Matt Weiss: Ultimate Harbaugh Guy?
Coach Weiss had an interesting comment to end his press conference today. Brought back some old-school-Harbaugh vibes. Makes me think Jim is real happy about having this one on staff.
He was wearing a shirt that read "Chase the Lion" and when asked about it had the following response -
This shirt, ‘chase the lion,’ is from the Bible. Benaiah killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day. Just kind of the spirit that it represents. A guy killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day with his bare hands. Maybe it is relevant to what we need to do this year. I looked at the top 25, we’re not in it. Let’s go kill a lion in a pit on a snowy day with our bare hands. We’ve got a lot to prove. We’ll find out Saturday at 12 o’clock.
September 1st, 2021 at 4:21 PM ^
Please just put a team on the field that looks well coached.
September 1st, 2021 at 4:33 PM ^
Seriously, this sounds pathetic. However, it also my #1 hope is that we just look organized. It is crazy that I have lowered my expectations to having the team simply be competent. I will consider it a win if I don't have to say "FFS what are we doing?". The talent on the team can win games if they could just get to the level of execution like Iowa or someone similar to that.
September 1st, 2021 at 7:40 PM ^
Honestly, that's the point I am to. I'd love it if we won, but I'd settle for losing competitive games where we don't look like it's the first day of practice, jumping on hard counts, bad clock management, horrible situational awareness, dumb penalties, etc
That's depressing now that I've typed it out
September 2nd, 2021 at 2:51 PM ^
I believe this is the real reason why so many are upset with Harbaugh. It's not cause he hasn't won the national championship or anything like that. It's because the team and gameplans constantly look like they're totally lost on the field. No clue what they're supposed to be doing or where we're going. For a group of individuals getting paid a ton of money, and for someone as highly touted as Harbaugh is / was (as a coach), I really expected to look FAR more put together as a team than what we have been. But yet almost every year it feels like the team & game plan is held together with chewing gum and duct tape. Like, where's the program cohesion?
September 1st, 2021 at 7:09 PM ^
Ooooh... just imagining a team that doesn't fall for hard counts and commit stupid after-the-whistle penalties feels nice.
September 1st, 2021 at 7:28 PM ^
Or gets a delay of game/false start/offside penalty immediately after a timeout
September 1st, 2021 at 8:49 PM ^
Or take 5-minutes to run a 2-minute drill.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:26 PM ^
Tempo is for sissies! Everybody knows that a real Michigan man needs no more than one gear.
September 2nd, 2021 at 7:22 AM ^
...and a coaching staff that looks like it has an actual game plan.
September 1st, 2021 at 4:26 PM ^
Wait say that again? A guy killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day?
September 1st, 2021 at 6:04 PM ^
Just think of Aaron Rogers killing a stadium of (Detroit) Lions on a snowy day. Then, it follows that we could do the same thing this Saturday with a stadium of Broncos, hopefully without the snow.
September 1st, 2021 at 8:20 PM ^
Curious about the snowy bit? Where to lions live that it is snowy? Also, does snow make killing a lion with ones bare hands more difficult? Seems like an odd detail to include.
On a side note, Penn State should be careful. Happy Valley is kind of like a pit and if it snows during the game there could be some dead lions on the field.
September 1st, 2021 at 8:26 PM ^
I’m not familiar with that biblical story. But Historically Lions were significantly more widespread. Including parts of eastern and Southern Europe, and possibly Western Europe. All areas that do see snow. Theres also the possibility of the Lion not being native to the area where the pit was and being brought from afar.
Of course there’s also the possibility that the story is nothing more than a metaphor and has no basis in reality.
September 2nd, 2021 at 12:08 AM ^
They also lived all through Iran, Anatolia, northern India. I don't know how high up lions can really thrive but it's elevated terrain there and can definitely snow sometimes. It snowed in Delhi briefly when I was there.
September 2nd, 2021 at 1:41 AM ^
The story is within the description of David's Mightiest men, The Three, who once penetrated a Philistine occupation of Bethlehem to bring David some water from the well at the gate, only for him to pour it out
September 2nd, 2021 at 7:24 AM ^
Maybe it was actually a snow leopard, which do exist.
September 1st, 2021 at 4:26 PM ^
Yup, I can picture Harbaugh saying that exact thing, word for word..... now lets remember to also kill the Broncos, Huskies, Badgers, Spartans Knights and Hoosiers and any other Wild Cats we see along the way... a snack of some Buckeyes would be a perfect way to end such an epic quest.
September 1st, 2021 at 7:21 PM ^
Don’t eat buckeyes. They are poisonous.
If not prepared properly though, buckeye nuts are toxic to humans, causing symptoms including weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, paralysis, and death.
Basically the same effect as watching the last few UofM-OSU games.
September 1st, 2021 at 4:27 PM ^
LFG! That got me hyped. To be fair I've been hyped for a while now lol but LFG!
+1
September 1st, 2021 at 4:30 PM ^
hypothetical question...
Would you rather barehand fight a lion or a hungry wolverine in a snowy pit?
September 1st, 2021 at 4:34 PM ^
Is there a right answer to this? I guess I'd say wolverine because it's smaller, but aren't you getting mauled either way? Lol.
September 1st, 2021 at 5:28 PM ^
probably going down either way. I feel like death by lion may be quicker just due to the general size and strength of the animal. Also, a wolverine my parade your severed head around your family after he is finished with you.
September 1st, 2021 at 4:37 PM ^
I would rather tangle in a pit with a Revolution Anti-Hero and a brat, seems more my speed.
September 1st, 2021 at 4:39 PM ^
Can I fight a kangaroo?
September 1st, 2021 at 4:41 PM ^
A lion, especially if the pit has some room. I feel there's a (small) possibility the lion would lose interest in me if I just stayed calm and stayed away, while a wolverine would be like "It's go time, asshole!" no matter what.
Either way, if there's an actual fight, I'm going down, so best chance is to avoid one.
September 2nd, 2021 at 10:56 AM ^
Yall insane. Obvs would fight a wolverine given I have zero reports of wolverines killing people.
Lions on the other hand will routinely kill people - including dumb folk that try to get lion selfies at a zoo.
But even worse would be a tiger. A tiger is bigger and meaner than a lion. Only bears are tougher than tigers.
Cheers.
September 1st, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
Which would give me a better head start to scramble my ass out of there, the wolverine? Little less of a leaper?
September 1st, 2021 at 5:09 PM ^
Assuming the pit is inescapable and only one creature may exit, I have to say I'd rather barehand fight a Wolverine. Without food, the only was you survive is either dying last from hunger OR strangling the lion/wolverine.
I think the lion will kill me no matter what. The sheer strength is overwhelming. I also don't think I would have the strength to physically choke out a lion. A lion is 6-8' long and 330-500lbs in weight. With gnashing teeth and claws.
There is a chance - albeit a really small one - that I could get my hands around a wolverines neck. They are 2-3' long and 25-40lbs. I would have to squeeze as long as I could while my arms and body get shredded to pieces by the claws. At that point, I probably still die from bleeding out and/or infection. But, there's a chance.
I just can't imagine being able to outlast a lion, especially once it gets hungry.
September 2nd, 2021 at 12:39 PM ^
A certain graphic accuracy to this appraisal that I for one really appreciate. :)
September 1st, 2021 at 5:17 PM ^
Easy answer. It would be a real bad time but I think there’s a reasonable chance I could take a wolverine.
Thing you’d need a fluke to win vs a lion.
September 1st, 2021 at 4:46 PM ^
Talk. I mean, we could just keep pumping the well to flood out the pit and kill the lion by drowning him, right?
September 1st, 2021 at 5:01 PM ^
yet t-shirts and Biblical stories should make a big difference
September 1st, 2021 at 5:06 PM ^
I'm sure it won't happen, but if Weiss could be Harbaugh's Joe Brady/Coach O equivalent that'd be pretty cool.
September 1st, 2021 at 5:12 PM ^
Good lord.
September 1st, 2021 at 5:13 PM ^
If Weiss doesn't work out here in Ann Arbor he'll be a good fit for the guy in Detroit:
"This team is going to be built on, uh, we’re going to kick you in the teeth. All right? And when you punch us back, we’re going to smile at you. And when you knock us down, we’re going to get up. And on the way up, we’re going to bite a kneecap off."
September 1st, 2021 at 5:18 PM ^
Cool story, coach bro. Show it on the field.
Show preparation, mental strength, competence, coherence, and dare I say explosiveness. Then I'll buy in. I promise.
But platitudes and stories won't do it.
September 2nd, 2021 at 12:54 PM ^
As a player this kind of story had the opposite effect on me. It lowered my motivation and I lost respect for the coach saying it. As a player I would see this as wasted time that could have been used to prepare specifically for the opponent or improve our current technique/skills. Not the part talking to the media, he has to do that, but wearing the shirt and then having us take a knee to explain it all. You know what fired me up? Convincing me that the coach had the right answers to beat the next opponent.
September 1st, 2021 at 5:20 PM ^
who.gives.a.fuck...
about a lion....
on a t-shirt..
worn by weiss
the stupidity sine wave of this place feels amplified
September 1st, 2021 at 6:28 PM ^
I love this delusional fan base as much as anyone else, but RR and Hoke were terrible and JH has been very good to good every year save 2020.
I’d be fine with 8-4 if they can at least show up against Ohio state and 7-5 if they make it close, with momentum towards the next year. But man, it can and has been worse.
September 1st, 2021 at 8:38 PM ^
Speak for yourself. The Michigan I grew up with wasn't fine with being 7-5 or 8-4.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:03 PM ^
This is what is funny to me. Michigan had two Heisman trophy winners in the 90s and still managed to have a 4 year run of 8 or 9-4. And yet Harbaugh is the worst coach in the history of the Big Ten. People have unrealistic expectations. We can do this for other stretches too.
So in essence, even in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s Michigan was the same team. Surprise! They just didn’t have an Ohio State team in their division that was one of the most elite teams in history multiple years in a row. And yes I know everyone wants to scream about the Big Ten championships they won. I would hate to share how many years of those were shared championships. Since 1950 Michigan has won 11 outright Big Ten championships. That’s 7 decades. So 1.5 Big Ten titles per decade on average. 4 of those outright championships were won in the 80s and Michigan had a record of 10-2, 8-4, 9-2-1, 10-2. Now where have I seen records like that before? Oh yes, Harbaugh’s years at Michigan up until last year.
Would anyone like to pretend that an 8-4 Michigan is 2021 would win the Big Ten? That’s not winning the Big Ten anymore, but it sure did win an outright championship in the 80s.
September 2nd, 2021 at 12:10 AM ^
Ok but Carr was on the hot seat after those years. 1997 took people by surprise. Moeller had the drinking issue but probably wouldn't have been let go if he was going undefeated.
September 2nd, 2021 at 8:30 AM ^
The Wolverines (7-2, 4-2) were tearing their hair out after watching their best-laid bowl plans evaporate in three sloppy hours. They will spend the holidays somewhere other than Pasadena because they committed five turnovers and because they averaged fewer than 2 yards per carry against the Big Ten's 10th-rated defense.
Michigan merely needed to win its last three games to guarantee the reservations for Southern California.
But the most critical turnover came in the final minute of the first half with Michigan trailing 3-0, but camped at Purdue's 2.
The Wolverines put defensive tackle Will Carr, who weighs 287 pounds, in the backfield. Carr often blocks on goal-line plays, but occasionally carries the ball; a year ago he lugged it four times for 5 yards and scored on a 3-yard TD run.
Carr took a handoff from Dreisbach and rumbled into the right side of the line, where he ran into linebacker Chike Okeafor. Carr promptly dropped the ball and linebacker Chris Koeppen recovered.
Why would you ever hand the ball to a defensive tackle(tight end). Just needed to win their last three games.
I just read through 5 articles from 95 and 96 not a one mentions Carr being on the hot seat. Carr lucked out by having Woodson carry the team to a shared national championship. Sometimes you need luck, as has been the theme from Seth this week.
Bo was around in the 90s. He didn’t want Carr going anywhere, so Carr wasn’t going anywhere. Carr did just as questionable things as Harbaugh, if not worse, and yet he’s remembered here as a great coach because Woodson carried him one year. He screwed up the Brady QB decision. Sounds like he screwed up the Griese vs Dreisbach in 96. Carr did way less with more than most coaches. He’s also a big part of the reason that there is such a big gap between Michigan and Ohio State. He started the losing streak way back in 2001.
September 2nd, 2021 at 1:12 AM ^
Yes, but in three of those four years we upset undefeated, top 5 OSU teams. The fanbase wasn't too happy about those four loss seasons, but they're a lot easier to swallow when you're knocking off your archrival and spoiling their NC hopes.
September 1st, 2021 at 9:49 PM ^
The Michigan you grew up with had 125 scholarship players playing in the Big 2 and little 8. Football has changed (even in the last 10 years) and even though there are a few teams in CFB that are lethal and we are mad we aren’t them, the next 20 good teams have to fight and claw and sometimes end up 12-0 with some good bounces, and sometimes ends up 8-4 with a few unlucky breaks.
September 1st, 2021 at 8:49 PM ^
I swear to God they better not play that damn James Earl Jones video before the games. James Earl Jones is awesome but that video needs to be retired until Michigan actually wins something.
September 2nd, 2021 at 12:56 AM ^
For some reason I’m drinking the kool aid this year. I love all the coaching changes and I truly believe the defense is going to be good not great. If you’ve been watching college football long enough you know teams win because of two main reasons. 1. Good coaching and 2. Good QB play. I believe this might be the best staff Harbaugh has had around him since he arrived in Ann Arbor and I think McNamara is the best QB Harbaugh has had since Rudock. Not saying they’re going to beat OSU and make the playoffs but I believe they’re not going to be as bad as a lot of people believe on this board. A lot has to go Michigan’s way and over the last 6 years it hasn’t. Maybe just maybe they get some lucky bounces and some lucky calls and Harbaugh manages to win 10 games and gets the program back on track. I know they have a bitter taste in their mouth from last year. I know everyone wants the flavor of the month Campbell but I truly don’t believe Campbell would have won at SDSU, turned Stanford into a powerhouse and then proceeded to take a shit NFL team before he got there to the Super Bowl. Harbaugh in my eyes is head and shoulders a better coach than Campbell. I’m not sure what extinguished his fire over the last few years but if he’s able to regain that ability he once had when Pete Carroll was asking him what’s your deal?? We have one of the best head coaches in football over the past 15 years. Not many coaches have the resume that Harbaugh has. I know he hasn’t forgot how to coach but something just hasn’t been right with him and the QB’s he’s had at Michigan we’re garbage other than Rudock. If McNamara is solid this team is going to win some big games and then McCarthy takes over at some point and you never know they may start competing for B1G championships. Just wishful thinking but why not be positive until this season plays out??
Go Blue Forever!!