Mike Forcier on Tate and Transfers

Submitted by TomVH on

I hate breaking news, or debunking things (see Sam McGuffie transfer), so I don't know what's going to happen with Tate. I spoke to his Dad, and here's some quotes from our conversation. He was adamant that Tate is not transferring. These can all be found on my twitter page, too.

"As Tate's father, and someone who would advise him, a transfer isn't something I want to be a part of. Sometimes you think, man, do they want him there, but we don't think that's the situation. Rich Rodriguez has also been straight with us."

"Tate knows Michigan is the biggest and best stage out there. I know he has mixed emotions, but this is in his blood."

"He was feeling a little like a caged animal on the sidelines. He knew the cameras were on him, and that they were looking for an emotional reaction, so he was trying to hide his face with the towel. He was not pouting. The cameras kept prodding, and egging him on, so he got upset about it."

"This is a good growing experience. The way I see it, it's a long season. You saw today that they're going to need two quarterbacks. The Big Ten schedule is a tough schedule."

"We knew some disciplinary actions were coming down the pipe, so we kind of saw some things that others didn't. Not everyone knows and sees everything that goes on on the inside."

"This is like a boxing match, and the advice I give him is ride it out baby, ride it out. Those who stay will be champions."

"I talked to him after the game briefly, and I think we're ok. All I want to do is think positive of this. Tomorrow is a new day for him."

"I really think Rich Rodriguez is trying to make a true leader out of him on and off the field. Again, no one sees everything that goes on inside. Tate is a competitive, emotional kid that was having mixed emotions. He was happy as hell that they won, but upset he couldn't be in the game."

Comments

ommeethatsees

September 5th, 2010 at 12:38 AM ^

I also think that Tate will play at some point this season which is exactly why he should have been on his feet cheering his team on and supporting his teammates.  How do you think his teammates feel about playing with a QB who cares more about himself thean the team.

I hope Tate continues to grow up and realizes that this sort of behavior only isolates him from the rest of the team.  And if that doesn't happen I hope one of the seniors helps him see the error of his ways.

Moe Greene

September 4th, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^

Fingers crossed.... this is a issue that will get worked out without the world going to hell in a bucket..... since we're still going to need him to play at some point this year....

kmanning

September 4th, 2010 at 10:16 PM ^

I feel kind of bad for Tate, cause I really get the impression RichRod wanted to play Forcier for at least a couple series today, but with the way Denard was playing there was no way they were going to make a change outside of those couple snaps when he banged up his hip. I hope he sticks it out, cause like other said, there will almost certainly be times we need him this year, unless we get incredibly lucky with Denard A) never getting hurt and B) never struggling mightily.

joelrodz

September 4th, 2010 at 10:18 PM ^

Thanks Tom. I think Tate can learn a lot from Denard on how to handle adversity. Denard came in last year and got pulled - he took it like a mature individual and cheered his teammate on. He didn't make anything public, he didn't seclude himself, he didn't blow anyone off. He just tried harder, and it paid off. Who knows, Denard may play poorly the next couple of games and be pulled again. No one knows, as it is quite early in the season. But having this kind of attitude during the first game, on top of what we have heard from the spring (not participating with team as much as expected) is not a good sign.

Papochronopolis

September 4th, 2010 at 10:21 PM ^

19 year olds are emotional and that's fine.  This will all work out one way or the other.

 

I look forward to hearing what you have to say re: visitors today.  I hope they were as impressed as I was!

bronxblue

September 4th, 2010 at 10:33 PM ^

With everyone else, great job Tom.  It's funny how a couple of minutes of real journalism and investigation produces useful results, while 20 minutes of rambling conjectures by hack reporters produce crap.  Great job.

MGlobules

September 4th, 2010 at 10:33 PM ^

One, "disciplinary actions" suggests there's more to the story than most of us know. Two, the cameras remained on him a heckuva long time. I'll lay you dollars to donuts a lot of people who got so riled would have taken it differently if ABC/ESPN had just created the picture for viewers and moved on. It was exploitation, and cheap exploitation, and some people here got played. That's one reason to OBTAIN and education, not to be manipulated by the mass media.

P.S. Anyone who thinks RichRod was just abusing Tate is missing the boat. And yeah, I agree with the poster above the things flowed well and fast enough that yanking Denard was out of the question. 

wolverine1987

September 4th, 2010 at 11:02 PM ^

There would have been no story at all, if Tate was on the sidelines with his teammates instead of deliberately separate from them. That action IMO REQUIRED comment from the booth--it was a legitimate story and those that say it was wrong and focusing on "the negative" IMO are a tad homeristic. I'm not knocking Tate as a person at all, but that behavior was a mistake. a mistake that does nothing to dispel the comments from Woolfolk and others. I'm rooting for him, but actions have consequences.

TartanAlex

September 4th, 2010 at 10:35 PM ^

Tate's dad is quoted thus - "We knew disciplinary action was coming."

Let's not judge the kid too swiftly. Perhaps he could have done better on the sideline today but let's also try and imagine - and empathise with - what he must have been feeling.

I suspect that he'll play a fair bit this year. If he gets his head right...

I hope that happens.

MgoMatt

September 4th, 2010 at 10:36 PM ^

I'm just curious here.  Why does Tate's dad answer the phone when some blogger calls and wants to bring up a nasty article written about his son?  And how do you have Tate's dad's number in the first place?

bleedzblue

September 5th, 2010 at 1:09 AM ^

Why would Tate's dad answer the phone for a blogger?? Umm, I don't know, how about to set the media straight and squash all of the transfer rumors that are flying around about his son. His father and Tom VH have talked before so its not like he's just talking to some "blogger". All Tom is doing is setting the record straight which I'm sure Mr. Forcier appreciates. If he didn't want to talk to Tom then he wouldn't.

Glutton

September 4th, 2010 at 10:40 PM ^

From the LiveBlog, it was obvious the MGoCommunity was mixed when DG went in.  We will definitely need more than 1 serviceable QB this year.  D-Rob cannot put his body through that every week.  I was encouraged by Mr. Forcier's insight, and "those who stay will be champions."

A lot of pressure on these young men.  Support them, especially when their faith may be wavering.

Muttley

September 5th, 2010 at 12:17 AM ^

You can't expect DRob to go through Chris Perry MSU games week in and week out.  He got roughed up once and took a couple of other tough hits.

DRob was awesome today, but unfortunately, our offense was all DRob.  Sooner or later, he's likely to come up limping, and then will he be able to make 5-10 yards out of nothing practically any time he wants?  He also did great throwing the ball today, but that was his change-up, he still ran for more yards than he threw for.

FingerMustache

September 4th, 2010 at 10:44 PM ^

i think tate needs to realize that this was a team especially ill-equipped to stop a scrambling quarterback. there are certainly some opponents that we'll face this season, against whom  tate's skillset will be advantaged

UMxWolverines

September 4th, 2010 at 10:56 PM ^

I really did feel bad for him today, and I was getting pretty annoyed at people saying if they put him in he'd "throw an interception and fumble it". Doesn't anyone have any thanks in them for what he did last year? And I know you're angry Tate, but transferring is not the thing to do. Please stay. 

6tyrone6

September 5th, 2010 at 12:18 AM ^

It is just a matter of time before a running QB gets hurt in this league, Denard was outstanding, but every time he ran I winced, just like when Justin Fargas used to run, full assed out, but like a fast fastball, you don't hardly ever hit it, but when you do it is a major impact. Denard will get dinged up and both QB's behing him will start at least a game this year. And I really believe that Tate will come in during a game when Denard cant get it done. Hang in there Tate and all the weasels that critique any of these guys cmon, we know how it would be if we followed you around in your medicore lif with a camera and had a bunch of morons commenting on your daily activities, what you did wrong what you could do better.

M-Dog

September 6th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^

against Pitt in 2007.  His backup was not up to par.  Goodbye NC game against a beatable OSU.  RR's life hasn't been the same since.

I'm sure RR won't make that mistake again.  Denards backup(s) will play and be ready.  A lot.

RR knows he needs Tate.  That's why he's being so hard on him.  He needs him ready, with his head in the game.   

SC Wolverine

September 4th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^

I don't know how these sportswriters sleep at night.  It was one thing for ABC to put the cameras on Tate on the sidelines -- he was sitting all by himself with the towel in public after all.  But to lurk around the locker room, catch a 19 year-old in a vulnerable moment, and then publish it without any investigation -- that is pathetic. I also wish people would not comment when stories like that are made, especially those that heap abuse on the player.

SC Wolverine

September 5th, 2010 at 1:52 PM ^

Well, I'm glad it's not my job to catch admittedly immature college sophmores at vulnerable moments, ask them a question that is likely to tempt them into an unwise answer, and then publish it to the world.  You ask how Rothstein is not supposed to publish it?  Well, he could do what TomVH did and what used to be called journalism -- he could first dig a bit deeper, seek perspective and actually inform rather than inflame the public. 

Of course it's true that Forcier should have acted and spoken differently, and I wholly agree that he should appreciate his privileged position more.  Still, I'm just saying, this is not right.

mgoblue0970

September 5th, 2010 at 1:01 AM ^

While it's fashionable to blame the MSM for so much garbage... I think if Tate simply went and stood next the team it would have been a non-issue.  For someone who supposedly didn't want cameras around him, standing next to his teammates ends it right then and there.

If you've ever seen his family's website, or seen his interviews, Tate is a hot dog that loves the attention.   I don't give a shit if he is 19 (and neither would Bo), but Tate has to be savvy enough to realize that if he puts a towel over his head, is the ONLY one on the bench, and is a good ten feet away from 80+ other teammates, someone is going to say something about it.  Period.

Yeah, getting tried in media is no fun.  But considering the comments from teammates and the coaches during camp, getting issued a plain blue helmet, and then today, it's  pretty clear the kid has a chip on his shoulder (torn labrum or not)... and that is not the characteristic of a good leader.  

Think of how many of us in this forum would give our left one to suit up for a game... and Tate appears to take it for granted.  RR gave him every chance to succeed this spring and fall and Tate has no one to blame but himself.  I think Tate has some growing up to do and people making excuses (injuries, age, etc. that’s all bullshit.  How old is DG for example?) for him are just enabling his piss poor behavior.

sum1valiant

September 5th, 2010 at 2:18 AM ^

Think of how many of us in this forum would give our left one to suit up for a game... and Tate appears to take it for granted.

Before reading this post I was pretty indifferent to this entire "story"; however this does put it into perspective.  Obviously I hope this "story" isn't a story at all and he does stay at Michigan, but I pray that he realizes and cherishes the opportunity that he has. 

TQ177

September 4th, 2010 at 11:06 PM ^

Why would Tate want to stick it out and never get to play or play very little when he can go just about anywhere and most likely start the rest of his career? He had offers form A LOT of big time schools. U-M fans need to realize there is other options out there for Tate. People that expect him to just sit on the bench and bail us out when we need him to are unrealistic.