SEARCHBITS XXIX: IT IS HAPPENING
80% might be low
IT IS HAPPENING. Okay. I don't have a picture of a signed contract, or word from Harbaugh himself that it's happening.
But it's happening. I have not put a number on Harbaugh to Michigan yet, preferring words since it's impossible to put a number on something like this. I'll do this now: 99%.
I have gotten so much independent stuff from so many different sources; 247 and Scout and Bacon are all on board, with Rivals only lagging seemingly because they buy the 2011 story that Harbaugh backed out "at the last minute," something that just can't be true given the timelines. I would be utterly shocked if Jim Harbaugh was not announced as Michigan's coach by December 30th.
It's all over but the pointless rush to be the first to report that water is wet.
HAPPENING BITS.I've heard word that there's a large event on Tuesday night that the catering staff has been asked to keep secret—something that they've never been asked about before.
A son of a current coach is telling co-workers that it's happening and his dad is being retained.
1201 South State Street is getting mail addressed like this from NFL compounds:
I checked the tracking number; it's legit.
If I had to guess I'd bet that's a young-go-getter overnighting his resume and interest. Blind hope? Maybe. Probably not.
More numbers: Webb increments to 80, pending today's 85. Lorenz says it's "when, not if" and puts it at 85%. Pequeno doesn't have a number but does say Michigan boots are on the ground in San Francisco.
THE DURKIN PROPHECY. Harbaugh to Michigan is now unofficially official enough that a coaching staff seems to be in the process of being assembled in earnest. Further confirmation of DJ Durkin's presence on the new staff comes from the message board:
So, I am from Youngstown, OH. This morning, I went to my gym for a little early morning workout, and another member of my gym is the father of Chris Durkin … they are close cousins with D.J. Durkin. … he said he would starting rooting for Michigan football next season (after giving me shit for wearing Michigan shirts in the past). I asked why, and he said he has a cousin who would be coaching there next season, and when I asked if it was D.J. Durkin, he said it was.
Conversation stopped there, but basically we can infer from this that Harbaugh is coming, and D.J. Durkin knows it and will be joining him.
That's a user with only 214 points but he is a guy who signed up over a year ago, FWIW. If it wasn't obvious already since Durkin didn't take the A&M job that could have been his a week ago, it should be now.
ANOTHER NFL PERSON SAYS MICHIGAN IS A TINY FAVORITE. SI's Don Banks runs down the NFL coaching carousel, touching on Harbaugh during the Oakland section:
Most league sources I talked to believe it’s down to either Oakland or Michigan for Harbaugh, and while his preference is to stay in the NFL, the lure of Ann Arbor and being able to resurrect the struggling program at his alma mater might be too tempting an opportunity to say no to. If there’s a possession arrow at the moment, indications are it has begun to slightly point in the direction of the Wolverines. …
Or as one source told me: “He can go there and be God, and never get fired. That’s a home he can live in and stay at. It’ll be like [Nick] Saban in Alabama. He’ll do whatever he wants there. I’d call that the logical place for him.’’
The Raiders will try, but they're still the Raiders—perpetually moribund and possibly on the move.
Banks later dismisses Harbaugh as an option in Chicago, saying if he's leaving the West Coast it's for Michigan. That seems like a flimsy assumption to me, but local reporters continually say that Harbaugh's too pricey for the penny-pinching Bears owners. There's been little indication that Chicago will step in.
WHY IS THIS XXIX? Searchbits XXVIII was this for anyone who just had to check to see if anything was happening on Christmas.
New MGoPost: SEARCHBITS XXVIII: DON'T READ THIS, IT'S CHRISTMAS http://t.co/bqRjIOs0ZA
— mgoblog (@mgoblog) December 25, 2014
I regret nothing, even the old meme. That's what you get for obsessively checking this webs…
…actually this may have been a bad idea.
I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN SPEAK FOR EVERBODY. John Harbaugh denies the Schefter report that Jim's family is encouraging him to take the Michigan job:
"The report that says that his family is encouraging him to go to Michigan by Adam Schefter is absolutely incorrect," John Harbaugh said. "There's been no family that I know of that has given him any advice at all. That's a personal decision, that's his to make. And that's just absolutely false."
I think that's not entirely true; even if it is, Schefter's report seemed to be addressing the wife-won't-leave meme, not John and Jack. And as I mentioned before I'm confident that Jack has been a major part of the Harbaugh acquisition process. It's Jim's decision of course, it's just that your mom and I have always dreamed… etc etc etc.
ETC.: Matt Pargoff has an extensive list of potential assistants. Licensed twitter troll TIm Kawakami's Harbaugh-49ers postmortem is on point.
December 26th, 2014 at 5:54 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 5:54 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
December 26th, 2014 at 5:55 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 5:55 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 5:58 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 5:58 PM ^
The hell am I supposed to do tomorrow and Sunday?
December 26th, 2014 at 6:02 PM ^
No sleep til Harbaugh!
December 26th, 2014 at 6:03 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:05 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 7:20 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 8:47 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:05 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:08 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:10 PM ^
Curious...
Do anyone know if the hired search committee will play a role in the search for possible assistants?
December 26th, 2014 at 7:05 PM ^
I think the head coach does that himself.
December 26th, 2014 at 6:12 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:20 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:21 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^
Who is the coach being retained? Fred Jackson has a son who might be talking to people...
December 26th, 2014 at 6:26 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 7:06 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:28 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:32 PM ^
Please please tell me that the dude saying that his dad is going to be retained as an assistant is not Jeremy Jackson. Please, please God.
December 26th, 2014 at 6:40 PM ^
I won't say I will go 100 percent until I see Jim at the podium saying he is now the new coach at Michigan. But it looks like all the clues are pointing towards it's happening! I hope we are not Charlie Brown with Lucy lifting the football at the last second! If Harbaugh makes a last second deal with the 49ers to Oakland this board will be in meltdown mode!
December 26th, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 7:14 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
December 26th, 2014 at 7:41 PM ^
December 27th, 2014 at 12:58 AM ^
December 27th, 2014 at 10:29 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
December 26th, 2014 at 6:44 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
December 26th, 2014 at 6:45 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:47 PM ^
Ugh, do not want. Who is this Harbaugh guy, anyway? I heard he didn't even have a winning record this season.
December 26th, 2014 at 6:48 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 6:57 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 7:03 PM ^
lots of comments from sparty and bucky friends (yes I admit I have them) that even if Harbaugh comes there's no talent on Michigan's roster. I just laughed and psaid it's gonna be a fun year!!!
December 26th, 2014 at 7:07 PM ^
Harboner (n.): The state of unparalleled tumescence brought about by the hiring of a certain James Harbaugh as head football coach at the University of Michigan.
"You were locked out of the house? Did the fire department have to break down the door?
No...it was the same week as the hiring, so I just used my Harboner to break it down."
December 26th, 2014 at 7:16 PM ^
Time for the maize and blue underwear. Until Tuesday.
Sorry honey
December 26th, 2014 at 7:21 PM ^
The best part of retaining Mattison is the continuation of:
SWAG MATTISON.
December 26th, 2014 at 7:24 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 7:37 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 7:54 PM ^
December 26th, 2014 at 7:40 PM ^
I was with a buddy (Ohio fan). He wanted to take me out for a drink in anticipation of my son being born on Monday. A nice gesture from an Ohio fan, one that isn't delusional.
Due to the discussion, children, cancer, music and college, I didn't pick up my phone immediately. Let the good time with a buddy ride I said to myself.
So I returned home about 30 minutes later. Helped my nine month pregnant wife put the kids to bed and then cracked a fresh hoped IPA open before I sat down to open the blog.
What an emotional and exciting evening. What we've gone through, the school, fans, PLAYERS, all those involved. It's been a lot.
But it's happening. Michigan has the right man in place. You can feel comfort knowing that the right leader is in place. The man, who knows and loves THE MAN.
It's time my friends. Have a cold one, you're team just entered the woo.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
December 26th, 2014 at 7:49 PM ^
Comments