Former players planning show of support
http://michigan.247sports.com/Bolt/Former-Michigan-players-planning-wee…
Former @umichfootball players are planning a weekend of support for the current players starting tomorrow by going to practice.
— Desmond Howard (@DesmondHoward) October 9, 2014Former @umichfootball players told me that the "current players need to know we are here for them even if nobody else is."
— Desmond Howard (@DesmondHoward) October 9, 2014
Yeah, ok Desmond.
October 9th, 2014 at 11:03 PM ^
If you're genuinely trying to solicit people to offer up a viable alternative, you may want to consider not being a condescending jerk in your opening sentence. Unless you just want to argue, or just act like you have the answers, which it seems like you're going for.
October 9th, 2014 at 11:20 PM ^
October 9th, 2014 at 11:31 PM ^
You say a protest at the President's lawn doesn't mean shit but I heard Olbermann, Dan Patrick, and Cowherd talk about it.
Those things did get national attention.
October 10th, 2014 at 8:53 AM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 9:12 AM ^
See, to me its not even about that stuff anymore. Its about Dave Brandon being a piece of shit.
I said Brady Hoke was an idiot. I think I said it twice. I feel bad about that. I was just mad and I know in general he's a good guy whose just in over his head.
But Dave Brandon? No. Dave Brandon is a piece of shit. And I don't feel bad about that because its true. This is the guy stirring up all kinds of "Us against the World" crap while writing open letters disregarding RR's players. The guy trying to cover up a player's concussion. The guy who threw his own, hand-picked, head coach under the bus.
So I don't care if he suddenly changes. It shouldn't be that hard to get a replacement who can do a better job. He should be gone no matter and it shouldn't be with any dignity. He's terrible at his job and he's a true douchebag, just as his initials suggest.
October 10th, 2014 at 9:36 AM ^
To me, that's weird. I get it, but I think it's weird. Dave Brandon, to me, is just a suit. But that's easy for me to say; I've never met him and he's never done anything that I find egregious (I don't like the music, but the skywriting and the noodle are not a big deal to me, and I haven't been able to afford season tickets before or after Brandon).
And I agree about a replacement being better. I'm just asking, in the event that the President doesn't want to pay for that replacement, if the changes would be enough.
October 10th, 2014 at 10:48 AM ^
I guess I don't see what's weird about wanting a petty, arrogant dick who tries to cover up players' concussions to not be in charge of something I've cared about since I was 5 years old just because he "changes".
October 10th, 2014 at 11:44 AM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^
Brandon didn't "fuck up" just one. You mentioned what you want: "No music, no noodles, no Coke Giveaways, better scheduling, cheaper tickets and a better team." Guess what, Brandon has his dirty slimy fingers on all those things. The better team part is slightly removed, but he hired this coach. Brady Hoke is a nice guy and cares greatly about the "115 sons". But he and his staff are not developing these top-10 recruiting classes into great team, heck not even good one. There are many programs around where the talent pool is much smaller, yet they are much more succssful over the last four years. My biggest problem is no top tier coach will ever come here as long as Brandon is running things. That alone is reason enough to do whatever is necessary to get him out. This season will probably end up being 4-8 or so and in the fourth year of a head coach, that is unacceptable. I support the players and the program. I root for Michigan every time they take the field and I defend the university against those theat attempt to tear it down. But there is no defending Brandon's actions and words and I gave up my season tickets because I couldn't afford the prices and can't justify the expense based on the product on the field and the "experience" inside the stadium.
October 10th, 2014 at 9:24 AM ^
#2 HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. The diag rally was an embarassment to the administration, for sure. Not many athletic directors have ever had rallies to be fired like that. I live in Oklahoma, and they generally don't give a shit about Michigan, especially when they're not good...but even the local sports radio talked about it for 5 minutes! And by the way, they were uniformly against the students' response...so the protests you may think are just and right, but without a clear concise message it looks to outsiders like a bunch of bitter students rallying becuase they don't like losing and they just don't like their AD. Obviously that's not true (or not the whole story), but since views are already mixed I don't think a boycott helps accomplish much of anything that the rally couldn't have, and there's no consideration being made for a backlash.. And I think many are vastly overlooking the effect it has on the players. Yes, they should know it's not directed at them. So? You don't think they'll take it a little personally? Wouldn't you? You don't think an empty student section sends a very mixed message? I mean, shit, if I were a player I might think "Damn, they care more about firing DB for some reason than they do supporting us for the biggest home game of the year." .
October 9th, 2014 at 11:08 PM ^
Dave Brandon has been working diligently with his own cointelpro. It's crazy out there.
October 9th, 2014 at 11:11 PM ^
Change will not happen with PC letters and calm gatherings of 500-1000 people. In this day age the two things that seem to make a difference and affect change is media exposure and $$$. Using the biggest stadium in the country for a 15 minute quiet display of dissatifaction seems very effective, peaceful and not hurtful to the players.
I am so sick and tired of the rallying support for the players like the fans don't care about them. If they didn't care they would all find something else to do on Saturday and the stadium would look like it did after the rain delay.
The fans care about the players, they want them to succeed and we all know the only that can truly happen is to get a topr tier coach here and to do that BRANDON HAS TO GO.
October 9th, 2014 at 11:27 PM ^
October 9th, 2014 at 11:21 PM ^
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October 9th, 2014 at 11:30 PM ^
support from former players. RR was not a Michigan Man! This scares me the most about Brandon and the fact that if he stays, Hoke may be given one more season, no matter his record. Remember Hoke is a Michigan Man!
October 9th, 2014 at 11:33 PM ^
Over the past few weeks I find myself listenting to The National - I'm Afraid of Everyone over and over again
October 9th, 2014 at 11:58 PM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 12:42 AM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 10:21 AM ^
Reindeer people hiding in the city limits? What the hell are you kids watching/playing/whatever these days?
October 10th, 2014 at 1:16 PM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 12:44 AM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 12:54 AM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 1:07 AM ^
I really don't understand the specifics of how the boycott would hurt the players. The way I see it, it could play out in one of two ways.
A: The players realize that the boycott is aimed at Brandon, and they know that the students, alumni, and other fans still support them, so although they probably won't be overjoyed about all the empty seats at kickoff, they still understand the big picture.
B: The players have fully bought into an "us against the world" mentality, and are determined to band together and prove the haters wrong, in which case the empty seats should reinforce that mentality and add fuel to their fire.
Either way, we're talking about some of the most talented young football players in the country, as evidenced by the fact that most of them received scholarship offers from multiple top-25 programs. Therefore, I have a hard time believing that a boycott would have any meaningful impact on their overall performance, and if it does, I think that says far more about the coaching staff's ability to prepare them than it does about how fans should behave.
October 10th, 2014 at 7:01 AM ^
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October 10th, 2014 at 9:34 AM ^
". . . chant fire Brandon if the game is getting out of hand."
Your post resonated with me until that last contingency, which negated all I read before that. Why would fans only chant "Fire Brandon" only if the game is getting out of hand? That just relegates that desire to a knee-jerk reaction, when the unhappiness with Brandon has been evolving for years.
October 10th, 2014 at 12:16 PM ^
Because if the game isn't out of hand, the players need the crowd support.
October 10th, 2014 at 6:46 AM ^
weren't most of these former players they guys who 1)shat on RR and didn't support the program at times under him, and 2) reccommended Hoke to begin with?
their voices should be ignored regarding M football for the foreseeable future
October 10th, 2014 at 8:06 AM ^
Not directed at you, but I really do find the number of posters in this thread basically saying "f*ck all of there former players because they didn't Rupert RichRod and now support hoke" to be ridiculous. I am a fan of Michigan, including its former players. I rooted for RichRod when he was here (despite having serious reservations), flew out to attend games, cheered and never bood him or the team under him and generally hope he does well now, but my allegiance remains with Michigan and not him. Maybe we should rename this blog MGoRichRod.
October 10th, 2014 at 8:54 AM ^
Actually it should.
The point all these guys are making is that "YOU SUPPORT THE TEAM NO MATTER WHAT, MICHIGAN IS A BROTHERHOOD" blah blah blah.
So what, the guys during the RR years weren't part of that brotherhood? I mean, that's what Dave Brandon thinks. That's why in his open letter letter last year he didn't mention a single guy RR recruited, including the one who basically gave Hoke this 4th year.
The guys who are speaking up now are full of shit. They support Hoke because he was either their coach or they like Lloyd who in turn likes Hoke. They wanted Rodriguez out and then they got their man, who is failing miserably. They aren't doing it for Michigan.
October 10th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^
Your loyalty to the University of Michigan, whether you're a former player, alumnus, or just a fan, should be above which person is at the head of the program. Calling out all these players who are now lining up to support the team when they were conspicuously absent durnig the Rodriguez firestorm is more than reasonable because they aren't really here to support Michigan, they're here to support "Lloyd Carr's Michigan" and that is the problem. That hypocracy is what has contributed to the toxic environment around this Athletic Department since Bo passed away and if we need to move past it if we're ever going to get back to being elite again.
October 10th, 2014 at 8:52 AM ^
As a point of interest I'd like to see a list of the players participating in this and what their respective public positions were re: RR. If it's the same ones just digging in their heels further it rings kind of hollow.
October 10th, 2014 at 8:50 AM ^
Nice of them to show up during the RR era.
October 10th, 2014 at 9:20 AM ^
What I was trying to get across last night is that there are so many different reasons for doing things. I don't presume to tell others what time they should show up or if they show up. I only said what my family was going to do. It was amazing how that attracted hatred. It's getting a little crazy in here. We support EVERY Michigan team and always have.
Sam Webb, John Wangler and other former players are discussing this right now.
October 10th, 2014 at 8:21 PM ^
I don't recall any posters ripping you for saying that you were attending the game. I do remember how you kept injecting yourself in other posts though. Could you show an example of the "hatred" you experienced from that post?
October 10th, 2014 at 9:34 AM ^
These former players are coming back to show their suppport for Hoke and the institutionalized closed-minded old boy's club that he represents. They are closing their ranks, digging into the priviledged, self-important frozen ground that is the 'Michigan Man.' Hoke's intriductory statement, "This is Michigan forgodsakes" represented that mindset well, we just didnt see it then. It was portentous. At Michigan, we live on our past achievements, and should be given deference by all. The present and future are the past, and all who dont know that are against us.
October 10th, 2014 at 9:39 AM ^
Players see the coaches as a part of the team, and when you attack the coaches the players feel attacked as well. A lot of what I've heard from people close to the team right now supports this - they feel attacked. Not to mention that a lot of the time the players are the ones who are the targets of abuse, its happened a lot this year from alumni and even some current students.
Fact is, yes they cannot separate attacks on the coaches from attacks on them, but why should they? They're a team! If you can't get that it's your own fault, not theirs.
October 10th, 2014 at 9:41 AM ^
Support the players, coaches and all personnel.
Be at the stadium. and be there early...
HAIL TO THE VICTORS...
sing yell and scream...
LET'S GO BLUE!
October 10th, 2014 at 10:04 AM ^
Wasn't Howard the one that said only Pepper's wants to be great?
October 10th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
I talked to some of the players organizing this a few weeks ago when they got the idea. Many of them played for Hoke when he was an assistant here, and a good many were here when he became head coach, so don't hold it against them that they're 100% behind Brady.
Most of their purpose is to resell the team on Michigan. During times like these as they damn well know, there's reason to coast to the end of the season and transfer after it. With a bowl game unlikely now, the players do need to find motivation, and the former players can do that. Maybe this was organized by dudes who were here for the national championship or were recruited shortly after, but those organizers have been contacting the hell out of guys who stuck through the Rich Rod and Hoke transitions to talk to the players about keeping the team together, keeping their faith in their coaches, and keeping their focus on that week's opponent and Ohio State and graduating.
Also understand: public displays against Brandon come with consequences from the athletic office. When you have special access, you can also have it taken away. So don't expect a "we are for the players but not the guys in charge!" rally to come from them, and certainly don't discount the possibility that they feel that way because they're not chanting.
If you want to do some digging it's not hard to find that sentiment anyway. You know someone was emailing some Pittsburgh radio dufus a vitriolic list of Brandon crimes, and you've seen a certain name come up in this effort. I'm skirting the edge of a promise here, but connect the dots, yo!
They're not doing this to support the status quo; they're doing it to keep the team together, and because they think it's the best thing they can do for Michigan.
October 10th, 2014 at 10:36 AM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
Maybe those players who are against Brandon need to sack up and be the Michigan Men they claim to be and make those public stands. If former players started revolting against Brandon, this would probably be over a lot quicker.
October 10th, 2014 at 10:14 AM ^
Wasn't Des the one calling out players 2 weeks ago? Now he is trying to show support. I love Des more than the next guy but c'mon man.
October 10th, 2014 at 10:23 AM ^
This event coordinates with the Football Alumni weekend that we've been doing for a lot of years. There's a M Club Letterwinners tailgate at 3 on the golf course. Prior to the game, former players and managers can go onto the field, watch some pre-game, form the human tunnel, then take our seats. This has been going on for years, usually during the MSU or OSU game, INCLUDING RichRod's years.
October 10th, 2014 at 10:25 AM ^
and Des was also the guy that after seeing 1 practice in 2008 said to the public that Michigan would not make a bowl. He was right, but way to support those players Des.
October 10th, 2014 at 11:21 AM ^
How does saying a team won't make a bowl game not show support? A few weeks ago, didn't Desmond say that the only guy working his a** off in practice was Jabril?
You have to seperate the reporter from the former player/ fan.
October 10th, 2014 at 10:50 AM ^
October 10th, 2014 at 11:35 AM ^
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October 10th, 2014 at 12:14 PM ^
can any of them suit up?
October 10th, 2014 at 2:48 PM ^
I think this is great for the players, and really shows that the former players want them to do get a victory. Anyone who is a Michigan fan should want to cheep these players on, when we all know what they are going through. This isn't the time to abandon them.