asstastic

October 3rd, 2014 at 4:31 PM ^

Am I the only one who feels like his sarcasm and saying he's "quite happy to be here" are kind of offputting and a little inappropriate for the situation? 

dnak438

October 3rd, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^

You can't just say stuff is ridiculous and shameful because you don't like the result and disagree with the way Ace created the clips. Dave agreed to do those interviews and the words that he used were his own. I don't see Ace taking answers out of context so that DB appears to say something that he doesn't mean. Do you? And if you do, could you explain it instead of throwing around words like 'ridiculous' and 'shameful'?

Witz57

October 4th, 2014 at 1:46 AM ^

It looks terrible and shameful because it's footage of Dave Brandon talking about his actions as the University of Michigan athletic director. If they cut out the parts that were Dave Brandon talking about his actions as the University of Michigan athletic director, it may not be terrible and shameful, but it would also just be footage of an empty chair waiting for someone to come sit in it and say things that were terrible and shameful.  

He needs to be gone.  It's over.  And the fact that thousands and thousands of people are going out of their way to spend hours and hours of of there time and talent and making statments underlinging the fact that he needs to be gone is not a counter-example to the fact that he's done a horrible job. It's actually kind of just thousands of examples of what the results would be if a guy in his position did a horrible job.

If you took all the people in the world, it woud be very difficult to find anyone who has brought more shame and offense to the Univeristy of Michigan and its students. 

AZ-Blue

October 5th, 2014 at 3:32 AM ^

and that only made him appear worse.  They were all packed with arrogant, defensive responses with Brandon using strawman arguments left and right.  For me, it was at 4:23 of the montage: "....I know people are upset because they want us to win every game...."   No we aren't you arrogant prick.   What we want is the team to show signs that it's been competently coached, that we field the correct number of players on EVERY play for example, and that if we do lose, we do so with a great showing that we can be proud of notwithstanding the loss.  We haven't had a single loss like that yet this season.  Each was replete with evidence of utter lack of coaching competence.  THAT'S why we're calling for your head Dave based on wins and losses, but nice try with the strawman sympathy card there.

greenphoenix

October 3rd, 2014 at 4:34 PM ^

Defensive, underlying snarkiness, implications of attacks and hurt feelings. Just looks weak and wounded, yet arrogant and entitled at the same time. 

Self-pity is just the worst strategy for messaging negative sentiment. I wonder if he got coached on this at all.

Mon-L

October 3rd, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^

Yes. He comes off as an ass in these. Smarmy. Defensive. Prickly. Condescending. This was an awful PR move to have him in these one-on-one sitdowns. Because he's an arrogant prick.

Should have been a podium presser with a prepared statement and be done with it.

This whole load about having "better things to do" is ridiculous. He basically went on a pump up Dave's ego tour talking to all the student athletes he could find instead of facing the very real criticism that was waiting for him. Lame.

BigTenBurrito

October 3rd, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^

Once again I'll say it. He handled all of those interviews well and has reaffirmed my opinion that he is easily the most qualified person to lead our department into the future. I, for one, want Dave Brandon making our next head coaching decision if it comes to that.

jsquigg

October 3rd, 2014 at 4:40 PM ^

Memo to Dave:  People are calling for your job because you suck at it.  By everything measurable the department is performing worse and the responses to crisis have been a clown show.  If you think that's personal, so be it.

MileHighAnnArborite

October 3rd, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^

Are you intentionally ignoring all of the other reasons people have been complaining about Brandon and calling for his job the last few years (ticket prices, WOW issues, student alienation, horrendous communication and PR debacles, etc.), or are you actually that obtuse?

Dr. Explosion

October 3rd, 2014 at 4:56 PM ^

If this team had gone 9-4 the last 13 games, instead of 4-9, nobody would be outraged about those other issues. Sure, there'd be some grumbling, but there would be no petitions, demonstrations, or critiques of interviews. If you disagree, more power to you. I won't call you obtuse, because I have class and don't lob insults over the internet, but I will say I don't think you are looking at things rationally. 

MileHighAnnArborite

October 3rd, 2014 at 5:08 PM ^

Attempting to look rationally, then: why such a focus on Brandon over and above Hoke this week if everyone is just upset about the football team's record?  

Would there be as much of an immediate firestorm if our record was better?  No, definitely not.  Do I think the protests/petitions were really to express outrage over the handling of Shane on Saturday?  No.  I think people seized on that issue and the national attention it brought to bring up other issues that have been simmering for quite some time, and the handling of this most recent issue after the fact, way more than the incident itself is what has people so angry this week.  But the criticism of Brandon has to do with way more than our recent record.

mooseman

October 3rd, 2014 at 7:17 PM ^

If my aunt had nuts she'd be my uncle. The same incompetence that puts 10 guys out on punt coverage, that can't develop a player, etc is the same incompetence that results in such a poor performing team and also results in being a disorganized mess that sends a kid out on the field with a concussion.

Would I still have been pissed? Yes. Might they have gotten the benefit of the doubt without a pattern of incompetence? Yes. An organization that has it's shit together would be more likely to have a winning record and not make bonehead moves.

Brandon has done a lot of things to piss off the fan base. He was hated before the first snap of the year. Did this bring it t a boiling point? Yes.

ThWard

October 3rd, 2014 at 5:37 PM ^

To each their own, man. Winning certainly has a way of brushing systemic problems under the rug. Not sure I think that's a good thing, or suggests more rational thinking about the underlying problems, but so be it.

 

For what it's worth: I gave up 14 years straight of season tickets before this year's shit-show, despite there being quite a bit of optimism about a 5th-year Devin, Nuss, etc. My issues were/are with the department, not (at least not just) the Ws Ls.

mgoBrad

October 3rd, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^

Is it a contributing factor? Yes. Is it the primary factor? Debatable, but probably.

But there's a reason people weren't calling for Martin's job when RR was struggling his first couple years, with a much worse record than where Hoke is at. 

Think about all the decisions Brandon has made the last 4 years and the picture gets a lot clearer.

Dr. Explosion

October 3rd, 2014 at 5:02 PM ^

If Hoke had finished last year with 3 losses instead of 6, or if we are undefeated this season, there are no demonstrations, petitions, etc. People would gripe about stuff. I won't deny that, but things always come down to on field performance, and I think the people that want to pretend it is because of Beyonce halftime shows, high ticket prices, or Shane Morris concussiongate, are being disingenuous, in my opinion. 

RBWolverine

October 3rd, 2014 at 5:09 PM ^

If this was all about the record, the heat would be on Hoke, not Brandon.  The vast majority of the attention and frustration has been directed at Brandon himself.  Most here are fine with Hoke staying on for the rest of the season, but want Brandon gone asap.  Does the poor record inflame things? Sure.  But people would be livid with Brandon either way.  His athletic department has habitually lied to students and alums and treated them like stupid, fungible customers rather than lifelong participants in something special.  And he has spectacularly mishandled the Morris concussion issue this week.

pizzaparty62

October 3rd, 2014 at 6:34 PM ^

You are a customer, were a customer, and will always be a customer.  You are a participant in something special because you pay for it.  Let's not act like Brandon has fundamentally changed the relationship between Michigan athletics and the fans.  

This is most certainly about our record.  I think people want Brandon gone becasue ultimately he is responsible for firing the head coach.  I do get the impression that Brandon may keep Hoke for another year.   

Archibald Meatpants

October 3rd, 2014 at 7:19 PM ^

Agreed.  Fan & student dissatisfaction with his handling of the program has been an issue for 2 years.  I do think the Morris situation would be a smaller issue if we were 5-0 right now ( not that I agree it should be that way ) but Brandon would still be viewed as a jackass and an attention whore regardless of on field performance.