Hoke deserves a graceful exit
Everyone is pissed. Everyone is frustrated.
I am not saying you shouldn't be, or to reconsider.
We all know what almost certainly is coming at the end of the season.
But the next time you want to pesronally insult Hoke, consider that he is a true Michigan Man that bleeds blue. He may have failed at his job, but it wasn't due from lack of effort or desire.
And in Michigan's hour of need, when our top choices used Michigan's offer just to get more money from someone else, it was Hoke who hopped on a bus before even discussing his pay.
He might not be a great coach but he appears to be a good pereson. He is losing his dream job. It sucks. If you need to vent your frustations with him, maybe we can at least not resort to such vitriol or RCMB-esque lowest common denominator personal inults?
September 20th, 2014 at 10:36 PM ^
Graceful as in someone should help him clean out his office so he doesn't have to do it all by himself.
Maybe Hunter Lochmann and Dave Brandon, because they'll have the practice from cleaning out theirs.
September 21st, 2014 at 6:38 AM ^
Harbaugh is the man to hire. Pay him whatever he wants it will pay off in the long run. Bring this man to Ann Arbor please football gods
September 21st, 2014 at 8:59 AM ^
Not sure either of the Harbaugh brothers want to chase high school kids around the next few years. Don't get me wrong....I'd love to have either one. I mean, in a perfect world we could keep hoke here to recruit and coach a position. Seems highly unlikely though.
We have so much ground to make up on the field. At least we have talent. Hopefully someone else knows what to do with it.
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September 20th, 2014 at 10:37 PM ^
but at the end of the year it looks like he'll get a firm handshake and a see ya. We shouldn't run him out of town by any means, but we also shouldn't pretend he's an acceptable coach because he says "This is MIchigan" a lot. Thanks for being a great leader for our program, but good luck at whatever Sun Belt school picks you up next
September 20th, 2014 at 10:38 PM ^
He's a nice guy. We should still fire his ass in the parking lot in about ten minutes.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:44 PM ^
I needed that
September 20th, 2014 at 10:38 PM ^
Agreed. Imagine working your whole career to get your dream job at the school you love, finally getting it, and then completely failing in front of millions of people that you desperately want to please. I suspect he will never be at peace with this, and I feel very sorry for him.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:51 PM ^
I feel terrible for him just thinking about it and I really want him to suceed. I'm just not sure he's got what it takes.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:56 PM ^
This is exactly what my wife was saying on the way home. Very difficult to get your dream job and fail. Heartbreaking. But this is apparently where we are.
He's a good man and he'll recover.
September 20th, 2014 at 11:16 PM ^
He's had his chances. A dream job is still a job and he hasn't performed.
September 20th, 2014 at 11:48 PM ^
Yes, but it hasn't happened yet. There may be slim hope, but there is not no hope. (I realize that some will assign me to the "denial" level of grief.) There is hope that with some real PT things click for Shane and he leads our offense to effectiveness. Look at Indiana -- last week they lost to Bowling Green and this week they beat Missouri. I too feel very sorry for Hoke, and it makes me cling to this shred of hope.
And yes, I realize how humiliating it is for a Michigan fan to write, "Look at Indiana" in a positive comparison.
September 21st, 2014 at 10:33 AM ^
who hasn't given up on Hoke or the team. I will keep cheering for this team and their coach till the end of the season. Then, if a change is needed and made, I will support it.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:50 PM ^
His current #1 and #2 QBs are five star talents. His #1 is still throwing off the wrong foot. The other didn't even play in a 31-0 blowout loss.
Let's not be frogs. The water is boiling now.
I'll look to Indiana, how about November 1st.
Don't be a toady.
I'm not saying Hoke should be fired during the season - but certainly not defended.
September 21st, 2014 at 11:01 AM ^
Meh, his only qualification was a love for the school and knowing the right people.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:39 PM ^
Has the TV ever captured anyone that held up a sign that said "Fire XXX" (XXX being a Michigan coach's name) during a Michigan home game? (Football, basketball, hockey, etc.)
I'm just curious.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:43 PM ^
Was this at the 2010 OSU game? Or the 2008 one?
September 20th, 2014 at 10:53 PM ^
Pretty sure I remember seeing this at the 2010 game
September 20th, 2014 at 10:58 PM ^
I believe this was in 2009, at the game in Ann Arbor
Edit: From 11 Warriors, it's (blech) 2009
September 20th, 2014 at 10:59 PM ^
It was - I remember seeing that sign. They were in the visitors' section behind the south endzone.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:43 PM ^
IIRC there used to be "Fire Rich Rod" signs in the stands sometimes in 2010. I think I saw them on TV...
September 20th, 2014 at 10:45 PM ^
but I distinctly remember the "Fire Carr" signs in the student section of the 2007 39-7 Oregon game.
September 20th, 2014 at 11:23 PM ^
I remember seeing fire Carr signs and shirts on TV. In 2005 and in 2007.
September 21st, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
on the Jumbotron yesterday in a "Mr. Brandon, Bo would slap the shit out of you" shirt
September 20th, 2014 at 10:40 PM ^
Take the word Michigan Man and dive it.
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September 20th, 2014 at 10:41 PM ^
I'm glad you posted this. Recognizing that Hoke has done some good things does not equal ignoring the team's on-field shortcomings. One can respect him and want him let go at the same time.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:42 PM ^
He makes north of $3 million a year to win B1G titles and compete for MNC's. We are 4-8 in our last 12, if fans want to insult, criticize and vent at him, I say fire away.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:45 PM ^
how ugly is that. We've endured a lot of losing lately
September 21st, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^
but people don't need to be dicks...but they will be and they have the right to be. but its still dickish.
Hoke knows at year 4, with this talent, this is no where near ok... This is Michigan, fergodsakes...even with the reality of walking away from his big paycheck, I wouldn't be surprised if he resigned gracefully... unless, of course something really miraculous happens over the next 4 months. A girl can dream...
we will see.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:43 PM ^
I'm sad :(
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September 20th, 2014 at 10:51 PM ^
Me too :( I always liked hoke and think he's a nice guy and wanted more than anything for him to be our "next Bo" but it's just time for him to go
September 20th, 2014 at 10:44 PM ^
that our program should be- minus the winning.
September 20th, 2014 at 11:09 PM ^
Another thing
September 20th, 2014 at 10:44 PM ^
I'm not here to say anything negative about Hoke. I do still hope he succeds and despite how bad it looks now, I'd rather struggle early and get better as the year goes on than the other way around. I don't think it's professional to fire a guy with ill will unless he doesn't something morally or legally wrong. But, I will say that regardless of whether this is his dream job or not he's being paid a huge salary, over $4 mil/year, that sort of compensates him for any hurt feelings. He literally never has to work again in his life and can remain quite wealthy. I don't feel bad for anyone losing their dream job who has that kind of money.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:56 PM ^
Yes, because I'm sure Hoke is saying "Well, I love Michigan more than just about anything and I lost the job I've worked for my entire career and disappointed millions of people and players I deeply cared about, but oh well, I'm rich."
Does he strike you as that kind of man?
September 21st, 2014 at 1:02 AM ^
he strikes me as a man who has done the math on how many hot dogs that salary will buy
September 21st, 2014 at 12:42 PM ^
You're a moron.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:19 PM ^
You're probably on some kind of watch list for having that username? Also, you're an idiot.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:50 AM ^
He was hired to do a job and failed. If he wants to work as a counselor that's fine, but as the face of the entire university making millions of dollars? Not so fine.
I had to go to a dinner party tonight with the Mrs. and just watched the game. I'm drunk and angry but more than anything I'm tired. Tired of my school being a joke. Watching the ND game finally broke my spirit but watching tonight made me throw up. Fire Hoke. Hire Tressel.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:30 AM ^
Not really.
That seems to be WAY higher level cognition and eloquence than Hoke has ever shown an ability for.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
But, I'm sorry for anyone whose #1 value in life is their career. I believe that will lead to an unfulfilling life. Maybe that's the nature of big time college and NFL coaching jobs, but IMO is no way to live. I know he values family despite the fact there's no way he has much time to spend with his own. To have the opportunity to live and give your best shot at your dream job is more than most ever get. And, success or failure IMO is not based on outcomes, but rather based on living your life according to your values. If you did your best and your behavior and attitude was congruent with your values but the results didn't turn out the way you had hoped, you recognize that, accept it, and still feel at ease that you succedded by the way you lived your life's values and move on. Most people can accept that sort of "failure" and remain happy in life.
September 20th, 2014 at 10:45 PM ^
I have no doubt that Hoke is a great person. His players seem to love him, and during "the process" former players couldn't speak highly enough about him. But the bottom line is wins and losses, and Hoke's win loss record over the last 12 games or so looks an awful lot like the guy he was hired to replace.
September 20th, 2014 at 11:01 PM ^
rich rod improved every year.
hoke looked pretty good with rich rods guys....
September 20th, 2014 at 11:14 PM ^
I'm so sick of this bullshit. Rich Rod improved every year because he started at 3-9.
If "Rich Rod's guys" were so good they didn't need good coaching to win, why couldn't Rich Rod himself manage more than 7 wins with basically the same guys?
There's plenty to criticize Hoke about without trying to take the miraculous 2011 turn around away from him and resort to total revisionism.
September 20th, 2014 at 11:26 PM ^
Rich Rod improved every year because he started at 3-9.
If "Rich Rod's guys" were so good they didn't need good coaching to win, why couldn't Rich Rod himself manage more than 7 wins with basically the same guys?
And I'm sick of THIS bullshit. RichRod started 3-9 because he inherited no depth and Threet and Sheridan as his starting QBs. The team that Hoke inherited was exponentially more talented.
And no one said that "Rich Rod's guys" didn't need good coaching to win. But I will say that Rich Rod's guys were still incredibly young during Rich Rod's third year. And if you refuse to acknowledge that the further we get away from Rich Rod's guys," the worse this program is getting, you're delusional.
Rich Rod was replaced by a coach that was significantly inferior to him (which we suspected by looking at their coaching careers prior to Michigan, and is being confirmed every day that Hoke continues in his current position). That's why we are so much worse than we were in 2011.
September 20th, 2014 at 11:56 PM ^
Sure, the intention was not to slam RR. He got a raw deal too. My point is people try to revise 2011 like it an 11-2 team was just waiting for Hoke when he got here. That's simply not true.
September 21st, 2014 at 9:51 AM ^
Wouldn't just about everything hoke has done since then point to that being true