Dear Loyal Readers:

For all of you Ann Arbor townies, and Michigan fans coming in for the Homecoming Weekend, I’ll be at Nicola’s Books in Ann Arbor Friday night, 7 p.m., and at the Michigan Alumni Association’s Homecoming tailgate Saturday, 12-2:30, plus a few private events.

Hope to see you there!  Now, back to our show.

-JUB

 

On Monday night, the Detroit Lions – the NFL’s lovable losers – found a spectacular new way to break their fans’ hearts. Wide receiver Calvin Johnson, the team’s best player, was just about to cross the goal line with a go-ahead touchdown when he let a Seattle Seahawks defender knock the ball out of his hand, and into the endzone. Another Seattle player batted the ball out of the endzone, which is illegal, but the refs gave the ball to Seattle anyway.

Game over — the Lions’ fourth loss this year, against zero wins.

The Lions’ fans blamed the refs for blowing the call, their team for such ineptitude, and themselves for continuing to cheer for the worst team in the league.

Gotta love the Lions fans, and their boundless loyalty. But to express shock at this Most Lions of Losses is tantamount to Charlie Brown screaming at Lucy for pulling the ball. Anyone who’s old enough to have cheered for the Lions’ last championship – in 1957 – has every right to be upset. But for everyone else, it’s like getting mad at Canada for being cold.

To help long suffering Lions fans kick the habit, I’ll be holding an Intervention this Sunday, at 4 p.m. at the Silverdome – you know, the Lions’ old home, whose roof blew off a few years ago. Plenty of parking.

With the Lions season already shot, let’s turn our attention to Big Ten play. After years of playing in the shadows of the Southestern Conference, it’s a heady time for the nation’s oldest athletic league, with five teams currently ranked in the top 25.

Ohio State, the returning national champion, is the top-ranked team in the land. Michigan State is the only team in the country to finish in the top five the last two seasons. They were ranked second last week, but dropped two spots after a sloppy win over Purdue. Still, the Spartans are also undefeated at 5-0, and will improve to 6-0 after rolling over woeful Rutgers this weekend, to set up another classic clash with their in-state rivals the following weekend.

But the Big Ten’s good news doesn’t stop there. Last year, both Northwestern and Michigan finished at 5-7, and failed to quality for a bowl game. These days, that’s about as pathetic as not getting a birthday card from your mom. But this year, Northwestern is 5-0 and ranked 13th, and Michigan is 4-1 and ranked 18^th.

The Wildcats boast a 97-percent graduation rate, but they’re always trying to prove they belong at the big boys table. They were so bad for so long, they established themselves as everyone’s favorite Homecoming opponent.

But since 1995, the Wildcats have won three Big Ten titles. Coach Pat Fitzgerald told me they’re still everyone’s favorite Homecoming opponent, but now they’ll ruin your homecoming.

Sure enough, Michigan invited Northwestern this weekend for – you got it — Homecoming. Who’s got the upper hand now? In the past three seasons, Northwestern has had Michigan beat, then somehow found a way to lose in the waning seconds – Lions’ style.

It won’t be any easier for the Wildcats this weekend. Under new coach Jim Harbaugh – perhaps you’ve heard of this guy? – Michigan is playing better and better every week, and getting better, faster, than almost anyone expected. Michigan’s last two opponents failed to score a single point, for the first time since 2000.

After picking themselves off the floor, both teams now think they’re the real deal. On Saturday, one of them will prove it.

* * * * *

Please join the conversation, but remember: I run only those letters from those who are not profane or insane, and who include their FULL name. 

My latest book, “ENDZONE: The Rise, Fall and Return of Michigan Football,” debuted at #6 on the New York Times’ Bestseller List, and is still going very strong. THANK YOU!

Thanks also for packing our most recent book tour stops in Lansing, Cleveland and Ann Arbor’s First Presbyterian.

You can find all my book tour events this fall at https://johnubacon.com/upcoming-events/  We are adding new events every day, and will make 50-plus stops coast to coast this fall. If you’d like your city to be one of them, the best bet is to talk with your local UM Alumni Club.

Radio stuff: On Friday mornings, these commentaries run at 8:50 on Michigan Radio (91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit and Flint, and 104.1 Grand Rapids), and a few minutes later,  I join Sam Webb and Ira Weintraub LIVE from 9:05 to 9:25 on WTKA.com, 1050 AM.

After 12 years, I’ve handed over my “Off the Field” slot on WTKA to my good friend Jamie Morris, who launched his new two-hour show, “A View From the Backfield,” last year. He’s returning this fall, and I’ll be joining him Sunday, August 30, to talk about my next book, “ENDZONE.”

This gives me the time I need to join Michigan Radio’s great Cynthia Canty on her afternoon Stateside show every Thursday for a few minutes.  Check it out!

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnubacon.  Just cracked 31,000 followers.   THANK YOU!

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