LINK ESPN: Players React To Hoke Firing

Submitted by Mr. Yost on

This is the kind of stuff that makes you check to make sure no one is in the room, just in case you're caught slipping with a little mist in the eye...it's just classy, heartfelt, makes you proud to be a Wolverine type stuff.

Such a difference in the reaction of Michigan players to everywhere else we've seen recently...

Hats off to Hoke, you recruited some GREAT young men and you impacted their lives in ways that many of us will never know.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/112084/michigan-players-react-…

If someone knows how to embed in the thread...please do!
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Mr. Yost

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:34 PM ^

 

jake butt @JBooty_88

Love coach hoke and the rest of this staff. Wouldn't be half the player or man without them and for that I'm forever grateful

3:48 PM - 2 Dec 2014 Ann Arbor, MI, United States
OneSeven @FreddCanteen_

Coach Hoke has been great to me,He impacted my life in many ways. He believed in us when everybody else didn't My heart hurts to see him go.

4:07 PM - 2 Dec 2014
Jack Miller @UM_JMiller60

I'm a better man for having played for him. I'm truly grateful and honored. Good luck, Coach Hoke. http://instagram.com/p/wHjKH2Si0c/ 

3:35 PM - 2 Dec 2014
D.R.A.K.E. @DRAKEington

Sad day. Coach Hoke gave me a chance when no one else would..Thank you for that Coach. Literally wouldn't be playing at the UofM w/o him.

4:02 PM - 2 Dec 2014
Joe Kerridge @JKerridge36

Never will I appreciate someone more than Coach Hoke. Taught me how to be a man.

4:13 PM - 2 Dec 2014
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Shane Morris @ShaneMorris_7
4:05 PM - 2 Dec 2014
Breez @JabrillPeppers

Man..

4:02 PM - 2 Dec 2014
Desmond Morgan @D_Morgan48

Will never have one bad thing to say about coach Hoke. Can't thank such a great man enough for the way he impacted my life.

3:42 PM - 2 Dec 2014

 

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220

Mr. Yost

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:46 PM ^

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220

Tater

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:33 PM ^

Today is a day to remember that, no mattter what the results were on the field, Brady Hoke always conducted himself with class.  I am not surprised that his players love him so much.

Joined: 08/13/2008

MGoPoints: 30584

turd ferguson

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:35 PM ^

If he wants it, there should be a place somewhere in the Athletic Department or football program for Hoke. I'd imagine that he's ready to go elsewhere, but it's sad to see him go.

Joined: 12/09/2009

MGoPoints: 26493

Mr. Yost

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:42 PM ^

I don't think he'd be a great administrator. In fact, I'm almost certain. I mean he's a great man and he'd be an incredible mentor. But he's a coach and will always be a coach.

I just think he's much better suited to be a DL coach at a big time school or even in the NFL...or a head coach at a MAC school.

 

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220

dipshit moron

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:56 PM ^

why? of all players he is the least likely to transfer. sit out another year to play for a coach he doesnt know and players he has never been around? these players will forget about this in a week. thats how young people are.

Joined: 07/04/2008

MGoPoints: -13526

ifis

December 2nd, 2014 at 9:15 PM ^

that is an assinine comment.  I doubt many players will transfer because of their commitment to each other, the fact that the AD resoundingly committed to the values they loved in Hoke, the AD clearly said that he wants to build on what is already here (which seems to rule out massive schematic/philosophical changes), UM has the wasta to land a great coach, and Hoke is probably encouraging these young men to stay Blue because he correctly and wholeheartedly believes it is in their best interest to do so.  However, this will be a day all of them remember for the rest of their lives - Hoke was a father figure for them, and a damn good one at that.

Joined: 12/07/2011

MGoPoints: 1853

Wolverine Devotee

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:40 PM ^

That art by Six Zero/The Blockhams hit me like a ton of bricks. So sad.

I'd imagine the players feel like this. 

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

beangoblue

December 2nd, 2014 at 8:06 PM ^

Same here. I immediately texted it to my sister and we had a great conversation about how we'll miss 'the coach down by the river' - our own little inside joke about how he kind of looks like Chris Farley's motivational speaker character. Besides the whole winning thing, he will be missed. I really hope he can find a place at UM down the line at some point. Not coaching, as it would just be weird to come back as an assistant after all this, but something where he can help UM.

Joined: 12/24/2009

MGoPoints: 3567

MilkSteak

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:53 PM ^

I can't say enough about the class exhibited by the players. It's been a really rough season for these guys and losing your coach cannot be easy, and to handle it with such grace is probably a testament to Hoke himself. He should be proud of his players. 

Joined: 04/18/2011

MGoPoints: 3070

evenyoubrutus

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^

Did anyone else hear Mike Valenti making fun of WD'S tweet at Peppers? It was really douchey. The best part was when Valenti said "this is a grown ass man!" (Referring to WD). 

Joined: 11/04/2008

MGoPoints: 178188

clarkiefromcanada

December 2nd, 2014 at 10:12 PM ^

Tweeting at players is generally bad form. WD is young and empathetic.

As for Valenti...moron is a troll whose narràtive, like all Sparties, is informed by years and years of Bo, Mo and Lloyd kicking their ass year in and year out. So this is how he acts.

I hope that jackass has as much to say when Jim Harbaugh or Les Miles are retained.

Joined: 11/20/2008

MGoPoints: 49257

RobM_24

December 2nd, 2014 at 6:57 PM ^

I really wish Hoke had been successful on the field. He had virtually every quality of a good leader. He's like that walkon player with the heart of a champion, but can never reach the level of success he deserves.

Joined: 01/27/2014

MGoPoints: 63498

DealerCamel

December 2nd, 2014 at 7:07 PM ^

Can we keep him on as, like, the team dad or something? 

I know it's not practicable on any reality-based level, obviously, but it's said to see the big man leave Ann Arbor for good.

Joined: 07/25/2012

MGoPoints: 7598

reshp1

December 2nd, 2014 at 9:53 PM ^

In a lot of ways, Hoke staying as a DL coach would make a lot of sense. He's clearly good at it, he's a hell of a recruiter. and he could stay and look over the guys he's recruited and grown close to. Of course no new HC is going to sign up for that, having his predecessor on the program under him and potentially undermining him (not that Brady would do that, but I'm sure a lot of players would still see him as the coach). I doubt Brady would be interested either.

Joined: 10/31/2011

MGoPoints: 34177

Eye of the Tiger

December 2nd, 2014 at 7:29 PM ^

We won 19/26 games in 2 years and were competitive in nearly every loss--most of which were to legitimately very good teams. Then the wheels fell off and we started losing to Rutgers and nearly losing to Akron.

I've wracked my brain trying to figure out just what happened, and I imagine it's a coming together of many factors. I suspect the hand of Brandon played a part as well. But I truly wish that in 2013 we had continued to be the team that we were in 2011/12--a reasonable if imperfect facsimile of Rich Rod's offense paired with a really good defense and good fortune. It was not to be.

Joined: 09/14/2009

MGoPoints: 7827

reshp1

December 2nd, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^

OL in 2013 and QB in 2014 happened. In a lot of ways, getting rid of Al was a terrible move short term. Gardner was already physically messed up, another QB coach and system pretty much just did him in. I dunno, it probably had to be done after 2013, but it was a huge gamble that ended up not paying off and then some.

Joined: 10/31/2011

MGoPoints: 34177

LSAClassOf2000

December 2nd, 2014 at 7:09 PM ^

Great words from the players indeed. Even if the success was not on the field, Brady Hoke was undeniably a positive influence on the staff and the players and on the program in general. It was difficult to hear that players were tearing up as they left the meeting where they heard that Hoke had been let go - his class and the family atmosphere he returned to the program hopefully live on in these kids and indeed in the program.

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130623