Atlanta writer supports Harbaugh recruiting practices
Atlanta Journal Constitution colulmnist Mark Bradley succintly summarizes much of the recent UM FLA Spring Practice dialogue. He doesn't go into much detail, and we already know many of the quotes verbatim by now, but I include because it: 1) shows not all SEC writers are territorial homers; 2) lists a great prior quote from UGA athletic director about using a motorcade of Chevy Tahoes for recruits: "It's up to the coach to be creative. If it's legal to do, and passes compliance, fine." (a sub-linked article also lists what UGA spent on chartered planes, providing context for Harbaugh's $130,000 over 10 days. UGA spent $1.3 mil on recruiting in 2014; UM $750,000 in 2014-2015. So we're not as bad as some of those headlines implied.) 3) The comments about Harbaugh/UM in some of the sublinked articles are pretty funny--I'm used to reading the UM perspective.
https://www.dawgnation.com/football/jim-harbaughs-spring-fling-frosts-t…
February 28th, 2016 at 4:29 AM ^
This topic has been beaten to death, and there is nothing else to discuss on the matter. All I have to offer is Kate Upton and a puppy (because everyone loves Miss Upton and puppies). Happy Sunday MgoBlog.
February 28th, 2016 at 6:50 AM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 8:34 AM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 10:59 AM ^
Lucky dawg?
February 29th, 2016 at 6:43 AM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 6:56 AM ^
This is an ongoing issue and in no way has it been resolved. So how can you say its been beaten to death? You may be sick of hearing about it but the perspective of a southerner that aligns with what Harbaugh is doing is relevant and worthy of a post.
Besides what else is going on in the college football world right now? Would you prefer if the site went dormant until the season starts? Content police are as bad as the title cops and the grammar douches. Dont read it, nobody is forcing you.
February 28th, 2016 at 9:57 AM ^
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February 28th, 2016 at 10:33 AM ^
So the quote from the UGA, AD about if it's not against the rules and is within compliance it is fair game has been posted here? There's been a lot of posts on rainbows but none had this pot of gold at the end, as far as I know.
February 28th, 2016 at 1:17 PM ^
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February 28th, 2016 at 1:20 PM ^
I understand. If it were another SEC Ad I would agree. The fact it is the Georgia coaches Ad makes it ripe with hypocrisy. But as I said, I understand.
February 28th, 2016 at 2:22 PM ^
KungFury: Agree with a lot of sentiment expressed here that the story is old (although, I thought writer did a better job succinctly touching on the main dialogue than some of the other articles I've read). The GA A.D. (you probably got this point, I'm just going to spell it out to be 100% sure), quote was defending the GA practice of using Tahoes to simulate a presidential motorcade for recruits, not referencing Harbaugh. But much of the criticism of Harbaugh was that he's pushing the limits, getting into a gray area, bending the rules, etc. The irony of the quote is it puts the GA A.D. it on record supporting pushing the envelope. We all know that kind of stuff goes on, but I think it's unique to have an AD support it like that. **It basically gives Kirby Smart no leg to stand on to complain about Harbaugh.** i.e., "Hypocricy"
I do think there is a difference between *tacit* support by an AD of your head coach's recuiting practice and *explicit* justification. Unless he recants his prior statement, the GA A.D. essentially has now gone on record supporting Harbaugh without even knowing it!
That's one reason why I posted this.
I think I've read probably 15-20 of these stories summaring the FLA Spring Break/SEC thing, most of them are fluff or rehashes. This one is slightly different because the author pulls in 2 or 3 new SEC recruiting practice (the Smart and Kiffin references) besides the oft mentioned Saban bump from SEC or GA recruiting scene, writes well, actually states an opinion, and by coming from the heart of the SEC with southern flavor adds more perspective to the analysis.
Apologies if you got all of that, I am clarifying because I don't think I was clear.
In a world of clickbait articles coming from Bleacher report, Fan Sided, and random Alburquerque homers, I felt this article stood out.
Go Blue!
February 28th, 2016 at 3:36 PM ^
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February 28th, 2016 at 4:10 PM ^
Thank you. I never once said it was garbage or complained about it being posted (in fact I was the first one to upvote the OP).
I actually meant that I had personally already said my piece about the SEC hypocrisy in the 99 other threads on the same issue. By the time I realized how poor my wording was, it was already locked in and it was funnier just to watch it burn at that point.
Nothing earth-shattering, but certainly not a bad article.
February 28th, 2016 at 1:41 PM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 3:29 PM ^
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February 29th, 2016 at 8:08 AM ^
I tried to be understanding and let you save a bit of face, but your explanation of not being "clear" is complete bullshit. You used the phrase "0 new..." That is as clear as it is untrue. Da faq. indeed.
February 28th, 2016 at 7:04 AM ^
See: dogs and cats can get along.
February 28th, 2016 at 11:08 AM ^
Reminds me of the legendary Johnny Carson. Zsa Zsa Gabor with cat on lap asks Johnny if he'd like to pet her pussy? Johnny repled that he would love to but she'd have to move the cat.
NOTE-- this is the stuff of true urban mythology. Nobody knows if it's true but has been repeated many times. Zsa Zsa and her pampered star ways carrying a small pet and her limited English using the word pussy coupled with Johnny being Johnny. Good stuff.
February 28th, 2016 at 1:14 PM ^
http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/zsazsa.asp
But when Jane Fonda asked him about it, it was certainly comical.
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February 28th, 2016 at 10:34 AM ^
Can't help but wonder if her kitty is as furry as her puppy.
February 28th, 2016 at 9:30 AM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 10:00 AM ^
She's wearing jorts. Gasp!
February 28th, 2016 at 7:10 PM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 7:52 PM ^
I speculated why someone else did, tried to make a joke, but you did not get it.
February 28th, 2016 at 9:20 PM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 9:42 AM ^
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February 28th, 2016 at 10:37 AM ^
You don't see any of the three puppies in that picture?
February 28th, 2016 at 10:40 AM ^
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February 28th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
Nope, only see 2.
February 29th, 2016 at 8:10 AM ^
I would even let them in the bed with me
Edit: someone negged me.. they must be gay.. so screw you
February 28th, 2016 at 12:43 PM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 4:42 PM ^
So no more "What are you drinking tonight" threads then? No more "Harbaugh is awesome" threads either?
February 28th, 2016 at 6:15 AM ^
If Harbaugh really really wanted to troll the SEC, he do so by planting a U of M flag in the various places he visits while down in Florida and make a vine of each occurence.
February 28th, 2016 at 7:01 AM ^
Harbaugh cannot be stopped. The SEC is a big organization with a lot of pull, and they'll get this banned or their institutions themselves will copy Michigan. Harbaugh is an innovator, he's going to find some other way to get an advantage and have his team doing something no one else is doing in CFB. It doesn't hurt that the controversy is generating a ton of free press. How many extra high school football programs are now trying to send a coach to the Michigan practices this week. IIRC, Harbaugh runs an interesting NFL style practice where every aspect is monitored and there's competition everywhere. The coaches almost all have pro and college experience. It's the only game in town so to speak. It's a huge deal, and it's Michigan leading the way. Every coach will come, and if there are copycats in the future, Michigan will be a high bar that few other schools' practices will match. It's genius.
February 28th, 2016 at 8:04 AM ^
"The Greatest Coaching Clinic of All-Time" 3-day extravaganza in A2 starts on March 10. Another big promo win for Harbaugh.
February 28th, 2016 at 8:52 AM ^
So far, Harbaugh has:
- Created Satellite Camps across the nation,
- Held a media-acclaimed "Signing of the Stars" Event,
- Conducted Spring practice at IMG in the heart of SEC country,
- Climbed trees, had sleepovers, and wrestled with recruits.
- Etc., etc., etc.
What in the world makes the SEC and NCAA believe that when they ban whatever Harbaugh is doing today . . . that Harbaugh won't simply think of something else?
February 28th, 2016 at 10:14 AM ^
Also noteworthy is the residual effect. Many of these kids don't know the Meechigan I grew up with. Harbaugh is changing that. Long after this is banned Meechigan will reap the rewards of his innovation. Just as Saban has at bama even after the NCAA changed it's rules after 2008 because of Saban's constant "bumping" into recruits on the trail.
February 28th, 2016 at 7:16 AM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 8:43 AM ^
I'm sure the entire SEC sent at least one assistant incognito.
The Big Ten East too.
February 28th, 2016 at 7:49 AM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 7:54 AM ^
(Oh, and who used a yellow chopper to recruit in Atlanta this month? Kirby Smart. Who had recruits carted around Athens in a convoy of Chevy Tahoes? Kirby Smart. As athletic director Greg McGarity told the AJC: “It’s up to the coach to be creative. If it’s legal to do and passes compliance, fine.”)
And here I was assuming that, after his comments, Smart was a humble, unassuming man who recruited door-to-door and on foot, carrying only the pamphlets he could feasibly carry and using his stirring words to drive people to the University Of Georgia. Image destroyed.
*obvious sarcasm*
February 28th, 2016 at 8:00 AM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 8:44 AM ^
Smart called the IMG practices “a Pandora’s box,” which is coachspeak for, “How come we didn’t think of that?”
Love it.
February 28th, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^
I like the pandora's box analogy. Harbaugh is really opening ncaa's Pandora's box repeatedly. I mean this sincerely. He's pushing the limits so much even in one year that people are freaking out. It's getting a lot of attention and it's great for Michigan, but it's also good for breaking the power of the SEC in CFB.
February 28th, 2016 at 2:29 PM ^
Pantera's box
February 28th, 2016 at 8:47 AM ^
February 28th, 2016 at 9:18 AM ^
Of course one of the commenters on that article inevitably brings up winter. The way some of those people talk, you'd think the recruits and players from the North have literally never experienced hot weather and simply don't know better. I'd much rather take Michigan's weather over sweating my balls off 6 months of the year. Don't know what it's like in winter, but looking at Athens' weather averages, it looks like it's that range where it's still cold so you'd rather just have real winter instead of that sleeting, wet and cold crap.
February 28th, 2016 at 9:31 AM ^
Brilliant and funny. Thanks for posting OC Alum 91
February 28th, 2016 at 9:32 AM ^
Ultimately, Harbaugh is doing his job. Doing what he can to make his team better and yet they make him out to be the ultimate villain or cheater or, as one commenter put it, a bitch. I guess we will agree to disagree, Georgia fan.
February 28th, 2016 at 9:38 AM ^
I get it, I really do. But having said that, at the end of the day, it is what it is.