The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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FROM OUR READERS From Our Web Site our mailbag, we also get daily input on our Web site, TheWol- verine.com. These comments can come from average fans, former players and even parents of present players. From time to time, we'll include a sampling from the Web site to supple- ment the letters section. Editor's Note: We not only have interesting submissions in his status as the toughest player in the team? As with Mar- tavious Odoms, Smith's career has flown by. I will always cherish what he and Odoms contributed to Michigan. Newbomb Turk1 • Why am I not surprised to read about Vincent Smith and year. He's someone that's tougher than a two-dollar steak. He's accountable. I'm shocked he's not more effective out of the I-formation. I think part of it is that our offensive line isn't as big or as dominant as other years at U-M. I think he'd have been a stud in the early 2000s here. Anyone could have run behind those monsters. I do think he goes out with a bang this year. kretcd Ten Network. It got me to thinking about that team and some similarities with this year's squad. I don't think we had the most talented team in the nation, or even in the Big Ten, in 1997. What we DID have was: (1) a team with amazing chemistry; (2) superb coaching; and (3) the best player on the field on any given Saturday. I see a lot of similarities between that team and this one: (1) Team Chemistry — I believe that this is the X-factor, in • I am enjoying the 1997 Ohio-Michigan game on the Big • Smith is the type of player you want on your team every agree with: the 1997 team was perhaps the most talented team in the country, starter No. 1 to starter No. 22. There were no holes, no positions they had to scheme around or do without. And we had top-notch players sprinkled all throughout the lineup. mrv drafted. The number was through the roof. We may have not known it when the season started, but that team had so much NFL talent it wasn't funny. I just don't think that level of talent is here right now. And for the most part, those who do have NFL potential are young. There are only a handful of kids who are juniors or se- • Check the number of guys on that [1997] team who got niors who will be going on to the NFL. Denard Robinson — He'll be in the NFL but very unlikely as a QB. Taylor Lewan — Most certainly will get drafted. Michael Schofield — Likely will get drafted (but late) after his senior year. William Campbell — Not likely at this point, but a pos- sibility. There are a few guys who might make a team as an undrafted free agent — Roy Roundtree, J.T. Floyd, Jordan Kovacs, Kenny Demens, Craig Roh, Fitzgerald Toussaint (could be drafted depending on this year and next), Ji- breel Black (could be drafted depending on how he does after switching positions), Will Hagerup, Devin Gardner (would need to perform unbelievably well as a QB in his senior season to even think about getting drafted as a QB). jimromestinks that you never know what a team's chemistry will be until they strap on the pads and face adversity together. Last year's team had great chemistry, but that team's outstand- ing class of senior leaders are now gone. My hope is that the leadership example set by Mike Martin, Kevin Koger and Ryan Van Bergen will prove to be a torch that will be passed to Team 133's leaders and beyond. Not to mention that Brady Hoke has developed, at his various coaching stops, what is by all accounts an effective series of leader- ship seminars for his players, which brings us to … (2) Superb Coaching — Brady has put together what is completed. If it's not the banners, which I agree it shouldn't be, then they need to be recognized in some way. It doesn't necessarily have to be celebrated, but it should be a part of the display cases in Crisler. The Fab Five is a LARGE part of the history of Michigan • The Fab Five needs to be recognized when Crisler appears to be an outstanding coaching staff. We have experienced coordinators, young and energetic position coaches and great STAFF chemistry. By all accounts this appears to be one of the best staffs in the Big Ten. I am looking forward to seeing what they can do after a few years together. For this year, I don't see how the players don't improve, individually, in the second year with this staff, and running the same schemes; and … (3) The Best Player on the Field on any Given Saturday — Denard Robinson=Charles Woodson … enough said. Maybe I am being overly optimistic but, with these three factors clicking, I think we can beat anybody, even if they have more talent throughout the lineup. I am looking for- ward to see how 2012 shakes out. duffydier • I'm optimistic, but not that optimistic. One thing I'd dis- 10 THE WOLVERINE MAY 2012 basketball. Fact is, only one of the five members was determined to have committed NCAA violations. Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson and Jimmy King weren't found to have committed any violations. These four indi- viduals should be recognized for their accomplishments here at Michigan. I can understand why Jalen is irritated by Mary Sue Coleman's comments. Sometimes Michigan tries to act a little too high and mighty. Fact is, college football and college basketball is no more "amateur athletics" than the NBA and NFL. There's a TON of money being made, just none of it legally by the very athletes bringing the money to the universi- ties. I think college athletics in general is as corrupt as it has ever been. Doesn't make it right, by any means, what happened with the Ed Martin case. Still, the fact is that college athletics isn't what these college presidents claim it to be. So, for Mary Sue Coleman to state that what happened during the Fab Five era was "not good" is on the surface obvious, but to Jalen, Juwan, Jimmy and Ray I'm sure it's a punch in the gut. csmith1211