We Like Nice Stuff

Last year was dreadful. So dreadful infact, that many Michigan fans are already dreading this year. And who can blame them? I don't feel this way, but I certainly understand where this sentiment comes from.

I'm a perpetual optimist when it comes to Michigan football. And up until 2008, we all had every reason to be. Michigan ruled the college football world. We were a force. And to prove it, 2008's 3-9 record was bigger news than most other schools doing well. (Sparty...cough, cough)

There is a bad lingering taste in our mouths though, that no amount of hopeful optimism can wash out. But when the big boys at SI give your coach a nice shot of praise, it makes the long and bitter off-season that much more tolerable.

Found over at The Diag, Rivals dot com writer Tom Dienhart (via SI.com) ranked the Big Ten coaches in order of awesomeness...I guess. Either way, our very own Rich Rodriguez comes in at #2 on the list. And not behind Sir Teflon like you might have expected.

1. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
2. Rich Rodriguez, Michigan
3. Sir Teflon, tOSU
4. Joe Paterno, Penn State
5. Mark Dantonio, Little Brother
6. Ron Zook, Illinois
7. Bret Bielema, Wisconsin
8. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
9. Danny Hope, Purdue
10. Tim Brewster, Minnesota
11. Bill Lynch, Indiana

Odd that a Ferentz gets the top spot after just a 9-4 record in 2008. I'd say he's full of potential, but he's already peaked at Iowa...a while ago. He's done well with the mediocre talent that he's had, some might say he's done amazingly well. And that's given the fact that in recent years he's not had tOSU or Michigan on the schedule and he's still struggled. Sure, he handed JoPa his only loss last year...but that was a fluke.

I probably would have thrown Pat Fitzgerald into the top 6. Now there's a coach that has overachieved. Pretty much the rest of the list makes sense. Most will argue that Rodriguez has no business being in the top 2...and I can see their arguement. But this is a Michigan blog...so it makes perfect sense to us.