A thought about Jan.2nd

Submitted by Ziff72 on

This is not a CC post.  I don't want any dicussion about what the decision will be, but I have heard Brian be pretty sure that we'll know by Jan 2nd and I have heard that same thought echoed by most everyone else.

My question is that if this is true how will Brandon not come off looking like a complete liar?  

It would be hard to sell he did a complete program evaluation, did an exhaustive coaching search and then hammered out the contract in 15-20hrs.   Even if Brandon has his guy, I would think he would at least bring in other candidates or talk to other candidates to give the impression of doing an exhaustive search to find the right person.   

I think he won't say a thing until a few days after and if he is making a change he will have seperate press sonferences several days apart.   Maybe Jan 5th-15th I think is a more likely time frame depending on what he does.  Brandon has been all about upholding Michigan's image  and saying he is sticking to his word so it would seem unlikely to me he comes out on the 2nd with a backroom deal that would go against what he has said..

What do you think? Am I off base here.

 

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evenyoubrutus

December 17th, 2010 at 11:55 AM ^

Yeah but if Harbaugh is the guy that won't be announced until after his bowl game, which is January 3rd. I think if it plays out this way there will be a firing press conference on the 2nd (or 3rd) and a hiring presser on the 5th or 6th. Also people need to remember that if they do hire Harbaugh after an under-the-table handshake between JH and DB, there still will need to be a contract negotiation period, which is why it will probably happen a lot slower than people think.

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DGDestroys

December 17th, 2010 at 10:34 AM ^

I think Brandon has a majority of his opinion made up right now, the bowl game's just the tip of the evaluation. He probably has a good idea what he's going to do, but until he can see the complete picture he won't act.

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SC Wolverine

December 17th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^

Didn't DB also say that he just thinks the coaches earned a right to play the bowl game?  In that case, this may at least be part of his honest answer: he just thinks it wrong to give their performance evaluation before the work period is over.  (Notice the distinction between making an evaluation and giving an evaluation -- DB may have done the former but not think it appropriate yet to give the latter prior to the bowl).  If so, that would be a very corporate way of thinking, and thus fit DB's background.

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bluenyc

December 17th, 2010 at 10:35 AM ^

Just because he announces on 1/2, doesn't mean that there has to be a change.  He is probably close to being done with his evaluation.  Although, I agree with you that it may take a couple of extra days.

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burtcomma

December 17th, 2010 at 10:51 AM ^

That means within 5 seconds of when the Gator Bowl ends, right?

Anyone want to bet on whether a reporter or a group of reporters stick a microphone in DB's face after the game and ask for his decision since the season is over?

Gee, let's start reading the guys statements and listening to his verbal comments like we are all Cold War era Kremlinologists again......

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Blue-Chip

December 17th, 2010 at 10:46 AM ^

No matter how long Brandon waits, if he goes with Harbaugh everyone will assume it was a done deal long before.  The general opinion of fans and the media is that its a one of two scenario:  Harbaugh or Rodriguez?  That being the case, it wouldn't take a great deal of time to do a complete assessment.

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Mitch Cumstein

December 17th, 2010 at 10:54 AM ^

Jan 2 is a Saturday, so I think he could wait until the 4th, which is a Monday and still consider it an "immediate" decision.  Without the information that you present saying that Jan 2nd is the day, I would have just assumed Jan 4th would be the earliest we hear anything.

Also, if DB does decide to keep RR, especially if we have a great performance in the bowl game, it wouldn't surprise me to hear immediately after the game from DB. 

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BlueintheLou

December 17th, 2010 at 11:54 AM ^

True, the 2nd is a Sunday, but at the same time, even if we have an immediate decision and backroom deals have been made, we won't hear until Jan 4th. Stanford plays Jan 3rd.

I hope to not hear anything until Jan 10-ish. I think that will allow for proper evaluation and determination of the best way to move forward.

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Beavis

December 17th, 2010 at 10:54 AM ^

I think people have thrown out Jan 2nd just because that's the earliest we could expect to hear something.

But I think you are right - anyone who has ever worked in an office knows that "rome wasn't built in a day".  It takes time to get situations such as this one hammered out.  If there is an announcement on Jan 2nd, it would likely be "Harbaugh is coming, and the contract's been in the works the last three weeks". 

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Mitch Cumstein

December 17th, 2010 at 10:58 AM ^

Why do you think a Jan 2 announcement would more likely be "Harbaugh is coming, and the contract's been in the works the last three weeks"? My gut feeling is that the earlier the announcement, especially if it is before Stanford's bowl game, favors retaining RR.   Although at this point I really don't know what to think.

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Beavis

December 17th, 2010 at 11:06 AM ^

Although at this point I really don't know what to think.

Me too sir, me too.  Probably because the company holiday party was last night for me, though.

Although it would be prior to the Stanford bowl game - why would DB risk losing recruits by not announcing RR is going to stay if he's going to announce RR is staying right after our bowl game?  I don't see how that is possible.  He would announce it now. 

It would also go to show that DB gave RR the "respect of letting him coach through his final game with his team, when he could have announced Harbaugh between the OSU and bowl games". 

But really..... I go back to your quote.  I have no clue.  I do care.  But I wish it were over and RR was just announced as our coach.  I think that would do wonders for our recruiting class (keep Dee and Dallas), and allow us to pick up a few more kids (Sam's gut feeling - Showers, Frost, and whoever else wants to come that can play). 

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NateVolk

December 17th, 2010 at 11:57 AM ^

Brandon is thinking long term. He could care less about a couple recruits and what they decide to do. Michigan needs to set itself up for future prosperity and unify the big time money wing of the fan base and the casual fans. Rodriguez' supporters are mostly not those people.  They are mostly younger guys and message board jockeys.  In the larger scheme, their opinion is meaningless.

The opinion of the casual fan is way more important because there are way more casual fans. The MSM readers who don't watch if we're getting manhandled against our rivals count huge. Those are the people Michigan can't lose from an economic point of view.

As for recruiting worries steering the ship:  Michigan State was desperate to hold on to recruits and kept Bobby Williams a few years ago. I wouldn't want us to apply that same rationale in this case. 

Bottom line: The consideration isn't whether any of us think Rodriguez is the man for the long term future. The consideration is whether Brandon thinks he is.  What does Brandon's current stance, coupled with Rodriguez sad public plea for clemency a couple weeks ago, tell everyone logically about where this is headed?

Rodriguez can be making his case stronger now in a lot of ways. But he can't replay the blood baths against Iowa, Penn State, MSU, Wisconsin, and Ohio State.  If this team had shown anything in those games, we wouldn't be sitting here mulling over the guy's job. He'd already be extended. 

Brandon is not persecuting or mismanaging. He is enforcing a baseline standard of results that this coach hasn't met.  The next guy will plainly understand those standards and will not be naive enough to think that Michigan's football future runs on future promises. 

If Rodriguez does come back, you can bet he now gets the reality of what were about.  How in the heck he got the idea he could come in here and lolly gag around like he has, boggles all understanding. Maybe Bill Martin said it was cool and we're all mellow to getting our butt kicked?

Those days are over. Whether he comes back or not.

 

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msoccer10

December 17th, 2010 at 12:15 PM ^

The fact that you think, "...he got the idea he could come in here and lolly gag around like he has..." is what boggles my mind.

What in the last three years, other than the poor performances, gives you the impression that Rodriguez hasn't given his best. I believe the problems with this team are 80% personel and 20% coaching. I hate what has happened to Michigan over the last three years, but to be honest, I haven't been happy with what has happened to Michigan over the last 7 years except for most of 2006.

We all understand that the standard at Michigan is higher than what we have seen these last three years. But a coach deserves 4 years in my opinoin. If he isn't 9-3 at least next year, I am ok with letting him go, but I totally disagree that we have failed because of a lack of effort on his part.

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micheal honcho

December 17th, 2010 at 1:25 PM ^

I wouldnt say he "lolly gagged" however he did assume that there would be tolerance for him gutting the program and making it over in his image, something I feel that he did actually work very hard at doing(the makeover) as quickly as he could.

The first signifficant evidence of this(looking back now) was in his 1st year when he choose to let Brandon Minor basically platoon in while true freshman Sam McStuffie got the nod as starter. That IMO was a statement on his part that "business as usual" is done and theres a new sheriff in town.

9-3 next year, even if the 3 losses are to OSU, MSU and PSU or Whisky?? meaning that in 4 years he will have accomplished the feat of gettiing our team back to beating the teams we've(for the most part) always beaten. That would be enough?? Sorry, I'd accept him coming back if thats whats announced but my expectations for giving him an extension are nothing short of 10 wins and beat at least 2 of the aformentioned teams.

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OMG Shirtless

December 17th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^

If Rodriguez does come back, you can bet he now gets the reality of what were about.  How in the heck he got the idea he could come in here and lolly gag around like he has, boggles all understanding. Maybe Bill Martin said it was cool and we're all mellow to getting our butt kicked?

This is the second time you've ruined a perfectly reasonable comment with this nonsense.  Rodriguez may have lost too many games to keep his job, but do you really think he is just lolly gagging around collecting a paycheck?  Have you seen him on the sidelines?  It is clear he wants to win.

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raleighwood

December 17th, 2010 at 2:15 PM ^

"Lolly Gag" may have been a poor choice of words but I get his general impression.  I think that RR underestimated what it took to win and how quickly he needed to get there.

1.  The fact that Sheridan started over Threet in Game 1 was a clear indication that RR was going to fit a square peg into a round hole (players not equipped to do what they were asked).

2.  Shaw and McGuffie got more carries than Minor or Brown in the early going.  Injuries might have played a role but something ddn't seem quite right.

3.  Turnovers have been a consistent issue for three years.  It was better during the early part of 2011 but fell apart down the stretch.

4.  The kicker has trouble keeping the ball in bounds on kickoffs let alone put it through the uprights in Year 3.  Something was overlooked here.

The offense got up to # 5 in the country (total yards) but the other two phases of the game fell apart.  I won't say that RR "lolly gagged" but major aspects were neglected (or at least did not perform to standards) along the way.

 

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WolvinLA2

December 17th, 2010 at 10:55 AM ^

In the LA Times yesterday, they did a quick review of every bowl game.  For the Orange Bowl it said something along the lines of "The Orange Bowl is a good chance for Jim Harbaugh to gain momentum to take to Michigan next year."  Another statement made implying JH is a foregone conclusion. 

I'm not saying this means anything, but just another source saying it.

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raleighwood

December 17th, 2010 at 10:39 PM ^

We need to take a poll and regarding what happens next year.

A.  The whole coaching staff is back

B.  RR is back with a new DC (or more)

C.  A new HC is in place.

It would be interesting to look at that on January 5th or 6th and see which people were right.

Personally, I don't think that he'll be back.  That's mostly based on the fact that he hasn't been given the endorsement of his AD yet and the performance in the bowl game is basically meaningless when DB has 12 games this season to base his decision on.

I'm not saying that the decision is a slam dunk.  I'm just saying that he has enough evidence to make a decision (either way).  The fact that he hasn't made a decision leads me to believe that he's waiting for something/someone (and it's not a bowl game).

 

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st barth

December 17th, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^

This whole coaching circus is going to end up being a non-story.  If Brandon completes his evaluation and decides that the football program is in decent shape then there might not even be an official announcement.  People might just keep wondering...

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thisiscmd

December 17th, 2010 at 11:16 AM ^

He may not hold a press conference, but the extension would make headlines. People care about this, it's news. It may get beat to death here on mgoblog, but who is at the helm of the best and most storied college football team ever is still a BFD to the sports world... 

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