Geoff

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:01 PM ^

He just wrote that so he can run to Valenti and say "Did you see what I wrote today, Mike!!" Since Terry stopped writing for himself or having his own opinion quite some time ago and started doing things just to make his little buddy giggle.

BigRedWolverine

December 3rd, 2010 at 2:46 PM ^

The only people who didn't think RR was embarrassing are the Michigan slappies on this blog.  All the national and local media said it was a joke.  People at the banquet said it was a joke.  The members of the '85 team said it was a joke.  Take off the Maize and Blue glasses.  I wasn't there either, but by all accounts, he WAS embarrassing.

B10 or Bust

December 3rd, 2010 at 9:06 PM ^

Yeah, funny that people STILL have a persecution complex when EVERYONE can see what a train wreck this is.  Jim Rome (TV and Radio), College Football Live, PTI, Around the Horn, Rittenberg, Rosenberg AND Josh Groban all think it was an abortion of a banquet.

But no, they're all just out to get Michigan.

Brown and Blue

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:05 PM ^

Have these people never been to sports banquet nights before?

RR's speech was completely appropriate for it, and consistent with the tone at these things.  I would have thought that the team ate it up (even if some of the supporters thought it juvenile (which of course is a ridiculous thing to be when you deal with 17-22 year old athletes all year)).

Section 1

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:55 PM ^

There is a kind of high-school journalism quality to this.  But not really.  A high-school journalism teacher would flunk a student for writing about an event which the student could have attended, but didn't.

I had to read the Foster column twice to make sure that he wasn't just bootstrapping quotes from others, indicating that he was merely reporting comments from others who thought the program "embarassing."  But no.  Foster weighed in.  HE adopted the judgement that it was an "embarassment."

It is, of course, a "column," not reporting.  But my goodness; how bad does it get for a local columnist?  Writing about stuff that he could have attended, and seen first hand, but didn't?

great slight hope

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:16 PM ^

Yeah, banquets like this are all about inspiration and valuing being part of the team. Anyone who pays attention should know that Rich Rod is the definition of "all in," possibly bordering on kind of a sap. That's what I like about him. It's certainly no excuse to tear him down and call his speech an "informercial."

Blue_Sox

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:05 PM ^

The fact that Foster said it, or the the fact that you're surprised. All of the writers around here are typecasted like movie characters. They pick their niche and fill it. Very little room for them to break out of that mold. Get over it.

Pea-Tear Gryphon

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:25 PM ^

em·bar·rass 

 (m-brs)

tr.v. em·bar·rassed, em·bar·rass·ing, em·bar·rass·es
1. To cause to feel self-conscious or ill at ease; disconcert: Terry Foster embarassed his employer by continuing to breathe.
2. To involve in or hamper with financial difficulties.
3. To hinder with obstacles or difficulties; impede.
4. To complicate.
5. To interfere with (a bodily function) or impede the function of (a body part).

tlh908

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:06 PM ^

Did Foster listen to the speech?  Was he even there?  All he says in the article is that we talked to a couple of people who were there.  So really what right does me make to pass such judgement?  He is dragging the Detnews down to Freep level.

mackbru

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:08 PM ^

Inasmuch as I sympathize with how RR must be feeling, another weep-fest, coupled with a Josh Groban song, were not what the team needed. Once again, RR made it all about himself, not the team. It was emotional pandering. It's his job to deflect attention off himself and onto the team. Coaches shouldn't publicly weep about their jobs at football banquets. It's childish and manipulative. Sure, I could see getting choked up once -- it's nice to some signs of humanity out of a guy. But Rich does this whenever things get tough. End of first season. Sanctions. Now this. He trotted out mood-music so everyone else feels it. It worked. Now I just feel sorry for the guy.

mackbru

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:55 PM ^

I agree it's forgivable. Once. But he's been doing this from the start. He is a multiple-weeper. Pressure is part of the job. There's a lot of it. But there's no more pressure at M as there is at any other marquee-name school, believe me. 

When RR faces criticism, he starts crying and blaming and asking everyone to listen to Josh Grobin songs. 

Question: If you were a CEO or AD, would you want the guy under you constantly crying in public? Once? Could happen to anyone. Three times? Childish. You wouldn't even let a 13-year-old do this much public crying and whining. Michigan is one of the top universities in the world. RR is acting like it's a prayer-tent in Kentucky. It's an embarrassment.

joeyb

December 3rd, 2010 at 3:39 PM ^

I agree with you. I'm not in the fire RR camp, but I am in the same spot as a lot of people. I don't care what happens to him. This only makes me lean more toward getting rid of him. It is embarrassing. More embarrassing than getting trounced by 20 or 30 points by your rivals.

diamondjack

December 3rd, 2010 at 11:19 PM ^

I would refute your argument that this is MORE embarrising than our recent losses to rivals.  By counting the number of texts I got after losses to MSU and OSU and counting the number of texts I got making fun of our coaches crying/Grobin show, I would say that the embarrasment is statistically equal as of now.  Tomorrow may tip the scales, but I may turn my phone off to avoid further punishment.

ChasingRabbits

December 3rd, 2010 at 3:11 PM ^

Really couldn't disagree more.  Not that this is why he did it, but do you really want Foster to go back and write about the defensive kids or the FG kicker or something.  Rich's job is to do whatever it is that  the team need to feel better about themselves.  They appeared to have been doing that last night.  And putting plenty of spotlight on the kids (it is an award ceremony too).

Foster's job is apparently to write like a hack, suck off Valenti and eat..  he apparently also was doing that last night.

AlwaysBlue

December 3rd, 2010 at 8:23 PM ^

This is the most accurate view I've ever read here about Rodriguez.  I call it the victim card, it first came to my attention with the way he blamed WVU's broken promises for his decision to leave.  The second time was his explanation for why he shouldn't be responsible for the WVU buyout.  (From his deposition.)  I've come to understand why he uses it though, it's effective.  I've read thousands of posts blaming anyone and anything not named Rodriguez for every shame he's brought the university.