James Franklin helicopters to HS games Friday night
So my parents live about a half a mile from Rochester Adams (go Highlanders) and heard a helicopter Friday night. Turns out James Franklin was flying around to a couple of local high school games. I know these coaches have a tight schedule but is it typical for them to check out HS games the day before a big game on the road?
https://twitter.com/TheD_Zone/status/1581281908033748993?s=20&t=UH1SiXObAZirf7203rXhlQ
October 19th, 2022 at 8:46 PM ^
Yes, as he was checking out HS stadium locker room tunnels, hope he brought enough PBJ sandwiches with him.
October 20th, 2022 at 5:56 AM ^
rommell, you bas%^$d!!
October 20th, 2022 at 8:16 AM ^
Only one L in Rommel.
And the whole line is: "Rommel you magnificent bastard, I read your Book!"
.
October 20th, 2022 at 9:46 AM ^
Great line, from a fantastic movie.
October 20th, 2022 at 12:10 AM ^
Also with a baseball bat?
October 19th, 2022 at 8:48 PM ^
Not like he spends any time coaching anyways.
October 19th, 2022 at 8:49 PM ^
That was Franklin's recruiting MO when he was the Head Coach at Vandy. Seemed pretty unique back then, but now seems a little stale . . . . similar to his game day preparations.
October 19th, 2022 at 10:23 PM ^
I live in Atlanta and have heard similar stories about Kirby Smart (whose agent should get him deals with Kirby vacuum and a Smart car dealership....but I digress) landing with a helicopter at local high school games to make an entrance that leaves an impression. Crootin'
October 19th, 2022 at 10:45 PM ^
I beg to differ. I still wholeheartedly enjoy his game day prep.
October 20th, 2022 at 12:40 AM ^
Status quo is good enough for now.
October 19th, 2022 at 8:52 PM ^
Never change Coach - it makes crushing you all the more enjoyable.
October 19th, 2022 at 8:53 PM ^
I know these coaches have a tight schedule but is it typical for them to check out HS games the day before a big game on the road?
Yeah it’s pretty typical for coaches to hit the recruiting trail and watch games in their “down” time. Newsome and Hart were at the Dexter-Saline game the same night for example.
As for the “day before a big road game” part, Penn State had a bye the week before playing Michigan. There wasn’t anything Franklin needed to do Friday night to prepare for the game that couldn’t have been done the previous two weeks. Even if they weren’t coming off a bye, there’s really no more preparation that you can do on Friday night.
October 20th, 2022 at 7:28 AM ^
I think there was quite a bit he neglected to do, prior to Saturday....
October 20th, 2022 at 5:41 PM ^
If he didn’t do it the previous two weeks, there’s nothing he was going to do Friday night that was going to help matters. You’re not going to install any new concepts or game plans the night before a noon kick.
October 19th, 2022 at 8:57 PM ^
Google search "coaches helicopter high school games" and you'll see a whole bunch of CFB head coaches' names pop up.
So it's not unusual. Nor is a coach checking out a Friday night HS game, whether he's on the road or at home.
October 20th, 2022 at 8:05 AM ^
I live in Huntington, WV. Last year, the Marshall coach (Huff) used a helicopter to go to a local game. It was a 10 minute ride solely for the purpose of showing the local kid that they care about him as much as a Power 5 program. Seemed ridiculous to me at the time but I'm not the one getting recruited so I have no idea what the kid thought of it.
October 20th, 2022 at 8:18 AM ^
While we're Googling... Google "head coach sleeps over at recruits house" that one seemed to be fascinating to PSU fans for a long time. I'll take the result. Google "head coach favors milk over all other drinks" or "head coach calls chickens 'nervous birds'" or "head coach practices shirtless" and you'll only see one guy's name pop up.
I agree this helicopter thing isn't all-too-interesting behavior for Franklin. I also think not-very-interesting is kinda exactly who he is. I keep thinking about the Eli 'Chad Powers' video. The one guy who knew, but couldn't quite seem to grasp the idea that the fun is other people NOT knowing was Franklin.
I have no clue how Jim 'acts' in a video like that. Neither does anyone else. But it's definitely going to be real. And it'll certainly be interesting.
He's definitely unusual. Based on interesting-ness, based on coaching, based on results, based on really any option if placed side-by-side... I'd take Jim over "James" six days a week and twice on Sundays.
October 20th, 2022 at 11:33 AM ^
I once heard this piece of advise: "if you want to add value to someone's life, be at least one of three things to them: (1) fun, (2) helpful or (3) interesting."
Each of those fill somewhat different roles. (1) Fun = someone to date, an adventure buddy. (2) Helpful = a mentor, a teacher, a teammate. (3) Interesting = a companion, a dinner guest & conversationalist, a long-term friend.
The truly memorable people in one's life - and those people who a person is more likely to "go to bat" for - fill multiple of those roles.
Anyway, as regards James Franklin. (1) I think he sells fun, but isn't as fun as he thinks he is, the Chad Powers video is a good example here. (2) His mentoring/coaching skills are questionable. (3) I agree he isn't particularly interesting (admittedly this is probably the least important to a player as regards his Coach).
I suppose one could draw one's own conclusions about teams over/under-achieving versus their raw talent from here.
October 20th, 2022 at 12:05 PM ^
This is all very good. Well said.
October 19th, 2022 at 9:02 PM ^
Can't blame him, probably has PTSD that he he's on the ground he'd get run over.
October 20th, 2022 at 9:14 AM ^
Pre-PTSD disorder? PPTSDD?
October 19th, 2022 at 9:03 PM ^
You'd better believe Michigan's coaches will be checking out recruits in New Jersey and the East Coast the night before the Rutger's game...maybe Michigan can put its engineering and aerospace talents to use to design something more impressive than mere helicopters!
October 19th, 2022 at 9:16 PM ^
Drones + holograms
October 20th, 2022 at 9:01 AM ^
Dragons...People respect the hell out of a person who can ride a dragon.
October 20th, 2022 at 8:32 PM ^
Should be +1000.
October 19th, 2022 at 9:16 PM ^
Good luck recruiting the mitten when your team just got eaten alive on national television, vs that very same state team.
When the opponent rushes for over 400 yards on you, that just hits differently. Your manhood got exposed.
October 19th, 2022 at 9:28 PM ^
I'm with you. But they've taken plenty from Michigan recently. And we waxed them two years ago too
October 20th, 2022 at 12:19 AM ^
Let’s not discuss PSU and exposing manhood please
October 20th, 2022 at 6:14 AM ^
That certainly helps, but recruiters are the key.
Of course, the 2021 class stung. Franklin took 4 recruits from MI and all from the Detroit area with 2 being 4 star caliber. Losing to PSU in 2020 hurt, but the bigger issue was the serious relationship issues with some of our local schools.
Clink and Bellamy came in 2021, resolved those issues and completely closed that door. Since then, no recruits or commitments from the Mitten to PSU.
October 19th, 2022 at 9:21 PM ^
If I could helicopter to things you better believe I would while eating PB&J sandwiches
October 20th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
Yeah, but would you fling those PB&J sandwiches out the helicopter at people you didn't like?
October 19th, 2022 at 9:25 PM ^
October 19th, 2022 at 9:28 PM ^
Not uncommon. Mizzou's head coach helicopters to our high school because of Brett Norfleet.
October 20th, 2022 at 10:33 AM ^
Hope he's better than Dennis was.
October 19th, 2022 at 9:35 PM ^
the comments to the tweet are excellent:
Shoulda made him drive a 92 dodge intrepid. He stinks
Yep and he got run over by a Maize and Blue mack truck
Hopefully he was looking for a front 7
October 19th, 2022 at 9:42 PM ^
What's the point of that absurdly high salary if you don't use it to draw attention to yourself?
October 19th, 2022 at 11:24 PM ^
I sincerely doubt ANY of the costs of those heli-flights came out of Franklin’s pocket.
October 19th, 2022 at 9:52 PM ^
Even as a high schooler, how can you not think that's such pretentious move? Like it's literally just a move to try to show how big of a deal he is
October 19th, 2022 at 10:31 PM ^
Agree. As a high school student it was definitely modesty and quiet achievement that was rewarded.
October 19th, 2022 at 9:53 PM ^
This just shows the advantage of having that alter ego. James Franklin can hit the recruiting trail while Frames Janklin coaches the team.
October 19th, 2022 at 9:55 PM ^
Game is over, I don't give a shit about Franklin.
He got curb stomped, he's not even worth discussing. On to the 2nd half of the most critical season of the past 16 years.
October 19th, 2022 at 10:00 PM ^
Speaking of recruiting, I see Yoder has a rumor headline of "Jim Harbaugh to the NFL?" He just doesn't care what kind of damage he may do for clicks.
October 20th, 2022 at 10:51 AM ^
Not sure I want to ask this question, but is this a legit rumor, or just a recruiting rumor he overheard? Man that guy is annoying.
October 19th, 2022 at 10:14 PM ^
He was searching for cures for getting his ass beat.
October 19th, 2022 at 10:40 PM ^
Poor guy pulled a hammy getting out of the helicopter.
October 19th, 2022 at 10:33 PM ^
I remember Pete Carroll helicoptered into my high school back in the day, it’s not uncommon especially at the upper tier programs that can afford it.
October 19th, 2022 at 11:05 PM ^
Come lose by 24
October 19th, 2022 at 11:06 PM ^
I'd be impressed if a coach recruited me in this...
October 20th, 2022 at 7:30 AM ^
'52 Ford....
I have one of those, mine is an F3. Its in the shop for a full restoration as you read this....