The FAA’s grounding of flights across the U.S. has created a messy travel picture for a handful of Michigan teams, but most of the state’s major pro and college clubs appear to be in the clear. The one big question mark, as of 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, is in East Lansing.
Michigan State was set to host Washington in a Big Ten football game at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, and the Spartans are already in place.
The Huskies, though, have not yet left Seattle, which puts the game in doubt. The timing makes things even trickier: there isn’t much room to slide the matchup around this weekend or early next week, since MSU is also scheduled to host Oregon on Friday, Nov.
Michigan’s teams, meanwhile, are mostly settled. The Wolverines traveled to Eugene on Thursday and are on track for their football game against Oregon at 3:30 p.m.
Saturday. The only potential issue still ahead for U-M is the men’s basketball team’s home game against William & Mary, which is supposed to tip at 2 p.m.
Sunday. William & Mary is coming from Virginia.
The Detroit Lions are already overseas and should be unaffected. They’re in Munich, Germany, where they’re scheduled to “host” the New England Patriots at 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday at Allianz Arena.
The Pistons also seem to be fine. They already flew to Miami before Saturday night’s game after playing the Washington Wizards in D.C. on Thursday night.
And the Red Wings, who are in the middle of a longer road swing, have already made it to Tampa. They played the Florida Panthers on Thursday in the southeast part of the state and are set to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. After that, they’ll have time to get back to Detroit before their next game, which is scheduled for Nov. 18 against the Boston Bruins at Little Caesars Arena.
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Michigan's Slump Just Turned Into A Bigger Kyle Whittingham Problem
Michigans recent struggles have done more than raise questions about the product on the field. They have also opened the door for a louder conversation around Kyle Whittinghams leadership, with former Wolverines Taylor Lewan, Jake Butt and Devin Gardner all publicly taking aim at the direction of the program after the latest rough stretch.
The criticism has not been limited to ex-players, either. Analyst Joel Klatt has said he is unsure what the future looks like for Whittingham in Ann Arbor, while Josh Pate has offered a bleak read on where things could be headed if the current slide continues. For a fan base already uneasy about the teams trajectory, the debate is shifting from one bad run to a bigger question about whether the program is still pointed the right way. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Suddenly Have A Very Real Kyle Whittingham Question
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Whittingham is working under a five-year contract with a sizable buyout, which makes any change complicated even before the results on the field are sorted out. If the season continues to trend the wrong way, the question is no longer just about how the staff adjusts now, but whether the program would be willing to make a major move and consider the names that would surface if that door opens. [Read more 🡒]
Desmond Howard Just Sparked Another Michigan-Ohio State Flashpoint
Desmond Howard has never been shy about weighing in on the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, and his latest comments on Jeremiah Smith only added another layer to a feud that already lives on emotion as much as analysis. Howard questioned Smiths Heisman Trophy case by pointing to the receivers impact in big games over the past two seasons, a critique that quickly traveled beyond the usual rivalry chatter because of who was saying it and who it was about.
Robert Griffin III pushed back on the broadcast, implying Howards Michigan ties shaped the take, and the exchange turned a Heisman debate into another flashpoint between the two fan bases. Smith, meanwhile, has kept producing despite quarterback issues around him and remains one of the favorites for the award, which only makes the scrutiny around his rsum more pointed as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
