RR's year-end speech to the team
Not so sure about the hurricane reference, but it's certainly worth a read.
Print version from the freep follows.
http://freep.com/article/20091203/SPORTS06/91203096/1322/Rich-Rod-U-M-s…
December 4th, 2009 at 12:40 AM ^
as most of us do not wish to click on the Freep link
December 4th, 2009 at 12:47 AM ^
Glad to help:
My neck My back My pussy and My crack
December 4th, 2009 at 12:47 AM ^
This is the ad-less print version.
December 4th, 2009 at 12:55 AM ^
“The championships will come, folks. They’ll come hopefully sooner rather than later. I don’t want any more drama, do you? I’ll leave you with one definition and let you go. It’s the definition of faith. It’s believing in things unseen."
December 4th, 2009 at 1:27 AM ^
I believe in the invisible. I do.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:34 AM ^
Sneaking up on that tantalizing speedo of yours. Still believe?
December 4th, 2009 at 2:42 AM ^
Like wins.
ZING
I kid, I kid!...after this week, what is there but to laugh so as not to cry?
December 4th, 2009 at 7:28 AM ^
Laughing through your tears?
December 4th, 2009 at 1:01 AM ^
Good stuff
December 4th, 2009 at 1:05 AM ^
that was a great speech.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:09 AM ^
sounds like the words of a great motivator.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:35 AM ^
Go get em Rich. We know your not taking those pills anymore.
I really feel like the university is wearing off on Rich in a positive way. He is growing as a person as well.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:42 AM ^
This is great to see and truly a great speech, but is it just me or should these be kept private? I've always kind of felt like these heart felt end of season/career (Lloyd Carr) speeches are special things between the coach and players... no?
December 4th, 2009 at 1:46 AM ^
KN - The big difference here is that the speech was made at the football bust. You and I are able to go if we sign up.
December 4th, 2009 at 11:18 AM ^
ooooh I didn't notice that. Thanks for clarifying
December 4th, 2009 at 2:41 AM ^
The stuff not for our ears is said in the locker room the final time. The bust is as much for Alumni as Players...because other than the awards, and senior speeches, is kinda an annoying dinner for players having to put up with 50 year old men fawning over them....knowing half of them are probably saying they suck every other day of the week.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:46 AM ^
that RR would have been one to give a great speech like that. I knew he could motivate people, shwon by his success at other programs, but I just didn't see him giving great speeches in this sort of manner. For some reason I now have "faith" in next season, I'm already excited.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:48 AM ^
I seriously think that he's a good motivator and a coach you want to play for. He's still young and energetic. Once the wins start rolling in, the top recruits that don't have us on our radar anymore will fall in love with him and his personality and realize that they can also play football in January bowl games here as well.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:43 AM ^
What has to happen first: Talent comes in so we get the wins rolling, or wins get rolling and then the talent comes in?
December 4th, 2009 at 3:00 AM ^
Winning brings in more talent. We have talent now, most of it young. But if you look at the "ratings", we are not major contenders for most of the top players like USC or Florida or even tOSU. We have the talent and pieces for a conference title run if everything falls together, but we still have a bit of a ways to go to compete for national titles.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:06 AM ^
Then you get the drugs, then you get the women...
No, wait...first you get the drugs, then you get the money, then you get the women...
December 4th, 2009 at 6:50 AM ^
+1. Slowly but surely you are making your way back to positive territory. Nice.
December 4th, 2009 at 8:37 AM ^
But what about the power?
December 4th, 2009 at 9:55 AM ^
he's just in it for the bitches
December 4th, 2009 at 9:58 AM ^
Chicken or the Egg?
December 4th, 2009 at 2:47 AM ^
Excellent, Coach.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:55 AM ^
I can echo all the comments above me. Great quotes. It might even inspire me to finish this paper I'm working on.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:54 AM ^
for clicking a link to the Freep, I'm glad when I did that I found a speech worthy of the postive comments that led me there.
RR is a class act and he understands the journey. It's pretty clear why Fred Roh and so many other parents of players have been steadfast in their support. And one more reason not to waver in yours.
December 4th, 2009 at 7:18 AM ^
Hopefully MSC and the board was there. They are the ones that need to believe in the unseen. Most of us already do.
OT: How does ND feel about believing in the unseen?
December 4th, 2009 at 11:15 AM ^
After this speech, you can't tell me Rich Rodriguez doesn't understand what Michigan is all about.
December 4th, 2009 at 7:51 AM ^
The best part about this speech is that it seems like Rich Rod is really, truly, starting to internalize the "Michigan way"...in his own, unique way.
December 4th, 2009 at 11:15 AM ^
Agreed. Second best part is that he didn't reference that quote in the Lion King.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:45 PM ^
lol, becoming a "michigan man" is a longer process for some than it is for others.
December 4th, 2009 at 9:14 AM ^
Rich Rod compares football to Katrina, doesn't understand race relations.
December 5th, 2009 at 3:27 PM ^
Considering Valenti and Foster complained about it yesterday.
Don't ask me for specifics...I switched it off.
December 6th, 2009 at 11:54 PM ^
Yeah, it isn't even funny anymore how obvious the Michigan media is with their venom towards our program.
December 4th, 2009 at 11:46 AM ^
Here is an idiot's overreaction to that same hurrican comment - http://thebiglead.com/?p=30201.
Honestly, I think this speech shows you how much RR understands UM and how unacceptable the past two years have been. My sense is that he is sick and tired of all the whining and sniping from those outside the program, and you have to expect he'll come out next year ready to silence everyone.
December 4th, 2009 at 11:51 AM ^
I was just going to post this. TBL is such a craptastic site, it's amazing. Anyone have an honest to god, good national sports blog to recommend?
The headline is even inaccurate. Rodriguez doesn't compare the team to hurricane victims, he compares what the saints had to overcome after hurricane katrina to the program being attacked right before the first game. Not an ideal comparison, I'll admit, but certainly not as bad as that moron makes it out to be.
December 4th, 2009 at 12:22 PM ^
And it sort of makes sense, in that Rodriguez lived in New Orleans for a while.
December 4th, 2009 at 12:17 PM ^
Does anyone have video/audio of RR's speech?