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guess I have to be first on that list. Bill Martin knew what he was doing all along. Michigan could not have hired a better candidate to replace Lloyd Carr. This changes a whole lot in Ann Arbor, including ( cover your ears Bo) the spread offense being run by MICHIGAN in the Big House. Did you think you would ever see that day come?

Change was needed in Ann Arbor. Michigan was very stuck in their ways and with a Bo disciple running the program, ( Lloyd Carr), they were running in circles. Now with Rich Rodriguez in charge, Michigan can look to the future and be hopeful.

I can't put it into words how excited I am about this hire for Michigan. Rodriguez was my second choice behind Brian Kelly to succeed Lloyd Carr. There were rumors floating that Michigan would give offensive coordinator Mike Debord the interim label for a year and try to hire another huge name next year. That would have been a disaster. ALSO, LES MILES NOT GETTING THIS JOB WAS THE BEST THING THAT ANY MICHIGAN FAN COULD HAVE ASKED FOR.

Les was very much like Bo and Michigan would have probably reverted back to three yards and a cloud of dust. There is zero chance of that happening now with Rich Rodriguez's offense being the staple in Ann Arbor.

Congratulations to the Wolverines and Bill Martin for abandoning the status quo. That was a huge step in guiding Michigan back to the elite of college football. Of course, there will be questions about this hire.

What took Bill Martin so long? From the outset, Bill Martin said that he would get the best candidate for the job, no matter how long it took. Martin accomplished that.

What about all the recruits Michigan lost this past month? I'll answer that with a question of my own. What about all the recruits Michigan just GAINED? Rich Rodriguez brings buzz, excitement, a wiining record and mentality.

You can mock him for getting that record in the Big East. ( FYI fellow Big Ten fans, the Big East was top to bottom better than the Big Ten this year.) You can point out that Rodriguez and his Mountaineers blew a chance of playing in the BCS title game by losing to Pitt. I can't argue that, but name me a coach or team who didn't blow a game or title opportunity this year. I hear crickets.

As you can tell, I'm behind this hiring 100%. Change was needed and will happen in Ann Arbor. It will not happen overnight. Rodriguez has to get athletes and guys who know the spread offense to play at Michigan. If he can recruit those guys to play at West Virginia, he will find it easy to recruit those same guys to Michigan.

January 1 2008 will be, in a way, and ending of an era. After that day, there will be no more Henne, Hart, Long or Carr. There will be enthusiam, nervous anticiaption, excitement and change. It's what Michigan needs and Bill Martin knew it all along.