Fireside Chat with President Schlissel

It looks like he cares about the students more than the AD. Hopefully students show up and tell him what they really think about DB. The students are the future of Michigan football. The school needs them for future ticket sales and donations.

Because our football team is a tire fire?  I see what you did there, Pres. S!

My son and I were the first people to enter the elevator at the Thompson street structure after the Minnesota game. I held the door for a husband and wife and then a late arriving passenger wearing glasses and a beard, dressed in a suit. As the bearded man entered I said, "It will be $1.00, we are raising money to hire a new football coach." He entered the elevator and turned around without responding, when the gentleman in the back of the elevator commented, "You'll need more than that because we need a new AD too." I said, "That's fine, we can clean house because there's no fixing this mess." The bearded man exited on the 2nd floor without saying a word and as the door closed the woman behind me said, "That was the President of the university." If I had only know who it was I would have had a lot more to say. After talking to some employees of the university that have met with the President I think he cares about athletics and the football program. I hope he can help get us back on track, and soon.

I will be there and will offer my thoughts which match up with 98% of Michigan students. Dave Brandon should be fired immediately and unceremoniously and Brady Hoke should follow with his tail between his legs. I hope he is ashamed of the travesty of coaching he has imparted on the university for millions a year. If he had any sense of morals or the gut of a true Michigan Man, he'd give his unearned and disgustingly high salary back.

Get some...GRAHAM CRACKERS!!! Graham crackers with the marshmallows. Little marshmallows with little chocolate bars and we'll make some s'mores man. 

Perhaps its just window dressing, but at least he is trying to show that he takes the concerns seriously and that he is willing to listen.  This is a pretty nice chance for those invited to make their voices, and the voices of the larger student body / alum base heard.

Take this unsolicited advice for what it's worth, but as an experienced litigator, perhaps the most important advice that I can give when trying to get a point across is to:

(1) try to have a theme, as opposed to rattling off every single perceived issue, but back up that theme by citing your best examples.

For example, "there is a real sense that Mr. Brandon's obsession with marketing and branding is robbing Michigan of that which makes it special amongst college football programs.  As an example, Michigan football has the greatest band and fight song, but the level and amount of piped in music really takes away from that unique experience."  As opposed to:  "THE NOODLE!!, the SKYWRITING, the RAWK music, the coke promotion, etc."  While these are important to many on this board, when listed out, they can sound petty. 

(2) recognize that the issues are not so clear cut, and acknowledge the counter-arguments.  For example, I wouldn't lead with "All Brandon cares about is money.  He has raised ticket prices, switched to dynamic pricing, littered the game day experience with silly and annoying advertisements and generally commercialized the brand."  Rather, I would say "I do understand that one of Mr. Brandon's primary responsibilities is raising money and balancing the budget of the entire athletic department, and that in balancing that responsibility against the existing traditions that make Michigan special, there is always going to be some give and take.  Unfortunately, I think that Mr. Brandon has allowed the pendulum to swing to far in one direction.  We all recognize that some marking is necessary in order to pay for all of the great new facilities that the athletes need and love, but perhaps we need to adjust the balance to dial some of the over the top marketing back."

In addition, while we all want to deny it, much of our angst is about the football team's success.  I think that this does provide an opportunity for us to try to educate Schlissel on the issues with our team, the need for anew coach to energize the fanbase, the relevant timing of things and why any change must be done asap, and the problems with Brandon's perceived meddling that might prevent us from securing a premier coach in time to salvage the rescruiting season.

 

For those that go, can we please focus on Brandon and not seem like a petty group who wants to win more?  Also, structured and concise arguments go a lot further than rambling emotional rants!

to give the fans a little chat and serve them a heavy dose of Kool-Aid.

when's that regent's meeting Brian was talking about going to?

I hope everyone gets a chance to beard and it won't fall on deaf ears!