Ron Simpkins interview, grab a drink first
I was reading this the other day and it was just like gaahhhh. I honestly felt awful since this is not the guy bitching at the end of the bar, but someone who has fought the battles and gave to the program. We have sat here on the board and argued perception vs reality, but man this thing has to change soon. Reading this was damn depressing. It is behind the paywall, but here is the link anyway if you have the subscription http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1157241.
Here are a few quotes, turn some Morrissey on:
On the excitement over this week: "What excitement? I talk to a lot of former teammates and I watch the news and read the papers but there really doesn't seem like there's much buzz. It's like it's just accepted that this is Michigan's last regular-season game and what everyone is actually looking forward to is the bowl game because it should be a favorable matchup.
On his impressions of the Wisconsin game: "I felt like I was a little kid being punished by having to watch that. I honestly don't know how many Michigan guys watched the whole thing.
On his expectations for Saturday: "I'm always going to look forward to this game but my expectation is not that we're going to beat Ohio State - I'm just hoping we don't get embarrassed. It's hard for me to say that. It's devastating to say that. You hope the kids can play the game of their lives and make Michigan proud but you're really concerned that you're going to feel humiliated on Saturday."
November 26th, 2010 at 11:21 PM ^
rivals is trash
November 26th, 2010 at 11:25 PM ^
what people don't like the truth. The rivals mods are nothing but a bunch of harbaugh nut huggers. Canceling my subscription was the best decision ever.
November 27th, 2010 at 12:32 AM ^
Ron Simpkins' All American award and fistful of Big Ten championship rings means he has just about more right than anyone here to have a sense of ownership about the Michigan football program.
I love when people who have never played a down of football for Michigan in their life come in here and try to throw Michigan greats under the bus.
November 27th, 2010 at 1:05 AM ^
who haven't been to current team practices, who don't really know the current coaches, and who aren't a part of the current program except insofar as they do use their Michigan connections in the business world, bitch about the current team.
I was in school with Simpkins. He's a great guy.
But cripes, he graduated 30 freaking years ago! If an equivalent guy had been complaining about Bo and Simpkins' team when Ron was a player -- that is to say, a guy who had graduated 30 years earlier -- we could sort of picture somebody from the Big Ten champion 1950 team, coached by Bennie Oosterbaan. Simpkins would be saying, "Huh? You mean one of those old guys who played without facemasks? They're telling us what to do? That's funny."
And if I sound a little crabby about this subject, I think that we've had enough for one year of old letter-winners popping off about the current team.
November 27th, 2010 at 1:29 AM ^
Well, I don't think Bennie Oosterbaan would be criticizing a team that was winning. And neither would Ron. I don't blame Ron for anything he said. He won while he was at Michigan, played hard and played the right way. It's tought for him to see the boys in the same winged helmet he wore struggle these past few years.
November 27th, 2010 at 1:58 AM ^
If we're going to judge validity based on when a guy played, Rick Leach's opinion is treated as gold, and he played at the same time as Simpkins...
November 27th, 2010 at 2:03 AM ^
We can both respect Leach and Simpkins. Or we can both disregard Leach and Simpkins. Matters not to me. Either way.
In the end, I feel good about my loyalty to, and support for, Michigan's Head Football Coach. Then there's everybody else.
November 27th, 2010 at 7:37 AM ^
Why have an issue with him saying he is embarrassed watching Michigan get beat badly by Wisconsin? From quotes that the OP posted he didn't trash the current coaches or players - he just stated his feelings and shared his impressions of what other former players feel. RR himself has stated that he isn't happy with the current state of the team and thought they would be closer to his goals (but fully acknowledges the impact of injuries). We all hope (Simpkins included) that Michigan plays their best game today and comes out on top. It would be nice to see this RR coached team exceed expectations against our biggest rival. Hell I'd be satisfied with being competitive and giving them a little scare.
November 27th, 2010 at 9:55 AM ^
Well said.
November 27th, 2010 at 9:13 AM ^
I love when people take his word as gospel especially when don't actually read the interview.
November 27th, 2010 at 10:16 AM ^
Your post is all about rights but not much about responsibilities.
November 27th, 2010 at 12:37 AM ^
Looks like someone has it out for you. I've noticed you seem to have just one neg everytime you post.
November 27th, 2010 at 9:13 AM ^
I know, bando and dahblue pretty much neg me on sight.
November 27th, 2010 at 10:15 AM ^
Actually, I don't. I pretty much don't neg anybody. But I do appreciate that you neg me.
November 27th, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
I pos you about as much as I neg you.
November 27th, 2010 at 1:23 AM ^
That's great, except the Rivals mods had nothing to do with the words that came out of Ron Simpkins' mouth.
November 27th, 2010 at 9:15 AM ^
read josh helhmholdt', balas', Borton, and Anison's posts and pieces they write for the Wolverine. Everything they write has an anti-Rich pro-Harbaugh slant. They don't mod their board at all. It is troll city on the Fort.
November 27th, 2010 at 10:00 AM ^
I'm still not sure what that has to do with quotes from Ron Simpkins, but okay.
November 27th, 2010 at 10:16 AM ^
Do they ever publish interviews from pro-Rich alumni like BG or Ricky Leach? Nope, they go out and find the most anti-Rich alumni out there.
November 27th, 2010 at 10:53 AM ^
Ron Simpkins has been doing these interviews for a while and he wasn't too critical for a while and seemed to take about as unbiased outlook on the program as he could (let's face it, he played during Bo's heyday). But I think the fact that we consistently haven't competed with the top teams in the Big Ten these past three years is pissing him off.
November 27th, 2010 at 11:45 AM ^
Understandable. We all want to compete with the heavy hitters of the conference. However, we all need patience. Yes, there are some things Rich could have done better on D in regards, to recruiting, staff selections, and talent development. However, there are events that were out of Rich's control Ron blames Rich. That is the part that annoys me.
November 26th, 2010 at 11:35 PM ^
have given up on Simpkins' comments. Quite frankly, he is known as an ultra-conservative jackass when it comes to UM football and is about as far to that side of spectrum as one can possibly be. His comments are to be given respect and a fair shake, but they are certainly not gospel- his understanding of football is very much rooted in the "old ways" that simply do not apply any more.
For instance, he and MANY Michigan fans simply do not understand that the 120-scholarship years allowed us to stockpile talent at every position. Our roster situation is SO far removed from that era that Simpkins' perspective on things is very skewed.</p>
He simply does not (or literally cannot) understand that Michigan's overall depth/experience/talent levels are at an all-time low and we are seeing that on the football field.
Now I will wait for the inevitable "this is MICHIGAN, there are NO EXCUSES, we DESERVE to win, UNACCEPTABLE, the roster SHOULD be loaded, SIMPKINS IS SPOT ON FUCK THAT HICK FROM WEST VERJINYA *RUINING* MY TEAM RABBLE RABBLE" post...
November 26th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^
So he's the "UNACCEPTABLE" version of Rick Leach?
November 27th, 2010 at 10:20 AM ^
You should also have "WE NEED TO (weep, weep) BRING JIMMY BACK HOME!!!"
I heard something just like that on 1050 after last Saturday's game. I really thought the guy was going to cry.
- - -
To the main point here, of *course* Simpkins has a right to air his feelings, and it's understandable that Rivals would want to interview him. I don't see where anyone questioned that idea here.
November 26th, 2010 at 11:35 PM ^
You Rich Rod die hards are ridiculous. This guy gave his time, he is actually part of the program, not someone sitting on a board all day playing the same hype video over and over with the "sometimes in the morning" song.
This is what 95% of Michigan fans and former players think of the state of our program right now. There is one segment that is die hard faithful in Rich Rod and it is the segment of people who go on MGoBlog who put together enough Diaries with "amazing statistical analyses" that twist numbers to somehow show Rich Rod will rattle off 15 straight Big Ten titles if we just give him 20 years to build the program.
November 26th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^
I see I didn't have to wait very long...
November 26th, 2010 at 11:38 PM ^
OOPS double post
November 26th, 2010 at 11:41 PM ^
yeah, well a majority of people used to believe evolution and gravitational theory were just rantings of heritics.
get lost hater
November 26th, 2010 at 11:47 PM ^
Blame your buddy Lloyd for the roster shortages there hater! You are a punk! Listen to you, the fact that you are sitting here in which it sounds like to me rooting for Michigan to fail! What a chump! Rich atleast did not lose to App state when they he was pre-season ranked 5th! Get bent!
November 27th, 2010 at 12:08 AM ^
November 27th, 2010 at 12:18 AM ^
Were we not ranked 5th when we got beat by app state? Thought so, we were not a good team when we lost to Toledo! So what is worse? Think about it my friend! you are right though, I thank Lloyd for Mallet and Warren!
November 27th, 2010 at 2:53 AM ^
No it wasn't. And that is the problem. Lloyd went 7-5....if RichRod loses Tomorrow he is 7-5. I guess when you said that, you meant Lloyd's worst season is almost better than Rodriguez's. But oh well, I guess you are a fan that already has us written down for 2 more losses.
November 26th, 2010 at 11:50 PM ^
your sources on the 95% of Michigan fans and former players statistic.
My guess? Bullshiat.
You're right.
3-9
5-7
7-4 (= 8-4 OR 7-5)
Progress? What Progress?
We're winning more games each season? Fire Rich Rod. He's not doing it the "Michigan way".
Eras end, new ones begin. I think Rich Rod (and the fan base that supports him) definitely get the last laugh.
November 26th, 2010 at 11:58 PM ^
Bo wasn't a "Michigan Man" when he got to Ann Arbor. Worse yet, his mentor was the evil Woody Hayes. So really, Bo was an "enemy." But he sure was a "Michigan Man" after he had been in Ann Arbor for awhile.
Once RR starts winning, the ignorant, impatient whiners who bitch about him now will be the first ones to say "I told you so." And they will definitely call him a "Michigan Man."
November 27th, 2010 at 12:03 AM ^
Even if RR does start winning, and stays through next year and wins 9 games or 10 games.. then more in the years to come people will still bitch more and more.
I can't even imagine what the Bama fan base is like right about now, or Texas for that matter..
What record did they just break? 10 straight years of 10 win seasons and now no bowl? FIRE THE COACH
November 27th, 2010 at 12:08 AM ^
but I'm almost at the point where I want RR to succeed just so I can give a big "fuck you" to everyone that wanted him to fail. I can understand people being frustrated by how the last 2 seasons have turned out but I just don't understand how Michigan "fans" can openly cheer against the coach in the hope that he fails.
November 27th, 2010 at 12:19 AM ^
Agreed Sir!
November 27th, 2010 at 1:09 AM ^
"ALMOST"?!?!?
November 27th, 2010 at 1:22 AM ^
There's still a part of me that wants the team to win for the sake of winning.
November 27th, 2010 at 12:22 AM ^
End the debate; RichRod's actions when it came to Brock Mealer showed everyone what a "Michigan Man" he is...the end. Fcuk.
November 26th, 2010 at 11:56 PM ^
I wish my negs could inflict pain sometimes.
November 27th, 2010 at 12:08 AM ^
Okay, just so we're clear..you are not an RR fan?
What is the significance of the M16? Not sure I want an answer.
November 27th, 2010 at 12:28 AM ^
The significance is that most if not all of the mgoblog community (RR supporters or not) would wish this troll would get the business end of said weapon shoved up his arse. The Ban Hammer is not enough for this douche.
November 27th, 2010 at 12:18 AM ^
I agree with the poster. Nuff said.
November 27th, 2010 at 1:05 AM ^
Before you post next time, listen to Todd Snider's "Statistician's Blues".
Congratulations though, anyone can toss out an unfounded statement like "95% of Michigan fans blah blah blah". But it takes a real dumbass to make this statement and then bash everyone elses use of real statisitics. Bravo.
November 26th, 2010 at 11:42 PM ^
I epooped my pa nt s
November 26th, 2010 at 11:49 PM ^
This guy is why I cancelled my Rivals subscription, he is the Debbie Downer of Michigan Football
November 27th, 2010 at 12:31 AM ^
Sadly, this is essentially what most here (Brian included) have been saying since last Saturday. I maintain hope that we have a chance, but I seem to be in a small minority.
November 27th, 2010 at 12:34 AM ^
Any Michigan fan who roots against the team or the coach is a traitor. Go to East Lansing or Columbus where you fucking belong. It is one thing to disagree and to analyze; it is another thing altogether to wish for downfall. These are your own people, your own kids fighting out there, your own team. Have some pride. I mean, seriously, don't you think the coaches and the kids want to win way, way more than you want them to win? As much as we love the program, I'm sure the people actually involved want it a thousand times more than we do. Support the program; the people involved are a thousand times more worthy of Michigan than you traitors are.
Edit: looking at you M16.