<p>English Premiership? Count me in!</p>
<p>I'm a big fan of the top 4 English teams, though disappointed to see Henry jump ship and head to FC Barca. I expect to see Man U once again claim the title, especially with the potential addition of Argentinian striker Tevez. </p>
<p>Anyone other than me and Azure follow Premiership or World soccer for that matter?</p>
<p>I follow the English Premiership! and all soccer leagues around Europe for that matter :)! Man Utd all the way!</p>
<p>Oh and its fine to talk about the Premiership on this thread because this sport is actually called football!!</p>
<p>uh</p>
<p>ohio state isn't much without troy smith</p>
<p>and notre dame the same without brady quinn</p>
<p>michigan should do well</p>
<p>ROTFLMAO @ the Illini fan thinking Illinois team is going to be any better than cellar dwellars.</p>
<p>Illinois has Ron Zook as their head coach. It doesn't matter what kind of recruits he gets, he has no idea how to use them. He's are 4-20 the past 2 seasons, with 1 of those wins coming against Eastern Illinois, a division 1-AA team. Illinois is the worst team in the Big Ten. </p>
<p>The fact that you may even think that Illinois can beat Michigan is laughable. Illinois hasn't beat Michigan in Champaign since 1983, and that Illinois team was actually good (10-2, Rose Bowl, #10 overall ranking). To put it in perspective, Illinois lost to Syracuse, Indiana and Ohio U (yes, the MAC team) at home last season. </p>
<p>Michigan could lose to Illinois... pffff... hahahahahaha. There's nothing "on the rise" about a team that has been 4-20 under their current coach. They'll be lucky to see 3 wins this season with the schedule they have.</p>
<p>On a side note, (gosh, Illinois, man that irritates me), I fully expect Michigan to go undefeated, and then put back into their respective place after the bowl game, where USC will own them again. </p>
<p>Michigan has won 16/19 against Wisconsin. The overall series score is 48-11. They own Wisconsin, and will win in Madison. In comparison, Michigan is 49-10 historically against lousy Indiana. I wouldn't be worried. They always beat Wisconsin.</p>
<p>Ohio State has way too much to replace, and Llllloyd Carr has to win this game. Michigan has practically everyone coming back, and has a better overall team. This is similar to the 2003 Michigan v. OSU game, the only win for UM under Tressel. OSU was outmatched from a talent standpoint, and UM got the win (Edwards was a senior, Navarre was a senior, Perry was a senior). Live it up though, because you won't see another win for 3 more years against OSU.</p>
<p>Some would worry about Penn State, because the past 2 times they have come into the big house they have nearly pulled it off. It took a Christmas Miracle to win in 2005, and it took OT to win in 2002. Michigan does own Penn State though, Penn State hasn't won in the Big House since 1966, Michigan winning 17 in a row. I wouldn't be worried.</p>
<p>If you asked me what the one game I thought Michigan had a chance to lose this season, and this may sound a bit funny, it's the game against MSU. Michigan does not play that well in East Lansing. In fact, since 1993, the record is 4-3 MSU. All the games have been decided by one possession or less, outside of 1997, Michigan's National Championship season, where it was a rout. Dantonio has already put a clock in the Spartan's Locker Room until the UM game, and after last season's beat down, MSU will not come out with a lackluster effort.</p>
<p>haha if you put it that way...</p>
<p>but just like any other group of fans (especially cubs fans), illini fans hope for the light at the end of the tunnel. </p>
<p>The Illini did stay within a touchdown of OSU and hold them scoreless in the 2nd half as well as beat Mich St at their house as well as lead Penn St in the 2nd half...</p>
<p>There's no need to be so demeaning A2Wolves6. Just as you talk about the poor state of Illini football in RECENT years (we won an outright Big 10 title in 2001), I could write many things about the state of Michigan basketball, but I don't. </p>
<p>Similar to Illini football fans, Michigan bball fans must endure rough times during a reconstruction phase. Are Michigan bball fans complete idiots in thinking their team could pull off a potential upset of say Mich St or Indiana?</p>
<p>Illinois didn't win. You only get credit for winning. It doesn't matter how close they came, nothing happened as a result of it. Zook has proven time and time again that even when he has talent, he can't win with it. Meyer won the National Championship with Zook recruits. Illinois may have the 5th most talented team in the Big Ten next season, but if you don't have a coach who can do anything with it, then it doesn't matter and it won't get you anywhere. </p>
<p>Go ahead, take free reign at the depleted Michigan basketball program, any sort of Michigan bashing is alright by me. Michigan fan are idiots if they believe their team could beat Indiana and Eric Gordon next year. The Michigan basketball team is as good as they want it to be. The facilities are awful, the talent is gone, and no one cares. There are maybe 400 students who attend games regularly, that's it.</p>
<p>A2Wolves, I don't think your PSU stats are correct. The first time Michigan played PSU was in 1993. I actually made the trip to Happy Valley for a very happy game! We won 21-13 I believe. We then lost three straight to PSU from 1994-1996. Since 1997, we have won 8 straight vs PSU, many of which were blowouts (34-8, 27-0, 33-11 and 20-0 are final scores than come to mind). So Michigan's alltime record vs PSU is 9-3.</p>
<p>Why is nobody talking about Oregon? With dennis Dixon (I think that's his name, too lazy to check on it) at QB, Brady Leaf (hopefully you all know this last name) backing him up, and Mike Belotti at coach, we really gotta worry about this team. Not sure who the RB is, I think it's Terrence Whitehead or something, but I remember him being pretty good. Granted this isn't the Kellen Clemens era anymore, but I think OU is a team that will compete for 2nd in the Pac 10. Their offense is so wide open and I think it's gonna give Michigan's secondary alot of trouble.</p>
<p>And, OU might pull off the ugliest jersey ever just to intimidate us. Who knows what combo of black, green, and highlighter yellow they pick?</p>
<p>A2Wolves,</p>
<p>What happened last time in Madison? Ah. Right.</p>
<p>But you know, historical records totally evaluate the <em>current</em> strengths and weaknesses of teams. Is that "Indiana logic" to argue that Wisconsins decades of abysmal football (since turned around by Barry Alvarez) will be pivotal in 07? lol.</p>
<p>Love,</p>
<p>Transfer</p>
<p>oh also a2wolves,</p>
<p>your dismissive attitude about the Illini is so out of the mainstream of all major college football mags/writers/talking heads. Pretty much everyone gives them a good shot of going .500, and starting to get back into the bowl picture with Zook.</p>
<p>"Arguing on the internet is like competing in the Special Olympics; even if you win, you're still retarded." -anonymous</p>
<p>Congratu-fricken-lations! Wisconsin actually beat Michigan, on the final drive, winning by 3, in a year which Michigan won a grand total of 7 games and was unranked for the first time in 118 weeks, the longest streak in the nation. Hold your hat on that game, i'm sure it's real indicative of how they will play Michigan last year. Let's ignore the fact that they never win, 6 times out of 7 and look at the 1 time out of 7. By the way, Michigan outgained Wisconsin by 114 yards that game, a significant margain. </p>
<p>That's right, my attitude towards Illinois is different than mainstream writers. Illinois is not a good team. Their history and their record prove that. They have no quarterback, no defense, They have been irrevelant for years. The majority of writers have never played football, and don't realize that you don't get anything out of a talented team without a coach that makes the most of it. Zook loses games for his team. He never won more than 8 games with Florida, a team that we saw last year was the most talented in the nation. Illinois would have won at least 3 more games last year had he not blown so many leads through stupid decisions and poor coaching. The media fails to see this and thinks "They're getting recruits! They're turning it around! JUICEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" failing to even realize they've done nothing, and they will do nothing because of their coach. Illinois does have talent, i'm not going to deny that, but because they don't have a coach, they will remain irrevelant in the Big Ten cellar. Once Zook is fired, then you can get worried, but he's got at least 2 more years at Illinois.</p>
<p>By the way, those PSU stats were wrong, I was looking at the Purdue stats to the right of the screen. Michigan has won 4 straight against PSU in the Big House, and 8 in a row overall.</p>
<p>I don't know A2Wolves, Wisconsin has been problematic over the last few years and they will be good next year. The game will be played at Camp Randall (never easy). I just hope it isn't a night game. I still like our chances mind you, but it is one of the tougher games on our schedule.</p>
<p>I agree about Illinois. Michigan should have no trouble beating them by a significant margin...as long as we do not look past them and remain focused.</p>
<p>From what I've heard, we're going to ranked #2 in the nation at the start of the season.</p>
<p>2? Wow, thats really high.</p>
<p>uh shouldnt osu, florida, and USC all be ranked ahead of us?</p>
<p>Niihla, Michigan lost to a Troy Smith led OSU team by 3 points in Columbus 24 hours after Bo Schembechler died. </p>
<p>This year, OSU will be Smith-less and the game will be played in Ann Arbor. I can see how Michigan is favored in that game.</p>
<p>I agree that Michigan should be ranked behind Florida or USC to start the season.</p>
<p>I think Michigan shold be ranked #3-#7 before the season begins.</p>
<p>As much as I want to belive that UM will beat Ohio State next year and go 11-1 or maybe with some luck 12-0, and they should since they have superior talent compare to the rest of the BIG 10, but that is where Lloyd Carr comes in.
Now I am not completely bashing Carr, I think he has been a great representitive for the university and I think he is a great character and a role model. BUT I think he is a horrriiiiiiiible coach. There is a reason why JT (or Carroll) has owned Carr, Sweater Vest knows how to play to his team' s strength and make critical adjustments during the games. Carr is horrible at both, and I think the USC game, all those loses to inferior teams, (gosh the Oregon game in 2003 was just excruciating) prove my point.
So although I truly wish that UM has an outstanding season, I am always in doubt because of Lloyd Carr's coaching skills. And I wouldn't be surprised if UM drops a game next year on the road to some inferior team like Illinois.</p>
<p>lol sorry about the long rant..I became a UM fan in 2002, 2 years after moving to USA and have yet to witness UM win a major BCS bowl, or in the recent case any kind of bowls so yah for me it has been pretty depressing..</p>