Wolverine318

April 23rd, 2011 at 3:16 PM ^

The details of my life are quite inconsequential ... Very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low-grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a 15-year-old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize; he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes, he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament ... My childhood was typical: summers in Rangoon ... luge lessons ... In the spring, we'd make meat helmets ... When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds — pretty standard, really. At the age of 12, I received my first scribe. At the age of 14, a Zoroastrian named Vilmer ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum — it's breathtaking ... I suggest you try it.Small ha ds,

Wolfman

April 23rd, 2011 at 3:15 PM ^

that it might be a mistake to assume that just because one has gone thru the program, and one being, arguably, the greatest fb player ever at UM, this translates into a likely portend of things to come.

Bennie did everything one could do on the football field, but after Crisler's players had graduated and moved on, his mediocrity as h.c. became apparent.  Elliot, on the other hand, is as close to being a  RR hire that I can think of with the obvious difference being colleges attended.

When one glosses over Bump's record, it's easy to conclude mediocrity at best.  However, when considereation is given to those things that only history can provide as tangible parts comprising the entire machine, we get a completely different look.

Bump, much like RR, was charged with the task of rebuilding a glorious program, and also like RR, had to do so without the first-class material that UM's fan's favorites had to work with. He actually was successful at this, but only because he was given the time to do wo due to his UM affilliation.

When Bo took over he inherited the largest number of future AAs ever assembled in a 5 yr span in Michigan history.  The fact that he was able to motivate these young men to become just that was his greatest trait as a football coach. Under Bo, UM simply was never embarrassed on the field, even against the great OU team with the Selmon bros.,  and all the other talent that Switzer was able to "influence" a decision to move to Norman.

And I do look forward to Brady because he has proven with talent - and he has it now - that he will win.  He inherits the fastest Michigan team ever assembled. He doens't have to rebuild both sides of the los - big part of Carr's legacy- as did RR, and because those that matter have welcomed him with open arms, the success he enjoyed during his last years in the MAC and the WAC should be duplicated here. He's a proven tireless worker on the recruiting trail and he can motivate. He should be here a long time. The pieces are set up well for him, although still quite young on the defensive side of the ball.  

RR will be discussed here for a long time, and it will remain an exercise in futility, along with being entirely needless.  Brady is our coach now, and I hope that all fans, even when things are tough, will fight through their need for instant gratification and let the man do what he was hired to do. However, the need to give him their full support throughout his tenure as head man in AA cannot be minimized. He's far more important to UM's on-field success than any recruit or  staff hire he brings to AA in the near future.

PurpleStuff

April 23rd, 2011 at 5:53 PM ^

I think you drastically missed the point of my comment (or you just enjoy typing).  Some dumbass in the article comments ranted about how Rich Rodriguez was an idiot/asshole for leaving his alma mater.  Apparently they are unaware of the fact that the guy we just hired was coaching his alma mater (Ball State) and left (to coach at SDSU, of all places).  Or that Bo Schembechler left his alma mater (Miami U.) to come to Michigan.  I was pointing that out.  That is all.  Just calling them out for saying dumb stuff.

Nothing in your rant has anything to do with what I said (though I do agree with most of what you say).

Mitch Cumstein

April 23rd, 2011 at 2:34 PM ^

RR: I haven't thought about it much until recently. Seems like college coaches are going to the NFL, and NFL coaches are coming back to college, so those lines have been blurred a little bit as far as working. It's still working with young men and helping them achieve their goals and being around football. I had never really thought about it much until recently, and now I've always been about "What are we going to do to win a national championship." But these last couple months have given me time to evaluate and it may be kind of fun with the right organization and the right people it probably would be pretty enjoyable to coach. But I really haven't researched it much or looked into it too much but I may have some time to do that now.

I could actually see RR being a successful NFL OC. Obviously he'd have to make some adjustments to his scheme, but I think he might enjoy that job also.

those.who.stay.

April 23rd, 2011 at 2:47 PM ^

Coach Rod is an offensive guru, but his knowledge base consists of a power running game out of the gun featuring athletic quarterbacks. His passing concepts, while more advanced than most people will give him credit for, don't really translate to pro-style offenses. I'm not going to say its impossible, but I think his expertise is better suited for the college game. 

justingoblue

April 23rd, 2011 at 4:11 PM ^

Just to add, I think he would have to restrict himself more than he would like in the pro game. I get the impression that he likes innovating, and while he could do that in the NFL, he wouldn't be able to use every single concept he came up with/modified/borrowed. In the NCAA the only thing he needs to restrict himself to is his talent, and he has control over that too (in most cases).

fatbastard

April 23rd, 2011 at 11:34 PM ^

the spread option he relies on (not quite but almost exclusively) is premised on deception and reads to run away from. The O-lines were transformed to move away from a power game during his time here.  One more thing, his offense is based in large part on no huddle, quick offense, that works best against teams that are not well conditioned.  In the League, that would not be a large advantage since the players train all year, basically.

Cigarro Cubano

April 23rd, 2011 at 2:40 PM ^

Only interested in Coach Hoke & his staff bringing in good solid kids with great character for the UM program.   Not with what Cbs or RR have to say at this point.

BiSB

April 23rd, 2011 at 3:22 PM ^

are doomed to repeat it.  And in doing so, you become Notre Dame.

If we never ever ever ever had to ever hire a new coach again ever (ever), there would be no reason to reflect on the RR days.  But I don't think we can assume that Brady Hoke will (a) succeed immediately, (2) succeed forever, and (d) never die, quit, or retire. 

Moving on from a failed experiment doesn't mean you don't look back and say, "gee, I wonder why shit blew up like that, and how we can keep shit from blowing up in the future."  

Tater

April 23rd, 2011 at 5:32 PM ^

The only thing that "failed" in that particular "experiment" was David Brandon.  It was his job to do what his mentor Bo would have done, which would have been to tell the assholes who were sabotaging the program to get in or get out.  He failed.  Then, it was his job to do what his mentor Bo would have done and give RR the five years he deserved.  He failed again.  

David Brandon did what he does best: turn a great situation into a cesspool, blame others for it, and come out smelling like a rose.  Those traits will serve him well when he quits to pursue his real ambition: politics.

the_white_tiger

April 23rd, 2011 at 10:41 PM ^

It's impossible to know if RR would have succeeded if he was given five years. Dave Brandon did fail to reconcile a fanbase and the alumni that were too divided under Rodriguez to possibly be reconciled. He did fail to do a good job with the firing/hiring process, and that's where my issue with him lies, but his actions haven't directly contributed to losses (yet).

Don

April 23rd, 2011 at 2:41 PM ^

The internet is like the world's largest local sports bar, full of toothless alcoholic loudmouths spewing fact-free opinions over their PBR, even if the bar is empty.