Catch Up Lady

Jalen Rose erects commemorative Fab Five billboard, Catch Up Lady weeps single tear

The fall of 2007 marked the 15 year anniversary of The Fab Five's arrival on University of Michigan's campus. So Jalen Rose bought a billboard an hour away from Ann Arbor in Detroit, at 7 Mile and South Lodge near the childhood homes of himself and UM teammate Chris Webber. And this caused a stir.

For those of you who lived in a cave during the early 90s, I think it's very safe to say that The Fab Five (aka Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson- yes I can name them all) brought college basketball into the era in which we currently reside. Not only was Michigan the first team to start five freshman (who also happened to be African American), but these guys were the ones that (thank god) rejected Daisy Dukes on athletes and originated the baggy shorts we've all come to know and love, they rocked black socks and black basketball shoes, they warmed up to rap music, (if this is sounding familiar it's because almost every college basketball team now does this).

As chronicled in one of my favorite books, Mitch Albom's Fab Five, the team ruffled feathers (upperclassmen teammates, alumni donors, the press, etc.) - but they brought game, which generally shuts critics up. In their freshman and sophomore season (before Chris Webber went pro), the team made it to the NCAA Tournment Championship game. Ok, ok they lost I know - but it was truly an electric time to be a Michigan basketball fan and/or live in Ann Arbor. You really couldn't take your eyes off these guys and their attitudes, their street-style of play, their trash talk, and again their shorts - which it's worth nothing UM made a small fortune selling to a nationwide fan base.

Of course the final chapter in this saga is the booster scandal that followed in which it was revealed that as a player at UM, Chris Webber received money and gifts from a Detroit area man who was loosely affiliated with the program. The Championship banners came down, Steve Fisher was effectively fired, UM was penalized, the Fab Five was literally erased from the books of the Michigan basketball program, and Chris Webber is persona non grata in Chrysler Arena.

But, to be horribly melodramatic, I would argue that the Fab Five were not erased from the hearts and minds of fans (especially with the embarassing 10 years the program has had since.) While some die hards might still have their panties in a bunch over the Fab Five booster scandal, Jalen Rose points out, "I see what (former Ohio State running back) Maurice Clarett was going through, and they didn't take their (championship) banner down. I see (former USC running back) Reggie Bush and what he's going through. And I see what (former UCLA basketball coach) Jim Harrick goes through, and I notice it's original and unique how our situation is handled." Right on.

These guys deserve to have a place in Michigan history, and I think it's sad that all that can be is a billboard in Detroit.

Nike soccer's Jim Mike. He's kind of amazing.

I'm kind of obsessed with Nike's Jim Mike women's soccer ads featuring Rainn Wilson, better known as The Office's Dwight Schrute.  Jim Mike is lobbying to do PR for the US Women's National Team, promising, "to make their public relations fantasies come true."

I think the reason these ads stand out to me is because they are being played non-stop on MTV.  Ok, seriously.  They stand out to me because they are so antithetical to Nike's traditional ads - which generally feature someone much buffer than me, demonstrating how games are meant to played when one is at the pinnacle of the sport.  These people are usually sweating Gatorade while being filmed in some emotional and dynamic way.

And let's not lose track of the fact that this is the most hilarious use of the double first name combo since Steve Dave in Mallrats.  (If you get this reference, please for the love of God, click here.)

Check out one of the videos below, you can see the rest by going here and clicking through to the Jim Mike videos on TXTS From the Road.   

2007 Michigan Football - R.I.P.

My dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to remember the life of the 2007 Michigan Wolverines. Just a few weeks ago, the team seemed so healthy and strong - it was not a fool's dream to think that they would be with us for months to come. However, as so often happens, our hope blinded us to a dark and cold reality. Our opponents spread offenses, our own befuddled defense, and key players' injuries - oh my. Oh my, they have lead the team down a road from which they will not return. I ask our Lord and savior, Bo Schembechler, to watch over our boys as they ascend to the promised land. May we all find peace here on this cold earth in the promise of a clean Big 10 conference slate, and aggresive off season recruiting.

Obligatory Michigan season opener blog post

There has been only one other time in recent memory that I have reproduced an entire blog post from another person's blog here on Catch Up Lady.  Today is the second.   The M Zone College Football Forum has a post up right now that summarizes all my feelings about the upcoming Michigan season opener against Mount Holyoke Appalachian State:

The official Appalachian State website has a poll up regarding their game this weekend against Michigan. The "Coca-Cola Fan Poll" asks the following:

Which area will be most critical for the Mountaineers in the Sept. 1 football opener at Michigan?
A) ASU offense vs. U-M defense
B) ASU defense vs. U-M offense
C) Special Teams

"Most critical," as in what it will take for Appy State to win? Now, while I admire their moxie, let's me honest, folks,: none of those answers should make a difference. But, this being the MZone, we've come up with some other poll answers which they forgot to include that could actually turn the tide in ASU's favor...

D) Entire U-M team oversleeps
E) ASU has nude photos of Lloyd Carr and a group of young Asian boys
F) Instead of practicing this week, U-M forced to watch ASU Hot! Hot! Hot! video 24/7
G) The game is played in an alternate universe where U-M is a 1-AA team and ASU is winningest major college program of all time
H) Jim Herrrrmannnn returns to coach U-M defense
I) ASU comes out wearing OSU replica uniforms
J) Michigan fans forget to shake their keys thus negating the jet-like noise of the Michigan Stadium home field advantage.
K) King Leonidas comes back from the dead to QB the Mountaineers

Bravo.  Really, I could not have done that better myself.  Go Blue!  May God (and Bo) watch over us this season. 

PS - If anyone wants to give me some OSU tickets that would be great.  My boyfriend is operating under the delusion that we can somehow secure tickets to this game without selling our kidneys on the black market.

PPS - As if Appy needed another blow to their confidence, the bumbling Miss Teen South Carolina proudly announced on the Today Show that she will become a Mountaineer this fall.

9/4 EDIT:  Oh the HUMANITY!!!!  Jesus fucking Christ!!!! Oh my god.  Somebody put me out of my misery.   

DirtLocker - Fantasy sports for the tabloid junky in you

Fall is upon us, which means one thing.  Somewhere a colleague of yours  is trying to pull together a fantasy league for the office.  Or, if there is no interest, preparing his journey to New York for his y-chromosome heavy "draft."

If you're like me, this sort of group engagement in sports is appealing.  The concept behind fantasy sports is really interesting to me, but I have found that after a week or two I don't give a flying fuck how many yards someone threw for, or who is out with tonsillitis.  What really interests me is juicy gossip around things like who Tom Brady is dating/impregnating, or rubbernecking at Ron Mexico Michael Vick's career as he spreads herpes to the general population or kills dogs (Sad!  Remember, All Dogs Go To Heaven.)

Annnnyway, my good friend Todd over at Fafarazzi (a free celebrity fantasy league) has once again located an untapped market with DirtLocker.  DirtLocker is a sports fantasy league alright, but points aren't awarded around player stats - they're given out based on tabloid fodder.  (So as it turns out, a team comprised of Tom Brady and Michael Vick would be doing pretty damn well right now.)  Go check it out - you won't be disappointed.  (Not to mention the fact that you'll know have a legitimate excuse to pick up your girlfriend's US Weekly - - yes, we know you're reading it...)

2012 Olympic logo unveiled, a world recoils in disgust

As some of you know, I'm an Olympic Super Fan.  Witness the (pretty really unattractive) photo at right of me and Catch Up Dad in our home made shirts for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.  When the Olympics are on I am officially checked out of life for two and a half weeks.  Winter, summer - I'll take it any season I can get it.  I get tears in my eyes just thinking of Olympic moments - especially Dan Jansen finally winning that gold.

Anyway, I digress!  The point of this post is that the official Olympic Logo for the 2012 games in London has been revealed.  And it's ugly.  I mean really ugly.  The logo comes in a variety of neon colors (a modern take on the traditional blue, black, red, yellow and green).  And, the fractured parts, which I initially took to represent the fractured nature of the global community, are actually meant to spell out 2012 - whoops! 

At any rate, you only need to come up with one permutation of words like "2012", "Olympic logo", and "ugly" for a blog search to get the pulse online.   The good news (?) is they have fives years to change it.   

6/6 EDIT : The logo's supporting video on the London Olympic website was pulled today after it caused at least eight epileptic seizures.  "What it appears has happened is that the flash rate of the diving sequence contravenes the Ofcom guidelines."  O RLY? Who wants to start a pool on when this thing gets changed?

ESPN taps OSU asshats for content sharing opportunity

MarketingVox reports that ESPN has signed a content sharing agreement with the Ohio State fan site, Bucknuts.

The deal will have ESPN providing player information, news and video to Bucknuts, while Bucknuts content will run on Ohio State-related ESPN pages.  Bucknuts premium members will also gain reciprocity with ESPN and a magazine subscription.  Evidently, this move is indicative of mainstream sports sites attempts to harness "online fan devotion." 

Now I'm all for tapping into fan networks online, there are tons of rabid fan bases - Red Sox Nation for one - but why did ESPN have to go all scarlet and grey on us?  While Buckeyes are always surprised to hear this (and that really shocks me), they are widely regarded as the worst behaved fans in the Big 10.  Want some examples?

• I personally know middle aged fans, sitting in the Michigan alum section at OSU games, who have been pelted with projectiles - programs, beers, you name it. 
  
• A friend of mine drove his car (with Michigan plates and a UM decal) down to an OSU game and left it in a parking lot during the game, when he returned the word's "Lloyd's Car" was were spray painted on the side.
• You can buy onesies and bibs for INFANTS that say "Fuck Michigan."
• UM officials sent a letter to students before last year's game in Columbus informing (among other things):

• Try carpooling to the game; if possible, drive a car with non- Michigan license plates.
• Keep your Michigan gear to a minimum, or wait until you are inside the stadium to display it.
• Stay with a group.
• Stay low-key; don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself.
• If verbally harassed by opposing fans, don't take the bait.
• Avoid High Street in Columbus.
• If at any time you feel unsafe, you should call 9-1-1 for assistance. U-M campus police also will be available in Columbus to support our fans.

No, that's not a US Travel Advisory, it's for people venturing to Ohio.   (And to you skeptics, one blog commenter on The M Zone sums it up posting, "Seriously, it is that bad and it's not like that everywhere else.")

Anyway, I could go on forever, but I think you get my point. Congratulations ESPN!  You wanted a rabid fan base, and you got the douche-iest one in the nation. 

Nike issues Imus inspirational beat down

Not all advertisers are itching to get back on the Imus bandwagon. 

Nike, a sponsor of the Rutgers men's and women's basketball team, recently turned its all powerful creative energies against Don Imus, firing this shot across the bow:

Thank you ignorance.
Thank you for starting the conversation.
Thank you for making an entire nation listen to the Rutgers' team story.  And making us wonder what other great stories we've missed.
Thank you for reminding us to think before we speak.
Thank you for showing us how strong and poised 18 and 20 year old girls can be.
Thank you for reminding a sports nation that another basketball tournament goes on in March.
Thank you for showing us that sports includes more than time spent on the court.
Thank you for unintentionally moving women's sports forward.
And thank you for making all of us realize we have a long way to go.
Next season starts 11.06.07.

DAMN!  Imus got served.   Turns out you don't want to meet Nike in a dark ally...
(Via AdRants)

What will you wear to the revolution Part II - Obama St. Patty's Tees

Exclusivity sells!  Taking a page out of the Boston Red Sox' play book, Barack Obama is offering a limited edition St. Patrick's Day campaign t-shirt, for the Irish Catholic in all of us.  The Boston Red Sox are one of a handful of standout MLB teams that don special green jerseys for St. Patrick's Day games.

From my years in Boston it was my understanding that the green hats from these games were highly prized items, and could only be purchased day of game for many years.  However, based on the number of "yooz guys" I see with them on these days I'd wager a guess that that is no longer the case.  In any event, from a marketing perspective, the limited edition shirt is a great idea, if it's not a run away hit it will at least generate some free press from suckers like me.

(Arch-conservative Curt Schilling will probably personally hunt me down for loosely associating him with Barack - but that's too bad for him - Curt I love ya for the '04 series, but you gotta change your tune...)

For previous revolution-wear news click HERE.

"We need a montage!" Ohio State football fans day has come

Ordinarily I say don't kick a man when he's down, but when that man is clad in scarlet and grey, I make exceptions.  On that note I give you this amazing montage of the pain, anguish and suffering of multitudes of Ohio State fans captured during Monday's BCS Championship game.  (For those of you not paying attention at home, the Buckeyes got their asses handed to them in a fashion that made every Michigan fan evilly smile).