Brandon on WTKA this morning...
Asked only one direct question by Sam & Ira and it related to the impact on recruiting that waiting on a decision had. His response:
"I have to look at the big picture thats what I do and approach things and the big picture is most important. Everything you do impacts recruiting...there's all this firestorm about speculation and all that. What i try to be is infinitely consistent, we have our banquet tomorrow night, we have a bowl game to play, 15 practices to prepare for an undoubtedly a really fine opponent..the players and coaches have earned that right, get that experience behind them hopefully in a positive way. So all the firestorm that's trying to move timetable is not going to work."
Read into it what you'd like, but basically, status quo from him in terms of what he's divulging.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:16 AM ^
My dog likes the snow
December 1st, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^
my dog likes weed cake
December 1st, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^
Hmm... My dog also likes snow. Seems like our dog is living a double life with double the doggie treats.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:28 AM ^
December 1st, 2010 at 11:16 AM ^
To me it signals the opposite--as in the coaches and players have earned the right to focus on the bowl game, so I'm not going to announce the firing before the bowl game.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:15 PM ^
I agree. It is almost like he is saying he will let them finish out the season, but they are done after that.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^
"they're being shown the door, but they've at least earned the right to go to a bowl game. They didn't earn the right to stay, but they at least earned the right to go to a bowl game. It's the least I could do to make a bad situation a little bit more pleasant."
December 1st, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
December 1st, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
What I'm pissed about is that this doesn't help me learn anything at all about the future of Michigan football. I'm sitting here at my desk doing virtually nothing on a Wednesday morning and all I get is this administrative boiler plate stuff from David B. and it's not entertaining for me, Marvin, who wants desperately to be entertained.
I'll check back in a few minutes and hopefully there will be something better.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:21 AM ^
entertainment
December 1st, 2010 at 10:27 AM ^
Also, Jetman is back on facebook.
Consider this both my apology and my "you're welcome."
December 1st, 2010 at 10:37 AM ^
have you been reading here as much as you imply. If you had, there is no way you could have sat and calmly written this. That, or you are diabolically evil! ;)
December 1st, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^
I have my staff checking this site on an hourly basis while I do something more productive: ebay, mden, etc.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:44 PM ^
You're just gonna have to grind it out with the rest of us. : (
December 1st, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
December is going to be such a long month.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:26 AM ^
Plays over and over and over. Every post about Harbaugh and Rodriguez and Brandon should automatically make speakers play this song while your reading/writing them.
Maybe this will get people to stop.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:38 AM ^
Maybe this will brighten yourday. Wait, nm...
December 1st, 2010 at 10:24 AM ^
"What I try to be is infinitely consistent."
While "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines." it is worth noting that if you're trying to be fair, and then when presented with new information, new data, and new facts, you change your mind, you get the best of both columns, the consistency to know people can trust you at your word, and the willingness to change as circumstances warrant.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:26 AM ^
This is telling to me..
the players and coaches have earned that right, get that experience behind them hopefully in a positive way
December 1st, 2010 at 10:34 AM ^
When you say telling, which way did you interpret this sentence? I went up and back on it a few times, and ultimately concluded it was a pro-RR statement (see my post below). Which way do you take it?
December 1st, 2010 at 10:39 AM ^
very telling...
December 1st, 2010 at 10:32 AM ^
This is exactly what he has said before - he really is being infinitely consistent.
There are only 2 things that I can parse from this:
1. "the players and coaches have earned that right, get that experience behind them hopefully in a positive way." The fact that DB wants the coaches to have this experience could indicate that he still thinks that it is possible to bring this unit back for another year. Grasping, but what the hell else am I going to do on a boring, rainy (NY) wednesday morning at work?
2. "I have to look at the big picture thats what I do and approach things and the big picture is most important."
To me, this is the most telling statement that RR may be gone. What is the big picture gain in waiting to announce that RR is staying? Absolutely nothing. What is the big picture gain in delaying to announce that RR is gone: $1.5 million in termination payment, for one. Second, and more of a "big picture" point, it avoids a Les Miles type press conference in Palo Alto where JH is forced to either bail on his team on the eve of a dream season or to hold a press conference declaring his undying love and committment to Stanford. To me, this is a big picture type reason for delaying.
3. "everything you do impacts recruiting"
DB played Michigan football. He, of all people, gets that a lost recruiting class is harmful down the road. He also appears to be recognizing that his delay will, in fact, impact recruiting. If he recognizes this, and he was inclined to keep RR, he would do it sooner than later.
To me, this whole "infinitely consistent" thing sounds like a load of corporate / coach speak crap. There is no way that after 3 years of RR and after a full year of DB being heavily involved with the program (to the point of being on the sidelines) he does not have a pretty good idea where this is going to go.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:41 AM ^
Please be advised that you have violated the Prohibition on Coaching Change Opinions Act of 2010 (hereafter, the "Act"), profligated by Profitgoblue on November 30, 2010. In particular, you have violated Article 2(d) of the Act which states, in part: "Thou shalt not, under any circumstances, post a personal opinion with respect to whether or not Rich Rodriguez will be fired."
Please be further advised that, pursuant to Article 3 of the Act, the minimum fine for this violation is the loss of one (1) MGoPoint, with the maximum to be determined by the MGoCommunity.
Please be further advised that, pursuant to Article 5 of the Act, if you dispute the application of the Act to your thread/post, you have twenty-four (24) hours to "file" a formal written appeal by replying to this post. All appeals will be considered on their merits as soon as practical, unless deemed to be frivolous by Profitgoblue in his sole discretion.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^
If you read my post, I did not "post a personal opinion with respect to whether or not Rich Rodriguez will be fired." Rather, I analyzed a few portions of Brandon's quote to attempt to devine what his true opinion must be. While I opined on what may be behind each of Brandon's quotes, at no point did I express my own personal opinion on the issue.
Also, of the quotes that I analyzed, some leaned towards firing, some leaned towards keeping RR. So, really not even a conclusion on my part, let alone an opinon.
As such, please reconsider your ruling.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:11 AM ^
Valid points.
I would say Appeal Granted, but I defer to profitgoblue on official rulings.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:31 AM ^
I agree that hopefully profitgoblue will not charge you. I want to say that I am not violating the coaching change opinions act. I have no idea what DB will do. I will say MGOBLUE, I hope part of your second point as relates to the third point is untrue. I hope he is not giving time to allow another coach to coach their bowl game before bringing that person in. He is our AD not that school's AD. Although it would be the sanctimonious thing to do, it would hurt us in relation to recruiting and continuity.
If I have violated any rules, I throw myself on profitgoblue and plead for mercy. Also, if I violated any grammatical rules, please advise. Thank you.
December 1st, 2010 at 3:53 PM ^
The MGoInfraction is hereby overturned on appeal. However, please be advised that you will now be operating under a 6-month probationary period beginning from the time and date of this post, pursuant to Article 5 of the Act. Any future violation of the Act will result in immediate reinstatement of the penalty levied for this violation overturned on appeal.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:44 PM ^
If I had enough points I would join in on your crusade.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:55 PM ^
I echo your sentiments. Alas, a crusade cannot be...pointless.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:46 AM ^
Here's to reading tea leaves and goat entrails...
December 1st, 2010 at 10:41 AM ^
Why do you post this everytime? More importantly, why do I watch this everytime?
December 1st, 2010 at 10:43 AM ^
because who wouldn't want to watch an explosion, even it if is the same one over and over again
December 1st, 2010 at 10:44 AM ^
it is how our heads feel when we see another RR/JH/DB thread. It is something to watch if you clicked the thread and feel ANGAR!
December 1st, 2010 at 1:18 PM ^
Did I see Mr. T in there?
December 1st, 2010 at 10:52 AM ^
Please wake me in 2011 when this is all over!
December 1st, 2010 at 11:07 AM ^
December 1st, 2010 at 11:28 AM ^
infinitely patient consistency has caused me to become finitely inconsistent in my online D&D gaming while at work. How can I hide D&D behind a infinitely boring Excel spreadsheet while consistently having to refresh mgoblog every 2 seconds? Latency times do affect my gaming strategy.
DB needs to get with it.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^
It is obvious the decision has been made which is RR and his staff will be let go after the bowl game probably after January 1st. He wants everyone to enjoy the bowl experience prior to the ax falling.
The result of the bowl game is irrelevant.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^
If we play Nebraska or Alabama in the Insight bowl (a distinct possibility), and we go out and paste them 55-0 (6 offensive touchtowns, a pick-6 and, yes, two made FGs, one of which is from 54 yards out), while playing dominant, swarming defense and looking like Oregonbutbetter on offense, do you really believe that the bowl game is not relevant?
How about another hypo: We win the bowl game or lose in a close, well played game against Nebraska or Alabama, and by that point in time, Harbaugh has already accepted a job with the 49ers, Brady Hoke is with a new school, and there are no decent coaching prospects available. Even if DB was not enamored with RR, would he still fire him just to fire him, even with no realistic possibilities lined up?
I know that the situation that I outlined is far from a realistic possibility, but I am just trying to make the point that until RR is officially fired, situations exist that could impact DBs decision.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:42 PM ^
unlikely. However, I will acknowledge that if there is no eligible replacement that may give Brandon pause. But a highly esteemed program like Michigan will ALWAYS have eligible candidates. In the corporate world, the first thing a CEO does is have a succession plan. It is not an option. Board of Directors require it.
What matter to Brandon is competitiveness in the Big Ten especially in the anchor sport football. Michigan is several years behind and more than likely continue to be as long as RR does not get support from his AD. I was a huge fan of RR and still believe he can coach. Unfortunately and to my dismay, the Big Ten is out of his competency level.
December 1st, 2010 at 1:21 PM ^
Great post, 'cept for this:
"... Brady Hoke is with a new school ..."
Sorry -- the idea that this guy would (at *this* point in his career arc) be considered for the UMich job makes me cringe.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:15 PM ^
What pisses me off is that people continue to call in and mention Les Miles as coach. I thought that puppy was put to bed.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:45 PM ^
mojo from the bayou working its magic on the PEOPLE. Never underestimate voodoo. Les is probably tired of getting stick pinned to death.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^
I love what Dave Brandon has done in the past but on this particular issue I just don't see eye to eye with him. Why does a decision have to be made at all?? It's like he's being coerced by the media and the impatient anti-RRod fanbase to make a decision on Rod's tenure. It is obvious this team has improved each year RRod has been here. By that measure we should not be having any discussions whatsoever about the Michigan football head coaching job. The man signed a 5 year contract. Why even entertain a discussion concerning his job? All this does is create uncertainty. Ultimately it hurts our recruiting efforts and makes RRod's job all the more harder. I wonder if we're all just better off firing RRod right now and hiring Harbaugh? At least that way we can concerntrate on recruiting which imho is the ONLY way to solve the problems we are seeing on the field.
December 1st, 2010 at 1:17 PM ^
Great points. I wish that a million people had thought of them before.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
THE KNOWLEDGE when you need him to shed light and reveal the true meaning of DB's comments?