The Victors
Iowa 24-16 Michigan (№ 13)
7-2, Big Ten 3-2

I ask a philosophical question, What is the purpose of having instant reply when it does not overturn incorrect calls? The player had possession of the ball & his knee came down in bounds, how is that not a touchdown? I can forgive the error on the part of the on-field officials, because it happened swiftly, but the replay official calls into question the entire video review system. I do say with confidence, however, that not a single one of those officials will be deemed sufficient to officiate the inaugural Big Ten Championship game, to be held in a month's time.

Also, drat! The fault for today's loss lies principally with our own anemic offense. What madness would lead anyone, even a boob like the hateful Al Borges, to take the valiant Wolverines' greatest offensive weapon, quarterback Denard "Shoelace" Robinson, off the field? Devin Gardner played one complete series—a three & out—when Shoelace was shaken up. That is the right & appropriate rôle for your Mr. Gardner. Otherwise, inserting Gardner into the line-up at the expense of Shoelace is foolishness, as unwise as the replacement of Tom Brady—who went on to have a mildly successful career in the N.F.L.—with Drew Henson was in '98 & '99 (foolishness that directly cost us at least one loss, & contributed a several more). Why is Al Borges alone unable to see the play-making talent of your Mr. Robinson? It is sad that opposition defensive coordinators more rightly access the valiant Wolverines' quarterback's talents than does the man in charge of the valiant Wolverines' offense. Borges is a bum, & at this juncture might well be doing Michigan far more harm than good. What, if anything, will Coach Hoke do about this very unfortunate circumstance?

All that said, the tenacious Hawkeyes are, & always have been under their coach Kirk Ferentz, a very inconsistent team. The analogy of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde leaps to mind. One week, they are world-beaters, able to take even the best teams in the country down to the wire; the next, they lose to a cream puff like the luckless Golden Gophers of Minnesota. The luckless Golden Gophers prevailed over Mr. Hyde last Saturday; the valiant Wolverines succumbed to Dr. Jekyll this afternoon. Curse the luck, but that's why the play the games.

What now? Under Head Coach Brady Hoke, the valiant Wolverines' defense is much improved, but the offense is at best no better & at worst much less effective. The valiant Wolverines are able to beat up on the lesser teams in the Big Ten, such as the ill-starred Boilermakers & the luckless Golden Gophers, but are vulnerable against the better teams, such as the dastardly Spartans & the Dr. Jekyll tenacious Hawkeyes. What lessons can be draw ahead of the last three games of the year, against the feisty Illini, the unwelcome Cornhuskers, & the hated Buckeyes? I can't even pretend to have objectivity enough to comment? WHY DOES BORGES INSIST ON TAKING SHOELACE OUT OF THE GAME? IS HE INSANE?! *inarticulate grunt of frustration* Yeah, Michigan's 7-2, but of which of those seven victories are you proud? Whom have we defeated who's worth a tinker's damn? I so desperately hope my instincts about Brady Hoke are wrong.

Go Blue!

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
The University of Michigan Marching Band, "Little Brown Jug" from A Saturday Tradition (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: I considered John Linnell's song, "Iowa," which is quite insistent on the point, "Iowa is a witch," but rejected the idea as unsportsmanlike. The tenacious Hawkeyes won fair & square.

All I can say in defense of my indefensible oversight in not selecting "Little Brown Jug" as the R.B.S.D.O.T.D. on the day the valiant Wolverines defeated the luckless Golden Gophers is that I was out of state on the day, I did not see the game, & that day's R.B.D.S.O.T.D., John Linnell's "Michigan," had been specifically & repeated sung by Ska Army & your humble narrator on the day in question. All that said, that can be no defending the indefensible. I was wrong & I am sorry.

Freitag, 4 November
The Aquabats!, "The Legend is True!" from Hi-Five Soup! (Captain Thumbs-up)

Commentary:

"And there across the sky
I can see what makes the legend,
The legend is true!
And it's you, yeah,
You are the legend and the legend is true!"