Thoughts on Michigan Football's "Punishment"

The penalties for this dumbass sign stealing investigation were levied this morning by the NCAA. Michigan has to pay a hefty fine, they have a few recruiting restrictions, Connor Stalions and Jim Harbaugh got massive show cause fines and Sherrone Moore is going to serve a three game suspension, opposed to the two game suspension that Michigan already levied on him. It was what I thought would happen.

I do find it hilarious that the NCAA is giving Harbaugh a 10 year show cause because that dude is never coming back to coach college football. This is akin to expelling a student from high school after they've already graduated. All in all I'm happy this is all done and settled. No one can question the national title from 2023. I'm sure some fanbases will still say stupid things about it being "tainted", but that means absolutely nothing. Those same fanbases are the ones that insisted on this investigation and their beloved NCAA came to the conclusion that no titles would be taken away and no wins would be vacated. I'm so ready to put this to bed and focus on football.

I was as done with this two years ago as I was with the whole Johnny Manziel stuff. I don't care that he took money from Texas A&M and never showed up to class. I applaud Cam Newton's family for getting as much as they could from Auburn while he was there. The whole tattoo and memorabilia thing at the university of Ohio State was as dumb as sign stealing. I could care less that John Mateer is gambling on games that have nothing to do with his team. I wish SMU never got the death penalty for paying Eric Dickerson among others. All these so-called "scandals" have nothing to do with what happens on the field. Every team steals signs, Michigan just had the best guy at doing that job. Johnny Manziel was only at TAMU to play football, so get paid and skip class, who cares. Cam Newton won a title and sold Auburn merchandise hand over foot and made millions for that school based on his name. I hate that players at the university of Ohio State had to resort to selling memorabilia just to get tattoos. They should have gotten free tattoos everywhere they went. As long as John Mateer doesn't affect the outcome of games he plays, gamble away kid. And SMU was just doing NIL before everyone else. You cannot come out holier than thou when every school has players, coaches, administration and alumni that find anyway they can to bend the rules to help their team.

College football is the wild wild west now and anyone that claims they're playing by the letter of the law is lying. There is something that anyone can find when reading the rule book of a rule being broken that is so miniscule and unimportant. No school is playing by the letter. So stop with all the "death penalty" and "worst scandal is sports history" stuff. It's over and done. This should never be brought up again. No one, outside of East Lansing and Columbus, seem to care about this anymore. There was an investigation and it came to a conclusion. That's it. It's done. I feel like this has been talked about so much that people seem to forget what happened at Penn State under Joe Paterno and what happened at Michigan State with their training staff. These are the real issues. We are talking about sexual abuse, not tattoos or signs. Those issues should be what the main sports media is talking about, but it is a way bigger bummer than some signs and attacking Jim Harbaugh, who the main sports media seems to hate. All the stuff I mentioned before, sign stealing, tattoos, "illegally" paying players and gambling, these all pale in comparison to sexual assault and abuse. Maybe the time has come to focus on the real issues at universities and not some trivial nonsense. And, as far as sign stealing and Michigan getting the "hammer", that is done.

Time to move on. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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2024 Year in Review: Top Sports Moments

Welcome to day four of my best of 2024 lists. Today is sports. This is probably my favorite one to write, especially when Michigan football is doing good things. It’s not all Michigan football, but my top two moments definitely revolve around them. Sports is a way of life for me, and I truly love watching, writing and talking about them. On to my list.

At number 5 I
have the Paris Olympics. The Olympics were fun this year. The basketball, more on that in a minute, was excellent as always. But, I found myself watching more and more of the games. I always say I’m not going to do that, but this year was different for me. I got really into badminton for a day. I was watching it for fun, but then I found myself rooting for certain teams. I was making wild claims about what the teams should be doing. I was all in. It was rad. I got into the skateboarding. I was enjoying a good portion of track and field. I extensively watched hoops. These Olympics were probably the most I’ve ever tuned in and really enjoyed the games. They were a blast.

At number 4, I have the men’s gold medal basketball game between France and team USA. This was one of the better basketball games I’ve seen in a long time. I almost put the Serbia-USA game here, but that didn’t have the stakes this game had. This was back and forth. This game was France announcing themselves as a true threat in 2028. This was Victor Webanyama letting the world know how good he truly can be. This was Garschon Yabusele letting everyone know he was NBA ready. This was LeBron James reminding the world his greatness. This was Devin Booker shoehorning his way into superstar conversations. But, this was all about Stephen Curry showing the world what makes him so great. He seemingly couldn’t miss. When he hit his fourth three in a row, my son and I both audibly gasped. We couldn’t believe what we were watching. It was amazing. It was also the last time, in my opinion, that we will see the USA as the basketball favorite in the Olympics. This game was amazing, and it was even better to watch in real time.

At number 3 I have the rise of Victor Webanyama. He was the presumed number 1 pick in his NBA draft, and he went number 1. His defense was supposed to be ahead of his offense, and it was, only for a bit. His offensive game got better and better as the year went on. He’s a 7’4 unicorn. He can play in the paint, but he’s also a legit three point shooter. His defense is incredible. His limbs are so long that he can get faked and still make a block or contest a shot. It’s amazing to see. He can dribble the ball up the court. He’s getting an edge that’s only going to make him better. He’s getting bigger. And he’s very young. The NBA is in a good spot for post LeBron games, because Victor Webanyama seems to be as advertised. I implore you to watch him play if you haven’t yet. There’s no one else like him in basketball.

Now for my Michigan football love.

At number 2 is my most recent 2024 event, a 6-5 Michigan team, as a 20 point underdog, going into Columbus and beating the second ranked university of Ohio State. This was so unexpected and so glorious. Michigan had a bad year. They looked over their heads and confused most of the season. I saw them live and it was just as bad in person. Outside of a few dudes from last year’s title team, this was an entire new team with limited reps as starters. The university of Ohio State, on the other hand was great. They were 10-1. They had the best roster money could buy. They dug deep into their NIL budget to make this team unbeatable. And they held onto to that, minus the Oregon game, which they still almost won. This was supposed to be a blowout. In 2019 Ryan Day said he was “going to hang 100” on Michigan, and I thought this may be the year it happens. But, much to my delight, Day and Chip Kelly decided they had to show how “tough” their team can be. They kept trying to run the ball up the middle, the strength of Michigan’s defense. It was bottled up all afternoon. When they would throw, they gashed Michigan's secondary. But, they had some score to fill, so they went away from that and back to running, which only helped Michigan stay in this game.  As the game progressed I couldn’t believe it was close. Late in the fourth quarter, tied at 10-10, I looked at my dad and said, “imagine if this Michigan team wins today”. Michigan QB Davis Warren proceeded to throw a terrible goal line interception after that. But the university of Ohio State decided to try and prove their toughness yet again and Michigan got the ball back with solid field position. They then kept getting first downs, only by running the ball, and marched down near the goal line again. They bled the clock down to 40 seconds and Dominic Zvada kicked a chip shot field goal for a 13-10 lead. Michigan kicked off, and four plays and one yard gained later, Michigan did it. They won this game. As improbable as it seemed that morning, they pulled off the victory. There was the melee with the flag at the end of the game, but even that didn’t deter my excitement. As frustrating as this season was, this team showed grit and determination and toughness and beat a much better team by playing hungrier, angrier and tougher. This season was a success due to this one win. It was glorious.

Nothing will top my number 1 sports moment of 2024, unless they do it again in my lifetime. That’s last year’s Michigan football team beating Alabama in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day and then winning the title a little over a week later. The 23-24 Michigan football team season was tremendous to watch. That defense was incredible. It may be one of the best defenses college football has ever seen. They had studs everywhere and they had great coaches teaching them the game. The offense was rough, rugged and nasty. They could also throw the ball around if the needed to. The O line was stout. JJ McCarthy was a good game manager who had the tools to improvise. Blake Corum is one of the greatest running backs Michigan has ever had. Colston Loveland and AJ Barner were a great tight end duo. And Roman Wilson was consistent and dependable and Cornelius Johnson was a great deep threat. This team was loaded and locked in all year. Even with the nonsensical sign stealing allegations, this team never stopped winning games and blowing opponents out. If an opposing coach called them out, they beat that team even worse. This team rode for each other and the coaches and it showed on and off the field. Their closest game was the university of Ohio State game, but the Rose Bowl versus Alabama was much more nerve wracking. They then went into National Title game and beat Washington, the only other undefeated team last season, and beat them by 21 points. This was a “team of destiny”. I didn’t fully appreciate them until after the title, but now I’m so grateful for everything the 23-24 Michigan team gave the fans. They won every game and won them all in style. They took on the villain role. They embraced and reveled in the hate. And as a fan it was wonderful to see. I always want Michigan to blow everyone out so I can relax during the games, and that’s what they did all the way to the title. I will always remember this and savor it. It is my proudest moment as a sports fan and that Michigan team will go down in history. Go Blue.

That’s it for sports moments. Come back tomorrow for my final top five list of 2024, podcasts.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Greatest The Game

Let’s talk about last Saturday’s Michigan Ohio State game.

After I got home from my race Saturday afternoon, and my dad arrived at my house, we settled in and watched the recording of the university of Ohio State and Michigan football game. Neither of us knew the outcome, nor the score at the time, so we went in totally fresh. What my dad and I watched unfold was pretty epic and inconceivable to the both of us.

This has been an incredibly frustrating year to be a Michigan football fan. I know, they were coming off an undefeated season that ended in a national title win. It was great. This year was a year of newness and head scratching. They had no QB. Their best defender missed most of the season. The o-line was not playing to their wild expectations. The receivers couldn't get separation. Donovan Edwards was replaced by Kalel Mullings. The defense had some questionable play calling. It was a mess and a work in progress. When I saw them play live over a month ago, it looked as bad in person as it did on the tv. After that Illinois-Michigan game, I thought they may finish 6-6 at best. They played Indiana close, which was nice to see, but they went into their second bye week at 5-5. I didn't know if they'd win another game. They went into the Northwestern game and demolished them. It was such a nice surprise to see them go out and dominate a team like they're supposed to. They ran up and down the field. The QB play was sufficient. The defense was suffocating. It was a sight for sore eyes.

Going into the university of Ohio State game, I had zero expectations. The university of Ohio State, on paper, is a much better team. They played Oregon close, in Eugene, and that same Oregon squad crushed Michigan in Ann Arbor. They throttled Indiana. They kind of, outside of Oregon, made lightwork of every team that was on their schedule. Michigan, on the other hand, really struggled all season long, until the Northwestern game. Fresno State stayed with them all game. They gave up 15 fourth quarter points to Arkansas State. Texas smacked them. So did Illinois and, as previously mentioned, Oregon. Michigan looked like a team that wasn't really prepared to play all year. But, I have to bring it up again, the Northwestern game showed me something different. They did what they wanted to do when they wanted to do it and they looked good while doing it. But I still expected them to get walloped on Saturday. The university of Ohio State was supposed to unleash three years of frustration and prove that Michigan wasn't going to be able to push them around anymore. Ryan Day said, in 2019, that he was "going to hang 100 on them", and I kind of expected that type of game on Saturday.

That didn't happen at all. Michigan was able to run on this supposed vaunted defense. Kalel Mullings fully took control of Michigan's ground game after Donovan Edwards got hurt. Davis Warren, well, he looked like a walk on. He had a bad, bad game. But that didn't matter. If the offense went three and out, the defense held firm. The Michigan defense was lights out on Saturday. They played their best game of the season and looked pretty damn good doing it. Early on in the game, with Michigan down 3-0, the university of Ohio State decided to throw on third and long from their endzone. Aamir Hall read it beautifully and picked the pass off with ease, setting up Michigan's first TD and lead of the game. The defense continued to dominate, but the university of Ohio State's play calling was bizarre. They kept trying to run the ball up the gut, playing right into Michigan's strength on defense. They have been great against the run all year. But, as I said to my dad at one point of the game, it felt like the university of Ohio State offensive plan was to prove how "tough" they could be. It didn't work, but they kept trying it. Over and over again they would run it two, sometimes three times during a drive, only to have to punt or try a field goal. And the field goal kicker missed two gimmes, which was brutal for that guy. But the sheer fact that they kept trying to run the ball, to no avail, was astonishing. The passing game was working like gangbusters, but they didn't stick with it and that helped Michigan. The hubris of the university of Ohio State, to continue to try and prove their "toughness" was the absolute wrong way to go about this game. Late in the fourth, tied at 10, the university of Ohio State had to give up the ball after yet another three and out and Michigan held onto the damn thing for the majority of the quarter. They drove it down inside the 5, after a brilliant Mullings run on third and 6. They made the university of Ohio State use all its timeouts, and with about 45 seconds left, Michigan kicker Dominic Zvada kicked a 20 yarder to take the lead. The university of Ohio State got the ball back with about 30 seconds left, and proceeded to call four pass plays that gained them a total of one yard. When the fourth and 9 pass fell to the turf, and it was known that Michigan was going to win for a fourth year in a row,

I gave out a guttural yell. I couldn't believe that this Michigan team, this 6-5 team with no real QB, two of their best players out, a coaching staff still figuring it all out and their best secondary player not covering superstar wideouts was able to pull off this upset, it was incredible. I loved all the congratulatory texts I was getting. I loved reading about the game online afterward. I loved seeing those crybabies show more fight after the game, when Michigan was planting their flag, trying to fight the players planting the flag. That shows how classless those players and that staff really are. There is no institutional control. Ryan Day is a coward and the biggest crybaby of them all. Their team captain telling Michigan that their "season is over", shows how little sportsmanship they have in Columbus. I want to inject Will Howard's crying speech into my veins. This dude has been popping off at the mouth all season, and being a Michigan fanatic, seeing him crying on national tv was glorious.

I cannot stop reading about this game. I want more and more and more of this. There's no more excuses. The university of Ohio State cannot blame signs, the flu, the cold, the Michigan staff, Jim Harbaugh, the Big 10 or the NCAA. This is all on them. They have to bear the brunt of the last four seasons. Michigan has clearly broken that team and that staff. The university of Ohio State will be in the playoff and they could make a run. But, this 7-5 Michigan team went into Columbus, as a 20 point underdog, with almost every media talking head picking against them, and won. Michigan won The Game for the fourth year in a row and this one feels better than some of the past four seasons. This wasn't supposed to happen, but Michigan did it. I'm going to soak in this for a good long time. Always and forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Calm Down (Online) Michigan Fans

Michigan football is struggling. There's no denying it. And there is plenty of blame to go around. Let’s discuss.

The QB situation has been an absolute mess. I guess the coaching staff figured they could work with what they had already on roster. It hasn't worked at all. The o-line, a strength in years past, has been underwhelming. They have had moments, but they have wildly underperformed all season. The receiving corps has been non essential. They don't get many targets and they are not the best blockers. The running backs have been okay, just relied on far too often, and the tight end group has been the lone bright spot on this horrid offense. The defense has been up and down. The secondary is bad. They have performed poorly all season long. Will Johnson is still hurt, Zeke Berry has had glimpses, but for the most part he gets beat far too often, Jayire Hill is hurt and gets beat too much and the safeties are nowhere near the level of the play they've had the past three seasons. The linebacking corps is okay, but very bad in coverage. And the d-line isn't generating pressure hardly at all. I will say the defense is better than people online have given them credit for this season though. They're on the field so much and guys are constantly tired. That would halt any defense in college football. And the new coaching staff is having a hard time with the promotion. Sherrone Moore is struggling. Wink Martindale thinks he's coaching NFL players. Kirk Campbell cannot get out of his own way. The lone star from this new staff, in my opinion, has been Lamar Morgan, and that is mostly due to his excellent recruiting acumen. This season has been a mess.

But, for all of the people that want this staff gone or want immediate changes or think they can do better, I need you all to calm the hell down. What did you really, truly expect? When this season started I thought they could win 9 or 10 games. I thought they could remain in the playoff picture. I figured they'd be solid. They had some guys returning that gave me hope. But, that was the optimistic side of my brain. At best they're going to be 6-6 this year and they are going to get stomped in their regular season finale. It's going to be rough. But again, what did you all expect? I don't get the people online, the keyboard warriors who are going on the internet before, during and after each game and saying how everyone needs to go. How they'd do so much better. That so and so should be playing because they're better. It's nonsense. And you have to give Moore more time. He inherited a team that saw a bunch of players and coaches leave the program for the NFL. They needed to replace almost their entire o-line. They needed a new QB. They needed a new number one, reliable running back. They have a whole new linebacking corps. Their best defensive player in the secondary has only played four full games. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are being double and triple teamed constantly.

It needs to be said this coaching staff is pretty much all new. Moore got promoted top head coach. Campbell went from QB coach to offensive coordinator. Ron Bellamy is still the wideout coach, and that's it. The rest of the staff is all new. They have a new strength coach, new linebacker and secondary coach. They have a new special teams coach. They have a new tight ends coach. It's all new. And that means they need time. They have to be able to recruit and develop the talent for their system. They have to be given a fair shot, a real chance at coaching this team. I have always been a believer of giving new coaches three seasons before making a decision on the future of the head coach. Moore has had four chances last season and 10 games so far this year. He is 9-5 as a head coach right now. Yes, there have been blundres and issues. Moore has made some odd decisions late in games this year. I'm still confused as to why he waited so long to call his first timeout last week. But I look at these as lessons. He is figuring all this out in real time. And while it looks bad now, I think he's going to learn from all of this and get better with each new season. There's a reason he was looked at as the predecessor to Harbaugh. Moore was going to be a hot commodity on the coaching market sooner rather than later. I'm stoked that Michigan hired him. He was, and I believe still is, the right man for the job.

Everyone wants instant gratification and if they don't get it, they think they can do better than the people most qualified for the job. I just want people online to give Moore a fair shot. I want them to let him recruit and coach his players to his system. Yes it is bad now, but they can get better from here. These kids love playing for Moore and I think with a little more time, one more full season under his belt, Moore will find his groove. We fans just have to believe in his ability. Give the man a real chance. 

Ty

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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This is Not Last Year's Michigan Football Team

Last weekend I went to my first Michigan football game since 2019. My dad and I used to go to one game a year, but then COVID hit. We have contemplated going since 2022, but this was the first time that worked when we both felt comfortable enough. We traveled out to Champaign to see them play Illinois.

It was not great. I kind of wished we went in the last three seasons. We could've seen a legit title contending team. What we saw last Saturday was tough. I want to say at the top, I still believe in this staff, I think Michigan will be just fine very soon and they need time to recruit their guys, which they seem to be doing at the moment. I'm still all in. Give Moore and his staff three years. That's all I'm asking as a lifetime fan. But, what we saw this past weekend was bad.

This is not a good football team. I knew it was going to be rough, but I thought it was going to be "rough". As many of you may have read, I predicted Michigan to finish at 11 in the polls and return to the playoff. I thought they could win 10 games. Now, after seeing them play live, I'd be stunned if they won two more games all season. This team has issues all over the field. Everyone wants to say the biggest issue is QB. And that is a big, big problem. The QB play has been atrocious all season. They have three times more interceptions than touchdowns. They've fumbled the ball as many times as they have thrown TDs. They have no confidence in their arms. Michigan has played three different QBs this year and none of them have worked. Davis Warren was too timid. Alex Orji seemingly cannot throw the ball down field. And Jack Tuttle was supposed to be a career backup in college. But the issues go much deeper than just the QB. On offense, the o line has been miserable. They cannot protect the QB like they have in the past and the holes they used to open up with ease, they're not there anymore. This was a unit on the team that was award worthy. This year they have spent more time helping their QB up than pancaking a d lineman. The receivers are small and cannot get seperation. They are often easily covered and when they need a catch, they drop the ball. The tight ends have been okay, but when the only threat from the pass game is the tight end position, it's too easy to stop that. Kalel Mullings has been a bright spot, but he is the only bright spot. Donovan Edwards has totally disappeared. Ben Hall barely sees the field. And Jordan Marshall, a prized recruit, has been injured pretty much all season. The defense, which should have been their best unit, has been up and down all year. The d line is okay. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant have been very good. Graham looks a little out of shape, but he is still producing. And Grant is swallowing double and triple teams consistently. The edge rushers seem to come and go. Josiah Stewart was unblockable against USC, but he barely did anything of note against Illinois. Derrick Moore has been hurt all year. Rayshaun Benny can't stay on the field. Cameron Brandt is committing dumb penalties. The linebackers have been okay, but I expected great things from this group. Jaishawn Barham is starting to pick it up, but it has taken too damn long. Ernest Hausmann is solid, but his coverage has been lacking. The secondary has been bad. Will Johnson is always hurt. He played one series at Illinois. He missed the Minnesota game. He may not play this weekend. Jayire Hill and Zeke Berry have made minimal strides, but they get targeted and get beat on a consistent basis. Quentin Johnson seems to have lost a step after flirting with the NFL. Makari Page coverage skills are nonexistent. And they get penalized far, far too much. There were multiple pass interference calls on Saturday. They got beat for three and long passes a few times. They miss tackles. The thing I notice most about this defense is how undisciplined they are. They have made so many mistakes this year that they haven't made in a long, long time. It is baffling to see after what we have watched for three years. This team has a ton of things to clean up. That starts with the coaching, but the players have to be held accountable at some point. And that means all players, not just the QB. Again,

I believe Michigan will be back. I hope that this season is just a bump in the road. Sherrone Moore was the right guy for the job. He earned it. But, he has got to move some things around and make some changes. I would love to see him play some young guys this season, just to see what he has on this roster moving ahead. And he needs to keep up the recruiting, especially in this new era of college football. As for this season, it's a total wash. They are a bad football team with a ton of issues. The issues are fixable, which is good. But, if they don't do something about it now, there is a very real possibility that they miss a bowl game one year after winning the championship. And that would be a bummer. Always and forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on the 2024 Michigan Wolverines

I do not like armchair quarterbacks or dudes who sit in their homes and talk about how they would change the team they root for. They have these big ideas, think their idea is best and want to run the team. They have it all figured out and they think they're going to be the one who makes the change that fixes everything. I sit back, watch the teams I watch and root hard for them. I have ideas, but I'm not anywhere near the level that the coaches are involved with the teams, and I just vent these ideas to my dad or my kid. They don't seem to mind too much, and they are free to vent to me if they like.

I will always and forever be a Michigan football fan, and there is no way, in a million years, that I'd ever want to be the head football coach. The fans that I'm speaking of right now are the ones on the Michigan fan page who seem to think they have all the answers. They don't, but they sure like to go on social media after a game and speak their wild ideas into existence. I'm not one of those people. I just want to put that out into the world. And I truly have nothing of importance to complain about with the team. They are the defending champs. They have won the Big 10 three years in a row. They have returned to relevance. They have a good team. This season so far has been tough though. They lost a ton from last year's team. That team won a ton too. The head coach is gone. The defensive coordinator is gone. So is the strength coach, defensive back coach, d-line coach, tight ends coach, running back coach, linebacker coach and a bunch of their recruiting staff. They did retain some coaches, and to the armchair online fans, they hired the right guy as head coach. Sherrone Moore is the rightful head coach. Yes, he seems a bit overwhelmed and in over his head from time to time, but he needs a year or two before people start calling for his job. Along with the coaches, they had to replace their starting QB, running back, most of the o line, a lot of their secondary and a good portion of their linebacking corps. I want to say that Michigan is a team that reloads, not rebuilds. But maybe that was a little too much foresight on my end.

Looking at this team halfway through the season, they're a mess. I already mentioned how Moore is a bit overwhelmed, but so is Wink Martindale. He needs to adjust to coaching college kids. This is not the pros. The secondary has taken a step back as well. The defense is supposed to be the strongest unit on this team, but they are struggling, mostly in the secondary. They miss coverages and tackles far too much. The d-line is still pretty good, and the linebackers can make tackles. But, the secondary is really having a tough go, and the new linebackers are taking a little longer to run the defense than I hoped they would. I do have faith they can figure it out. The offense on the other hand, they are being super exposed. There is no imagination. There is nothing different from last season, which worked because of the talent, but this team is totally different. I feel like I can call every play. They like to run up the middle on first and second down. And if that doesn't work, they throw a five yard out on third and 10. When Davis Warren was in at QB, he would chuck it in the air and hope for the best. He threw a ton of picks. When Alex Orji took over, it was run, run, run and run some more. Opposing teams knew this, so they would stack the box. The o-line cannot block eight or nine guys every time. Michigan would go three and out consistently. This tired out the defense. They put Jack Tuttle in last week's game, and while he provided a tiny spark that worked for a bit, once Washington figured him out, he fumbled and threw a crushing pick. The freshman QB they have isn't ready, and I have no idea what happened to Jadyn Denegal. The offense needs to open the playbook. They need to try something else. They need to see what they have at QB and receiver and just go out there and wing it. If they continue with the motion and try to run up the gut, they will be lucky to win another game all year. I don't know better than the coaches. They are there for a reason. They understand the game better than I ever could. And I trust this staff. I was pounding the pavement for Moore to be the head coach after Harbaugh left for the NFL. I like that they gave Campbell the OC job. Martindale created the defense that Mike MacDonald and Jesse Minter ran while they were the DC's. This staff has what it takes to win at this level, and win big. But they have to get creative. They have to change things up. They have to take a chance. They are going to have to spend in NIL. And they need a viable QB, be it from the portal or from recruiting. You need someone that you can rely on at the most important position in football. They don't have that right now, and it will be a struggle until they figure this out.

Always and forever though, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Why is Being a Sports Fan Not Fun Anymore?

Over the past couple of days I have heard a few different people have some interesting takes on sports. My buddy Kirk sent me a stand up video where the comic stated why they like going to concerts over sporting events. He said, in not so many words, that he is never upset after going to a concert. He gets to hear his favorite songs, has a good time and gets to vibe out with friends. At a sporting event, your team doesn't always win, a player you may like might get hurt and you can come home in a bad mood half the time. That is a very fair assessment I think.

Then, while on a run today I was listening to "Doughboys" and their guest was talking about their husband who is a Celtics fan. She said that when the Celtics won, her husband went outside and laid on the ground. She asked what was wrong, and he said he was relieved that his team won it all. This, again, is also relatable for me. When Michigan won it all last season, I was grateful and relieved. At the same time. It was a weird feeling, but that was how I took the title. I celebrated the win during the off season, but now that a new season is here, I am only worried about how they finish this season. I know that you are not supposed to celebrate a title only during the off season, but still, they are reigning champs. That should be enough to make me happy. It isn't though, and that stinks.

As I sit here and think about it, my fandom that is, why do we do this to ourselves? I'm speaking to all sports fans. I have seen an Onion headline that states, local child picks sports team to make their lives miserable forever, or something like that. And it's true. When I was a child I chose Michigan football. My dad is a fan, he would watch the games and I wanted to hang out with him during the game. It was a pretty easy 1 to 1 for me. I was probably about 8 years old. Now, 33 years later, I'm a fanatic. I love Michigan football more than any other team in pro or college sports. I live and die by the results of their games. I constantly read about the team. I want to know what is going on, and hopefully I can be one of the first to know the news. It's been like that for 33 years now. And when I was a kid, it wasn't that hard. I watched the games, the results were the results and that was that. There was no internet, no constant stream of tv shows, no Twitter or Facebook or Instagram. It was great.

Yet, over time, the internet and tv shows are EVERYWHERE, and EVERYONE has a take. Your team can win, but if they don't win by enough, they're trash. God help you if they get beat, the keyboard warriors will tell all of the regular fans how bad your team is, no matter what. Be it coaching changes, a down season, one bad game or not being dominant enough, internet personalities and tv hosts are ready with the ammo to attack your team. It is rough. It's brutal to be a fan of any team nowadays. After Nick Saban left Alabama, the internet had a field day. Washington got beat by Washington State in the Apple Cup last week, and now Washington is consider lower tier. Colorado struggles to beat North Dakota State and podcast hosts instantly call out Deion Sanders. Arch Manning comes in to take over for an injured Quinn Ewers last week, and now everyone says Manning needs to be the starter. Georgia barely beats Kentucky, on the road, and now they are "vulnerable" all of the sudden. It's rough. And all of us sports fans decided that we were going to almost always be miserable the moment we picked our favorite sports team. It's not fun. I want to go back to when I was a kid and it was fun. Sure, your friends would roast you from time to time, but it was all good, clean fun. Now, it's just mean and vindictive. Everyone, who never played the sport mind you, has a hot take now, and they have it at the ready the moment the game hits all zeros in the fourth quarter. Sports can be wonderful and make you very happy, but for the most part, it is brutal and a dumb choice we made when we were way, way too young. And the keyboard warriors don't make it any easier.

Oh well, on to USC for Michigan this weekend, and I am as nervous as ever. Why did I choose this, I guess to hang with my dad and root for a team. But, it has gotten harder and harder each season to experience true joy. And Michigan is reigning national champs. Yikes. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Sign Stealer"

I was on the fence about watching the new Netflix doc, "Sign Stealer". I am, as you all know, a super fan of Michigan football. They're the only sports team that I truly love. I care deeply about the outcome of each game. It is a problem, I've been working on it for a long time and have gotten better, but I still care. Some would say too much. So, the idea of a doc that focuses on Michigan's "scandal" from their title winning season seemed like a bad idea. But I read some reviews of it from people that I like, and they said it wasn't all that bad. I am also a big fan of the whole "Untold" series that Netflix does. It is a nice mix of true crime and sports. I like to watch stories about both those things. So, probably against my better wishes, I tuned in to "Sign Stealer" yesterday.

As I sat down to watch I tried to have an open mind. I wanted to hear everyone's side of the story. I wanted to hear from Connor Stalions himself. This is the first time he has spoken about the whole thing since the story broke. But, it was hard for me to tamp down my love for Michigan football while I watched. Look, the whole idea of "Untold" on Netflix is to reveal hard hitting, real life journalistic stuff. The next "Untold" I'm going to watch is about the murder of Steve McNair. I've also seen them take on the Manti Teo catfishing incident, a crime boss buying his son a hockey team, these are real criminal acts.

The whole thing behind "Sign Stealer" is about a low level employee deciphering signals from other teams, a custom that most high level division 1 football teams do. This is not a crime. This is not even fully illegal. It is a gray area, but still, not illegal. The only illegal thing being done, according to the dumbass NCAA bylaws, is advanced in person scouting. What the hell does that even mean? Can low level coaches go to college football games just as a fan? Can they invite friends and family? Can they just be regular fans? I guess not, according to this one rule. I agree that what Stalions did was shady, but he was not the reason that Michigan got better at football. It was nice to see Mike Barrett talk about this on the record. He was there. He put in the work. He made himself a better player and a better leader. So to hear his side of the story was enlightening. Then you have this new person in this that I truly hate, Brohio, talking about how "shady" and "upsetting" this whole situation became for him as a fan and a message board moron. The fact that he calls himself that, that he would lend his "intelligence" on this matter and expect people to take him seriously is the funniest thing to come from this doc. In the end, what I read prior to watching the doc said that if you're a hater or a fan, there is nothing in this that will change your mind. Fans of other schools are going to claim that this lays it all out there and the sanctions should be coming. Michigan fans are going to say it is no big deal, because it is no big deal. For Netflix and "Untold" to take this low level issue and make it akin to true crime docs was unnecessary. But, they need to strike while the iron is hot on this topic, before it fizzles into nothing.

What we watched in "Sign Stealer" will not change the outcome of last season, and the last three years of Michigan football. They are the reigning champs. They've beaten the university of Ohio State fair and square three years in a row. Teams had a chance to beat Michigan after Stalions was let go, and they still couldn't do it. Michigan will keep their trophy, keep their titles and keep all their wins over the past three years. I guess you can watch this doc if you want, but there is nothing in here that will change your mind either way. Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The NCAA is a Joke

The NCAA finally laid the proverbial "hammer" on former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Obviously I'm close to this story and I have been following it since it broke last season. But, the "hammer" that was levied on Harbaugh stems from his improper recruiting during the COVID dead period in 2020-21. Let’s discuss.

If you don't remember what Harbaugh did, let me take you through his horrid crimes according to the NCAA. He bought a recruit and his family a burger. He did some other minimal things that any other college football coach would do. In fact, most college football coaches would take it further than Harbaugh and his former staffers took this whole thing. We live in a new era of recruiting. With NIL and the fact that recruits can make millions before even stepping on a college campus, it is the wild west now. There are no morals or "doing it the right way". Every division college football team is trying to find a leg up on the opposition. If you can match what a top recruit is looking for, you better go a little higher to get that kid to commit. And if they eventually sign a letter of intent, who's to say they won't transfer if they aren't getting the playing time they think they deserve. This is the nature of the beast. You have to either adapt or get left behind. This is going to be an almost certain death knell for the NCAA, but while they are still in business, they are damn determined to make an example out of Harbaugh. And maybe they did with this ruling.

Harbaugh has a four year show clause if he returns to college, and if he does, he is suspended for one year, that is if he returns within the four year suspension. The whole problem here, Jim Harbaugh is an NFL coach now with no eyes to return to college. He did all that he could possibly do while at Michigan. He revived that program. They were not great when he took over. Now, they are the defending National Champs. No one will be able to take that from them. They won each and every game they played last season, en route to a 21 point win in the title game.

While coaches like Bret Bielima and James Franklin and, most notably, Ryan Day may want more punishment, this seems to be truly it for Michigan and Harbaugh. I don't think anything is going to come from the nonsensical sign stealing "scandal" from last year. A bunch of teams had the opportunity to prove that Michigan was only good because of one low level staffer, and they couldn't. Ryan Day had every single advantage one coach could want coming into the Michigan game last year, and Sherrone Moore and Michigan still beat his ass. Day is the biggest whiner of this whole thing. Well, him and the NCAA.

Back to the NCAA for a minute. For the NCAA to lay this punishment down on a guy that doesn't even coach in college anymore is the most farcical thing that has come out of this whole story. Harbaugh is gone from college. He is not coming back. He has bigger fish to fry. But I think the NCAA is puffing their chest out and saying that they really crushed Harbaugh. That is hilarious. Harbaugh's attorney said it best. This is like a kid in college who gets suspended by his high school for not signing the yearbook on their way out. The NCAA is the jaded lover here, and Harbaugh doesn't even think about them anymore. Whatever Harbaugh may or may not have done while at Michigan, I love that he is not backing down and not admitting to anything.

All of these other fanbases acting holier than thou right now, it would be very interesting to me to see some of their skeletons come out. I'd love to see how some of these programs are acting behind closed doors. Under Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee was literally handing kids money, prior to NIL, in McDonald's bags. How on Earth did Alabama always have the top classes in the country every recruiting cycle? I'm sure it wasn't all above board. Georgia had some players involved in horrific car wrecks that may or may not have involved alcohol, but ESPN never goes hard on that. Nope, ESPN thinks buying a meal and having a low level staffer watch games to be the biggest cheat in NCAA football history. I think what it all really boils down to is the fact that Harbaugh was one of the first coaches to actively talk about paying players. He wants the players to have more freedom and more chances to make money off themselves while they can. He would scream it from the rafters. He wasn't about himself while coaching at Michigan. Just look at any post game interview from last season, he would have his players speak for themselves. Harbaugh was a thorn in the side of the NCAA, they got mad, Ryan Day cried, the Big 10 leveled dumb ass suspensions and Michigan and Harbaugh still came out on top. ESPN can say what they want, but they look foolish. Fans of other Big 10 teams that think they run clean programs, look in the mirror. And the NCAA, well, you will be nonexistent before this punishment for Harbaugh is even done.

This is a joke and for anyone to think this is a black mark on Harbaugh or Michigan, this sanction or punishment or whatever made me laugh out loud when it was levied yesterday. This is a joke and not nearly as bad as some other may think. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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R.I.P. Craig Roh

A former University of Michigan football player, one I followed closely when he played there, passed away at 33 the other day. His name was Craig Roh. I'm sure not many of you know him. I have to imagine a few people out there know the name, but most are not familiar with him. I am. I was a fan.

Back when Roh committed to Michigan, 2008, I followed recruiting heavily. I don't do it as much anymore, kids always change their minds. But back then I wanted to see who was going to be at Michigan, who may restore this team to glory. Roh committed to play at Michigan back in the Rich Rodriguez era. Michigan was not very good back then, especially on defense. So when Roh, a 6'8 260 pound defensive end committed, I was stoked. I hoped he would be one of the guys who could make that unit formidable again. He had all the tools a fan could want from an edge rusher. He was tall. He was strong. He was fast. And he played nasty. I was an instant fan. I also liked that he wore number 88. You didn't see that much back in 2008 from an edge rusher. And Roh was legit the moment he stepped on campus. He started as a true freshman. I don't think a lot of us understand how athletically advanced you have to be to start at a major division 1 football program when you are 18. He learned the defensive scheme fast and it was inevitable during early practices that he was going to start. He started and played in all 12 games as a freshman, eventually playing this hybrid linebacker role due to his speed. He finished the year with 37 tackles, 2 sacks and an interception. Big things were to come.

As a sophomore Roh got bigger and was still one of the faster hybrid defensive players on the team. He also became a vocal leader on and off the field. He defended players and coaches alike and made it known he was a leader of the defense. The defense improved thanks to Roh and he was the guy moving forward for that defense.

During his third season in Ann Arbor they moved him back to defensive end, where he faced a bit of scrutiny from new defensive coordinator, Greg Mattison. It turns out that Roh had a bad respiratory illness that slowed him down at the start of the season. He recovered and eventually led the defense with 6.5 tfl's and 2 sacks. He was also named honorable mention All Big 10 that season.

Roh’s final season at Michigan saw a coaching change. Brady Hoke took over, and while Roh could have left, he decided to stick it out. He was named second team All Big 10, Academic All Big 10 and won Michigan's best d lineman for that season.

He bounced around professionally here and there, but never really stuck. He retired and lived a relatively quiet life. He had been living such a quiet life that I had no idea he was sick. It was revealed, upon his death, that he died from colon cancer, which he had been fighting for the last year. This is a bummer for him and his family. He was only 33. That is way too young. He was in good shape. He was a college athlete. He played football at the highest level. He, from what I understand, lived a pretty clean life. But he is another person struck down far too young from cancer. This stinks. I wish it didn't end this way for him. He was a Michigan man through and through. He would have fit right in with this national title team.

Rest in Peace Craig Roh. I hope you're comfortable wherever you are now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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So Long Coach Harbaugh and Thanks for the Title

It is official, Jim Harbaugh is leaving Michigan to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Let’s discuss.

I expected this to happen. I said as much after they won the national championship. He did everything he set out to do in his nine years at Michigan. When he took the job he said he wanted to restore Michigan to a national power. He did that. They won the championship. They have won three straight Big 10 titles. They have been to the playoff for three straight seasons. They have had Heisman finalists. They have had many, many players drafted to the NFL. They have been a winning program pretty much since he took over.

Harbaugh also said that he wanted to make the rivalries feel like actual rivalries again. He did that as well. Michigan went 5-4 versus Michigan State. Michigan has won the last three versus the university of Ohio State. They beat Minnesota on the regular. Iowa can be a thorn in their side, but they have gotten the best of them for the past couple years. They beat Penn State fairly regularly right now. He did that job, making the rivalry games an important thing for the players every year.

He really wanted to return Michigan to a winning program. Save for the 2020 season, he was above .500 every season, culminating with a 15-0 season this past year. That is the most wins in Michigan and in the history of the Big 10 for one year. He won 86 games in his nine years as head coach. That is an average of nine plus wins every season. He won 60 of those games in the Big 10. The Big House became a tough place for visitors to play. He restored the home field advantage Michigan has always loved. And he carved out a new niche as a coach, hiring younger guys with new ideas, and has turned a bunch of them into head coaches and future head coaches. Jesse Minter will be a head coach soon enough. Mike McDonald spent one year in Ann Arbor, and he is now leading the best defense in the NFL. Jedd Fisch just took over the Washington job. And many, many more are going to become head coaches soon, namely Sherrone Moore.

When I wrote about Harbaugh departing for the NFL last week, I said I want Michigan to hire Moore ASAP. All signs seem to be pointing towards Moore getting the job, and he has more than earned it. Coaches are supposed to mentor and help their assistants move on to bigger and better things. That is exactly what Harbaugh did in his time in Ann Arbor.

The thing I love most, outside of the national title of course, Harbaugh put the spotlight on the players. He didn't make himself the face of The University of Michigan football team. Every time there was a post game interview, Harbaugh would say one thing and then grab the player who played the best and have the interviewer interview them. He let his assistant coaches speak on games. He has been an advocate for giving players more power to control their own future. Most high profile coaches think it is all about them. And while that may be the case with Harbaugh behind closed doors, in the open he made sure the players and his coaches got the most shine. Even after they won it all, he let his dad and his players speak. I love that. Coaches may be the CEO and leader, but the players are the ones who perform, and the assistants are the ones calling the plays. They deserve more face time. Harbaugh made a concerted effort to give them their proper shine.

I am not mad or upset or hurt about Harbaugh returning to the NFL. He has an itch that he is going to try and scratch. He wants that Super Bowl ring. He has won the biggest award at every level except in the NFL. He has been to one Super Bowl, but it would not shock me to see him go a few more times. He is a very, very good football coach. He is a maniac as well, and I'm curious to see how that translates to the modern NFL. But Jim Harbaugh is a likeable guy that will bend over backwards for his players. He wants them to achieve. And he did that for Michigan. There is nothing but love from me to Coach Harbaugh. He returned this program to glory. I am stoked to let everyone know I'm a Michigan fan. This is the team I remember from my youth, and they were pretty dominant when I was a kid.

Thank you for everything Jim Harbaugh. Always and forever a Michigan man, and Go Blue.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Go Blue

Michigan football did it. They won the national title last night.

The game was close until about seven minutes left. That was when Blake Corum ran it in, and then Mike Sainristil took a pick 81 yards to the redzone, and then Corum punched it in one more time to seal it, 34-13.

Michigan finished the season 15-0. That is the most wins in Big Ten history. That is tied for the most wins with four other teams. Jim Harbaugh revamped his coaching staff, got younger, adjusted and brought a national championship to his alma mater. He accomplished the goal he had when he took this job nine years ago. He has restored the Michigan football program back to being a perennial threat. This is their third playoff appearance in a row. The third time was the charm for this team. They exorcised all of their demons. The people who said Harbaugh couldn't win a big game were proven wrong. He beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and then went on to dominate Washington, the only other undefeated team in division 1, in the title game. He has also beaten the university of Ohio State three times in a row. Harbaugh has proven the doubters wrong. Blake Corum came back from a tough injury last year to lead this team, and become one of the best running backs in the history of Michigan football. JJ McCarthy took over as the starter last season and hasn't looked back. He is now 27-1 as the starting QB. The defense has become this boa constrictor. They just squeeze and squeeze and squeeze until their opponent can't take it anymore. Thank you to former Indiana coach Tom Allen for the boa constrictor comparison. The defense is also full of talent. There isn't one guy, this is a collection of super talented players that do what is best for the team. But what I love most about this team is the fact that they are just that, a team. They may have a few players that the media focuses on, but make no mistake, this is a team. They play for one another. Their individual success is the team's success. They don't care who the "star" player is, they just care about each other achieving the team goal of winning it all. Which is what they just did last night.

Of all the seasons to win it all, it is kind of perfect that it was this season. Michigan started with their head coach suspended for the first three games due to "burgergate". Apparently Jim Harbaugh bought some recruits hamburgers during the 2020 recruiting dead period, and also watched workouts during the same time. It is small fries compared to some other infractions, but he was still suspended. Michigan easily won those games as they were against inferior opponents. Then Harbaugh came back. Michigan continued to win, but during the Rutgers game, Greg Schiano made some odd comments. He seemed to allude that Michigan may have had some intel as to what signals Rutgers was using. It was of no mind the following week when Michigan traveled to Nebraska and absolutely smashed them in their first road game. They were 5-0 at this point and riding high. They proceeded to cruise over Minnesota in a nationally televised night game, and I was starting to believe in this team's potential. Then they proceeded to demolish Indiana, and this was when Tom Allen gave us the boa constrictor line. Then they had a bye week. Then all these stories came out, mainly from ESPN, that Michigan was involved in some kind of espionage sign stealing enterprise. It was the talk of every sports channel. I even saw some reputable news sources talking about it. The way it was reported, you would have thought Michigan was breaking some kind of law. They were the villains. Everyone, outside of their fanbase, painted them as cheaters. They were called despicable. Talking heads on sports shows said they wouldn't recognize them as champs if they won it all. People on message boards were saying hateful, awful things about their coach, the players and us fans. Michigan took this all in stride and came back from the bye week facing rival Michigan State, whose coach was fired for having an affair with a speaker, which everyone seemed to forget about, and beat them 49-0. I started to buy in even more. They had Purdue next, and Purdue's coach acted holier than thou, calling Jim Harbaugh a spade. Michigan beat them 41-13, and it wasn't even that close. Then the calls from Big 10 coaches came about suspending Harbaugh immediately for the sign stealing allegations. Remember that these have always been, and still are, allegations. The new Big 10 commissioner did something unprecedented and suspended Harbaugh immediately for the rest of the regular season. These were Michigan's three most important games. This was going to define their season. These games would determine if they would win the Big 10 again, and make the playoff again. Harbaugh and Michigan took the suspension and gave the interim head coaching job to offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Sherrone Moore. He proceeded to lead Michigan to a win over Penn State, in Happy Valley. And that game wasn't close. This was a gratifying win because Penn State's coach was acting all high and mighty all week leading up to the game. And Moore outcoached him, ran the ball down his defense's throat and won. They then beat Maryland in a game that was way too close for comfort. But I feel like every championship team needs one of these games to keep them honest. They then had the university of Ohio State. Ryan Day got everything he wanted in this game. Harbaugh was suspended, the media was on his side, the refs were on his side, all of his players were healthy and ready to go. And guess what, he still couldn't beat Michigan. Moore outcoached Day's punkass and led this team to a third straight win over their biggest rival and a shot at a third straight Big 10 title.  Harbaugh served his second suspension and came back. And you all know how this season ended. They throttled Iowa, then won a thriller over Alabama and closed it out with a runaway win in last night's title game. It was awesome.

As I said up top, it was a euphoric feeling at the end of the game last night. I remember when they won in 1997, but I was only 15. This time I'm an adult. I will remember this as long as I live. This team is going to go down as one of the best teams in the history of college football. If Harbaugh does leave for the NFL, I have no ill will. I think it is going to happen to be honest with you. If he does leave, I'd give the job to Moore without a second thought. And, along with Harbaugh, I want to thank Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, the entire o and d line, all the wideouts, the tight ends, Will Johnson, Makari Page, Rod Moore, Junior Colson, all the other secondary and linebackers, and Jesse Minter and Sherrone Moore. As well as Jay Harbaugh, Mike Hart, Mike Elston and Stev Clinkscale. And every other player and coach I did not mention. This was a team's team and they accomplished the ultimate goal. They did it with tough interior play, elite tackling and one of the best college football defenses in history.

Thank you Michigan football. Thank you so much for this wonderful title. I am forever grateful and will never forget this as long as I live. I'm on cloud nine right now. This is one of the best things I've seen in sports in my life. This is euphoria. Always and forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Best of 2023 - Sports

Finishing my week of best of lists, today I have my personal top 5 sports moments. Sports are a big deal to me. I love sports. I have played and been involved in sports for as long as I can remember. I love college football, basketball and playing and coaching my son in baseball. I'm all in as a runner now as well. Sports are important to me and I'm happy about that.

At number 5 I have Courtney Duwalter's excellent trail running season in 2023. She did some amazing things in some of the toughest trail races in the world this year. She set records, crushed goals and continues to be an inspiration. This year she won Western States, a 100 mile trail race. Then, to outdo herself, she won Ultra Trail Mont-Blanc. She also won Hardrock 100 earlier in the year. She set records in these races. She was also voted trail runner of the year. She did some of the most amazing things in trail running that I have ever witnessed from afar. And she did it with a smile on her face. Duwalter is the best trail runner in the world and she is only entering her prime. I'm excited to see so much more from her in the future.

At number 4 I have the Miami Heat's improbable run to the 2023 NBA Finals. They entered the playoffs as a play in team. They got beat by the Hawks in the 7-8 matchup. The Bulls, who were bad last year, held a late lead in the final play in matchup, only for the Heat to make a push and secure the 8 seed. They then proceeded to crush the 1 seed Buck, 4-1. They beat the Knicks in six games, but Jimmy Butler missed two of those games. They then went up 3-0 on the Celtics, only for the Celtics to tie the series. The Heat ended up running away with game 7, which was in Boston, to go to the Finals as an 8 seed that barely made the playoffs. The Nuggets beat them handily, but that run they had was very special. Jimmy Butler proved his worth in the playoffs. Bam Adebayo proved how good of a defender and low post player he can be. Duncan Robinson found his form. Caleb Martin played so well that he has forced himself into a starting role. And Erik Spoelstra showed us all why he is one of the greatest coaches to ever do it. I've never been a fan of the Heat, but I've never disliked them either. And this run was a total blast to watch as a fan of the NBA.

At 3 I have the Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl. This game was pretty amazing. It started on a cool note too, with the Kelce Brothers playing each other, having two black starting QB's and an all black officiating crew. The game more than lived up to the hype too. These were the two best teams in the 2022 season, so it was fitting that they met in the championship game. Mahomes and Hurts went back and forth. Each team would go on efficient and fun scoring drives. The defenses made plays when they needed to. The refs did get involved a bit too much, but I was able to push past that since the on field competition was so elite. I had a blast watching the game and it was made so much better by how competitive and exciting it ended up being.

At 2 I have Michigan football winning the Big 10 for a third straight season. This was the first time in this run that I had high hopes and expectations from this football team. They lived up to them. I was skeptical of the schedule, but when they played the good teams, they beat them pretty handily. The Penn State final score was much closer than the actual game. They were up two scores early on Ohio State, and even when they came back and tied Michigan, I was never really worried. They then easily dispatched Iowa in the Big 10 title game. Add on all the off field "drama", this team showed maturity and an ability to close out the outside noise. The early season suspension of Jim Harbaugh was dumb, but not as dumb as the whole sign stealing thing. That was ridiculous, every team does it and these coaches that act like they don't, they are lying to us all. To see Michigan shut it all out, win games with relative ease all season long and end the regular season number 1, that was pretty dope for me as a fan. I'm excited, and nervous, for the playoff now.

Finishing my top sports moments, at number 1 I have the growth my son has made as a football player, particularly on the offensive line. My son has been playing tackle football for two years now. I was incredibly nervous when he started to play, and although I am still a ball of nerves when he plays, he is very, very into football, and he is getting pretty damn good at it too. He switched from d line to o line this season, and he has become a changed player. He had plays this year where he would maul a d lineman on the opposing team and I didn't believe it was my kid. He is a goofy, fun loving, sweet kid. But when he was on that football field, at certain moments, he was a blocking machine. He would pancake a player and then move on to another defender to block. He would get excited when he, or anyone on the o line, would make a block that would spring a big run. It is cool to see him play a sport he loves and to excel at said sport. He even missed time this year with a bruised collarbone, and his coaches would tell me how much they could use him as soon as he was cleared to play. And when he was cleared to return, he was inserted back into his starting o line spot.

That does it for my best ofs. I really enjoy writing these every year. They're a blast. Thank you for indulging me. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on the Jim Harbaugh Suspension

The Big Ten commissioner has suspended Jim Harbaugh for the remainder of the regular season effective immediately. Obviously I have some thoughts on this. Here we go.

First off, I firmly believe Michigan is going to take this to court. They have stated as much prior to today and I would be astounded if they just sat there and accepted this.

Second, to levy the punishment while the team is flying to their game in State College tomorrow, that is some cowardly shit right there. I'm sure the plane has wifi and I'm sure the staff heard the news when it came across, but to wait until they have left, that is spineless. That is also very petty. The Big 10 commissioner has had more than enough time to hand out a punishment. I read that it was going to happen yesterday. But then they waffled and said it may take another week. And then news sprouted that it was going to happen in the early afternoon today. But to wait until 4pm local time to Ann Arbor, that is akin to challenging to fight someone when you are a kid, and never showing up. This is cowardly, and this whole thing has been cowardly.

To say that Michigan gained any type of competitive advantage for the “crime” is absurd. I hate to burst every other fan's bubble out there, but your team does this too. They just are better at keeping it discreet. And any fan that comes at me and tells me I'm wrong, I have a bridge I'd love to sell you. This is how the game is played in this era. And if your signs are that easy to figure out, change your goddamn signs. It shouldn't be put on the commissioner of your league and the lying ass NCAA to levy punishment.

This also sets a dangerous precedent. Michigan found that the university of Ohio State and Rutgers helped Purdue figure out their signs last year leading up to the Big 10 title game. They provided evidence. They showed everything that reporters and other schools showed during their investigation. So does this mean Ryan Day and Greg Schiano and Ryan Walters are going to be punished too? It should. That is what this ruling from the Big 10 is going to start. We've already seen other coaches ever since this blew up saying that they know other teams are stealing signs. Lincoln Riley made mention of it after Utah beat USC for a third straight time. Matt Rhule, who first said it was no big deal I remind you, has come out and said that his team is 5-4, and they own that, but one team had an advantage. I think we all know who he is speaking about. Greg Schiano made a reference to all this during halftime of Rutgers' game against Michigan. This is going to become a common thing now for coaches at major jobs. No one wants to get let go from being a head coach, and with the Big 10 suspending Jim Harbaugh, they can go to their commissioner and say that the team that has beaten them a few years in a row knows their signs and they want that coach suspended. This is a slippery slope.

The problem is that no one can admit when a team is better than them now. I coach my son, who is 11, in basketball. He will never admit a team is better than us when we get beat. I can say things until I'm blue in the face, he always has an excuse. The same thing happened during his recent football season. The only reason he says that the team that won the 6th grade title this year was because they had 7th graders. It is not true, they had all 6th graders, it was confirmed by his coaches, but he had to find a reason why his team got beat that didn't involve some other team just being better.

What irks me the most about this, besides the fact that Michigan was guilty before anything was proven, and the NCAA has said they aren't including Harbaugh in their investigation anymore because they found no evidence that he knew this was going on, is the language of "competitive advantage" that the spineless commissioner used in his wording today. To say that, while handing out a suspension while Michigan is in flight, is asinine. How does saying that not instantly give Penn State an advantage tomorrow afternoon? I've been nervous for this game all season. This was my tentpole game going into the year. Penn State is a very good football team, and they get this game in State College, which is a very tough place to play. And now Michigan doesn't know if their coach will be able to coach tomorrow, they've been called "cheaters" by major reputable organizations, the players have had to field questions for weeks now, and now they have to play their toughest game of the year with this news coming down at 4pm. That is a whole lot for a group of 18-23 year olds to deal with over a game.

But hey, whatever happens tomorrow, I will always love and root for this team. I will go to bat for them no matter what. I think the way this unfolded, and how ruthlessly adults on major networks have talked about these kids is some of the wildest reporting I have ever witnessed in my life. We are talking about "sign stealing" here. This is not covering up sexual and physical abuse. This is not overworking players to the brink, or in some awful cases the actuality of death. This is not covering for players accused of having weapons. This is not fixing tests. This is the dumbest "scandal" I have witnessed in my 40 plus years being a rabid college football fan. Now we have to see how this all plays out.

Forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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2022 Top Five - Sports

Today I come to you all with my top sports moments of 2022. This has been a good sports year for me as a fan. I have not had much to complain about, but being a true fanatic, I have found stuff here and there. My list is all football and basketball. Well, there is one baseball thing. But those are the sports I watch. I do not watch hockey, soccer, NASCAR or even boxing anymore. I understand that the World Cup just happened, but I didn't watch a second of it. And RD and Tina do all the tennis talk for the site. I just wanted to give you all a heads up. On to the countdown.

At number 5 I have the final season of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. I am not the biggest MLB fan, but being a native St Louisian, and a Cardinals fan, this was a very important sendoff. Pujols came back to play his last year here. Yadi is a lifelong Cardinal, and in my opinion, the greatest catcher of all time. To see them play their final season together where they started was magical. What unfolded was even better. Yadi did his thing. He was consistent. He gunned wannabe base stealers down left and right. He hit his usual .270. He had clutch plays. He was as good as ever. Pujols started off slow but something happened to him after the all star break. He found his power. He started to bomb homeruns. He got to a point where 700 seemed like it was possible. And when he hit that magical number it was euphoric. I was stoked. The kids I coach in baseball were stoked. It was so cool to see the whole city get behind Pujols on his run to 700. The Cardinals won the division and looked like they could make a deep playoff run. The Phillies had other plans though. Even though they choked, seeing Pujols and Yadi finish their careers in St Louis, on a relatively high note, was pretty damn cool. They are two of the best to ever do it and two of the best Cardinals to ever do it. 

At number 4 I have the Cincinnati Bengals going on their incredible playoff run all the way to the Super Bowl. I could not believe what I was seeing while it was going on. Sure, one win seemed like it was possible. But to run through the AFC the way they did, and then beat the Chiefs to make the Super Bowl, it was great. I am not a Bengals fan at all, but my nephew is and my brother has lived in Cincy for a bit now. I was happy for them. I was stoked to see guys like Jamaar Chase and Joe Burrow show up big time in big time games. I like those dudes. And the Bengals did not disappoint in the Super Bowl. They may not have won, but they had a chance. They had an open guy on the final play. They stayed in the whole game. The Rams were bought to win a Super Bowl. The Bengals were built to win one. They are playing great this year. But that run, and all the texts between RD and myself during their run, that was pretty rad. I like the team and I wish them nothing but success in the long run.

At number 3 I have the Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals. It was an incredible series. I was rooting for Golden State because of my disdain for the Celtics. But it was cool to see Jayson Tatum, a STL native, play on the biggest stage. And I was certain that the Celtics were going to win after going up 2-1. It seemed inevitable. But then the Warriors woke up and looked amazing. Klay Thompson was coming off two ACL tears and started to look like himself. Draymond Green got back to playing top notch defense. Kevon Looney became a very poor man's Tim Duncan. Jordan Poole was getting points in limited minutes. Andrew Wiggins was locking up Celtic after Celtic. But it was Steph Curry who willed this team to victory. He did not want to be beat and it showed. He scored at will. He hustled on defense. He proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is one of the best to ever play. He earned this title. He was the well deserving MVP. He said this one felt best and it showed. I was in awe of his performance from game four to six. He was on a mission and it was beautiful to watch. This was a great finals and the best team won.

At number 2 I have the Michigan Wolverines football season. The new year started off rough with Georgia crushing Michigan in the CFP. I didn't know what to expect from the team going into this season, but they did not disappoint. They handled their cupcake of a non conference schedule. Then when they got into Big Ten play they opened with a tough win over Maryland. They then went on to crush every opponent until Illinois. They beat Penn State by 28. They put Michigan State into submission. They sacked Indiana QB's eight times. They ran over everyone. Illinois gave them a scare. Michigan did not deserve to win but they found a way. They then went to Columbus and won there for the first time in 22 years. Not only did they win though, they dismantled the university of Ohio State. They ran up and down the field on them. They made CJ Stroud look pedestrian. Blake Corum, the team's heart and soul, was hurt the week before and barely played. It didn't matter. They had the next man up mentality. They used this momentum and throttled Purdue in the Big Ten title game. They have a date with TCU coming up and I am terrified as always. But this team has proven me wrong all year. They have figured out ways to win games. Guys like Mike Morris, Mike Sainristil, Blake Corum, the entirety of the O line, Will Johnson, DJ Turner, Cornelius Johnson, they all deserve this. They have all earned this. I am hopeful as a Michigan fan for the first time in a long time.  I hope it doesn't bite me in the butt, but time will tell. As of now I am a hopeful Wolverines fan.

At number 1 I have a very personal sports moment. My son started playing football this year. Let me rephrase that, he started to play tackle football this year. I was nervous. I told him horror stories. I tried to convince him otherwise. But he was adamant and we relented. It was wonderful. He got better and better everyday as a football player. He was taught the right way to play the game. He seemed happy at practice and at games. He really looked like he was in his element. As the season went on the team continued to get better. They started to win more. They were really beating teams up. And my son lived in the backfield on defense and pancaked would-be tacklers on offense. It was a shock, in a good way, to see him progress the way he did. They won enough to make the fifth grade playoffs and it got even better. They won their first game handily. They had a tough test in the second game, but they ran away with that one as well. The championship was on a very windy and cold day. And they even gave up an early field goal. From there on out they scored 30 unanswered points. They destroyed the team that made it to the finals. They hammered them. And my son was smiling all the way. He loved every second of football. And I loved watching him. I am so glad I didn't coach also. I got to enjoy it from the stands. I am always proud of him and this is another notch in his belt. I was so happy to see them win and to watch him play all year. That is the best a sports dad can ask for.

That is it for sports. Come back tomorrow for my final top five, top five podcasts of the year, tomorrow.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Drama at Michigan Football is Not Over

Now that I have had time to kind of think about it, and after the turnover, which there may still be more of, I want to talk about Jim Harbaugh yet again.

Last week I was pretty frustrated with Harbaugh. Honestly there were times where I just wished he left and let Michigan football move on. Then I would settle down, try to figure out who they would get, and I would usually end up back at the fact that I wanted him to stay.

Well, after a long interview with Minnesota, and no offer being given, Harbaugh announced he was returning to Michigan and that this would be the last time he would entertain NFL offers. That remains to be seen, but at the time he said it, I kind of believed it. Michigan had already lost Mike MacDonald to the NFL, but I figured he was more of a rental from Jim's older brother. If he did good, he did great, he was going to be offered an NFL job. That was a given in my mind. But I figured no big deal, Michigan would lose maybe one or two coaches and keep the rest of the staff as together as possible.

Then yesterday came the big bomb. Josh Gattis, the Broyles award winner as the best assistant in college football, signed on with the Miami Hurricanes with the same job. I was pretty floored. Then I read about the "leaked text" to "a few offensive players", and I was an angry fan. I did not go online and gripe about it right away though. I sat with it. I do not know what happened behind closed doors. I am not privy to anything the coaches go through at Michigan. So, as someone that is not involved in any way, I think Gattis was upset that he was not the front runner to take over if Harbaugh left for the NFL. I wanted him if Harbaugh left, I read that some in the administration wanted him and I figured he was already the head coach in waiting. I guess he did not see it that way, and maybe he was not the front runner, so he left. He made a lateral move. I hope it works for him, I really like Josh Gattis. But I also do not like the way he left. I get hurt feelings and all, but to "leak messages", I have never been a fan of that tactic. It is a very high school move. But, best of luck to Gattis anyway.

I have also read that a certain other assistant, Mike Hart, is none too pleased with how Harbaugh handled this whole NFL interview. I get it. Harbaugh left everyone in the dark, and then just walked back like nothing happened. I am bummed on losing both coordinators, but I will be super duper bummed if Mike Hart leaves. He is a Michigan guy. He is one of their greatest players ever. He completely revamped the running game. The running backs looked like classic Michigan, and that is all due to Hart's coaching. I do not want to lose him and I hope the coaches and admin left are doing everything they can to keep him.

I also hope they are doing the same with guys like Matt Weiss, Sherrone Moore, George Helow, Steve Clinkscale and the rest of the current staff. I do not want any "splashy" hire or big name to replace the guys who left. Hire from within the program. Please. Try to keep some continuity. Keep this young, good and energetic staff as together as they possibly can right now.

Which leads me to Jim Harbaugh. Like I said, a week ago it was one day of wanting him to leave, only to have a completely different outlook the next day. But sitting in this, seeing the coordinators leave, hearing others may want out and contemplating what players may or may not transfer, I think Harbaugh might be getting a big time dose of medicine. It was clear he was doing what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it, how he wanted to do it and he could have cared less about Michigan, the assistant coaches and the administration. He held them out to dry so he could go and chase a few NFL jobs. I said to both my wife and dad, about the only two people that will listen to me on this subject, that Harbaugh was handling all of these things the exact wrong way. You do not go out all blatant about interviewing for NFL jobs. You do not act flippant when reporters are asking questions. You should be in contact with the people who are currently on your staff. Harbaugh handled all of this like a spoiled child. He only thought about his interests and now has more overturn on his staff than he anticipated when he came back to Michigan.

All of that being said, I am happy he is back. I am glad that he is still coaching at Michigan. I said I believe him when he says he is done looking into the NFL. I feel like he will be able to keep Michigan competitive. He will have to make some new hires. He will have to tamp down the anger and frustration and anxiety that is going on with the staff and players. But I believe that he can do it, or do it enough that it does not affect the team too much. I'm still annoyed with how he handled this situation. I may be even a little angry still. But I am happy he is back as the head coach. I do believe that things will be okay in the long run. And I believe that he will have to eat a ton of crow and have a real talk with the players and the staff. But I think everything will be okay. Or at least, I hope everything will be okay. We will see.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on the Future of Michigan Football

I have been avoiding writing about Jim Harbaugh because, quite frankly, I do not want him to leave Michigan. I was not a fan when they hired him over seven years ago, assuming he would leave after four years as he did at every other stop. I also was sick of hearing about him going back to the NFL after every season. At the end of Michigan football's season the rumors would inevitably start. It was always announced that he was a "front runner" or "was gauging interest" or "going to be interviewed", only to be squashed by Harbaugh himself within a week or two. But that hasn't happened this time around. Harbaugh has only come out once to talk about it, and he all but confirmed he was going to listen to NFL teams if they come calling. And by all accounts, the NFL has come calling.

Now, take this as you will, but I have no idea how real the reports are. There seem to be differing reports within minutes of one another. The football team has had only one decommitment and the assistant coaches are going on business as usual. As is Harbaugh. He is out there recruiting, lifting weights in a high school gym and taking pictures with recruits and their families. But with every passing day, with no real comments coming from Harbaugh, with those in the know saying they are being left in the dark, it just seems like he is going to jump to the NFL, and most likely he will do it as soon as the Las Vegas Raiders offer him the job, which I expect them to do by the end of this month. And that will hurt.

Again, I did not want him in the first place, but I have grown to like him. He has been a winning coach since he took over, save for 2020. This team won the Big 10 this year. They went to the CFP. They finally beat the university of Ohio State. But it has been so much more than that. When he took over this team was a mess. They went on to win nine games, including their bowl game, in his first season. The second year they were one inch away from the Big 10 title game and Jabrill Peppers was a Heisman finalist. They "slumped" to eight wins in year 3, but they had a ferocious defense and they played hard. Also, John O'Korn was their QB. Take that as you will. After that, prior to this season, they were a perennial top 20 team, they played hard, they won nine or ten games and played in some solid bowl games.

2020 was a lost year, and then we had this year. I mentioned all the accolades before, but forgot that he hired a new, young, exciting coaching staff. They also had another Heisman finalist, Aidan Hutchinson. The team looked like a modern college football team. They were making big plays, big stops, winning big games and seemed to be having fun doing it. Anytime televised games were on and the camera would pan to Harbaugh, he was as engaged, excited and smiling more than I have seen him in his time as the head coach at Michigan. And he is building on that. That is why I do not want him to leave. He has said that he "would do this job for free", that "this is my dream job", " that he loves this team". So why leave now? I guess he wants to challenge himself at the highest level. I think maybe he thinks this is as good as it will get for him at Michigan. Maybe he just wants to stop recruiting all the time. Maybe he is sick of selling Michigan to 17 and 18 year old kids. There are plenty of reasons why, but I just do not want him to go now. I want him to stay.

Truth is I want there to be continuity. You look at all these consistently great college teams, Alabama, the university of Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia, they all have had the same head coach seemingly forever. That is what I want from Michigan. I miss the Lloyd Carr days. That was a reassuring time.

With that being said, if/when Harbaugh jets to the NFL, I hope Michigan stays within the program when hiring the new head coach. I have seen some names floated, namely Matt Campbell, and I do not want that. That means a whole new staff and a full on rebuild. But if the team were to hire, say Mike Hart or, my personal choice, Josh Gattis, they could keep the entire staff in place. Hell, I'd take Sheronne Moore as the next head coach at Michigan. Look at what he did with that offensive line this past season. I just do not want Michigan to go big name shopping for the next head coach if Harbaugh bolts. Stay in house. Keep the staff and team as fully operational as possible. If Harbaugh does bounce, I do not want to go through what Oklahoma fans just did with Lincoln Riley this offseason. I'd prefer they just hire Gattis, who is coming off winning assistant of the year, and move on. But I truly hope Harbaugh just stays and continues returning Michigan to its place as a perennial power.

I will have my fingers crossed until all of this is resolved. Go Blue.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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2021 Top Five - Sports

Today I am wrapping up my best of 2021 lists. I always save sports for last because I love them so much. It is one of my favorite things in the world. There was a lot that I had to leave off my list as well. The return of fans, Shoehai Otahni and Vlad Guerrero Jr, the Cardinals massive win streak, Deion Sanders getting the top recruit in the country to commit to Jackson State, Urban Meyer's punkass getting fired, the college football coaching carousel, all of that stuff, and so much more could have easily made my list. But I think I got it paired down to what I consider the five best sports moments of 2021. Let's get to it.

At five I have the Summer Olympics. All of it. There isn't one event that I want to focus on or anything like that. It was all so good. Simone Biles was amazing, both on and off the gymnastics field or court or board. The skateboarding was kickass. Basketball was fun. Table tennis was oddly interesting. The races were incredible, especially the marathon. The stuff beforehand, the rooms and what not, that was all great. The swimming was phenomenal. I let myself get fully engrossed in the Summer Olympics, and it was awesome. I think it may be a mixture of the pandemic, the fact it was pushed to this past summer and how competitive all the games were, but it all worked so well for me as a sports fan. I also think this may have made me an Olympic fan for life. I am stoked for the Winter Olympics, and you better believe I will be watching the Summer Games in 2024.

Coming in at number four I have the Name Image Likeness bill. This is a humongous deal. We can already see the positive ramifications of the NIL. These college athletes are finally getting paid if the university they attend uses any of the three things in the NIL. And it is all across NCAA sports. It isn't just basketball or football like a lot of naysayers predicted. I have read that all kinds of college athletes are making bank from the NIL. It also isn't just making the stars of their teams money. One of Michigan's bench players on their men's basketball team makes more NIL money than any other player. He barely plays, but he has a massive Tik Tok following. And even the stars, they are cashing checks. One of Michigan's starting running backs gave over 10 grand in gift bags to a local community center. Another Michigan player donated a ton of his NIL money to the Oxford school. Players outside of Michigan are doing the same, I just notice Michigan because that is the team I follow. I also love the NIL because college coaches, who make millions upon millions of dollars, are so up in arms about their players getting paid. It is so hypocritical, but I find it so funny. That is the good thing about the NIL. It is changing the college game, which was sorely needed.

At number three I have the Milwaukee Bucks winning the 2021 NBA title, but more so, Giannis' performance in game 6. I was stoked that a Midwest team won the title. I love that it was Milwaukee because my father has been a long suffering fan of theirs. And I adore Giannis the player and person. He is so wholesome. He seems genuine. He clearly knows how lucky he is in his life. He gives back to family and his community. And that performance he had in the game 6 clincher, that was amazing. He refused to be beaten that night. He scored 50 points. He grabbed double figure rebounds. He made his free throws. He had chase down blocks. He made Phoenix's best offensive players uncomfortable all night long. Every time it seemed like Phoenix may take the game, Giannis did something to turn the tide back to the Bucks. It was an amazing performance. It was one I was glad I watched in real time. I will never forget watching that game. It was that fantastic of a performance. One for the record books.

At number two I have the 2021 Michigan football season. I had little expectations for this team. I believe I picked them to finish 7-5, but it seemed more likely they would go 6-6. I did not know what to expect from all the new hires and I had little expectations for the offense. Well, they proved me, and a whole lot of other people wrong. From the start of the season they had an edge. They played very sound, very fast defense. Their run game was simply amazing. When they had to pass, they did what was needed, with some big plays added in from time to time. Josh Gattis took control of the offense and won assistant of the year. The offensive staff was totally overhauled and it worked. Outside Gattis, Mike Hart changed the run game, Sherrone Moore had the O line playing exceptionally well and the younger staff changed the whole offensive dynamic. The defense had even more of an overhaul, and they were amazing all year. They shut teams down and forced most of them to be one dimensional. They also beat the university of Ohio State for the first time in their last eight tries. I was ecstatic at that outcome. They also won the Big Ten title for the first time in 17 years. They are also in the CFP for the first time since its introduction. Jim Harbaugh won the AP coach of the year and Aidan Hutchinson was a Heisman finalist. This team exceeded all of my wildest dreams. I am so excited to watch them in the CFP in 2 weeks, although I am so very nervous as always. Had someone told me that Michigan football would win 12 games, beat the university of Ohio State by 15, win the Big 10 and play in the CFP before the season, I would have laughed in their face. Well here we are now, and all of that stuff is true. What a season.

And at number one, this is a personal feat for me, I finished my first full marathon this year. I have been working up to that distance for awhile. I have been training for longer distances for a long time. I actually had one planned for the summer, but I got injured. I was devastated when the doctor told me I couldn't run that race. But instead of wallowing, I amped up my training after I healed. I then signed up, along with my buddy Kirk, for a trail marathon(Kirk did a 50k). And the day of the race came and I was nervous as hell. It was a looped race, so I knew I would have my own personal aid stations, but still, nerves were high. It got bad enough that I wanted to quit after 18 miles. I felt awful. But the great people involved with the STL Track Club calmed me down, helped me get over the pain and frustration, gave me some sugar and I went back out for that final loop. As I got closer and closer to the finish line, my emotions took over. I could not believe that I was about to finish a full marathon. I was going to do something that seemed impossible a decade before. And now I have already signed up for a few other marathons. I am returning to run the same marathon in October of 2022, but I may up it to a 50k, who knows. But the fact that I ran a full marathon, that I finished it, that I had the support of Kirk and the STL Track Club and that I am contemplating doing more of them, that is an achievement I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Okay, that wraps up my best of 2021 lists. I love doing these lists and I would love to hear from the readers about some of their favorite things in 2021. Have a good and safe Holiday and a Happy New Year.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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It Feels Good to be a Michigan Football Fan Today

Michigan won the Big Ten title for the first time in seventeen years Saturday night.

Writing that sentence has me in disbelief and joy. I did not think they were going to get back to where they got this year. I have had them pegged as a middle of the road Big 10 team. They would get my hopes up year in and year out and then they'd get their butts whipped by the university of Ohio State. Or they would lose a mid season game to a team like Iowa. They would have complete meltdowns on the road playing Penn State. They would blow an early season game to Notre Dame. Hell, even this year they got beat by Michigan State after holding a 16 point third quarter lead. I had gotten accustomed to this team letting me down. And before this season started I had them pegged as a middle tier team. I picked them to finish 7-5, with the ceiling being 9 wins and the floor being 5 wins. I thought the schedule was going to be really tough, they had some inexperience, they had some guys returning from serious injuries and they lost a good amount of players to the transfer portal. And Jim Harbaugh totally restructured his contract and he hired an almost entirely new staff, all of which were 45 or younger. I was very low on this team.

Then the season started, and they looked okay. They beat up on a solid Western Michigan team. They destroyed Washington in a night game in Ann Arbor. They beat the snot out of Northern Illinois. But I still wasn't buying in. Western Michigan and Northern Illinois are MAC teams, no disrespect, and Washington was not as good as some preseason pollsters predicted. But the first Big 10 game was going to be my barometer, I told myself. They had Rutgers at home. Rutgers is not good yet, but they are getting better. Michigan should have wiped the floor with them, but they only won by seven, scoring only three points in the second half. My nerves were shocked again. Then they went to Camp Randall, where they hadn't won in forever, and beat up on the Badgers pretty easily. They won by 21. Wisconsin was reeling, but Michigan had won a game they usually found a way to lose in recent seasons. They were 5-0 at this point, but I was still a little leery. The schedule wasn't looking as tough as I previously thought. Then they barely got by Nebraska in Lincoln. They needed an Adrian Martinez fumble to get them in field goal range late to win that game. And there is no world where I accept Nebraska as the "best 3-9 team ever" like some pundits tried to push. They then crushed a very bad Northwestern team. They were now 7-0 and facing MSU. We all know what happened, and any faith I had kind of disappeared. I figured this was the same old Michigan I have been watching for the past ten seasons. But they bounced back. They crushed an injury depleted Indiana team. Penn State made it tough, but Erick All had a beautiful run and catch for a TD to secure that win. And they went to Maryland and trounced them by 41.

By this time I was kind of back, but the all important university of Ohio State game was next, and they were coming off a bludgeoning of MSU. I had no hopes. Then the game happened and I was fully in. Michigan won that game pretty soundly. They out toughed them, controlled the line of scrimmage, Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo spent the whole game in the backfield and Hasan Haskins ran for 160 plus yards and five touchdowns. I was euphoric. I kid you not. I walked around my house exclaiming, "FINALLY!!!!!!!" over and over and over again. I was bought in. This team rebounded from a loss that could have ruined their year and won every game since, including finally beating the university of Ohio State. I was nervous for the Big Ten title game, but any fears during that game were easily put away in the second half when Michigan went to a different level and couldn't be stopped. They won the Big Ten title game 42-3. They crushed Iowa. They pummeled them into submission. They ran trick plays and played freshman and did whatever they wanted. I was sitting with my dad watching that game and saying, "I can't believe it", "what a season", "there is no way I expected them to win twelve games", and, "I am so pumped they are in the playoff". These are things I thought were never going to happen again. Like I said earlier, I assumed their best days were in the past. But they did it. They won the Big Ten title. Jim Harbaugh did all the right things this offseason, and it paid off. Aidan Hutchinson is the best defensive player in the country and could be the number one overall pick in the 22 NFL draft. David Ojabo went from unknown to potential first round pick. Josh Ross came back and has played like a leader all year. Cade McNamara has been a sufficient, if at times inconsistent, game manager. Blake Corum has all the speed and moves in the world. Donovan Edwards has an extremely bright future. And Hasan Haskins is the heart and soul of the team. Oh, and both the D and O lines are really, really good.

This team has surprised me in all the right ways this season. I have not had this much fun as a Michigan fan in a very long time. I am proud to walk around in all my Michigan gear. I don't have to preface or make excuses for anything. They proved it on the field. I am very excited for the matchup against Georgia. I still believe Georgia is the best team in the country, but maybe, just maybe Michigan can hang with them. I do not ever pick the Wolverines to win anything because I just do not want that pain of being wrong. But this team could be different. I want them to win the title, which I do every year. But the fact that they made it, the fact that all the pundits that usually mock them are saying nice things about them, the fact that they are the number two team in the country, the fact that they have a shot at a national title again, I am very proud to say I am a devout Michigan fan and I love this team. I'm extremely pleased with this season, this team, this staff, I have nothing but nice things to say about them. I will be rooting extra hard for them on New Years Eve because I do not want this magical season to end. But whatever happens, Michigan football had a great year, a great season and I will remember this year for the rest of my life. Go Blue.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Tragic End of the Bo Schembechler Legend

Last week some damning and explosive news came out about Bo Schembechler and a doctor he protected who was abusing players during Bo's time as head coach. This shocked me to my core. I was stunned. I'm still stunned. I did not want to believe it. I think I have sat on this so long because I was hoping, maybe I still am, that this is all wrong. That all these athletes, nearly 900 of them, have just misremembered things. That does not seem to be the case.

This story, as more and more news comes out, keeps getting more and more real to me. I just do not want to accept it, but I know I have to. For those that may not know, Bo Schembechler has been accused of covering up sexual abuse by a former doctor at Michigan. He did not report it, and may have told players to "toughen up" and "get over it". This is so, so, so bad. This is a real problem and it needs to be addressed. I know that Jim Harbaugh and Schembechler's son Schemmy have come out and said they did not see any of this. But, Schembechler's step son, who is estranged from the family, former players and other athletes have come forward and said they were abused by this doctor. Like I said, this is bad, and it seems very true. If it is just one or two people maybe it isn't true. But, when over 850 athletes come forward, that is no coincidence. That usually means the accusations are truthful.

I am having a real hard time grappling with this. This is, outside of family, one of my biggest idols growing up. Bo always talked about doing things the right way, being vigilant about that, not cutting corners, never hiding from adversity. He was the epitome of a "good guy". My earliest memories are watching Michigan games with my dad and being told, and adhering to the fact that he was a great coach and an even better guy. That has all come crashing down with this story. We will never know the true extent, Bo, the doctor and Bo's wife Millie have all passed away. But I say again, when this many people come forward, it is more than likely factual. I am trying to come to terms with how to deal internally with all of this. To this point I have removed all my Bo memorabilia I have in my home, which is plentiful. His books are off my shelves, my bobblehead of him is gone, any t-shirt that has his image has been removed from my wardrobe, the pictures I have kept are not in my possession. I cannot look at his face anymore and not feel hurt and deceived by him. This, in terms of sports, is a travesty to me. This is tragic. This stinks.

I was talking to my dad about this over the weekend, who loved Bo more than I did, who talked about him like a legend, and we both are having trouble dealing. We both said that if this were Urban Meyer or Jim Tressel or Mark Dantonio this would be so easy to swallow. We would be laughing about it. Those guys have their issues, Meyer is a cheater and a liar, Tressel got fired for illegal recruiting and Dantonio retired before he was going to get caught. None of them have this sexual abuse accusation though. The closest is Dantonio, who seemed to let his players get away with everything, but no stories have come out about that yet. The only comparison I can make to the Schembechler news is what happened at Penn State under Joe Paterno, and you better believe I was very vocal about that whole situation. I was on my high horse when that news came out. And while the Michigan news didn't involve another coach, it is still pretty similar. There was abuse, it was sexual and it was covered up by a legendary head coach.

I just do not see a world where Michigan does not try to distance themselves from Schembechler. They need to remove the statue, of which I had a picture next to. They need to remove his name. They need to address this travesty and try to make things better. They need to help and support the victims. They need to do the right thing. Bo was a legend. So was Paterno, but I do not hear much about him when I see Penn State football games. Michigan needs to do the same with Bo. It may be hard, it may feel bad, but it needs to happen. That is the right thing to do, as well as working with the victims, helping them out.

This is an utter disaster. I am still shook. I still do not understand why Bo felt the need to help this monstrous person who was doing terrible things. This is bad. This is a stain on this prestigious university. And it comes from a man that everyone involved with Michigan football has lionized. Something needs to happen and it needs to happen now. I cannot and will not stand up for Bo anymore. He is no longer the legend that I once vouched he was. He did bad things and the school needs to move on from him. That would be the right thing to do.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.