DOOM

As Snowicane Sandy approaches the East Coast, this is your friendly MGoPSA:

PLEASE check out the latest warnings and forecasts. New York City public transit is shutting down at 7:00 P.M., and I understand portions of Manhattan and Staten Island are being evacuated.

As a reference, this is a shot of lower Manhattan showing the storm surge from Hurricane Donna in 1960. The storm surge for the upcoming storm is reportedly going to be higher (H/T  @mattmfm):

I know Brian is currently looking for replacements, but when are Tim and TomVH officially done with this site?  As we have not heard anything concrete, is there going to be a gap in Wednesday Recruiting, Big Ten Recruiting Class Rankings, Sunday Updates, etc.  Yes this is a free site, but at the same time, loyal users should be informed as many of us check this site 50+ times a day.  I would like to know if I will be reading a TomVH post tonight, or going to bed without this information from here on out.

Also, I for one would still like to follow their content and would like to know about their new positions.  The type of work they will be doing is consumer based, so I don't feel asking this is out of line. 

Mods feel free to delete if deemed uneccessary.

First of all, yes I am over "it", and fully supporting the program.  Maybe the right way of expressing my feelings are that I am too exhausted by following the process, and am disconnecting from it as a coping mechanism.  It's not ambivalence, but an act of will.  Nonetheless, I think it's fair to have a discussion about Brandon, the recruiting impact that is unfolding from his timeline and ultimate choice etc.  Yes, it's not the first time this has been put out there - it's probably the hundredth.  This is not about RR.  If you don't want to read any more about Brandon, please move on now.

D.Brandon, the legal pimp that shined during the NCAA investigation has shown a limited ability to think outside the family.  He limited the talent pool available in his search through this artificial "Michigan man" filter, and it cost the program.  I think he made this choice because he was unwilling to do a critical part of his job; working the political angles behind the scenes to "true up" the support of the program from various internal and external factions.  Said pimp hand is now looking shriveled like Voldemort's.  I think that, regardless of one's like or dislike of the the Hoke hire, we all agree on that.  At a minimum, his timeline has led to issues that will surface about 2-3 years from now in the team's available ready-to-contribute talent pool.

Not to belabor it, but why can't Brandon execute a HC and staff change as competently as Florida?  Are the fans of the Michigan program asking too much?

Turning to recruiting, I think that the TVH updates clearly show that recruits are not very excited about the new coaching staff (or lack thereof on the D side).  This aligns with Brian's vocal concern about bringing in someone less proven to take the reins: this year's recruits seem to agree: the initial impression is that the program didn't exactly advance with the change.  At a minimum, to bring some credibility, they had better bring in a star DC who is a recruiting beast to save this important facade.  I don't know if Brandon and Hoke's egos can stand for anything out of the ordinary, but I know that the board contributors have floated many great names for DC, all with the "not going to happen" tag.  The limbo and general lack of excitement is unhealthy for a program like Michigan.  Florida did the HC change properly, and they didn't even go the hypothetical (I know it's done, yes I am over it, move on) path that I suggest below.

Personally, while I can't prove it, I suspect that a head coach hire of an NFL profile like a Gruden, Dungy or even a McDaniels  (I know, any of these may or may not have been feasible) would have saved the recruiting year.  I think that existing recruits would have "stuck", and new recruits would have been excited.  With the current timeline allowed to Hoke until signing day, and the initial stature of the staff itself, this recruiting year is going to create a void similar to what the program experienced in Carr's last season. We all painfully know that there are still many holes that needed filling that will go unaddressed (LB, secondary, big outside receiver come to mind).  A NFL head coach generally has a wider "network" to pull their staff from due to the progressive experience that led to their pinnacle.  Add the NFL background as an obvious attractant for the HS kids, in particular for those with Super Bowl experience.

Sorry to babble on.

EDIT: Not sure why it's formatting this way. Wortking on it. I've read a couple comments asking on why Miles and Brandon would wait until tomorrow (Tuesday) to get together and from the looks of it, the schedule has a lot to do with Les being in town (Dallas) to speak for the AFCA coaching conference. As a coincidence, the conference is a mere block away from my office and while walking in from the parking garage, I spotted wayfinder signs and a schedule of events for today. I believe most of the assistant coaches in the country attend these events, so I did a little more snooping and found some of the bigger names in attendance or speaking (which I am in no way inferring they are candidates for the coaching position: Sunday: Gary Darnell (Former Texas A&M DC and Western Michigan HC) Glen Mason (and his hot wife) Monday: Mark Richt (Georgia) Bo Davis (Texas) Mark Dantonio (Michigan State) Mike Gundy, (Oklahoma State) Barry Alvarez (wisconson AD) Fisher DeBerry (Air Force) Tuesday: Les Miles (LSU) Bret Bielema (Wisconsin) Panel Discussion (Bowden, Tomey, Seals, Wyrick) Wednesday: Paul Chryst (University of Wisconsin) Mark D'Onofrio (University of Miami Fla) Randy Bates (Northwestern University) Philip Montgomery (Baylor University) Tim DeRuyter (Texas A&M University) Bill Blankenship (University of Tulsa) Here is the rest of the schedule. http://www.afca.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=61516&SPID=6694&DB_OEM_ID=930... Hopefully Dave finds a diamond in the rough.

Yes, the new MGoBanner is accurate. Yes, mushroom clouds made more appearances this season than any other. Yes, all our base are belong to David Brandon's pimp hand now... but let us not forget how this season started. After more coaching turmoil and doom kittehs, think back to September 4th, 2010. Michigan WILL win the MNC again. Michigan WILL end The Streak. Michigan will put little brother back in his place. Impossible? Impossible is Nothing.

Just heard on TV that Hagerup violated team rules and was left behind.  Hello, Tate Forcier?  Maybe we never punt, and never kick a field goal?