The Whine

Submitted by Mmanfromthea2 on

This is my first journal entry. Never thought I'd see a reason to do so. Brian's and company, as well as large portion of the casual/everyday posters had been enough for me. I really didn't  then, or probaby, now,have anything that would bring anything new or better written. Now, knowing my opinion  is just that, my opinion, I feel compelled to hunt and peck this entry.

Why....why would any sane fan of this great team even entertain the idea of a coaching change? I don't need to recount everything you already know. Plain and simple when we hired R.R we hired a new era. I've watched this TEAM for 40 yrs. I know what a Michigan man is. Michigan men don't say big blue  and thet don't whine like buckeyes when for the first time since I was a young  boy we don't get our nine  wins every season -- nine being a give or take sorta thing. I'm not gonna go research the #'s but i believe I was 12 the last time we didn't make a bowl. Now two years and we're back. But i still hear this whine.

If I could justify any of the numerous reasons, maybe just one, this entry would never be made. I see the same #'s, opinions, polls and content that you do; and as hard as I've tried to stay off the boards I cannot. Michigan is MICHIGAN for a reason. We are truly the leaders and the best. Sometimes "leading" can be painful. When these kid have had a chance...a fair shot at showing their talent and heart, we will have, as you've already seen, the most dynamic point scoring machine this league has ever seen. Denard now with Devin in the wings. What else do you want ? Everyone sans S.S is back. But still this whine.

KIDS who shouldn't even see playing time for two years are thrown into the Big 10 and I hear whine. Are you kidding me ! ? The talent is there and the heart is as big as I've seen. Give these kids a chance, a fair shot.  Is a year too much ? Practices before the 28th, the bowl game, off season...We'll have a decent D next year. R.R and company have had nooooo luck. None. I read it in here somewhere; no special teams, no defense and we manage 7-5. If you were told preseason of the injury plague that would be our defense this year; would you have bet on 7-5 ? I wouldn't have. 

I know in my heart and soul he needs only 2011 to make his case. By 2012 we'll be a BCS contender. We have the chance to witness something special, Something new and ahead of the curve -- the Big 10 has never seen what they'll see once these guys grow up. You don't think he "fits" or isn't a Michigan man; that's on you. I want to see what I've always seen at the Big House: a team other teams are afraid of. A team that dominates and executes and does it with integrity and class. You think Tress would have suspended a key player prior to this game ?

No more whine. The pain is over you just don't know it yet. "Coaching changes yes....Regime change ? Naw baby naw.....D.B is laughing at all R.R haters and those quick to squeeze the trigger. He know's......I know he knows. But I still had to hunt and peck....and I feel better ;-)

                                                         GO BLUUUUUUE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comments

jmblue

November 30th, 2010 at 12:16 AM ^

Why....why would any sane fan of this great team even entertain the idea of a coaching change

Simple: if the definition of "insanity" is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, how sane is it to expect dramatically different results from a coach who has gone 2-6, 1-7 and 3-5 in Big Ten play?

Soulfire21

November 30th, 2010 at 12:41 AM ^

We just witnessed a disaster of a coaching change, and now we want to do it again?  It took Harbaugh 4 years to get it going at Stanford, I'm a little tired of the "He'll come here and wave his wand and win, baby!"

  1. Harbaugh has done great things at Stanford -- he inherited more talent in a weaker conference than Rodriguez did.
  2. Speaking of "weak conference" the PAC-10 is playing opponents with an average of 4.7 victories whereas Big Ten teams are playing teams that are averaging just over 7 victories.
  3. Michigan is 1-3 in BCS games (0.250 win pct).  Rodriguez's teams are 2-0 in BCS games (1.000 win pct).  Harbaugh has never won a bowl at the FBS level.
  4. It sucks for Rodriguez because if he goes 9+ wins next year, he's probably still being scrutinized.  If Harbaugh came in and won with Rodriguez's recruits (9+ wins) then he would be heralded as a hero, when really Rich Rod did most of the work

Rodriguez has not been perfect, but given the trajectory everywhere else he's been (well at WVU and GSU) it has followed a similar pattern.

3-9

5-7

7-5

Right, let's fire him?  He's doing better, so, clearly that makes sense...

myrtlebeachmai…

November 30th, 2010 at 9:31 AM ^

I hope Miami burns for decades in the pit of "win at all costs" despair.  What Shannon did to make that program "credible" was absolutely ridiculous.  He pulled off one of the most miraculous turnarounds, from a "street-thug football factory" to a an "academic institution with a football team" ever witnessed.

All I can say is that I'm glad we don't have that administration running (ruining) UM.  If Miami is the example we're looking at to justify firing RR, I don't want to be a part of us anymore.

UMGooch

November 30th, 2010 at 10:15 AM ^

So if my calculations are correct

2008: 3 - 9

2009: 5 - 7

2010: 7 - 5 (+ bowl game)

2011: 9 - 3 (+ conference championship? and bowl game)

2012: 11 - 1 (+ conference championship? and BCS bowl game)

2013: 13 - -1!!! (+ conference championship, exhibition game on the moon, and 4 playoff games for non-mythological NC)

2014: Michigan's 2013 performance causes all football play to cease as nothing will ever match Michigan 2013. Rich Rodriguez reaches apotheosis. Michigan fans finally accept him as head coach.

You read it here first, folks. In 2013, we will have negative 1 losses helping to make up for 2008 and 2009!

Papajoe

November 30th, 2010 at 12:45 AM ^

Why does this even have to be said? I have shyed away from the blog recently because of all the ranting. I totally agree with the OP here, but question the site and the fanbase when things like this post have to be posted. The facts are facts and we all know them, so why is there even a question about 2011.

Topher

November 30th, 2010 at 2:04 AM ^

"Why does this even have to be said? I have shyed away from the blog recently because of all the ranting."

I agree. I think I am going to go into an MGoBlackHole for the next few days, the quality of content and originality of discussion are falling precipitously (BTW, if you're not part of the solution you're a precipitate.)

vegasjeff

November 30th, 2010 at 1:05 AM ^

It hasn't been easy on the players, coaches, alumni, fanbase and administrators, but enduring the tough first three seasons will make the next years even sweeter.

This year has been better than the past two. Prospects for the future are bright. Let's be proud of Denard's awards (B10 OPOTY from media and coaches) and our return to playing in a bowl game, and hope that we will get better next year on both sides of the ball.

During the preseason there was a post asking for our season record predictions. I predicted 7-6. We won't do any worse than that and may do better.

It isn't time for a coaching change. It's time for pride and perseverance.

IdealistWolverine

November 30th, 2010 at 1:28 AM ^

Underdogs still win big games when they have a great coach.

I'm not asking Michigan to win every rivalry game while the team is young...

But 0-6 against OSU and MSU is unacceptable.  End of story.  No excuses.  There's a reason why we are the leaders and best.... we've never let this kind of thing happen.

pete-rock

November 30th, 2010 at 10:25 AM ^

When looking at the job Rich Rod has had to do so far at U-M, why don't people look at what could've been the alternative beginning in 2008?  And I don't mean the Les Miles alternative, I mean the Lloyd Carr Coaching Tree alternative.

From my perspective U-M has been on a slow decline since 2001, and that decline accelerated in 2005, the 2006 season notwithstanding.  If U-M had hired a coach steeped in the traditions of the previous era, I'd be willing to bet we would've had an overall record eerily similar to what we've had since '08 -- and without a hint or glimmer of hope for progress over the next half decade.

Do people simply forget the frustration of 2004-2007?  Sure, Lloyd's teams won more games during that period than Rich Rod has, but those teams hit their ceiling and that ceiling was ever so steadily pushing downward.  This year's team was nowhere close to its ceiling, has been able to get back into the bowl mix and is set up for huge success in 2011 and beyond.

I choose hope, not overreaction.

Louie C

November 30th, 2010 at 2:36 AM ^

You act as if Michigan wasn't already on a losing streak before RR arrived. And as far as MSU goes, Michigan wins haven't exactly been 30 point ass whoopings neither. Remember Braylonfest? Rivas winning a game with his foot? Perryfest? Hell, during Braylonfest and the '07 game, they were  losing those games. What about '90, '95, 99', and '01? In fact the only ass whooping I can remember in recent history is was the 49-3 nail in Bobby Williams' coffin game. Do the streaks against both of them piss me off? You bet, but don't act like losing to them never happened.

jiāyóulán

November 30th, 2010 at 1:53 AM ^

Not sure what it is about the "AM" but there are large number of posts I agree with.

Maybe people are feeling the same pit in their stomach that drove me to make my first post (after years of lurking).

We need to keep RR one more year, not because he will or won't lead us to multiple national championships, but because of what Michigan football represents and who we are as fans.

No one knows for sure if RR will be vindicated next year, but if we let him go, we need to do it after removing all doubt and giving him the time and resources needed to succeed, anything less and we risk abandoning the spirit of Michigan football and dooming ourselves to acting like every other program and fan base.

SCarolinaMaize

November 30th, 2010 at 7:04 AM ^

I agree with your post.  I just wanted to add that part of my view of Michigan Men is that of honor.  I don't remember MI ever not living up to their end of a contract.  That is part of what seperates them from the other programs that hire and fire as soon as there is a sign of "trouble".  Rich's contract is not fullfilled and I think he deserves the chance to keep coaching.  I also believe that Brandon should simply state that fact.  RR's contract is not up, he's still the coach.  Simple enough.  There is a reason contracts are not written for 2 or 3 year agreements.  That is not a fair sample period for what a coach can do with a team. 

JMHO

maddogcody

November 30th, 2010 at 7:49 AM ^

I also do not want RR to get fired after only 2 1/2 years on the job. He needs to be given at least 1 more year. I'm not so sure I want to go back to 3 yards and cloud of dust after witnessing the spread 'n shred under RR.

Although, I am concerned about recruiting. RR needs another good defensive haul this year. The defense will still be young next year, but hopefully they will be improved. Otherwise, it would be wise to think about a change next year.

pete-rock

November 30th, 2010 at 10:34 AM ^

I live outside of Michigan but proudly maintain my Michigan Fan Card(tm).  Not sure if it's me or not, but I sense that the Fire Rich Rod sentiment is strongest in the state of Michigan, and less so with the Michigan Diaspora.  Is this true?

If it is, my guess is that the local media has been effective in its characterizations of the Rich Rod regime, and Sparty's success under Dantonio has become really grating.  I don't have any exposure to either.

Blue in Seattle

November 30th, 2010 at 12:14 PM ^

Angelique Chengelis made a statement in one of her articles early in the year that the most important game to win for Rich Rodriguez would be the MSU game.  Living in Seattle I don't meet any MSU fans or alumni, so I don't have to hear over and over that they've won 3 in a row.  Or hear about the idiotic statement Mike Hart made in 2007 and Dantonio's equally idiotic and childish response.

Most of the fans who want Michigan to win so they can brag about themselves are the ones who want Rich Rodriguez fired.  The fans who like to watch exciting football, and were introduced to this through the Michigan Football team are somber that it couldn't have been more than 7-5 this year, but are excited about the potential moving forward, and were definitely excited to watch plays like Denard's run to the end zone against ND, the first play of the game pass to Roundtree against Illinois.  And overall the fact that so many of the 2010 offensive players are already listed in the record books at the University of Michigan.

Yes, OSU had the ability to stop Michigan's offense, just like California somehow had the ability to stop Oregon's offense.  But in every other game you can look at the total performance and say, "if only the defense could stop something we would have won"

At this moment I realize just how damaging the NCAA investigation was, the lack of confidence in Rich Rodriguez staying at Michigan, and overall how the 2008 performance really put a dent in recruiting.  I look at the Stars comparison between Michigan and OSU even this year and think, "crap how did it get to this?"  But when I look at the average Star count in 2010 and compare it to 2009, 2008, I say, "awesome things are starting to pick up".  When I think of the recruiting pipelines that have been established in comparison to the past 10 years of Michigan football recruiting I'm irrationally excited about the future.

And most importantly, just compare the recruiting classes of Michigan and MSU for this year.  And then remember about "pride before the fall".

If you are a fan of Michigan so you can brag to your co-workers, then yes you are disappointed, and instead of changing the coach, I suggest you change the team you cheer for.

 

JTGoBlue

November 30th, 2010 at 12:40 PM ^

Following this year of injuries, our defense will be loaded with experienced talent , and our offense, amazingly, will get better.  And the ball will be rolling...

scottydreisbach

November 30th, 2010 at 2:10 PM ^

I agree that there are many Michigan fans who have an entitled mentality and do whine about things they shouldn't.  We are all lucky to have been Michigan fans over the past 30 years.  

I do think there is a legitimate place to express intelligent concerns about the state of our football program.  The tough part is separating "the whine" from true fans who express concerns about the past three seasons.