OT: Chris Partridge Appreciation Thread
Who’s Chris Partridge? He’s the head football coach at Paramus Catholic High School in Paramus, New Jersey. With much of the focus here yesterday having been on losing Malik McDowell to Michigan State, I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned how close Michigan was to becoming the biggest loser on college football’s National Signing Day. Chris Partridge might’ve saved Michigan from that ignominious fate.
According to an article today in one of the northern New Jersey newspapers, Jabrill Peppers was wavering on his commitment to Michigan as late as Tuesday night. Peppers reportedly said, I guess I got nervous [Tuesday] and started doubting myself. But Coach Partridge spent a lot of time with me and put everything back into perspective. I realized Michigan is the place I wanted to be. http://www.northjersey.com/sports/Jabrill_Peppers_signs_Michigan_letter_of_intent.html
So, thank you, Chris Partridge.
On a side note, there might be reason to root for another one of Jabrill Peppers’ teamamtes, besides Juwann Bushell-Beatty. Alex Beards of Paramus Catholic signed with Slippery Rock!
February 6th, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
Rocks!
Especially Susan Dey...
c'mon get happy
February 6th, 2014 at 10:30 AM ^
double post.
February 6th, 2014 at 10:34 AM ^
Dave Madden/Rueben Kincaid. Saw that he passed recently---I also remember him well from Rowen and Martin's Laugh-In, a true ground-breaking show of the late 60's.
[edit: Hey! your post moved on me, Wendy! :-) ]
February 6th, 2014 at 10:27 AM ^
When I was a 23 year old advertising copywriter, my first ever radio commercial used Dave Madden, aka Reuben Kincaid, as the announcer. I flew out to LA to record him, along with the guy who played Mr. Haney on Green Acres. Dave Madden was a great unassuming guy, and did a magic trick with his business card, which I still have today. I was sorry to hear that he went on the great Mondrian-inspired school bus in the sky recently.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:00 PM ^
Could be a thing.
February 6th, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 12:41 PM ^
You've waited nearly a month for your name to be relevant, and by god you took advantage of it today!
February 6th, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 10:25 AM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 10:29 AM ^
“When he got off the phone with Coach Hoke, he was ecstatic. He brightened back up. The nervousness just all left at that moment.” - Chris Partridge
The hesitation and second-guessing is rather understandable when you're making a decision that will affect the course of your life from that moment onwards, but yeah, a definite thanks to Coach Partridge here for having this timely chat with Peppers. Glad to know that, once committed, he was at ease.
February 6th, 2014 at 10:36 AM ^
I remember listening to an interview with Henry Poggi last year where they asked him about his interest in Alabama. Basically he said that everyone wonders if they are making the right choice at some point in the process and thinks that maybe they should look around. I think it's totally understandable considering the fact that we're talking about high school seniors making decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. Personally, I changed my mind a dozen different times when I was trying to decide what college to attend, and I didn't have any of the pressures that go along with recruiting. I'm glad Peppers really considered his decision and understood the ramifications of it before he made a final choice.
February 6th, 2014 at 11:25 AM ^
which almost makes it surprising that there is not more flips. I think most recruits have some last minute doubts. It's great that his coach was there to settle him down.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
Couldn't agree more, it's such a big choice that having nerves about it has to be a thing. I can't think of any of my friends(outside of the ones going to the state school because thats the one they could afford) who didn't have some sort of last minute freak-out before they fully signed onto their school of choice.
I'm just glad Jabrill stuck with Michigan as he seems like a great kid and I hate to think of the reactions of some of the more unhinged members of the fan base had he pulled away at the last second.
February 6th, 2014 at 10:41 AM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 10:42 AM ^
...and provides him the opportunity to realize his potential
February 6th, 2014 at 1:14 PM ^
the sorting hat put that guy in Gryffindor.
February 6th, 2014 at 10:53 AM ^
This Blog would have blown up. I'm pretty sure everyone's computer would have exploded. I'm getting nervous just thinking about it! THANK YOU!!!!!!
February 6th, 2014 at 11:05 AM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^
that picture of Shirley Jones before. How old at the time?
Even then, I still maintain my love/lust for Susan Dey after all these years (BTW, she's 3 years my elder, so don't assume any weird perversion on my part). Here's a couple of "then and now" pictures of the lovely Susan:
...and I'll try to get back on-topic.
February 6th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
that's posted on the article, Jabrill running through a number of spartan-like helmets. I hope that's not the last time we see that sight.
February 6th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 12:03 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 1:36 PM ^
I didn't catch that segement. Colin has now entered the "all NBA all the time" part of his calendar, and I switch to NPR.
However, it sounds like he was saying only a milder version of we have been saying ourselves ever since the "Fire Al Borges!" memes got going.
Let's review the list of players whose performance didnot really improve after their first season playing for Hoke/Mattison/Borges: Big Will Campbell, Fitzgerald Touissant, Blake Countess (with extenuating circumstances), Denard Robinson, and (yes) Devin Gardner (yet, and only with a boatload of extenuating circumstances). And while we're talking about QBs, Russell Bellomy didn't look like Al Borges had done much to prepare him for his opportunity to play. (For those keeping score at home, that's 3 out of all 4 of quarterbacks with non-gartbage playing time under the current regime showing no sign of QB developement.) Now, let's add what a dumpster fire the O-line was this year, with two high-round NFL prospects playing tackle!
Yes, Colin is an SEC and a USC Idolator, and his thesis cherry-picked its evidence. But, it's not like he's making it up or drawing any conclusions we have not drawn ourselves when we talk "in the family."
I find the SEC worship (built on systemic recruiting advantages and the sure and certain knowledge an SEC team will never have to play a meaningful game in snow or cold rain in November) irritating and simple-minded. But, our beloved Wolverines, FOR THE LAST TEN FRICKIN YEARS (except 2011), have lost the last two games of the season, while the SEC has collected boatloads of BSC National Championships. I don't find I have much evidence to back my faith that Michigan is better than its recent record.
February 6th, 2014 at 2:06 PM ^
(even though I don't agree with all points you made), so I gave you an upvote for your efforts.
Doesn't change the fact that Cowherd is doing nothing more than what he does best, and that is taking what are at best half-truths ---and more often than not, liberally adding in his own bias---and saying whatever it takes to draw out reactions and controversy. Again, to his credit, he succeeded, but it certainly doesn't make him right in his half-baked opinions.
We'd be best to remember his comments in a few seasons when one or more of our QB's have proven him wrong.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:57 PM ^
Funny because when we played ND he said something along the lines of "I like Michigan, I really like them for next year, but they will beat Notre Dame this year."
What a doucher.
February 6th, 2014 at 3:24 PM ^
He skewered Michigan when North Texas had more guys drafted than we did, repeating this several times. But he was a big supporter of Rich Rod (a false flag operation?) and has been more than fair to us on other occasions. BTW picking on a program's player development is an attempt to sound cerebral. Usualy the evidence is "they had highly rated recruits who didn't turn into high pro draft picks." Especially galling if the speaker buttresses his comments by dismissing lower-rated recruits who turned into big contributors as "guys who were under-rated."
February 6th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
I appreciate the heads up that this happened, but this board as fucking beaten two memes to death:
1) 2013 sux / 2014 rox
2) Titling anything "[Name] Appreciation Thread" - this title sux
February 6th, 2014 at 12:58 PM ^
Sorry if the title of the thread disturbs you. No harm intended.
But consider the dire alternative and how MGoBloggers would’ve reacted if the news today were:
Paramus Catholic’s head football coach Chris Partridge was most responsible for Jabrill Peppers’ last-minute de-commitment from Michigan.
From his coach's perspective, with his speed, Jabrill Peppers is more of an SEC player than a Big Ten player. Partridge told Peppers, "You're a track star, too. You could be going to a school that also has a great track program. Think of the amazing reaction you’ll get on ESPN when you announce that an SEC school will be getting the top two high school football players in the nation. You call Leonard Fournette, and I’ll call Les Miles to make sure that he’s got room for you."
February 6th, 2014 at 1:24 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 1:36 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 1:44 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 2:14 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 3:12 PM ^
or a case of beer. He deserves it. OK, who is in NJ and can swing by to drop off this heartfelt donation from MGoBlog?
February 6th, 2014 at 4:29 PM ^
<coolStory>
I knew Chris Partridge (more accurately, the actor who played Chris Partridge on The Partridge Family, and, to clarify, there were two Chris actors - Jeremy Gelbwaks [season 1 only] and Brian Forster [seasons 2 onward]; I knew Jeremy) in graduate school at UC Berkeley College of Chemistry in 1983-4. He was one year ahead of me in the PhD program there. He didn't pass his oral exam for advancement to candidacy so I think he left with a Masters in '84.
</coolStory>
