Still Love RR
It looks bad right now but I still love RR. Talk of firing him and bringing in Kelly or Harbaugh or Miles is totally ridiculous. I mean, even though they are not winning right now the improvement over last year is quite obvious. RR will win a NT here some day therefore I am staying on the bandwagon. Go Blue!
November 14th, 2009 at 3:40 PM ^
I wish he cared an ounce about defense.
November 14th, 2009 at 3:48 PM ^
I am still clinging to hope that this will work and have resigned myself to waiting it out through next year, but you still love him? That's impressive dedication or delusion, not sure which one. If it works for you though, more power to you. I kind of hate him now on a purely reactional, emotional level. I'll be back to cautiously optimistic by Tuesday though. (I hope)
November 14th, 2009 at 3:48 PM ^
why do you love rr?? I mean, I don't hate him and the transition wasn't his fault. but isn't "love" a very very strong word at this point in time
November 14th, 2009 at 3:53 PM ^
It's just where I'm at right now. Doesn't mean I am happy about the team's performance. However, you can choose your attitude and I am choosing to remain optimistic. No sense in hating on the guy for installing a new system.
November 14th, 2009 at 3:55 PM ^
good post and i love RR as well.
The Michigan program needed to do a mental 180 from where they were. While the wins may not be there yet, rest assured that it can be attributed to lack of talent and inexperience rather than work ethic.
I'm proud to be a fan of a Michigan team that busts their ass win or lose. The scary thing is what RR is going to do when he gets more talent and experience.
November 14th, 2009 at 3:57 PM ^
"Mental 180?"
We went 9-4 and won our bowl game...
November 14th, 2009 at 4:29 PM ^
And with the talent we had on Offense that year we should have been playing for a National Title berth longer than the 2nd quarter of the first game. The late Lloyd years we got slow and unmotivated, even with phenomenal talent. That is what we needed a break from, and losing this much hasn't been fun, but I'll take it for the promise of future greatness.
November 14th, 2009 at 4:35 PM ^
If you subscribe to the school of thought that two straight losing, no-bowl seasons were absolutely necessary for "the promise of future greatness"...
November 14th, 2009 at 5:20 PM ^
I really disliked the late Lloyd years because we were never going to beat anyone with better talent. The team would always take at least one upset a year because of the tressel-ball we played. I realize we beat Florida his last year, but we were preseason #5 and had a TON of offensive talent and we played the SPREAD to beat them.
November 14th, 2009 at 9:29 PM ^
Let's be honest - the team and the playcalling that beat Florida was not at all the same as they were throughout the year. There was a difference in personnel as well as something added to the offensive side of the ball. I will let you figure out what was different.
November 15th, 2009 at 3:50 AM ^
is it that chad henne was healthy??? did that affect it??
November 14th, 2009 at 4:10 PM ^
Given our record over the last two years, we surely have done a 180. Not sure I would agree that we needed it.
November 14th, 2009 at 5:15 PM ^
I really think you really need to reconsider your post. The teams in the past might have not always won every game or gotten all of the results the fans wanted, but I absolutely guarantee that those players busted their asses every fucking day. I'm positive that we didn't need a 180 degree from that standpoint
This is one of the biggest insults you can issue. I mean, the players under Lloyd won Big 10 championsships, BCS bowl games, and even a national championship.
All of us as Michigan fans want RR to achieve that level of success.
November 14th, 2009 at 5:18 PM ^
I for one am absolutely sick and tired of seeing Lloyd Carr repeatedly thrown under the bus to try to boost RR's credibility. Did these people even watch those Lloyd Carr teams?
November 14th, 2009 at 5:55 PM ^
With the crowd I've labeled as TDoR (The Defenders of Rodriguez). It's not enough just to support him--it comes (from them) with the belief that if you question or criticize Rodriguez, you either don't know anything, or you are (insert a bunch of insults).
And the incessant trashing of players, Lloyd Carr and Mike Gittleson, Mike Debord, et al who were associated with Lloyd Carr and his HORRIBLE 122-40, five B10 titles, multiple 10-win seasons, and oh yeah--that pesky mistake known as a national championship.
And the justification and rationalization is getting about sickening. I read more than a couple posts about "improvement" being shown against Purdue. Oh really? Last year's team, IIRC, lost to them on the last play of the game 48-42. Seems like both games mirrored each other pretty closely. I Can't see how the Purdue game is ANY kind of barometer of imporvement.
Now, I feel there has been improvement--but that is just a feeling that things are turning and another year should see a significant improvement in all phases of the game.
All in for another year--but if next year goes like this, and he fails to go 8-4 at LEAST--then I'm not ever going to be convinced that this will work.
It's simple to me: Great coaches do great things. They don't force their supporters into being human excuse machines.
November 14th, 2009 at 6:18 PM ^
2 years in a row...
And lets not forget that our starting QB has been playing through injuries and a concussion for a long time now.
November 14th, 2009 at 6:34 PM ^
Hey Mr. The King, I'm just curious. I know it wasn't really much in doubt, but did you just officially out yourself as the Barking Sphincter here with the whole tDoR acryonym?
Also, what's your deal? Do you like Michigan but hate RichRod? Or like both Michigan and RichRod but just like to wind up tDoR? Or something else. I really am interested. Because you spend an awful lot of time on this site, and I still can't tell if you really like Michigan sports.
Hugs,
El Jeffe
November 14th, 2009 at 9:05 PM ^
LOVE Michigan--born and raised there.
My feelings on Rodriguez: Want like hell for him to succeed--why should I not?
I see the blind faith in him as just a bit misguided. There's something wrong in Ann Arbor right now--not yet rotten--and I'll figure it out because I always have my ear to the ground.
As for TDor--they need someone brave enough to challenge them. Brave enough to take on the formidable challenge they pose--expecially when they call everyone else "dicks"
That is some formidable intellectual artillery there.
November 15th, 2009 at 3:55 AM ^
as they say "+1 to you sir"
i would give alot more if i could.
how quickly we forget michigan football's success wasnt measured by how close we kept the games.....
November 14th, 2009 at 4:05 PM ^
is not the offense. That's clearly improving. But he is hands off with the defense. He needs a really strong D coordinator.
And while the jury is still out on GRob, it's hard to have a lot of confidence based on the defense so far and the nature of his hiring.
November 14th, 2009 at 4:08 PM ^
He's a great coach; it is painful to watch the defense, I must admit. Not sure if GERG was the right hire. I will say that the offense has improved vehemently this season; it's an actual spread offense. I still have a lot of confidence in the program, despite the tumultuous first two seasons of RR's campaign.
November 14th, 2009 at 4:23 PM ^
I am completely behind RR. I see lots of people wondering if he is going to crumble under the pressure of these past two seasons. RR is a head coach and a leader, he knows more about persevering through adversity than most of us do. There is no quit in RR, and you can see that in his post game presser today. The dude knows what he's doing, like he says, it's a painful process but it will be worth it in a few years when UM is contending.
November 14th, 2009 at 4:29 PM ^
I wish he would quit trying to block punts. SOOOOooooo stupid. Other than that meh. Need another year to get a S or LB to play even OK.
November 14th, 2009 at 4:42 PM ^
doesn't offer anything. I'm happy your not an illogical person who fills the board with nonsense but this post was a waste of space.
November 14th, 2009 at 6:20 PM ^
Fortunately, I was able to use your post as a malaria net to save an African child.
November 14th, 2009 at 6:45 PM ^
Glad to know I helped.
November 14th, 2009 at 4:45 PM ^
I am still a RR supporter and I want him to succeed. At this point, small snipets of doubt have been creeping in. Still totally behind him, but if things don't progress significantly next year, those small snipets will grow in number and continue to do so until at some point, they take over my soul and I am left a wasted miserable, glory-day pondering slug of humanity.
Don't let me down RR. Just give me 8 wins next year with no bad losses. Then take over the football universe in 2011.
November 14th, 2009 at 4:59 PM ^
The offense has improved, but sometimes the play calling hinders its effectiveness. I can't stand that stupid QB power sweep where they use Forcier as a pure running back. It's usually 3rd or 4th and short and it never works.
As for the defensive back 7...hope next year is better.
November 14th, 2009 at 5:27 PM ^
I am behind whomever makes Michigan a winner.
That may be RichRod, it may not. He gets my support for one more year. At the end of next season, the curve, as measured by wins and losses, must be pointing up.
November 14th, 2009 at 5:32 PM ^
It is what it is. Rich is here, the old regime is gone, and we as fans have to cheer THIS team on because its all we have. I am all in for Michigan even if we lose every friggen game.
That being said, adding a few defensive players would REALLY help out. Ugh.
RichRod is a Michigan Man now.
November 14th, 2009 at 5:51 PM ^
a machine, one day.
Until then, Moses in the desert...
That's ok though. That will make the reward all the better.
November 14th, 2009 at 6:22 PM ^
There is nothing "OK" about what has happened in the past two seasons. Sorry. Since when did the Michigan fanbase think 3-9 and (probably) 5-7 were "OK?"
You can be supportive of RR and still think these two seasons were below the standards of the University of Michigan.
November 14th, 2009 at 6:56 PM ^
At the end of the day, we'll be back. Michigan will not see themselves become Washington or SMU.
Whether that is with Rodriguez or not is up to him. If he fails, it will be a lot more significant for his life than for this program.
November 14th, 2009 at 7:13 PM ^
Wonderful! Only 4 hrs and 45 min to go. I was starting to think it would take longer than that!
November 14th, 2009 at 8:22 PM ^
Its great to see a positive thread like this! I still supprt him 100 percent. WE WILL RISE AGAIN!