Love RR doesn't = hate Harbaugh

Submitted by StephenRKass on November 23rd, 2009 at 3:48 PM

So, I'm a true believe with RR. Took a while, but have signed up for the long haul. Think he should get a MINIMUM of 2 more years, if not more. I'm happy with what he is doing. I have ZERO desire to look for another coach . . . not Miles, not Kelly, not Harbaugh, none of them. We have a keeper. HOWEVER, thinking RR is the right coach at the right time for a long time doesn't mean I hate and despise Harbaugh. I'm glad to see his success at Stanford, glad to see him beat up on USC, and want to see him continue to do well. It bugs me that Harbaugh has been written off, that the bridges are burned, just because he spoke his mind on several things. Sometimes, I think some UM fans are too thin skinned. And we want it both ways. We want coaches to speak their minds, we want players to speak there mind . . . unless they say something critical. I hate political correctness, where you never say anything inflammatory, never speak your mind, never let the media or the fans know what you really think. Harbaugh is definitely wrong about a number of things, but it is refreshing to see him speak up, and not hold back. Do I want RR to stay at Michigan? Yes, for many years, with many MNC games and victories. But should he go, for whatever personal reason, it would be ridiculous not to have Harbaugh on the short list of candidates. Ultimately, this kind of thing is stupid speculation, because RR isn't going anywhere, per Martin and MSC. But to reject Harbaugh as not being a Michigan Man or as being a bad coach just seems pointless and not helpful.

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His Dudeness

November 23rd, 2009 at 3:56 PM ^

"But to reject Harbaugh as not being a Michigan Man or as being a bad coach just seems pointless and not helpful." I don't think people are saying that exactly, just that the dude is an asshole.

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GoBlueScott

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:02 PM ^

your deal?

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His Dudeness

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:05 PM ^

YOUR deal?

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FGB

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 PM ^

Yes, my dislike for Harbaugh comes from a place completely separate from my like for RR. I would actually say that a lot of folks (particularly in the anti-RR camp) are overlooking Harbaugh's negative comments which were pointedly critical of Michigan as a school and a program, despite criticizing RR for "not getting" the Michigan way of things. There's obviously room for amelioration but he's got a lot more to apologize for than RR.

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StephenRKass

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:10 PM ^

use of amelioration.

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Tacopants

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:11 PM ^

My thoughts exactly.

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M-Wolverine

November 23rd, 2009 at 8:40 PM ^

To prove your point, I don't really LOVE Rich yet...but it has no relation to my distaste for Harbaugh.

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Engin77

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 PM ^

Harbaugh's Stanford team just lost to Cal for the second straight season. This time, at home! I guess he just doesn't understand the rivalry. /sarcasm

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blue_shift

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:05 PM ^

is not because he made "politically incorrect" comments, but because he acted like an asshat and sold out his school for recruiting purposes. It doesn't matter anyway - Harbaugh ran a scorched earth campaign and pissed off all the wrong people. He's not getting another shot. Rich Rodriguez is the head football coach at the University of Michigan, and I believe he's going to be here for a long time.

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TenaciousGrizz

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:07 PM ^

Harbaugh attacked the program and the coaching staff in the papers. He did it needlessly and selfishly--i.e., not to make Michigan better for student-athletes, but to make himself and Stanford look better by comparison. Bo would have shanked Harbaugh in his sleep.

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Tacopants

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:13 PM ^

Bo would have shanked him on the block M in broad daylight.

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Jeffro

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:22 PM ^

or while he was anxiously sitting on his $50G toilet

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Huntington Wolverine

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:12 PM ^

My thoughts exactly. Or do you think Bo would prefer bare hands because the shank would be too quick?

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jmblue

November 23rd, 2009 at 8:55 PM ^

Harbaugh attacked the academic integrity of our school and athletic department. I don't see how we could hire him given this. Not just because he burned bridges, but because we'd never hear the end of it if he were our coach. It would be instant negative recruiting ammunition for other schools. ("Why go to Michigan? Their own coach says their school is a joke!")

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spider

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:40 PM ^

That Harbaugh messed up, so it would be quite difficult for him to get the coaching position, unless he apologized. Even then, it would be tough. Of course you want people to speak up, as long as what they say is truth. Harbaugh was not speaking truth, rather, he attacked the academic integrity of one school to make another look better(which has been thoroughly mentioned in previous posts. Let's not confuse posting garbage as a good thing(as you mention in your post). Sure, you want everyone to "speak their mind" but it doesn;t mean it is not garbage!

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Tater

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:07 PM ^

I would "hot potato" your argument back in your face. Not liking Harbaugh has nothing to do with RR. Harbaugh is not currently acting like a "Michigan man." When he decides to act like one again, great. Until then, he is "Jim who" AFAIC.

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raleighwood

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:11 PM ^

I'm not sure that I agree with you that RR should get a minimum of two more years, but I do agree that he should be the coach next year. I just don't see how he could survive if he goes 5-7 (maybe even 6-6) next year. It might have been different if he'd gotten to 6-6 this year but if he misses a bowl game three years in a row, it'll probably be the end of his run. Let's just assume that he goes 8-4 and we'll take that off the table. That brings us back to Harbaugh. I agree with your notion that Harbaugh takes too much heat from Michigan fans for the things that he has said. First of all, he lived through it and earned the right to speak his mind. Most naysayers on the internet have never worn a Michigan football uniform and simply don't have the leverage that Harbaugh does. Harbaugh was guided away from a History degree at U-M because the course schedule wouldn't fit his football schedule. He spoke his mind and had personal experience to back it up. I don't necessarily see the purpose in the things that he said. Why fire a shot at your Alma Mater from a distance? However, I agree that he should have the ability to say what he wants to. It was the truth.....something that most people on the internet aren't too concerned with.

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Huntington Wolverine

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:17 PM ^

"However, I agree that he should have the ability to say what he wants to" He does. He also has the ability to suffer the consequences for what he's said. Maybe he should take a timeout and sit on that $50,000 toilet he has.

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Togaroga

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:32 PM ^

...to speak his mind, however his intentions are ignoble. He was attempting to undermine the program. If he's bitter that he doesn't have a sweet history degree like I do, I get it...because it is AWESOME! But, that has very little to do with his reasons for making the statements. Speaking your mind is one thing, but verbally attacking can be another, and his intent was to do damage to UM and its program.

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Durham Blue

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:57 PM ^

cared much about Harbaugh's comments if we weren't going head to head for a few big recruits.

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M-Wolverine

November 23rd, 2009 at 8:46 PM ^

I didn't notice a lot of teammates coming out and backing up his claim that they were all steered out of such tough majors as "history". You know, guys who wore the uniform. But worse he never had the balls to say anything while Bo was alive, and could refute it or at least defend himself. Only said it when it would benefit him the most. And it all stemmed from him getting passed over for the QB coach position for Scotty L. So, his is not the most unbiased opinion.

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Fuzzy Dunlop

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:34 PM ^

The point of Harbaugh's statement was that most colleges will recruit players who would not normally qualify academically for the school. This is indisputably true. He said this to illustrate the challenges that he faced at Stanford. He mentioned what he saw at Michigan as an example, to illustrate his point, not because he wanted to "call out" Michigan but because, as he went to Michigan, it was his obvious frame of reference. Just as anyone would illustrate a point with an example from their own lives. What he said was probably 100% true, of Michigan and of just about every major football school, which was his point. Was it the smartest thing to say? Obviously not. Was it an unforgivable attack on his alma mater and his dear mentor, from which his relationship with the school can never recover? Absolutely not. I hope that Rich Rod get's this ship righted, that we show real improvement next year, and that we are one the road to Big 10 and national championships. But if Rodriguez is fired after next year, it would be nuts if Harbaugh isn't one of the first potential replacements that we look at.

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michgoblue

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:43 PM ^

I don't think that many of us dislike Harbaugh out of loyalty to RR. Those of us that dislike Harbaugh dislike him because he is an unloyal ass. There was no need whatsoever for him to publicly trash UM. There was even less of a need for him to then get into a public pissing match with a 21 year old (Hart). If he wanted to make a statement about academic standards, he could have made the same statement about major football powers generally, without specifically calling out UM.

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double blue

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:57 PM ^

and so what are we supposed to think if Harbaugh considers, or actually takes, the Notre Dame job?

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Fuzzy Dunlop

November 23rd, 2009 at 6:20 PM ^

We're supposed to think that he was offered a great job at a prestigious university, with no alternative offer from his alma mater outstanding, and that it was smart and non-treasonous of him to take the position. We're then supposed to immediately forget all of that rational thinking, and focus on kicking the shit out of that motherfucking traitor from here to eternity.

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ajscipione

November 23rd, 2009 at 6:30 PM ^

good response! You nailed it.

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ajscipione

November 23rd, 2009 at 6:42 PM ^

RR (and Michigan) does not equal my dislike for Harbaugh. They are totally aeparate and independent of each other. Harbaugh is a good coach who cares only about himself. I think he forgot about his U of M roots. I never have.

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those.who.stay.

November 23rd, 2009 at 7:10 PM ^

for about 25 more years. One this machine gets going there is going to be no stopping it. I just hope he doesn't get pinched out.

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bklein09

November 23rd, 2009 at 8:07 PM ^

I'm really beginning to tire of these kinds of posts. Exactly what is the purpose here? What is being contributed? Okay, so it really bothers you that so many Michigan fans are still bitter at Harbaugh. That's fine, but you can make your case without even mentioning RR at all. By bringing him into this you are clouding the issue both for yourself and for other users. There is no list of candidates to replace RR right now, and there is not going to be for at least another year. So let's not talk about it, huh? Personally, I really hope that Kelly, Harbaugh, Miles, etc all get snatched up or tied down long term so that any discussion like this can end. But thats just me.

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Fuzzy Dunlop

November 24th, 2009 at 8:30 AM ^

If he had just complimented Harbaugh without mentioning Rich Rod, posters would have accused him of advocating replacing Rodriguez with Harbaugh. So he goes out of his way to say that his admiration of Harbaugh does not mean that he doesn't like Rich Rod, and you accuse him of "clouding the issue" by mentioning Rodriguez in the post. There's no winning with some of you people.

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deadlift425

November 24th, 2009 at 11:41 AM ^

Harbaugh needs to stay at Stanford. His success and rivalry with USC is enough reason they need to extend his contract and up his salary. RR will succeed giving the proper time and recruiting. If every other coach is given 4-5 years, then so should he. However, I believe year 3 is where we will see a massive improvement over year 2. A more experienced offense and having better secondary on the D is going to give us a chance at the B10 title.

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k06em01

November 24th, 2009 at 3:28 PM ^

there are plenty of reasons to like harbaugh. there are plenty of reasons not to like harbaugh. none of them have anything to do with rich rod.

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Ohioblueblood

October 5th, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^

was mine.....please understand that I do want you as a fan......

Im upset that because I just fooled around with points I get almost all my points taken away and I only got about 250 out of what I did. The sent you an email and you didnt even respond...I put alot of people in Ohio onto the blog when it first started up and now im pretty upset that you cant even be resonable....so now Im gonna get my points back one way or the other. Ill change my name a million times if I have too.

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