Perspective
After last night, and what an eventful night it was for the Michigan fan base and this board, we may stand more divided than ever before.
For many of you, the following words are not only symbolic of your love for Michigan, they are also a way of life, and thus, you know them well. Some of you may be seeing them for the first time, and some may need to look upon them again to be reminded what this is all about.
Anger, frustration, and depression are all part of being a fan, especially during difficult times. But, regardless of which side of the fence you fall, it is time to remember that we are all on the same side. For that, we need to turn to the words of our Beloved Bo:
"We want the Big Ten championship and we're gonna win it as a Team. They can throw out all those great backs, and great quarterbacks, and great defensive players, throughout the country and in this conference, but there's gonna be one Team that's gonna play solely as a Team. No man is more important than The Team. No coach is more important than The Team. The Team, The Team, The Team, and if we think that way, all of us, everything that you do, you take into consideration what effect does it have on my Team? Because you can go into professional football, you can go anywhere you want to play after you leave here. You will never play for a Team again. You'll play for a contract. You'll play for this. You'll play for that. You'll play for everything except the team, and think what a great thing it is to be a part of something that is, The Team. We're gonna win it. We're gonna win the championship again because we're gonna play as team, better than anybody else in this conference, we're gonna play together as a team. We're gonna believe in each other, we're not gonna criticize each other, we're not gonna talk about each other, we're gonna encourage each other. And when we play as a team, when the old season is over, you and I know, it's gonna be Michigan again, Michigan."
GO BLUE
December 3rd, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^
Nice post. Dee Hart is one hell of an athlete, but life goes on. The Team is what is important and no matter what this team will keep fighting until the very end.
December 3rd, 2010 at 10:58 AM ^
I don't think we're actually as divided as we act. Reading the threads I feel like most of us are saying "If we're going to keep RR, lock him down now with an extension, a vote of confidence and let the man go recruit."
If we're going to make the transition let's do it right, get Harbaugh in here and calm everything down.
Basically we're all screaming for stability no matter which camp you're in. We just want a stable coach as opposed to this lame duck stuff. It's going to be a rough time until the bowls are over and the dust settles on where everyone will be next year.
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:03 AM ^
completely agree
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:14 AM ^
I know he is a former player and alumnus, but that makes his comments about the football team and academics all the more damning and shows his true colors. A real Michigan man would never throw his school or his team under the bus. Bo would've kicked his a!% if he was still alive when JH disparged the University of Michigan.
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:15 PM ^
Bo might have kicked his a!%, but he would have applauded him at the same time. I believe his words at the time show that JH is a man of conviction. He wants Michigan to be THE BEST (period), not follow the path of some less honorable programs to the south. He sticks to his guns in what he believes, and he believes in the importance of academic success. He is a man who has honorably represented The University of Michigan in the past and present.
I have faith in what RR is doing and I believe progress will accelerate next year under him. I am also very intrigued by what JH would bring to the program. If now is the time, so be it. If not, I'll continue to throw my full support behind RR.
December 3rd, 2010 at 4:17 PM ^
I don't in any way think RR is a bad guy. And it's great that he disciplined the punter, etc. But there's nothing in the record to suggest that he's a paragon of academic integrity. WVU was a good team because RR signed players other programs wouldn't touch (ie, Pacman Jones, Chris Henry). He didn't do this in order to Touch The Hearts of Misunderstood Kids. He did so in order to win.
During his short tenure at Michigan, he has recruited several players who simply weren't up to snuff, academically. Had Demar Dorsey signed at MSU, this board would have exploded with outrage. Carr, too, recruited a few borderlines. But I don't think RR, like Carr, made his his players read Shakespeare or read dictionaries every time they entered his office.
RR's academic record here has been, at best, average. Last year he claimed the M team had achieved its highest GPA ever. The school later said his claim was "misstated." But the team GPA rate didn't drop, evidently.
2010 Graduation Rates: This year M came in either 4th or 5th out of 11 (depending on interpretation); factoring in ND and Nebraska, M is middle of the pack, at 72 %.
APR: Nationally, Michigan comes in at 83rd out of 120 teams. Transfers skew. But still. This ranking is ghastly.
(BTW: Stanford, despite having the highest academic standards of any D1 school, and while managing to field a top-ten football team, led its league in grad-rate (89%) and finished 8th out of 120 in APR.)
RR is between meh and average on the academics front. Then again, that's more than Saint Beilein can say for himself.
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^
exactly.. I want RR to get at least a full 4 to 5 years to let some of his guys graduate and see how they do, but Brandon not announcing shit is pathetic..
It is disturbing to me that he actually thinks not announcing if RR will be there or not doesn't affect recruiting..
Is he really that stupid or am i missing something?
Although maybe he has told RR what the deal is, but i would think they would notify the commits of what is going on as well..
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:29 AM ^
I might be being naive, but I think you are missing something. From what I have seen and heard from DB, I am buying in to the idea that he is anything but stupid. I would guess that there are a couple fo things, one way or the other, that none of us are privvy to yet. I am not in the camp that thinks he is still trying to evaluate and make a decision. You don't have the success in business he has had by being too jumpy, but you don't have it by being indecisive, either.
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^
DB never said he didn't think his timeline didn't affect recruiting. If you've read what he said last time he was on the radio he said that he was "Looking at the BIG picture for the program, not recruiting." hint hint.
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:19 PM ^
I'm sure he's savvy enough to know that it likely has an effect on recruiting, but don't forget that he also grew up under Bo...No single man is bigger than the program/university. That is where we stand right now. It appears that his delay has affected the decision of one (replaceable) man. I can only hope the benefit of the delay, for the sake of the program, is worth it.
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:00 AM ^
AAAAAYYYYYYY-Men.
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:00 AM ^
Nice job, keep quoting the Master Yoda of Michigan football on this board, it is a great and glorious public service you can perform that is definitely needed around here!
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:04 AM ^
To me it is very clear that DB has not yet made up his mind and values giving RR the bowl game to make his case over any recruit we might lose in the process.
I am impressed with his steadfast adherence to his principles even if we lose a Dee Hart because of them.
December 3rd, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
The information he is seeking is who will replace RR. If JH wasn't going to a bowl and was immediately available, RR would be gone.
Brandon's failure to give a vote of confidence to RR is all you need to know. Brandon is not a heartless or cruel AD. He knows this is difficult not only for RR but the team and recruits. But in the interest of the program he needs to line up his ducks before he pulls the trigger. RR is gone.
December 3rd, 2010 at 12:14 PM ^
why is this so hard to see. There is no way DB is going to base a coaching decision on 1 game, and if he is than we need to find a new AD as well. I am somewhere in the middle of keeping RR 1 more year and hiring JH, but DB's actions tell me he is either lining up JH as the new coach to take over so as to avoid a coaching search fiasco or he is feeling out RR to see if he is willing to give up control of the D and possibly fire the defensive staff. If we was sold on RR he would say so and not take the hit in recruiting, and I can not possibly believe the decision to keep RR might be based on 1 bowl game performance.
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:24 PM ^
+1 because I think you've hit the nail on the head. I couldn't have said it better myself.
December 3rd, 2010 at 2:12 PM ^
Bingo.
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:06 AM ^
We're gonna leave that to the media, the fans and the blogs.
December 3rd, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
All we know is that the AD is going to stick to his timetable to discuss the season with the coach after it is over. That means to me that the sign is that all the noise and hoopla is a lot of hand-wringing over nothing. The AD and the coach will discuss what to do next and the AD will formalize in writing during the review what he has been telling the coach all along all season long.
That's how real companies that have been successful over time and real executives who have been successful over time operate. This is all about teaching the MSM, our fan base, our players, and our entire athletic department about how the ship is going to be run by DB going forward in all sports, not just football.
That's the kind of intelligent and professional personnel management I would expect from a man with DB's education and experience. Contrast that with Goss and Martin's handling of various situations relating to coaches over the past decade or so......
December 3rd, 2010 at 12:22 PM ^
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:50 PM ^
"We want the Big Ten Championship."
Michigan has competed for the Big Ten Championship 1 out of the last 6 seasons. Teams we are on par with in terms of being a program: Oregon State, Purdue, Boston College, Connecticut. Maybe Texas Tech on a good day.
December 3rd, 2010 at 3:02 PM ^
RR runs directly opposite to this philosophy. He repeatedly makes everything about himself, not the team. After the OSU game, all he did was talk about how tough it's been on...himself. He didn't thank his seniors. He offered scant praise to his players. He talked about himself. He turned the bust into Richapalooza, replete with musical accompaniment and choreography. He scripted it. The whole performance said, in essence, "Love me!" Never in a million years would most top coaches pull this crap. Bo, had he lived to see RR's Josh Grobin Moment, never would have stopped throwing-up.
December 4th, 2010 at 7:18 AM ^
Your comments show that you know absolutely nothing about Bo, only what you think abou him.
December 4th, 2010 at 7:15 AM ^
Did you actually attend the football bust or listen to the speech via the provided on MGOBLOG link at the Michigan Rival's web site? Bet you did not. I went to the banquent and can tell you that your interpretation of RR and his behavior is all wrong. But you will not listen, because, you see, it is not all about RR, it is all about you.