Michigan adds a beat OSU graphic to weight room
Really hoping this is just an updated or an additional graphic to the weight room rather than this being brand new. Pretty sure OSU has a countdown to the game and probably other stuff.
Yay.
I'm sure this graphic will make the difference....competent coaching wouldn't hurt either.
Coaching is overrated. I'm willing to ride this graphic thing out for 6 or 7 years with middling success. We haven't tried that yet I don't think.
Word from inside the program is that the graphic is the head coach in waiting
If after 6 years nothing changes, we'll shrink that graphic by half! That should do it!
We should start with adjusting the font for “Beat”. It should be as big as or bigger than Ohio State. Shouldn’t that be the one word that’s emphasized? Maybe it’s semi-subliminal.
Paint a little Don Brown mustache on the ‘B’ to make it look really tough.
I'm pretty sure a graphic is better at the 2-minute drill.
Revenge Tour!
It was needed that’s for sure. More emphasis needs to be out on this game. It’s a take off from the saying your opponent got stronger today what did you do?
If only Don Brown had seen this graphic 5 years ago.
What a shame…
Finally...
That should be the fix they need to beat OSU.
/s
Ugh, I am so blah about college football. Can basketball start soon please!
It's a far cry from the rug Woody made after Michigan beat their ass in '69. The players had to walk over that mat every day. You barely notice that graphic.
I personally would've preferred an MS Paint graphic.
Anybody else remember circa 2007/2008 when we had the MS Paint Banner contest?
That was so fun... We never do things anymore...
Did someone say MS Paint?
Yes, Blah did. It's right there above your comment.
Can't hurt to try, right? It's not like anything else has been working to help us beat them in the last two decades..
Lots of cash and broken morals wouldn’t hurt to try either
I wouldn't mind going Tonya Harding on OSU, but I'd rather we just beat them.
We're in this weird paradox where we need to change the culture in order to beat OSU, but if we do stuff like put up this sign, then it looks sad and makes everyone more aware of the situation
sigh
Except this is how it started at OSU as a part of the culture change they made, grew, and continue all toward beating Michigan. They now dominate the rivalry, and yet it remains every day, in your face part of their culture. That's what's needed at Michigan.
True, but it also coincided with the hiring of a new coach and emphasizing recruiting to keep the best players in Ohio and away from Michigan. I do think their obsession with beating us did contribute to the turnaround.
"Harbaugh needs to show more fire and care about the rivalry more"
*Coach does this*
"NO NOT LIKE THAT, what a meaningless gesture"
You have to admit, the "gesture" is pretty weak.
What would be ok with you as a starting point? Just more talk?
It's all just dog and pony show til the preparedness is shown on the field against Ohio State. We've heard all the big talk in previous years and seen all the motivations before only for the team to take the field and look unprepared and totally outclassed.
There's no reason to think a sign on the wall of the locker room is any different or more motivating than smashing a Buckeye on the Graveyard Walk or the Revenge Tour. It means nothing til it's proven on the field.
I think that speaks to the situation Harbaugh is in. There is a segment of the fan base that does not believe he has what it takes to get Michigan to beat OSU.
A couple points about the specific banner:
- For a program that still has pride in "The Team, The Team, The Team" - this banner focuses on the individual.
- I have heard a close variant of this slogan used at work. I have yet to hear of a co-worker be inspired by this. Most of them question what the manager who said it was actually doing. It's easily interpreted as a top down hierarchical statement based on the assumption that other people are not doing their job. This is not conducive to building teamwork. I think this is very likely with Harbaugh given the comments Chase Winovich made before his senior season about needing to talk to Harbaugh about the way he interfaces with the team.
- Given Harbaugh's record against OSU across many different players/teams - the better question is what is Harbaugh doing different to beat OSU? I'm not sure it really is primarily on the players at this point.
I feel in this case, it being in the weight room, an emphasis on the individual is fine.
If I remember correctly, Winovich’s comments about the emphasis on the individual had to do with all of those mini competitions they did and the fact that it lead to guys putting more emphasis on that than other things.
Overall, beyond the obvious with needed scheme changes, ineffective coaching, etc., there such a psychological malaise over this particular game. A “here we go again” mentality. I don’t get the impression this team actually believes they can and will win against Ohio State. Just getting that first win would be a huge monkey off the program’s back. And ours.
Encouraging a teammate to do another rep is something you can do to help the team beat OSU. Perfect place for it.
A quick google shows you similar things that other Michigan coaches have tried.
most of them didn’t blend into the background like Harbaugh’s does.
MGoBlogs existence summed up in one post
The BPONE people are tired of Harbaugh, nothing he does will work for them. They're exceedingly disappointed that they can't get Matt Campbell so they can start hating him after a suitable honeymoon period For not living up to their image of the program.That's what they really enjoy about being Michigan fans; being disappointed. I mean yes would be great if we won a national title, but even if we did (like Lloyd did) if we didn't follow it up with their perceived level of success they would go right back to hating him.
While I agree there is a small contingent of any fan base that will always be disgruntled with the state of the program (see Alabama fans who complain when they don't win the national championship every year), I believe the discontent with Harbaugh has been well spelled out on this blog many times. Had Harbaugh's records consistently been 9-3 or 10-2 with a few wins against OSU and in bowl games the feeling would be completely different. But 0'fer against OSU, a poor bowl record (and it's not like he's going to the Rose Bowl every year), and far too many "WTF!!!!" moments related to his coaching (in-game & recruiting) and people are fed up with it. Like they would be with any coach not named Harbaugh.
It's important to remember, a portion of the fan base measures the program against Gary Moeller, Bo Schembechler & the reality and perception of Lloyd Carr's results.
All true. I would also add-in a pattern of horrible road outings and occasional listless play also play into the current perception of Harbaugh’s tenure. I’m a fairly consistent Harbaugh apologist but I find it hard to get past some of the aforementioned problems. MSU last year was the pinnacle of that. I thought stuff like that would cease with Jim here.
I do think he’s shown a willingness to change which is underscored by Gattis and now this off-season staff overhaul. Perhaps it’s not quick enough. Should he have made a DC change after 2018 OSU? Hard to argue with Brown’s stats at that point. OC after last year? After 2017? You can make the argument. For Gattis, there is also an argument for consistency in approach for a few years. Same for Jim himself and the program.
We’ll never know what caused such a drastic change in recruiting approach after the 2017 class. We’ll similarly never know what changed with the program as a whole around that time. Jim had such an upward trajectory until then.
I greatly appreciate Harbaugh not making a public stink about his new contract. I also appreciate his efforts to improve the staff (doesn't matter whether it was all his choice or not, he did it and it seems as though he has hired good people). I think the answer to whether Harbaugh has changed or not will be measured by what we see on the field this fall.
Saban changes coaches annually and yet the consistency of the program remains the same. Even as schemes have changed, the consistency in being prepared, playing hard, recruiting their type of player, etc has existed because of Saban.
If Michigan continues to have up and down performances with regards to game plans, game management, playing down to some opponents, etc, then I think the lack of consistency needs to be pinned on Harbaugh and that means it will not change no matter what he does. I.e. he is the inconsistency.
Where do you come up with this crap? The football program has been nothing but talk for two decades, I hate that and so do a lot of others. I don't want to hate it, but one of my biggest pet peeves is people who don't follow through on things they say. That's Michigan football in a nutshell.
The basketball team has been the opposite since about 2009, I love that and so do a lot of others.
oh, geez, here we go. can't wait to see the hawt takes on this one.
- "this doesn't matter, unless defensive tackles."
- "this doesn't matter, unless quarterback"
- "this doesn't matter, unless [insert favorite bitching here]"
- "this doesn't matter with this coaching staff."
- "thank god they're *finally* making ohio state a priority again."
- "this doesn't matter, it's too late, we'll never compete because recruiting."
- "we're a basketball school anyway."
- "fire bakich." (previously, "fire beilein."
- "campbell would never do this."
- "rutgers blah blah blah."
continue below, for more insight!
EDIT to add my own hot take: yes, please. not everyone has marinated in the hatred we all feel for those guys. anything that makes our guys hate their guys, even a little bit, is a good thing.
Whether this has no, some, little or a ton of impact I have no way of knowing but I have to admit I do like the message of "what are you doing today to beat Ohio State?" That message (turned around obviously) permeates every fiber of OSU's being and it's drilled into players from the moment they step foot on campus. I mean, OSU recruits nationally - do you honestly think a kid from Florida, Texas or California "hates" Michigan when he arrives in Columbus? That hatred is real and it's taught. And it works.
If we honestly have gotten tired enough of getting our asses handed to us year after fucking year by these talented idiots and are starting the process of teaching the players genuine dislike for that program I'm absolutely here for it.
I agree, its a start. Instead of walking around as a holier than thou team - come to terms that your biggest rival consistently beats your ass. People mock the graphic, but for all we know practices/pep talks/coaching will emphasize the hatred....make it personal.
I think what bothers most fans is not the graphic, but the fact that it took harbs 6 years of ass beatings to put this front and center!!!
Even more confounding considering harbs was a part of the rivalry as a player and made a gutsy prediction backed up by gutsy play.
Well said. It's pretty clear that OSU is in the program's head at this point. Anything that can start a fire in the players, no matter how small, when it comes to beating OSU is welcome.
OSU has been living in Michigan's head, rent-free, since the day Jim Tressel walked onto OSU's campus.
I think you have that backwards, UM has been living rent free in OSU’s head to the point they are obsessed. This is intended to do the same at UM.
Couldn't figure out how to embed the tweet, so here's the photo from the linked article.
Personally, I think it might be more effective to dedicate an entire wall showing the score for every game against OSU. It'll show how much we've been abused by them for nearly 20 years (hopefully as a motivational tool) but at the same time remind them that it hasn't always been this way.
Same here. That whole wall should display the scores for the past 20 years of the Game, basically their whole lifetimes, showing the challenge that must be overcome.
This is weak and hardly motivating. Shit I bet just out of sight to the right is the B1G East runner up banner.
Yeah, right. Showing the losses on the wall would be really helpful in our recruiting efforts when kids do a walk-through of the facilities!
I mean....its not like the recruit coming into the weight room doesn't already know what's been going on for the last twenty years. Every recruit and his 95 year old grandmother knows about the ass-whippings that Michigan has been taking for the last two decades.
If said recruit was truly bothered by those results, he'd never show up for a visit anyway.
I'm guessing the weight room is shown during recruiting visits. Maybe not such a good idea to put the scores up for every recruit to see as they are walking through.