My final diary
*Edit* sorry for the edit, but i had to rush off to practice, i meant to say one more thing... If you have a problem with me, feel free to drive south, till you hear someone screaming, but you better ask somebody first, and bring your friends.. (joking of course, i would never advocate violence)
Over the past year i have been posting less and less mainly for a couple of reasons
2. Old dogs/new tricks.... Most people dont seem to be interested in being positive if they are by nature negative, and vice versa.. As i expressed last year (http://gsimmons85.blogspot.com/2008/11/unbelieveable-fandom-in-new-world-order.html ) it was becoming LESS enjoyable for me to watch michigan last year becasue of trying to temper the negativity around here.. Although its fun when we win, i have a hard time being around people that dont enjoy the process as much as the result. If you are like that, that is fine, its my choice to move away from it.. I actually feel bad for people that have so much passion about things that they know so little about. I admire the fact that many of you love football, in particular michigan football as much as you do. I just wish people could learn to enjoy being a fan, and not try to comment on things they dont have a clue about. but to each his own i suppose. Im sure some of you regret not being invovled in football growing up, or now, like i do about not trying to play at Air force, i know it must be hard to not be able to effect the outcome like you wish you could. Coaching is fun, football is fun, playing is fun, and being a fan is fun.. fortunatley for me, i get to see it from all the sides. As a coach i get to be crazy psycho, so that allows me to be calmer as a fan, i suppose.
3. Lack of need.... The whole purpose i had around here was to offer a different perspective. THere are others around here now that can offer that same perspective, i might not always agree with those people, i think that just shows that there are many ways to skin a cat. Without knowing the call sheets, the techniques being implemented, and the terminolgy, its impossible to know exactly what is going on, but there are others around here now that offer as much insight as i could.
Not that i will be missed, but being narcissistic like i am, i felt like telling people that i wont be posting around these parts anymore. I think this past weekend really made me realize how bad people are at second guessing. Maybe when football is no longer my career i will be able to look at being a fan differently but right now, i am struggling with taking my view point and consolidating it with this blog. I choose to believe that people that know more about something than I do, will make the right descions.. My inclenation when i see s descion that i dont understand is to assume that someone knows something i dont. If I (with 20 years of experience, and a list of who's who among coaching circles knowing who i am) can not arm chair Qb, why cant others? Is something that i wont understand, and thats ok. this just isnt the place for people like me.... Just like i assume that pilots know more about flying then i do, michigan coaches know more about michigan football than i do..
I cant be around people that question coaches on every matter and who's first thoughts are "what is he doing?" It is like someone disrespecting my profession every day. Are there bad coaches? yeah im sure there are, do coaches make mistakes? yeah sure they do. But in both of those questions nobody on this blog is qualified to answer, no matter how much football you watch...
Morn me not, for i am not dead, just not going to post anymore...
unless i do..
Later
G
October 12th, 2009 at 3:55 PM ^
Best of luck on and off the field! Your knowledge will be missed, no need to be so humble.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:58 PM ^
thanks for your many insightful posts over the years. i learned a lot more about football and will miss your contributions.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:58 PM ^
It seems far too often lately those without any true knowledge of the game get more attention than guys like you and steve sharik.
I for one am hoping you get time to post again soon enough.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:58 PM ^
I'll miss your musk. When this is all sorted out, I think we should get an apartment together.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:02 PM ^
You've got your priorities straight.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:04 PM ^
Even though I did incur your wrath at one point, I quickly found out that you are a person with valuable knowledge. I appreciated and will miss your posting. I can understand though. I have a couple kids of my own and wouldn't want to have the experience of being a fan ruined by a bunch of idiots. Take care.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:05 PM ^
i love you
October 12th, 2009 at 4:08 PM ^
You are a gentleman and a scholar.
I always love your writing gave me a better understanding of a game I love.
As someone who never saw the field after junior high school. I thought your infomation was awesome, and I began to watch the game in a better way.
Realize not all people want to become more knowlegeable, they would rather sit and watch in the dark and complain about things they don't understand rather than try to understand them.
Thanks Again
October 12th, 2009 at 4:11 PM ^
Thanks for all your contributions! Good luck to you and your team.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:15 PM ^
Much respect for you sir. As an aspiring future football coach, someone who is going into the teaching field to help supplement his crazy obsession with this game by trying to become ever more involved, I was glad to see someone who knew what they were talking about.
Sometimes life just takes on different priorities and you gotta do what you gotta do. Perhaps (most likely although hopefully not) in 5 years there'll be a whole new readership of MgoBloggers here. And they'll all go through all the same growing pains that we did as a fanbase.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:20 PM ^
I'll miss your contributions. I don't read 95 percent of the posts here for the same reason I don't read sportswriters like Rosenberg, Rothstein, and Albom. It's just opinion based on results. When the team wins, the coaches are geniuses. When the team loses, the coaches don't know what they're doing.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:27 PM ^
The real question is will you be back sooner than Chitown came back?
HURP DURP
I'll see you in a few weeks anyway for the North Carolina State Championship Game!!
October 12th, 2009 at 4:27 PM ^
but sad for the mgoblog asylum.
Your input will be missed.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:35 PM ^
Oh geezus. Now nobody can question a coach? And you are leaving because of that?
Wow. And for a bunch of guys who think 19 year old kids ought to stand on he sidelines and get bitched at by their coach on national TV--and they should take it,
But YOU bow out because you can't take the "negativity"--what a self serving sap.
Good bye.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:50 PM ^
Questioning coaches is fine if there is a legitimate reason to question them. But so many people go off on them as if the coaches are in their first years. These coaches have been around football for decades, as players and coaches. They have risen through the ranks because of their coaching abilities. They are being payed hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars to coach because they are worth it.
Additionally, the coaches have far more knowledge about the team than anyone on this site. We only really know what they want us to know about the team. We don't know how players are doing in practice besides what they tell us. We don't know the players attitudes or mental states. We know a tiny fraction of what they know.
If Denard had lead the team to a winning fg, people would have said RR was a genius for knowing when to switch, or they might have bitched that Denard should have been put in earlier. There are some fans who even bitch about winning because the team didn't win by enough points. They can seemingly never be happy. In some ways last year was nice because the more negative fans left but as the team has won they seem to be coming back in droves.
GS: Sorry to see you go, I agree with your sentiment about armchair coaching and your knowledge will be missed.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:50 PM ^
tKoB, you are hitting on all cylinders over the last few days. It's breathtaking, actually.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:00 PM ^
you managed to go from +200 pts to -400 in about 12 hours. Well done.
You're really really trying to get the banhammer huh?
October 12th, 2009 at 5:36 PM ^
Belch is the H1N1 virus of mgoblog today. People are looking to get the shot to prevent its spread.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:46 PM ^
I don't mean this as an insult, or to be mean. You've been pretty reasonable for awhile now, and toned down the wild ad hominems on people. It was going well. Then today happened.
So, my actual, genuine question: Did you go off your meds?
October 13th, 2009 at 8:33 AM ^
or it's his time of the month...
Either way, he needs to put the computer down and just walk away.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:38 PM ^
Right out of college, I was one of those crazy fans who would get up in arms over things about which I knew little beyond the final scoreboard. It took a woman to get me to chill and I, too, have priorities above and beyond Michigan football, be it posting on this site (as great as it is) and actually watching all the games live (I do tivo the ones I miss, but b-school and family obligations take precedence). If I need to turn off the game to play with my 2 girls, I will (sacrilege, I know).
All the best to you, gsimmons. I've enjoyed your posts in the past, particularly on the old site when you were a more regular commenter (or maybe you still were this year and I just didn't bother to wade through all the comments).
October 12th, 2009 at 4:39 PM ^
I always read and appreciated your analysis; good luck on college coaching or head coaching, or BOTH!
October 12th, 2009 at 4:41 PM ^
I think you will be back, you know, when you want some laughs.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:44 PM ^
many of your posts and videos on your site and have learned so much more than I can relate to others.
I think your insight and those with your knowledge and background are of great value. I truly appreciate all that you have contributed and you WILL be missed.
I hope you continue to keep your site going. I find it a great resource.
Also, I agree with your position on some of the reactionaries here. We are all fans, but very few experienced with the necessary sideline knowledge to truly call out coaching decisions or personnel choices.
Whatever path life leads down, may it be with health and happiness for you and yours.
Thank You.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:48 PM ^
hmmm...i question whether or not this is a good decision
October 12th, 2009 at 4:53 PM ^
You offer great insight into the community, and we really appreciate the time you spend teaching us football.
You have good reasons to spend time elsewhere, but I hope the fans that you talked about aren't the main reason you're leaving. There will always be fans that second guess and bother you, but I would say that many of the posters here have their heads on straight and don't get sucked into the "what if" arguments.
Either way, I wish you the best with your teams and family. Hope you don't stay away too long.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:54 PM ^
4. Gotta make some sick mods to the WS6.
Good luck in your future endeavors.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:56 PM ^
First McFarlin, now you...
October 12th, 2009 at 4:57 PM ^
Good luck with whatever you choose to do in coaching and I'm sure you will be great. Your insight was great to have around and you will be missed. Hope to see you stop by from time to time.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:06 PM ^
Sorry to be losing a voluminous football mind. Keep coaching!
October 12th, 2009 at 5:07 PM ^
If you have a good LB background, send your resume to Schem Hall and replace Hopson.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:24 PM ^
Thanks for all the knowledge you've thrown our way.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:41 PM ^
You made me realize how much I didn't know. Best of luck.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:09 PM ^
You are one of the few who obviously spoke with a deep understanding of the game. That's why I always looked for and appreciated your posts and I'm not as happy with the posters who seem to be replacing you...
October 12th, 2009 at 6:30 PM ^
big gulps eh...
October 12th, 2009 at 6:38 PM ^
Let us know if/when you make the jump, and how it goes for you.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:48 PM ^
It is the same everywhere. If people actually knew how to complain about how we are building our particle accelerator, they'd bitch about how we are doing it. But they don't. So I can say pretty much anything I want and they go all deer in the headlights.
But football. Everyone has played touch football in the back yard. Go long and don't stop. Look like you are going long then stop. 2 greatest plays in all of 9th grade touch football. Thus, they think they know something. Thus they think they can do it better.
Sorry to see you go.
October 12th, 2009 at 7:03 PM ^
You will be missed. It just got a lot less sane around here.
So long and thanks for the quality insight. Enjoy the kid-raising while they're still kids. We only get worse with age.
October 12th, 2009 at 7:03 PM ^
I always enjoyed your posts.
But good luck.
October 12th, 2009 at 7:04 PM ^
Thanks for the time you did put in here. Best of luck with your coaching and family.
October 12th, 2009 at 7:30 PM ^
Thanks GS for your insight and depth of knowledge. As just a regular fan, I really appreciated your understanding of the game and your patience explaining things. It was good to have a rational voice in the sea of last year's difficult season for M.
Best of luck with your coaching future and this year's team. We were fortunate to have your input. You'll be missed.
October 12th, 2009 at 7:46 PM ^
If you do have time, can't you just post elsewhere? I agree the last few days were filled with so many armchair quarterbacks it was irritating... but that is the right of the fan. How we react to them is what matters.
I personally enjoyed your posts and would read them if you posted your own weekly blog.
October 12th, 2009 at 8:01 PM ^
gsimmons85.blogspot.com
ill still do stuff there from time to time
October 12th, 2009 at 8:00 PM ^
sorry wrong spot
October 12th, 2009 at 8:03 PM ^
The old man Gsimms is clearly frustrated that someone more knowledgeable than him in defense (Steve Sharik) has stepped up, and has been posting much more insightful comments.
He is also apparently not happy with the second guessing posted here by Brian Cook, the #2 poster on this site. Since this happens to be Cook's blog, Simms is going somewhere.
I say good riddance.
Your ego is way bigger than your knowledge; we're better off with Sharik than you.
October 12th, 2009 at 8:05 PM ^
What? This board is turning into Scout and is driving away a lot of the good posters.
October 12th, 2009 at 8:20 PM ^
I didn't know that on Brian's own site that he was the #2 poster....
This board is becoming more scout/mlive-y every day..
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