Desmond blasts college athletes sense of entitlement at black coaches convention
Interesting comments from Desmond. My only problem is that he seems to be implying Denard has a sense of entitlement, when in reality it's the media who has pumped him up. IMO, one of the most humble guys we've had come through the program in a while.
Give it a quick read. Decently thought provoking for a boring Thursday night.
I agree with what he has to say about recruiting, but I'm not sure why he has to run his mouth about Denard Robinson. Desmond is one of those men with a brain-to-mouth filtering problem.
just using that as an example. In the quote he is addressing the fact that no player is bigger than the program. He was more frustrated that everyone was concerned about one athlete leaving than the program as a whole growing. I understand and completely agree that Denard was the paramount contributor to our team last year. I don't necessarily believe the shot was at Denard, but at the fan base giving some athletes the idea that they ARE the program.
I understand him using Denard as an example, but he needs to work on how he says what he's thinking. Saying that Denard Robinson isn't bigger than the program is one thing. Saying "...don't let the door hit you on the way out. You looked fantastic for five games against nobody. That's what you did" is another. This is one of many cases where we understand what he's trying to say, but he needs to say it in a different way.
the thing is, many pundits (not sure if desmond was amongst them) blasted RR for "running off" Ryan Mallett, when in fact RR employed Desmond's line of thought in his treatment of Mallett, that no one player is bigger than the program.
I understand what he was saying, but throwing a humble kid like Denard under the bus at his alma mater was pretty classless. Denard has been extremely gracious and humble during a very negative set of circumstances this spring. He has never once elevated his needs over those of the program and has always graciouisly deflected all individual accolades in favor of the team.
It's almost like he is trying to get Denard to transfer. I wish this infighting would stop. The entire program is starting to look like a bunch of teenage girls fighting over Barbie dolls, or whatever they fight over now. Bo would be telling all of them to STFU. Including Desmond Howard.
i agree that what desmond is trying to say is correct, but he picked a poor example and spoke even more poorly in trying to relate it. i get that michigan is bigger than denard, but denard did not create any seen and by using him in the way that he did it would make many outsiders believe that denard had some big ego and that is so far from the truth. of all the things said about richrod the one thing i would hope nobody disputes is he recruited an absolute gem of a player and a person in denard and one i think will have lasting effect on the program not necessarily through the record books or the field, but his incredible postiive team attitude. if he doesn't gain a single additional yard he still goes down as one of the most awesome wolverines.
I was going to say exactly what lilwolve said. He hit it right on the head. Desmond played in a different era. There was no social media, and all these ways to hype up players. I get that he is saying the fans should not care what one guy does, but rather focus on the team, the team, the team. I get it. But the way he threw Denard under the bus was a bit uncalled for. We all know Denard is the heart and soul of the team, and it would have been a huge blow if he left. Denard is one of the most humble guys to ever wear a winged helmet. Not sure why Desmond didnt throw that out there. Oh well, still agree with most of the things Desmond said, maybe this will just motivate Denard a little more.
denard didn't delay his decision - he was clear and concise. he was blasting the obsessive volcano that erupted within the fan base regarding one focal point on a team of 80+
We also didn't get the entirety of what Desmond said, the context in what he was saying when he gave Denard as an example.
I do find this funny though, coming from the man who did the Heisman pose in the endzone in Michigan Stadium during the OSU game.
Exactly. He was criticizing the way people obsessed over Denard. Not over the way Denard handled it. He did almost nothing to draw attention to himself and I think Desmond would acknowledge that. It came across a bit badly but it was one sentance of a long speech. I don't think he meant to criticize Denard at all.
Interesting. I don't really know how to take that. I don't think he meant anything negative toward Denard. I think he was saying that the fans need to have maybe a little more perspective. Having said that, keeping Denard here was huge.
I agree with your comments. I can't figure out why he singled out Denard, who was one of the genuine bright spots on the team, and seemed to remain humble through it all. He certainly didn't seem to be a self-promoter.
The closest I can come to making any sense out of the statement is that it might have been a part of a larger quote. So, it could have been a bit out of context. Still, hard to hear much ambiguity in what Desmond said.
I think his quote about Denard will piss quite a few people off around here. I tend to agree with what he said but I wouldn't have said it quite the way he did.
Desmond didn't exactly toil in obscurity.
Damn, that is tough to swallow. As far as his "Team over Everything" ideal, I completely agree. But, why attack one of your own in that fashion though? Needless to say one of the most selfless players on our team.If you must, why not look at a transfer situation such as Justin Boren, where he opened his mouth and attacked the program. I love Desmond, but I wish he would've went about this differently. I'm assuming he began to ramble on the microphone...
In today's world, media like this reaches these kids instantaneously. There is no place for these types of comments from our alumni.It will only create a rift between Especially considering the timing, when things are seeming to be on the up and up.
I've got no problem with what he said about Denard, but he really really really needed to qualify it with a massive and repeated "if he had left." (And maybe he did outside of what was quoted.) Anyone who has seen Denard do anything knows that he's the last person that needs to get a lesson in entitlement, especially after how much he lives and dies by the performance of the team.
Well, I don't really think he needed to qualify it, because he was trying to make the point that "No single player is bigger than the team". Still though, unless he was misquoted I think he incorrectly attributed a sense of entitlement to Denard.
I think he needed to qualify it by saying that the media decided to annoint him. I really didn't see Denard do anything special to hype himself up.
The last one of these we see?
The reality here is that what he said is being twisted into a personal attack. I think he used a Michigan example to reinforce his point that no man is bigger than the Michigan program (or any program for that matter). If he would have used Boren, or anyone else it would have been viewed as an attack of that individual or school. I agree that his wording was less than ideal, but his intent was not malicious. Look at those two. Do they look like the type of people that would hold a grudge?
Side note: I really feel like they look almost like a father/son combo in this picture.
For all the Heisman photos next year.
Clearly, Denard is either Desmond's son, brother or father. As they're family, Desmond can say whatever he wants.
I sort of feel like if it weren't for his Heisman, Desmond would be nearing Braylon Edwards territory in regard to the fans bases' opinion of him.
I sort of feel like people need to realize that they can disagree with the sentiment expressed by some former players and not necessarily have to hate them.
It doesn't seem to be happening much in this board, most people think the words are a bit out of context or just poorly said, but it seems like every player that the majority of the mgoblog community disagrees with for even a single comment gets them labeled as a Benedict Arnold and a terrible ambassador for the program.
but I have to disagree with what you say. A lot of players have said stupid shit over the past three years and not been labelled a benedict arnold here. In most cases the threads go something like this one and people just voice their concern about the comment.
The only player I can remember people getting at all angry about is Braylon, who has on multiple occasions said stupid shit that didn't really need to be said. I think there is a big difference in what I have witnessed here and what you are describing in your post.
Just as an example I can think of guys like Mike Hart, Chris Perry and Desmond Howard who have all said some pretty questionable things in the public eye the past few months and no one said much other than "wow, I wish he hadn't said that". As far as I can remember each of those guys made the headlines once and haven't been heard from since.
Braylon, on the other hand, has been in the media many times saying and doing lots of questionable stuff. That is why I think people have lost patience with him. In the beginning the threads about Braylon were much like this one "Man I wish he wouldn't have said that". It was only after many of those instances that the sentiment began to change as far as I can remember.
spectacularly ill-aimed. I am completely in agreement with Desmond with respect to the problem of entitled college athletes, as I would guess the vast majority of MGoBloggers are. But when he uses Denard Robinson to illustrate his point, it gives a national audience the distinct impression that he himself believes Denard is a spoiled, entitled athlete.
But more directly, when Howard says this,
"You looked fantastic for five games against nobody. That's what you did. I'm not going to deny his talents, but you ain't won nothing in Ann Arbor, son! Not so much we need to worry about if you're going to be here next year or not."
he is personalizing his comments. His usage of the words "You" and "son" indicates he is intending to speak directly to Robinson, as though he's responding to something Robinson said himself about his achievements. Howard's comments are conveyed as though they are a rebuttal to something Denard has said, or as a rebuttal to an attitude of entitlement that Denard has displayed. From everything we have observed and heard from Denard, that is diametrically opposite to the truth.
Howard put his foot in his mouth, and it's up to him to extract it. One thing I will bet on: Denard will react with a class and grace that Desmond would do well to emulate.
...I'm not sure I can still support Desmond having his jersey retired. Who does he think he is?
I'd guess the whole thing may be out of context...hopefully.
...think that. My post was one post too late to achieve its fullest effect.
My real evaluation: MGoTempest in an MGoTeapot.
There can be way too much sensitivity on here. Always use the /s ...
...sarcasm meter calibration.
Everyone chill-out of context.
Surprise, surprise, people overreacted before hearing the whole story.
Or, possibly, "surprise, surprise", person says a stupid thing, then claims they're quoted out of context.
ALL IS WELL IN THE MICHIGAN BLOGOSPHERE. CEASE PANIC AND RETURN TO YOUR HOMES.
Umm, 1st team All-American, Walter Camp Winner, Maxwell Award winner, Heisman Trophy Winner, College Football HOFer and most of all a pretty damn good ambassador for the University of Michigan.
Character assassin of current U-M players.
...a sarcastic comment designed to parody posts like the one above it (unfortunately, mine was posted just after the thing I was trying to parody was posted, so bad timing).
Thanks for letting me know about Desmond's awesomeness. I'm keenly aware of all of those things.
Nice MgoShoe-Your are an MGoBlog arsonist setting the fire and now waiting for the trucks to arrive.
I agree with Desmonds overall message about entitlement, but agree the Denard comment was not needed.
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<br>Furthermore the "you haven't won anything" comment is a bit odd since Desmond only won a Big Ten title, never a national championship. His heisman pose could have been construed as entitlement as well.
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<br>Overall, I agree but it's not going to change, and Denard was a poor example.
3 Big Ten titles, the Heisman (Maxwell and Walter Camp), a Super Bowl, and Super Bowl MVP.
So yeah, you can say he maybe shouldn't have said something. But he won a bit more than "a Big Ten Title". If you have to win a National Championship to have an opinion about winning, then only Michigan guys who played for the '97 team can say anything.
Technically, 4 Big 10 titles. Desmond redshirted in '88.
Someone would say "but he didn't PLAY for the first one!". So it was a no win situation.
I don't necessarily agree with the whole idea that Michigan's unique tradition is its greatest strength, but if its going to be trumpeted as such, Desmond's line of thinking is the way its going to be from now on.
Our new coach wanted to be here because he thinks Michigan is a special place, a unique place and recruits are going to have to buy into that idea.
A little ridiculous to choose the nicest kid on the team, on top of being someone who is possibly giving up a lot by switching from a system he excelled in, to one he is unfamilar with in order to lead the team.
I completely agree with this second point. Not only has Denard never been anything but intelligent, humble, and hard-working, he STAYED. I'm sure he could have enjoyed success switching to a spread program rather than taking his chances with our new semi-pro-style WC amalgam. Denard's future was at risk almost more than anyone's in the switch from spread to pro-style, and yet he stayed for the good of the team. He put his future on the line to stay with the team (given the immense variability in expectations of his success in a pro-style offense). I don't think you can ask for more loyalty than that.
precisely because of who Denard is. Maybe he knew Denard wouldn't take it personally, as it appears to me that Denard has the very values Desmond is advocating.
I think Ray Small would have been a better example of an athlete with a sense of entitlement...
Well, hopefully this serves as some type of motivation for Denard. I guess if Denard is going to be the Michigan QB until he graduates, he has to thrive off of people doubting him. Someone will eventually overtake him unless he improves his passing in the new offense.