THE MIGHTY GODRIGUEZ

[Zip Goshboots]

Notre Dame's players spent the whole game taunting our beloved Wolverines, expecially after they scored.

Before the game, the ABC sideline reporter told how a Notre Dame player called Michigan "stupid" for starting a freshman quarterback.

Since Rodriguez was hired, he has been HOUNDED by the media. First, the BS in West Virginia, then the lawsuit (hung out to dry by UM when they told him to challenge the buyout), and the Detroit media, led by Mitch Albom, Mark Snyder and Michael Rosenberg--who questioned the hire, the process of it, and have battered Rodriguez since with opinion and shoddy investigative stories.

Opposing fans hve ridiculed Rodriguez as a hillbilly, they have jumped on a revisionist bandwagon (a new found respect for Lloyd Carr, whom they spent 13 years belittling), and they have prophesied doom for UM under THe Mighty Dick Rod.

And our own fans, including yours truly, have questioned a lot of his moves and wondered ourselves if he was the right hire.

I'm not here to say his legend is cemented an UM will roll with Rodriguez, dominating college football for the next decade, BUT

He handled the Rosenberg Hatchet Job with dignity. He has handled all the shit from the media with a smile and a genuine "Aw shucks" attitude and shrug, shouldering it all and has plowed ahead, undaunted. And over the last couple weeks he has, in the words of Brian Cook (MGoBlog Publisher) gone from being "The coach of Michigan to Michigan's Coach."

And Saturday's win was glorious. Glorious not just because he got his Signature Win; it was glorious for another reason.

All three of Michigan's Big Rivals suffered late-game meltdowns that cost their teams a big win. Michigan State collapsed at the end of a game they should have won handily. Ohio State, after their quarterback uttered some ridiculous statement supporting Michael Vick, again failed to deliver in a potential defining moment. Pryor, once more on the Big Stage and in his second season as a starter, could not lead his team to victory over a USC team led by a--freshman quarterback--and OSU lost in the waning seconds.

And Notre Dame, with a win almost in hand, could not seal the victory, and UM stormed back.

After scoring their go ahead touchdown, Notre Dame got penalized for excessive celebration; after scoring the game-winning TD with 11 seconds to go, Greg Matthews ran to the ref, handed him the ball, and UM players celebrated, then ran off the field. Rich Rodriguez, after Matthews scored, jumped out on the field to make sure his team did not make the same mistake Notre Dame did with a foolish celebration, and Matt Millen, the color commentator for the game, mentioned that "not one" Michigan player not involved in the play stepped onto the field.

This team has taken on the personality of Rodriguez. They are fighters, they play 60 minutes, they take all that is thrown at them and push on.

On a day when our biggest rivals showed a lack of discipline and snatched defeat from the jaws of victory with mental lapses and the inability to stay the course or hold their opponents off, the team that has been portrayed as Hell's Angels in Shoulder Pads calmly went about its business and stole the moment from them all.

No one deserves to bask in the glory of Saturday's triumph more than Rich Rodriguez--The Mighty Godriguez!

[Fool]

Godriguez is good.

[Glenn]

Hell of a post, Zip.

[CindyKate]

godriguezilla!

[El CHUPACABRA]

I wonder if Jesus is proud of his Irish for calling the other team stupid.

[Glenn]

^This guy is too good/funny to be B.

[Fool]

Not too funny to be Knockout though.

[Timone]

Fucking circle jerk.

[Moodini31]

Good work Zippy. "And totally redeemed yourself!"

In Rod we trust.

[Glenn]

“Stepping to the podium after his latest win, Rodriguez smiled and said, ‘Well, that was fun.’ He was right. The game featured 920 yards of offense, four lead changes, a 96-yard kickoff return, three fourth-down conversions and a 50-yard quick kick by Forcier that was downed on the Irish four-yard line. That’s not how (former Michigan coaches) Bo (Schembechler) and Lloyd (Carr) rolled. They wore foes down with the power running game. If a ground-based ethos is a prerequisite for being a Michigan Man, Rodriguez will never pass muster. His no-huddle, hurry-up offense is simply too entertaining…. The din in the old bowl served as a signal to the college football cosmos that after their season in purgatory, the Wolverines are back.”