Keith Matheny of the Detroit Free Press wrote a great article today titled “Why fixing the damn roads is so complicated in Michigan”. The article explained all the reasons it has been so difficult to fix our roads. Reasons that have been in place for my entire life. Reasons that our state and local government use as excuses as to why our roads are in such bad condition. The reason has always been about the money. Here are excerpts from the article.
Michigan ranked 32nd of 50 U.S. states in total road spending per mile of state-controlled roads, according to a report last year from the nonprofit Reason Foundation, a libertarian public policy think tank that has conducted an annual, national highway report for the past 26 years.
Michigan’s highway system ranked 34th of 50 in the nation in overall cost-effectiveness and condition, according to Reason’s report — down 10 spots from its previous report. Michigan ranked in the bottom 10 in three of four pavement categories, for traffic congestion and for structurally deficient bridges.
Craig Bryson, spokesman for the Road Commission for Oakland County cut to the chase and said it best. “The reason Michigan’s road problems persist isn’t the wrong materials or a lack of road-building know-how; it’s money. We know how to build roads — we could build roads that last 50 years if we go down deep enough. The problem is we can’t even afford to maintain the roads we have. Michigan is among the bottom states in the nation for road funding, and we have been for 50 years.”
Fix the damn roads.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
At the conclusion of the Detroit Lions game yesterday, I was surprised it was not even 4 PM, which meant the game was played in less than three hours. This compares to the two college games that I watched on Saturday that both lasted over four hours. The Michigan game ended after midnight following an 8 PM start. It reinforced my ongoing dismay at the length of college football games, due to the stopping of the clock after first downs, the abuse of instant replay, and the length and number of TV timeouts.
As a result, I did some homework. In the Lions game, there were 134 plays, including kickoffs, while in the Michigan game there were 150 plays. The Lions game was played in less than 3 hours and the Michigan game took over 4 hours. The Michigan game had 11% more plays, but the game lasted 33% longer.
The NCAA needs to look at the NFL and see why the difference is so pronounced.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It looks like it is going to be tough year for M and MSU in men’s basketball. Michigan and MSU are no longer ranked in the top 25. In the last week Michigan suffered surprisingly close loses to top 10 ranked Virginia and Kentucky, while MSU lost to non-ranked Northwestern in their B1G opener and non-ranked Notre Dame. Depth and a lack of a third scorer are hurting both teams. The optimist in me knows that Izzo and Howard coached teams get better throughout the year and usually peak in late February and March in time for March Madness. Hopefully, it will be enough to offset their poor non-conference performance.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The transfer portal has created some crazy situations. Two of Michigan’s football captains, as elected by their teammates, QB Cade McNamara and tight end Erik All have announced they will be entering the transfer portal and will not be playing for Michigan next year. McNamara and All were instrumental in Michigan’s run to the College Football Playoffs last year, but both had season ending injuries this year during the third game of the season. In both cases, other players have stepped up and taken over McNamara’s and All’s starting positions. The transfer portal and Name Image and Likeness compensation has created its own form of free agency for college sports. Good for the players, different for the fans, teammates, and coaches.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Onion of the Day: The former president for his recent comments asking for the termination of the constitution. Here is what he wrote. “So, with the revelation of MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD & DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC & the Democrat Party, do you throw the Presidential election results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great “Founders” did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections! UNPRECEDENTED FRAUD REQUIRES UNPRECEDENTED CURE!”
Is it no wonder that many of my conservative friends wish he would just go away?
Feel free to share my blog or to sign up to receive it directly in your email. See the sign-up mechanism at the bottom of the blog.
Quote of the Day: “Donald Trump believes we should terminate “all rules, regulations and articles, even those found in the Constitution” to overturn the 2020 election. That was his view on 1/6 and remains his view today. No honest person can now deny that Trump is an enemy of the Constitution.” Liz Chaney
Orchid of the Day: The Detroit Lions. Their offense was so good in their 40-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars they did not have to punt during a game for the first time in over 50 years.
Question of the Day: The Lions are two games out of the last playoff spot with five games left against only one playoff bound team. Do you think the Lions will make the playoffs this year?
Video of the Day: Donovan Edwards TD run vs. Purdue in B1G Championship game.
Yea!! Tom you were out of your comfort zone to show of video of Purdue football.
I love all Big Ten schools. I root for all of them, except when they play Michigan. Purdue is a great school with a great engineering program.