Thank you Coach Borges
January 9th, 2014 at 6:42 PM ^
And surgery to replace the thumbs with toes.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
Yes, the wheel of ka does ever turn.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
Don't be a dick.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:47 PM ^
you have every right to that opinion and it is shared by many others. That said, why not just pass on this thread instead of commenting?
The thread title is "Thank you Coach Borges", not "Good Riddance Loser." Just my .02.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:06 PM ^
very good coach, even better man. thank you especially for the sugar bowl!
January 9th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^
After 2011 he was getting inquiries about other positions and decided to stay.
January 9th, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
In what way was he responsible for the sugar bowl? He did coordinate the OFFENSE right? He coached at UM for 3 years. That is the sum of his accomplishments. Thank him all you want but do not give him the credit that rightfully belongs to players who "executed".
January 9th, 2014 at 12:06 PM ^
Appreciation thread lives again!
Thanks Al
January 9th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^
Fire Borges! oh, wait....
January 9th, 2014 at 12:08 PM ^
did anyone else think he had a soothing, dreamy voice?
January 9th, 2014 at 12:10 PM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 12:15 PM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 12:11 PM ^
I'm not sure we'll ever have a better coach nickname than 'Gorgeous Al Borges'. So there's that.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:21 PM ^
doesn't have quite the same ring to it
January 9th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^
I just wish Heiko was still on the MGoStaff.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
I mean I guess I noticed now that Heiko doesn't do the press conference interviews but I really don't think there was a formal announcement was there? I mean, I visit MGoBlog like 10 times a day, I thought I would have noticed
January 9th, 2014 at 12:42 PM ^
I heard that's the real reason Borges is gone. He didn't get fired; he quit because he realized he could no longer bring himself to do press conferences without Heiko's presence.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:47 PM ^
Unless I'm mistaken, Heiko was working for MGoBlog as a student, and graduated this winter. I believe it was noted that the Bowl game would be the last he'd cover. I might be misremembering.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:15 PM ^
I can in no way judge how "nice of a guy" Borges was so I'll leave that out of this. What I will say as a farewell is that despite the rough patches these past three years, he was also responsible for some amazing offensive games and set records that may live for a while. The OSU game, the IU game, the various ND games. He also helped get Jeremy Gallon the receiving record, turned Funchess into a very productive receiver, and help guide an awkward hybrid offense in 2011 to product two 1000-yard rushers. Unlike the common comparison to the Gerg/RichRod defensive struggles, there were several extremely amazing offensive performances under Borges that shouldn't be ignored as we move into a new era. Good luck Al - may your next stop include a mature offensive line and QB and a fan base that doesn't know why throwing bubble screens is a productive offensive play.
January 9th, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^
When asked about OSU borges only answer was "execution". Well, that is not true, when asked again he answered: "next question".
If you want to thank him for being here, great.
He was an arrogant ass who felt easy yardage was beneath him. Al Borges doesn't take what defenses give. He would rather get 27 yds on 27 carries HIS WAY.
IF EXECUTION GETS THE BLAME WHY DOES AL GET THE CREDIT
January 9th, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^
Just means they've got to uproot (again) and start over. A bummer for them but in the world of BCS football, it's bound to happen when you don't meet expectations. I hope he lands on his feet and does well somewhere else
January 9th, 2014 at 12:18 PM ^
I do feel bad for the guy. But there needed to be a change. Best of luck to him in finding a new job. I hope both sides "win" in this case. Thanks Al!
January 9th, 2014 at 12:19 PM ^
He took an experienced group of players, implemented a fairly new/different scheme, and there wasn't a considerable drop-off in production from RR 2010. Coupled with Mattison's improvements to the D, we won a Sugar Bowl.
We've been getting younger each and every year and maybe his stubbornness was his undoing but we actually won a BCS game thanks in no small part to Borges being able to adapt to Denard. We have exactly two BCS wins.
Here's to hoping for the future.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
It is really hard to wish anyone poorly who dons the Maize and Blue. I will be happy to wish him well as he moves forward.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:22 PM ^
While I might not have liked some (many) of his playcalls, he's still a human being that just lost his job. Best of luck to him and his family going forward, I hope he finds a school where he's a better fit.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:22 PM ^
The man was well paid, but the pay bump that put him near the top came after the Sugar Bowl win. He came into a difficult situation and devoted himself to the program, the team and his players. In other words he was a good solid coach. We can argue about the degree to which he was responsible for the short comings of the last season, but under extreme pressure he conducted himself with grace and poise to the credit of the program. The production wasn't there, but Al remained professional to the end.
Good luck where ever you land Al.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
...Coach Borges the best and hope he quickly finds another coaching opportunity. It's easy to criticize and in large part the criticism is warranted. But the personal attacks and vindictiveness of many who wanted him gone are so out of line.
Second only to the promise of what Coach Nussmeier may bring to the postion of Michigan OC, the best outcome of this move is that the Fire Borges meme is dead.*
*Except I know that people will continue to use it in an attempt to be clever. So it won't be dead, but it will be lame.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
You forgot the direct address comma, OP.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
Thanks Al, for trying your best. Good luck at your next stop.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^
Thank you. For the good, and we can all forget the bad. Sometimes you have to look back and go "oops". Better to start fresh than dig a deeper hole/find out where rock bottom is before the rebound.
I know he loves drawing up plays. Maybe he can help develop some crazy playbooks for video games?
January 9th, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^
Sadly, the NCAA series of video games is currently DOA with EA announcing that they won't produce a version next year and nobody else even close to stepping up.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^
Great interviews (especially the exclusive with Heiko) and seemed like a nice guy. A little stubborn with offensive philosophy, but what can you expect from an OC in his late 50's.
I know that his wife works in the AD at EMU -- any chance they are still looking for an OC (I know they recently hired their new HC)?
January 9th, 2014 at 12:35 PM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^
I respect Coach Borges a great deal, but thanking him for his performance here is kind of like thanking the guy who knocked up your 16 year old daughter, and humiliated your family among your peers.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
it isn't like that.
January 9th, 2014 at 1:05 PM ^
It's thanking a guy who tried his best for 3 years but wasn't good enough. He didn't leave the program in shambles, he didn't have any sort of "scandal" or anything to cause the NCAA to investigate the program. He had his bright spots, but in the end it just wasn't good enough overall.
Comparing that to a guy who knocked up your 16 year old daughter? Doesn't sound like you really respect him much, honestly.
Why is it so hard for people to separate the man from the results? He represented the university well. You thank him for that. Not that hard.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^
When are these pitiful threads going to stop? First a congrats thread to our bitter rival and biggest (yes, they are) threat, and now this for the man who set the offense back at least two years?!
You're an idiot, OP.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:45 PM ^
This board is just losing it's internet toughness these days, huh?
January 9th, 2014 at 12:55 PM ^
Thank you for your outstanding contribution to the discussion.
January 9th, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^
While I agree with your comment about congratulating our rival (because screw them!), Borges was for 3 years OUR guy. He worked his ass off to try to make us better and although things didn't work out as we all would've liked, I have no doubt he gave his all every single day! During that time there is much to be grateful for inclding 2 UTLs, a win against OSU, MSU and a great first half against OSU in the horseshoe! Not to mention the challange of adapting to Dennard for 2 years to give us the best chance to win! For that, we should all be thankful!
January 9th, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^
Who pissed in your cornflakes? No need to be an asshole.
January 9th, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
You seem like a nice, likeable person.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:44 PM ^
seemingly intended to undermine the "thanks for your hard work" comment.
If you think effort is always lock-step with every dollar paid in income, well, never mind. You know that's not the case. Obviously I don't know how hard Borges worked, but to the extent that some have perceived it to be "very," it's not tossed aside because he was well-compensated.
Borges seems like a good guy who got paid a lot by the program and worked hard; ultimately he wasn't successful. Best of luck to him, and I'm psyched about the new hire.
January 9th, 2014 at 1:00 PM ^
To every asshole who thinks it's okay to be a dick to someone who lost his job just because it paid a high six-figure salary: the next time you get laid off or fired from your $80,000/yr job, know there's a factory worker somewhere in Bangladesh making $5.00 a day who has no sympathy for you.
January 9th, 2014 at 12:44 PM ^
My friend that knows Al Borges said he was at his house today for a cup of tea and saw him reading this thread on his laptop. He said that Al says to tell everyone thank you for the kind words.