but what about the bike?
How It Goes Down
Filed under:
The hire of David Brandon as Michigan's AD already put a stake through the heart of any dim chance Les Miles had at the head coaching job in Ann Arbor, but if it hadn't this should disqualify him($):
"I got called to coach Miles' office. I had no idea it was coming," Elliott Porter said of his being asked by LSU to 'grayshirt' this season and re-enroll next year. "He just told me that they didn't have room for me. I moved out of my dorm today and I am now back home trying to figure everything out. It's been a rough 24 hours." …
"I have to win a waiver, but it shouldn't be a problem," Porter said. "It's unfair how they told me at the last minute." …
"I want to be somewhere that I am wanted," Porter said. "I understand how things are going at LSU, and they didn't have room. To me what happened today wasn't fair. But it's how things go. It's a business. And I fully understand that now."
That's a Rivals article from the Tennessee site; Porter is thinking about signing with UT. Meanwhile, LSU is lying its ass off about the situation:
"Coach made every attempt to get him to stay but the young man wanted to leave," LSU media relations director Michael Bonnette said.
…every attempt except for actually giving him the scholarship promised six months ago. As an aside, one of the Google News hits for Porter is an irrelevant piece from New Zealand serendipitously titled "Slave labor system rotten to the core."
While that's a little over the top—those excitable Kiwis—this is a clear-cut case of a school signing too many kids and jerking one unlucky one around when too many qualify. Porter had a frickin' dorm room and is still trying to find a new place to land on August 4th. As Oversigning.com points out, college football is explicitly not a business. This is supposedly the reason the kids are amateurs, and anyone who gets the impression it is a business might take a huge amount of money from shady characters or enjoy a party in South Beach someone else is paying for. By allowing coaches to take chances like this the NCAA is degrading respect for its other rules.
More importantly, they're treating athletes like meat. By putting himself in a situation where there was a possibility he'd have to cut a kid in August, Miles has established that his job is more important than his word or the players he recruits. I'm not one of those guys who thinks Michigan's head coach has to be raised from birth by helmeted ascetics to learn the Chi Of The Iso in the Hidden Temple of Hardass, but that's a bridge too far for me. I'll be at the head of the mob if he ever gets hired by Michigan, which he won't so whatever.
Also, the usual: the NCAA needs to make LOIs binding for the school, too, for at least one year and preferably two. They can increase the scholarship limit slightly if necessary to compensate. No school should ever benefit from signing a kid to a LOI they do not honor.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:42 AM | 
Yikes, poor kid.
Yikes, poor kid.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:50 AM |
Too bad Alabama is too busy
Too bad Alabama is too busy
Too bad Alabama is too busy shedding players to offer him a scholarship.
August 4th, 2010 at 1:05 PM |
Maybe the SEC needs to add a
Maybe the SEC needs to add a
Maybe the SEC needs to add a 13th team that can take all of the cast-off players from the other 12 teams.
August 4th, 2010 at 3:38 PM |
I would bankrupt myself
I would bankrupt myself
I would bankrupt myself buying fangear and I would root my ass off for that team.
Candace: No... That why they make smart word box for tell monkey hard brain-hurty things.
Phineas: Removing prepositions makes it more condescending.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:43 AM |
Well
Well
Well, I guess you and Lester will always have that trapper keeper photo!
Otherwise, well said and agree one hundred percent. It's funny how its a business, unless its something the student-athlete does/receives.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:43 AM |
It's his own fault for only
It's his own fault for only
It's his own fault for only being a 3-star recruit.
(/sarcasm)
Ann Arbor: now the permanent home of the Little Brown Jug
67-22-3 all-time
August 4th, 2010 at 11:55 AM |
Les Miles is so 2007
Les Miles is so 2007
Get with the times, Brian!
They mostly come at night... mostly.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:58 AM |
I have heard Harbaugh is headed to the NFL
I have heard Harbaugh is headed to the NFL
August 4th, 2010 at 12:20 PM |
Was the Wreck of the Edmund
Was the Wreck of the Edmund
Was the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald reference something for Michigan?
I can't think of anyone outside of this state who knows the ship or the legend.
(Blogger alias: "Misopogon") This team is under construction. We thank you for your patience.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:54 PM |
Richard Jeni
Richard Jeni
Referenced the Gordon Lightfoot song in his stand up act:
Want to end a party really fast? Own this record.
"If life is the road, then Ohio is simply a place to stop for gas." -- Scott Burgess, Detroit News, 9/16/2010
August 4th, 2010 at 1:00 PM |
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Like Andy Staples, my guess is that Jimbo just likes him some quality Canadian folk music... or that he is, y'know, some sort of secret Canadian military experiment:
"When I see 'O' shaped objects I get instantly angry. I don't eat Cheerios, Froot Loops or Apple Jacks."
August 4th, 2010 at 1:44 PM |
dang you make me feel old!
dang you make me feel old!
I remember as a kid hearing this song on the radio all the time;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvKGz4s3kuU
<
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a song that was written, composed, and performed by Canadian Gordon Lightfoot in commemoration of the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. It was inspired by the Newsweek article on the event, "The Cruelest Month," which appeared in the issue of November 24, 1975.[1]
The song originally appeared on Lightfoot's 1976 album, Summertime Dream, and was later released as a single. The release hit #1 in his native Canada (on the RPM national singles survey) on November 20, 1976, almost exactly one year after the appearance of the article that inspired it.[2] In the U.S., the single reached #2 on the Billboard pop chart in November 1976, making it Lightfoot's second most successful single (in terms of chart position) in that country, following "Sundown," which reached number one in 1974. "Wreck" peaked at number 40 in the UK Singles Chart.
>
and this also happened to be about the same time that I started watching Michigan Football with my dad, turning down the volume so we could hear Bob Ufer over the radio, and then listening to the back and forth of my Dad shouting about every 5th play, and my Mom shouting "quiet down in there"
sniff, so many memories, <tear>
"That's all there is...there isn't anymore"
August 4th, 2010 at 2:34 PM |
I used to play this on guitar
I used to play this on guitar
I used to play this on guitar for my campers up on Crystal Lake. I spiced it up a bit more than the recorded version so it comes off at kind of the same pace as Dylan's "The Hurricane." This song, and "Can't Help But Wonder (Where I'm Bound)" sound much better around a campfire when sung badly than on record.
(Blogger alias: "Misopogon") This team is under construction. We thank you for your patience.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:44 PM |
Just AC
Just AC
I was reminded this week on a warm summer evening that there is nothing I appreciate more than AC. Must have!
August 4th, 2010 at 1:04 PM |
Lloyd's Love
Lloyd's Love
I don't know if Lloyd would appreciate the twitter broadcasts because of the medium, but I think he would get a kick out of the literary references and intellectual depth contained within. That was definitely an interesting read and a nice glimpse of a guy who has a side I was unaware of.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:49 AM |
(thunderous applause)
(thunderous applause)
(thunderous applause)
Denard's 2010 was spent redefining what one man can do.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:51 AM |
The NCAA should call Les Miles to Indianapolis
The NCAA should call Les Miles to Indianapolis
and tell him they don't have room for him. And then tell the press they made every attempt to get him to stay, but he just wanted to leave.
Sportscenter.com raves: Sgt. Wolverine, "Michigan's biggest fan"!
August 4th, 2010 at 11:51 AM |
he should sue in
he should sue in
he should sue in quasi-contract as a test case.
August 4th, 2010 at 1:11 PM |
I would absolutely LOVE to
I would absolutely LOVE to
I would absolutely LOVE to see this kid sue LSU for breach. Hard to see how he would lose. They already took action indicating that they would honor the contract by giving him a dorm room.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:52 AM |
I'm not one of those guys who
I'm not one of those guys who
I'm not one of those guys who thinks Michigan's head coach has to be raised from birth by helmeted ascetics to learn the Chi Of The Iso in the Hidden Temple of Hardass
This sounds like a great idea for the next hype video.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:30 PM |
You beat me to it
You beat me to it
I lol'd (or should it be l'd ol?) when I read that.
August 4th, 2010 at 2:11 PM |
Forget the hype video...
Forget the hype video...
I'm thinking MGoShirt!
August 4th, 2010 at 11:55 AM |
Where is the NCAA?
Where is the NCAA?
Make this a major recruiting violation. I know it would be hard to police because you really don't know your scholarship availability until later in the summer but they can't let this practice go on any further. Mr Porter will no have to transfer and sit out a year because LSU decided they did not want him anymore. No harm done to LSU but the kid takes a dong punch.
The NCAA needs to investigate situations like Alabama from two years ago, Miami with Anderson and Henderson, and now with LSU just giving the kid the boot. Investigate and punish the institution with 2 lost scholarships for every "incident" and lose those scholarships for four years.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:01 PM |
Totally agree. This is so
Totally agree. This is so
Totally agree. This is so bush league.
"out of these tunnels will come the meanest, toughest sonsabitches ever to put on pads"
August 4th, 2010 at 12:01 PM |
don't really have much to say...
don't really have much to say...
... except what a wonderful photo -
and not really sure why this would disqualify him -- agreed it's a shitty thing, but i bet this happens quite a bit
August 4th, 2010 at 1:09 PM |
The NCAA is an advocate of
The NCAA is an advocate of
The NCAA is an advocate of it's member institutions, not of the student athletes it purports to represent.
The only reason a school gets hit with sanctions is because breaking the rules would give an unfair competitive advantage.
- Practicing too much = not fair to other teams
- academically ineligible players = not fair to other teams
- Improper benefits = not fair to other teams
And so on. The NCAA couldn't care less about the well being of the players.
August 4th, 2010 at 2:33 PM |
How about
How about
How about recruiting more players than available scholarships, thus keeping said players from committing to other teams = not fair to other teams
August 4th, 2010 at 3:12 PM |
Oh, don't get me wrong
Oh, don't get me wrong
I think this move is total BS, but the NCAA condones the practice implicitly by not enforcing the 25 recruit limit. In fact, the penalty levied against USC will be undermined by that down the road; they'll just sign huge classes a few years in a row and make havy use of redshirts.
Also, the competitive advantage you reference doesn't manifest itself until it's too late. There's usually some kind of slippage in the interim between signing day and "count" day. Whether it's because a recruit doesn't qualify or isn't admitted (Dorsey) or because a player gets in trouble somehow (LSU or 'Bama might've cut Stonum for violating his probation), the number of scholarships available changes.
Actually, my main problem with the move is that the players are the ones that get screwed and often get blindsided by it. If a kid signed a provisional LOI that made it clear that they would have to grey shirt or transfer if a sholarship doesn't open up, I have no beef. I still wouldn't like it, but that's a matter of taste not of justice.
The fix is easy. Make "count" day and signing day one and the same. Problem solved.
August 4th, 2010 at 4:22 PM |
I totally agree with your point.
I totally agree with your point.
If a player has to sign an LOI with a school, and is "punished" by having to sit out a year unless the school releases him if he changes his mind, then the school should have similar sanctions if they oversign and turn a player away. (Maybe loss of a scholarship and having to pay the tuition etc. for the player for at least a year.)
My comment above was just adding to your logic train of thought, as to why the NCAA should enforce this.
Oversigning is unethical.
August 4th, 2010 at 3:39 PM |
you've put your finger
you've put your finger
on the contradiction: the NCAA is supposed to boost AND police sports, and will not ever do the latter well.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:13 PM |
It IS a business
It IS a business
Of course college sports is a business. That is the sole reason why it is so highly regulated.
Marc Shepherd
New York, NY
August 4th, 2010 at 12:07 PM |
As mad as on-field failure
As mad as on-field failure
As mad as on-field failure can make me, if something like this were to happen here I can't imagine my anger. It would be far worse than losing any amount of games to any team. I would be storming Hoover and State St, torch and pitchfork in hand.
It's Great To Be A Michigan Wolverine
August 4th, 2010 at 12:14 PM |
My sentiments exactly...
My sentiments exactly...
I hope the fans enjoy themselves.
Edit - there is no end to the amount of crap I have put up with for suggesting that being "out of touch" on a boat is never an accident. Excuse me while I go off in the corner and gloat for a second or two.
Adequate doesn't cut it here - G. Mattison
August 4th, 2010 at 12:11 PM |
Les Miles Fan Club
Les Miles Fan Club
You could do worse than Miles... a lot worse. But, I think he is overrated by his fans. Ever hear of a blind squirrel finding an acorn? I think Les is a vision-impaired squirrel who has been showered with them.
Prior to his LSU hire, his most significant achievements were a couple of wins over Oklahoma U. Really -- his reputation was based mostly on two games.
He then walked into a talent-rich program near its peak and won a national championship (over "Slowhio State," as the SEC fans would say) with someone else's upperclass players and two regular-season losses (one to Kentucky). (Aside: Compare this to RichRod's set-up.)
Now, I don't think just any coach could step in and get those results. What has he done since then, though? Recruit well? Sure, but look at what's in his backyard. The pipelines were established before his arrival.
Please enlighten me (seriously) if I'm missing anything.
"..."
August 4th, 2010 at 12:33 PM |
Miles
Miles
I'm not sure that I understand all of the hating on Les Miles.
You state that his reputation was based on two wins over Oklahoma but RR's reputation was built largely on one win over Georgia.
Sure, Les walked into a good situation at LSU but is that fault? He built some "damn strong" football teams (I believe those were his words). His teams have consistenly been competitive at the top level. No, they haven't won the SEC recently. However, OSU has won the Big Ten five consecutive times but they probably wouldn't have won the SEC in any of those years either.
Les puts a good, entertaining product on the field. He makes some questionable judgement calls......some of them work, some of them don't. We all know a little something about questional judgement (fake punt vs. MSU, 4th and 10 vs Purdue, Sheridan pass play before the half vs Utah.....).
I just don't understand why there's so much hate against Miles and Harbaugh (regardless of his comments) when they were both actual Michigan players. They have MUCH more invested into the program than anybody commenting on the board.
August 4th, 2010 at 4:23 PM |
They have MUCH more invested into the program
They have MUCH more invested into the program
Harbaugh cashed in his UM investment about three years ago to help pay for the $50K crapper in Palo Alto.
"It’s a legendary program in college football. Just what it’s done. I have so much respect for this university. It’s kind of the last bastion of what college football is all about. Much like the service academies. I think college football needs Stanford to be good"
So if Stanford is the last bastion of all that is good and just in the world of college football, how could he then sully himself by leaving to come back to coach at Michigan?
August 5th, 2010 at 3:27 PM |
So What?
So What?
Harbaugh's talking up his program. That's what he's supposed to do. Every coach tries to sell his school as a special place.
The bottom line is that Les Miles and Jim Harbaugh have much more claim to the legacy of Michigan football than anybody contributing to this board. In my mind, Michigan football is essentially about the men who came before you. Miles and Harbaugh made significant contributions to making Michigan football what it is today.
August 4th, 2010 at 1:01 PM |
Not entirely fair
Not entirely fair
Two Oklahoma State victories over top ten Oklahoma teams are roughly analogous to two straight MSU victories over Michigan in the Schembechler era. They haven't beaten Oklahoma since, and prior to Miles they hadn't beaten Oklahoma since John Blake was there.
It's not a great analogy, though. Historically Oklahoma State has done worse against Oklahoma than Michigan State has against us.
Where's Charlie Bauman when you need him?
August 4th, 2010 at 1:10 PM |
MSU vs UM
MSU vs UM
Just to clarify.....MSU never had two straight victories over UM in the Schembechler era. Or the Moeller era. Or the Carr era. It's a relatively new concept.
August 4th, 2010 at 6:26 PM |
I think he was saying that
I think he was saying that
I think he was saying that Miles' OSU team 2x over Stoops-era OU :: MSU coach 2x over Bo-era Michigan.
"out of these tunnels will come the meanest, toughest sonsabitches ever to put on pads"
August 4th, 2010 at 9:05 PM |
Exactly
Exactly
Excluding the Schnellenberger/Blake era (when Oklahoma was terrible), Oklahoma dominated Oklahoma State to a greater extent than Michigan has dominated Michigan State. Oklahoma's all-time record against Oklahoma State is 77-16-7 or so, compared to Michigan's 67-30-5 record against Michigan State. Oklahoma State hasn't beaten Oklahoma since Miles left.
Which is why I think Miles two victories over Oklahoma were impressive.
Where's Charlie Bauman when you need him?
August 4th, 2010 at 12:11 PM |
I'm probably forgetting
I'm probably forgetting
I'm probably forgetting something already discussed here, but why does Brandon filling the AD position kill Miles' chances of coaching U-M?
August 4th, 2010 at 12:21 PM |
The general opinion (not sure
The general opinion (not sure
The general opinion (not sure where it comes from, but it seems to be pretty widely held) is that Brandon is part of the "anti-Les" faction.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:31 PM |
Why does Brandon as AD kills Miles' chances of coaching
Why does Brandon as AD kills Miles' chances of coaching
just a crazy guess that Brian believes Brandon is completely opposed to the sort of oversigning that Miles and others in the SEC do on a routine basis. From everything I've heard come out of the mouth of David Brandon, I think Brian is 100% accurate in his assessment of DB's views on this, and what it would mean for the chances of Miles ever coaching here.
Even if RR were to leave after this year or next, I think Miles is too old by now. His game management skills are suspect and I'd rather go in another direction if, God forbid, RR doesn't survive. I hope all this is moot anyhow.
I will predict this: Miles will not be at LSU beyond 2012. LSU has lost twice in a row to Florida, Alabama and Ole Miss, and once they start mounting up beyond that, the LSU fan base isn't going to sit quiet. I wouldn't be surprised at all if RR is still coaching at UM after Miles is fired.
August 4th, 2010 at 3:43 PM |
I am not sure whether he is
I am not sure whether he is
I am not sure whether he is too old or not. But I would suggest that there is a very distinct possibility that he will be fired by LSU this year if he does not have at least nine wins. That would not make him such an attractive candidate.
However, I genuinely believe the point will be moot. I think RR turns it around this year and we start being where we're used to being next year and for the long haul.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:11 PM |
Wow, I thought Miles' speech
Wow, I thought Miles' speech
Wow, I thought Miles' speech to the media to refute Herbstreit's claim that he was gonna be Michigan's coach was great, but I just lost ALL respect for Miles.
I hope LSU goes down hard, and Miles is fired.
Miles has horrible clock management skills, too.
Homer? Who is Homer? My name is Wolverine Incognito.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:11 PM |
Les
Les
Just another reason that I am happy that we did not end up with him. Not only has he proven that he cannot manage a game clock to save his life (or at least win a critical game), but he has repeatedly shown a lack of character. We should all be thanking Herbie for messing that one up . . .
August 4th, 2010 at 12:29 PM |
Good Luck to Elliott Porter
Good Luck to Elliott Porter
http://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/player-Elliott-Port...
He committed over a year ago to LSU but apparently that means nothing. He had offers from FSU, Nebraska and Stanford to name a few and may be headed to Tenn. I agree with Brian that LOIs should be binding and scholarships should be guaranteed for 4 years (as Michigan does).
"Relax you panic monger" -Megatron
August 4th, 2010 at 12:31 PM |
Sounds Like a Wager To Me
Sounds Like a Wager To Me
I'll be at the head of the mob if he ever gets hired by Michigan, which he won't so whatever.
Sounds like a wager to me. I'd be aiming to be in the front of that mob myself. I always figured there was a reason that Les was kind of the black sheep of the Bo coaching tree and had wandered rather far from the nest.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:34 PM |
This doesn't surprise me.
This doesn't surprise me.
This doesn't surprise me. Miles comes from the Bo School of Business. Tough love, baby.
This may end up being the best thing that could have happened to the kid.
Watch the him transfer to Alabama and unleash a world of irony.
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