Michigan Friday: Thinks about the "Good Old Days"

I'm not ready to write Rich Rod and staff off yet.  They need at least 3-4 years to completely fail at Michigan.  With that said, I do miss some things from the old time Michigan Wolverine Football program.   So I thought I would to a quick comparison of Then and Now and how things are really different. 

Then: The local newspaper would do a "ground breaking" story un-covering that Michigan football players seem to take easier classes then regular Michigan students.   The response from Michigan fans was laughter and the paper turned into an online edition and the author was sent to law school in Toledo. 

Now:  A local paper does a "ground breaking" story that should have months of research in a couple of weeks on illegal stretching.  Response is an NCAA investigation and possible penalties.  The newspaper in question currently is losing money like an broken ATM and the author of the story has moved to SI.com.


Then: Freshman weren't allowed to play or speak and mostly to the media.
Now: Freshman make up a large percentage of Michigan's starting lineup.  They also were quoted in the "stretch-gate piece" because they said they were working hard during the off season.

Then: Lloyd Carr's response to an injury was "he seems ok to me?"
Now: Weekly injury reports.

Then: Media access to the Michigan program was pretty much limited to press conferences.  When something went down, Lloyd pretty much didn't answer and made the kid run the stairs at the Big House. 
Now:  The media has a lot more access and there happens to be some type of controversy per week. 

Then: Under preforming meant 8-4.
Now: Under preforming means no bowl game.

Then: You might have to catch the Michigan - Eastern Michigan game on the radio if you didn't have a ticket.
Now: We have the Big Ten Network.

Then: The Big Ten had 10 teams
Now: The Big Ten might have 16 teams?

Then: The Big House had what two bath rooms and we liked it!
Now: There are new buildings just for that purpose.

Then: The Big House Press Box was cold and had a couple of tube TV's
Now: Not sure, but hope it's heated and has some nice HD TV's

Then:  A luxury seat was a small bench seat near the 50 yard line.
Now:  Brand new luxury suites with catering and entertaining.  The seats look comfortable and it looks like you don't have to seat sideways during a big game. :)

Then: When our coach got in trouble in the off season, he got drunk in Southfield. 
Now: It's bad real estate deals.

Then: Our coach used "foul" language in practice.
Now: Our coach uses "foul" language in practice and the media is there to prove it.

Then: Michigan had QB's as big a tight ends
Now: QB's are mobile athletes

Then: Michigan had maybe one Junior Day for recruiting.
Now: Michigan now has BBQ's, Night of Champions, and many other Junior Days.

Then: Michigan players arrived at the stadium a few hours before the game.
Now: We now have the Victors Walk.

Then: A pretty boring Spring Game scrimmage.
Now: Now a Spring Game Event with Alumni Flag Football, Locker Room Tours, with a boring scrimmage.

Then: Never a Night Game at home
2011:  A Night Game against ND at the Big House

Then: You could buy your Michigan gear at the game from the MDen.
Now:  It's some company that is partly owned by Jerry Jones.

Then: An upgrade to the Big House was that ugly yellow siding. 
Now: It costs $226 Million.

Then: Michigan had a indoor practice facility that you couldn't practice special teams in.
Now: Michigan has a new practice facility that is similar in size to the Silver Dome.  (just kidding - but it's big).

Then: Michigan's strength and conditioning program was invented somewhere in the 1970's.
Now: Michigan's program is state of the art with Mike Barwis.


Those were just the top of my head and I'm sure you have many more.  As you can see, believe it or not Rich Rod and staff has brought some positives things to the program.   It's really not all negative.

• An Mgoblog reader heard U of M President Mary Sue Coleman speak in Boston this week.  Highlights:  Self imposed sanctions are due by the end of the month.  The reason the overages happened was due to confusion between the compliance office (internally at U of M) and the coaching staff.  She believes most Universities will be dropping compliance people on the football staff due to the confusion with giving coaching advice.