Jim Harbaugh loves Michigan (video)

Jim said something that was probably true - players were, and still are advised into paths where they can stay eligible and graduate. Vincent Smith said on this blog he regretted not being able to take some more advanced classes like calculus. Reality is: only the top 5-10% or so of students nationally can compete on the grading curve in the more rigorous subjects at Michigan. An even more narrow subset have the right physical make up and skills to play football. It later came out that at Stanford there was an official list of easier classes to take to balance you work load.

People don't like to bring up the fact that a lot of players were in General Studies, and later Kinesiology, etc. The worst part was Jim just happened to say it to the Ann Arbor News when they were trying expose a questionable course and broadening into a larger question of academic integrity.

At the end of the day, this is one of 3 places I think the NCAA has to change:

1) Improve the academic mission: Properly prepare the athletes for college level courses, continue to ethically support them through school, and give the athletes the opportunity to come back and pursue a second degree once their playing days are over.

2) Shift to the Olympic model: most of the athletes will never be successful at the professional level. Allow them to earn what they can through endorsements, and autographs, and sponsorships while they are in college. [Yes they already are economically benefiting from their ability, but if we brought all this stuff above board, the sport would be more ethical. Why should coaches and ADs officially get cars and not players if the free market supports it?]

3) Extend medical coverage for injuries sustained while playing college sports.

As for Jim, in his locker room speech before the 2009 Sun Bowl, Jim Harbaugh asked the Cardinals if they wanted "to be the conquering heroes?"

He's Blue

Because we're hiring him as a PR executive? You must be kidding. When hiring a coach, coaching acumen should carry the most weight. You could argue that DB hired Hoke because this wasn't the highest priority in his search. 

Everything he said was dead-on right.  Michigan DID (still does?) still athletes to easy majors to keep them eligible.  This did NOTHING for them once they gradulated.  Remember, 95% of kids aren't going pro.

Sure, his comments were self-serving, as he was trying to pump up Stanford.  And maybe a bit hypocritical, as Stanford has been shown to do some of the same with their athletes.  But it doesn't change the fact that he was right, and Michigan should look to do better.  If a kid WANTS to be in a better major, Michigan has the resources to help him try, even if that means he's going to have to spend a lot more time studying and be at some academic risk.  Shunting him into an easier major that isn't useful to him in life just to keep him on the football field isn't in the kid's best interest.

Obviously there are some kids at the very low end of the qualifying scale that you probably have no choice with.   Michigan is a tough school and certain programs are absolute killers. 

Marcus Ray talked in circles the other day, [like why would we retain Hoke this year to maintain a small recruiting class, and then evaluate him next year when an even larger recruiting class would be at risk?].

However, I agree with Marcus that one risk of Jim Harbaugh is old school football gets at a high level of competition that may not be enough to be at the very top. Especially when you run up against the oversigning Alabamas of the world.

Side note: remember 2006 when the Michigan - Ohio State game was the clash of titans like that Bama - LSU game last night? Sad state ....

OK give it a shot: [email protected]

He's the only great coach on that whole freaking coaching staff. Literally the only one.