Vibrant Town

After the tough disappointment of yesterday's game, we discovered that it's still fun just being in Ann Arbor.

We drove around the stadium, checking out all of the new contruction - it's extensive, and won't be completed until 2010.



My forecast as of today is that by 2010, if the football program doesn't improve tremendously, the beautiful, huge, expanded new stadium will be almost empty on game days!

Dick found these comments about the Michigan 2008 Football Program in the Ann Arbor News website. The first one is my favorite - I feel the same way:

Why should this coach get a pass? He's taking a winning program, turning it into a losing program, just to turn it into a winning one. If he was such a great coach, he would know how to evaluate talent, and devise a game plan with that talent. He needs to take responsibility instead of coming up with excuses (players are soft, I don't have the skill players I need, etc). I would expect him to be winning a National title by the 3rd year, otherwise, why was he hired? Michigan was already winning consistently and going to bowl games.

The next one is a little bit silly, except that we figured from the outset that if RR would walk away from West Virginia and his alma mater, he would certainly walk away from Michigan too.

Well, Michigan fans, you were all in such a hurry to push a classy guy like Lloyd Carr out the door in a knee jerk overreaction to App.State. All I can say is, enjoy your new girlfriend.....it's just a matter of time before you catch her in bed with someone else.

I must say that I agree with this next comment word for word. It seems that we have to look at this season in a philosophical way in order to live through it.

RR must stop making it about his coaching philosophy and the way he wants to do things and begin focusing on how he can equip his players and coaching staff with the tools they need to be successful. The focus must return to Michigan traditions and what has made this program the great program it is. Regardless of the current won-loss record, the unwise decisions of an AD or the total debacle of RR, none of these will negate what Michigan football is all about. However, all have contributed to this sad time in Michigan football history.

Downtown, tons of people were have a leisurely breakfast/brunch out on the street cafes because it's a gorgeous day. Ann Arbor is such a vibrant town. I wanted to have a German Sunday dinner because that's one of the things that AA is famous for. The Heidelburg wasn't open yet, so we went for a drive and wound up at Metzger's, which is now out on Zeeb Road after 75 years downtown.

Dick needed more books, so we went to the library - we got library cards last year and they just had to be renewed at the desk - no problem. We use the Pittsfield Branch of the Ann Arbor Library. It's a beautiful new building - unique architecture - and it's right on Oak Valley Drive, not very far away. We feel like it's "our" library.

A little shopping at Meijer, and then home to play World of Warcraft - it was so much fun - we finished a quest that's been bugging me for a year (the Jump-a-tron). Tom and Jana were playing too - it's always fun to "see" them.