When Carcajous Start a New Adventure

Today the WCA blog reaches the end of its own road. I certainly had a blast with the blog this last year.

When Carcajous Attack! was my first attempt at sports blogging, and despite going it alone these past 12 months, I actually learned a great deal. I sincerely appreciated all of the comments from followers this past year, as well as the many considerate links extended to my stories by so many of my fellow Michigan sports and football bloggers. It was really cool to see other people reading and responding to some of my views, observations and ideas.

Let me say that it is not easy to run a meaningful sports blog on Michigan football, not to mention Michigan athletics. Not many people end up accessing and reading the thing in first place. And to get the hits, writing interesting and unique stuff can be challenging and a lot of work. There were days and weeks where I didn't feel like I was getting together sufficient content in the first place. Often times work and family life got in the way of contributing more.

So for 2010 I've decided to explore a new method, expand my horizons, and improve the exposure of my work. I'm taking my Michigan Wolverine football addiction - or affliction, if you will - over to the Maize N Brew Blog, which has been providing excellent content on Michigan athletics for several years now, including my own main area of obsessive interest: Michigan football.

I'm really looking forward to writing alongside Dave and the entire cast of great writers of the Maize N Brew crew this year. It should be a lot of fun. And I figure if my writings go downhill, I'll still have a new group of colleagues as a support group to help me improve my personal coping skills with things like 3-9, Michael Rosenberg, 5-7, and whatever the 2010 Michigan football season may have on tap!

Of course, it is now mid-January and the dreaded "dead period" is almost over. Michigan football recruiting, Spring Game 2010 preparations, Coaching Changes, Position Battles, Pre-Season 2010 Predictions, Way-to-Early Opponent Previews, and of course Michigan schedule analyses will all be coming up on deck soon. If you enjoyed some of my past writings from the WCA blog, please be sure to visit and bookmark Maize and Brew blog going forward.

Thanks again for everyone's support of When Carcajous Attack!. It was a lot of fun.
See you over at Maize N Brew!

Sincerely,

Markusr2007
Hail to the Victors!
Let's Go Blue!

Mustaches For Michigan, Carcajous And Dual Threat Quarterbacks

The first post on this new Michigan football blogging experiment of mine, entitled When Carcajous Attack!, proudly featured a quote from Ernest Thompson Seton, a renowned 19th century wildlife artist and author, as he described the animal called the carcajou (a.k.a wolverine) using a rather eloquent choice of words:

"Picture a weasel -- and most of us can do that, for we have met that little demon of destruction, that small atom of insensate courage, that symbol of slaughter,sleeplessness, and tireless, incredible activity --picture that scrap of demoniac fury, multiply that mite some fifty times, and you have the likeness of a Wolverine." Ernest Thompson Seton from "Lives of Game Animals". 1925 - 1928. Vol. II

And I was always rather fond, and dare I say jealous, of Mr. Seton's most distinguished-looking of cookie dusters.

It is therefore with great pride and espirit de corps that the When Carcajous Attack! Blog announce it's full support and endorsement for Mustaches For Michigan, around which Wolverine football fans everywhere have already begun to rally in one massive effort to will the Michigan team to victory on the gridiron this coming September 5th!


Indeed some of you may be shocked to find out what you may look like in the mirror with a brand new facial shrubbery with coordinates due south of the nostrils.

Do not be afraid, for I submit to you what could possibly be a more profound gesture of solidarity and support for our honorable and mighty Michigan Wolverine football players than a distinct, and handsome mustache to hail our Maize and Blue brethren!


Listen to me when I tell you that a Michigan Stadium jam-packed with over one hundred thousand mustache-brandishing Wolverine partisans on September 5th would be such a stunning sight - so powerful and endearing - and far too magnanimous for resentment, no one will be able to capture such an event and put it to words or music.

Just how in the world can Western Michigan head coach Bill Cubit possibly prepare his Broncos for such a phenomenon so beautiful, and at the same time so horrific?

The truth is, he cannot.

"My God, Tim! It's full of mustaches!"

And while it is true that Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez may be yelling profanities in your general direction right now in the name of all upper lips unshaven, Michigan remains steadfast in it's full adherence to integrity, trust and family values.
After being on the receiving end of such obscene tirades, perhaps some of you Michigan men (and women) might pause and consider quitting before those post-nasal bristles have even started their shoots.

Do no such thing! Do not pause nor hesitate!

The last great dual-threat quarterback at Michigan did not quit. He did not deviate. Quarterback Steve Smith ran the triple option attack for the Michigan Wolverines between 1981-1983 and accepted the punishment that was sure to come from the oncoming defensive ends and cornerbacks. He suffered a separated shoulder and bounced back to lead Michigan on to victory and offensive success! Most importantly, Mr. Smith proudly displayed is facial wares every Saturday for the Maize & Blue, weakening the very will of any and all Michigan opponents.



Oh, the message is so basic. So fundamentally sound. Even people who consider carcajous to make excellent house pets have received the directive and understood its meaning loud an clear:


Grow a mustache and support Michigan Wolverines football!

When Carcajous Attack! Why I love Michigan football!

Michigan football has always been a passion of mine. I've been a Michigan football fan since I was very young. That passion has motivated me to starting writing about the Michigan football team and program on this new blog entitled "When Carcajous Attack!".

So what's a carcajou?

Well, I refer to the words of Ernest Thompson Seton, wildlife artist:




"Picture a weasel -- and most of us can do that,for we have met that little demon of destruction, that small atom of insensate courage, that symbol of slaughter,sleeplessness, and tireless, incredible activity --picture that scrap of demoniac fury, multiply that mite some fifty times,and you have the likeness of a Wolverine."Ernest Thompson Seton"Lives of Game Animals". 1925 - 1928. Vol. II

Carcajous are Wolverines.

And Wolverines are the nickname of the University of Michigan football team.

Let me first state that there are already a load of fantastic blogs out there that have been covering Michigan sports, and particularly Michigan football, extremely well. I read many of these blogs religiously myself. I simply wish to add to that critical commentary and discussion on this new blog. I will attempt to post as frequently as my work and other personal endeavors will allow, providing updates on the Michigan football team, football recruiting, coaching staff and college football in general.

From personal experience, being a Michigan football fan has always been a gut-wrenching experience. I grew up in the 1970s during which Michigan football experienced somewhat of a renaissance of success, winning 96 games, losing 16 and tying 3. One must bear in mind that some of Michigan's finest teams between 1970-1974were never invited to postseason play because the Big Ten conference administrative leadership would not allow it. Observing Michigan's gridiron success starting in the 1970s can certainly skew one's view of Michigan's true college football "greatness". When you witness a team lose 5 consecutive bowl games between 1976 and 1979, you can't help but think "man, being a Michigan fan sure does suck!". What I mean to say is, there have been moments of elation, but each one of those has seemingly been cancelled out by moments of despair.

Michigan fans should be, and are, quite proud of their football program. It's been lead by some great coaches and fantastic players, and comparatively speaking remains one of the most successful in terms of winning games. I am proud to be a Michigan football fan too. But my opinions about the football program right now are a little jaded given my observations over the last 40 years. This jadedness will no doubt make itself evident in my future writings.

And so we begin. I hope that everyone will enjoy this new blogging experiment and feel free to make comments and suggestions to me.

Thank you for reading!

Markusr2007