Michigan Soccer: Photos of new stadium going up

from MGoBlue

Michigan New Soccer Stadium -- 3/2/2010 pictures taken



Written by GBMW Staff

Go Blue -- Wear Maize!

Links of Interest for Michigan

UM to build new 6 million dollar soccer stadium http://www.metromodemedia.com/devnews/umsoccerstadiumannarbor0118.aspx

Secret Poll http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2009/05/college_football_secret_coache.html

Why football does not have innings http://deadspin.com/5271387/this-is-why-football-does-not-have-innings

Molk Award nominee http://www.mgoblue.com/football/article.aspx?id=179314

UM Broadcasters to Help Children’s Hospital http://www2.med.umich.edu/prmc/media/newsroom/details.cfm?ID=1164

Joe wants to expand – just not with ND http://www.freep.com/article/20090528/SPORTS06/905280496/1054/Paterno++Expand+the+Big+Ten++just+no+Irish
Secret Poll http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2009/05/college_football_secret_coache.html

Jeremy Johnson: WV Commit http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/200905280037

Marcus Coker: Commits Gophers http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/46315167.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUHPYDiaK7DUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

Daunte Carr: Final four (UM not 1) http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=Southeast_Recruiting

B10 should expand schedule http://www.wilx.com/blogs/sportsblog/46264117.html

DSU messed up http://www.freep.com/article/20090527/SPORTS06/90527076/1048/sports/Delaware+State+sure+messed+things+up+by+agreeing+to+play+U-M

Talent map http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/05/22/army-map/index.html

RB

Lache Seastrunk: Interest in Auburn http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/442/story/731752.html
Brennan Clay: Tate’s presence http://www.detnews.com/article/20090528/OPINION03/905280414/1131/sports0201/Tate-Forcier-s-U-M-connection-might-tempt-Brennan-Clay

Darion Hall: 1791 yards and 21 touchdowns last season http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/may/28/prep-football-areas-high-powered-offenses-look-new/

Noles/Cane lead http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/player?page=onthetrail&recruitId=79008

WR

Markeith Ambles: Will visit Trojans http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/columns/story?columnist=shurburtt_jc&id=4208912

Slot

Trovon Reed: Hoping to narrow http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=West_Recruiting

OL

Colin Porter: UW interest http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/huskyfootballblog/2009271056_fetters_talks_recruiting_1.html
DT

Richard Ash: Possible NC visit http://www.thebigspur.com/news/story.php?article=2970

DE

Jordan Paskorz: UM Commit #11 –Commits http://www.freep.com/article/20090527/SPORTS06/90527088

Dakota Royer: Blue-chip http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/238055

LB

Jordan Hicks: state caliber (track) http://www.courier-gazette.com/articles/2009/05/27/sports_update/538.txt

Tony Jefferson: On TX radar http://www.burntorangenation.com/2009/5/28/890812/morning-coffee-sees-new-prospects

Matt Zakrzewski: 3rd D1 http://www.record-eagle.com/sports/local_story_148070039.html

CB

Cody Riggs: All-Broward Award http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/high-schools/story/1068422.html

names leaders http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/player?page=onthetrail&recruitId=78935

S

Marvin Robinson: UM Commit – Spring standout http://www.theledger.com/article/20090528/NEWS/905285014?Title=Spring-Football-Glance-Ridge-Lake-Region-and-Victory-Christian

Basketball

Coach B to work with Junior Team http://www.freep.com/article/20090527/SPORTS06/90527081/1054/U-M+s+John+Belein+to+work+with+U.S.+junior+teams+this+summer

Beilein selected as court coach http://www.bigtennetwork.com/sports/mbasketball/story.asp?list_id=1&story_id=3246793

Written by Steve

Mailbag question: What is your take on adding another team to the Big Ten conference or should they?

Hello,

Have not seen your guys take on the JoePa and "needing to add another team to the Big Ten conference" and also what Delaney has said about it.

What is your take about adding another team? Do you favor it? Would it help the conference? Would we compete with the SEC now?

Also what are the bad things with adding another team if any?

Do you favor the 11 teams now and could they tweak it better? Add more weeks? Play more teams, etc.?

Interesting to hear your side of this argument that has been debated on the message boards for awhile now?

Greg

-----------------------------------

Thanks for the question.

Here is the biggest problem we see with adding a twelve team to the Big Ten conference.

If you divide conference into two divisions (such as a East / West) with Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan all in one division you have the biggest draws and toughest teams all beating the crap out of each other. Who are the other two teams that get placed with those four? How do you divide it fairly enough to where all the conference teams agree without feeling like they have been thrown into the tougher division?

Do you separate Ohio State and Michigan? What happens to "The Game"? If both sides agree they still want to play on the last weekend of the regular season, is it fair that they would possibly have a rematch in the conference championship game? Does it cheapen the rivalry if the regular season matchup loses its luster? There are a lot of questions, and right now nobody really knows the answers. One other thing to consider is if both Ohio State and Michigan are having good seasons -- would the loser in the conference championship game be out of the BCS? Factor into that scenario that a non-participant in the championship game could have just one loss, as with Texas and Oklahoma last year. Would the one-loss team jump over a two-loss loser of the Big Ten Championship game?

Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan are guaranteed to fill their stadiums and bring in big television ratings. This is important to the conference and to college football.

We do think that The Big Ten conference, with eleven teams, needs to come up with a way to stage a conference championship game in early December -- but there is the 12-team rule for conference championship games. One alternative is to somehow extend the season into the first week of December with bye weeks. The extra exposure is good for the conference (the Big Ten falls off the radar with its early conclusion to the schedule). The extra practices would be great for Big Ten teams as well, especailly if they are headed to bowl games. That would be a great first step to gaining on the other BCS conferences.

We think they could keep it the way it is (with 11 teams) and just play every team in the conference (Ten Big Ten games -- two non-conference games) to claim a true champion of the Big Ten conference. But money is involved, and most of the Big Ten conference teams do not like this idea because they believe they need to play easier teams to get to the magical six wins to be eligible for a bowl. Playing more games in conference would make that goal harder to achieve. Our take is that if you cannot get to .500 in conference play, you don't belong in a bowl anyway.

The logical choice, and one the Big Ten should wait for, is Notre Dame. They bring more than football to the table. They bring prestige, ratings, and a rabid national fan base. The addition of Notre Dame gives the Big Ten more national appeal beyond Michigan - Ohio State.

Since Notre Dame turned down the Big Ten before the only other teams in the area we would feel comfortable with would be Pitt, Cincinnati, and Missouri. The problems with teams such as Syracuse, Rutgers, and those type of teams people discuss are their locations. The Big Ten is a Midwest based conference and by adding another eastern team you would really stretch the boundaries of the conference.

This is more than just a football conference. Most of the conference travel is done by bus for most of the sports teams (Michigan who has twenty-five sports programs), so the desire to add a team must factor in the extra cost to each university for each sport and game.

Think of it this way: One weekend Iowa plays Ohio State in baseball, the next weekend Rutgers, the following weekend Penn State -- the travel cost, especially in these tough economic times, would really put a strain not only on the universities, but also the fan bases that would want to travel to these events. It is one thing for football and possibly basketball, but a completely different story for other sporting events.

Again we think Notre Dame is the best choice, but we're not sure they will ever want to be part of a conference in which they are not the "big fish." They would be on equal footing with Ohio State and Michigan. Do they want to admit they are on a level playing field as those teams and admit they are not elite anymore? Penn State used to be a "big fish" before they came into the Big Ten -- now they are one of the "other teams" in the Big Ten conference in most sports.

Thanks for stopping by http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/
If you have any questions please e-mail erocwolverine@gmail.com

Written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

Mailbag Question: Basketball Question

Hello guys,

Not sure if you will answer any basketball questions, but just wondering what you think Bill Martin and the university is waiting on in regards to the hoops program in getting basketball renovations since it seems every other program including baseball / softball / wrestling /soccer teams have already gotten their renovations?

Do you also know what the attendance for Crisler Arena is now?

Thanks,

Tom

------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the question. Yes, we will answer basketball questions as long as we know, or can find out, the answers.

The attendance for Crisler Arena is 13,751.

Michigan was lax when it came to updating all their facilities. It hurt their recruiting efforts in most sports.

Many football recruits and camp visitors left Michigan shaking their heads when comparing Michigan facilities to others in the Big Ten (especially Ohio State) and around the country.

Michigan not cutting the number of non-revenue sports made it difficult to keep up with others who were not so burdened. Michigan being a "PC" stronghold also hurt in this endeavor.

Most major colleges realize who pays the bills and take care of the "cash cows" programs. Remember, Michigan leaves a lot of money on the table by not advertising in Michigan Stadium. Without super efforts by Coach Schembechler, many of facilities we have would be even more sub par.

Many facilities have not been updated in over twenty-plus years before Bill Martin took over as athletic director.

The baseball and softball complex was completed last season. The reason is that they received a large amount of money to get the program going. Mr. and Mrs. Wilpon (Mets owner) donated a large sum of money for this, something like four million dollars.

The wrestling program received many donations as well and that is why they decided to have their own practice facility (at the tennis center location) instead of waiting to be added to the basketball practice facility because they have gotten support and money raised for their program.

The soccer stadium and soccer practice facility was built because the new football practice facility needed a place and took over where the old soccer field was located. In regards to the football practice facility, it has been said it took ten years to generate the money to get the facility built.

Well, we have said back in June (http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/2008/06/michigan-tidbits-football-and-hoopheads.html) that things were looking good for a new basketball practice facility. We believe it was delayed a little bit because of donations falling through along with the downturn of the Michigan economy. In addition, the football luxury boxes have not been selling as hot as they were when it started. They have 54 suites sold now in which in the spring they 42 suites. Also they have nearly 2,000 club seats sold.

What will happen when Crisler is renovated? From what we have heard, they are looking to make it smaller (around 12,000) or so, but this might depend on what price tag they decide to go with in regards to the plan.

Of course, a lot of this depends on how much money they decide to put into Crisler Arena. From what we heard a long time ago (nothing recently) they are doing like they did with the football renovations and getting three plans with three different price tags (small 25 million, medium 50 million, and larger 75 million - not saying those are the amounts they will spend just giving you an idea of what it could be). Michigan stadium went with the medium renovations and I believe Crisler will probably do the same thing, so I predict around 50 million.

What will be included? Well, from different ideas I have heard, it depends upon which price tag they choose. Some of the ideas I've heard involve making the arena smaller so there's more of a demand for tickets for every game, especially when this team gets good. Have heard they would like to somehow add luxury boxes, but am not sure if this is included in all the plans or just the high-end plan.

The main things that will get done are better seats. Keep sprucing up the place like they have the last couple of years: re-doing the locker room, the S&C room, and hiring an NBA S&C coach, new hoops, new shot clocks, re-doing the floor, new scorer's table, new lights, new speakers, etc. Have heard they want to paint the ceiling white to brighten it even more, make the concourse bigger for fans to move around easier and have more points of sale stuff (food, merchandise, etc.) and re-doing and expanding the restrooms for both men and women.

The win against Duke was huge, not only for the basketball team, but for the program and the direction its heading. In addition, the Duke game brought a lot of interest which included a sell-out crowd, and right now, that might be more important than the actual win because it is showing that people are interested in basketball and want to see them do well. As they start winning, especially against good teams, the fans start to show up which might put the renovation plans into play.

Been told by several people that Martin is going to take plans to the regents, or at least float the idea of something being done for the practice facility, in January. I believe it takes the regents three to four meetings to pass it all, before any new ground will be broken.

There is discussion of making the Maize Rage area (bench seating) bigger: going around the tunnel area where the band is now located, but that still might depend on the students' support.

People have complained to us about the students having to walk so far and in the cold, etc. Well, against Duke, they had no problem walking so far in the coldest day of the year, with bad conditions. It comes down to if they want to do it or not. Of course, winning might make this a hot ticket again and students might just want to go there no matter whom Michigan plays.

Things are being done: it just might not seem fast enough for some people, but they are being done -- slowly. We are confident that the practice facility (20 – 25 million?)is on its way very soon -- VERY SOON -- and then after the Michigan Stadium renovation is done, look for Crisler Arena to get its facelift (50 million?).

Written by ErocWolverine and CoachBt

BTN: Soccer Highlights

BTN: Michigan Men's Soccer vs Wisconsin

Michigan Women's Soccer: Recruiting Class Tops Big Ten

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/soccer-w/article.aspx?id=138958

U-M Recruiting Class Tops Conference, Ranked Nationally

Interview with new Michigan Women's Soccer coach
http://www.mgoblue.com/Multimedia/MultimediaCenter.aspx?categoryId=82190?id=107108

May 26, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team's 2008 recruiting class received the top ranking in the Big Ten Conference and a No. 16 ranking nationally from Soccer Buzz Magazine in its recently released recruiting rankings. The incoming class, which includes five top-200 prospects, was also tabbed as the second best in the Great Lakes Region.

Michigan will feature three newcomers that are ranked among the top 100 in the country by Soccer Buzz, led by goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer (Troy, Mich./Lahser HS), who was ranked No. 88; midfielder/defender Courtney Mercier (Erie, Pa./McDowell HS), the 90th-ranked prospect; and forward Clare Stachel (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central HS), the 99th-ranked prospect. Joining them will be a pair of top 200 players in defender Kimberly Siebert (Troy, Mich./Avondale HS), rated No. 138, and midfielder/defender Natalie Horner (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington HS), who was tagged as the 170th best prospect in the country.

The five ranked freshmen are part of an eight-member class that also features forward/midfielder Kristen Goncalves (Ann Arbor, Mich./Gabriel Richard Catholic HS), forward Meaghan Hennessy (Westlake, Ohio/Magnificat HS) and midfielder Kelsey Rogind (Emerald Hills, Calif./St. Francis HS).

With a No. 2 regional ranking, this year's class tied a program high on the Soccer Buzz rankings set by the 1999 class. That group was highlighted by Abby Crumpton (1999-2002), the program's all-time leading point getter, and Amy Sullivant (1999-2002), who amassed the fourth-highest career assists total.

The Wolverines graduated six seniors from the 2007 squad.