<p>Well, this year certainly had its ups and downs! </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Football: Naturally, this will always be Michigan's #1 sport. Our team is back to its usual winning ways, and it took Hoke no time at all to effect this transformation. Michigan ended the season 11-2 with a BCS Bowl win and a top 10 ranking. Hoke followed that with an incredible recruiting effort. Next year's recruiting class seems poised be among the top 5, perhaps #1 in the land.</p></li>
<li><p>Hockey: After a slow start to the season, Michigan returned to its usual winning ways. The team finished #2 in the CCHA and made it to the finals of the CCHA tournament. Unfortunately, Michigan's NCAA tournament run ended very abruptly with a loss against my other alma matter! Oh well, I suppose I am going to have to root for Cornell now. Still, this was a perfectly acceptable season for the Wolverines.</p></li>
<li><p>Basketball: What a season! Michigan won a share of the conference title for the first time in 25 years. The team more than lived up to expectations. Unfortunately, just like Hockey, we lost way too early in the NCAA tournament, but to a clearly underrated Ohio team. Ohio is the real deal and in retrospect, clearly the better team in that day. The Bobcats made it to the Sweet 16 and gave #1 seed UNC more than they bargained for. I was actually rooting for the Bobcats!</p></li>
</ol>
<p>All in all, great regular seasons for all three programs, but only football followed a solid regular season with a strong post-season.</p>
<p>The hockey game last night was a big bummer. There was a problem with the ESPNU feed on comcast and I had to watch the first period on a small screen on a computer. After they took our second goal away from us, we lost all of our momentum, we gave up a shortie and we could not capitalize on power play opportunities. I think Cornell did a terrific job of taking us out of our game and give credit to them. It also appears that CCHA competition may have been overrated. I’m looking forward to next years swan song for CCHA, a possible rematch with Cornell at MSG and a NCAA regional in Grand Rapids (which makes a lot more sense than an empty arena in Green Bay). NCAA hockey playoffs are always unpredictible.</p>
<p>I cannot be more pleased with Brady Hoke. He has restored tradition and pride in Michigan football, emphasizes defense and is proving to be a solid recruiter - I like his focus on recruiting Michigan out of high schools in Michigan and Ohio. Ohio can have Urban; I am happy with the direction Michigan is going with Hoke.</p>
<p>Basketball is improving but I still have concerns. The share of the B1G championship was great and a long time in coming. I am concerned about the recent departures. I still have concerns about our recruiting. We are definitely getting better players but few come from the State of Michigan. All of the top in-state recruits are going to State. Unless we can lure recruits away from MSU I think the basketball team will continue to suffer from the damage caused by Chris Webber and the Ed Martin era.</p>