OT-SI follows RR during his first 2 days in AZ
Two very interesting articles on Rich Rodriguez's first 48 hours as the Arizona head coach:
The first is the play-by-play:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1192629/1/index.htm
The second is a summary:
Sounds like both RR and Arizona learned from the mistakes highlighted in 3&O.
I wish him all the best.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:17 PM ^
r rod is a glutton for punishment. the media feasted on him due to his openess. i wont feel sorry for him this time
November 30th, 2011 at 9:28 PM ^
Local media feasting on a college football coach before he loses a game is somewhat unique to Detroit, and that's only when the provincial fucksticks here get someone from outside their sacred Michigan/Ohio bubble.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:10 PM ^
I think he will do pretty well in Arizona. There's less media pressure, it seems, and with the right staff around him, I think he'll be able to help produce watchable football in the Pac-12 South that doesn't involve the Trojans.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:14 PM ^
just for the cheerleaders.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:28 PM ^
Doesn't everybody? I mean it's not like the PAC-12 is a great football conference anyways. Like could you imagine if say a 6-6 team had an opportunity to go to the Rose Bowl. That would be ridiculous. I'm glad the PAC-12 is such a strong conference we never have to worry about that happening
November 30th, 2011 at 9:33 PM ^
....which is why the additions of Leach and Rodriguez to the conference might make for more exciting, less predictable football in time (key qualifier there).
November 30th, 2011 at 10:34 PM ^
November 30th, 2011 at 10:36 PM ^
We know exactly what we're looking at in the B1G. *irreverent smirk*
November 30th, 2011 at 10:00 PM ^
Not that the PAC-12 is a juggernaut, but everyone knows USC is the rightful winner of that division
November 30th, 2011 at 9:14 PM ^
Has he announced his coaching staff yet?
November 30th, 2011 at 9:19 PM ^
but, in the article, it says that Barwis indicated to RR that he would go to AZ.
November 30th, 2011 at 10:32 PM ^
There was a poster here who asked Barwis if he would join RR in Arizona and Barwis told him no. Based on what the poster said, Barwis seems pretty settled in Michigan.
I guess things might have changed since then. I guess we will just have to wait and see.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:22 PM ^
Well I guess we can say goodbye to having Barwis around the area, according to the article some strength coach asked RR about Barwis coming over and RR said "He's indicated he's probably going to do that"
It's also weird to read that he the AD and admins coached him on some of the stuff he should say to win over Arizona people. Glad to see he's learned from his mistakes
November 30th, 2011 at 9:30 PM ^
I'd imagine that's standard practice for a high-profile press conference like that. Bill Martin's PR incompetence was the exception, not the rule.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:49 PM ^
Before the Stadium renovations got under way, there was a donors-only meeting that I was invited to in the Junge Center. Bill Martin was there, with his staff plus the architects and the planners. Bruce Madej and the Athletic Department PR people were there too.
At that time, there was a lot of complaining about the "luxury boxes." New York Times editorials, snarky reporting by Rosenberg, the Peoples Republic of Ann Arbor up in arms.
And even some donors unhappy. For my part, I was anti-renovation because I saw all of us mostly-ordinary Victors Club members getting shoved down in priority by an uber-class of suiteholders. And I thought the new structures would be dark and spoil the light in the Stadium.
Martin took the podium, and proceeded to conduct the greatest Powerpoint presentation I have ever seen. In one meeting, I was completely turned around and convinced. It was a tour de force. I asked Martin some questions that he thought were pretty good; and he told me to leave my business card with Bruce Madej. I did, but thought that I'd just get put on another list of fundraising solicitations. The next morning a little after 9, I got a phone call from Bill Martin who personally followed up on everything I had asked him about and we talked for another 20 minutes.
I have to acknowledge, that there were some monumentally awful p.r. decisions made with Rich Rodriguez. But they are just all the more strange to me, because I saw first hand how great a presenter Bill Martin can be, at least with regard to real estate development.
November 30th, 2011 at 10:04 PM ^
Well, you were right about ordinary Victors Club members getting put behind the mega-donor suiteholders. See everyone in the Gray Lot by 2014...
November 30th, 2011 at 10:05 PM ^
he was hired to clean up the budget and make Michigan athletics financially better off. He did exactly what he was supposed to do financially wise. He put the athletic department in the black and was able to renovate Crisler Arena(as well as get the practice facility plan going), renovate Big House, build new baseball and softball stadium and to name a few. That is his biggest accomplishment.
HIs biggest downfall is his ability to take hold politicially wise and did not do a good of PR. Ultimately, that's what caused him to get fired though him being pushy against the usher accelerated his timeline as a AD.
December 1st, 2011 at 1:15 AM ^
Bill Martin was NOT FIRED, FERCHRISSAKES. He FUCKING RETIRED. He actually wanted to retire at least a year before he finally did, but was persuaded to stay on longer.
If he was fired, do you really think the Athletic Dept would have allowed his name to be put up in big letters on a wing of the expansion?
December 1st, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
so they wouldn't have to "fire" him. That's JMO.
I thought that Lloyd Carr wanted to retire but was persuaded by Martin to coach for one more year because of the basketball coaching search. That's rumor that I've heard about Carr wanting to retire a year earlier but wasn't allowed by Martin.
December 1st, 2011 at 2:24 PM ^
"Wasn't allowed" is a stretch. "Talked out of" would be more accurate.
December 1st, 2011 at 10:30 AM ^
Obviously, not as big a deal as football, but he did hire John Beilein, too. Feather in his cap, I'd say.
But the sailboat incident ... definitely a black eye.
November 30th, 2011 at 10:14 PM ^
Thank you for the story. Love background stuff like that.
December 1st, 2011 at 11:44 AM ^
Per 3&O, that's also something Don Canham did for Bo. Bo came in and wanted to get rid of the winged helmets. Bo was a fiery coach and would curse at his players and get in their faces, the complete opposite of his predecessor, Bump Elliott. Players didn't like that, but Bump wouldn't hear it and Canham supported Bo 100%. The difference between the way Bo's and RR's hirings were handled, from an administrative POV, is so stark that it's amazing.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:29 PM ^
I am a very busy man and I just tonight got to the NCAA violations part of 3 & O. It is so outrageous it honestly makes me feel ill. Over the past few weeks I have silently looked down on all the threads and comments about Rodriguez and didn't understand the vigor in which people still displayed as they continually voiced support.
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<br>I really get it now. Obviously it doesn't make me feel better about the losses, but the man never had a chance. Here's hoping for a 2014 Michigan- Zona NC game. Go Blue.
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December 1st, 2011 at 1:00 AM ^
Same here, was on a steady pace with my reading, but can't bring myself to pick it back up and relive the bad memories. I would much rather live in the euphoria I've been experiencing recently!
December 1st, 2011 at 10:28 AM ^
Right around the MSU loss made it not so bad. I couldn't imagine reading it right now. It's in the past!
December 1st, 2011 at 11:29 AM ^
So you kinda don't count.
December 1st, 2011 at 1:42 PM ^
what you mean. But I read the book. When it came out. During Michigan State time period. Now, after we've rebuilt, it'd be kind of a downer. Do you need some pictures to go with the words to understand?
November 30th, 2011 at 9:30 PM ^
Rich Rod seemed to be a good fit for Yellows (Maize) and Blues. I'm not so sure about this Red!
November 30th, 2011 at 9:33 PM ^
Very interesting read. Don't facebook his daughter. He doesn't speak Spanish. And he doesn't know his iTunes PW.
Seems like a very friendly guy. Article implies his casual, "aw shucks" style was not welcome at Michigan. Good luck to him in Arizona
"That doesn't mean the money has changed him. He remains one of the few major college head coaches who can quote every punchline from Dumb and Dumber "
November 30th, 2011 at 9:42 PM ^
I love how the NCAA considered him a minority coach because of his last name. I know he denied it in 2008 but I wonder if the NCAA listened.
November 30th, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^
November 30th, 2011 at 9:31 PM ^
Can somebody explain to me what the big deal is with Barwis? How is he that different from any other strength and conditioning coach in the country?
November 30th, 2011 at 9:37 PM ^
It's less about building strength, though he seems to be good at that, and more about his immense devotion and care he shows the kids. This gets a lot of people on his bandwagon, and his results don't disappoint.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:54 PM ^
I think it might be possible Barwis seemed like such a shock change from Gittleson. When you read the 3&O bit about Brandon Graham it seems like the difference is pretty clear in the training styles. However, looking at that team it seems like some of the players maybe could have benefited from some of Gittleson's more traditional training for bulk, particularly the O-line...the spread does need quick linemen, but to battle in the Big Ten those guys need bulk.
December 1st, 2011 at 12:12 PM ^
It's less about building strength, though he seems to be good at that, and more about his immense devotion and care he shows the kidsI attended a couple of Football Busts in the Carr era, and no staff member was thanked more by the players than Gittleson. They clearly had a strong personal bond with him. This is probably the case for most S&C coaches. They don't get where they are without being very good at inspiring athletes to work hard.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:43 PM ^
He lived with a pack of wolves in Northern Canada for six months
November 30th, 2011 at 10:14 PM ^
His voice
November 30th, 2011 at 9:36 PM ^
I was really concerned. But it wasn't so bad. Andy Staples naturally didn't dish the dirt on his SI colleague Michael Rosenberg and the Free Press as they deserved, and barely mentioned Three and Out. But this wasn't anywhere near as bad as what I'd have feared, coming from SI.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:38 PM ^
They occasionally hire Rosenberg to write something, but generally they keep it balanced. At least nobody at SI KILLED FIVE HOOKERS WHILE AT SMU.
November 30th, 2011 at 10:49 PM ^
Blazefire, you should know. You are a regular. There is no point to mentioning the rumor that FIVE HOOKERS WERE KILLED AT SMU without mentioning the fact that the whole rumor was CRAIG JAMES KILLED FIVE HOOKERS WHILE HE WAS AT SMU.
I think it has something to do with Craig James and the fact that he ranked michigan below some god awful teams out of pure spite?
November 30th, 2011 at 9:37 PM ^
He is a good man, a good coach and a caring leader. His openness was his down fall. It is just too bad that no one here gave him pointers on what to say, the traditions, and those things we hold sacred.
Good luck RR, I hope to see you in the Rose Bowl against us.
November 30th, 2011 at 11:29 PM ^
You can like the guy, but let's be realistic:
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<br>Good man - sure, I will give you that, since I have no reason to doubt it.
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<br>Good coach - not at Michigan, he wasn't. Actually he was the worst hc we ever had, if record counts for anything. At prior stops, he had success, but those prior stops were on a smaller stage.
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<br>What ultimately did him in was his openness??? No, what did him in was going 3-9 his first year, failing to make a bowl during his first two years, winning a total of 6 big 10 games in 3 years, getting manhandled by OSU for three straight years, losing solidly to MSU for three straight years, fielding a defense that got worse every year, making terrible decisions in staffing, failing to recruit defense during his early years, getting hit with the first NCAA violations in team history, alienating a large section of the former players, failing to recruit well in state, failing to keep a large percentage of the talent including players that he recruited, getting humiliated in the gator bowl, saying that even Vince Lombardi couldn't win with his defense, saying that he hoped to find a kicker on the way to the 2010 wisco game and ultimately singing Josh freeking Grobin.
December 1st, 2011 at 1:12 AM ^
December 1st, 2011 at 8:48 AM ^
That was awesome. Very similar to my post immediately below yours, but much more manball in your delivery.
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<br>Clearly, we agree.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:42 PM ^
When's the book coming out?
I'm done with 3&O and I need more RR stories.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:45 PM ^
Godspeed Rich and best of luck spread'in and shredd'in in the Pac 10!
Coach Rod & Coach Kelly in the same conference! Veeeeeeeeeery interesting! (Rusky accent while shaking finger in front of face)
P.S. If we see you @ the Rose we're gonna whip that ass!
December 1st, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
Better facilities, better access to talent and a more evolved passing scheme (if you believe guys like Chris Brown, which like, he is awesome). Will be interesting to see how RR takes that next step.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:48 PM ^
That, in my estimation, is the most important element in success or failure for Rich at Zona.
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<br>Once he gets his players those late night Pac 12 games between WSU, SC, Oregon, and Zona ought be quite entertaining. I am especially interested in seeing how Rich does vs SC's fast, athletic defense.