Nice Game

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: Michigan 31, Western Michigan 7
Records: U-M (1-0), Western Michigan (0-1)
Attendance: 109,019
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Sept. 12 -- vs. Notre Dame (Michigan Stadium), 3:30 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football team beat Western Michigan, 31-7, to open its 2009 season on Saturday (Sept. 5) at Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines closed out the first half with a 31-0 lead, dominating play with a 289-79 yard differential on offense. True freshman quarterback Tate Forcier (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) took the majority of the snaps in the game, going 13-for-20 in his collegiate debut and connecting with junior/sophomore wide receiver Junior Hemingway (Conway, S.C./Conway HS) for two of his three touchdown passes.

We won.

Didn't really know what to expect after all of the hype this week. It turned out to be most enjoyable.

The weather was nice - a little on the hot side sitting in the sun, but it was 80 and not 90 like last year.

It was great seeing Tony and Sharron, Noah, Kim and Holden. Holden will be in sixth grade (middle school) next week. He went to football camp this summer and wants to be a wide receiver. He says that he is quite fast. He's a very quiet, polite boy.

I have to apologize to Bill Shaffer who said yesterday at lunch that The New Coach is a good coach and would do well. I launched into my New Coach litany - the one about how I think he's a gypsy coach who jumps from school to school chasing the dollars, and that he has no loyalty. But Mich did win today, and so Bill was right...this time. The Coach has a lot, a lot, a lot to accomplish before I'm his fan. I think that you can love your team and still not even remotely like the Coach. Sadly, he reminds me of Nick Saban, whom we have never forgiven for what he did to Michigan State.