My Michigan Attachment Disorder

In the fall there are two teams I love to watch every Saturday (Michigan and Notre Dame). I have always loved the traditions of these two schools. I watch the Wolverines and the Irish over any other teams no matter what. I don't care about the records.

The last couple of seasons have been a bit tough for my two programs. Losses to Appalachian State and Syracuse hurt bad. There is no two ways about it. Those losses are hard to swallow. In fairness both programs are in situations in which they had to rebuild.

Charlie Weis was really the victim of lazy recruiting by Tyrone Willingham and winning a Super Bowl during the heart of recruiting season. Rich Rodriguez was the victim of having players from the previous administration that just didn't fit his system. As a result each program suffered a 3-9 season.

For me, I was able to watch Notre Dame throughout their 3-9 season. They have a TV contract with NBC are also shown on ESPN when on the road. Therefore I was still able to keep up with the team. I was able to develop that emotional attachment to the players. Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, and Armando Allen are guys I have followed.

Then last year, they were once again on TV every week. Although they still weren't great, they were much improved. New additions like Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph made immediate impacts. I had no problem developing any kind of attachment to them. This year the rebuilding is done and I can root for them to contend for the BCS.

Now looking at Michigan, I had that emotional attachment to guys like Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Jake Long, Mario Manningham, and Adrian Arrington. I also developed the attachment to Ryan Mallet as the quarterback of the future. However, Mallet was recruited by Lloyd Carr and left when Lloyd Carr did.

So when Rich Rodriguez took over, he not only had a new system to implement but also a totally new group of players. The only player I really had any attachment to was Greg Matthews. Comparing that to Notre Dame during their 3-9 year, I still had Trevor Laws, John Carlson, and Tom Zbitkowski that I was already attached to to go with the new guys.

It was hard to ever really develop an attachment to these new guys like Mike Shaw, Nick Sheridan, and Brandon Minor. Michigan does not have it's own TV contract and was hardly shown out here in Maui last year. My first nine years in Hawaii, I had no trouble watching Michigan. They are a premeire program that I am usually able to watch.

Last year they were only shown regionally. That made it tough for me to follow them. I did have the game trax on the Internet, but that is no way to develop a connection to the players. From what I understand, even fewer Michigan games are expected to be shown out here this year. That could change if they start winning again.

I realize they can probably be seen on the Big Ten Network, but we don't have that in Hawaii. So please Michigan, start winning again so I can watch you and develop the emotional attachment.