Michigan Releases Stake Statement
WE CLAIM THIS FIELD IN THE NAME OF COMMITMENT AND HARD-TO-SEE OBJECTS
This is a real thing.
October 26, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Below is a statement from University of Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke:
“I want to publicly apologize to Coach Dantonio as well as the players and supporters of Michigan State for our act of poor sportsmanship displayed pre-game yesterday. I spoke with Mark earlier today and expressed to him that we meant no disrespect to his team. During our regular Friday night team meeting, one of the topics presented to motivate our team was a history lesson addressing commitment and teamwork in a tough environment. A tent stake was presented to the team as a symbol of this concept. The stake was brought into our locker room as a visual reminder, and one of our team leaders chose to take it out on the field. As the leader of our football program, I take full responsibility for the actions of our team. We believe in displaying a high level of respect at the University of Michigan and unfortunately that was not reflected by this action prior to kickoff.”
We're very sorry a thing meant to be driven into a field was driven into your field.
October 26th, 2014 at 9:33 PM ^
I am much more disappointed with the fan base, especially the frustrated posters here on Mblog.
Bolden grabbed a symbol and either misunderstood or deliberately changed the meaning with a silly, juvenile, cheap macho act of false bravado.
Apologizing for any stupid childish act is NOT soft or a sign of weakness. It's representative of maturity, class, and strength of character.
Whether that apology came from the Shlissel, Hoke or Bolden himself, it was appropriate.
Running up the score unnecessarily is not a sign of strength- it is a sign of insecurity and lack of class (and lack of respect for the opponent).
If ABC were to be believed, Dantonio is still whining about Mike Hart's "little brother" statement many years later. Frankly the "they disrespect us" stuff reminds me of bad girlfriends or the Sons of the Confederacy, but that's their problem.
Mis-stakes(!) will be made, but I expect Michigan to always ry to take the higher road and act with more dignity and class- certainly more than MSU or its rivals.
October 26th, 2014 at 10:58 PM ^
i think people are less upset over the perceived "class" or lack thereof that was involved in the placement of a garden stake than they are over the fact that our program has deteriorated to the point where the placement of a garden stake gets more attention/care from the program than the state of football.
October 27th, 2014 at 12:58 AM ^
this is the lamest post i've ever read in the last two minutes.
way 2 go homey
October 26th, 2014 at 11:58 PM ^
Wow, Hoke is showing that he has NO balls to speak of. Is that how far this has gotten? That you have to apologize for putting a stake in the field? MSU, get over youselves. Michigan, grow a set and own up to it. And next time, don't lose when you do it.
Fucking ridiculous.
October 27th, 2014 at 12:21 AM ^
WTF? If you drive a stake into someones field, then that someone kicks the shit out of you in what universe do you apologize for instigating the ass kicking? STOP THE RUN AND WE DON"T EVEN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION...over a stake...I'd rather relive the 'Morris Incident' than go two weeks talking about a damn stake. An apology, just when I thought we couldn't look more hapless.
October 27th, 2014 at 8:03 AM ^
Say it ...let them know your here! APOLOGIZE!? How about apologizing for failing to develop the young men into football players. They lack basic fundamentals and it shows in every game!
October 27th, 2014 at 12:42 AM ^
October 27th, 2014 at 12:55 AM ^
holy poop
October 27th, 2014 at 5:55 AM ^
Just when things appear to have bottomed out, you realize how wrong you are with stupid stuff like this. If you are going to do something idiotic like this, you better be able to back it up. Just another nail in the coffin for Brady, another issue to flush down the drain.
October 27th, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
October 27th, 2014 at 8:26 AM ^
October 27th, 2014 at 8:26 AM ^
October 27th, 2014 at 8:41 AM ^
Reporter: Coach why did you let a team leader drive a stake into the playing field before the game, what was the intent?
Hoke: First off, thanks for coming. We had a good week of practice, lots of energy and we really spent a lot of time on fundementals . The stake was a symbol only for our team to understand and If we had won it would have been no big deal but now that we've lost im sorry you are ignorant.
Reporter: Coach, your sorry only because it blew up in your face?
Hoke: First off, thanks for coming. We have a good week of practice, lots of energy and we really spent a lot of time on fundementals. Some of our injured guys were able to rest up. And yes, im sorry you and sparty are ignorant.
Reporter: Speaking of injuries...
Hoke: I dont
Reporter: But you brought them up...
Hoke Brought what up?
Reporter: The injuries.
Hoke, Yes, I dont talk about them.
Reporter: But you mentioned the injuries.
Hoke: Someone doesnt listen well.
October 27th, 2014 at 12:19 PM ^
October 27th, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^
October 27th, 2014 at 10:43 AM ^
The whole freaking stadium knew!
How can you not know that:
- There was a solid steel tent stake in your locker room
- Your student-atheletes were planning on slamming it into sparty's pasture
- They freaking DID slam it into said pasture, in front of God and everyone
- People took pictures of aforementioned slam
Perhaps if he were wearing his freaking headset, he would have had a clue? No. It's indicative of Hoke's complete lack of awareness of what's going on.
October 27th, 2014 at 10:59 AM ^
Dantonio wasn't the least bit offended by the stake and knows full well it was not a statement of disrespect for MSU. His reaction of righteous indignation and playing the "disrespect" card was totally strategic theater, part and parcel of what he has been doing masterfully for years -- instilling a mental edge into his players' heads (and a corresponding chip on their shoulders) at every opportunity. The chip on Sparty's shoulder vis-a-vis UM is a very powerful engine of that team's identity. Unfortunately, the 180 degree shift in the historic AA = alpha male / EL = beta male alignment is slowly but very surely becoming a twin engine. Dantonio has been masterful at orchestrating that shift in his players' own heads as well as our players' heads. Coach Hoke's apology plays right into Dantonio's hands. Dantonio baited him and he swallowed the bait. What this says about Coach Hoke's mindset is worrisome. On the one hand, he seems to have thrown the players under the bus. At least that's how I'd feel if I was a player. I'd want my coach to handle it internally if he disapproved of it, just like Dantonio did (or maybe failed to do) when their players tried to injure Denard's neck, or one of them punched Lewan in the face. And didn't they gather at midfield at the Bighouse after a win a few years back and symbolically trample the block M? How is any of that less disrespectful than the measly stake. Yet Dantonio rightfully never issued a public apology -- nor should he have. Handle it internally. Instead, Coach Hoke publically groveled. That has to suck some life out of this team. In my opinion, the stake was not a very effective means of motivational bravado -- just not imaginative or cool or witty or really bad ass in any way. But I'll give it this: for how much of an underdog these guys were, for the hostile environment, for the recent history of beat downs, and for the obviously high potential for blowback humiliation (as happened) -- the stake took balls; it took pride and spirit and it was a sign of a pulse to these guy's football guts and grit. Don't know if I would have had the guts to do it. But they did. Coach Hoke seems to have either not recognized that or valued the percieved PR benefit of an apology more. Either way, it does not reflect well on him. And if he was instructed to do it from a superior, he should have refused and let the chips fall where they may. If I was Joe Bolden or anyone else who gathered around him and jammed that stake into the turf, I'd feel disillusioned and hung out to dry. And that's why Mark Dantonio is smiling (on the inside).
October 27th, 2014 at 11:30 AM ^
FIRE HOKE IMMEDIATELY. THAT'S IT.
ELEVATE NUSS
NEVER ISSUE ANY APOLOGIES TO STATE. SCREW THEM!
BURY THESE EFFERS.
I COULD CAOCH THIS TEAM BETTER THAN HOKE.
October 27th, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^
Why are we issuing an apology after the ass whoopin we took? God forbid that our players try to get a little motivated before the game. Maybe next time we could use something larger and more noticeable. Then we would really piss off Dantonio.
October 27th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
His team tried to spark each other, it failed miserably and Hoke, instead of backing his guys, assumed the fetal position with his thumb in his mouth. Jesus Brady, show some balls, some energy, some LIFE. You are not a leader of men, you are a little boy looking for someone to say you are a good boy. You have failed the young men you recruited and you have failed the team, and the school. You are not a Michigan man, you are a wannabee.
October 27th, 2014 at 1:43 PM ^
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