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 17th, 2014 at 9:48 PM ^
Well, also competition at the highest level of football and the chance to get the Super Bowl he never did as a player. Jim is a hyper competitive guy, so that's probably the main draw for him. If the 49ers had won that Super Bowl I think we have a better chance.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^
I'd bet winning the national championship as coach of your alma mater beats the shit out of winning the Super Bowl.
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December 17th, 2014 at 10:02 PM ^
That depends on values. For the people who are really all about competition being the best in the world at the thing you do has a lot of appeal.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:36 PM ^
John's SB ring is the only one at the family table, for instance.
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December 18th, 2014 at 7:06 AM ^
He certainly isn't winning a Super Bowl with the Raiders.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:21 PM ^
So there is still unfinished business for him in the college game. Let him build a dynasty here, then go back to the NFL to get that Lombardi Trophy.
December 18th, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^
No one puts your name on a building in the NFL when you're a coaching god.
If I had my choice between being someone's sloppy seconds in the NFL, or having my name put on a building when I'm still alive to enjoy it, I'm picking building.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:54 PM ^
But Harbaugh did (reportedly) pick the NFL over Michigan before. We can root for him to pick Michigan without dismissing the appeal of the other option.
[BUT GODDAMIT SCREW THE STUPID NFL JIM! THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE MICHIGAN]
December 17th, 2014 at 10:41 PM ^
Harbaugh has never been offered the job until now. How do you have over 4100 points on this site?
December 17th, 2014 at 10:40 PM ^
I've been saying this for weeks. He's way up on Maslow's Ladder. I imagine there's a point where more money doesn't mean that much. But your legacy alongside Bo's, Fritz's and Fielding's does. God, what an opportunity.
Then if he wants to go back to the NFL he always can. But this one moment won't come again.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:43 PM ^
$49Million/6 years seems like an odd number at first, but if all $49 MIllion was divided evenly and did not include incentives, not only would he beat Saban by over a million, He'd beat Sean Payton too. We're prepared to make him the highest paid football coach ever.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:49 PM ^
coaches are underpaid. especially in college where ADs rake in tons of cash and pay players nothing. if he takes this deal it will be the new basement for high profile coaches.
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December 17th, 2014 at 10:39 PM ^
and you just joined on Dec. 5th?
December 17th, 2014 at 10:56 PM ^
Schools actually spend between $50,000 and $100,000 per football player, depending on the cost of tuitiion and other factors.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:42 PM ^
Putting all that Big Ten Network money to good use.
December 18th, 2014 at 12:20 AM ^
because Michigan had to pay a sales tax or something. . .
December 17th, 2014 at 9:43 PM ^
"We want something to happen so badly that, during the early lovefest, we pass over too many of the specifics because the general discussions are going so well, and the details are lost."
This was a quote attributed to Jim Hackett - speaking in generalities about Michigan's courting of Rich Rodriguez and the turmoil to come from the slipshod process in JUB's book. I'd say we have the right guy handling the Harbaugh situation for us.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:45 PM ^
What a no talent ass clown he was.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:47 PM ^
he thought he was the smartest guy in the room, so he hired a puppet
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December 17th, 2014 at 9:46 PM ^
Jesus man, the tension is ratcheting up by the freakin' hour. Double searchbits, more "It's happening" chatter, spiced with just the right amount of "Maybe it's not happening" to keep me insane. I pray to any and all deities that this ends soon because I can't take much more of it.
Regardless of outcome it seems like this was as well played as possible by Hackett. Kudos to you sir. Now I will return to my crystals, chanting, juju and pyramids to effect the desired result.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:51 PM ^
all bent about somebody suggesting that Harbaugh might be coming to M. They make it out like no one in their right mind would turn down the NFL. Kinda funny.
Yea completely agree that playing the f-u card to decommitted kids that might reconsider is not the way to go. You can't blame kids and particularly parents for bailing when the people they are entrusting their kids welfare to are no longer there.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:51 PM ^
Let's hope we don't have to go there, Cook.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:53 PM ^
Doesn't happen there will be devastation the likes of which we have never seen.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:31 PM ^
Like Brian said, if he turns down this offer at least we know that he truly wants to keep challenging himself in the NFL, and if it happens to be the Raiders, there's the whole Bay Area thing. I don't think this would shame Michigan at all, as much as our rivals would like to think so.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:53 PM ^
the offer was made, and hackett is all in. harbaugh may start talking tomorrow.
and if he doesn't the call goes out to mullen.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:53 PM ^
This takes me back to the days when aOsu fans would swear thet Urban would coach in Columbus and we would laugh off that insider info they claimed to have because why would he leave Florida? Buckeye fans were just dreaming until Urban suddenlu begged out of his job just as Tressel was leaving town.
Of course we posters on message boards can be forgiven for being all wet to a degree the knowledgeable NFL media snobs can't be.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:33 PM ^
This. I have also had flashbacks to the Urbs hiring -- the OSU insiders were quietly confident in the face of national negativity. I hope the result is the same here. I really hope Hutch is in the know.
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December 17th, 2014 at 10:59 PM ^
That was the job he was waiting for. Quit Florida, build national profile on tv, perfect timing, intentionally.
December 18th, 2014 at 6:49 AM ^
Also planned to get Tressel fired? And the NCAA violations? And the sanctions? Because that's what the timeline you're proposing would require.
December 18th, 2014 at 7:13 AM ^
I did feel like it was a minor conspiracy that ESPN had Meyer and Speilman call every OSU game during the Fickel year (to scout, negaotiate, hob nob, whatever), until he eventually took the job at the end of the season.
December 18th, 2014 at 9:28 AM ^
That it was in the best interest of many people to see Urban go to OSU. I just have a hard time believing that OSU, wanting Urban all along, engineered Tressel's dismissal and Urban's leaving Florida. That would be one of those conspiracy theories of the type rampant at WVU when RR came to Michigan (you may remember all of the WVU fans claiming that RR deliberating threw the Pitt game so he could come to Michigan).
December 17th, 2014 at 9:54 PM ^
I'm not going to dismiss Schefter because I don't see why he would be biased against us. Yes, it may be true that Michigan insiders have more access to information from within MIchigan. But it also may be true that NFL insiders have more access to information in the NFL. There may be natural bias (based on access to information), but it works both ways.
Yes, there is a no poaching period until the end of the NFL regular season, but it's hard for me to imagine that NFL teams who are out of the playoffs aren't trying to get around that by faciliating communications between agents (i.e. no direct contact). There may be NFL offers already on the table that we're not aware of.
I think we need to take a step back. Both Michigan insiders / NFL guys may be talking to people with vested interests / hopes. Ultimately the only person who knows is Harbaugh himself.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:59 PM ^
Except it was Michigan people who were reporting this offer a week ago.
While NFL people were pegging their claims on, "Well, nobody leaves the NFL. Protect The Shield!"
December 18th, 2014 at 12:16 AM ^
The same NFL guys who were saying earlier in the season that Harbaugh's style was more suited to college players and rubbed NFL players the wrong way?
December 17th, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
Thank you, Brian. Your swift response following the national news leaks and the added clarity concerning the official offer at roughly 3pm ET, brings balance to the noise.
If Jim Harbaugh truly ever entertained coaching at Michigan, this is as good as it gets timing-wise. Circumstance has brought his childhood love to his doorstep willing to do what no one would have believed they are willing to do before now.
Ann Arbor means more to Jim Harbaugh than just Michigan football. He grew up there. His parents are Blue. He has known Bo since he was a little kid. He was allowed to run around the football offices, to be on the sidelines during games.
He knows things about Bo and Michigan that few could.
He knows Ann Arbor is a great place to raise a family.
His wife has to know what Michigan means to him. If she is his partner, she will encourage him to follow his dreams.
There is no other coach out there that concerns Urban Meyer and Mark Dantonio more than Jim Harbaugh. Bank that.
Any choice to coach the Wolverines must be qualified with, 'will he be capable of consistently beating your rivals?'
Jim Harbaugh has a huge decision to make.
There is no one better suited to coach Michigan.
I suspect Jim knows this.
I want my kids to experience the Michigan football excellence I experienced growing up.
If I were Jim Harbaugh, this is an easy decision.
Go Blue.
December 18th, 2014 at 12:25 AM ^
Very well said.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
Two Searchbits in one day. I've got a CC Monkey on my back. Really appreciate the updates.
December 17th, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^
For the next 8 days, everyone be on your best behavior!
Help old ladies across the street.
Put your spare change in the collection bins for Salvation Army.
Lay your coats down across puddles.
Santa will then get us all the best Christmas present ever!!!
December 17th, 2014 at 10:24 PM ^
I'm there! Does it help to say that I never wanted Harbaugh?
December 17th, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^
to not get too excited. I really am. Glad Hackett made a grade A offer. If JH doesn't accept, we can't say we didn't try. But this is whole scenario is like someone is writing a book behind the scenes. The timing and fit are just too perfect. "And Jim accepted the Michigan job ,and not so soon after that ,a sleeping giant finally woke up"
December 17th, 2014 at 10:38 PM ^
"and the sleeping giant woke up". I got chills.
December 18th, 2014 at 2:07 AM ^
"But this is whole scenario is like someone is writing a book behind the scenes."
I was just thinking the same thing today. It almost feels like Jim's entire life has been building to this. He was meant to play for Michigan in his youth. Now as a man he is the perfect man for the job of rebuilding what once was. Make those that would oppose us fear the Winged helmet once again.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:05 PM ^
I agree that the ball is in Harbaugh's court, and if he passes on Michigan it won't be because Michigan screwed anything up. They are treating this like a professional, well-run organization would, and that is refreshing given the clown show we've seen around here for 7 years.
I will make the obligatory "public school in economically-troubled state offering the most money ever to a football coach" statement, but at the same time Michigan is kinda barely a state school anymore given the limited assistance they receive from Lansing and their significant out-of-state demographic. Let's just hope Harbaugh accepts and the fanbase can move on to the next stage.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:49 PM ^
This is that classic argument about "Athletes/Entertainers/Performers don't deserve the money they make". If they bring in one more dollar than they cost, they deserve the money.
December 18th, 2014 at 7:49 AM ^
That's a really shitty ROI.
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December 18th, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^
I never said he doesn't deserve the money, only that optically it looks a little weird for the football coach to be offered that much money from a state school in a state with a still-high unemployment rate. I get how life and capitalism works, and (in theory) Harbaugh will be well worth the investment, but a little bit of me is bothered by the fact that the guy running the team is getting millions around the same time the state of Michigan passes a law that precludes the athletes, the people who actually play the sport and justify the coach's salary, aren't allowed to unionize and continue to be treated as fungible labor with few opportunities to gain legal compensation for their services as well.
December 17th, 2014 at 10:07 PM ^
I've been on the "people are just flinging shit at the wall" bandwagon but we are basically choking on smoke at this point. Please be the fire, er, hire Jimmy.
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December 17th, 2014 at 10:10 PM ^
Brian. You rock. Perfectly stated and well put together. Bravo for that. Life is about honesty. Michigan is giving its honest, best proposal to Harbaugh here. Michigan has done all that it can, and can stand tall knowing they are truly being transparent and giving a fair, more than fair actually, offer.
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