The Explorers' Club
№ CCCVI - The Milan Cathedral.







The Victors
Michigan 44-13 Purdue
3-2, Big Ten 1-0

Watching a game against the ill-starred Boilermakers alongside my father, a Purdue alumnus, is a trial in & of itself, above & beyond the on-field vagaries of that game. Before the season, based on he-alone-knows-what, my father was convinced that the ill-starred Boilermakers were destined to be champions of the "Leaders" division, & more than likely of champions of the entire Big Ten Conference. I have looked ever askance at "teams of destiny;" there is no such thing as destiny, especially not in sport. Victory, in an individual contest or a season-long championship, is the result of arduous labor & the endurance of a thousand ordeals, the surmounting of a thousand thousand obstacles, both physical & mental. A team can be adjudged a "team of destiny" only after the fact, & only then by those who wish to mystify, & thus belittle, the fruits of the teams labors.

We of the Maize & Blue are yet still close enough to the great disasters of recent years that I remain glad for any & every victory. I was especially glad to see the valiant Wolverines' offense get back to its great strength, Denard "Shoelace" Robinson's improvisational genius & fleet feet. The valiant Wolverines' defense turned in another stellar effort, not only containing Purdue's platoon of quarterbacks but also scoring points by returning an interception for a touchdown. The defensive squad has held each of Michigan's last three opponents (2-1 in that stretch) to thirteen points & has now lowered this season's points-allowed-per-game average to twenty-one. The 13-6 debacle against the vile Fighting Irish notwithstanding, we should never lose a game in which the defense holds the foe to thirteen points.

I remain concerned about the acumen of offensive coordinator Al Borgas—my specific question being where the valiant Wolverines would find offensive production minus Shoelace's gaudy numbers (hard to believe, but Shoelace is a senior & won't be eligible to play next season)—but those are concerns for down the road. For the nonce, we focus on what matters: the valiant Wolverines won their Big Ten season-opener & once again possess a winning record. The next contest is Homecoming against the feisty Fighting Illini of Illinois. We have savored Saturday's victory, & now we prepare for the next test.

Go Blue!

The Rebel Black Dot 007 Song of the Day
John Barry & Monty Norman, "The James Bond Theme" (from Dr. No) via iTunes (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: Welcome to the R.B.D.S.O.T.D.'s James Bond Week, a musical celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Dr. No, the first 007 feature film. Here's hoping the new motion picture, Skyfall, is more akin to Casino Royale than to Quantum of Solace.