Jim Harbaugh speaks out for the first time about Vikings. FYI..Freep link
In summary, he admitted he was going to take the job, but the owners where not as enthusiastic as he was. He does say he is no longer going to look to go back to the NFL.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:28 AM ^
Welcome back, Coach.
February 4th, 2022 at 2:34 AM ^
The Vikes & Kork Coupons apparently do not have an enthusiasm unknown to mankind!
February 4th, 2022 at 4:18 PM ^
Ok, he didn’t get offered in the first hour which stunned him
February 4th, 2022 at 7:42 AM ^
I was really glad to have Harbaugh back.
Then, a little late, I listened to Alex Boone raving about what a great guy and coach he is (below on the Message Board), and I’m more glad. Gladder. Even gladdest.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:18 PM ^
Glad Baggest!
February 4th, 2022 at 12:58 PM ^
Force Flex!
Not that 1-ply crap!
February 4th, 2022 at 6:38 PM ^
February 4th, 2022 at 12:35 AM ^
He gone.
/s
(there was a poster who was negged like crazy about a week or two ago for being adamant Jim was gone…hope he’s gone)
February 4th, 2022 at 7:48 AM ^
A poster? Pretty much all of us thought he was gone... Some were more vocal about it, some more upset, others not so concerned. But pretty much ALL of us thought he was gone.
February 4th, 2022 at 8:02 AM ^
“Wait! Hear me out…. See, wut happened was…”
February 4th, 2022 at 10:01 AM ^
I never lost faith
February 4th, 2022 at 10:42 AM ^
(Deleted)
February 4th, 2022 at 2:07 PM ^
So you speak for everyone now? Only the vocal complainers were on here saying he’s gone and not loyal. Well f’ck them.
Again, as this article shows, he is honest and a man on integrity.
February 4th, 2022 at 11:55 AM ^
EVERYONE thought he was gone. Even Harbaugh himself admittedly thought he was gone. So I’m not sure what your self-satisfied point is.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:17 PM ^
No kidding. It was the Wilfs who decided he wasn't. If they had chosen differently, then yes, he'd be gone.
Have to admit, I'm still a bit miffed Harbaugh would take a bottom-tier NFL job over UM, but I'm sure I'll get over it after a good season.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^
How long do you think you'll have to wait for one of those?
February 4th, 2022 at 2:57 PM ^
I still see a distinction between saying the two sides weren't aligned on one hand and the Wilfs decided on the other hand. These things are rarely unilateral.
I strongly suspect that Harbaugh realized that day that Michigan was going to come closer to letting Harbaugh be Harbaugh than the Vikings were. At that point, whether or not the Wilfs make an offer is probably immaterial.
February 4th, 2022 at 10:13 PM ^
Not necessarily. Harbaugh could have sensed things were not what he perceived. Could have been mutual. Could have been Harbaugh pulling back on the full court press.
People can see things differently. Ultimately I don’t think you’ll ever know how Harbaugh saw it.
February 4th, 2022 at 1:51 PM ^
When the talk about the Raiders, Bears and Dolphins surfaced I didn't think for a second that he would leave. Only after the Vikings came into play did I have serious doubts about him staying at Michigan. A mediocre team in a mediocre division had Jim's attention? I was like WTF. Thankful for the way things turned.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:36 AM ^
It isn't necessarily what you want to hear, but I'm happy with the outcome.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:50 AM ^
Lol.. yeah it’s like your girlfriend coming back to you because the new guy snores too loud. I’ll take it though. Better than going through a coaching search.
February 4th, 2022 at 4:33 AM ^
Y'all have been dumped a lot. So many analogies to girlfriends.
February 4th, 2022 at 5:41 AM ^
of course they have - i can’t imagine why anyone would want to sit next some of these people at a game for 3 1/2 hours, let alone spend an entire life with them.
February 4th, 2022 at 7:10 AM ^
It's crazy how many people are emotionally attached to this program.
February 4th, 2022 at 8:37 AM ^
You know you are on Mgoblog, right?
February 4th, 2022 at 1:00 PM ^
The key to understanding his comments is right there in his name!
February 4th, 2022 at 7:11 AM ^
Spot on. It’s not like a relationship at all.
Some people have big goals and dreams and some of those big goals and dreams may conflict or present you with moments to choose one over the other. It’s possible to want two things at once equally and make a choice about them. We are talking about football at the highest level. It’s not rational. Its ego, it’s drive, it’s competition. This was his last shot (realistically) at the NFL. He had one place really interested in him so he went out there with all the enthusiasm he does anything. The moment never came. So he let that dream go and moved on.
February 4th, 2022 at 8:55 AM ^
So it’s like finishing med school and becoming a doctor and then dumping the woman you were with during school because you’re a doctor now and can do better?
/s
February 4th, 2022 at 9:32 AM ^
FYI: the "/s" usually stands for "end sarcasm", not "end Seinfeld reference".
February 4th, 2022 at 12:21 PM ^
No analogy is perfect, but:
1) Most people have not hired a famous person for a multi-million-dollar contract, but they have been in some kind of relationship;
2) Like a relationship, you would hope that a person under contract in a highly-paid, very public position would be as committed as you are, and you might feel betrayed if they look elsewhere; and
3) Sports and relationships are things people are often passionate about. Having a passionate fanbase a sine qua non for a blog like this to be able to operate at the high level it does.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:26 PM ^
Or maybe, make your analogy a career related one. Because that’s what this is to Jim. It’s a job. Not a relationship.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:37 PM ^
Well, that's kind of the crux of the matter. Jim talked about it like it was more than a job, but in the end it is clear that we as fans assumed his passion for Michigan carried more weight than it really does.
Yes, you could make it an analogy to an employment situation, about a college coach, with NFL experience, considering going to a mediocre NFL team, after making the CFB playoff the year before. Because that's something we can all relate to in our own lives, right?
Also, coaches at this level often see their co-workers and players more than their families. There is a reason that the expression "married to your job" exists in the American lexicon. You may not relate to this specific analogy as much as others, but it isn't quite the stretch that you make it out to be.
February 4th, 2022 at 9:28 AM ^
It's more like your girlfriend coming back because the guy she wanted was in love with someone else. And that's more palatable than snoring. And it helps that your girlfriend is a major babe and just won the Big 10 wet T-shirt contest.
February 4th, 2022 at 9:53 AM ^
I have to give him some points for honesty, though I really wanted him to give a hard spin. If he doesn't sign a long term contract, or at least have a major buyout he'll be a dead man walking. I never thought I'd say this, but he needs to show his commitment to Michigan. The hand wave of I'm not going to pursue it again won't cut it with coaches and savvy recruits. He should also focus on identify a strong candidate to take over whenever he leaves.
February 4th, 2022 at 11:00 AM ^
It's actually more like your girlfriend lets herself go a little, slips from the hot babe she once was to the 2/4 range. So you tell her,
"Look I'm so close to dumping you right now you can't believe it. My family can't stand you or your friends and are begging me to kick you to the curb. Oh and you can't drive the AGM GT anymore, you can only use the Hyundai. Get your shit together or your going have to go,"
Ego a little bruised perhaps, she embraces the challenge. She dumps her old friends hooks up with a younger crowd with a lot of energy. They all help get her into killer shape and she comes back as a smokin' 12.
Now, since she looks so great, you and your family are besides themselves with glee. But she says,
"Since you were ready to dump me, and apparently I look pretty good, maybe I'll find someone who'll let me drive the AGT."
So she flirts with some rich dude outta your league but he's not all that great and he's not that into her either so she comes back.
You're a little put off by the whole thing, but you started it and you have a hot babe! So just give her back the keys to the Mercedes and put the whole thing behind you,
February 4th, 2022 at 12:19 PM ^
Upvoted, but what does that say about us? An emotionally abused fanbase willing to put up with a cheatin' boyfriend as long as he stays? I guess that's us.
:)
February 4th, 2022 at 12:37 AM ^
I’d love to be a fly on a wall in his hotel room that night while he’s downing burgers and fries
February 4th, 2022 at 12:52 AM ^
There was probably not much to it, just some Judge Judy reruns.
He is a simple guy.
February 4th, 2022 at 1:02 PM ^
He did not have subs. It was not crazy.
February 4th, 2022 at 4:45 AM ^
Well you’d likely just see him eating ground beef and potatoes at that point. I wish I was Jeff Goldblum on the wall at 3 pm CT during the interview. That is apparently when proceedings took a “left turn”s
February 4th, 2022 at 7:53 AM ^
I bet it was a juicy Lucy burger. Now I’m hungry and it’s only 7:53am
February 4th, 2022 at 7:57 AM ^
paired with a tall glass of whole milk
February 4th, 2022 at 9:58 AM ^
Burgers and fries and cherry pies ... it was simple and good back then.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:38 AM ^
At least he's being honest about it.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:41 AM ^
I agree, I appreciate the honesty as well. I just hope he is being honest when he says he is done with the flirting with the NFL.
February 4th, 2022 at 12:58 AM ^
What helps him there, I think, is that he was upfront and honest about being interested in the NFL in the first place, when it might have been in his own personal interest to conceal it.
But that is not who he is. He is transparent.
So it's not as hard to believe him when he says he is done seeking the NFL as it would be for somebody else that does not have a consistent track record of transparency.
I am still mad at him . . . what happened to "I'd do this job for free" and "This feels like just the beginning"?
But I do believe him.
So we are left with a newly re-motivated Harbaugh with something to prove. There are worse things that that.
February 4th, 2022 at 2:37 AM ^
He might do this job for free - if it was his idea!
Not so much maybe if that was your actual offer?
February 4th, 2022 at 4:50 AM ^
On the flip side, I think the NFL might have told him they are done with him. 9 openings and all went with someone different.
Minnesota was a lousy situation and that didn't work out either.
February 4th, 2022 at 6:34 AM ^
I feel this might be accurate. I think Harbaugh realizes that if it’s going to work for him in the NFL he needs some or total control of personnel decisions and motivated but hands off ownership (Cowboys need not call). Frankly, I just don’t think that’s something that should be bestowed to coaches unless they’ve performed at a high level at the NFL for 5 years at their job. It never made sense Minnesota would hire a new GM then said GM would cede his power to a coach. Maybe I’m way off base, but that’s my read on the situation.