Great Detroit News article about Devin Gardner
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/201…
A few things stand out for me:
1. Any fans who are emailing or tweeting hate talk at college athletes really need to reassess their own lives. Seriously pathetic, especially those that are emailing racist crap.
2. While he won't say it, you can really sense Devin's frustration with the lack of protection that he has received from the OL. He probably feels that he is taking an unnecessary amount of criticism for his performance when much of that is beyond his control. But, being a leader, he won't say it.
3. Devin talks about how fairly early last season (UConn) he just accepted that he was going to get hit a lot and learned how to play with that expectation.
I feel seriously bad for the guy. Between the two coaches, the move to WR, the 3 OC, the horrific OL and the general state of our program, his football career has really suffered.
October 21st, 2014 at 10:48 AM ^
When he's on, it really is a thing of beauty to behold...
October 21st, 2014 at 10:53 AM ^
make me feel embarrassed to be a human being.
October 21st, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^
People who tweet the N-word at athletes make me feel embarrassed to be a human being.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^
People who tweet at athletes make me feel embarrassed to be a human being.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:46 PM ^
My Njia.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:12 AM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 12:08 PM ^
but to act like it isn't part of the human condition is crazy. Racism is near or at the center of human history
October 21st, 2014 at 12:18 PM ^
That we just need to accept it?
Edit: Eh, probably misinterpreting it ... don't want to start something in the middle of a decent thread.
October 21st, 2014 at 12:21 PM ^
you are actually doing the exact same thing as racists do. You are putting them in a sub category of humans than you consider lesser.
October 21st, 2014 at 12:38 PM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
You can, you know, STOP being a racist. This is actually exactly how we drive out pervasive yet destructive ideas...institutionalized ridicule. And sometimes ridicule of institutions.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^
Racism - at least in this society - is a construction that is about domination and control of people of color. Prejudice may be "natural" - it's based on lack of knowledge of/exposure to other people. Racism however involves power, privilege and above all supremacy. It's expressed by people who are afraid of losing what they perceive that they have. They may in fact not have much, but at least in this society they believe that they have their "whiteness." Add that to a twitter account, and it's easy for them to let loose with it - especially when they have an anonymous account.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
Its pathetic isnt it. I read that a FSU fan threw a bottle of liquor at a Notre Dame fan in a wheelchair after the game, im not sure how accurate that is or what the story was behind it because i wasnt there but good God what a worthless piece of sh*t
October 21st, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^
"It's hard to play effectively when you're continuously getting hit," Gardner said. "But that's the situation we're in. And my guys are trying as hard as they can, so I can't ask for anything else. I've just got to find a way, which I'm trying to do each week, so the stats aren't going to be there sometimes. It's just finding ways to win, that's it."
October 21st, 2014 at 10:58 AM ^
Said it last year, I'll say it again. People who put the offense's problems on him ahead of anything else are delusional.
October 21st, 2014 at 10:59 AM ^
All things considered, I am not a big DG fan, but he has shown a lot of character in how he has handled his years at Michigan! Wish him all the best!
October 21st, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^
This is certainly neg worthy:
"he has shown a lot of character in how he has handled his years at Michigan! Wish him all the best!"
October 21st, 2014 at 8:28 PM ^
moron, dipshit.
the word is moron...
jdon
October 23rd, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^
much like Icarus I flew to close to the sun and now to my shame I tumble back down to earth...
October 21st, 2014 at 11:07 AM ^
Devin Gardner is my quarterback
Extra points if you get the Jon Kitna reference for the Lions back in 2007
DG has shown nothing but class and has given everything to the University. He's a great player who with a different set of cards on offense could have been a legend. I wish him well and he deserved better results from his college experience.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:07 AM ^
He seriously deserves better than Hoke's incompetence
October 21st, 2014 at 11:28 AM ^
Most of them deserve much better coaching than they are getting. It is simply ridiculous to have coaches who never played the position and never coached the position do so because someone thought a switch was justified.
As for Devin, I'd be happy to share a foxhole with that guy....talk about tough. The guy is a tremendous athlete who deserved way better than what he received in terms of coaching and an O-line.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:36 AM ^
is criminal. Period.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^
Devin Gardner also deserves better than what a lot of "Michigan fans" have said about him this year, even some here at MGoBlog, which is usually a huge step above other forums.
I haven't seen this point made, but I believe that benching Gardner for Minnesota cost Michigan both the MInnesota and Rutgers games. It is going to end up costing David Brandon and Brady Hoke their jobs.
Devin has never done anything to tarnish the program. He has worked hard and kept his mouth shut. He already has his bachelor's degree. He has played hurt on numerous occasions. Devin Gardner probably sacrificed as much as Denard Robinson to stay at Michigan. Since he won't get a shot at the NFL now, I am guessing he sacrificed even more than Denard.
The entire fanbase owes Devin Gardner a huge debt of gratitude.
October 21st, 2014 at 10:02 PM ^
At the very least he could play special teams while he develops his skills as a position player (WR, bulked up TE, bulked up outside LB).
October 21st, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^
Devin Gardner also deserves better than what a lot of "Michigan fans" have said about him this year, even some here at MGoBlog, which is usually a huge step above other forums.
I haven't seen this point made, but I believe that benching Gardner for Minnesota cost Michigan both the MInnesota and Rutgers games. It is going to end up costing David Brandon and Brady Hoke their jobs.
Devin has never done anything to tarnish the program. He has worked hard and kept his mouth shut. He already has his bachelor's degree. He has played hurt on numerous occasions. Devin Gardner probably sacrificed as much as Denard Robinson to stay at Michigan. Since he won't get a shot at the NFL now, I am guessing he sacrificed even more than Denard.
The entire fanbase owes Devin Gardner a huge debt of gratitude.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^
Devin Gardner also deserves better than what a lot of "Michigan fans" have said about him this year, even some here at MGoBlog, which is usually a huge step above other forums.
I haven't seen this point made, but I believe that benching Gardner for Minnesota cost Michigan both the MInnesota and Rutgers games. It is going to end up costing David Brandon and Brady Hoke their jobs.
Devin has never done anything to tarnish the program. He has worked hard and kept his mouth shut. He already has his bachelor's degree. He has played hurt on numerous occasions. Devin Gardner probably sacrificed as much as Denard Robinson to stay at Michigan. Since he won't get a shot at the NFL now, I am guessing he sacrificed even more than Denard.
The entire fanbase owes Devin Gardner a huge debt of gratitude.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:38 PM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 1:59 PM ^
Listening to this tremendous player/student/individual become a shell of himself makes me so upset about this coaching staff. Hoke and Funk have completely failed at teaching these kids how to effectively block.
All Devin has done is respond by graduating early, playing hurt, and leading by example.
I can't believe the possibility of Hoke returning next year is even being talked about.
October 22nd, 2014 at 2:14 AM ^
I'm pretty convinced had Devin went to a school like Texas A&M or Oregon, he'd be playing on Sundays now.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^
A classy individual. Life is more than winning football games.
This guy will go far whether in football or whatever he chooses to do.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:15 AM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 11:15 AM ^
Gardner's made his share of mistakes on the field, but the offensive woes are certainly not all his fault. Hard to make plays if the opposing D-Line is in your backfield immediately following the snap. I would've loved to see what he could do with a competent offensive line protecting him. The ND and OSU games last year show that he's got some serious game when he's on. Had we won the OSU game last year, him playing that game on a broken foot and leading the game-winning drive would've been the stuff of legend. Not to mention that the OSU schadenfreude of losing to a QB with a broken foot would've been glorious.
I don't foresee things getting much better for him this year, if at all, but I hope someone gives him a shot in the NFL. He's proven that he's got the potential to play the position extremely well. I'm just hoping there's a team willing to take a chance on him, coach him up, and see what he can do. Hopefully he can land somewhere behind a Manning, Brady, or Brees-like QB and learn from them.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^
He was a 2 pt conversion away from having one of the 'all time' performances vs OSU. Unfortunately it'll be largely forgotten since we didn't win
October 21st, 2014 at 11:16 AM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 11:36 AM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^
I was looking at who it appeared you were responding to and it didn't make sense. But I see now.
October 21st, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^
EDIT: the post I was responding to has been deleted.
Bullshit. Is he an NFL QB? Probably not. But Urban Meyer would have him playing like a Heisman contender - he's got at least the raw talent and athleticism of Braxton Miller, and more than J.T. Barrett.
We should be damn grateful he chose to stick out his commitment to Michigan despite a staff apparently incapable of developing him and adapting to his skillset. Otherwise we'd be stuck with Bellomy or a raw Shane Morris, and we'd have probably won 3 games last year. We should be extra grateful he didn't pull a Boren, or he'd be waiting to kick our ass in Columbus this year.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^
The kid has the heart of a champion. I don't think there was a program in the country that was recruiting him to be a pocket passer, yet this staff insists that he become something that he will never be.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
For the last three years DG has been a class act. My bet is that the bizarre circumstances at UM will be the best thing that ever happened to him -- instead of destroying his body in the NFL for a few years, he's going to go and be a leader somewhere.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:19 AM ^
October 21st, 2014 at 11:22 AM ^
Why do i continue to read things that make me sad....i dont know the answers to these questions. sigh.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:28 AM ^
FIRE FUNK!!
October 21st, 2014 at 11:33 AM ^
"He took all the practice reps with the second string that week."
That is some serious coaching malpractice. They had apparently decided on Sunday who the starter would be the next week. They had absolutely no intention of there being an "active competition" throughout the week.
Am I overreacting here? Because that quote really bothers me for some reason. I had not heard that he didnt ake one snap with the ones that week.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^
that Hoke lied to the media about the QB situation! Hush yo' mouth as we say in the South.
October 21st, 2014 at 8:59 PM ^
If that's true, it's ridiculous. It's hard to imagine what this coaching staff thinks it's doing.
October 21st, 2014 at 10:13 PM ^
If I had a nickel for every white lie Hoke has told the media, I'd be rich.
For the spectacularly stupid decision, yes. What the hell was Hoke thinking?
"We're struggling. So let's throw a raw QB out there who has a higher interception ratio and has struggled mightily against real competition."
I was 100% against the move. Of course, I conceded that maybe Hoke saw something in practice that we hadn't, but after the fact it was clear it was just a desperation move. To those who think "It can't get any worse", weeuull, it can always get worse. It was so bizarre that I lend a touch of credence that it was directed by Brandon. (Not much, but still, WTF?)
October 21st, 2014 at 11:34 AM ^