John U Bacon on UM Football, Athletics
I'm surprised to see that this hasn't been posted, but Bacon has written a very thorough analysis of where things currently stand with respect to the AD and football program. It's a bit long, but worth the read:
October 25th, 2014 at 1:26 AM ^
October 25th, 2014 at 1:37 AM ^
October 25th, 2014 at 6:33 AM ^
If he's there to "ensure your success" that means he doesn't trust you to succeed on your own.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:44 PM ^
with them and still know what's going on. I don't think any coach worth having here would put up with their boss looking over their shoulder all the time by hanging out on the sidelines during games, showing up at practices all the time, watching film with them, etc. And I wouldn't blame any coach for not liking it. It's like your boss at work always looking over the wall at your cubicle to see if you're doing your job right. I wouldn't like it.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:03 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 4:14 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 4:35 PM ^
It's not bullshit, it's Bacon saying exactly what he knows, nothing more and nothing less. That's what responsible journalists do. (Same thing with the Carr stuff you mentioned above - Bacon had relevant quotes from reasonably believable people, he reported those quotes. He stopped short of drawing hard conclusions mostly because Carr declined to provide his side of the story).
"I just don't see how he can state that being in the film room is detrimental, ipso facto, when he has done the same thing despite having less of a duty to have ever been in there."
1) If you don't see how a boss looking over your shoulder on a regular basis, or dealing with your subordinates without you present, isn't at best distracting and at worst undermining and a signal of mistrust, I don't know what to tell you. Having effectively your biographer, who you can dismiss at any time and whose work you get to review before publishing, present is totally different.
2) "despite having less of a duty to have ever been in there" Bacon's job, with RR's blessing, was to be present for and report on the inner workings of the team. It precisely was his duty to be there. Brandon making a regular appearance implies an unwillingness to delegate and/or a desire to play fanboy. But superiors shouldn't play fanboy to their employees. It would be one thing if he showed up now and then at practice (like Schlissel) but another to make it a habit.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:55 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
I could be wrong about this, but didn't Bacon also report that he spoke with other coaches in the Big Ten and asked them about their ADs watching film? And the coach(es?) all responded negatively to the idea?
That could be where that comes from. But maybe I'm remembering wrong.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:37 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 7:28 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 8:19 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 9:05 PM ^
But if he doesn't sit in on Beilein and staff, then the points about him evaluating the football coaches don't make any sense. Why would he only evaluate the football coaches in this manner? What could he possibly be evaluating them on? Does he actually think he knows more about analyzing game film than Hoke, Nussmeier or Mattison?
I'm leaning towards nostalgia or - given his personality and how he runs the department - he arrogantly believes he actually has some valuable insight to add to the film sessions. Either way, its more difficult to do your job if your boss is there when he really has no business being there.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:32 PM ^
This could be put to rest quite easily if JUB would provide some context, or better, other journalists would ask some direct questions. I can only surmise that context and questions haven't followed because a) it is generally accepted by the journalism community that there is no there, there. Or b) The Journalism community would rather the dark cloud of doubt continue to rain on Brandon.
October 24th, 2014 at 10:09 PM ^
But the larger point is: There is no real purpose for Brandon to sit in on film sessions. None. There is nothing good that comes out of him sitting in on coaches watching film.
October 24th, 2014 at 10:27 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 10:44 PM ^
Maybe. I dont claim to know. I just don't think anyone else knows why he does it, either. We're all just projecting our suspicions on him.
For all I know, Brandon is secretly running the program. I think Bacon wants us to believe that, hence no good coaches would work for him. But I want proof. I think that's more reasonable than assuming.
As for why he only does it for football, the answer is pretty simple, no? He used to play it. It interests him more than other sports. He understands it more. That's not controversial. He is theoretically better able to judge football coaches because he has been coached. Theoretically, anyways.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
I could be wrong about this, but didn't Bacon also report that he spoke with other coaches in the Big Ten and asked them about their ADs watching film? And the coach(es?) all responded negatively to the idea?
That could be where that comes from. But maybe I'm remembering wrong.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:18 PM ^
that he's asking questions in a way to illicit the response he wants to hear. Here's what I don't understand, if it is generally understood to be this great sin, why does nobody just ask Brandon and Hoke direct questions? Certainly not awkward questions that could potentially pit one against the other. But general questions. Does the AD sit in on film sessions? If he does, is it a directive, or does he ask? If he does sit in on a meeting, is he observing as a fan, or to offer insight?
You know, some direct evidence from the horses mouth instead of rumor mongering.
October 24th, 2014 at 8:58 PM ^
Probably because Dave Brandon is a petty dickhead who would revoke the press pass of anyone who asked the question.
October 25th, 2014 at 12:11 AM ^
WTF he's got 110K plus watching live, a live television audience in the millions, and a horde of media, blogger, fans watching his every move with a microcsope stuffed up his backside and somehow Brandon watching film with Hoke makes him uneasy??? Give me a break. If Hoke, Nuss and Mattison all want him out, thin i believe they have the balls to tell him...please stop the psuedo sympathy for these big boys with the machismo to tell Brandon whatever they want....as Hoke says, this is a Big Boy job.