Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham caused a bit of a stir Monday when he showed up at a press conference Monday and didn't pull any punches. Among the choicer quotes was this take on Justin Boren:
“It’s just somebody who shouldn’t have been here in the first place. That’s over and done with. Justin we will see on Saturday, and I hope he can contain our D-line.”
Buckeye fans responded the way any good fan would when a Wolverine assails the program: by highlighting Graham's record in the series and spending a few minutes laughing at his coach. But deep down, I think they liked the talk. What he said represents the kind of hate that makes this rivalry so special.
It's the kind of hate that has fueled pre-game skirmishes each of the past two years (which, for the record, should be allowed in just this game -- we should borrow a hockey rule and give the starters minors for fighting and make the backups execute the opening kickoff). It's the kind of hate that caused Woody Hayes to coast over the state line on fumes. It's the best kind of hate.
And who better to step up and do the talking than Graham, by far the Wolverine's best player? He may just be the best player in the Big Ten this season.
A hard-nosed player out of Detroit, Graham attended a high school, Crockett Vocation Tech, that didn't start playing football until 1996. His team didn't have a proper locker room until his senior season and parents of the players were forced to use their car lights to enable practice after daylight savings set in. Still, his team didn't lose a regular season game his final two seasons and he parlayed five star rankings out of both major services into becoming a captain for the East squad in the '06 Army All-American game. With Boren as a teammate, Graham recorded four tackles and a blocked field goal as a starting linebacker in the event.
Studying behind LaMarr Woodley and taking cues from Shawn Crable, Graham earned his first letter as a freshman, appearing in all 11 games. As a sophomore, he elevated his play, finishing first on his team and seventh in the Big Ten with 8.5 sacks. In his junior season of 2008, he took things up another notch, earning all-Big Ten and the Bo Schembechler Team MVP award.
This season, more of the same. Graham leads the nation with 21 TFLs (becoming only the second Wolverine in school history to post back-to-back seasons of 20 or more) and has already put up 8.5 sacks on the year. Further, he has recorded two blocked punts -- one of which he returned for a touchdown. Yes, big #55 can motor a little.
Michigan has been playing football since the Hayes (as in Rutherford B.) administration and Graham has moved into 2nd and 3rd on the program's all-time sacks and TFL lists, respectively. His motor never stops and throughout the darkness of the past two Wolverine seasons, he's been the consistent bright spot. But what's most impressive about him is the fact that he saves his best performances for the big conference games. Against the Buckeyes last season in Columbus, he recorded 2 TFLs and a sack on Pryor. Take a look at what he's done in his three biggest league games to date this year:
- Penn State: 3.5 TFLs and a half sack
- Iowa: 3.5 TFLs and two sacks
- Wisconsin: 4 TFLs, two more sacks and a forced fumble that was scooped up by teammate Ryan Van Bergen and returned for six
Sure, those were also three losses, but not because Brandon Graham failed to show up. His play has been so exceptional this year, that ESPN's Adam Rittenberg believes he should get some consideration for not just the conference's defensive player of the year, but for the Silver Football as league MVP.
Based on his numbers and the highlights I've seen, I'm finding it hard to disagree.
Comments
I agree that the trash talking just adds much needed fuel to the fire. But does he want to awaken the sleeping giant?
Why all Graham love? Where is the hate? This m*ch*gan week!!!!
O-H
Brandon Graham, I'm coming for you man. My style is impetuous. My defense is impregnable, and I'm just ferocious. I want your heart. I want to eat his children. Praise be to Allah
I don't like the pre-game skirmishes. I think for most involved, it's false bravado. For those who are more serious about it, they are playing with fire. If it turns into an actual fight, the game goes from the best rivalry in sports to nothing more than a spectacle, the kind of thing people watch Springer for. It also would result in players for both sides getting the boot before the game even starts. I want both teams to play all of their best players and let the better team win.
The hippie at his propaganda minister-ish best today.
http://mgoblog.com/content/200...
this little nugget tickled my heart:
"And then there's this: a contact close to the team has told me that the 2008 forms do exist, were found shortly after the audit, and have been turned in to the university and NCAA. I'm trying to confirm that with the AD itself, but I'm betting they won't say anything official about it. If that's the case, this is a minor administrative goof and not a potentially damaging development worthy of Free Press quotes like…"
so, they exist. but they have not been confirmed to exist. but that is enough to confirm that the whole thing was blown out of proportion and YOU STOP BEING MEAN TO MY DAD! oh and by the way, pay no attention to the fact that the documents magically appear to exist now that the story is public knowledge.
Thanks for the great article, to bad he is only one man on a defense of 3 stars and walkons!
The forms are not required by the NCAA, but used by Michigan's compliance department.
So kept or not, it doesn't matter, get over it.
Notice how he always has a contact close to the team, or he has it on good authority, but when someone like Mike Wilbon says that, he attacks the guy.
i am not concerned with the violations. i am just making fun of Brian and his ridiculous logic. he gets his panties in a bunch and starts calling people names, but never turns his angry glare at his own writing and assertions. he is that which he hates, but does not realize it. he is in other words, the perfect michigan man.
Hate and respect are not mutually exclusive. Hate him as much as any of you, but dude can play football.
haha, i missed that connection. if it was a snake, it would have bit me. bad doritos!
respect and michigan are mutually exclusive though!
i kid i kid.
however, lack of arrogance and michigan are the most mutually exclusive thing in the world
you know, i wanted to say something about him being one guy on defense and not really in a position to be a game breaker like a QB or RB is, but I held my tongue.
I think if you're best player is a defender and he is surrounded by inferior players his impact will be minimized.
The Mike Wilborn who felt necessary to mention that online but not on PTI
online or not, it doesn't matter, get over it.
Who cares about him.... it's MIIIICHIGAN week....... MUCK FISHIGAN!
And since he wears that stupid M, he still sucks. Fact.
Pryor wipes his ass with wolverine fur.
Then the guy bashes people for saying DickRod may be gone after next year and starts talking about how Jim Harbaugh is candidate number 1, but if anyone on his blog says DickRod may be gone and so and so should replace them, he rips the person a new one.
We know he's good......If he were smart....he'd have transferred with Boren !!!!
Also, just because he didn't mention in on PTI doesn't mean shit. Maybe the producers of PTI had something more important to talk about! Just because he mentioned it online doesn't take away from it's validity.
good post. as for all the "why the love" etc nonsense - hey, we need to know our enemy. and best of all, that means we will know how much they hurt when they are vanquished again Saturday!
what is best in life? To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.
I could give a flying eff about grahamcrackers or any other meatchicken player.
J Boren probably won't get a shot of him But believe it that Zach is thinking " no one talks shit about my brother"
Zach Boren is probably thinking "no one talks shit about my daddy's snowplow." Somewhere else, Terelle Pryor is thinking "no one talks shit about white tuxedos." Still somewhere else, Jim Tressel is probably thinking "nobody talks shit about transitions lenses."
We've all got lines and boundaries, including most of you $uckeyes. That's why only 20% of OSU fans with sisters actually date those sisters. Well done, homies.
still looking for a basketball writer for our blog, anyone intrested comment back.
still looking for a basketball writer for our blog, anyone intrested comment back or email me.
oops.
well have thought much about key to victory this saturday and have much fathe in jim tresel good coach good man love his family and jesus and all unborned babbys in the entire world including those babbys who have birth defect and othe rproblem such as vary soft head and addicton to crack given to them buy irresponsible pre natalling mom who have lifestyle that involve many thing such not following dreem not having passion living on street having many babby daddy and also whore problem. but that is not what this post is about this post is about time with varabel that i pent leerning about football and also lives have U ever read book called thursday with morrie? well i have not read book but i did watch abc made for tv special of movie on sunday night with my mom when i was younger kid anyway greet story in it morrie is old man with swine flu virus about to die but he tak young man under his wing and show him many thing about life including how to eat cow tougue. well mike varabel is not dead but he show me many thing about live including hate from wolfverine. now many problem with wolverine including arrogance no passion dont eat enuogh protetin to keep mussel strong dont have any desire. michigan wolfverin set teible role model for young kid. so thank you mike varabel u have taught me much about what it mean to be man you are srtong man and one day i hope that my babby grow up to be just like you excaept tht time u went to bowling alley and drank two many washington apples and had puke all over shirt and got mad at stanly jackson and pushed him down stairs and called him womyn.
you are doing god's work, don't let anyone tell you different.
I don't have a problem admitting a rival player is good. Makes it all the better when we whip their tails.
You know who else is good? Alot of players on Iowa's team. Their future scares me. I bet my brother in law they would finish at least second in the b10 for the next 4 years.
Stanley Jackson had it comin.
...and apparently those same sisters play the other 10 positions on your "defense"
We could win this game with our 3 deep out there after the first score
*YAWN*
Do us a favor and field a respectable team before the decade ends, please?!
Does anyone know where I can get copy of the 2006 against scUM? I am throwing a party Hate Michigan Party friday night in Charlotte and would like to have that game playing on the tv's.
Any help would be much appreciated!
Justin,
Go to the Big Ten Network's Web site (www.bigtennetwork.com) and look through their "Greatest Games" section. The 2006 game is on Hulu. Perhaps you can hook your computer up to a television?
Jhstin, don't know how you can burn ut, but ESPN classic is playing games all week.
great! thanks for the help!
The game plan for this week needs to be like last week's, with more diversity, more motion, and better execution. Offensively and Defensively, there are times when scUM plays like eleven individuals, the goal for the offense and defense is to get them playing like individuals as soon as possible. A diverse offensive attack, with some motion, and a few surprises will get them pointing fingers at each other half way through the first quarter.
Defensively, two improvements need to occur from last week's play. D-Line Pressure - we need a dirty Taint and that is running as soon as possible. Also, we need better play from the corners and safeties. Last week the corners were guessing at times, there was a breakdown in coverage, and safeties were jumping a couple underneath routes. They cannot let this happen and allow scUM to think they have a chance.
BuckeyeChief,
Thanks, unfortunately they are showing the 2006 game at 7pm and when the party is going they are showing the 1999 which everyone there will not want to see!
thanks for the hot tip, gueer.
I remember I guess the year before or after Beanie's class Iowa was one of the choices for almost every big recruit. They had a huge class that year, and have had some success since. No doubt why 3 or 4 years later they are so good. They have a good bunch of fans, and I enjoyed my trip out there. Tailgated with some this weekend too. Good bunch of people out there.
WLA, your jokes are awesome. Keep them coming!
i would suggest another comment to go for the trifecta of slang homosexual references. that gets into offensive territory though. the move is yours, comedian.
"Oops" is a trademark that requires the expressed written consent of Black Heart Gold Pants, LLC. That will be $5000, sir.
Hahahaha that's good stuff. and here you go *hands money*
Hey skunk bear, don't let the door hit you in the vagina on your way out.
WTF was that stream-of-consciousmess rambling all about?
what's a gueer? a gay deer?
It's times like this that I wish I was between 18-22 and back at Pa Pa Joe's drinking beer out of a bucket.
Check Tenyardtorrents
even if they have it it usually takes several days to dl a torrent from there cuz there's usually only like 1 seeder, haha.
Worth a try though
You can buy it on itunes store. It's like $2-3.
CHECK OUT OHIO STATES NEW ANTHEM!!
THE BUCKEYE BRUTUS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Wasn't Donovan Warren a highly-regarded recruit once upon a time? A 5-star player?
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/f...
Michael Williams and Ryan Van Bergen were 4-star recruits in the class of 2007. Jonas Mouton, Stevie Brown, and Adam Patterson were all 4-stars in the class of 2006. And Graham was a 5-star. So that's 2 5-star guys and 5 4-star guys who are either juniors or seniors on your current defense. So tell me again why they are so bad?
That's two attempts at the word "interested". 0-2. Oops indeed.
If only Campus Partners hadn't burnt it down.
///Theory please don't track me down and sue me all powerful Campus Partners.
Dear 11 headline writers; it is "I-n-c-E-n-d-i-a-r-y." See also, "flammable," capable of being ignited. Lit up. Like, uh, Justin Boren after a few Halloween beverages.
Thanks for the heads-up. That was my bad, Michigan Man.
There. You got it; good job. I wasn't sure if there was some special hidden meaning by spelling it "incindiary." Particularly with 55 posts in the thread, with no one having mentioned a headline misspelling.
Nice blog you've got here. Some clever writing. And, some good t-shirts. The maple-leaf "Michigan" is funny.