John U. Bacon's book "Three and Out" available for advance purchase
John U. Bacon's Three and Out: Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines in the Crucible of College Football is available for advanced purchase at amazon.com:
I found these interesting:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Rich Rodriguez never had a chance as coach of the Michigan Wolverines. He showed up with a glowing resume and got himself eaten alive. John Bacon’s account of Rodriguez’s epic failure is a cautionary tale for anyone who doesn’t realize that being a major college football coach requires one to be part CEO, part psychologist, part carny barker, and all crazy.” —Charles P. Pierce, author of Moving The Chains: Tom Brady and the Pursuit Of Everything“College basketball has Season on the Brink. High school football has Friday Night Lights. Now college football has Three and Out, which takes you inside the locker room to show you what it’s really like to be a college football coach and player. If it surprised me—and it did—I’m sure it will surprise even hardcore fans. If you care about college football, you’ll want this book.” —Adam Schefter, ESPN“John U. Bacon is one of the best reporters/writers of my generation. Three and Out proves it. It’s one of the most riveting non-fiction works I've read in years, in any genre. The eyewitness details from the locker room, the sidelines, and the most powerful offices on a college campus are breathtaking. Get this book. You will thank me.” —David Shuster, Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist“John U. Bacon’s report on the weird world of college football is eye-opening, and occasionally jaw-dropping.” —George F. WillProduct Description
Three and Out tells the story of how college football’s most influential coach took over the nation’s most successful program, only to produce three of the worst seasons in the histories of both Rich Rodriguez and the University of Michigan. Shortly after his controversial move from West Virginia, where he had just taken his alma mater to the #1 ranking for the first time in school history, Coach Rich Rodriguez granted author and journalist John U. Bacon unrestricted access to Michigan’s program. Bacon saw it all, from the meals and the meetings, to the practices and the games, to the sidelines and the locker rooms. Nothing and no one was off limits. John U. Bacon’s Three and Out is the definitive account of a football marriage seemingly made in heaven that broke up after just three years, and lifts the lid on the best and the worst of college football.
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^
Yep, already pre-ordered it for my Kindle. Can't wait.
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^
Same here. I'm cautiously optimistic my socks will be knocked off.
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^
I wonder if he will recount the Josh Groban incident.
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:36 PM ^
wouldn't it have been more appropriate to call this book "three and shank" or "three and wide" or "threet and out" or "three and here comes our best player, the space emporer?"
punting was hardly the worst thing to happen on the field during RR's time here
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:03 PM ^
Three years and then fired, geddit?
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:48 PM ^
I thought Three and Out was a perfect title. Not sure if John Bacon or his editor get credit but I like it.
I'm not sure if it will validate my suspiciouns or change my views of the characters in this drama. I do know that I can trust John Bacon's account of what he saw. I give Coach Rodriguez a lot of credit for allowing Bacon so much access. Looking forward to having it arrive on my porch.
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:37 PM ^
I thought I read/heard somewhere that he originally wanted to call it "Third and Long", but the publisher wanted to change it. I wish I could remember where - might have been a WTKA interview.
September 23rd, 2011 at 4:46 PM ^
The title got changed when RR got fired. In fact, I recall Bacon saying that the title has changed several times as a result of changing factors. Don't quite me on this, but IIRC it was originally only suppose to be one year and writing about that, and then it evolved into three (Which ended poorly, so "Third and Long"), and then those three ended up being the entirety of RR's tenure (hence the final title).
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:56 PM ^
can't want to read it
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:00 PM ^
I'm hoping he gets some details on Denard's recruiting process, and some inside scoop on the Tate/wings drama
September 23rd, 2011 at 4:16 PM ^
Keven Newsome and Shavodrick Beaver. Tate was still inexplicably interested throughout...but Denard was almost an afterthought at the time, wasn't he?
September 23rd, 2011 at 4:54 PM ^
thought to be a heavy Florida lean early in the process. If you recall, Denard was friends with Adrian Witty, who is now at Cinci because he could not get into school at M.
Ultimately it was probably the commit of Witty and the fact that few schools were willing to give Denard a shot at QB - M was one, and I think Kansas State was another that brought him to M on signing day. Florida wanted him as an athlete.
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:02 PM ^
I just don't want the school to be portrayed poorly. Hopefully, MSC and the powers that be are not caricatures (See, for example: Gee of Ohio).
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:17 PM ^
Whether the school comes off well or comes off poorly is secondary to me. I just want the portrayal to be honest. All early indications (like those quotes from some heavy hitters) are that Bacon did some amazing journalistic work with this book so I don't think I will be disappointed.
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:00 PM ^
IIRC, Bacon has taught classes at UM. I also seem to recall that he has been relegated to the hinterlands in the Michigan Stadium pressbox, per Brian.
I'm curious if the University is "punishing" Bacon for brutal honesty. In my naivete, I would hope not. In my cynicism, I would think it possible. Michigan prides itself on being a liberal, open-minded, tolerant place. If Bacon no longer teaches, or is now denied access, because he didn't sugarcoat what actually happens, well, that in itself would reflect more poorly on Michigan than anything Bacon might have written.
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:25 PM ^
features that make me most proud of my alma mater -- the open dialogue. Scholarship ultimately has to be founded on the truth.
My "paranoia" stems mostly from the other part of my persona that shows up on Saturdays in late August through (hopefully) January. That guy is partisan as hell and wants to see the Michigan brand dominate the marketplace for the hearts and minds of football fans everywhere.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:35 PM ^
What do the inner workings of the athletic department have to do with scholarship? Every department at the university is filled with its own set of politics and pressures.
September 24th, 2011 at 11:31 AM ^
In one way, the inner workings of the athletic department have nothing to do with scholarship. In another way, everything at the university has to reflect a shared culture and shared set of values. When each department (or area) in a University (or Corporation) has widely disparate and competing values, it is difficult to move forward.
To the degree that every unit in the unversity, including athletics, shares values, the entire entity is stronger than the sum of the parts.
Historically, athletics were seen as part of training the whole person in the university setting. The ideal of the university is to shape and form someone who is strong in mind, soul, and body. Now, admittedly, this is a farce on many levels. But when the team and the athletic department reflect diversity of race, opinion, and religion, and there can be open and spirited dialogue and dissent, well, that reflects one of the core values of the University of Michigan.
The inherent messages with a closed athletic department are not good. What is said to the student body is that dialogue in the classroom is fine, but in the real world, we only give lip service to diversity and dissent, and really, we don't give a F***. This makes the entire academic experience a farce.
A worse message is that the rules are different, and that corruption is accepted and even encouraged so long as there is success. Exhibit A: tatgate in Columbus.
I am doing some repairs on my cottage. There's a lot to do, including replacing some rotten facia boards and siding. Eventually I'll paint and reroof. Here's the thing: I could paint now, and put on new shingles, and things would look pretty. But in the end, foundational issues are more important to deal with first. From my perspective, the same thing is true wih athletics at UofM. If the foundation is right, the rest will fall into place.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:19 PM ^
Is he the same guy that is on Michigan Radio every so often?
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:52 PM ^
It would hardly be surprising. It's the kind of move one would absolutely expect in the corporate world and that's DB's world. He cares about Michigan's "brand" more than its heart.
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:04 PM ^
I'm looking forward to the chapters on Lloyd. To paraphrase Brian "Carr will hate this book more than he's ever hated anything in his life". Wow.
I wonder what revelations the book contains. I cannot wait to find out.
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:37 PM ^
I thought the same thing when I read that thing Brian said about Carr hating this. Sounds juicy. Can't wait.
There will no doubt be a "Three and Long" open thread when the book comes out. Over/under on # of posts in that thread within 48 hours: 450. (I'd take the over.) I bet the server ends up crashing because this book is gonna hit on all the hot topics that people have loved (and loathed) discussing here for the past 3 years.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:37 PM ^
and all of the comments.
There will have to be a code. Like subfiles; "3&O: Rosenberg," "3&O: GERG," "3&O: Brandon," "3&O: Pryor."
There might actually be 450 threads; not one thread with 450 posts.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:38 PM ^
And 85% of them will come from you rambling the same old shit over and over again.
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:10 PM ^
Before we get our copies, Brian gets to interview John Bacon, as part of a promotion with MGoBlog, this is going to be epic for this website!!!
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:23 PM ^
ordered 3 copies for me and the other die-hards in my life! Yay prime!
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:49 PM ^
I'm looking forward to reading the book, but part of me is dreading it at the same time. We just went through a period of time where the team, administration, fanbase and alumni were splintered. This will answer alot of questions, but I fear it won't put everything to rest and will cause alot more problems.
I'v enjoyed everything I've ever read from Bacon and he doesn't approach his work as a way to bring people down and seems like he really just wants to put the truth out there. But we just got everybody back on the same page. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I'm not sure I see this book as a good thing. Then again, if we can use it to make sure that we don't repeat mistakes, it can be a positive. Either way, it'll be interesting to read and see everyone's reaction to it.
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:52 PM ^
I'll definitely be ordering this book. I can't wait to see what's in store (as to how Never Forget plays into the book as well)
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:57 PM ^
at Apple on iBooks for preordering.
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:59 PM ^
I have a feeling it will, although not by making any particular faction right or wrong, just by making it clear that both sides of the arguement were partly right and wrong.
I've found in my 40 something years on this planet that when it all washes out the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle grey area and not in either of the black or white sections that people tend to gravitate towards.
I know that while I love Lloyd I'm prepared to see his armour cracked pretty heavily when I read this and it likely will effect my judgement in regards to his accomplishments while at Michigan and my diminish my respect for him to some degree. I'm OK with that because in those same 40 something years I've also realized that humans are just that. Human.
I'm also prepared to be shown that my worst impressions of RR were not a true reflection of the man. That while human and guilty of all the weaknesses that come with that, the circumstances may have been more in control of the outcome than he was.
If the book does directly indict one party or the other as "more" or "less" to blame then so be it, We'll have to take that medicine and move on. (Finally??)
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:21 PM ^
Humans are human, but you don't have to be a God to simply be graceful to your successor (if indeed suspicions are confirmed that he was far from it).
Bo said himself how difficult a place Michigan could be to navigate politically and he would have had a very hard time with it had Bump Elliot not been the epitome of class regarding the coaching move. I am sure we will soon find out that Rodriguez was in fact given the opposite treatment upon his arrival. I'm not mad that he's out of here because it was obviously never going to work with all that baggage that had piled up, but his margin for error was criminally slim with all that crap that went on here.
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:13 PM ^
I never thought I would ever pre-order a book for reading pleasure. Leave it to Michigan Football to change that.
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:15 PM ^
I think there is the possibility to make Michigan seem like a whiny school girl and make Lloyd and the former players seem like dicks. Normally, I don't care, but I'm a keep it in the family kind of guy.
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:24 PM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:31 PM ^
I think there is the possibility to make Michigan seem like a whiny school girl and make Lloyd and the former players seem like dicks.
Hey if that's what it was, that's what it was. If you never wanted to face the possibility that Michigan was an excessively whiny place or that Lloyd and many of his old players were dicks, I can see why it'd be nerve-racking. But if that's the truth, embrace it.
John Bacon is a journalist and should be commended for not being a "keep it in the family kind of guy" with this book since his chief loyalty should be not to his alma mater but to truthful story-telling and shining lights in dark corners. With the considerable time, passion and MONEY that Michigan fans put into the program, we deserve some level of transparency if we choose to seek it.
September 23rd, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
There's just one problem with that reasoning: Bacon never interviewed Carr for the book, and went ahead and published it anyway. The book offers others' perspective on Carr, but nothing from his perspective. That doesn't mean it's false, but we can't be certain it's true, either. If Bacon's utmost goal was truth-telling, he needed to get Carr to speak on the record about these things.
September 23rd, 2011 at 4:12 PM ^
Do we know if Bacon tried to get interviews with Carr? I'd imagine that since Bacon has been around/part of the university/athletic department for a while, he'd have asked. If he did and Carr refused, then you can't put fault Bacon for going ahead and publishing it. If he didn't approach Carr, then I think it's a little irresponsible by Bacon. But of course, it depends on how it is written and if he criticizes Carr or makes him look bad.
September 23rd, 2011 at 4:24 PM ^
Does it matter? Bacon and his publisher are claiming this to be the definitive account of events of the last three years. Evidently they must not be too concerned that Carr is never quoted in a book that takes shots at him.
Anyway, I find any claim that Carr was "unavailable" to be silly. He was the assistant athletic director. He was right there. You can't possibly tell me that for three years, Bacon just couldn't ever get an interview with the man.
This omission, coupled with Brian's revelation that the book hardly deals with the management of the defensive side of the ball, really makes me wonder about Bacon's motivations as a writer. Hard questions need to be asked.
September 23rd, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
Carr's "unavailability" is 100% "did not want to talk about it."
Same policy he took when RR was coach. This can't be that surprising.
September 23rd, 2011 at 4:40 PM ^
I always figured he just didn't want to say anything in public, Lloyd was a never a polarizing, rock-the-boat in public kind of guy
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:17 PM ^
They can call the book "the definitive account" all they want, that doesn't mean it's true--it's just hype.
I think people have the wrong idea about what this book really is. This is not a book about the Rodriguez era providing an even-handed account that offers multiple perspectives from all the involved parties. The book, from what I've heard, tells the story almost entirely from the point of view of Rodriguez and his inner circle. This isn't surprising given that it was Rodriguez who gave Bacon access to the program. Given the book's point of view, it's also hardly surprising that the book would lean in a pro-Rodriguez direction.
I also think it's important to note that Bacon is on record as saying that Rodriguez should have been back for a fourth year.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:29 PM ^
Then why, per Brian and his source, is RichRod pissed about the book?
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:18 PM ^
I said that the book leans in a pro-Rodriguez direction; I didn't say it was a puff piece about him. From what I've heard, Rodriguez doesn't come off unscathed in the book, which is why he isn't happy about it. He wants to get back into coaching next year, and this book isn't likely to help in that regard.
September 24th, 2011 at 8:32 AM ^
??? If this is accurate, then Bacon missed most of the important stuff. The mis-management of the defensive side of things is primarily what got RR fired. I find it hard to believe that John would whiff on such an obvious thing.
September 23rd, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^
Have you read the book? Has anyone on here? It seems we're making a lot of assumptions based on some bullet points Brian put up.
Having taken Bacon's class, and having interacted with him outside of class, I can say with a high degree of certainty that Bacon has a great deal of respect for Lloyd Carr (he brought him to speak to our class), and an even higher respect for real journalism.
All books are written from a certain perspective. Bacon spent 3 years attached to the football program under Rodriguez, and I'm sure that attachment is borne out in his writing. It's human nature.
September 23rd, 2011 at 5:00 PM ^
I have also taken Bacon's class, and I know from it that it wouldn't be in there if Bacon were't willing to stake his credibility on it.
If this book makes Carr look that bad, I will believe he deserved it. I also am willing to bet by default that if Carr was not interviewed for this book (which as far as I know was NOT what Brian or anyone else said) he probably didn't want to be. As it has been said, that would be in-line with his entire stance during RR's tenure, and frankly, I think that's part of the problem. Bo has said that Bump's support was important to his success in coming to Michigan as an outsider, so I don't know why it would have killed Lloyd to do the same if he really cared that much about the program. I know I am making my own assumptions on Carr's actions post-retirement here, but where Carr's side being or not being in the book has not been said, I think its easy to hypothesize from Brian's post that Carr was definitely not there for RR or else he probably wouldn't have reason to hate the book.
One thing is for sure though, the more crap that goes on around the program, the more I miss Bo. We've always loved Bo for everything he did for Michigan, but after reading Bo's Lasting Lessons and seeing the happenings since and including The Horror, it has made me realize that it wasn't just what Bo did that made me love him, it was who he was as an individual. I really think that if he were alive today, the last three years would have gone VERY differently. Consider how much impact Bo's public support would have had after Practicegate. For that matter, I wonder if the dolphin puncher would have ever written the article if Bo had been around to support RR from the very beginning.
September 23rd, 2011 at 5:22 PM ^
I've asked myself the same questions. It certainly seems like things have been about as difficult as possible since he's been gone.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:38 PM ^
The silent treatment doesn't work for those who can read the tea leaves.
This book has to be a scary thing for those who loved to shout "tin foil hat!" at anyone who suggested something negative about Lloyd Carr's possible role in the undermining of our former coach. Now the conveniently uncorroborated may about to become corroborated and apologists like you are already lining up your excuses.
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:54 PM ^
I pre-ordered from overstock.com I am very interested to see what Bacon has got to say. From Brian's indication that it is written in a "Pro-Rodriguez editorial style" which I read as "Heavily Biased" I realize that I'll have to take everything with a grain of salt, but really, getting Rodgiguez's side of the story is better than nothing. Right now most of our data points are speculation.
I had a hard time thinking of questions for Brian to ask Bacon, as everything I could think of was more of a question for Rodriguez than Bacon...And most of them were short. For example: What REALLY went down with Ryan Mallett? Nick Sheridan WTF? What exactly were you thinking when you left Denard in against Iowa in 2009? When you punted away late in the 4'th against state in '10? Did Rodriguez think he deserved another year?
I guess that last question would be the most interesting to me. We all know that publicly Rodriguez has stated that he deserved another year. I'd be interested to know if Bacon felt that Rodriguez really believed that.
But back to the original topic, I really enjoy John Bacon's show on TKA on Sundays. I'm a little bitter that I didn't have the pleasure of taking any of his classes at the U(when did he start teaching there anyway?) but I look forward to a good read.