The District

It is not new. Anti-vaccinationists have been around for a long, long time. From small pox to other pandemics, plague’s and health crisis there have been people who have resisted vaccines  for one reason or another. As the COVID-19 global pandemic rages on, this time in the variation of the Omicron the question becomes when will people get vaccinated?

I must say it is certainly a persons right to not get vaccinated. I have no problem with that. I would also like to say that to me that comes off as being a bit selfish. Let me elaborate.

The way to end pandemics are through vaccinations. It is also the single best way to protect your love ones. 800,598 people in the United States have passed away from COVID-19. If those people had been vaccinated or people around them the numbers would not be as high.

What boggles my mind is that unvaccinated people believe they are entitled to the same rights as vaccinated people. This is a dangerous place to tread, I understand that. But, as a father of three children and a wife who’s health is compromised I feel that unless people are willing to look beyond themselves they should have some restrictions.

men and woman in the armed forces fight for our freedom daily. I get to move about because of the sacrifice being made. Getting a vaccine is a sacrifice that should be easy. It should cause people to unite in a fight for freedom of health.

The more people resist the longer it is going to take to get over this death machine known as COVID. I remember in the during the 1970’s when C-3PO and R2-D2 were encouraging people to get vaccinated for Whooping Cough.

Maybe the two iconic Star Wars characters should be brought in to encourage once again.

Last week the Michigan Wolverines football team finally got over the hump and beat Ohio State. The Iowa Hawkeyes needed help, after Minnesota beat the Wisconsin Badgers and the Hawkeyes defeated Nebraska the Big Ten Championship game was set. 11-1 Michigan vs 10-2 Iowa. The game is played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the first Big Ten Championship Game sell-out.

The Michigan Wolverines arrive in Indianapolis ridding the Big Ten’s best running game and one of the best in the country. Hassan Haskins who torched Ohio State for five touchdowns, leads the Wolverines rushing attack with 1,232 yards and averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Blake Corum is the other part of the Michigan two-headed run game. Corum has run for 865 yards and averaged 6.4 yards per carry.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have struggled on offense the entire 2021 season. So how did Iowa make it this far? Defense. The Hawkeyes defense is a very good, very stout group. They do not generate a tremendous pass rush, but the linebackers and secondary makes life difficult for offenses.

For Iowa to come away with a win they must slow down the Wolverines ground game. No easy task as Michigan’s offensive line is among the best in the country. They also must try to contain both Wolverines starting defensive ends Aiden Hutchinson and David Ojabo. One small problem. The Hawkeyes right and left tackles are not graded high so this could be a mismatch to watch.

At the end of the day or game if you prefer, Michigan is the more balanced team. A team that showed against Ohio State they can beat anyone and are a threat to win the National Championship.

Iowa by no means backed into the Big Ten title match. 10-2 is a very good season. But, for the Hawkeyes for come away with the upset they need to somehow find an offense to put points on the board. The solid defense will get worn down if they are on the field for long periods of time.

Big Ten Championship prediction: Michigan 33- Iowa 20

The Michigan Wolverines are playing for the Big Ten Championship, Saturday night. In what may be one of the most unique seasons in the school’s history. Head coach Jim Harbaugh took a pay cut, fired most of his coaches, hired new coaches and named a new starting quarterback. Then went out and one a spot in the championship game. But why did it take this long? Let’s dive in.

Before Jim Harbaugh arrived in Ann Arbor, the Michigan Wolverines football team was headed by Brady Hoke and Rich Rodriguez before him. Rodriguez and for the most part Hoke’s teams were pretty much finesse driven. Which is fine and all I mean Ohio State has played that way for a long time.

Jim Harbaugh is a power football guy. His philosophy is a rock solid offensive line and defensive line. Harbaugh would rather have his lines dictate the game, as was the case Saturday when Michigan used power to shove Ohio State defenders all over the field.

Coaches recruit for the system and style they like. That said when Harbaugh took over for Brady Hoke there was a team with a lot of finesse players on the roster. Not only that but Michigan already had more recruit’s from Hoke that would be enrolled that fall.

Those players would stay at Michigan at least three seasons. Harbaugh began to recruit the players he preferred many did not play right away. This is year seven for Harbaugh at Michigan his players whom he had groomed started to look like Michigan football teams of the past.

Now with his team having a chance to play together and gain some much needed team chemistry the Wolverines were taking shape. I am not making excuses for why it took so many seasons, I am just examining the why.

This season with his vision finally matching the on-field  product, Harbaugh’s Wolverines were a power football machine. The way to beat finesse teams is with power football. Power wins nearly every time.

Michigan Fans and fans that follow the Big Ten should get use to this style of Wolverines Football it is what the head coach runs and it wins a lot of games.