Categories
Sports

[1391] Of Michigan-Northwestern

Thank heavens for that touchdown. 28-16 now in Michigan’s favor.

And oh, that sack too.

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Wow. I had expected this game to be a stroll in the park. For 3 quarters, I thought I was wrong and now, in the fourth quarter, the Northwestern is self-destructing. They just lost another ball to Michigan.

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Hail Chad Henne and Michigan is 2-0 in the Big Ten.

Categories
Solar car

[1388] Of Continuum at Dana Test Track

As the World Solar Challenge approaches, being less than 2 months away, the team prepares. This is the latest Michigan solar car team, Continuum:

[youtube]CoT6byUVHqw[/youtube]

Before my involvement in solar car team during my undergraduate years, I had always thought that any car built extensively with duct tape are cardboard cars or anything street-unworthy vehicles. Imagine my shock when I learned how the first car which I had the opportunity to work on, was made extensively of duct tape to join all its fiber glass parts, metal suspension and electronics (the funkiest word I learned while with the team: telemetry)

No I am kidding. But were still used tons of duct tape and the Continuum team does the same too, as you can observe in the video.

Anyway, according to the solar car team website, Continuum is on its way to Australia. All the best!

Go Blue!

And cool song, do you not think so?

Categories
Sports

[1382] Of Meeeeeechigan!

It is Saturday football and I would be lying if I said I am not scared. Michigan is up against Penn State in Ann Arbor; Penn State is not the usual team that Michigan should worry about but our recent run forces us to feel otherwise. Yeah, Michigan won against Notre Dame but the Irish was way too easy for us to gloat over. I doubt Penn State would be as easy as the Irish.

Not too long ago, most Michigan fans would sit down and enjoy a game against Penn State while Joe Paterno, day in, day out waded through mounting criticism which one way or another led to demand for resignation. Today, Penn State is ranked #10 in the BCS ranking while Michigan, ranked #5 before the season began, now unranked, no thanks to the losses to Appalachian State and subsequently Oregon.

The national championship may be gone out of even our wildest dream, unless a miracle is in order but the conference title is still within our grasp. This game would determine whether Michigan season is salvageable or all hope is lost. If Michigan is able to overcome Penn State, we might get ranked once again. If we lose, there would be only one game to wait for: the one against Ohio State; we would only need to spoil their day and God would forgive us all for everything we failed to do.

I plan to stay up tonight and listen to the game online. I really hope it is going to worth the effort of staying up.

For Meeeeechigan fans looking for live audio streaming, visit MGoBlue. There is a little link that leads to the audio file. If you are in Malaysia and are actually watching the game live on TV or in some other way, do invite me! Please, please pretty please!

For cat fights, where else but mgoblog?

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p/s — So, I overslept and I only found out the result a few hours after the game ended. I am not a fan of Blackberry but it does have its plus points. For instance, I do not have to get up from my bed to log on the internet to find out the score. I was woke up for a moment, reached for my Blackberry and saw a Michigan 14, Penn State 10 ticker. Upon seeing that, I went back to sleep to have a beautiful dream.

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pp/s — this is just wrong. It is the third quarter and Stanford is holding on to the scoreline of 31-31 against Oregon. Man… Stanford!

Categories
Sports

[1377] Of first leg of the UEFA Cup: Ajax 1, Dynamo 0

I am relieved. With Ajax’s recent run, I had expected the worst but there is still hope:

LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Former European champions Bayern Munich and Ajax Amsterdam started their UEFA Cup campaigns with 1-0 wins in Thursday’s first-round matches.

[…]

Ajax also look in better shape than Bayern after winning at Dynamo Zagreb. Dane Dennis Rommedahl went round keeper Georg Koch to score the winner from a pass by strike partner Klaas Jan Huntelaar just after the hour mark. It was a mixed time for the money-spinning English Premier League clubs. [UEFA Cup: Bayern, Ajax get narrow wins. Soccernet. September 20 2007]

The away goal rule will be precious for the return match at Amsterdam scheduled in two weeks time.

And oh yeah, did I mention that Michigan razed Notre Dame to the ground?

Categories
Sports

[1360] Of ducks evolving into carnivores

They just had roasted wolverines:

ANN ARBOR — Before any absurd rationalizations about whatever happens the rest of this season for this Michigan offense, please note that it lost its way even before losing its veteran quarterback.

A week after the most shocking loss in Wolverines history, they suffered their most lopsided loss since Woody Hayes decided to go for two points “because I couldn’t go for three,” way back in 1968.

That kind of historic defeat doesn’t happen on one side of the ball, and as lousy as U-M’s defensive greenhorns have proven themselves, the high-profile offense is in no position to assess blame.

Another stunning home loss — 39-7, to Oregon — can not disguise the comprehensive breakdowns this time, including those by the unit upon which the Wolverines pinned their erstwhile national championship hopes.

National championship? Dead.

Heisman Trophy hopes? Dead.

Michigan as an offensive machine?

Dead. [How low can Michigan go? The Grand Rapids Press via MLive. September 8 2007]

Some fans are really angry.

The sky was a gentle blue, but it was raining on the Wolverines, a kind of rain that rarely falls on their home field. They were getting embarrassed, shown up, outplayed on national television in every way you can get outplayed in football.

And it was raining boos.

Yes, those were Michigan fans making that ugly noise, fans wearing maize-and-blue shirts, fans who came out believing last week’s shocking loss to Appalachian State was a fluke. And perhaps it was. Last week was an upset.

This was just a butt-kicking.

And it won’t be the last. Not if Michigan keeps playing this way. At the moment, the sweetest invitation you can get in college football may be a Saturday in Ann Arbor. The 39-7 defeat to Oregon, the fourth loss in a row for Michigan going back to last season — worst stretch since 1967 — wasn’t David shaking down Goliath. [MAIZE AND BOO: U-M loses game, crowd and respect after woeful 0-2 start. Mitch Albom. Detroit Free Press. September 8 2007]

Next week is Notre Dame and the venue is Ann Arbor. If that game turns out to be ugly, maybe Coach Carr should part away peacefully from Michigan.

And finally, from the New York Times:

Screenshot. Fair use. Copyrights by NYT.

Sigh