Knowing Words to Victors = Wins?
Just because we like to kill newspaper memes around here, I did a short analysis concerning the assertion that Brady Hoke's foreknowledge of the words to "The Victors" would translate to wins:
M head coaches who needed to be taught the words to "The Victors" on attaining the job:*
| Name | G | W | L | T | W% | CCs | NCs |
| Lea, Langdon | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0.75 | 0 | 0 |
| Yost, Fielding H. | 204 | 165 | 29 | 10 | 0.833 | 10 | 6 |
| Schembechler, Bo † | 247 | 194 | 48 | 5 | 0.796 | 13 | 0 |
| Rodriguez, Rich | 37 | 15 | 22 | 0 | 0.405 | 0 | 0 |
M head coaches who already knew the words on assuming the reigns:
| Name | G | W | L | T | W% | CCs | NCs |
| Little, George | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0.75 | 0 | 0 |
| Wieman, Elton | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0.594 | 0 | 0 |
| Crisler, Fritz ‡ | 90 | 71 | 16 | 3 | 0.806 | 2 | 1 |
| Kipke, Harry | 76 | 46 | 26 | 4 | 0.632 | 4 | 2 |
| Oosterbaan, Bennie | 100 | 63 | 33 | 4 | 0.65 | 3 | 1 |
| Elliott, Bump | 95 | 51 | 42 | 2 | 0.547 | 1 | 0 |
| Moeller, Gary | 60 | 44 | 13 | 3 | 0.758 | 3 | 0 |
| Carr, Lloyd | 162 | 122 | 40 | 0 | 0.753 | 5 | 1 |
| Hoke, Brady | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 |
Totals:
Needed to be Taught: 381-101-16 (79.05%), 6 national championships
Knew Song Already: 412-178-17 (69.83%), 5 national championships
Conclusion: It probably doesn't make a difference.
* Didn't count guys pre-1899 since song wasn't written yet
† Bo knew the song from his days as a grad assistant at OSU, but famously needed Revelli to walk in and teach him the correct words and tone. "It really sucks if you don't sing it right."
‡ Crisler heard it played many times while coaching at Chicago and Minnesota - I couldn't find the link but I'm basing this off an anecdote
January 12th, 2011 at 7:59 PM ^
...useful analysis. Diarist of the week (from the MGoBoard).
January 12th, 2011 at 8:03 PM ^
David Brandon likes data, but he probably missed this part of the analysis.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:00 PM ^
This is funny. The "rabble rabble" that somehow coaches from outside don't understand or care about the rivalries or that "needing a map to find your way around Ann Arbor" somehow handicaps you as a coach is ridiculous, and you're right, it needs to die.
January 12th, 2011 at 9:14 PM ^
I thought this was the absolute wrong note for DB to strike - especially so early in the press conference. My guess is that he was trying to make a joke, but it kinda came off as an totally unnecessary slap to RR.
Contrast that to the gratitude that Hoke expressed to RR and the previous staff, which seemed genuine to me, and appropriate.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:31 AM ^
Yea, I mean, Vince Lombardi or Amos Alonzo Stagg or Bill Belichek would need maps around Ann Arbor. None of them have coached or played in The Game, yet they seem to have made their marks on the football world and I'd bet Ross and the rest of them would shell out huge dollars to hire any of them.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:37 AM ^
because we already know for sure he could'nt fix our defense.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:00 PM ^
At first I thought this was going to be a "If the fans could sing better we would have more of a homefield advantage"-type post, but then I saw it was well-researched start to finish. A pleasant surprise in a day of general banality on the boards. Thanks for the MGoBreak.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:03 PM ^
Or are you in a holding cell with internet access?
January 12th, 2011 at 8:05 PM ^
Rodriguez, Rich 36 15 22 0 0.405 0 0
15+22=37
January 12th, 2011 at 8:29 PM ^
Good catch. Since the "analysis" doesn't really change much I'm gonna leave it.
I think the universe has a dissonance over whether the Northwestern game in '08 really happened.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:41 PM ^
I think the universe has a dissonance over whether 2008 really happened.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:06 PM ^
edit: sorry didn't see the "*"
January 12th, 2011 at 8:05 PM ^
but it probably helps win over fans which certainly doesn't hurt. Fascinating, if arcane, analysis. Well done sir.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:08 PM ^
Very telling.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:10 PM ^
I guess it does now.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:14 PM ^
Games? No. Press conferences? Definitely a yes.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:15 PM ^
The numbers come out differently if you place Bo in the other cateogry :-)
January 12th, 2011 at 8:15 PM ^
I know the words, hate OSU and want to win very badly.
Can i be coach?
January 12th, 2011 at 8:37 PM ^
We will start you at a local Domino's chain where you can work your way up. We will evaluate you there.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:22 PM ^
And it diminishes many valid points DB has made.
January 12th, 2011 at 8:35 PM ^
"Why would a Wookiee, an eight-foot tall Wookiee, want to live on Endor, with a bunch of two-foot tall Ewoks?"
January 12th, 2011 at 10:46 PM ^
January 12th, 2011 at 8:40 PM ^
I love it.
Does it also translate if the coach "needs a map of Ann Arbor?"
(Also mentioned in DBs presser today which made me actually laugh out loud.)
January 12th, 2011 at 9:05 PM ^
Didn't Bo used to bring in the MMB director to teach The Victors during camp every year, so those who didn't know it would learn? I remember hearing something like that. I guess those players who had to be taught wouldn't have worked out now..../s
January 13th, 2011 at 7:58 AM ^
Yes he did. He was so impressed with the job Revelli did that he brought the music director back to teach the kids. And so it has been every year since, including under RR.
January 12th, 2011 at 9:37 PM ^
I hate the "outsiders don't get Michigan" meme. RR didn't get it. He didn't get the rivalries. He didn't know "The Victors". He needed a map to get around. Bullshit. Spend 1 week in AA, and you'll know the layout, the attitudes, the arrogance, the rivalries and "The Victors" like you've known it all your life. "Michigan Man"... Shit. Its not a fucking magic show, its football.
I'm rapidly coming around for Hoke. I think he's a great guy and a talented coach. I'm not honestly all that worried and I'm sure he'll do fine, but the more people butter his ass for what he's supposedly bringing back to Michigan, the more I feel terrible for Rodriguez. Dude didn't know how screwed he was when he took the job three years ago. If he'd stuck it out at WVU, he'd be a whole lot happier, probably have another couple conference titles, and maybe a MNC under his belt by now.
January 12th, 2011 at 9:52 PM ^
This is what bothers me the most about this whole ordeal. How Rich Rodriguez was made into such a terrible villain... it almost feels like this whole "fall from grace" of the Michigan Wolverines was a giant conspiracy from the start.
I like Rich Rodriguez and believe that he is a good football coach. He will be successful again somewhere else, and I will be cheering him on (unless, of course, he is playing Michigan. I will then hate him).
January 12th, 2011 at 9:52 PM ^
Incest - when you think only your own family is good enough.
Just saying.
January 12th, 2011 at 9:56 PM ^
amen mgobleu its all crap RR knew about all of the rivalrys before he got here he tried to be a michigan man but idk if any one in the AD office excepted him as a real michigan coach yeah he had a bad 1st yeah but he also had nick shariden as his QB so give him a brake idk if hoke is what we need but o well he is our new coach so i support him go blue !
January 12th, 2011 at 10:08 PM ^
Hey Hater, get on board or get off the board!
January 12th, 2011 at 10:58 PM ^
during the BB game, it looked like he was fumbling for the words at the end of the song. I'm not suggesting anything negative. These things happen to the best of us. I'm sure he was very caught up in the moment near the end of the game. Maybe just my imagination anyways.
January 12th, 2011 at 11:03 PM ^
I think Brady Hoke will be a less stressful coach to watch than Rodriguez because I won't be at all emotioanlly invested in how he does. I won't have to defend the spread to people. I won't have to defend much of anything. That will be nice. I can just cheer for Michigan and be emotionally invested in purely Michigan and not really care if things go poorly and he gets fired.
The way Rich Rodriguez got treated here will go down in CFB history though. Put it in the bank.
January 13th, 2011 at 8:01 AM ^
This is basically the theme to my next Dear Diary I think. Bravo!
January 12th, 2011 at 11:05 PM ^
FIRE ELTON WIEMAN!!!!!
January 12th, 2011 at 11:11 PM ^