Macabre Sunset

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 2:45 p.m.

Let's say Michigan and Ohio State do meet in the championship game (anything's possible, once he-who-cannot-be-named is fired). What's wrong with a rematch two weeks after The Game? That sort of thing doesn't happen in college football, so it would be novel and it would attract a lot of attention.

jameslucas

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 11:57 a.m.

If you want The Game to stay the same then contact Mr. Delany. Save this board for Michigan Haters.

Blue Marker

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 11:55 a.m.

Lorain Steelmen thinks it's time to "move on" when it hasn't even been announced yet. You must be fun at a funeral! Some of us value tradition more than others.

rongalap

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 10:57 a.m.

If it ain't broke,don't fix it!

StarZone

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 10:30 a.m.

Bottom line is the Big 10 is getting a championship game. That's a bigger cash cow than the UM-OSU rivalry. This would be played after the UM-OSU. So, two things aren't happening. (1) If the two teams are in separate divisions, the officials don't want an UM-OSU game, followed by another UM-OSU game. (2) If they're in the same division, neither team wants to play a top rival, then the next week go after PSU and Nebraska. Neither option is desirable. You can delay the championship game an extra week to satisfy the second concern, but then you lose momentum.

Lorain Steelmen

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 10:11 a.m.

OK folks, it's time to move on....trust me, you can do this. Moving the OSU-UM game to a separate week, to accomodate different divsions, and therefore the possiblility of two games each year is...well, fine! And, by the way, it has nothing to do with RR, or the fact, that Lloyd let the program go in the tank...it is nothing more than adding another championship game, and increasing TV revenue. It's OK, really. So get a grip!

saginaw

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 9:33 a.m.

We are destroying the great traditions for greed and $$$: Rose Bowl; PAC 8 vs Big Ten GONE Real Grass mostly gone PAC 8 GONE, as we once knew it Big Ten GONE, now we have PSU and Nebraska 1:30 Kick-off time GONE Michigan vs Ohio State on the last game GONE Go back to the 70's & 80's when we had real traditions and fun times. Bring back the positive emotion.

NoBowl4Blue

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 6:48 a.m.

World hunger is Bush's fault as RR & "O" are kings

Blue Marker

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 6:37 a.m.

NoBowl....don't forget world hunger....that's Michigan's fault too. To Delany...thanks for making the greatest rivalry in college football just another game.

NoBowl4Blue

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 10:01 p.m.

Michigans lack of success against the Buckeyes these last nine years just makes this another game, so if moved the blame falls on Michigan.

dae

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 10 p.m.

Big Ten/12 should stack up like this: EAST: PSU, OSU, UM, MSU, Indiana, and Purdue WEST: Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, & Nebraska 5 divisional games, 4 conference (rotated through the years), 3 non-conference games As for UM-OSU: final week of the regular season should be a "rivalry week" - Michigan-Ohio State, Minnesota-Wisconsin, Illinois-Northwestern, Indiana-Purdue, Iowa-Nebraska, & Michigan State-Penn State (note: if Michigan can't get its stuff straight, then UM-MSU and OSU-PSU can play rivalry week, but when UM/OSU are both top contenders again, then move it back)

bighouse013

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 9:49 p.m.

It's not going to sit well when the last game of the year ends up being played against the likes of Indiana or Northwestern in the rain. The attendance will be reported at 100-Thousand plus, but those in attendance will see the 70k in the stands.

A2D2

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 9:45 p.m.

Take it to the bank - here's how it will stack up. Note that each team has a rival in the opposite division:. Division A Division B Nebraska Iowa Wisconsin Minnesota Michigan Ohio State Michigan StatePenn State Illinois Northwestern Indiana Purdue

Jaxon5

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 9:35 p.m.

David - so right. Check out Whatifsports.com for a simulation of every team's games in the BCS for the entire season. They have Mich going 1-7 in the Big Ten. 3-9 overall. They threw Mich a bone because in the head to head matchups, they actually have Mich losing every Big Ten game.

Engineer

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 9:34 p.m.

Michigan will NOT be playing for any championship for any time soon. The tradition died several years ago. Last year Tressel just toyed with Michigan taking his foot off the gas. When we do play OSU it will simply be painful to watch. The big 2 little 9 may be gone forever. Heck we lost twice to a MSU team that had a losing record last year and OSU rolled like a little puppy. Mr Brandon has a lot of work to do. BB and FB is in the dumpster. BB looks worse now but after watch a last place Toledo team rough us up I knew we were in for a long and painful journey. The 5 star recruits just are not coming to big blue for BB or FB. sad so sad. Play OSU whenever they want. We have no room to talk till we field a real team.

David Briegel

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 9:21 p.m.

tater, I told you so! This is pathetic! Mich no longer has any clout. 1-7, that's us! Thanks David! Enjoy the empty seats!!! 4 non conference patsies for premium prices. Yeah!! Heck, just join the MAC! Championship in Indy, 5 hrs South! Have a nice drive! To see OSU and NEB, PSU or WIS or Iowa! Yeah!

jameslucas

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 9:05 p.m.

What would you have Mr. Brandon and Mr. Smith do about The Game? they only have 2 of 12 votes in the Big Ten.

OSUbeBetter

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 8:13 p.m.

We can all blame Rodriguez for this as well! AT lest Lloyd had a chance every year, and that kept the rivalry relevant. Remember that time when Michigan and Ohio could have played twice in a season, and then Coach Tressel "No Voted" michigan out of the national title game? That was awesome!

Valtski

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 8:11 p.m.

Can we really take a Yahoo sports columnist seriously. We must be a bunch of Yahoos.

Lorain Steelmen

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 7:55 p.m.

This all goes back to MONEY, and the never-ending quest for 'national significance'. The Big Ten wanted a championship game so that they could stay in the 'public eye' another week or so, and could collect increased TV revenues. So they opted for the 'Nebraska addition', the two division scenario, and the Championship format. Money trumps tradition, when tradition no longer pays the freight. So 'UM-OSU' now will find it's way to another week, each year, with the POTENTIAL, of 'two games a year' in SOME years. The same holds for the other traditional 'season enders'. The Old Oaken Bucket game comes to mind, which is every bit as big a part of IU-PU tradition, as is our own 'season ender'! If you think I'm nuts, look over at the new LUX boxes, next week, which have totally 'changed the face' of the big house, all in the name of increased revenues..MONEY! Brandon can't even rent all these this year, and may not pull that off in the next several years. But we are now in an 'arms race' with PSU, and OSU, so the boxes were inevitable! But the tradition of the 'old big house' is GONE, my friends! Those of us who remember those 10-7, and 14-10 defensive struggles of the 60's and 70's are mocked and laughed at, by fans who were not even born then, and could care less about 'tradition'. I'm at peace with it all. I say bring on the NEW ERA. Bring on the championship game, and the diminished rivalries. Heck we don't even consider a league 'round robin' any more when we schedule our seasons,...'too many 'home and home' requirements which reduce the annual gate. Instead, we are now a 'national program', oriented to the national championship chase. Sorry BO....sorry Woody, it breaks my heart, but money trumps tradition, yet again. Maybe this is the 'change we all can believe in'. To those of you who still consider themselves Wolverine fans, I'd suggest, that UM must now excell in this NEW format, winning the division, and the championship game, and then playing regularly for the NC. The OSU game now only counts the same as any other game....frankly, it is, what it is! Go Blue!

3 And Out

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 7:45 p.m.

Keep it the last weekend, even if they play in seperate divisions. Can you imagine if one team goes in a contender for the championship game and the other has the opportunity to play spoiler? that would add another dimension to an already hot rivalry... if they move it they are dumb

A2D2

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 7:40 p.m.

I think anyone who envisions a stream of Michigan vs. Ohio State championship games isn't thinking clearly. Looking at the past 17 seasons, and drawing up the various scenarios, OSU and UM would have met in a hypothetical championship game about 4 times. Gentlemen, that is the exception, not the rule.. It is my opinion (humble it may be) that Delaney is looking at the season in three components: 1. four con-conference games, followed by 2. three in-conference, out-of-division games (including the top rivalry game for as many schools as possible), followed by 3. five in-division games.. This scheduling would ensure that rivalry games could possibly be repeated in the championship game.. Hey, you heard it here first...........

Jaxon5

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 7:16 p.m.

This whole mess could not come at a worse time for UM. It would be tolerable if the team were a national power, but being a Big 10 doormat makes it difficult to weather this storm. OSU will be just fine. OSU does not need the UM game because OSU is already a national power, already wins the Big 10 every year, and plays in a BCS bowl every year. UM needs the game because it has nothing else at this point. Maybe UM can start up a rivalry with Nebraska... not. It looks like MSU will be the marquee game from now on. Or better yet, UM should focus on avenging its losses to Purdue, NW and Illinois.

michboy40

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 6:43 p.m.

I have no problem with this game moving. It's all in the name of progre$$.

Dennis

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 6:29 p.m.

It seems no one has the guts to stand up for the traditions of the Big Ten. Change doesn't mean dismanteling the entire history of the conference. Can every athletic director be that self-centered and spineless to let the very foundational elements of the Big Ten to be so easily dismissed. Each AD must have at least one absolute that cannot be bargained away. Step up and lead.

aarox

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 6:13 p.m.

Real sad, not unexpected. My AA-centric view is that the UM-OSU tradition is immensely valuable though I understand I'm riding on Tressler's coattails at this point. I'm not so sure that the ROW sees it that way. How do you sell this matchup between a top 5 team and a team that went 1-7 in league last year? We need to get back to the Big 2 Little 8 (10?) but I have no clue how to get there. We are not on a track to get even close to where we used to be. Unless thumping our chests counts.

GettingBluer

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 5:49 p.m.

That sounds like brilliant reporting. OSU and UofM killing the cash cow? Not too likely.

ferdcom

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 5:35 p.m.

Has anyone been able to access the football dinner gun video? Has UM finally blocked it?

Sean T.

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 5:24 p.m.

MC5A2, I hope you're wrong about the 5 years but I know you haven't seen anything that would convince you otherwise. The game is changing folks and we must understand that, I guess. This is what we get when we hire a man to do business and his focus is only on the money. As fans we are nothing but mere cash-pots ready to shell out more dollars, funny thing is we may not like it but we'll do it anyway!

Lokalisierung

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 5:17 p.m.

Not buying this one bit. I also took a quick look at the archieve of Wietzel's stories and it seems he usually writes about things after they happen, not before. So I'm chaulking this one up to something new he is going to fail at.

HailToASquared

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 4:57 p.m.

Why do people claim things they have no idea about? you say it with such conviction "I got news for my alma mater: Have you seen us play lately? That ain't happening for at least 5 more years. ". You have no idea what is going to happen.. especially two years, three years, four years, five years from now. I can see why you might lean that way but lets not just throw uneducated things like that around. So many different scenarios can happen just by the end of this season and the start of next season.

MC5A2

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 4:27 p.m.

If this is true, it's so stupid. If UM feels it is OK to go along with this because they envision a dream scenario of UM-OSU conference championship game in December, I got news for my alma mater: Have you seen us play lately? That ain't happening for at least 5 more years. If we're in the same conference, at least we get the chance to play spoiler to OSU in the next few years. Don't destroy over 100 years of history for a short-term gain that is unlikely to happen!

Dave Biggers

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 4:15 p.m.

Brandon, you have to be kidding. Moving this game is the dumbest thing to come out of A2 since the Halo, but with the halo, it could be (and was) corrected after a couple of years with out much lasting damage. With this, on the other hand, once implemented, it will be permanent and the damage to the tradition of that game and to the traditions of whole program will be irreversible. Please! Tell me you're kidding...

Macabre Sunset

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 4:12 p.m.

If this is true, it's quite disappointing. I don't see why The Game has to move.

HailToASquared

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 4:03 p.m.

I'm not saying it is for certain.. but college football might be changing as we know it.. things will be very different in the near future.. and it would suck so bad if Michigan isn't a big part of the new direction of college football.. they gotta get back into things QUICK!