Ndamukong Nation

Being someone's good friend entails a few things. First, it entails that you are probably going to go through a lot of bad things, as well as a lot of good things. You may not always agree with your good friend. You may disagree with them a lot more than you agree with them, in some instances. But mostly, it entails that you are going to stick up for them whether they are right or wrong, cause that's what you do for your good friends. It sort of comes with the job title.

The Lions are 4-7 this year. They are in last place in their division. Their chances of making the playoffs rival the chances that you are going to win that $550 million dollar lottery jackpot when the lucky number is drawn. Those (for the most part) are facts. What's NOT a fact is that Ndamukong Suh intentionally kicked Matt Schaub in the powerball(s). I don't know. You don't know. You can think he did, and you may be right. But the beauty of it is you will never know unless he comes out and admits it. And since it took him quite a while to admit he stomped on someone, something that seemed a little more blatant, it's doubtful he's going to admit to this, so you might as well live with it.

Since Ndamukong Suh joined the Lions, a number of things have happened. Amazingly, the NHL has proven it's leadership to be worse than the NFL. The Lions still have not won a playoff game. And Suh has dominated the Thanksgiving headlines, more so than his team. So much so that now people would love to see Suh traded for some draft picks, so the Lions can pick up Manti Te'o. That is just one of the many different scenarios I have heard while screening calls for 97.1 "The Ticket." Believe it or not, that makes more sense than most. I've heard everything from "drop his ass," to "he should go back to playing soccer with that kick." Or here's an idea. Maybe he could just stay with the Lions and get back to playing?

I'm not sure Detroit has ever seen as controversial a player as Suh, in any sport. The only comparisons I can come up with are Gary Sheffield (wasn't here long enough), and everyone's favorite, Rasheed Wallace. Sheffield is a hall of fame caliber player who likely won't make it to Cooperstown because of the era in which he played. Rasheed is still screaming "ball don't lie," and still getting technical fouls for it. Suh has a chance to be better than both of them, something that everyone in Detroit seems to forget.

Let's set the stage. December 5, 2009; Texas and Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship game. In an offensive shootout, the Longhorns, led by Colt McCoy, clipped the Huskers, led by Ndamukong Suh, by a final score of 13-12. Very rarely is a college football team led by a defensive player. Many teams have great players on defense, but it's rare when a good team's number one association is with a defensive player. The last two examples (other than Suh) I can think of are Michigan's 1997 National Championship team, led by Charles Woodson, and this years Notre Dame team, led by Te'o. The point is the ability that Ndamukong possesses is off the charts.

Ndamukong Suh brings down Colt McCoy for one of his four sacks. photo credit: trepanddoc.wordpress.com

In that Big 12 championship game, Suh had a game (not team) high 12 tackles...for a defensive tackle. 12 tackles? Are you freaking kidding me, for a defensive tackle? He made the Texas offensive line look like they were emulating Billy Bob from "Varsity Blues" (Mack Brown does kind of remind you of Jon Voight, doesn't he). You know what, that's not even accurate, cause Billy Bob actually blocked someone. The dude had four sacks...in one game. And you want to drop him cause he's a bad influence? Stop.

If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to watch Billy Corben's 30 for 30 documentary titled "The U." In short, it tells the story of a culture of football created by a coach. Jimmie Johnson led the Hurricanes, and they flat out stomped opponents. Just ask Brian Bosworth. Not only did they stomp you (um, no pun intended, sorry Evan Dietrich-Smith), but they told you about it after. And then they told you again, and again, and again. Their trash talk would make Rasheed proud. Nuns are still rolling in their graves thinking of those teams. But you know what, they won...a lot.

It seems everyone thinks Ndamukong Suh is too dirty to play for the Lions. He's not the kind of "character" guy that we want when building a franchise. The problem with that is simple. You build your franchise with players of Suh's caliber. "Nice" defensive tackles are as prevalent as mean kickers. Accept it, embrace it, do whatever you have to do to live with it, but just know that if you let this guy go, it's going to be one of those moves that you look back on and compare to trading Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin for Miguel Cabrera, except you would be a Marlins' fan. Man, that would suck.

Am I advocating Suh's behavior? Yes and no. I don't think it's right to stomp on someone's arm. But if he kicked someone in the groin that may or may not have been intentional? Who cares? It's football, do you know what goes on at the bottom of those piles? It's not players asking each other how their wives are doing. It's a game where grown men push each other around. The harder you hit someone the more money you make (or lose, according to Commissioner Rog). There are bigger issues with this football team than Ndamukong Suh. He needs to play better, yes, absolutely. He needs to find that magic that he had his rookie year. But the D-Line is not losing the Lions games. That would be the secondary, when late in the game, it seems that Charles Barkley could get open, and not for a jump ball.

The ball is in the Lions court. Their coach seems to be accepting it and defending his players, and I applaud him for that. Suh's antics are not causing distress in the locker room, otherwise he'd be Titus Young-ed right home. He doesn't have a plethora of personal fouls this year. And the most aggressive suspender ever to call the Commissioner's office home didn't even care about his kick. So give the guy a break. He gets a bad reputation for doing dumb things, and maybe he's earned it. But if you're going to be a Lions' fan who lives in the past, well you might as well get ready to lose.

Ndamukong Suh makes contact with Matt Schaub's groin area. photo credit: thenewsportsguru.com

The Lions need Suh just like you need the Lions. You've watched them for years. I know, so have I. You've stuck with them when everyone else hasn't and you'd like to see a little return on your investment. You can even call the Lions one of your good friends. You hang out with them every Sunday it feels like. So be a good friend, and support them, whether they are right or wrong, whether Suh is right or wrong. That's what good friends do.

Not So Fast, My Friend

Pre-season rankings are about as relevant as NASCAR. There are some people who will absolutely swear by them, while the rest of the country sort of looks at it like, “eh…did Danica Patrick pose for Playboy yet?” Unfortunately, no, she has not, to my knowledge at least. Heff needs to work some magic on that one. Pre-season rankings…right. Take football for example. Notre Dame was unranked to begin the season, and look at them now? Irish eyes are smiling (cheesing would be a better term) as hard as ever. Michigan and Michigan State were both pre-season top fifteen in the country. Michigan went 8-4 in the regular season, and Sparty, well, yeah. No one ever knows if pre-season rankings will turn into post-season results. So let this message be very clear to Michigan basketball fans: slow down.

It’s been a long time since the Wolverines were in a Final Four: 1993 if we are being technical, but those banners (like Chris Webber’s pride) are gone. The latest college basketball polls have the Wolverines at the number three spot in America. That is, simply put, too high.

Chris Webber photo credit: besombebody.blog.com

Michigan has a good basketball program. Years of inconsistent coaching and play have seemingly been erased by John Beilein. He has brought stability and talent to a program whose most notable alum in the last fifteen years is…uhh…Robert Traylor? You get the point. Michigan has been bad for a long time now. Finally it seems those days are behind the Wolverines. But again, be very wary of what others tell you, particularly when they tell you how good you are.

It’s easy to buy into hype, especially when there hasn’t been any hype since the Fab 5. There are plenty of Michigan fans out there who, with this latest ranking, are ready to declare a return to the Final Four for Big Blue. And while that may happen (no one knows), it isn’t advisable to bet on just yet. There are plenty of hoops and ladders to go through for the Wolverines. I’ll tell you what I’ve told anyone who is willing to listen. While I don’t think they are good enough to be number three in America, I also don’t think they will get touched before the B1G starts conference play.

Tomorrow, the Wolverines face their most formidable task before the conference slate begins: North Carolina State. The Wolfpack are a team similar to Michigan, in that they both were ranked too high to begin the year. Unlike Michigan, however, NC State has already proven they are not as good as their ranking. The Wolfpack lost in last years Sweet 16 to eventual national runner-up Kansas. It was a great game, decided by three points, thus jolting them into immediate conversation regarding this seasons powerhouses. Michigan, however, lost in the opening round to Ohio. Rather different results from rather similar teams. That said, I believe Michigan is the better team, and should win tomorrow.

The Wolverines have the easiest road to an undefeated start of all the B1G powers. While it may be a down year in college football for the B1G, the same cannot be said for basketball. There are four potential national champions in the conference. That is not a typo. Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan State, and Michigan all have the ability to cut down the nets this year in Atlanta. Michigan is the second highest ranked out of those four. They are also, in my opinion, the least likely to win it all.

The fact is Michigan has just not been there. They don’t have the experience. Sure there are counters to that argument. Take Kentucky for example. They’ve won consistently with freshman who have never been there before. But their coach has. And let me ask you this: Is John Wall or Anthony Davis suiting up for the Maize and Blue anytime soon? No. Michigan has good players that, when they play together, can challenge anyone in the country. But they are mighty young, with very little big game experience. That will change by years end, and it starts tomorrow.

Trey Burke (left) and Tim Hardaway Jr. photo credit: mlive.com

You win in college basketball with great guards. That has been established, disputed, and proven over years and years; it’s not a small sample size. Michigan has very good guards. What’s separating them from being great guards is a little hardware (no, the pre-season NIT does not count). Burke and Hardaway Jr. are as good as any backcourt in America. They haven’t gotten a lot of chances to shine on national television. They’ve got one tomorrow. Michigan will go as they go, so watch them tomorrow. See how they handle themselves. See if they’ll get in the lane and take a charge, or if they’ll argue with the refs on what they think is a blown call (insert Daniel Horton joke here). See if they play unselfishly, and give up an open shot for a good shot. And most importantly, if they are to lose, see how they act. You can hate losing, absolutely, but you have to learn how to lose before you learn how to win. Hopefully that will stir some things up. 

Back to Normalcy

In a college football season that has been anything but normal, Saturday was quite...pedestrian. Notre Dame is going to the National Championship. Michigan and Ohio State played a game worthy of the rivalry, with one team securing an undefeated season. Florida beat Florida State. Alabama rolled Auburn. Bruce Springsteen checked in with the number one hit in the country this week with "Born To Run." Oh, it's 2012? My mistake, I thought it was the mid-70s.

Okay, maybe not the 70s. It's been a while since I've seen any Bell Bottoms with peace signs draped all over them, multicolored. But it's also been quite some time since the scenario I started this article with has occured. And isn't ironic that as the BCS, the brain child of 21st century sports, nears its institutional death, for the first time in a while, it SEEMS as though there will be no controversy regarding who should play in the National Championship? (Read that one again, I know there are a lot of commas) Quick, someone call the House Committee on Matters with NO Relation to Politics and tell them to reverse their decision on a college football playoff. Boise State can once again go undefeated, Utah can cry for the Sugar Bowl, and Sparty can go back to besting Big Blue and Touchdown Jesus on the gridiron. You mean you like this version of college football better? Me too.

Before I go into what I think will happen in the future, Buckeye fans will of course want me to mention what happened yesterday. So let's give credit where credit is due. It was Ohio State's day from the beginning, just like it was Michigan's last year. Honoring Tressel, ushering in Meyer, and beating Michigan. Those days don't come around very often. So good for the Buckeyes. That said, what a blown chance for Michigan. Two halves that were polar opposites of each other don't occur like that very often. Michigan missed a golden opportunity to put a stranglehold on this game, and contribute to the growing legend of Brady Hoke. They missed it, badly. Oh well, this team is not one of the all-time Ann Arbor greats. That said, it COULD have been a great day. But again, being respectful since it's the holiday season, an Ohio State win adds to this rivalry...yes, I really believe that.

Denard Robinson breaks away from two Buckeye tacklers photo credit: detroit.cbslocal.com

As the seconds ticked off at Ohio Stadium, and every Michigan fan had to come the realization that the one year hiatus of bad Ohio State teams is over, I found myself thinking of Eminem. Slim Shady is an interesting person to think of at a time like that. I've always felt a special bond with Eminem. If you aren't from Detroit and you are reading this, chances are you know someone from the Detroit area. Chances also are that if you've ever been in the same room with that person while an Eminem song has been playing, then they've probably uttered the line that is taught at every "Being a Suburban Detroiter" class ever assembled: Oh My God, I live by 8 Mile! No stranger to that line, I actually grew up off of 8 mile. And while my version of 8 mile may have been just a little tougher than Mr. Mathers's version (haha), I've still listened to "Guess Who's Back" plenty of times.

It's back. They're back. Finally, both of them, at the same time, are good. It's been a while since Michigan and Ohio State each had top notch programs. And while the Spartan fans reading this will swear that Michigan is not nearly as good as I think they are, they're wrong. No, Michigan could not win a national championship this year even if Devin Gardner played quarterback every game. But what we learned yesterday in Columbus is that the B1G is about to hop on the back of the Maize and Blue and the Scarlett and Gray. Am I saying that they will be the only B1G teams to win big games? No. Am I saying they will be 11-0 each time they face each other in the future? No. And to appease all of my Spartan friends, am I saying they will both go a combined 10-0 vs. Michigan State in the next five years? Yes. Okay fine, no. But put an alarm in your phone for five years from today. It's possible. Label it "Have Michigan and OSU dominated the B1G in the last five years," and see what happens.

Last year it was Michigan plus six. This year, Ohio State plus five. The last time these two played back-to-back games with each opponent winning at home by less than a touchdown? 1971 and 1972; right smack-dab in the middle of one of the few wars recognized by many, that saw no deaths...the Ten Years War. Who were the coaches again during that period? Two weird names that's for sure. A couple of dudes who were known by their nicknames as opposed to their first names: Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes and Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler. The rivalry has always been great. It's been around as long as Michigan and Ohio have disliked each other. Those two men took it to new heights. The two men now, with weird enough names of their own, will take it even higher.

Bo Schembechler (left) and Woody Hayes (right) photo credit: bentley.umich.edu

The last two games in this series could not have meant more to the schools and less to the overall agenda. I'd go as far to say that in ten years, the last two games in this rivalry will be known for NOTHING except each coach won in their first game. Michigan beat Ohio State last year, a game Buckeye fans will say did not mean as much because their coach was too fickle. Ohio State beat Michigan this year, a game Wolverine fans will say didn't mean as much because, well, it just doesn't sting like it should. The B1G Championship game was unattainable, and while that never matters in "The Game," the loss changes nothing about what is going to happen to Michigan come bowl season. Every loss to Ohio State hurts, that will never change. But compared to games like the epic shootout of 2006, this one just feels a little bit different. I'm trying to be more pissed than I actually am. But I just can't help thinking about where this rivalry is about to go.

All non-Michigan fans prepare to grimace: Brady Hoke is a Michigan man. Urban Meyer is a proud son of Ohio. Let's get this clear, I don't like Meyer. I respect what he's done. I imagine he's a good card player, cause he played every single person in this country with his sad tale on the contract he signed with his daughters and leaving Florida for health reasons. BS. He wanted out, he got out, and got the job he really wanted. The two coaches are great at what they do. They get top notch talent to buy into a system, and turn it into results--fast. Brady Hoke took a program that was as stable as Courtney Love, turned it around in one year, won eleven games, and a BCS bowl. Urban Meyer took a 6-6 team, turned them into an undefeated 12-0 team, and took them to a BC--oh, just kidding, no BCS bowl for the Buckeyes (couldn't resist). Both of those coaches did that in one year, with talent they didn't recruit. Imagine what they can do when their systems are fully in place?

Urban Meyer gets the gatorade shower from OSU players photo credit: media.masslive.com

Seeing players from both sides jawing hard before the game brought a smile to my face. That's the way it should be. Michigan and Ohio State should not like each other. That should be reflected on the field. I think it will be. I'm even for the coaches not liking each other. Respecting each other, sure. But they don't have to like each other. I don't think it's a coincidence that the two coaches forgot to shake hands after the game yesterday, because the field was too full? No matter what they say, it's on. They want to beat each other, badly. Take Urban Meyer's press conference two days ago. Take Brady Hoke's refusal to call Ohio State, well, Ohio State. The days of "that team up north vs. Ohio" are back. Get ready. It's going to be entertaining.