Wednesday Quick Hits: Catching Up on Everything

By Sean · Wednesday, January 13, 2010 · 3:02 PM |  Share | Leave a Comment 

Apologies for the lack of content lately, but classes got started last week and I’m a little busy, to say the least.

• Michigan opened up the second part of the CCHA season with a sweep of Western Michigan.  This was exactly what the doctor ordered, because Michigan needed a sweep to get things back on the right track and because Michigan couldn’t afford to lose to Western Michigan.  Friday’s game was a little close, with Michigan only winning 4-3 at WMU, but Saturday’s game was a rout, with Michigan winning 6-1 in dominant fashion.  Hockey was finally fun again, and Yost was rocking.
• Michigan will look for another sweep when Alaska comes to Yost on Friday and Saturday.  If Michigan were to sweep Alaska, the Wolverines could conceivably move all the way up to a tie for fourth place in the CCHA.  That alone should tell you how important of a series it is, especially with a home-and-home against Ferris State coming up next week and a series with Michigan State after that.  Believe it or not, but Ferris is tied for first in the CCHA right now with Miami, and Michigan State is currently one point back of the top spot.  This will definitely be an important few weeks for the hockey team.
• Carl Hagelin was named the CCHA Offensive Player of the Week.
• Chuck Heater was rumored to be a candidate to join Michigan’s coaching staff, but he has decided to stay at Florida.  Now the hot name out there is Mark Snyder, Marshall’s former head coach and a former defensive coordinator for Ohio State.  Snyder interviewed for the linebackers coach job on Sunday, so hopefully we will find out something definitive sometime soon.
• The investigation of the alleged sexual assault that took place the night/morning after the Ohio State game resulted in no charges, as the accuser didn’t want to press any.
• Michigan Stadium’s press box is now completely gone.
• Charles Woodson won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award and had a Michigan sweatshirt on during his press conference about receiving the honor.
• I think it’s safe to say Brandon Smith has officially transferred.
• Michigan commit Antonio Kinard talked about his plans to redshirt and the recruiting process (including telling Michigan State to “give it up”) in an article on AnnArbor.com.
• For quite some time it looked like Michigan was going to land Tony Grimes and Clarence Murphy, who were set on being a package deal when they chose their college.  That plan has changed, though, and now it appears that Michigan may not land either recruit.
• Delonte Hollowell, a junior from Cass Tech, is close to committing to Michigan.
• Brandon Graham, Brandon Minor, and Zoltan Mesko were invited to the NFL Combine.
• New athletic director Dave Brandon was interviewed on the Big Ten Network during halftime of last Sunday’s basketball game.
• DeShawn Sims was named the Big Ten Player of the Week.
• Eso Akunne is ineligible for the rest of the season.
• Laval Lucas-Perry is a much better player on the road.
• Wisconsin’s Jon Leuer is out indefinitely after breaking his wrist.
• Notre Dame apparently nearly joined the Big Ten in 2003 but changed its mind at the last minute.
• Ryan Mallett has wisely decided to come back for another season at Arkansas.  Barring a complete disaster in 2010, Mallett should be able to improve his stock to the point where he could be a top-10 pick in 2011.
• Michigan State’s Greg Jones is also returning for another season, unfortunately.
• The World Cup will not be coming to Ann Arbor or Detroit even if the USA successfully brings it to America.