For all the talk about the Big Ten Titles and inspirational messages worked into the new Michigan uniforms, until now, we had no idea what they would look like. Without further ado, the interior details on the new Michigan uniforms:

Posted under Misc.

I signed up for XBox Live this weekend. This was almost exclusively for the online dynasty feature of NCAA09. I’m looking to get a dynasty started Monday after work (about 5pm EDT). I have two other people already on board, so we only need nine more to max out. If you want to join in and have time to play at least one game most days, e-mail me at panel |at| umich |dot| edu with NCAA09 in the subject line, you gamertag and if you have a conference preference.

If you just want to beat someone who occaisionally blogs about Michigan, my gamer tag is Paul VBlue. Feel free to friend/challenge/whatever people do on Live.

Posted under Misc.

This edition of NCAA seems to have drawn more hand wringing and fist pumping than any of the previous iterations. I’m not sure if that’s because there is a big split between the hardcore football simulation fans and the casual gamer or that the Internet allows for such a build up and subsequent thrashing. I’m not sure where I fall in that spectrum. The most editing I’ve ever done to the rosters is adding in the names of Michigan players (occasionally updating numbers, hometowns) and basic slider work (I hate when a wide open WR drops a ball). Yet, I usually end up going a least 10 seasons deep in a dynasty, so I think I’m somewhere in the middle.

I got the game at midnight and have played Coop-dynasty, solo-dynasty, legend mode, and a player vs. player game. After those few hours, I have some quick hits:

• The movement and actions seem a lot more engine based rather than animation based.
• The stadiums look pretty amazing and the ambient sounds have improved considerably (and I haven’t even added the custom sounds yet).
• Dynasty recruiting in season is still super tedious, but the quickcall feature makes it much more bearable. (Quick aside: I bought the game and wanted to get right in and play some dynasty games, but had to spend about 25 minutes getting all the preseason stuff in order. I get it, but it’s a drag)
• Playing a game co-op is way more fun than in previous editions. Breaking routes to wholes in the zone and coming back for the jumpball are really fun. So is just levelling someone with an impact block on an option run or toss play.
• Legend mode is basically the same except it’s more difficult to keep that 2.0. I used to be able to do whatever I wanted and keep at least a 3.7 now I’m hovering around 2.6-7 (more realistic?)
• I recommend doing Legend mode as a WR.
• My defense in 08 consisted mainly of OLB blitz to free the DE off the edge. That doesn’t work so well in this game. In fact, nothing really works to get to the QB. I’ve picked up some sacks, but they are usually coverage sacks. Brandon Graham got pancaked multiple times by Toledo…
• The AI for pass defense is a bit weak. If they could split the difference of 08 and 09 I think it would be about perfect. I can usually just throw it up and Matthews will come down with it.
• I recommend Texas Tech if you’re playing against a person. They’re a ton of fun with Harrel throwing to Crabtree. I feel most PvP games in 09 are going to be offense based and I don’t think there is a more fun offense in the game.

I’m looking to start an online dynasty with a few friends this weekend, so I can report back on that later on. Overall I think this game is an improvement over 08. EA is promising two patches (one in 5-10 days the other in 1-2 months) to fix some of the gameplay issues. I’m looking forward to how this game will (finally) come together.

Posted under Misc.

We have, to your right, the Michigan student football t-shirt from a couple years back. On the left? a new Ohio State t-shirt, completely ripping off the format.

Posted under Misc.

ESPN was in Ann Arbor today to tape a Titletown segment on the city of Ann Arbor. No doubt they’ll focus on the dominant Pioneer swim teams!

I went to the shoot after stopping at Moe’s to buy a maize shirt, to fit in. There was a decent crowd, maybe 75-100 partisans. What made the scene funnier was the fact that as their setting up and the crowd is warming up and doing some cheers, there are orientation groups being led through the diag on tours. Just another day at Michigan…

Unfortunately the anchor for the section wasn’t Dana Jacobsen, but the anchor (Nicole something, I couldn’t really here anything from where I was) seemed cool and talked with crowd and whatnot. Anytime Desmond Howard became visible the crowd immediately exploded. One kid shouted “I was born the year you won the Heisman.” Kids are so young these days.

I’ve seen a few of the Titletown segments and it really looks like a quick and easy thing that could have been done live; this is not the case. We did each take multiple times. The producer would give us hand gestures to tell us when to get loud, to cue the band, to let the cheerleaders when to do what they do. I felt like the mob should at least get a small appearence fee for trying to get into to football saturday roudy mode on a Monday at noon.

A couple times the ESPN crew had to reshoot a section because (get this) the fans were TOO LOUD. This could be the only time Michigan fans outside of Yost have ever been too loud. I will remember this always. When the producer told us to cheer quietly during an interview with Desmond Howard, I thought “Finally! Someone playing to Michigan Fan’s strengths!”

Overall it was an fun experience even though I could care less about yet another mythical title that the WWL seems intent on creating bi-annually. Hopefully the small group of fans did the University proud. The A^2 T^2 segment will air on the 6 o’clock Sportscenter on July 20th

Posted under Misc.

Pretty much as expected, from what we’ve been hearing lately, the official Michigan jerseys for 2008 have been unveiled on MGoBlue:

Let the bitching commence. I find them to be entirely inoffensive.

Posted under Misc.

Hooray Alliteration!

Is Ann Arbor TitleTown?

Be part of ESPN’s TitleTown segment on Ann Arbor!

Come to the Diag on Monday, July 14th at 11am in order to participate in the taping of this segment.*
*Taping will begin at noon and finish at 1pm

Former Michigan Great Desmond Howard will be on hand for the interview portion.

For more information, visit sports.espn.go.com/espn/titletown/index.

Posted under Misc.

Worried about the new home jerseys? Fear not, for they have been revealed!This is similar to, but not the same as, Phil Callahan’s description:

The home jerseys have a maize block “M” on the shoulder, the number is a little thicker and seems to be placed a little higher than on past jerseys. There’s also a small (1/4 inch wide by 1-2 inch) vertical maize strip running down from the collar that has Michigan in blue.

The strip on the collar (later clarified by Callahan to have a Block M, rather than the word “Michigan”) is there, the shoulder “M”s are not. No word yet on the away jerseys, described thusly by Callahan:

The away jerseys have a thin maize piping straight across the chest. There also have a small maize strip on the back of the collar that says Michigan in blue.

TV. The TV times for the first three weeks of the Big Ten Network schedule have been revealed as well, and Michigan isn’t on The Network in this timeframe. This means that the home opener against Utah and the non-conference tilt against Miami are on the Disney networks (Notre Dame is away, and therefore on NBC).

Since the BTN is guaranteed at least 3 games per team (and at least 1 conference game), this means that Michigan’s contest against Toledo will likely be relegated to a station that nearly everyone gets now. Two conference games (probably against “lesser” opponents like Northwestern (sorry, LTP) and Minnesota) will also have to end up on BTN to meet the minimum.

Grady. Through a friend-of-a-friend, I know one of the people he was “going out to get drunk with” (as described by the person in question’s mother). He blew a .281, achieving his goal and then some. Rodriguez will handle discipline internally after meeting with Kevin.

Posted under Misc.

Tim got a new camera. What better way to test it out than head down to the corner of Main and East Stadium.

I work on the top floor of South Quad so I can kind of get an aerial view of the stadium. The construction is definitely impressive. It’s going to look amazing when it’s done.

Posted under Misc.

For those of you who are big fans of the Nike apparel that will no longer be donned by the Michigan Wolverines, your last chance to purchase officially-licensed merchandise from the MDen website is here:

Michigan fans – This is your last chance to buy Nike products on the MDen site. Adidas products will begin arriving in late July, so we have made final reductions on all our Nike clothing.

Screened replica jerseys 18.88.
Tackle twill replica jerseys 28.88
Authentic jerseys 48.88.

The official online retailer of the University of Michigan Athletic Department thanks you for your support of Michigan Athletics.

Visit the MDen site at MDen.com.

Posted under Misc.