Internal Politics, the LC and RR Factions

secretaries? custodians? What are we talking about here? And wtf does anything on a free board have to do with "copyright laws?" Also, considering the fact that a) Lloyd has stated that he gives Rod his full support, b) Lloyd wasn't fired, and c) Lloyd isn't coming back as HC, I don't really understand what the point would be of people in the AD having a problem with the new regime because they are Lloyd loyalists or something. Methinks you read this on a non-Michigan board or it originated from something posted on a Michigan board by a non-Michigan fan.

This is a natural occurance in organizational dynamics whenver the "former boss" has been kicked upstairs and replaced by someone from outside. It will die a quick death as soon as RR starts winning. LC needs to continue to keep a low profile and defer anything about UM football to RR - he no longer has a voice. Bo did not have to deal with this issue when he came in - Bump Elliot shuffled off to Iowa and was not around for a shoulder to cry on about the changes.

I think there is confusion here. The factions that are discussed are between two groups separate from Rich Rod, or you can think of it as Rich Rod caught in the middle. If you break the groups up, there is the Lloyd Carr and his followers vs. those that supported alternative candidates during head coach search (read: Miles). This includes tension towards Martin from the latter. Rich Rod is looking for support from the inside, and seemingly the parties are more concerned with fighting about who will be the next AD and if/when RR fails, who will be the next coach. Rich Rod not feeling the love so to say.

I would think it would be hard to feel the love when you aren't winning. Like Torontoblue said, it will die off as soon as RR starts winning. I seriously doubt that RR is that concerned about support from everyone in the athletic department. He has the AD's support, and that's the only guy that really matters. Beyond that, RR got a ton of other stuff to worry about, like getting his team winning. I doubt "some people" in the athletic department ever cross his mind. Like RR has said to the media, he doesn't want to tell them anything because they blow things out of proportion and create so much drama. These "rumors" are no different. Somebody just creating drama. Seriously, find something else to talk about.

Jesus Christ, what a bunch of children if this is true.

LC didn't show any enthusiam for the RR hire and it was well documented that he didn't want Les Miles either, for whatever reason. I'm guessing LC wanted DeBord or English as the next HC. I would also guess that LC didn't like the way RR came in and fired the entire staff, including secretaries and kept only Jackson, the equipment manager and maybe Lloyd's secretary. No matter how you look at it, RR's arrival was very bumpy to say the least, his stubborness with the lawsuit didn't help and then having such a rough season, put a lot people off. As was stated earlier, winning cures a lot of ills. As Tom Beaver said yesterday, comparing Bo and RR in their first seasons, both lost to MSU, but Bo beat OSU and went to the Rose Bowl. Bo was from "outside" the family, but winning and sympathy from a heart attack brought him into the family. Rich unfortunately, has not won and all the coveted streaks are gone. He has had some rough moments with the media and I think he was not prepared for the microscope he is under. All these things combine to make the new DC more important than any single recruit and could be deciding factor for RR's future in AA. If he makes the right choice and the defense is vastly improved from '08, RR will quiet much of opposing faction that has been against him from the start. If he brings in a 3-3-5 guy and it doesn't work or the big plays continue, it will get a lot worse for him. The fundamental problems from the '08 defense must be corrected or 6-6 will be chore next season. I think a 7-5 or better season is a MUST. 3-1 in OOC and 4-4 in the B10 should be the minimum benchmark. A win over OSU would do more than any other single stat next season, but another huge defeat might be tought to survive if it accompanies another season remotely resembling '08. A top 5-8 recruiting class, an aggressive new DC and an attacking defense that doesn't give up big plays, along with a consistent and improved offense, RichRod will erase a lot of the issues from '08.

By firing them RR looks like a hardass trying to show who's boss. By keeping them, there is an established group that is loyal to or more in favor of the "old" ways of the program. Almost a no-win situation for Rich. This has been certainly one of the most rocky coaching changes I can remember anywhere, except maybe the Bill Callahan hire at Nebraska. Although that change didn't get much play here in Michigan. This whole thing has been a perfect storm of bad timing and rigid old school beliefs that didn't seem to want any change despite the frustration of the recent poor seasons under LC.

If all this petty stuff is true...they sound like a bunch of whiny bitches. We have a new coach now. Get behind him, or get the fuck out of his way. I don't care who or what they wanted before. Get on board. All this shit only makes it harder for the HC to do his job. It sounds like they are more interested in personal agendas than helping the new head coach out. Whats the phrase? "Biting your nose to spite your face."

That's just the way it goes. If RR starts winning, and keeps winning, it'll quiet down and eventually disappear. It'll pop up again whenever he has a subpar season. If he doesn't start winning, well, that's the least of his problems.

I did hear awhile back that there was a mini-controversy over the use of tobacco by some members of the current football staff, because U-M is officially a smoke-free campus. When you're 3-9, little crap like that can get under people's skin more. Win games and no one cares.

My opinion regarding him really has nothing to do with his "anti-Rodriguez lean". My problem with him is that he expects his posters to live within his posting guidelines, unless of course the poster in question is himself. He has a huge double-standard going, and that irks me. If you are going to put up rules for everyone to follow when posting, fine. But if those rules are good and necessary ones, then everyone, including admins, needs to follow them. Just because he "pays the bills" for the (advertisement-using) site, does not mean that he should enjoy carte blanch with what he says while everyone else must hold their tongues.

impacts on field performance. Nor do I really believe this.