CC: Crowd-Sourced Video Appeal to Harbaugh

Submitted by LKLIII on

So I was reading a few articles online about the CC and the possiblity of Harbaugh to Michigan (naturally) and I got an idea:

 

Is there any way that certain talented individuals in the MGoBlog community could get together and create a high quality short video that would be aimed at Coach Harbaugh's emotional and psychological solar plexus, with the goal of making one final push for him to consider Michigan?  I'm talking about using images and sounds in a tasteful yet eloquent way that will pull on Harbaugh's heart strings with the force of a goddamned locomotive.

 

As Brian mentioned last night, I think we can all agree that Hackett has marshalled all the resources at the university's disposal--financial, alumni support, etc. to approach Harbaugh in the most respectful way possible and to issue him a very handsome financial packaget to come to Michigan.

 

And also as Brian said, at the end of the day, this likely won't come down to money. This will come down to Harbaugh's personal goals and emotions.  Michigan's biggest liability is that it can never offer him a Super Bowl ring.  But our biggest asset is that we are Michigan, and NO "historic" or marquee or big market NFL franchise like the Raiders, Dolphins, Jets, or Bears will be able to offer what Michigan can offer.  We need to play that up to a tee, and a video that *might*---just *might* get actually viewed by Harbaugh if the right people send him the link could do the trick.  Cities bidding for Olympic Games do it.  Our own football team crudely photoshops recruits faces on Michigan football uniforms on fictional sports magazines.  Why not craft a quality, tasteful & respectful video that is 2-8 minutes long, that evokes the ghosts of Ufer, Bo, former and current players, all using signts and sounds and aimed straight for an audience of one--Jim Harbaugh?

 

The Athletic Department and the football alumni have done all they can to make the sales pitch to Harbaugh.  

 

I just feel like there's something that the rank & file fanbase might be able to do if talented people crowdsourced this properly over the next week or so.

 

To be very clear, I am NOT one of the talented people that could help out with this.  I can barely embed videos properly on this board.  And I'm also not talking about an amatuer/fan made 'hype' video like we see some people do quickly by slapping up "The Victors" or some other song and splicing random video together.  I'm talking about a sophisticated video production effort with quality lighting, editing, etc.  

 

Maybe it's a bad idea, maybe the cost or timetable would be way too impossible to hit at this late date.  Or maybe the powers that be would deem the effort too transparent and patronizing to Harbaugh.  And if we can't do it the right way in terms of quality of video production, then we shouldn't even attempt it.  And there would be zero way Harbaugh would ever see if it this project didn't get buy-in from Hackett or the AD or several people close to Harbaugh personally in his personal network.  

 

But if all the stars could align, I think it'd be worth a shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cali Wolverine

December 18th, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^

The rational is that Harbaugh was just offered a 6 year $48/49M deal to coach his alma mater and in the process become the highest paid college football coach and possibly the highest paid football coach. I don't think a video by desperate fans is really going to come into play here. Don't kid yourself. This is a business move for Harbaugh, and this is a business move for Michigan. Hopefully it will pay off for both parties.

LKLIII

December 18th, 2014 at 1:45 PM ^

 

This is not an example of what I was talking about but it's clear the guy does have love for his school.  If smartly done, a video appeal could even use Harbaugh's own words to persuade him.

 

unWavering

December 18th, 2014 at 12:41 PM ^

Or, we could let the man make the decision for himself while not looking like a bunch of crazed, creepy stalkers.

EDIT: This comment isn't directed at this post specifically, just the overall level of craziness going on around here lately. Looking into the sales of family members' houses? Really? If I were a potential coach that sort of thing would turn me off.

This fanbase is looking crazier by the day.

willywill9

December 18th, 2014 at 12:38 PM ^

I like the idea in a broad sense, but I mean, at the end of the day, let him make his decision.  If he chose to not come back to Michigan, it would suck for me as a fan, but it's his life.  If he has ambitions and goals that don't include Michigan, then I respect his decision.  We took a shot, now it's on him to decide.  Michigan clearly will make accommodations to any outstanding unmet requests.  Anything else to me will be more negative (public perception of desperation) than positive (would it really be the edge needed to get him to come?)  I hope the video isn't the deciding factor.

sierragold

December 18th, 2014 at 12:38 PM ^

Seems to me has rolled out the Maize and Blue carpet, they have upped the anti to show Jim that we are serious. Dez, Woodson, Brady have all reached out and Jack is on board. You can only woo a person so much.

If he seriously doesn't know if he wants to be a coach at Michigan at this point, why continue?

That being said. I am pretty Optimistic that Jim is headed back to Ann Arbor and we all need to continue to be patient until the end of the month.

It's Christmas and good things do happen!

Don

December 18th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^

But this gigantic offer suggests it already HAS come down to money.

It's completely implausible to think that Michigan didn't reach out to the Harbaugh family immediately after Hoke was let go, given the relationship that Hackett and many other alumni players have with Jack Harbaugh, who would logically be the early, off-the-record informal conduit of information between Michigan and Jim. It would have been coaching search malpractice to not take advantage of those relationships.

It's also implausible to think that Hackett just pulled this offer out of thin air, thinking, "Gee, I guess I should offer more than Saban is getting." It's implausible to think a guy with his experience didn't essentially ask, in so many words, "what would it take to get you to consider coming to Ann Arbor?" And I believe that the early answer from the Harbaughs was essentially "Open up the bank vault, pal, then we can talk."

Yes, this will come down to Harbaugh's personal goals and emotions... about whether $8 (or $6 or $7) million per year is enough to come back to college.

LKLIII

December 18th, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^

Look, clearly it's at least partly to do with money.  The question Michigan had was can they get into the ballpark of the NFL and make Harbaugh one of the top 5 paid college coaches.  I think it's obvious that Michigan checked that box.

So it isn' that money is NOT an issue, it's that money should no LONGER be an issue.  Michigan addressed that issue--next item on the agenda.

And at that point it boils down to what Harbaugh wants.  They money says we are serious and appeals to the logical part of his brain.  But we need to sure we are maxing out the emotional/psychological appeal as well.  I am confident former teammates and other folks are chiming in on that level, but sometimes music, video, speeches long past, can evoke those memories and trigger those emotions more powerfully than a conversation with a former teammate.

LKLIII

December 18th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^

It looks like there's been some fan-made stuff out there.  I guess what I'm talking about is an officially sancationed (or at least unofficially adopted) very polished & professional version that has total buy-in from some of the powers-that-be at Michigan or insiders in Harbaugh's circle.

Not a cheesy (or even reasonably well done) video some fan made in obscurity and posted on YouTube.  Something Hackett, or maybe an unofficial emissary like one of Harbaugh's former teammates could shoot the video over to Harbaugh and sit him down to have him watch it.  As part of the presentation/package that Michigan makes to him.

Chipper1221

December 18th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^

There was a really good article circulating earlier in the process about Jim's admiration for Bo. We need Bo to visit Jim in his sleep. Or just throw every picture we have of Bo and Jim together in a slide show and give it to Jim 

NoVaWolverine

December 18th, 2014 at 1:56 PM ^

Seriously, haunt Jim in his dreams or something. Program hasn't been the same since the week you died and we lost Football Armageddon to the Buckeyes in 2006. Coach Harbaugh can bring us back.

This whole thing is making me batshit crazy...

blue_kate

December 18th, 2014 at 12:54 PM ^

Can we not? The prom king with either dance with us, or he won't, but in the meantime let's not leave Internet evidence of how desperate we are over here on the wall. K thanks.

unWavering

December 18th, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^

You're missing her point. Harbaugh will not be swayed by a fan video, and if he was, we should question his judgment. And everyone knows Harbaugh does not read mgoblog. We should be concerned about looking desperate to everyone else in the outside world. Plus, it's just as asinine to think Harbaugh would actually watch said video as it is to think he frequents this blog.

LKLIII

December 18th, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^

OK.  I think I'm done with this discussion.  I've stated in here several times what I was suggesting was specifically NOT simply "a fan video."  It'd be something tastefully constructed and then sanctioned & delivered by people close to the situation for his eyes only.  More akin to a video component to the offer packet.  Not some ridiculous fan video barfed up on YouTube for all to see like the Cleveland fiasco.

That's all I was suggesting. 

And I respectfully disagree with the idea that simply suggesting the concept of a privately presented & targeted video to Harbaugh somehow puts the Michigan entire fanbase in a qualitatively different footing RE: desperation level than we were earlier this moring.  This thread simply isn't that important or impactful.

People need to lighten up.

 

 

Amutnal

December 18th, 2014 at 1:02 PM ^

Can we recreate a 3D hologram of Bo and record him emploring Harbaugh to get his ass back home where he could become a legend who is also loved. Belichick is a legend but I don't think he is loved in NE; he is someone who is good at his job to them. There is a deeper sentiment in CFB that isn't there in the NFL.

To my blue-tinted eyes, it is a no-brainer to return home. To be the savior to your alma mater, the place where you became who you are and to carry the torch of your most beloved mentor while being top paid person in your progression is an opportunity that happens once in a lifetime. The fact that we are on the brink of disaster sets him up to be greater than he would ever be anywhere else.