I hope Hoke reaffirms his commitment to bringing in good players. I don't care where they are from.
It's just more of the BS machine. Hoke will bring in 3-6 guys from Michigan each year just like every other Mich coach did.
Very blunt and very true.
March 23rd, 2011 at 10:13 AM ^
It would be very true if the article itself or any quote from coach Hoke had made it sound like he was going to put more of a focus on recruiting Michigan.
Angelique titled her article with a "reaffirms." Maybe I've just completely misunderstood the word all these years, but it doesn't seem to imply anyone's reinventing the wheel here. It wasn't like she was trying to trick anyone. She's simply saying that Michigan is going to focus on Michigan. If anything she's saying "just like it's always been." I'm not sure what's wrong with that.
As for coach Hoke, he even said "
"the core of our football team is going to be made up from guys from the state of Michigan, the state of Ohio, Indiana and the state of Illinois..."
I'm not sure how he in any way implied that he was going to be doing anything different from previous regimes, RR's included.
I realize that some people are getting tired of the Brady Hoke lovefest the media is having, and the fact that plenty of articles seem to imply that Hoke is going to do things "the right way," while RR clearly did them "the wrong way." But I don't think this is one of those articles. It seem like a good solid puff piece and nothing more.
March 23rd, 2011 at 10:50 AM ^
Your last paragraph says it all. The 180 the media did wrt Coach Hoke as opposed to RR was impressive. You would think that RR killed their puppies... and Hoke brought the dogs back to life. Or something. You get the idea. It just seems odd that having a southern accent can make you such a bad person...
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:06 PM ^
You are right about the 180, and it is very annoying. But I'm at the point where I'm past it and I'm trying to just roll with it. Regardless of the motivation or the realities versus perception, to the outside world (read: recruits) it only helps to be getting all this positive press.
March 23rd, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^
You make some good points, but why write the article if he is doing the exact same thing every other coach is doing?
Here are the rest of Angeliques articles coming this week
1. Hoke Preaches Toughness
2. Hoke Says Fundamentals are Key to Success
3. Hoke Says Defense Wins Championships
4. Hoke is Looking for Good Players
5. Hoke Says Team Needs to Play Smart
The only article worth writing would have been Hoke doesn't see much value in continuing Cass Tech pipeline or Hoke says he wants more players from the State of Michigan than previous regimes.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:20 AM ^
Again, I understand that people seem to be getting annoyed with the fawning (and really, I realize articles that basically say "Nothing new to see here" are doubly so). That said, it seemed like your original comment had a bit of a "screw Hoke, terrible hire, we're not getting better, blah blah blah" feel to it. Perhaps I misinterpreted.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:15 PM ^
You totally missed my point. I like Hoke. I just can't stand the media and the 180 I knew was coming. I like well thought out ideas and facts backing them up. That is why I like this site so much, because it tries to sift thru the garbage and give you true insight into the team.
It's at least positive so I guess I'll just let it go.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:19 AM ^
Ziffy, really, is this your opinion? You have expressed this thought in virtually every thread concerning Hoke, I get it. Give it a break until after opening day, at which time when you make the same point, I will find it insightful and refreshing!!!
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:08 PM ^
I have no idea what you are talking about, but I'll state what my opinion is very clearly so it's not taken wrong.
I like Hoke. I like RR. I am a Michigan fan. I support the coach. The media is a joke and I can't stand when they mislead people that don't follow things as closely as most of the people on this site do.
Hoke is going to find the best players he can to play for Michigan. He will concentrate on Michigan's best players because he has the best chance of getting them. He will go all across the country and find the best players and people for Michigan. Just like every other coach for Michigan has.
I'm not Anti Hoke, I've been on here saying time and again we are going to win the Big Ten this year. I'm anti misinformation and misleading articles.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:12 PM ^
You didn't wait until after opening day
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:17 PM ^
Is the glass that is half full still look like there is nothing in it or do you think there is poison in it now?
If you believe that the media gave RR a raw deal, fair enough. But why would you want them to give Hoke the same raw deal? Wouldn't you want positive publicity for the Michigan program for a change?
IDK ain't shit in my glass, it's full of air just hot fucking air
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:20 AM ^
bc people read it. Damn, are you dense? If people didn't want to read about the new coaching staff, there wouldn't be fluff pieces as illustrated above. don't get pissy
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
Have you read any of Angelique's articles? 90% of them (probably even more in the off-season) are fluff pieces about the coach or players. I'm not sure why this upsets you. Its her job. What you mention as the only article worth writing didn't actually happen, yet she still has to write about something. I don't really blame her.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:47 AM ^
It wasn't like Angelique was one of the angry hordes against Rodriguez either, so it's not even a case of a writer fawning over Hoke while killing Rodriguez over something that really isn't any different. She was one of the levelheaded ones.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:01 PM ^
6. Hoke really, really, really gets the OSU rivalry.
7. He also knows his way around Ann Arbor without a map.
8. "Already knows the words to 'The Victors.'"
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:27 PM ^
I know what you mean here and I don't disagree with your assessment, but I cracked up at the term "solid puff piece" anyhow. It's like cheeze puffs. I know they're nutritionally worthless, but I can't help stuffing my face with them because they're light, salty, and taste good. I think sports journalism has always been mostly cheeze puffs. It's why we read it in the first place.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:40 PM ^
I was going to add in something about how if you don't want puff pieces you probably shouldn't read "mainstream" sports jounalism, but then I realized that's probably why most people come to blogs like this one.
Z,
I think the issue is which players. Is it going to be an Ed Davis with big time division 1 offers or a guy who plays the same position who is getting MAC offers? The State of Michigan seems to always have a few down hill type D linemen and Linebackers every year. Guys who have massive athleticism and who basically make huge messes out there for offenses. Think Lamar Woodley, Larry Foote.
Maybe it was perception, but it sure seemed like Michigan was starting out way behind Michigan State for those type players. The same big physical guys that were beating up Denard in last year's game.
We need to be the leader or a finalist for every one of those guys, MSU feeder school or not. "They never recruited me" can't happen on those players. It snowballs against us with those programs.
March 23rd, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^
It was perception.
March 23rd, 2011 at 10:15 AM ^
While I also want to get the best players out there, there is an important element to dominating the in-state (in which I inaccurately include Ohio for recruiting purposes) recruiting battles. Here is why:
When you get a top recruit from the state of Georgia, you get a top player and you take a kid out of the hands of an SEC school. Getting a top player is good, but taking from an SEC school has no real added benefit since we rarely play any particular SEC school.
Now let's look at what happens when you take a top recruit in the state of Michigan. You still get a top player. But, you are also taking a top recruit out of the hands of MSU, OSU, Wisco, PSU or one of the other schools that we face almost every year. This provides a double benefit, since we get a top player and one of our competitors loses a top player.
Taking this a bit further, other than OSU and to some extent Wisco and PSU, the remainder of the B10 does not recruit top out-of-state talent. So, if we take a 4* away from MSU, they will not necessarily be able to replace that kid with comparable talent from the south. MSU is not really a national recruiter for the top level elite talent.
This is why winning the midwesterd recruiting battles is so important. Our lack of dominance in recruiting the midwest has allowed MSU and to a lesser extent a few other B10 schools to get talent that would otherwise not have been available to them.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:58 PM ^
I would think recruiting different type of offensive players would open the door more for MSU and the rest of the B10, but what do I know.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:32 AM ^
...it is the 3-6 best players from Michigan. No defections to little brother. No losses to so-called glamour programs out west or down south. And most important, no defections to that school in Ohio.
Z so you think it was a dog and pony show? It sounded very heart-felt to me.
March 23rd, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
Hoke seems very genuine. I'm sure it was heartfelt, but the story is worthless. This isn't about Rich, Lloyd or Mo or Bo. All coaches recruit their own state. Name me 1 team that does not start recruiting with their own state? Some teams like Nebraska don't have any talent, but what talent they do have they try and lock it down before they move on.
The article is pointless fluff. Just like saying we are going to be tough and play hard.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:55 AM ^
I don't think there is any doubt that RR tried to recruit Michigan. The fact of the matter, though, is that in 2009 and 2010, RR only got three of the combined twenty top players in the state. People may overstate the importance of this, but it's a situation that's bound to be pointed out by the media no matter who the coach is.
As for the Hoke love fest, it's simply the nature of the local media's perception of the program. Hoke entails that perception and I think he realizes this so he's going to keep talking about the same things he has been because the media has eaten it up so far. The current state of affairs will continue until the season starts.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^
like where RR could go out of state to get equal or greater talent than what was in Michigan. Case in point: Denard Robinson from....oh noes THE SOUTH....or the in-state 4 star QB Joe Boisture. Damn I wish we were recruiting Michigan better. Then we'd have Boisture and not be stuck with that damn Florida kid, even though he turned into an all-American. Stupid media.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:43 PM ^
exactly. being able to recruit nationally is far more important than dominating Michigan. Don't tell the Freep that though.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
If the talent is here, obviously I wanna reel em in. I.e. Ross, Richardson, Jenkins-Stone, et. al.
Brandon Graham.
hes getting some good PR but I dont like how it said clearly in the middle of the article that dantionio and RR did the same thing. Oh well, hope he got to talk to terry and RJS on his way out of town.
Hoke has a certain likability and ability to connect. It is very authentic too. We saw it at the press conference and it comes through on the MZone videos. No sense comparing him to other coaches or past coaches. It is his own way and it seems really effective in grabbing someone's attention and influencing them.
He is here at the right time to maximize his skills with the recruiting community too. There were lots of perception issues that were basically media driven and overblown, yet they had life. So when he attacks it the way he is (talking endlessly about the importance of local recruiting), he'll see a larger bump then if those prior perception issues didn't exist.
If Detroit is an area of his focus, Michigan will do very well in Detroit. Thanks for posting a great article.
I dont care if the kids come from Detroit or Turkey as long as they are great for the university and football program.
March 23rd, 2011 at 10:56 AM ^
Turkey is known to have some fowl kids.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:50 AM ^
Well, the coaching staff better gobble them up then.
It will be their heads on the chopping block.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:01 AM ^
I love seeing Michigan get fluff after being shit on by the media for the last three years, but the bottom line is that when a coach is recruiting PA, he loves PA. When he's recruiting NY, he loves NY. And so on, and so forth.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:07 AM ^
This article is just another Strawman set up for Hoke to easily knock down. This time of year is notorious for pointless articles that state the obvious. Take it with a grain of salt.
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:09 PM ^
That was a nice article. Thanks Angelique
March 23rd, 2011 at 12:11 PM ^
People are "tired" of the fawning over Hoke, or the "lovefest"
Oh, I guess I haven't been reading Michigan boards which have festered with and vented hatred over how much the media has been out to get Michigan for the last three years.
Cake? Eat it?. The schizophrenic hilarity of Michigan Fandom continues unabated.
To be clear, I think the majority of the fanbase is relieved to have the program no longer under siege from the press. The very fact that Rodriguez was such a lightning rod for criticism was a reason to want a coaching change. Do you want a coach in place that everyone hates?
Now, there is just one particular faction that is overly attached to the ex-coach, and finds itself irrationally lashing out at the new guy.
at the new guy.
You may know of something; someone who really "lashed out" at Hoke. I simply cannot think of anybody or anything offhand.
For my part, I have little reason to say anything particularly bad about Hoke. I'm not real enthused about him, but only because I am still angry over the awful treatment that was given to Rich Rodriguez. That's not Brady Hoke's fault; never was.
I see so many posts in this thread, from very different perspectives, yet all of them are agreeable. No matter what you might think of Hoke or Rodriguez, by any sane objective measure, the treatment that Rodriguez got from the press was ridiculous and awful, and the treatement that Hoke is now getting from the press is ridiculous and fawning.
Angelique Chengelis, as several already observed, had been remarkably fair to Rodriguez, and is mostly even-handed with Hoke. So brava to Angelique. She didn't write anything crazy in this story; she almost never does.
And yet the undercurrent of this story is sort of bullshitty. Yes, Michigan recruits kids from Detroit. Yes, Michigan recruited kids from Detroit in the past, and they will do so in the future. Every Michigan coach, without exception, has gotten recruits from Detroit. Brady Hoke will continue that. And, hopefully, try to make it harder and harder for MSU and OSU to get kids from Detroit. But... so what? Okay, so there was a gathering of Detroit PSL coaches and other worthies, including some M football alums. Stan Edwards! Yay, Stan! Declaring once again his respect and support for Coach Rodriguez. Before hanging up. (There's a story, Angelique!)
I like that somebody mentioned something about Michigan continuing to get a half-dozen or so kids from Detroit every year. I sort of hope it is no more than that, because I am not so sure that the Detroit PSL produces more than a half dozen kids a year who are ready for a program like Michigan. If there are lots of great Detroit kids, let's go get 'em; but past numbers barely suggest it.
To jmblue: "Everybody" didn't hate Rich Rodriguez. One Free Press writer did, and many others in the media found it enormously profitable to stoke that hatred. I wouldn't want a coach in place whom "everybody hates." But that wasn't Rich Rodriguez.
Get a new hobby.
March 24th, 2011 at 12:07 AM ^
TAKE THAT DANTONIO
We'll see who owns the PSL in football recruits.