Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Happy Turkey/Sports Week: Turning of the Tide for Sports in SE Michigan

Well ladies and gents, it's the annual sports gauntlet. While my sympathies go out to those counting on the NBA season ramping up by this time, there are still a variety of sports teams in the Ann Arbor-Detroit area that have big games this week. I'll do this in chronological order after the break:

TONIGHT 7PM EST (6)Duke v. (15)Michigan in the Semifinal of the Maui Invitational Watch on ESPN3 if your internet carrier allows it (I know Comcast does).
I know what you are asking yourself: 'What does that number in parentheses indicate?' It means that Michigan is ranked in the pre-season top 25 and just knocked off (8) Memphis yesterday, in convincing fashion, to setup this match against Duke, who has never lost in Maui....EVER. It's about time, am I right? Tune in. The team looks good. If you want a great breakdown of their play up to this point and the Duke matchup, head over to UMHoops. Dylan Burkhardt always does a great job.

TURKEY DAY 12:30PM FOX Green Bay Packers (10-0) at Detroit Lions (7-3)
Even without a winning record, Thanksgiving Day football games have always been exciting with the Detroit Lions. Now we have a young Lions team with arguably the best pass rush in the country against (without argument) the best quarterback (Aaron Rogers) and crop of receivers (Jennings, Driver, etc.) in the NFL. Stafford and the Lions' receivers are among the best in the NFL as well. This is a huge game, the biggest in recent memory for the Lions. In addition, it's on Thanksgiving. This has the makings of a classic.

SATURDAY Noon ABC (16) Michigan vs Ohio State
While Ohio State is not its usual Big Ten Champ contender-self, this is still the biggest game of the Wolverines' season. The seniors on this team, who stayed through some pretty rough years of Michigan Football, have the change to beat Ohio State for the first time in eight attempts and give this team the best record Michigan has had since 2006. Michigan is favored, but anyone who has followed this rivalry knows that doesn't mean much. Possible scenario: OSU salvages a lackluster season with a win in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines are playing to break a terrible losing streak and establish that they are definitely on the right track back to their traditional powerhouse status....God, I get nervous just thinking about it.

5 comments:

  1. Josh is the butch one on this here blog and we love him for it.

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  2. Glad to be of assistance once in a blue moon. Couldn't miss a post on a great sports week like this one!

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  3. You forgot to mention that EMU has a shot at bowl elligibility if they win on Saturday.

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  4. Right on time with your annual jinx!

    I have a wedding gig on Saturday in San Antonio at 2:30. Rather than meeting the band at 12:30 to drive down there, I'm driving down to San Antonio early in the morning, by myself, to catch the game at the SA Alumni Club bar and then meeting the rest of the band at the venue. Wouldn't miss it for anything.

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