SEARCHBITS XIX: GONE TO PLAID
All hell: done broke loose
THE BIG NUMBER. The 48 or 49 million dollar offer that had been kicking around the Michigan internets—pretty sure Sam Webb was the first to drop it—has now reached the NFL reporters, who are furiously reminding you that they are never wrong about anything even when they are vastly wrong about something:
Sources: #Michigan has made another run at Jim Harbaugh after he initially rebuffed the school. U-M has made an offer of 6 years, $48M. Wow.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 17, 2014
Rebuffed my ass. Nothing about how this has gone looks like Michigan getting rebuffed, publicly or privately. Michigan took its time to get their offer together, waited until Harbaugh was eliminated from the playoffs, aimed, and fired. Michigan reporters from Webb to Lorenz to Balas (and me!) have been way closer to things than these guys from the start.
But keep those ranks together. I mean… why the hell are you even reporting anything in the first place when this is your explanation for the change?
Asked why he was considering it now, but hadn’t been previously, one person said now that the 49ers are out of the playoffs, it was possible for Harbaugh to at least consider it.
Bottom line: Harbaugh has some thinking to do and decisions to make.
The implication of all this reporting is that Michigan had no chance because it was not the NFL. This explanation makes it clear that Adam Schefter's earlier reporting was based on hearsay from people with no clue—at best. Harbaugh wasn't going to consider anybody before the 49ers were eliminated.
OKAY. I'M IN. Ran across a twitter feed that felt credible that claimed a connect to Harbaugh's agent, but I was hesitant to tell you guys about it until he put something out that was checkable and not public knowledge. Here's something from 4 PM today:
JH officially offered today around noon PT
— Those Who Stay (@ThoseWhoStay7) December 17, 2014
He got the number right as well. That official offer took a few hours to filter out to the NFL guys, who are now reporting it. The Michigan guys are sitting back with their McKayla faces on after being told repeatedly that Michigan knew they were done, had no chance, etc.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS. Michigan's offer blindsided the NFL guys. The Michigan side of things had the number, the years, and the approximate timing. That gives greater credence to the other half of the Michigan chatter: it's happening.
WHAT I'VE GOT. I don't have anything reportable. By that I mean information that I know is correct because I know who got it and why. I do have just an avalanche of IT'S HAPPENING stuff that is secondhand. Aside from the downer email I mentioned a few days ago, I have a half-dozen bits of hearsay ranging from dubious to pretty credible all pointing towards Harbaugh in Ann Arbor.
If you would like to change this situation, I'm listening.
FURTHER EYE-ROLLING. The Raiders had 16 million a year out for Jon Gruden.
Little doubt Mark Davis could beat any Michigan offer to Harbaugh. I heard he had double this out there for Gruden, who walked. Stay tuned
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) December 18, 2014
Okay buddy. And I used to think Michigan was arrogant. It is not about whether the Raiders can give Harbaugh another gold toilet; Michigan's offer is highly competitive. It's about Michigan or the NFL.
THEY'VE DONE WHAT THEY HAD TO DO. Michigan assembled a kickass offer to come back to Ann Arbor and run the town. It is now highly public. If Harbaugh doesn't come, that's on him. No milquetoasty private conversations about how he flaked leaking out over the years; no debate about whether Michigan had a bonafide offer. They came strong and public in exactly the way they should have last time. (According to a player on Rodriguez's last team, he was giving everyone the impression he knew he was done even before the Gator Bowl. In that case he should have been gone after OSU.)
If it doesn't work out, okay. Jim Hackett still did this as well as he could, and if Michigan does have to move on to Plan B they can at least do so as a unit, knowing that they did their level best here.
PLAN B. A dollar it's Dan Mullen, if it comes to that.
December 18th, 2014 at 4:58 PM ^
Harbaugh has turned around every program that he has ever coached at.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:17 PM ^
All these coaches make too much damn money.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^
No they don't. Major college football programs are quickly approaching the 1B dollar mark in net worth. All that value quickly disappears without a coach that gets wins.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:57 PM ^
We could get Stoops AND Stitt !
December 17th, 2014 at 9:05 PM ^
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December 17th, 2014 at 9:19 PM ^
Why walk when you can fly?
December 17th, 2014 at 9:05 PM ^
Pleeeaaassseee be different this time.
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December 17th, 2014 at 9:09 PM ^
Brilliant!
December 17th, 2014 at 9:52 PM ^
Where does he find all those wonderful gifs?
December 17th, 2014 at 11:15 PM ^
what was your previous user name?
December 17th, 2014 at 11:17 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 9:06 PM ^
This is fucking awesome! Come on home Jimmy!
Also, a huge LOL to the notion that the Raiders would offer $16M to Gruden.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:50 PM ^
raiders are totally willing to pay more than double what any coach makes in north america in any sport.
sounds legit.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:11 PM ^
The national media has been an absolute joke with this, almost to a man. Take a look at si.com right now. There are two stories. This might be the dumbest thing written so far about this search. And yet it's appearing just a few headlines under this, which offers a clear explanation of why the "MUST READ" J.P. Scott story is dumb as hell.
We've gotten really good coverage throughout this search from our Ann Arbor-based UM media. The Detroit media has been pretty slow and quiet; the rest of the media has been shit.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:32 PM ^
and we are in it!
December 17th, 2014 at 9:21 PM ^
Everything about the program feels old.This is exactly where things stood in 1969; this was one of Bo's selling points in the early years. Point Michigan.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:16 PM ^
is rubbing their noses in it! And deservedly so.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:43 AM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 9:08 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 9:26 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 11:15 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 9:20 PM ^
Brian has been saying Les wasn't a real candidate for several days now and believes that the denial from the other night was a reflection of the fact that Les knew no offer was coming.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:48 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^
Here was Sam & Co today (I loved hearing people as crazy as me)
HARBAUGH HARBAUGH HARBAUGH HARBAUGH HARBAUGH... Miles MILES?
callers weigh in. HARBAUGH!? DAMMIT, HARBAUGH... or Miles as consolation prize
And oh who's your "Plan B" Hahahaha... can't pretend to be serious about any Plan B
My head is going to implode soon......
December 17th, 2014 at 10:17 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 10:02 PM ^
there is no Plan B (as far as ANYONE on this blog KNOWS). Mullen is Brian's pick, but yes I agree that if Harbaugh somehow, someway is not the next head football coach at Michigan, then I agree its Les Miles. At that point it doesn't matter at all what Miles may have said earlier - t's in his contract that he can leave LSU for Michigan.
Go Blue!
December 17th, 2014 at 10:12 PM ^
a dollar.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
Props to you Brian, for maintaining composure and a sense of perspective, when many others are disingenuous and fabricate fake news.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:01 PM ^
It comes from him having something else meaningful to offer. He does not have to make shit up just to have content and be relevant.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:09 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
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December 17th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
We just got double searchbitted - praise Brian.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
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December 17th, 2014 at 10:08 PM ^
I never thought a double rainbow could be topped, until we were double searchbitted
December 17th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
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December 17th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
I like turtles.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:11 PM ^
but if he stays in the NFL I would go either with Miles or Mullen. I'd pick Miles because he would bust his ass all the way to get Michigan back in the top ten of football schools.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:55 PM ^
I trust if we hire Miles, we will no longer criticize Meyer's "ethics".
December 17th, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
After the UM coaching search is over, take note of all of the idiot "experts" who got it wrong. You'll find it is a common theme with them.
— Steve Hutchinson (@poisonpill76) December 17, 2014
December 17th, 2014 at 10:42 PM ^
I so hope Harbaugh comes here so FootballScoop and all the NFL guys can eat crow. The NFL guys arrogance makes us look like a rightly humble batch of fans. They know nothing and don't care
December 17th, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
It's totally happening
December 17th, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
I know it's a Spaceballs reference, but I still think of Stephen Colbert saying "Blllllllllackwatch Plaid!" on Harvey Birdman.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
These NFL reporters just arre having their mind blown. They just cannot conceive this could happen. Watching them cover their ass today and in the days ahead will be pure comedy gold.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:20 PM ^
It'd be nice to watch them eat crow, but I think they'll just report the signing and move on to the next story about Lebron.
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