Blue By Ninety - E97: Spartans & Wildcats

Episode Date: October 21, 2021

The boys welcome Michigan Twitter phenom Lexi (@gobluelexi) to the pod. Spartan talk, Week 8 expectations, outlook for the remainder of the season and more. Crack a cold one and enjoy the show.

This is the University of Michigan. Touchdown, Michigan! The Beats of Michigan! And they've caught extra pass. And it goes for the win! The three-pointer by Jordan Poole! Down the sideline! Peebles-John!

Touchdown, Wolverines! All right, welcome back to Blue by 90. I am Justin, joined by Jack and Kaitlin as always. And we have a special guest on today with us, straight from Twitter. Lexi, how you doing today? I'm great, how are you? Doing well, doing well. We were joking how you doing today? Great. How are you doing? Well, doing well. Um, we were joking before you came on. We, you know, meet met or we met on Twitter. Now we're meeting on zoom. And so maybe we can meet in person someday. Uh, maybe tomorrow night at the Michigan madness event too.

Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Yeah. I'm so excited for that yeah that's gonna be a good time um you know they're doing a meet the team they're doing a dunk contest three-point contest g herbo concert I don't know how many g herbo fans we have out there there are gonna be a lot of people that are like who is g herbo but uh the students in the team like it they don't like him so that's that's all right it's really exciting I like the fact that it was him, so that's all right. It's really exciting. I like the fact that it was free, too, so it's like, might as well go. That's how I know I'm old, too, is I have no clue who G. Herbo is. I'm officially past that, like, cool stage of my life, if I ever had that.

I know they tried to get Jack Harlow, but he was like way too expensive. So, yeah, you know, we'll settle for – I don't want to say settle for G Herbo. Nobody put that clip out there that's like we don't want him here. All right. So, yeah, well, thank you for coming on again. You know, I've got my Truly here. So shout out to truly for, for sponsoring. We're back at the tailgate on Saturday for Northwestern coming up. So six weeks in seven weeks in technically with a bye week, we're six and Oh, Lexi, did you have any faith that Michigan would be in this spot?

If we would have asked you before the season? No, I definitely, I was definitely the floor of like maybe 500. I definitely expect for wash like Washington to be better. Other certain teams would be like a little bit harder, but yeah, it's definitely a surprise. But part of me just thinks like, gosh, I just, I really want, if we beat Michigan state, then I'll be like fully on the train. You know, like, it's like, I just need that signature when, I mean,

don't get me wrong. Nebraska was great. Great to win in the environment. Incredible game. Yeah. I feel like the true true tests will be October 30th, not overlooking Northwestern by any means, but yeah, it's been a shock and I'm pretty excited for it. Yeah. It's been a wild ride for sure. I think that if you ask 90% of people out there, they'd say the same thing that you were saying, you know,

at least a loss to Washington, obviously we thought they were better than they've ended up to be. But, you know, going into Madison, I, you know, even with them being just mediocre, it's still, I think a pretty good win, you know, for those are just games that we haven't won in the past. Right. So, you know, we're, we're definitely a broken record on this podcast that we talk about how it's different this year.

The energy is different and all that stuff. But, you know, when we have Joel Honigford and Brad Robbins and Dan Valarion, you know, they definitely talk about it, too. But, like, honestly, from your perspective, too, the, you know, on social media, I feel like the fan base is a little bit different as well like it's a little more faith it's not you know as much like you know all in or all out it feels like we're riding with these boys a little bit more than usual too oh yeah it's just it's been incredible though just like you said the Wisconsin game the Nebraska game those games that we've always should have won but never have so it's like it. So it's like, it's just, it's been surprising and I'm just rolling with it and just hoping for the

best to go in October 30th undefeated. There you go. Yeah. I was gonna say, I know the beginning of the season, I was right there with you, Lexi. I think I can't remember where you guys were at. If you were a little bit more positive or not, but it's like low expectations going in as every, as every win happens, you get a little bit more excited, a little bit more positive or not, but it's like low expectations going in as every, as every win happens, you get a little bit more excited,

a little bit more excited, but dude, I'm, I'm nervous about Sparty. That game is just nerve wracking to me. I've got put my wife is a Spartan, like went to Michigan state. So if we lose that game, I I've got nothing till basketball season. Like I need, I need that more than anything. I definitely think it's going to be a great game and I'm just so happy. It's not a night game because it just would have been, I think that much harder.

So I think it does give us a little bit of an advantage. So you like noon games? I do. Well, actually I should say I like three 30 the most. Okay. Okay. That's like i'm not waiting so long but then like i can not have to get a tailgate at seven o'clock in the morning parking spot down by pioneer and not be like three miles away um no but i mean it's 3 30 is the best but i would take noon overnight any day of the week it's a marathon for night games it really is it i i would have liked it

for drinking purposes and tailgating purposes the night game would have been fun um I'll be honest I probably like there's a good chance I would have gotten in a fight though for sure I mean there's still a chance for sure but like it's a little unruly uh for for those. Yeah. I think they realize that too, though. I mean, it's just the tension I feel like in the state of Michigan is incredible right now and scary. So they were like, let's not give these college students and other people like hours and hours to drink and get crazy. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah.

That game is, I feel like, I don't know, when was the last time you guys felt like there was this much hype for this game? I mean, I feel like it's almost back to 2015, maybe, you know, in Harbaugh's first year before that game when both teams were, I think Harbaugh or Michigan had one loss and they maybe had one loss or were undefeated going into that game? It was a, I think it was 7-12 matchup. I can't remember who was ranked what, but I mean, there are two top 12 teams and it should be top 10 this year, maybe even better than that. And it's just like always such a big, great matchup. It's just like one of those rivalry games where I really just every year I'm like, I don't know, like something crazy could happen.

Well, they sneak out a win when like the least that you expect them to, it's like, you shouldn't be, you shouldn't have won that year. How did you win? You know? And it's like, we keep overlooking them. So I just, I hope, I think the tunes change though. I think that a lot, like the environment's different, the team, the coaches, the players. So I think that it's, they're actually taking it all more serious, you know? And I think it's just a change from the last four or five years.

I mean, I'll tell you what, I don't know if you've listened to our recent podcast with some of the players, but honestly, it kind of feels like they're overlooking Michigan state. Like a lot of the focus is on Ohio state, you know, Michigan state. I mean, they know they realize they're a good team, but it's almost like, I feel like they're kind of brushing them off. And that's what makes me nervous because obviously we know what happened last year yeah I don't know I think

they're just trying to avoid any hype of that until next week too so once Northwestern goes away um I think I'm hoping that there's a lot more attention on it at least I don't know from the media or whatever just to make me feel a little bit better but yeah that game always makes me nervous you never know what's gonna happen with them I don't know if it's just, like, team speak, coach speak in their ear kind of thing, but they really do seem to be at least repeating, like, week by week, team by team, which could be good if they're really, like, following that. But if they're just kind of, like, saying that and overlooking certain people, like, I can see where you'd be worried, Jen.

I just, like, just feel like that's gonna be like the true test you know like the true true test for me because it's like stop overlooking them you know they are a rival you might not have thought that in the 90s and 2000s I mean like we won like seven games in a row one year for me like through my childhood and my teen years you know so it's like it just isn't like that anymore the Antonio changed the whole script of it so it's like you know and it's not about giving just isn't like that anymore. The Antonio changed the whole script of it. So it's like, you know, and it's not about giving, you don't necessarily give respect. Okay.

You just got to understand your opponent and understand that anything can happen in that game, you know? Yeah. And I think that, I mean, the thing is that there, I swear these Spartan fans like try to make up disrespect these days, right? They're coming up with reasons or things that are these fallacies that aren't actually happening in the world that they are disrespected. There certainly are people out there disrespecting them, for sure.

I get that. But honestly, I think that most Michigan fans these days are not scared, but, like, definitely, like, concerned or, like, take that game very seriously. Right? Like, I hate it when these guys are like, oh, you guys are disrespecting us. I'm like, I've never said one bad thing about MSU in a non, like, trolling, try to be funny, you know, thing. They're a good football team. You know know Mel Tucker has done a great job and if you legitimately asked if you hooked a

every Michigan fan up to a lie detector test not one person out there would say they're not worried about that MSU game right absolutely I mean I think can people can sit there and lie to themselves about it or like, like you said, troll on Twitter, but no, everybody, no one is confident going into that game. I don't care who you are. And if you are confident, then you're stupid. I'm just kidding. You're crazy. If you're confident going into a game against Michigan state, especially in East Lansing. So it's just, Oh, it's gotta be taken serious. I hope they do that. Yeah. I mean, that that was I said it on on

a YouTube show earlier today I was like if you looked at it on paper and you looked at position by position you know who has the advantage most of the time you're gonna say Michigan right like there I would say 75 percent of those positions, Michigan has the advantage. But as far as that game goes in the past five, 10 years, none of that has mattered in terms of the outcome of the actual game, right? It has not been always the better team has won. And Michigan has been on the losing end of that when they should have won multiple, multiple times. So that's what I think is the most

concerning thing about that game for sure and so I is there you know Lexi from your perspective is there a spot of the like from a positional standpoint or like a game plan standpoint is there something that concerns you the most about going into that game? I mean, it's just going to be to focus on, like, Michigan State's offensive weapons. I mean, you've got, you know, the run game, and then you've had, you know, Naylor and Reed that have been kicking off. It's like we got to not, you know,

they need to take it all in consideration when, like, for the defense. And I mean, I think that our defense can do that I think that they have the ability to and the confidence to um but it's really that's going to be like the biggest point for me because you know you got to stop them because I think our offense can put up points um against their defense to be honest like I really think that we're gonna it might be end up being like a higher scoring game for our offense, hopefully, but yeah, it's really just about stopping the offensive weapons they have.

And they it's increasingly gotten better with each week. So it's making me more nervous coming up to it, that more people are appearing to really like, you know, run it for them. So it's gonna, it's one thing I want to focus on. I mean, I was talking to these guys too. Michigan state's looking more and more like Ohio state kind of every week. They to focus on. I mean, I was talking to these guys, too. Michigan State's looking more and more like Ohio State kind of every week. They're more explosive. I mean, they have playmakers that, you know, quarterback, running back,

and, you know, multiple receivers. So that's, you know, that's nervous. We've seen – that makes me very nervous. We've seen Michigan get burned like that, you know, in recent history. I mean, Don Brown's defense is a different defense than McDonald's. So hopefully that takes it away. But, I mean, Don Brown's defense is a different defense than McDonald's, so hopefully that takes it away, but I mean, Sparty's got an explosive offense, and they could come out of nowhere and, you know, strike

quick in that game. Except for last weekend, right? I mean, against Indiana, they were looking pretty sluggish, pretty slow. I'm going to be watching that tape if I'm Mike McDonald. Yeah, let's hope for that game. What is it about Indiana and exposing big 10 teams

it's like they did it even they had michael pennix in that game they would have won a hundred percent their quarterback was awful it was like there was a i like we tweeted it out there was a portion of that at the end of that game where nobody wanted to win it was like back and forth like how can we fuck this up basically and it was like I I just didn't I I don't know that was the one thing where like people for four weeks there with MSU were like this offense is unstoppable Kenneth Walker you can't stop him. And then like Jay Nailer and read, it's like, you can't stop them. And I'm like, I don't think they're unstoppable. I think they're very good, but I think that like, if you stop those big plays, they can't consistently go at

you, you know? And I think that that's where in my head, like, I think our D line in front seven if they can hold you know uh Kenneth Walker to smaller plays and not let him break the big one uh and then if the D if the D backs don't get burnt which they haven't gotten burnt all year then we're gonna be in okay shape it's just I think more gonna be on the offense to when Cade McNamara gets a shot deep, he doesn't overthrow it. You know, we have to convert and take advantage of those plays. For sure. Yeah. I mean, that's, that's what I've said, right? It's like, I don't, you know,

I'm still not super comfortable with Cade's, you know, ability to throw the deep ball consistently. And that makes me nervous for big games. I mean, obviously we'll need it in the Ohio state game. You'll need it at Penn state, Michigan state, if their offense looks like they did every week, except for Indiana, you'll need that there too. Well, let's ask you that then, Lexi. This may be very controversial,

but where do you stand on the Cade versus JJ situation that Jim Harbaugh, I think it like is keeping him up at night every single night right now. But what do you, where do you stand on what they, what do you think they should do with that? I think that Cade is a great game manager and I think that he has absolutely helped us win in these games so far this season um do I think that that type of game management is going to win in the big games against really good teams I'm going to be honest I don't think so I don't have the confidence in that yet I should say I haven't seen enough to say that he's electric enough to stun a good defense you know what I mean so I just I need to see that but it's just

when JJ comes out on the field it's just so like I said electric it's so like I feel like that's who everyone wants and I mean I don't mean that in a way that Cade isn't a good quarterback because he is and I I just I think that JJ can carry this team to games against rivals more confidently than Cade could but I would love to be proved wrong in that you know what I mean I really would I just don't have enough yet to say that Cade could go in and win those big games with the style and management he's played so far I think I think that's a pretty good take yeah it's controversial though because anytime I mentioned JJ on Twitter everyone's like ah just like attacks me and messages me and whatever. And I'm like, whoa, chill.

You know, I mean, it's accurate, right? Like, Cade's a very good game manager. I think he makes, I mean, he's, his decision making is, I think, 10 out of 10. It's incredible. he just doesn't have the athletic ability that JJ does where he can extend plays and run around. And with those read options, you know, you get, you know, just more going on the run game where the defense has to account for and JJ can make all the throws, you know, it's just, Cade's a very, very good quarterback. I think, I just think JJ has got such a,

so much more potential where when you need a big play to be made, I'm more likely to have confidence need a big play to be made, I'm more likely to have confidence in JJ being able to do that than I am with Kate. Exactly. Yeah. I feel like, well, I feel like, you know, if I was going to, I know I'm looking at a large time range of time, but if I was going to look at like alabama and try to like relate it to michigan

i would say that like kade is like my aj mccarran right good quarterback led alabama to a national title and won but i kind of want like a tua right a guy that you just throw in there he goes in does something crazy and like we he just won a national title too but like it was amazing and i feel like jj maybe has a little bit more of that like it factor that you can just throw him in he does something wild and you're like wow what what is that like x factor guy yeah i i think that i mean i don't think Cade, the problem, the big problem is that Cade hasn't done anything wrong. He has one turnover, you know, like that's the issue.

And it should have been an offside. And it should have been an offsides, right? So like, you know, PFF put it out today that he has zero, you know, technically with that being offside, he has zero turnover worthy plays this year. So like, that's what I think Jim struggles with so much is, you know, technically with that being offside, he has zero turnover worthy plays this year. So like, that's what I think Jim struggles with so much is, you know, how do I tell this guy that's done everything I've asked of him that, Hey, you're still, you know, not the guy you're still not good enough to start here at Michigan. And so that's what I think he struggles with. And I

think Jim is, he's so, he definitely is that guy that sticks with, you know, his guys, right? And I think Cade's his guy right now. So – but at the same time, my thought process is, like, if you want to win that game against that team down south, magic has to happen somehow. Something magical. It has to be, be like you know and and I just don't think Kate is gonna create magic where I think JJ could be Johnny Manziel type of magic

where you're just like how the hell did he do that type of thing you know now I don't want to go out there and be like if JJ isn't Johnny Manziel then he's a failure you know but it's that type of vibe I get that you were saying Lexi of like something is just like what you're when he goes in there you're like what could possibly happen right here I mean just I always think about that throw he made like across the field like now I just I mean it's just that's like a throw like a an NFL quarterback makes Rodgers freshman this freshman comes in and does it when he's not even starting and just being thrown into the game so I did that just that kind of stuff and that's like what sticks in my head

and I mean I'm fine with it you know Harbaugh starting Cade and then you know maybe we work through like you know like how it's been going but I think that towards the end of the season we're going to start seeing more JJ. I just, I really think that. Yeah. I feel like everybody we talked to has the same feeling on that too. And that's the great thing about JJ getting in seemingly every game is here. I think he's gotten in every game and they'll throw them in. It almost seems like any time to either just provide a spark or just throw a

little wrinkle in the defense. And, you know, that makes it a little bit easier to be like, Hey, you know, let's give him a drive. If you know, he looks pretty good. We'll keep him in for the next drive. And then that transition just slowly happens over time if it needs to. Right. Which, which is great. I mean, it's setting Michigan up for success, I think. Yeah. I'd like to, I'd like to kind of segue that into like this weekend

right i mean i personally i look at a team like this and i go like this looks like a great weekend to not overlook northwestern right to me i say let's let kade play the first half and JJ the second. I'm in for that. Honestly, even maybe before. What do you guys think about first quarter and second quarter so that they're actually meaningful snaps instead of all garbage time? Right. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I mean, I think it just depends on the score of the game, right?

I mean, if Michigan's blowing them out, I think there's no excuse not to put J.J. in there. Well, then you've got to put Dan Valarian. They better put Dan Valarian in. You've got to put Valarian in. You better throw the ball, too. Want to win, put Dan in. That's right.

Yeah, I mean, it is kind of funny. We're, you know, how many minutes into this podcast and there's a game against Northwestern, if we want to touch on that, it's like, they, they're just a bad football team. I'm sorry to say to any Northwestern fans out there and Pat Fitzgerald. And I, you know, I respect Pat Fitzgerald, but with how much they lost last year, it's just going to be a down year for them. And I think that my prediction for this weekend is that we're going

to run it and run it and run it and run it and run it. And it might be a boring game, but, you know, I think that they're going to utilize, uh, Haskins and Corum and, you know, run that, that, uh, that score up against them until Northwestern can stop it. So, you know know but i would say the bright side is we got football back in the big house right so um that's the exciting thing so are you i know you're not unfortunately going to the game but i'm just like it feels like we've been months without michigan football through the bi-week don't you think lexi yeah i do and you know just with uh I've only been to like a couple games so far like I didn't get to go to the maze out you know for that one stupid weddings anyway don't have weddings during fall weddings what are you doing so like what the hell so I'm going to

I was telling these guys last week uh I'm going to a wedding this weekend, but it's Friday. So at least, yep. Like I typically am not a fan of Friday weddings, but if it's football season, I'm, I am more than happy to, you know, work with that. This is going to be a, you know, long night going into a quick turnaround for the morning tailgate, but it's all, it's all worth it. Right. Yeah. I'm gonna say I'm excited um you know I'll be watching from Colorado but I will definitely be at the Indiana game so that's what I'm excited for just getting back in there I love it when it's like at home you know it's just it just feels so good to be you know tailgating especially after not having football in person for a year I'm never gonna ever

take it for granted again I'm never going to RSVP to a wedding in the fall again. But yeah, it's always exciting when the game's in Ann Arbor. Well, and say the great thing about you being out in Colorado for the game, what's the kickoff time? 10 a.m. for you out there? Yeah, I think so. And I got to do my other show that i'm producing i gotta be up at like 7 30 their time so i don't fly in till 10 30 at night so i think we're gonna i'll probably just end up staying up the whole time oh man rocking with it i'll take like a midday nap there you go i just get a lot of joy out of imagining you getting an rsvp for a wedding in the mail and checking no

right like a big red x how dare you oh man that that is that is good i you know i always wonder i know we've got some listeners that are on the west coast for sure that uh you know tell us about it i always wondered what that's like to like wake up at 9 or 10 a.m and all of a sudden there's football on I obviously I've been up early setting up for a tailgate and stuff but getting up that early and just like it's already game time is it's going to be interesting for you to experience that yeah for sure it's like the one legger like London games and NFL when I'm like football's not as 9 a.m. What the heck's going on, you know?

But yeah, it'll be I'll probably be the only one like awake and I'll be like, you know, getting excited. I saw a tweet the other day. It was talking about Americans who watch European like Premier League soccer. And they're like, it's a different breed of people in America that can wake up at 7 a.m like tweeting f us at soccer players that early so you'll get a little uh a little bite of that for sure that's dedication for sure well uh i do have some questions uh kind of more on the personal side for you too. So you're a female on Twitter with a bunch of male Michigan, you know, followers and

things like that. What's the, I want to know like the worst thing that you've gotten received from like somebody that's like disrespecting you or just like annoying people thinking that you can't rock with Michigan or can't rock with sports in general because you're a girl yeah I mean I turned off my messages unless I follow you a long time ago yeah it's it's just necessary beyond sports um but no I it's just it's always the whole the same song and dance of, I didn't go to Michigan. You know, I'm a, I'm a Walmart Wolverine. Aren't we all, you know, or that I, you know,

I remember one time I posted like a picture of my desk at work. I work at the school of business for the university of Michigan. So yeah, my desk is going to be all like maize and blue, everything. And these people told me how like obsessed and how like, I'm like a psycho and all this stuff. It's like, no, I'm just, I work for U of M. And even if I didn't, you know, I, it's always, I just got to find some type of way, especially being a female of what can not make me a fan, you know, or, or what I don't really know. Or if I just copy things of what other people say, I've, I've been accused of like plagiarism because of an opinion. It's like, Oh, my opinion matched somebody else's sue me, you know, like it's, it's, it's just things like that. You know, I've, I found that, um, you know, a lot of men are intimidated by me. I mean, in females in general, that's of course my whole life. I mean, since I was eight years old, it's always been that whole life. I mean, since I was eight years old, it's always been that way. Like I always find the weak ones when they're like offended or

like, you know, threatened by me. Um, but it's just, it's, it can get brutal. Um, you always get the kind of like, you know, stay in the kitchen, you know, make me a sandwich. It's like, okay. Um, isn't that like, that's not even funny so let's do it i'll show you bottom tier internet trolling yeah it always is and i mean i see it across the platform um with a lot of um women you know i try to just always stick my neck out to like support them and make sure that you know even other guys can come in and chime in like, Hey, let's make sure this guy never says anything to a woman like this again. You know, like, yeah, you got to take it with stride because it's just keyboard warriors and they're very insecure with themselves.

There you go. That's all you can chalk it up to. Um, but I mean, honestly, you could say that for a lot of things, right? I think females get the worst of it that's for sure in terms of sports social media but in general like that's been our you know our attitude towards social media and towards like just doing this is we're here we want to have fun I'm not trying to make enemies and I'm not trying to hate Ohio State and Michigan State and like I will make fun and jabs and things like that and that's fun to do and I like the back and forth but you know I'm not here to like truly make enemies you know and so and none of us are obviously so I think it goes and we can tell who the we try to sync up with the people who are similar so that's why you know we we like to have you on here and interact

with you and stuff like that yeah for sure I'm excited for it um yeah it's just you know just it's like I said this has been my life my whole life so I mean I think my entire life I rarely came across another girl that just knew like through and through like across college basketball college football NFL NBA baseball I was way more into hockey when i was a kid not as much but i just i never had you know that and coming to twitter i just have realized that there are more women that are truly like me and not just like one sport oriented or whatnot and so that's been kind of cool to see too that it's like okay i wasn't the only one like but there you go there you go that's that's cool to find out. I think for sure. And,

and find more women like you that are, that are doing that. Um, you know, just having like-minded people along with you is, is a cool thing for sure. Um, so you mentioned like hockey and college basketball. So let's get into that a little bit. Are you, you know, obviously you're going to Chrysler tomorrow night. We're going to Chrysler tomorrow night too to check it out so that'll be cool um to see the team and and see all that i being in chrysler again will be very fun um i've been fortunate to be in there a couple times but i'm sure that there are a lot of people out there that haven't so um that'll be sweet but um yeah what do you what do you think about this? The hype about this basketball team, you know, going into 2021 right now?

Oh, my God. I was like, I'm like a giddy little schoolgirl, I swear. Like, you know, it's just it's such a different vibe than football where it's like, you know, I don't put a lot of expectations and stuff but I mean just seeing how seamlessly the transition from beeline to Juwan has been and just how much more he's brought in such a small amount of time it's like I am so psyched for the future I mean I just the recruiting the the chemistry that the coach is just everything. I am so excited. I have very high expectations and I just feel like I'm allowed to, because it's like shown us, you know, many times how winning big games and going into places where we shouldn't win and pulling out, you know, and then being able to go deep in the tournament. It's just, it's been,

it's been exciting. So I'm really, really excited. Yeah. I think, I think think everybody I know we've talked about this too is basketball season is just so much more fun Michigan basketball they can lose and like it's like not the end of the world Michigan football they lose one game and it's just a nightmare don't go on social media like don't talk to anybody but basketball season is just so much more fun so much more enjoyable and Juwan and that team is so special and fun to watch so I obviously I love football season it's football season right now the team's doing so well but I'm with you I'm a

giddy little school girl ready for a basketball season to start I can't wait right very well yeah it's uh it's kind of funny because you know they're putting on this Michigan Madness event and I think that there's significant excitement about it. But because the football team's doing so well, people are like a little hesitant to shift to basketball already, right? Where like, I was talking last night, I was like, even if the football team had like a loss

or two losses, people would be like, already ready, it's basketball season, you know, we're ready to go. But I think, you know, you just have to, Hey, we have to learn to be able to cheer for two teams at one time. Cause no come November, let's hope that football is still rolling and basketball is going to start. Right. But you know, you just have to give it up to Juwan Howard and what he's done here at Michigan. And just like, honestly, my thought about it is it's so much beyond the court, right? It is like what he's been able to do culture wise has been the coolest part of

seeing Juwan Howard come back to Michigan. Just he wants to be involved in everything that's going on. He, you know, reaches out to people to get out on campus and meet students and things like that. He He, you know, reaches out to people to get out on campus and meet students and things like that. He is, you know, that cool uncle and, and, you know, that mentor for these kids that he's coaching. And so, um, you know, have you seen, I always kind of thought about it, but I wanted to ask you too, have you seen a coach at any sport at any level anywhere that's had like such an immediate impact like Juwan Howard has on Michigan basketball no and I don't think anyone ever could match it it's just you know and I'll stand by this until the end that I don't think there isn't a

person that wouldn't want to play for Juwan I I mean, across the board, it doesn't matter where they come from. Like, I just think that he is what the embodiment of what a college basketball player would. I mean, I should say college athlete wishes they could play for. I mean, because he's just so genuine down to earth, connects easy with people, personable. You know, it's just across the board, just a great guy and a good coach. You know, I mean, a lot of people didn't think it was a great hire, you know, thanks bringing in the Michigan man has been a curse, you know? And, and I think that he just didn't care about any of that and just came in and has done his thing. And it's,

it's been incredible to watch. It's been been it's been special for sure and I'm like I'm just obviously we've seen him win big 10 titles now um you know but like I'm waiting for that moment where they can raise the national championship trophy and just like the the emotion that I'm expecting knock on wood obviously but the emotion I'm expecting on Juwan Howard's face in that moment is like I'm gonna tear up I'm I'm like emotional thinking about it but like I you know I I'm a firm believer that there's gonna be a moment here in the next five years at some point he's gonna do that and it's just gonna be like that is what he you know has that's been his life goal right and so I I like I I just can't wait for that moment for him and to be able

to experience it and I think as much as as much shit as we've been through as Michigan fans like we got to just enjoy what Juwan Howard brings to the table right now. And, you know, honestly bring that back to football, enjoy being six and Oh, enjoy what's going on right now, because I think we're probably thinking it in this room. It's like, we're waiting for the inevitable of crap. That's going to come at some point, but I have to keep reminding myself, like, there are not very many six and0 teams in the country right now.

So, like, enjoy it while it's, you know, while it's here and enjoy all that. So, yeah, I feel like you're on the same page with us in that sense. Yeah, for sure. Cool. All right. Well, all right. So, the rest, to wrap it up here, we've got Northwestern coming up, then Sparty, and then a lot of other big games here.

What is your – I don't know if you want to be a homer or be realistic in this, but what would you say now after, you know, you said you would have thought we were going to be 500 before the season. You were sitting here going into the second half of the season at six and now, what are you going to say is our prediction is your prediction for the, that final record at the end of the year? So I think that if we can go into East Lansing and win, that we will be undefeated going into Ohio state.

Wow. I agree. If we lose that, I think we might chuck up a loss to Penn state as well. I think that it would be, it's really, it's all or nothing in my eyes. Like I think that if we can win against Michigan state, then I'm going to that game, you know, with my season tickets, I normally don't go to Ohio State games or Michigan State games,

but I will go to that game if we are undefeated. Oh, boy. You're setting it up. You're setting it up right now. I am. Go big or go home. I love it. I love it.

I do think, I mean, I agree with you. I think that game on October 30th is like a huge indicator of, is this program and this team specifically actually different? Or has it been, can they walk the walk? Or have they just been talking the talk? I think that's a big, big deal. So that is going to be, it's going to be a big day. I think for Michigan fans, it might be the biggest day of the year.

So it's going to be interesting how it pans out. Yeah. Are you guys on that kind of same page? Because I'm kind of with Lexi, dude. I think the absolute floor right now is 9-3. And that's like, that would be a disaster, right? You'd go 3-3 in your remaining games. But I'm not super sure about Michigan State.

I think they're going to take care of business at Penn State, you know, especially if Clifford is out. I think he'll be backed by them. And if he's out, then they're definitely taking care of business at Penn State. But if they beat Sparty, dude, I agree with you. I think they're undefeated going into that Ohio State game. Could you imagine, like, oh, my god i will be shitting my pants i know i mean like at least a noon game regardless you know right so you ain't gonna make me wait long but oh my god

i would just be i'm even anxious getting like up stomachs like this in knots thinking of it right now the emotional wreck yeah it would be and i don't like get drunk anymore so i don't know I'm even anxious getting like up stomachs like this in knots thinking of it right now. Emotional wreck. Yeah, it would be. And I don't like get drunk anymore. So I don't know. Oh man. You're going to have to find some substance to, uh, to help you out there. I don't know what it is, but put a cold towel or on your neck. I need to relax. But put a cold towel or on your neck. Yeah.

All right. Well, thank you so much for joining us. Uh, we really appreciate you. Um, you know, hopefully we'll see you at a game here. Maybe the, uh, the Indiana game, um, obviously we'll be, uh, you know, interacting on Twitter, um, with the rest of all of our, our followers, followers, which has been fun for sure up until this point. And hopefully we keep growing and, and you know, that'll be fun as well. So we got to get you some blue by 90 gear as well. So. Yes. Yes. I know. I, it's just been a tough couple of months, but I'm going to get that grit hat. I love it. I love the idea. I love it. You want to send any over? Feel free.

Hey, all right. Well, we'll take a look. We'll take a look for sure. I'm rocking the new, uh, the new, uh, hoodie here, the baby blue blue by 90. So I love it. That is like crisp. I just got it today and I'm like, all right, I'm going to rock this like every day now. Um, so there's, uh, obviously a lot more on our, on our site, blue by 90 shop.com as well. Um, some beat state gear out there too. So go check it out there. Um, big thanks to truly as well. Uh, you know, there'll be, we'll have plenty of those at the tailgate on Saturday, uh, for the game for Northwestern. We'll be out there at 8 a.m. to get it rocking. We'll actually be there throughout the game too.

So we'll do a pregame, middle of the game, postgame, and do it all. Keep it rocking. Don't expect me to be standing by the end of the day, but it is what it is. But plug yourself real quick before we hop off here, where can people follow you Lexi and, uh, you know, on Twitter, Instagram, and what do you got coming up for us? Yeah. So I, uh, go blue Lexi one, one seven on Twitter. Um, Lexi underscore go blue on Instagram. Um, big things coming big things happening i'm excited for the future i'm excited for you guys and how far you've come and i'm just i'm really

happy i was able to come on sweet all right well thank you for coming on we appreciate it this was uh this was great so for us you can follow us at blue by 90 on twitter instagram and facebook at blue by 90 podcast on youtube as well and with that we say go blue go blue go blue