The Victors: Michigan 45-17 Eastern Michigan
3-0, Big Ten 0-0

I awoke Saturday to the news of Tiger's death during the night, and immediately after time ran out on the victory I changed into suitable work clothes and set about my task in the backyard with gloves and a shovel; so, an understandable pall was cast over the game. Nevertheless, 'twas grand to see the valiant Wolverines dispatch their second M.A.C. foe of the year, and in especially fine style with the dominant (21-0) second half. Routine victories over schools named Geographical Michigan, just like old times. Woo and hoo.

I freely admit that I was one of those who greeted news of our entrance into the Top 25 with a groan and a vague feeling of dread. So much was taken from us last year that I've all but forgotten how to receive good news; some deeply scarred, defensive part of my brain nurses the hopelessly paranoid fear that the Maize and Blue's still-blooming return to form in '09 will be revealed as some horrible trick, that Ashton Kutcher will jump out from behind a shrubbery and reveal that Steven Threet is still our starting quarterback. *shudder* It's not that I don't believe in Rich Rod, my faith on that score in unassailable, it's just that whom gods destroy they first make proud, and I'd hate for my fellow Wolverines and I to forget too soon the horror of 2008, of 3-9. We must remember that almost unendurable pain so that we are ever wary of the complacency which might herald its baleful return.

But, those thoughts occupy only a small portion of my brain, not nearly as small as but adjacent to the aforementioned deeply scarred, defensive neighborhood. Most of me is high as a kite, agog at the feats of the valiant Wolverines' Wunderkinder, Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson. (This part of my mind is largely willing to overlook both of Robinson's ghastly interceptions, but, Fielding Yost's ghost, Robinson's passing is a grave threat to our continued success; if anything happens to Forcier—and I held my breath when he got the wind knocked out of him on Saturday—ours will become a completely one-dimensional offense.) Good times are here again! The valiant Wolverines are averaging 38 points a game! We've got a real defense again!

And here I must mention Eastern Michigan head coach, and former Michigan defensive coordinator, Ron English. I love English's attitude and ferocity, I love his fanatical love for Lloyd Carr, but when considering whether or not he should have been promoted to head coach upon Carr's retirement—keeping the Schembechler coaching tree alive instead of looking outside as we eventually did with the Rodriguez hire—I always come back to the '06 game against Ohio State. The valiant Wolverines had a brilliant campaign in '06, boasting an 11-0 record and No. 2 ranking in the polls coming into the game against the hated Buckeyes (11-0, No. 1). We lost that game, 42-39, and though there were many calls for a rematch in the national championship game, it was not to be, and both Michigan and Ohio State were decisively beaten in our bowl games. 42-39, with Ron English as our defensive coordinator. Michigan should never lose a game in which the offense scores 39 points. Never. And that's all that need be said.

But I'm afraid I've strayed too far from what's really important about Saturday's game against Eastern Michigan, blathering on like an old fool. The valiant Wolverines are 3-0 for the first time in three seasons, since 2006. In only three weeks we've equaled the win total for all of last season. Michigan is No. 23 in the A.P. poll. Say the words out loud, and know them to be true:

We're back.

"Hail! to the victors valiant!
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes!
Hail! Hail! to Michigan!
The leaders and best!

Hail! to the victors valiant!
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes!
Hail! Hail! to Michigan!
The champions of the West!"

Go Blue!

Believe: The Faithful Unbeliever
The Detroit Red Wings open their 2009-10 campaign in less than a fortnight, on Friday, 1 October, beginning a "home-and-home" pair of games against the Saint Louis Blues in Stockholm, Sweden. In the months since handing Lord Stanley's Cup to the knavish Pittsburgh Penguins, a gaggle of forwards have left for greener (richer) pastures, but this was expected; the club's response, however, was quite unexpected. Instead of signing a quality player, the Red Wings signed Todd Bertuzzi, the dirtiest thug is all of hockey, who once broke an opposing player's neck during a game. The Detroit Red Wings are my professional hockey club, I will never forsake them, never root for another N.H.L. club, but I cannot in good conscience bring myself to root for the Wings so long as they debase themselves by having the monster Bertuzzi on the roster. So long as he's a Red Wing, I do not want Detroit to reclaim the Stanley Cup. So long as the monster Bertuzzi is a Red Wing, I cannot believe.

Accordingly, the "Believe" title has been placed in reserve and for the duration all posts pertaining to the Detroit Red Wings will instead fall under "The Winged Wheel."

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Day
Sufjan Stevens, "Say Yes! to M!ch!gan!" from Michigan (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: "Still I often think of going back." It's never too late, my expatriate friends. Return to sacred Michigan.

Sonntag, 20 September
Less Than Jake, "The State of Florida" from GNV FLA (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary:

"And the city's skyline hasn't looked the same
Since the boom in south Florida's real estate.
It's turning into more than I can take,
Too much too soon, too little too late."

Samstag, 19 September
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Simmer Down" from Ska-core, the Devil, and More (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: I love "Simmer Down," but the part at the beginning, reprised in the bridge, stands head and shoulders above the rest of the song. I should one day like to have the power to commission a several minutes-long instrumental piece based on the intro/bridge.

Donnerstag, 17 September
KSM, "Read Between the Lines" via iTunes, Free Single of the Week (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: I don't download most Free Singles of the Week because, based on a thirty-second sample, I wouldn't want those songs in my library, even free of charge. But every once in a while, often if I'm in an strange humor when I open up the weekly iTunes email, a regrettable song will slip through that not-so-rigorous screening process. "Read Between the Lines" is such a case. I'm not going to delete, it's good for a laugh, but, for lack of a better word, yikes.

A tip the the young ladies of the band KSM: if in your lyrics you repeatedly say "I'm not stupid," it leads to the impression that you are probably quite stupid. Truly non-stupid people rarely find it necessary to proclaim repeatedly, "I'm not stupid." Just a tip, from a man of admittedly only moderate intelligence.