CC: Putting Words in David Brandon's Mouth
Warning: no data analysis included.
With folks still clamoring about who is, or is not, a Michigan man, we're missing something -- we have a kingmaker, of sorts, of Michigan men. David Brandon wasn't a star under Bo, but he stayed, he played, and then went out and was successful in the world -- what all Michigan grads aspire to do. And so, with a few words like those below, David Brandon could end the debate.
"You know, a lot has been said about being a Michigan man. I think we all know that Michigan men are made, not born. Fielding Yost wasn't a Michigan man when he came here from West Virginia. Bo Schembechler wasn't a Michigan man when he came here from Ohio. But we all know Bo became THE Michigan man. And Bo Schembechler made me a Michigan man, and I've been proud to spend my entire life working in this great state.
Rich Rodriguez came to Michigan because he wanted to test himself on the biggest stage imaginable, in the Big House. Michigan men thrive on challenges, and he took on a big one. It hasn't been easy, but the team has been making progress. I think he is the best man to lead this team in 2011 and into the future.
The decision to honor and extend Rich's contract was mine. It was my choice to keep him, when we could have easily gone another direction. And so, if any of you don't think Rich Rodriguez is enough of a Michigan man, please come talk to me. I'd be happy to tell you how proud I am to have Rich Rodriguez coaching the team of FIelding Yost, Bo Schembechler, and Lloyd Carr."
and of course, the alternative:
"Rich Rodriguez is a good man and a good football coach. He has done well in trying circumstances, and we should all be proud of the effort his teams have put forth on the field, in the classroom, and in society. I know he will continue to be successful, wherever he goes. But we have decided to make a change.
I had the tremendous opportunity to attend the University of Michigan and play football under Bo Schembechler. Bo made me a Michigan man. I had some success after I left Michigan, and while I enjoyed that work, nothing could be as rewarding as giving back to the school that gave me so much. I'm delighted to be back at Michigan.
There's another fellow who played under a great coach at Michigan and went on to have some success at other places after he left Ann Arbor. And he, like me, realized that he wanted to come back and work for the greatest university in America. Ladies and gentleman, please welcome our next football coach, Jim Harbaugh*."
Whichever way he comes down, I hope he comes down forcefully (and soon!). Of course, how could I doubt the hand o' the pimp?
* Or Mike Hart, if you want to go there. Upside? Potential to break JoePa's record.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:33 PM ^
I'm sure Dave Brandon appreciates your taking the time to write out his announcement for him.
Yeah. Never could have done it without you.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:34 PM ^
No offense, but your post falls under the, "I want to hear myself speak" and the "look at me, look at me" style posts that is drving most of us crazy. Why this couldn't be added to any of the thousand other threads out there is beyond me. Get over yourself.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:52 PM ^
Mods, feel free to move this to the junkheap of wherever. Thought it was too long to be a thread, didn't really fit as a comment, and wanted to get it off my chest (or out of my head).
My main point is that being a Michigan man isn't a black or white fact -- it's mythology. And Brandon could do Rodriguez a lot of favors by giving him the 'rub', as it were, from Bo. But he hasn't, and if he doesn't, then who knows.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^
Explain how the whole "Michigan Man" meme came into existence. Bo fired Frieder because Frieder was playing footsie with Arizona State. Bo said he wanted a Michigan Man to coach his Michigan team. The point being that if you are looking at some other opportunity, you are not all in. How this Friederian situation applies to Rich Rod is beyond me. The guy LEFT a BCS-bowl team to come to Michigan. He wanted to coach Michigan. He wants to coach Michigan. Thus, under Bo's precedent with Frieder, Rich Rod IS A MICHIGAN MAN!!! Sorry for screaming, but this whole, "Rich Rod is not a Michigan Man" meme is a load of horse crap. The guy wants to be here. He is a Michigan Man. It's as simple as that.
Now if Harbaugh is still a Michigan Man, and he wants to come here, and Brandon wants to hire him, why are they waiting till after his BCS bowl game to come here? This next point is critical, so pay attention, under Bo's definition of a "Michigan Man" Harbaugh would be on the next plane to Ann Arbor if DB wanted him here and Jimmy was still a Michigan man. He's not. So one of two conclusions. 1, DB, who understands being a Michigan Man better than most, doesn't want Harbaugh, or 2, he does want Harbaugh but Jimmy's not a Michigan Man anymore.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:13 PM ^
The expression "Michigan Man" goes back at least to the days of Fielding Yost, if not earlier.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:18 PM ^
but Fielding Yost would have loved Rich Rod's offense.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:26 PM ^
The expression goes back at least to Yost, but Bo ingrained it in our consciences with the Frieder situation.
EDIT: +1 for your comment, another +1 is waiting if you educate us on what Yost meant by being a Michigan Man. I'm not being sarcastic. That's just a part of the Michigan lore that was before my time.
December 5th, 2010 at 2:09 AM ^
I'll take over from here, men.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:18 PM ^
he turned down Alabama, one of the few programs in the nation that is historically at Michigan's level, just a year earlier. I'm fairly sure by his actions that Michigan is his dream job.
December 5th, 2010 at 2:24 AM ^
Plus, I don't know how much I forgive Jimbo for his 2007 comments:
“Michigan is a good school and I got a good education there,” he said, “but the athletic department has ways to get borderline guys in and, when they’re in, they steer them to courses in sports communications. They’re adulated when they’re playing, but when they get out, the people who adulated them won’t hire them.”
I mean it's not the worst thing you could say, but does a "Michigan Man" say that?
December 5th, 2010 at 10:15 AM ^
Harbaugh would be on the next plane to Ann Arbor if DB wanted him here and Jimmy was still a Michigan man. He's not. So one of two conclusions.
A Michigan Man would not leave his team, any team, during the season. Being a Michigan Man is not a license to be a horse's ass in any situation. If anything, Rodriguez failed that litmus test with his timing and handling of his departure from WVU.
December 5th, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^
If RichRod had waited until after his WVU BCS game to come here, he would have been ~1 month behind getting started on his new job at Michigan, further hampering his efforts. The question is, are you a Michigan Man or not? You can't have one foot in both camps. If Harbaugh wants to stay at Stanford until after their bowl game, he is NOT a Michigan Man. He is finishing his job at Stanford. By definition, he is not all in. There is no credible reason a Michigan Man would HELP Stanford win another game.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:35 PM ^
I guess I like the premise of the post since you took a different approach than most of the CC threads. That being said, probably didn't need to be a diary.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:48 PM ^
Mike Hart? So, if not Rich Rodriguez it's Jim Harbaugh...or Mike Hart?
Beam me up please...fast
December 4th, 2010 at 10:07 PM ^
How about putting a dick, in your mouth?
December 4th, 2010 at 10:25 PM ^
out of line...clean it up
December 4th, 2010 at 10:28 PM ^
Get the comma out of your sentence if all you can be is immature and gross.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:44 PM ^
How about taking the baloney pony, out of your mouth? That post was ridiculous.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:18 PM ^
"When your team is losing, stick by them, keep believing".. "Everything you do, take into consideration the effects it will have on the team....we're not going to criticize each other...we're not going to talk about each other..we're going to encourage each other...because we're going to win as a TEAM" Bo Schembechler http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnSOwvj24M0
December 4th, 2010 at 10:48 PM ^
The thing that is remarkable about Brandon's position has been what he has NOT said. His silence speaks volumes. If DB had ANY, and I mean ANY, interest in keeping RR he would had made a public statement a week ago and ended all this uncertianly that is hanging over the program and its recruits. The fact that he repeats the mantra "...after the season I will evaluate..." tells me he had made up his mind. There is only one logical reason he would says completly quiet about this matter, and that would be if he has a deal in place with Jim Harbough to take over AFTER JH has coached his bowl game. If an announcement was made now, JH will be plague by the press and pissed off Stanford fans/alumni, and he most likely would not be coaching their bowl game. My guess is that it is important not to walk away from the team at this juncture and JH wants to finish the season. The deal with Brandon is that all aprties involved (and I'm sure this is a small circle) keeps this under wraps until after the bowl games, then the announcements are made. It just makes NO sense for Brandon to remain quite now and for the next four weeks, showing no public support for RR at all, if he is going to announce in early January that RR stays. Why put the program though all this for 5 weeks if this is what you are going to do. I can't belive ANY of this hinges on the actual result of the bowl game. He had seen and heard enough to have a decision now--he has accessed the pulse of the program, and the tidal wave is definately approaching shore.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:57 PM ^
I can think of no other logical explanation, though people have been trying all week.
December 4th, 2010 at 11:48 PM ^
Which will be proven/disproven this week: DB wasn't waiting until after the Bowl game; he was waiting until after this weekend's games, on the off chance that both Oregon and Auburn lost and possibly put Stanford in the BCS title game.
Of course, there's also the possibility/(probability?) that Brandon thinks waiting until January is the right thing to do. Which seems goofy, but is above my pay grade.
December 4th, 2010 at 11:23 PM ^
Well if we crush our opponent in the bowl game and Stanford gets crushed in theirs, I think it would be hard for Brandon to switch, even if that's his plan.
December 5th, 2010 at 8:16 AM ^
I think that might be oversimplifying by placing too much emphasis on one game.
Particularly in light of the fact that DB has explicitly stated and restated that he will take a holistic approach to the process.
December 5th, 2010 at 10:55 AM ^
but then it doesn't make much sense to wait til the bowl game, does it? If the outcome of the bowl game won't change the fact that RR is fired, it comes off as a cynical ploy by Brandon to get the buyout clause reduced while still having a shot at Harbaugh.
Oh... damn.
December 4th, 2010 at 11:33 PM ^
"It just makes NO sense for Brandon to remain quite now and for the next four weeks, showing no public support for RR at all, if he is going to announce in early January that RR stays...."
Agree absolutely. Brandon's silence and lack of support can only mean Rich Rod is done. That is so obvious that it actually presents Rich Rod with an opportunity; courtesy of Dee Hart.
Rich Rod could point to Hart's defection to claim that Brandon's silence and lack of support is so negatively impacting Rich Rod's ability to successfully perform a core function of his job -- recruit -- that Brandon has already constructively terminated RR. RR could resign, claim DB has made working at UM impossible and so, the argument would go, UM owes him the full payout due now, not the $1.5 mil less that would be due RR on Jan 1.
That way, RR could go out the way he came -- in court against his former employer.
December 5th, 2010 at 1:22 AM ^
I don't know the specifics on the contract clause, but if it's a payout for Michigan terminating the contract early, I don't think it means you get the money if you quit. Like, "Hey here's your annual salary for the next 5 years, but if you want to give up early you can have an extra $4 Million.
And Brandon has supported Rich Rodgriguez, the question about firing him has been asked and answered since Brandon was selected as the Athletic Director, and despite his statements of support the question keeps getting asked.
I think it's pretty clear that Brandon isn't going to change his process just because the media are creating a story from nothing.
I think what's illogical is to assume his job is in jeopardy despite there being absolutely no statements that it is from Michigan. This is all from the Crain article, where he was asked his process about firing coaches and his response was not "here's how I fire coaches", but instead a deflection into his general process for evaluating his employees, which is to have an annual review of their performance at a regular interval.
Now everyone has assumed that means he's going to fire him. But from what evidence?
People think what they want despite what is said. David Brandon is just tired of stating something only to have people ignore it and restate it the way they want.
December 5th, 2010 at 1:49 AM ^
Blue: I certainly understand and appreciate your position--that was exactly where I was about ten days ago. Since that time, there seems to have been some seismic shift take place, that, in all honesty, was started by the Detroit media: Rosenburg, Sharp, Henning and Wojo all had columns that week saying if RR can't beat OSU he should be gone. Gee--IF he can't beat OSU? I think we all could see where that one was going to end. Their comments were just short of "Get rid of him now". But that's where it started, and seems to have taken on a life of its own. It has become more than just an Ann Arbor story--its been picked up everywhere, and now we are vocally hearing from alumi and past players who are all adding their two cents--in essence, piling on. This is now a national watch, and to that regard it can only cause harm to the program if it drags on. I really don't think that the results of the bowl game are going to matter (although one comment was if we kill our opponent and Stanford loses big, DB can't fire RR--if THAT happens, I would also watch the skies for a Armageddon size meteor that will probably crush us all, anyway), and that being the case, I think DB has to step up and put out the fire and quell the rampant speculation IF his intention is to keep him. Short of that, I still can't envision a scenario where this "let him twist slowly in the wind" helps the program, UNLESS DB plans on cutting ties with RR after the bowl games and bringing on Harbough (or someone else, although I think the availability of Harbough is a catalyist to this entire scenario). On a side note: ESPN did an interview with Harbough two days, and when asked about it gave a very blanket statement about coaching his own team--he was volunteering very little in regards to this matter and was eager to get off the subject...and the plot thickens.
December 5th, 2010 at 8:30 AM ^
Well, not too long ago, people were saying that DB was assuring all the recruits that RR would be back. If that is still going on, I'm not sure what the consequences of his saying nothing for a month are...other than higher traffic on mgoblog. One way to read his statement is that he intends to fire A coach, just maybe not the head coach. If he were to make a statement saying he intends to keep RR, the next question would be 'what about Gerg' and I just don't think he wants to go there.
December 5th, 2010 at 11:03 AM ^
December 5th, 2010 at 2:49 AM ^
That's the key point, the people who have brought this up are all MSM and trying to generate a story. DB has told them what he was going to do since day 1 and continued to repeat it. All the people and reporters attemtping to somehow read each and every little statement out of DB or RR or Harbaugh or anything else are just showing their lack of listening to the DB since he came here. One of these days, someone is going to figure out that the guy has kept a constant and steady PR message since the first game in September.
December 5th, 2010 at 10:59 AM ^
December 4th, 2010 at 11:03 PM ^
Can someone find out how far back it was?
December 5th, 2010 at 12:31 AM ^
Even if he did, the problem is he has treated Beilein differently...that inconsistency is speaking loudly right now
December 6th, 2010 at 9:11 AM ^
His remarks in support of Beilein were made at the beginning of the basketball season. He also said that RR was his coach at the beginning of the football season. I agree it was different in that DB made it clear that Beilein has some slack due to the facilities. My only point is that they each received support aat the beginning of their seasons, and I don't believe Beilein was given a multi-year pass and will be evaluated at the end of his season.
December 4th, 2010 at 11:39 PM ^
But I do agree with your post. Probably could have gone on the board - not really a diary - but I like the premise.
Whichever way DB goes, he should do so in a forceful way, and hopefully do so soon.
December 5th, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^
December 5th, 2010 at 2:02 AM ^
Since your reply to his post also adds nothing new.
December 5th, 2010 at 2:04 AM ^
BOOOOOOM!
December 5th, 2010 at 10:47 AM ^
quid pro quo
December 5th, 2010 at 12:32 PM ^
Ditto
December 5th, 2010 at 2:42 AM ^
This may be MGoBoard material along with the other dozens of CC: posts!
David Brandon has a plan but I have no idea what that involves. What ever he decides I will support him, the HC and always the team!
If I were AD, I would keep RR through his contract. My conditions for RR would be to defeat OSU at least once in 2011 or 2012, and play in the big 10 championship game by the end of the 2012 season or finish the 2012 season with 9 or more wins. If he accomplishes these goals, I would give him another 5 year contract extension. By 2012 the defense should be mainly upper class-men and the offense should be awesome!!!! I don't want to see a stagnant 7-5 or 8-4 record in both 2011 and 2012.
December 5th, 2010 at 4:39 AM ^
coming back!
December 5th, 2010 at 9:56 AM ^
Rich Rod is the right coach for the UM job
December 5th, 2010 at 5:25 AM ^
I guess you missed the No Mas! memo on CC.
December 5th, 2010 at 9:05 AM ^
Possible coaching change......hey folks, our soccer, bb and hockey teams all won yesterday. Any other wins I am missing?
December 5th, 2010 at 9:43 AM ^
If Rich had even a scintilla of the passion for learning the big ten right away and hiring knowledgeable quality assistants on defense, that you all have for salvaging his job for him, you probably wouldn't be worrying about salvaging his job for him.
If you walk in the door projecting that you are the smartest guy in the room at a school like Michigan where plenty of the smartest football guys have preceded you, you have to achieve better results than this after 3 years.
Brandon said it in the Detroit News today when talking about the events at the banquet. It is about wins and losses.
Your collective passion is very admirable and is what makes this a great blog site.