The Victors
(№ 22) Michigan 28-7 San Diego State
4-0, Big Ten 0-0

The following claim is a despicable exaggeration, one that trivializes a serious medical condition, & I apologize in advance: the three-year nightmare of Michigan football from '08-'10 has left me with a mild form of P.T.S.D., a conclusion I've reached after examining the sense of panic & despair by which I am nearly overwhelmed every time the valiant Wolverines turn the ball over to the opponent of the moment. I am doing better at hewing to Kipling's warning about seeing "Triumph and Disaster" as impostors, better than ever before, but I flinch in the face of turnovers; my resolve is undermined for a brief but terrifying moment. As you can well imagine now that you are armed with this knowledge, the third quarter of the valiant Wolverines' victory over the epithetless Aztecs was quite upsetting. I suppose all's well that ends well, though; so, woot!

If San Diego State's offense really is something to write home about then today's effort by the Michigan defense suggests massive improvement over the porous, embarrassing sieve that Coach Rodriguez & his staff thought was sufficient for their needs. Notre Dame's offense, too, looked much better, much more competent against the dastardly Spartans than it did against the Maize & Blue. Do the defensive valiant Wolverines make opposing offenses look inept or have they been beneficiaries of uncharacteristically miscue-prone opponent performances? Have we been lucky or is there something in the ways our boys play that sows miscue, mishap, & mistake into an opposing offense's collective psyche?

My congratulations to the valiant Wolverines for not letting their № 22 ranking prove their undoing. My congratulations also to Coach Hoke, who now has a winning career head coaching record of 51-50. Here's hoping the next ninety-nine games resemble the last four (4-0) more than the previous ninety-seven (47-50).

Next week: Big Ten play begins! The valiant Wolverines of Michigan will square off against "Legends" Divisional foe the luckless Golden Gophers of Minnesota for the Little Brown Jug, the oldest rivalry trophy in football.

Go Blue!

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
The University of Michigan Marching Band, "El Toro Caliente" from Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: In tribute to both the valiant Wolverines & F1 drivers Sebastian Vettel & Mark Webber of Red Bull (Renault), on the occasion of Vettel's eleventh pole position qualifying performance of 2011, Red Bull's fourteenth pole out of fourteen grands prix, & yet another Red Bull front row "lockout." Those are some toros calientes indeed!