Rites of Autumn

We have much to be thankful for...

Rites of Autumn wishes to extend a Happy Thanksgiving to all.  As a country, we have much to be thankful for.  Thanks to all our men and women stationed all over the planet who fight the fight to keep us safe from all the evil that wishes to harm innocent Americans here at home.  You know, the media doesn't do the job on reporting the many "super heroes" we have in our armed forces.  One thing I do know, we as a country do not do enough for our returning heroes and their families.  They lay it on the line everyday and for that they should be compensated much greater than they currently are.

Big weekend for football.  KU/Mizzou is a big one in the Big 12.  Alabama limps into the Iron Bowl after the defeat by ULM.  USC/Arizona State tonight in Arizona is the one that I am waiting for.  Skippy is too (see previous post "Opie likes the Buckeyes" for an explanation).  Everyone here at Rites of Autumn hope all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

RoA

Lloyd Carr will be missed

I wish I could put into words how I feel today.  Kind of like how I felt about a year ago after Bo's passing.  Empty, knowing an era is over.  Lloyd Carr is a great man and a fine football coach; those of us who respect him and his record will miss him.  I wish my daughter could find a guy with the character and class of Coach Carr.  As a dad I think that says it all.  I just finished reading an article that I wish all the fans who were saying those derogatory comments at the Oregon game would read.  His team didn't quit; reeled off 8 straight with 2 big comebacks on the road.  Maybe if those folks took a look at this article, well it may put into perspective what Coach Carr accomplished in his 28 years at Michigan.  He raised the greatest QB in NFL history when all is said and done with Tom Brady's career.  One of the finest corners and one of the few defensive Heisman trophy winners cut his teeth under Lloyd Carr (Charles Woodson). And his team didn't quit after a disastrous start to the 2007 season.  I was there at the Oregon game and it could have been real easy for Michigan to mail it in.  But they didn't, a testament to great leadership.   Last week all we heard was how Michigan was 1-5 that last 6 games against that team from Columbus.  Rarely did the media point out that he was 5-1 his first 6 tries against the team down south in the same breath.  Take a look at this article.  Give it a good read.  Says it all about what a fine coach but a better man just retired as the head coach of the University of Michigan.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/7466526

You will be missed Coach...

RoA

Loudonville, Ohio

The hire felt different from the moment it was announced.  Ron Guenther, the Illinois AD, knows football.  He played the game and has been around it his entire life.  That's why Coach Zook calls him Coach Guenther.  I have immense respect for Ron Guenther; lobbied several local Illinois board of trustee members to hire him when he was attempting to become the AD.  When Ron Zook was announced as head coach, something felt so right and genuine about it.  I was at his first fall practice and watched his every move.  He interacted with the players but make no mistake about it, you knew who was running the show.  Illinois won the opener against Rutgers but took some poundings that first year.  None so bad as the Penn State thrashing.  I sent Coach Zook an email after that game and told him to forget about it, coach hard and good things were going to happen to his Illini.  He emailed back, he always does.  Said they were going back to work and that things would change.  Is that an understatement or what?

Last fall when I went to pick up Opie (See previous post), I went through Loudonville, Ohio (Population 2,906); hometown of Ron Zook.  They are very proud of him which is so cool to see.  The signs posted on the edge of town are the visible signs, but once you stop and engage someone and ask about him, is when the pride is so evident.  While most of the town was pulling for Ohio State yesterday (that is just the way it is in Ohio) I am sure they are so proud of one of their own as they awake this Sunday morning.

Loudonville is a small, quaint, All American rural town.  They raised a genuine person in favorite son, Ron Zook.  Oh yea, wasn't a bad player in his day and he can coach football too.  Ask anybody in Loudonville...

Coach Ron Zook and his first Illini team, 2005.

RoA

Opie likes the Buckeyes...

Opie was born a Buckeye, will always be a Buckeye according to Mark and Laurie, his previous owners.  They live not far from Youngstown, Ohio and love their Buckeyes.  Opie informed me of his Buckeye passion on the long ride home from Ohio.  We talked about a lot of things.  I told him that his new older sister, Holly (Golden Retriever), well she was an Illinois fan.  We indoctrinated her when she was a puppy in the ways of the Orange and Blue.  Told him his older brother, Skippy (Miniature Eskimo Spitz) was an Arizona State fan.  Opie asked why not Arizona with that deadpan look.  Guess that is part of the Australian Sheperd breed, that Opie is a funny guy sometimes.  The trip home was pretty uneventful but once we got home things "heated up" amongst our partisan dogs.

Skippy ran his mouth a few times about the Buckeyes and Opie had to kick his rear end.  Skippy didn't learn his lesson, a few weeks after the national title game against Florida, he made a wise crack about the Big 10 and wham, another butt kicking from Buckeye boy.  I had a little talk with Skippy and told him to maybe not be so vocal with the new guy, for his health's sake.  Skippy said he had made his point and that he didn't know why Opie had to kick his butt every time.  Since then, Opie and Skippy have not had an altercation but it is not for a lack of smack talking, especially from Skippy.  That is until last week.  He was telling Opie that it was going to be Arizona State and Ohio State for the national title and that the desert rats were going to whoop up on them Buckeyes.  Skippy has been pretty quiet since last weekend, he didn't take the loss to Oregon very well.  Too many sacks and turnovers to win on the road was all he said to me last Sunday.  Holly has been pretty tolerant of Opie's Buckeye pride except for one time.  Opie was on Skippy pretty bad and then he started on Holly about the Illini and what's up with that when, WHAM!  Holly was on top of Opie and told him a few things about how it was going to be, etc.  Once she let Opie up, he was rather melancholy for quite awhile.  They came to an understanding of sorts that day, we suppose.

As I was raking leaves today, Opie was telling me Illinois has no chance tomorrow against the Buckeyes.  He says they haven't played well on the road and Columbus and the Shoe are no picnic.  Opie says the Illini will not be able to run consistently and well, they can't pass against anyone.  He likes the Buckeyes 49-20.  After Opie left, Skippy and Holly came by to talk as I was loading another bag of leaves.  Skippy said he thinks Illinois will be able to run the ball and will keep it close.  I said I wasn't so sure of that.  Then Holly reminded me that Illinois has won 10 of the last 22 with the Buckeyes with several of those wins coming in Buckeyeland.  Holly said she thinks the Illini will give the big effort and keep it close with a shot to win late.  That Holly truly is an Illini dog.

Well, you've heard what the dogs think.  What do you think, can Ohio State run Illinois out of the Shoe or will the Illini keep it close with a shot to win it late?

Oh yea, Opie got his picture in the article since the Buckeyes are the current #1 ranked team.  The other 2 are not happy at all...

RoA

Michigan QB's; The Comeback Kids this Weekend

Wow, the parallels between the Michigan/Michigan State game and Patriots/Colts is crazy.  Both Michigan and New England were down 10 points with approximately half the 4th quarter to go and both ended up winning.  Both teams threw the ball vertically to talented, BIG, wideouts and staged quick comebacks to put themselves in a position to win.  Then both teams defenses stiffened and faster than an undercover Patriot cameraman, they score the go ahead TD to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.   Both were led by big, strong armed QB's who both happen to have Michigan in their pedigree.  Great games.  Great QB play.

You can't say enough about the job Lloyd Carr and his staff has done.  I was at at the Oregon game; it wasn't pretty in the stands or on the sideline which had a direct correlation to what was happening on the field.  Yet, they have persevered.  Coached em up and have won 8 in a row heading to Madison before coming home for the big one.  Some of those folks who were saying some of the stuff where I was sitting during the Oregon game have to admit that Coach Carr has led a great turnaround with a lot of help from some senior leadership.  Another staff in the Big 10 you have to take your hat off to is Iowa.  With all the suspensions and injuries, they still have a chance to go 7-5 with a bowl game.  Amazing.  Been an amazing season so far and the next month will put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

Image courtesy of Michigan Zone blog.  Great graphic, great 2nd half.  Thanks Yost.

RoA 

Hiatus in the Woods...

Sorry to those few but loyal readers.  Haven't posted in awhile; been out doing the woods/deer hunting thing.  Hanging stands and spent a few afternoons perched on a platform in a tree but nothing to show for it other than aching muscles.  Kind a like USC had after last weekend.  Or Florida.  Man, last week threw a wrench in a lot of theories on who might be conference champions.  USC is out, Florida is out in all likelihood; and this weekend will prove to be another dream killer for some.  Alabama can make that ugly Florida State loss go away with a win over LSU at home.  Rocky Top is still relevant in the SEC East.  Arizona State can go up a game on the PAC 10 with a win on the road at Oregon.  Ohio State can continue the plundering of the Big 10 on their march to the November 17 showdown at Ann Arbor.  Michigan has to go on the road to Michigan State and Wisconsin before the Buckeyes come to town;  can they continue to get it done and have a shot at the Rose Bowl and ruining OSU's season?  Glad to see Oregon/Arizona State will be televised on ESPN for the entire country to see.  Of all the teams I've seen in person this year, Oregon has been the most impressive.  Athletic looking (and playing) is the best I can describe them.  Dixon stands out with his loping running style; left Michigan grabbing for ghosts that day in Ann Arbor.

Arizona State at Oregon and LSU/Bama are the 2 games that intrigue me the most.  Will Rudy Carpenter be totally healthy is probably the biggest question going into the game.  California went into Autzen and got it done earlier this year.  In order for the Sun Devils to do it they are going to have to run the ball effectively to setup the deep out's and in's that Carpenter throws so well.   We like Arizona State in a close game.

LSU/Bama for the SEC West lead with 3 games to play.  Big game and big stuff riding on this one.  Just had to overnight an LSU banner flag to a kid in Alexander City for his Tide RIVALSflag; they are pumped up for this one in Tuscaloosa and the entire state of Alabama if you are a Tide fan.  Gave my friend whose daughter is Bo Pelini's secretary, an LSU flag today with a Bama banner for it.  He said it was going to Death Valley for the Arkansas game.  We think the road proves to be too great for LSU in this one, the Tide wake up the spirit of the Bear, 21-17.

Be verwy, verwy, quiet...

RoA