhaps this is why I'm not a football coach.

[...]

Most quarterback competitions take place in training camp. Sometimes fans complain the backup should be starting, even when they haven't seen the backup play.

In Michigan's case, the competition will unfold Saturdays in the fall. It is possible that at this time next year, Robinson and Forcier will still be battling for the position.

"Let's see who moves the team best and we'll go from there," Smith said.

That is the beauty of it: We'll all get to see.

In summary: Rosenberg thinks Rodriguez can coach. He hates Rodriguez's careerism. He hates Rodriguez's disregard for Michigan tradition and his seeming willingness to recruit the Cali Cartel if he thought it might help him win. He likes the spread offense. He likes the new crop of quarterbacks. He likes the direction of the program. Does this really sound like someone waging a personal jihad against Rich Rodriguez? Someone who has allegedly "made it his life's work to run him out of town"? I know plenty of people who say the very same things about Rodriguez. Sure, I guess you could say they're biased, too, but no one ever accuses them of secretly campaigning to undermine the program. That's because they're Michigan fans.

Violations truly worthy of firing [Rivals]
Jihad The Second: Chait On Deadspin [MGoBlog]

There is a bigger issue that is getting lost in all the whining about bias and anonymous sources and what Michigan State (or Florida or Alabama) does or doesn't do at their practices too. It will be at the heart of any investigation of Michigan, but it's really at the heart of all college sports. When you are a scholarship athlete, can anything you do ever be considered truly voluntary?

First, let's back up a bit and look at the Free Press story again. There are basically two parts to it. The one that seems to be getting the most focus is the claim that Michigan players routinely spend more than 20 hours a week on football related activities during the season. This is not unique, nor is it a problem for the NCAA. Players can spend as much time as they want on football, provided that everything above and beyond the 20 hours is voluntary.

(If there is one criticism of the article that truly resonates, it's that it doesn't clearly explain the distinction between "counted" and "non-counted" activities, nor does it distinguish between the two when talking about the time demands put on U of M players. But the time factor, while eye catching, is not really the issue.)

The second, more crucial point of the piece is that some Wolverine players specifically stated that many activities that are supposed to be voluntary are not. Coaches are watching, attendance is taken, and those who don't comply are punished. The end. Everything else is just window dressing.

Rich Rodriguez will argue—and he may be correct—that no one was ever explicitly punished for missing a workout. No one was told, "Lift weights or we move you down the depth chart." No one is told to break NCAA rules. But they don't have to be told. Just like the NFL players who understand that there are consequences to sitting out with an injury, college athletes understand that if they're not doing everything possible to make themselves better, then someone else will. And they'll be out of a job. Even if a coach tries to be completely fair, he knows who works hard and who doesn't and that will always affect his judgment of who plays and who doesn't. It's a completely unspoken part of the culture, which is why it's so difficult to prove wrongdoing before the NCAA and so difficult to combat.

Perhaps the Wolverine's case will shed some light on this problem—and it is a nationwide sports problem, not just Michigan football. Maybe they will be made an example of and it will lead to more transparency and clearer rules. Is it fair that Michigan is being singled out? Probably not. But "The Leaders" comes before "Best," remember? I know, I know ... it's tough being you.

I wouldn't worry too much though, Ann Arbor, because the fantasy I imagine—the one where U of M gets the death penalty and college sports becomes a place of goodness and hope? That won't happen. At worst, you'll get a slap on the wrist, the team will start winning again and everyone will forget why they hated Rich Rod in the first place. Most of all, sports will not change, because it is fueled by competitive people who take every advantage they get, any time they can get it. The NCAA has no real interest in putting a stop to that. Maybe they shouldn't have one.

Rich Rodriguez knows the gravity of U-M's situation [Drew Sharp]
West Virginia says no time violations under Rodriguez [ESPN]
University of Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez sued for defaulting on real-estate deal [AnnArbor.com]

At his press conference today, the Michigan head coach was alternately angry and weepy over the besmirching of his character and the character of Wolverine strength coach Mike Barwis, who is a real sweetheart. Rodriguez bristled at the very idea that he could be accused of bending the rules. He cares about his players, so to imply that they were forced to attend workouts is to imply that his kids didn't want to work hard. Rodriquez tearfully spoke of "two freshman"—presumably Brandin Hawthorne and Je'Ron Stokes who were quoted in the article and who the Free Press expressly pointed out were not complaining—who came to his office asking what they did wrong. He had to tell those boys they didn't do anything wrong and the whole thing nearly broke his heart.

The thing is ... they didn't do anything wrong and no one said they did. All they did was tell the truth. More importantly, they had no reason to lie. If two guys who have no agenda against the program—in fact, they probably would have lied to protect the program if they'd known what they were saying—are volunteering that their schedule is as strict as it is, there's a good chance that they're not making it up.

That won't stop Rodriguez and others from assuming they are victims of a witch hunt. Jonathan Chait stepped down from his high horse at The New Republic to lambaste the Freep's Michael Rosenberg for his anti-Rich Rod bias, stating that no place he worked would ever let an opinion writer do hard news about a subject he was so "passionate" about. Interesting, if true. I wonder if any of those fine, upstanding newspapers Chait's talking about would let an alumnus (UM, Class of '94) attack another writer because they published dirt about an organization he used to be associated with? (P.S. All allegations of improper bias should be directed here.)

All the accusations in the article came from Michigan's own players and not just the ones who fled the program. Even though Rodriguez denies breaking any rules, he didn't directly refute or disprove any of the claims in article. (Chait even tries the "everybody's doing it" defense.) In fact, the coach apparently admitted to one violation during the presser, saying that they send strength coaches into the weight room during offseason lifting "so they don't drop a weight on their foot." (Caring!) Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's against the rules. (UPDATE: I'm probably wrong.) The rules he loves and defends so much.

No one is questioning Rich Rodriguez's motivation or commitment. They're questioning his tactics and at the moment the Free Press still looks to be right about them.

U-M football report met with anger, disbelief [Detroit Free Press]
Violations truly worthy of firing [Wolverine.com]
Fuck You Rich Rod…… [Horse Collar]

The Freep's Michael Rosenberg and Mark Snyder did a great bit of reporting here, getting several players and even some parents to air their concerns (anonymously, of course) about the workouts overseen by strength coach Mike Barwis, the Hans to Rodriguez's Franz. The newspaper found that Rodriguez and Barwis have routinely flouted NCAA rules governing how much time coaches can require players to spend on football:

In the past two off-seasons, players said, the Wolverines were expected to spend two to three times more than the eight hours allowed for required workouts each week. Players are free to exceed the limit, but it must be truly voluntary.

The players said the off-season work was clearly required. Several of them said players who failed to do all the strength and conditioning were forced to come back to finish or were punished with additional work.

"It was mandatory," one player said. "They'd tell you it wasn't, but it really was. If you didn't show up, there was punishment. I just felt for the guys that did miss a workout and had to go through the personal hell they would go through."

The newspaper adds that, should the NCAA choose to investigate, Michigan football could be found guilty of "major violations" for the first time in the program's history (which would mean, of course, that we'd be made to endure yet more retrospective fattening of Michigan's most sacred cow, His Surly Grace Bo Schembechler). For now, at least, let's all pretend to be shocked that student-athletes are worked so hard by the well-compensated bullies who coach them. My god, it's almost like playing college football is a job.

A look inside Rodriguez's rigorous program [Detroit Free Press]

The Motor City Soldiers and the Wayne County Bengals, two semi-pro football teams from Metro Detroit, squared off at Royal Oak High School (yeah, that's right) in the first ever football game played by innings. Each offensive possession was half an "inning"—the inning ended when a team scored, punted, or turned the ball over—and no game clock was used. It was all going swimmingly, until a ninth-inning tackle sent players flying into the Bengals bench and all hell broke loose. Players started throwing punches, fans came out of the crowd to join in the ruckus, and the rest of the game was eventually called off. Did I mention it was supposed to go 12 innings? Seriously, this is what the economy has done to the Great Lakes State.

So what was the inspiration for this noble dream that turned into a sub-Arena League debacle three-quarters of the way through its first game? A possibly apocryphal story about one moment in time that made a young man question the concept of fairness and very essence of the sport of football.

"I was at Michigan versus Illinois game and Michigan had the ball on the 4-yard line with a first down, and they then they lost the game because the gun went off," [game organizer Lee] Wilson said prior to the game. "And I thought, ‘What a stupid way to run a ballgame.' "

Yes, we all agree on that. Michigan should always be given as much time as it needs to score game-winning touchdowns. You know what else football needs? A full-court press.

Inning football game ends in brawl [Oakland Press Sports; photo David Dalton]

It seems the Wolverines needed another I-AA (sorry, I refuse to yield) patsy to round out their non-conference schedule, so they called the Hornets and slid them into the October 17 slot in Ann Arbor. The only problem is that the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference already had Delaware State playing NC A&T that weekend and that game could not be moved. Quite a dilemma. Then DSU remembered that Michigan Stadium holds 105,000 and they would make more money from one road game than they probably could in a 12-game season of home games, so they will forfeit a home conference game in order to take on Rich Rod and Company. 2009 record: 0-1. Geez, I hope this doesn't hurt their BCS chances.

There is also the possibility that the Hornets were enticed by the opportunity to knock off a Big Ten team in their own building—a dream scenario made tantalizingly real by these very Wolverines. After all, they play the Delaware Blue Hens every season so the Hornets won't be scared/confused by the winged helmets the way so many Michigan opponents are. Those things are good for what ... two ... three wins a year?

2009 DSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED [Delaware State University Athletics]

Correction: I have been informed that Delaware and Delaware State have, quite notably, not a played a regular season game in over 30 years. (Oops.) However, they will play be playing next season, about a month before the Michigan game. They must really, really want to hit someone wearing those helmets.

(NCAA buckets. Duh.)

Today has pretty much been a snoozer as far as basketball action is concerned. That may all change tonight during the NCAA's evening sessions.

Purdue vs. Washington, 5:40 PM, Portland. You gotta fight! For the right! To get demolished by UConn next week!

North Carolina vs. LSU, 5:45 PM, Greensboro, NC. The North Carolina schools' annual NCAA tournament tour of North Carolina's arenas continue. Will Hansbrough ever close his mouth and/or get a rebound? Tune in to find out!

Oklahoma vs. Michigan, 5:50 PM, Kansas City. Will Michigan avenge their 1976 Orange Bowl loss to Oklahoma? Tune in to find out!.

Gonzaga vs. Western Kentucky, 8:10 PM, Portland. Chicago sports radio host Dan Bernstein has a theory that every year in the NCAA tournament, one of the Cinderella teams has red jerseys. Is Western Kentucky this year's Crazy Red Team? Tune in to find out!

Duke vs. Texas, 8:15 PM, Greensboro. Tonight, we are all Texans. Hook 'em, Horns!

*****

Final: Michigan wins it. Feisty comeback by Clemson, but there was just too much Manny Harris. Thanks Sussman.

0:00 Michigan plays good perimeter D and Rivers misses a running 3 in the corner.

13.1 Michigan barely get it over in time. Good press by Clemson. Novak, a great 3-point shooter but only a 69.8 free throw shooter (and a freshman) steps to the line. He misses the first but hits the second.

27.8 Booker seals off his man, catches a pass and dunks. I can see why he's a pro prospect. Another timeout. Michigan 61, Clemson 59.

37.4 Clemson get an easy layup. Oh thank god. Harris cuts to the basket, draws a
foul and banks it home. Michigan 61, Clemson 57.

0:59 Booker with an offensive rebound. He hits one of two and then Michigan turns it over. Lee with another mistake. I can't believe I said that thing I said two updates ago. Clemson call a timeout. Michigan 58, Clemson 55, Salama Terrified.

1:20 Booker gets away with a clear travel. He scores and then Novak has a corner 3 rattle in and out. Clemson down 4 with the ball.

2:24 Harris swoops to the basket but Grant blocks him. Michigan turns it off sloppily after the inbound. Maybe C.J Lee's first mistake all game.

2:54 Great denial D from Michigan. Culminates in two blocked shots and a shot-clock violation.

3:20 Michigan turns it over. Shit. I'm officially worried.

3:45 Rivers hits a 3 right in his man's face. Suddenly, Clemson are only down 6, 58-52.

4:30 Andre Young hits 2 quick long balls for the Tigers. Michigan 58, Clemson 49.

6:14 Sims hit a 3 after some sweet ball movement and Brando proclaims it a possible dagger. Michigan 56, Clemson 43.

7:07 Harris with a great drive and dish to Gibson. He's freaking people off the dribble, to quote NBA live 2002.

7:58 Michigan uses 32 seconds of shot clock, then gets an offensive rebound. Stu Douglass hits the front end of a 1 and 1. He corrals the rebound. After a blocked shot, they retain the ball. They've been cycling the puck in Clemson's zone for 90 seconds now.

9:28 Booker draws another foul. He hits a free-throw. Clemson get the rebound off the missed second and after a floater falls it's Michigan 50, Clemson 43.

9:46 Booker hits some free-throws. Michigan 50, Clemson 40.

10:04 Clemson is clearly quicker and more physical inside, but few putbacks are dropping.

10:43 Harris wins a face-off against Demontez Stitt. Nicolas Cage predicted it months ago. In a dream so vivid he just knew it had to be real. If only Beilein and Purnell trusted him. Dammit.

11:38 Manny Harris decides to draw a foul and hit 2 free throws.

Soapbox O'Clock: Villanova is starting to come back against American. It's unfair they get to do it behind a home court.

12:20 Clemson starting cause problems with their press/halfcourt defense and score a bit.

13:37 Clemson cuts it to 12 and forces a timeout with a press Michigan can't break.

14:46 Harris breaks down the D and Novak drains a 3. Michigan 46, Clemson 30.

16:00 Rivers hits two free throws. Wikipedia states that the execution-hating governor is now in jail himself. Canny move by him to gain love and admiration of prisoners before becoming incarcerated. Not what Rorschach would do, though.

16:24 Harris with a dunk in transition. Michigan leads 43-28. 16-2 run!

17:20 Oglesby is called for an elbow that, in slow-motion, looks malicious. Douglass hits the technical free throw. He's then ejected! And deported back to Norway! A security guard escorts him to the locker room, and then presumably to Oslo.

17:20 Clemson with an off the ball foul. They're executing worse than that Illinois Governor who issued a moratorium on executions.

18:00 Another huge Sims dunk! Followed by a Clemson turnover and Douglass layup. Michigan leads 36-28.

19: 20 Clemson scores, then DeShawn Sims completes a beautiful alley-oop.

20:00 Second half starting. Considering how many easy misses Clemson has had, the fact Michigan only leads by 3 is scary.

Call from Grandmother: She uses the term "these French people" but manages not to say anything bad about any other ethnicity. She, like Clemson, is not living up to her potential.

at&t at the half: One of the two analysts is a ranga. Neither have anything interesting to say. Still, their laughter approaches self-parodying level, and no one has even made a joke yet.

Halftime: Michigan 27-24. Blake Griffin and Oklahoma are not scared of either team, based on this display. They are, though, terrified of Manny Harris. He has over half of Michigan's points and looks capable of bringing peace to the Middle East.

0:10 Brando slows down Obama's stimulus package with terrible "the bank is open
late" joke.

1:24 Michigan sets airball record; retains lead.

2:00 Another Harris 3 (Please don't go pro) and a Clemson dunk, and it's 25-24 Michigan.

3:30 Misses galore! Graphic informs us that Hansbrough has passed Redick as all time ACC leading scorer. White racists nod appreciatively.

MMOD Commercials: Is the whole Bud Light "drinkability" thing supposed to be ironic?

3:46 Clemson with a block and well executed fast break to tie it at 22. They are much more athletic than Michigan.

5:20 Manny Harris. Great player or the greatest player? He completes an old-fashioned 3 point play.

5:40 K.C Rivers blows an easy layup. He's really struggling. I consider sympathy. Decide against it.

6:30 Michigan shred press again and score after a nice possession. Clemson then hits a 3. Michigan 19-18.

7:05 Shot of pretty Michigan cheerleader is most exciting moment in a while. Michigan leads 17-13.

7:20 Brando calls Clemson's backup point guard, averaging 4.2 points and 2.1 assists, a "phenom."

MMOD Commercials: An inordinate number of commercials involve the elderly. Attempt to reassure them before tradition of putting them on ice flows is adopted in wake of The Harsh Economic Times? Almost certainly.

8:52 Manny Harris with another 3! Michigan 17, Clemson 11. It's easy to update with every basket when they happen so rarely. Decent Brando line about "Manny being Manny" takes us to a commercial.

10:15 Teams trade misses after Michigan hits another 3. Michigan 14, Clemson 11. At this pace, game will barely break 100 points, total.

12:25 Harris scores with panache. 8-0 Michigan run. Michigan leads 11-9.

13:30 Michigan ties it with another 3 (C.J Lee).

14:30 Michigan hits a 3. 9-6 Clemson.

MMOD Commercials: Quantum of Solace commercial reminds me how little I like Kansas' chances to repeat. Too many expectations for both.

15:40 Michigan starting to break the press easily, but Clemson's bigs are stronger and faster. 7-3 Clemson

17:40 The two teams trade threes.

18:27 Michigan now has two airballs on 3 attempts.

20:00: We're off. Clemson scores immediately and troubles Michigan with the press, who then throw up an airball. Good start for the confederacy

Pre-Game: Evening everyone. Solid but unspectacular start to the Madness. This could be a good one. I'm a Michigan fan, but my Olbermann-esque ferocious integrity means a fair and balanced live-blog awaits you.

Now, alumni who perfectly typify their respective universities:

Clemson- Strom Thurmond, who Urban Dictionary describes thusly: "A withered old southern racist fart who once spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes without sitting down to protest the civil rights act of 1957."

Michigan- Raoul Wallenberg, who Rep. Tom Lantos described thusly: Wallenberg is the archetype of a hero – one who risked his life day in and day out, to save the lives of tens of thousands of people he did not know whose religion he did not share."

Keys to winning that will, in all likelihood, not be the actual reasons someone emerges victorious:

Michigan will win if it can handle the press, despite possessing below average group of guards, and if Manny (Real name: Corperryale) Harris and Deshawn Sims realize how trill they are and play like it.

Clemson will win if both of those things do not occur.

2) Stay Hard Clemson Each of the past four years, the Tigers have started out hard. Each of the
past four years, the Tigers have finished soft. Incidentally, the 1996-1997 team did as well.

2006: First Half of season: 11-0, second half: 8-13, final record, 19-13
2007: First Half of season: 17-0 second half: 8- 11, final record: 25-11
2008: First Half of season: 10-0, second half: 14-10, final record: 24-10
2009: First Half of season: 16-0, second half: 7-8, current record: 23-8

These strong starts have been a knock against Clemson Basketball from both fans and national media. Still, as a charter member of the ACC, and a self-proclaimed "football school," just being discussed in the context of basketball is nice. We'll see if Oliver Purnell can get his first NCAA win and help the Tigers seal the deal this year.

3) In and Out Both offensively and defensively, Trevor Booker is the key for the Tigers. The 2nd team All-ACC Junior leads the point of the Oliver Purnell Press defense and leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.3 ppg, 56.7 fg%, 9.7 rebounds, 2 blocks per game, in addition to leading the team in FTA and FTM. All of this at 6'7". On the outside, he is helped by 6'6" F/G senior KC Rivers, who averages 14.2 ppg with 39.8% three point shooting, and the Norwegian National, Terrence Oglesby, who averages 13.9 ppg on 39.6% 3 point shooting. The Tigers lead the ACC in team three point shooting at 37.9%. If the ball goes inside to Booker and the three pointers fall, the Tigers win. — the op blog

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES

1) The Long Road Back Prior to this year, Michigan had not reached the NCAA tournament since 1998*. This is, undoubtedly, the fact that you will hear most this week concerning Michigan. Since that time, a number of either dislikable or incredibly frustrating teams have passed through Crisler Arena. Amazingly, Michigan was far from a doormat during this time, and the Tommy Amaker coached teams even came to dominate the NIT. (Champions!!! in 2004, Runner-ups! in 2006, and also an all too short run in 2007). This year, most fans were hoping for an improvement off the 10-win campaign a year ago, and maybe another shot at the NIT. And then a group made up of two emerging stars, a couple scrawny white freshmen from Indiana, two former walk-on PGs, and a rotating cast of role players beat UCLA, and became maybe the most likeable Michigan basketball team I can remember. The chance to play in the tournament, if only for 40 minutes, means everything to this program.

*The wins from the 1998 were vacated (as well as 1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, and 1992), so officially Michigan has not played in a tournament since 1994. Yes, that was the Fab Five team minus Webber. The Chris Webber who
recently retired from the NBA.

2) The MVPs Manny Harris seems to be the player most frequently discussed on Michigan. His numbers are fantastic (Top 5 in the Big Ten in scoring, rebounding, and assists), but anyone who has followed this team closely knows how frustrating he can be to watch. John Beilein even chose to sit Manny for the entire OT at Iowa, in what most thought was a season-ending/soul-crushing loss. For a team that stresses good shots, his off balance 3-pointers with a hand in his face early in the shot clock make you scream … and then they end up going in. And then there's DeShawn Sims. Sims led Michigan in scoring in their 4 biggest wins over UCLA, Duke, Purdue, and at Minnesota. Then he took over the tourney-bid-clinching win over Iowa. As DeShawn goes, so goes this team.

3) Walk-on PGs It is almost as if John Beilein is looking for new ways to challenge himself. CJ Lee and David Merritt make up the PG combo that you and your friend could likely beat in a pick-up game. Both are former walk-ons who, and as much as I hate to admit it, seem to motivate the team in some sort of strange way. My favorite CJ Lee moment of the season came when Erin Andrews was at Crisler for the Michigan/Michigan State game. During the 2nd half Lee got sick, and Erin had the pleasure of updating his condition from behind the Michigan bench with CJ vomiting into a trashcan. Merritt gives the team's Ray Lewis like pre-game pep talks, only the exact opposite. My personal favorite came in the season finale, when Merritt got the team ready by firing off an obscure stat about the team having led at the half in 7 of its 10 road games. Just in case Michigan draws an ACC team that lives off pressing its opponents, Beilein does have the uber-fast Kelvin Grady on the bench to single handedly break it. However, this is John Beilein, and me thinks he will continue to challenge himself with slower, undersized, dribbling-inept LEADERS at the point. — Mike Worhach

Join the Deadspin Pants Party Group Pool [ESPN]
Download the Deadspin Bracket [PDF or JPG]

Freshman Andrew Conboy (who took Kampfer down from behind) and sophomore Corey Tropp (who slashed him with his stick after he was down) were suspended for the rest of the season and Conboy immediately dropped out of school. Tropp is reportedly considering it, because he will need permission to rejoin the team next year and it's possible he won't get it. That's surprisingly tough and fair.

But that doesn't mean we're done answering The Big Questions. For example, there's still the matter of Kampfer's father, who stormed down to the visitor's locker room after the game, threatening to beat up any Spartans who got in his way. Not exactly a mature response, but then again, maybe they shouldn't have stopped him. And maybe this criminal violence says something larger about the game of hockey and fans who crave it. Oh, and what about those nasty Wolverine students who chanted obscenities in front of the children. Real classy, Michigan! You couldn't have at least waited until the player's backs were turned before verbally assaulting them? Sheesh.

An inside look at ugly incident on and off the ice [Detroit Free Press]
Conboy leaves MSU, Tropp's future still not certain [The State News]
As Michigan State players withdraw from team, DPS looks into on-ice incident at Yost [Michigan Daily]

You may remember Kampfer as the unfortunate hockey player who got his skull cracked open by a member of the Wolverine football team. Kampfer recovered from his injuries and made it back to the ice this season—until Saturday night when two Michigan State hockey players worked the ol' No. 6 on him:

In the final minute, Michigan State freshman forward Andrew Conboy came up behind Kampfer, grabbed him by the neck and slammed him to the ice. With Kampfer defenseless on the ice, Michigan State sophomore forward Corey Tropp — who had been knocked down by a clean open-ice hit moments earlier by Kampfer — slashed him in the neck area with his stick. Tropp received a double disqualification, and Conboy received two roughing penalties.

Michigan State hockey is a embarrassing joke this season. Just two seasons removed from a national championship, they are currently in last place in their conference. They have never had a losing record or finished lower than sixth since joining the CCHA in the early '80s, but that's all but assured this year. Worst of all, they were swept by arch rival Michigan this season, losing three of those games by four or more goals. Disfiguring a helpless opponent would certainly release some of that frustration, but I'm not sure if it really helps the program.

Mike Milano was kicked off the U-M football team for what he did to Kampfer, and nobody should cry foul if the same happened to Tropp or Conboy. (Coach Rick Comley said he would "deal with" his players.) With MSU football seemingly revived and the hoops team on its best roll in years, the least the Spartan hockey goons could have done was kept their putridness under the radar and not killed anybody. Good thing no one cares about hockey, right? (Grumble, Grumble....)

Kampfer speaks out after slashing incident [Detroit Free Press]
What We Learned: Don’t trust the Spartans, passerby [Two Line Pass]
[Photo via The State News]

The Irwin Center, you see, is for athletes only; the $6 million facility is not to be wasted on nerds. And Illinois is not the only campus that has them. There are also such facilities at Michigan, Louisiana State and Texas A&M, the latter which cost $27 million.

Some are not amused.

"These athletic tutoring palaces perpetuate resentment and stereotyping on campus," said Allen Sack, a University of New Haven professor who played football for the University of Notre Dame and has become a critic of what he sees as the corrosive effect of sports on university life.

"A student who is not an athlete will say: 'I'm working nights to get through school, why don't I get free tutoring?' " Sack said. "That the athletes do perpetuates the image of a dumb jock who couldn't get through school without special help."

The universities say that these centers only cost a fraction of the revenue their athletic teams generate. And they help preapre athletes for life after sports.

Debby Roberts, a learning specialist at the Irwin Center, said she counsels Illini athletes to use their college years to develop their non-athletic potential. "It's a daily battle," Roberts said. "They all want to think they're going to turn pro."

Yes, a major university has "learning specialists." Look, your book has words and pictures inside! Did you know that? No, you don't eat them ...

$6 Million Center Tutors Jocks Only [Chicago Tribune]
The University Of Illinois Center For Athletes Who Can’t Read Good And Want To Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too [Deuce Of Davenport]

Betting on Michigan to win a game? Come on; it doesn't take Miss Marple to deduce that this means Stone secretly loves dressing as a woman. Most frightening aspect of this: He spends most of the sportscast talking about the Lions. Imagine someone new to the Detroit area tuning in for the first time and seeing this ... person, saying: "Rod Marinelli says it's all about up front."

Key quote from a guy who answered the phone at WDFN Radio: "Just so you know, that pink sweater isn't padded. Those are his real boobs."

Mike Stone [Wikipedia]