Brady Hoke...
...has apparently accepted the head coaching position at San Diego State. Why, you may ask? The only reason I can think of is the attraction of living in San Diego (America's finest weather, really really good looking girls) over Muncey, Indiana. Granted thats a really good reason. But this surprised me because Hoke is a Ball State alum. And is the Mountain West that much better than the MAC?
December 14th, 2008 at 7:42 PM ^
Mountain West is about a million times better than the MAC, yes.
Hoke also spent a long time in the Pac-10 with Oregon State and, from a few things I'd heard, always wanted to move back west. So not a huge shock.
December 15th, 2008 at 5:56 PM ^
brady hoke is a joke, bloke. dont forget your coke.
December 15th, 2008 at 6:03 PM ^
I lol'd.
December 14th, 2008 at 7:47 PM ^
Utah, TCU and BYU would wipe the floor with anything the best of the MAC could offer, and Air Force is a regular 8 or 9 win team.
In the case of Hoke going to San Diego State - I like it. SDSU had an awful year, but they've got the potential to be a pretty good program. Hoke must have obviously been attracted to the thought of bringing in the kind of plentiful 3-star Cali talent that Ball State could have only hoped to land one of. They've always managed to produce one or two viable NFL players every year - Hoke will make them more consistent on the field, perhaps.
Good luck to him.
December 14th, 2008 at 7:48 PM ^
you had it right at the beginning. its san diego, CA vs muncie, IN. that's not a hard decision.
December 14th, 2008 at 7:50 PM ^
There's another aspect: Hoke has built a strong program at Ball State. He interviewed recently at Auburn. If he had stayed at Ball State, continued his success there, his name would keep coming up for big jobs.
And I'll give the Mountain West, maybe, a slight edge over the MAC. Utah, TCU and BYU do alright for themselves. But Wyoming, Air Force, UNLV, Colorado State, etc... pretty meh.
December 14th, 2008 at 7:58 PM ^
Air Force and Colorado State have been good for years and only fallen to mediocrity in recent seasons. Also, it's worth noting that Boise State has allegedly been invited to join the conference... which makes about as prestigious as the Big East. In fact, they should split the BCS bid.
December 14th, 2008 at 8:01 PM ^
Ball State is going to maintain a Boise State-ish level of success in their conference? They were unraveling towards the end of the season - this is as good as they'll ever be with Nate Davis leaving. The recruiting base just isn't there, and again, the MAC really sucks - college ADs recognize the success of coaches in the MWC/WAC moreso than a guy in the MAC. These conferences aren't on the same level. Those schools you mentioned are legitimate top 40 programs, unlike Ball State.
If Hoke can transfer similar success to the west coast, he'll be taken seriously as a candidate at a major program.
December 14th, 2008 at 8:04 PM ^
Totally, the MAC has really collapsed in recent years. There was a time when Miami of Ohio, NIU and Marshall could contend for the BCS... but after realignment and losing Marshall, they fell apart. They're the Big East of Mid-majors.
Of course, that's not to say they can't ever come back. The WAC was a joke for decades and now it's fairly strong.
December 14th, 2008 at 7:50 PM ^
San Diego vs. anywhere in the MAC seems to be an easy decision - especially looking out my window right now... Does being an Alum of a MAC school really hold that much weight in your coaching destination decision? I wouldn't think so.
December 14th, 2008 at 8:07 PM ^
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
December 14th, 2008 at 8:47 PM ^
For what it's worth, SDSU has a beautiful campus and it is close to Torrey Pines and Indian Wells. Did I also mention that he is about a ten minute drive from cheap tequila? If he woulda went to Auburn and not been successful after two years, chances are he could get axed. All that pressure and live in shitty ass Alabama. Why not go to a place where the pressure isn't high at all, and hey if you suck, go to Tijuana and import some tequila and get piss drunk on the beach.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:10 PM ^
Maybe you haven't been keeping up with the news, but if you go to TJ right now, you die. Straight up. This might not change for a little while.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:15 PM ^
I haven't been keeping up. That is besides my point though. I am sure you of all people can agree with me that SoCal, especially San Diego is a great place to live.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:28 PM ^
I can certainly agree with that, I wasn't really trying to argue your real point. He might just need to opt for the full priced tequila until the cartels get their shit figured out.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:30 PM ^
Although today the weather is crappy. Rainy and cold. It hasn't rained here in probably 8 months.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:31 PM ^
Don't tell me about cold when it's below freezing.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:34 PM ^
Well, it gets below 50 at night time....
Which is actually worse than it sounds since our house doesn't have a heater and the windows are like 50 years old and let in every tiny breeze. It gets chilly. I had to wear sweatpants to bed last night.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:38 PM ^
I don't have heat and I have old fashioned European windows... I sleep in double layers every night.
Love SoCal... my brother lived in Orange for a few years. Loved it.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:53 PM ^
Although I do take issue with people out here saying "it's freezing outside" when it's like 55. I just grabbed lunch, and there was a guy in line at the deli wearing more than I wore to go sledding as a kid. It's silly.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:08 PM ^
Every time I go to Cali (mostly Bay Area) in the winter and its like 40 at night, people are all bundled up in heavy wool coats as if its in the low teens with a nasty wind chill. 40 degrees in the winter for me is not bad at all, especially when there isn't much of a wind chill.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:19 PM ^
To be fair, the weather in norcal compared to socal is drastically different; they are 400 miles up the coast. You go 400 miles south of Michigan and you get a much different climate as well.
December 15th, 2008 at 8:19 PM ^
Yea I know but at the same time its still really warm compared to what we have in the midwest. And for some reason SanFran seems warmer in the winter than in the summer.
December 16th, 2008 at 3:16 PM ^
Is it really? I thought they just get a little more rain than SoCal in the winter. I don't think it gets too much colder.
December 16th, 2008 at 3:21 PM ^
Have ya spent much time in both places? Southern California has tropical weather, the high temp hasn't been below 55 since I've lived here and it rains maybe a dozen days out of the year, 8 of which are in January. Frisco is much cooler, gets much more rain, and even snows on occasion. Today, for instance, it's 45 degrees at noon up there. That has never happened in LA in the 2 years I've lived here.
It's the same state, but those two cities are not close to each other.
December 16th, 2008 at 3:26 PM ^
Yeah, but San Fran is just freakish, being on that peninsula surrounded by cold water. Drive 10 miles inland and it's 20 degrees warmer.
December 16th, 2008 at 3:30 PM ^
For some reason I thought we were comparing San Fran to LA. If you get to pick your spot, then I'll choose the valley where it's also 20 degrees warmer. Both cities are by the ocean, remember?
December 17th, 2008 at 12:41 AM ^
Where in LA do you live btw? I used to spend my summers in La Jolla (I know its far but I would go up to LA a lot).
December 17th, 2008 at 12:48 AM ^
Hermosa Beach. If you're unfamiliar, it's about halfway between LAX and the LBC. 90254.
December 17th, 2008 at 12:54 AM ^
When Michigan makes it to the Rose Bowl next year I'm totally having an MGoBlog party where I'll pass out name tags and everyone will go by their usernames. I'm going to be disappointed when you don't all look exactly how I picture you in my head.
December 17th, 2008 at 12:59 AM ^
is that msu fan invited?
cuz if not, you should give him the wrong address in like guam or something
December 17th, 2008 at 1:02 AM ^
Dr. Worm? He's invited. Not sure why he'd be in LA if Michigan was in the Rose Bowl, and I can't promise he'd enjoy his stay...
December 17th, 2008 at 3:41 AM ^
I imagine THE KNOWLEDGE looking like this http://www.wizardio.com/images/BlackRobeWizard.jpg
December 17th, 2008 at 12:55 AM ^
Dude that place is sweet. I biked there a couple times on the Strand.
December 17th, 2008 at 12:59 AM ^
Totally, I live just off the strand. Everyone in this city is in their 20's and all we have are bars and sand. And a post office.
December 17th, 2008 at 1:05 AM ^
You are living the life. Here is to hoping/dreaming I get into UCLA, USC, or UCSD med schools....
December 17th, 2008 at 1:08 AM ^
Haha, I wish it were that easy.
If you do, I'll buy you a beer.
December 17th, 2008 at 1:16 AM ^
Thanks bro. If not, I can just become an actor right?
December 17th, 2008 at 1:21 AM ^
Right. Anyone can do it if they work hard. Just ask all the waitresses and bartenders in this city. They're all gonna make it big.
December 17th, 2008 at 1:24 AM ^
Damn I love LA. America at its finest.
December 14th, 2008 at 9:19 PM ^
There's ebb and flow in these conferences. Sure, the Mountain West would wipe the floor with the MAC now. But 5 years ago? No way. And 5 years from now? Who knows.
December 14th, 2008 at 9:32 PM ^
Well, BYU and Air Force have pretty long histories of success and tradition. TCU has been pretty good for the past 10 years (over a 71% win percentage since 1998), and has finished in the top 25 six times in that time span (FWIW, they were in Conference USA for much of this time), Utah has been to bowl games 12 of the past 14 years, and Colorado St. has generally been pretty decent. It's not an amazing conference, but most of these teams aren't really "flashes in the pan".
December 15th, 2008 at 3:18 AM ^
TCU was also a major conference school for much of it's history and it and BYU have history that no other mid-majors could match in terms of titles, bowls and Heisman trophies.
December 14th, 2008 at 9:41 PM ^
I have to say you've all convinced me it's a better job. I guess it just caught me a little off guard, interviewing for Auburn, doing the Top Ten on Letterman, and then out of nowhere leaving for San Diego State. And I am a child of the Midwest, so SDSU doesn't register much with me in terms of football. Marshall Faulk, that's about it. Next time I'm thinking about changing jobs I'll be sure to consult the board..
December 14th, 2008 at 9:46 PM ^
Don't get me wrong - San Diego St. is, right now, a complete fucking mess.
December 14th, 2008 at 11:30 PM ^
It makes sense. It's essentially what Urban Meyer did when he went from Bowling Green to Utah. Being the coach of Ball State was not likely to lead to a good BCS job, much like Meyer at BGSU. He'd get interviews but be passed over for guys like Gene Chizik (or John L. Smith). If he can turn around SDSU, he could have a decent Pac 10 job within three years.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:04 PM ^
The Mountain West is a far better league than the MAC, but no thanks to San Diego State, which has been a shit program for some time. The 200% pay raise that Hoke supposedly got is probably the main motivating factor. That SDSU can afford to pay somebody three times what Ball State pays is surprising to me.
I'd move pretty much anywhere in the country for that kind of raise. Except for maybe New York City.
December 15th, 2008 at 9:21 PM ^
he went out there to build relationships with california high school coaches. that way when he gets the job he really wants, he's got some cali kids in his back pocket.
December 16th, 2008 at 3:27 PM ^
SDSU is obviously not his preferred final destination.