TooFratToFail

September 23rd, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^

Offer him $10 mil/year if that is what it is going to take.  Michigan football brings in almost all of the dough, so let the football program spend it.  How much has been spent on all the other fields and stadiums lately?  Seems like priorities have been a little misplaced.  I see Oregon, Alabama, and Texas A & M with awesome improvements to their facitilies, and yet the biggest changes to Michigan's locker room has been to make it the quality of a Ramada.  Alabama is providing it's players with real support and not being cheap.

bklein09

September 23rd, 2014 at 6:40 PM ^

I love how so many people seem to think coaches moving around is all about money. Just offer Pete Carrol 20 million a year and he'll leave Seattle. Offer Gruden 25 million, or Harbaugh 50 mil, and they'll come to Michigan. Unfortunately I don't think it's that simple.

For many coaches I think they're are things higher on the priorities list. Like good management. A reasonable fan base. Facilities, recruiting, their own families. All these things make it a lot tougher than just throwing money at people.



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UMaD

September 23rd, 2014 at 7:15 PM ^

Pay Les Miles $1 billion dollars a year. We can also fund all families in east Texas and Lousiana to move to Midland, Adrian, and Jackson areas and Michigan will be the greatest pipeline you've ever seen. Then hire Chip Kelly to be his offensive coordinator. I don't know what it would take, but I bet he would do it for $500 million a year.

We have the resources.  All we need is the leadership and toughness to see it through.

Hannibal.

September 24th, 2014 at 9:26 AM ^

Unfortunately I don't think it's that simple

I think that experience has taught us that it is that simple. 

In Harbaugh's case, there are some very strong non-money intangibles that help too.  Cost of living will be way lower.  He will be viewed with Bear Bryant-like reverence in Ann Arbor if he succeeds.  He might enjoy coaching hungry 20 year old kids more than pampered 30 year old professionals.  His career at Michigan is bound to last longer than his career at his next job.  He has a chance to coach his alma mater.  Those non-money intangibles aren't there for the likes of Pete Carroll or Jon Gruden, which is why they aren't in the discussion.  There are, of course, some non-money intangibles that hurt the Harbaugh case too, like family life and the prestige of winning a Super Bowl. 

A lot of what we think are intangibles are unconfirmed specualtion though.  Has Harbaugh really lost his team?  Is Harbaugh obsessed with winning a Super Bowl before considering a return to the college game?  Does he have more fun teaching fundamental to an 18 year old or managing a millionaire 28 year old?  That is why we need to stick with the resume for now.  And the resume says that Harbaugh is far and away the best candidate for the Michigan job.  He is both the best long term candidate and the best short term candidate.  Any search process that doesn't immediately identify Harbaugh as the first guy to go after aggressively and offer to make him the highest paid coach in football is, by definition, a failure. 

MGoGrendel

September 23rd, 2014 at 8:01 PM ^

As posted above, the decision on where to coach involves management.  Guys like John L Smith go where he can get the money, but a guy with more talent can pick where he coaches. 

IF (big if) Brandon is the "next domino" (TM), the next AD may have a better management style that fits Harbaugh's liking.  I think he would like nothing better than to put this program back to the way Bo had it. 

ahw1982

September 23rd, 2014 at 7:40 PM ^

Also, if you've seen the 49ers play the last two games, they look like a team that has no regard for their coach.  Huge amount of boneheaded, lack-of-discipline type penalties that have given games away.  They've also been decimated by injuries on defense, so if the rumors are true about GM Trent Baalke looking for an excuse to fire Harbaugh, this might be the year it happens.

evenyoubrutus

September 23rd, 2014 at 9:32 PM ^

Honestly, this makes sense. I was surprised that Harbaugh went to SF not because I wanted him to come here, but because he never struck me as a guy who would want to be an NFL coach. He seems like he gets more enjoyment out of molding young kids rather than dealing with pro players who mostly think they don't have to report to anybody. If it turns out he is not happy in the NFL it would not surprise me one bit.

Yost Ghost

September 23rd, 2014 at 11:06 PM ^

Well I think SF offered JH a really great opportunity as NFL opportunities go. Roster loaded with young talent, championship pedigree, nice area of the country what's not to like. I'm a big Seahawks fan having previously lived in the Seattle for many years so I tend to follow the Niners due to the rivalry. Jim is a hard ass and NFL players tend to reject that style over time. Pete Carroll, on the other hand, is more of a players coach, a style that I think has more mileage in an NFL locker room. 

The fact that contract discussions broke down in the offseason is telling. How do you not get a deal done if you're the Niner FO? The guy has taken the team to 3 consecutive NFCCG's? Most teams would have locked him up immediately. Clearly something is rotten by the Bay. If the Niners don't make it to SBXLIX I'm betting he's gone. 

He could go to another NFL city, most likely with a "project" team that doesn't have the same talent or imminent potential for a SB berth. That team will have another locker room full of millionaire NFL players that don't care what he's done before. Another locker room that will sooner than later find his old school coaching style stale.

UM on the other hand offers JH a chance to follow in the recent footsteps of medicority with the potential for God like status. A similar status that his mentor Bo enjoyed. Like Bo his old school coaching style would never get stale with college kids that move on every 4-5 years. The kids would be in awe of his resume and would run through walls for him. He could command significant control over football operations, possibly even virutal autonomy. He'd be able to write his own ticket at his alma mater in Ann Arbor. 

It's a long shot but with every Niner loss it becomes more a possibility. Plus I love it when Niner nation is weeping and gnashing teeth.

JamieH

September 23rd, 2014 at 5:35 PM ^

seeing as Niners management supposedly tried to get rid of Harbaugh over the summer, assuming a rift between management and Harbaugh is not exactly a stretch.  As for saying his style works better in college, the whole point is that his rah-rah message wears off quickly with cynical multimillionaire pros.  AKA it worked fine his first season or two but it's already getting old.   College programs have a high turnover rate and the coach's message doesn't get old.  Plus the kids aren't cynical multimillionaires.   

LSAClassOf2000

September 23rd, 2014 at 6:01 PM ^

At least from what I gather from various NFL stories, the 49ers management seem to have taken the unofficial stance that, if Jim Harbaugh decided to tell them to shove it one day, there would be very little in the way of hard feelings and a lot of mutual understanding as to the particulars. In other words, "Here's your hat, what's your hurry?".

I also thought I had heard that his contract negotiations with the 49ers were officially tabled until after the season, which seems a bit ominous with regards to his future there. That being said, considering how far he's brought them from the days of Erickson, Nolan, Singletary, etc..., would the 49ers really risk that so easily? I am not 49ers fan, so I suppose I am asking if anyone has that sort of insight. 

 

weasel3216

September 23rd, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^

Cool story bro, I know.

I have recently meet a close friend of the harbaugh family especially Jim. They are investors in his company.

Talking to him last Thursday he said that Jim and management truly don't get along and Jim wants out of the NFL. He mentioned the conflict with management as well as stress. These rumors all appear to have some truth to them.

He didn't say too much more than that. I am sure he knows more but being jims friend he can't reveal too much for their friendship.

I could possibly meet Jim in a few weeks at their game in St Louis or at the Giants. So I will be sure to ask him and give everyone a heads up. /s. Just this last part.

JamieH

September 24th, 2014 at 11:33 AM ^

Coaching in college is a stressful job, but it is also a passion.  You are a true leader of young men.  And when you saw Harbaugh out there with Stanford you could see he loved every minute of it.

 

Coaching in the NFL is a just a JOB.  A crazy, never sleep, you can lose every weekend no matter how good you are job.   The NFL grinds up coaches and spits them out.  Looks at the guys who last a long time.  Guys like Belichick, who are basically businessman/CEO types.  He's never high, never low, because if you ride that emotional roller-coaster in the NFL it eats you up. 

That isn't Jim Harbaugh.  He wears it all on his sleeve every weekend and that is never going to change.  In college, the kids LOVE it, because he's out there winning and losing with them.  In the pros,I'm sure they liked his energy in year 1 but by year 4, man, it's just a job, tone it down already.

 

I will shout it from the rooftops until my throat is raw--if we can pay Jim Harbaugh ANYTHING close to what he is getting from the NFL, he would be WAY happier coaching at Michigan than he will ever be in the NFL.  I can't speak for his wife or his family.  But based on his personality and what seems to make him tick, I believe that coming here and building a legacy over a long period of time would make him far happier than whatever he'll be able to do do in the NFL.





Sure, that means he'll never get his Super Bowl ring.  And that will hurt.  But it's not like he was a failure or something.  He coached in a Super Bowl and 3 NFC Championship games.  That's more than most coaches do in their entire careers.  Maybe he can come to Michigan and fill up his hand with a different sort of rings. 

 

 

 

 

JHendo

September 23rd, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^

#1 certainly seems to be based on truth as is evidenced by the fact that he, as the most successful coach San Fran has had in a while, can't seem to hammer out an agreeable new contract with his employers...

Though I guess that could end up being more him being difficult with his eyes set elsewhere than management not willing to set reasonable terms.

schreibee

September 24th, 2014 at 2:42 PM ^

ALL are true, but it still doesn't mean he won't be the next coach of the Miami Dolphins. I'm predicitng this is his last season with the 49ers.

What it would take to woo him back to Ann Arbor no one but he and the Mrs. can know, but I'm going with a new AD and a a shit-ton of cash as a start.

And as a fellow townie long ago relocated to the Bay Area, piling the cash in a basket full of fall leaves with some fresh pressed cider and warm donuts wouldn't hurt!

J.Madrox

September 23rd, 2014 at 5:31 PM ^

My pipe dreams for Harbaugh as a coach are in line with what Erik said. He could be on the outs with San Francisco and I want to believe he realized he is better suited to college where he can have more control over all aspects of the team vs. always having an owner and GM dictating personal decisions and the like.

I admit these are mostly attempts for my to try and keep the slim hope alive that Harbaugh will ever coach Michigan again.

BlueHills

September 24th, 2014 at 2:23 AM ^

The coke ticket fiasco was nothing compared to the skywriting fiasco, the noodle fiasco, the mascot suggestion fiasco, the rawk music fiasco, the weddings in the big house fiasco, the advertising fiasco, the hiring too many marketing guys who fuck up fiasco, the firing RR fiasco, the hiring Hoke fiasco, and the dicking students fiasco.

There are probably other fiascos, I just don't remember them offhand.

Also there are the ugly sports jackets.

samsoccer7

September 23rd, 2014 at 5:24 PM ^

The media is definitely pushing Hoke out the door. I don't know why or how it's happening but it seems to be everywhere right now. I feel bad for Hoke bc he should be able to finish the season. However, my best guess is Harbaugh and Miles dislike Brandon, and Brandon knows that, so there would have to be an AD change before we get one of those guys, or even a different hot coach.