 
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 389
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, July 07, 2007 - 10:13 am: |    |
Wayne State is picked #21 in D-II. Grand Valley is numero uno and Northwood #14. Grand Valley and Northwood made the D-II playoffs last year with GVSU winning the whole thing.
Eastern Michigan 'may rank among the better last place teams in MAC history.' I like WMU and CMU in a very strong MAC West.
Don't think EMU will surprise this year, but I think Wayne will.
Wayne has a first team D-II all-American RB and at least one other with D-II all-American hopes.
Street and Smith didn't say it, but MSU will have a disappointing season and UofM will go to a big bowl but be disappointing even with all of their marque NFL prospects. |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 3203
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, July 09, 2007 - 8:12 am: | |
When was the last time Wayne was ranked that high? That would be great. If they do that well they better get hyped big time on campus to get some big Saturday crowds/parties down there.
Eastern will once again disgrace the Big House with its presence this year; it's just a matter of whether they or Appalachian State will play Michigan better.
MSU will have three wins tops. The only game that worries me for UM is at Wisconsin in November. Michigan is past due to beat OSU and win a bowl game, and both will happen. |
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 397
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Monday, July 09, 2007 - 2:02 pm: | |
In Feb '06 (not here - didn't know of 'here') I predicted the Tigs as a big surprise. It was based a lot on returning talent and what I knew of the new pitchers, esp. Verlander.
My July '07 big surprise prediction is Wayne.
I'll pick them for 2nd behind GVSU and a D-II playoff team. Being #2 behind the best D-II team in the country is good stuff.
Should be interesting how fast the crowds increase (there is always a lag factor - even last year with the Tigs).
It could say a lot about Wayne's future in athletics. |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 3209
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, July 09, 2007 - 2:07 pm: | |
Coming from UM, if Wayne football becomes a real focus on campus, it will tip me towards going to grad school there compared to other close substitutes. I think it helps campus culture a ton if people have something good to rally around.
Go Warriors. |
Focusonthed
Member
Username: Focusonthed
Post Number: 1131
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Monday, July 09, 2007 - 2:56 pm: | |
Go WMU. Building a program the right way, with character guys and good recruiting. |
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 399
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 5:54 am: | |
Agree with Mackinaw.
I saw last month that the number of donations and amount of donations to WSU athletics was way up for the year.
This suggests that folks are starting to feel some excitement I'd assume for WSU FB.
A big year (say 8 - 3) and some nice crowds could increase publicity. I'm sure the DET papers would be happy to cover a local winner on the way up. |
_sj_
Member
Username: _sj_
Post Number: 1951
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 9:40 am: | |
quote:Eastern will once again disgrace the Big House with its presence this year; it's just a matter of whether they or Appalachian State will play Michigan better.
Uhh no, Michigan will disgrace itself for scheduling such cupcakes.
I don't think MSU will have a disappointing season. Really how can it be anymore disappointing than what they have seen. Considering they have the toughest schedule in the Big Ten.
Michigan needs to find out if Ron English was a flash in the pan or if he can produce in big games. |
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 400
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 11:13 am: | |
I'm not an apologist for Eastern, but there is a tradition of the three MAC schools in MI playing UofM and MSU.
Sure the EMU games have been really bad. I turn the TV off and watch other MAC games.
There is NO reason for UofM to have Appy State or any other Big Ten team for scheduling I-AA teams.
EMU and Appy State should do a home and home.
(Message edited by emu_steve on July 10, 2007) |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 3217
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 11:19 am: | |
I agree that they shouldn't schedule those teams, and I hate Bill Martin for doing it, but on the flip side, there are also non-conference games against Oregon and Notre Dame. They can still be good tests, though. Ball St. played big Blue much tougher than MSU did last season.
I repeat, I'd rather play someone other than EMU or Appalachian, but a lot of teams who play 2-3 cupcakes in a season still get to the national championship game, i.e. Florida (who played Central Florida and Western Carolina) last season...they were still hands down the best team in the country, beating one of OSU's best teams ever handily. This year Florida plays W. Kentucky, Troy, and Florida Atlantic, and I'm sure they'll have just as much respect if they win against all the other legit teams the play. The same holds for UM. |
_sj_
Member
Username: _sj_
Post Number: 1952
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 11:35 am: | |
My point was that Eastern is not disgraced by playing there. They just are not in the same class and should not be in the same division, but that is all politics.
These games are all about giving those schools extra athletic money. |
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 401
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 12:02 pm: | |
We have two cases here: EMU and Appy State.
EMU is on the schedule for the reasons mentioned - they are in state and get a chance to get extra $.
RE: Appy State, W. Carolina, etc. etc.
UofM, Flor-e-da, etc. should quit scheduling multiple cupcakes.
UofM playing EMU makes sense.
Florida playing Central Florida makes sense.
Appy State and W. Carolina (both I-AA) don't below on top 10 team schedules. |
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 402
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 12:14 pm: | |
BTW, there is a 'history' to UofM / Appy State.
Apparently UofM rescheduled the EMU game from Sept 1 to Oct 6 to open that date for a game with Vandy.
UofM and Vandy couldn't agree on whatever and I believe they both decided to go separate ways. Might have had something to do with a return game.
Vandy will play I-AA Richmond on Sept. 1.
RE: Bill Martin:
I'd hire Bill Martin in a minute to head WWE, or "Ann Arbor Widgets, Inc." etc. but I'd not hire him to run a COLLEGE program.
Colleges are not-for-profit enterprises.
If Mr. Martin thinks athletics is a for profit enterprise, then he and I disagree.
Just my opinion. |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 3222
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 11:44 pm: | |
I agree about the $, _sj_...basically Martin is letting EMU in on a major cash grab. |
_sj_
Member
Username: _sj_
Post Number: 1953
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 11:37 am: | |
App State is all about money as well because UM needed to have 8 homes games to pay off its expensive program. 8 is just a number I picked out of the air. |
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 404
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 2:55 pm: | |
_SJ_ :
Eight makes sense.
With a 8 conference schedule 4 will be home and 4 road.
UofM TRIES to get 4 non-conference games at home if they can. Obviously UofM has to play at Notre Dame but most other schools don't get a return. |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 3226
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 3:18 pm: | |
We've got the biggest stadium. More revenue for everyone. A lot of smaller schools would forgo homefield "advantage" to get more money. Other than games at South Bend, Michigan last played a non-conference game on the road in Oregon in 2003, and it did not end well. |
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 405
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 5:15 pm: | |
True, Mackinaw, but a lot of not smaller schools would love to do home and home.
I'd bet schools like Oklahoma, Texas, maybe Florida State, etc. Maybe a Big East team like WVU.
(UofM should shy away from SEC and Pac-10 because of bowl considerations). |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 3235
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 11:56 am: | |
I agree. I would love to see some competitive series. Ohio State has pursued it, and of course you have Nebraska-USC going on now. |
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 406
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 3:44 pm: | |
MAC and ESPN announced a sweet 6-week MAC team deal for noon games from mid-Sept. on for 6 weeks.
EMU and CMU to each get two such games.
Games will be on WXYZ (yep!!).
This is in addition to Comcast-Local, ESPNU, etc. (CMU probably also has ESPN2 games).
Lot of TV FB games for even the MAC.
I understand that WSU will have some games on Comcast-Local as well. |
_sj_
Member
Username: _sj_
Post Number: 1961
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 10:59 am: | |
Takes the place of the old ESPN+ BigTen broadcast which now won't be seen on cable.
BTW, I saw that Michigan just picked up a QB from Adrian who transferred from Georgia Tech, giving them a solid #2(Mallett) and #12(Threet) QB recruiting class. |
Emu_steve
Member
Username: Emu_steve
Post Number: 407
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 6:21 pm: | |
Turning this thread into a collections of college sports notes.
Saw on an MLive.com board a post that EMU raised 730K for the athletic club in the FY ending June 30.
WSU, if I remember correctly, did 250K in the first 5 months of '07.
Pretty nice numbers for two schools without big FB traditions. |
Kenp
Member
Username: Kenp
Post Number: 617
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 - 7:49 am: | |
The extra game for all big ten schools should be another big ten game not a non conference game.
If Appy St was in the MAC it would be near the top.
MSU plays UAB??? and Bowling Green and counts an average Pitt team as a tough game at home.
If you want to rip on a team pick Wisc. |