WSJ takes on the Brandon situation
Here: http://online.wsj.com/articles/michigans-sports-ceo-takes-a-hit-1412207549
The money quote:
If Hoke ultimately is replaced, Ross said, "[Brandon] will look for a Michigan person that will fit Michigan.
Please fire this asshole.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:36 PM ^
[Prepares resume]
October 2nd, 2014 at 10:44 AM ^
to show MARKED improvement to save his job. Clearly Hoke is in serious trouble if the main benefactor of the University is not defending him.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:36 PM ^
Really, why should we give a rat's ass what Ross thinks about this stuff?
October 1st, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
We probably shouldn't care, but as the most significant donor to both academics and athletics in recent history, he does have some influence. But I don't think it will be enough.
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October 1st, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^
Actually, it is more than enough....unfortunately as I'd love to see Brandon canned, just doubt it happens. He'll probably pick the next coach.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:39 PM ^
Maybe because he is the most powerful living allum UM has.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:40 PM ^
Define "powerful." Because being a billionaire and owning an NFL franchise doesn't exactly equate with a lot of the incredible alumni Michigan has working around the world.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^
Well if you think the President is the most powerful person in the US I have a plot of swamp land i can sell you. Money=Power
October 1st, 2014 at 8:45 PM ^
the 101st airborne is another. It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:57 PM ^
but as history has shown a single man can quickly end that power.
A charismatic demagogue is far more powerful because he can move the masses with mere words. Adolf Hitler, Lenin, Mao...these men had power that no wealthy man ever possessed.*Centralized government is the most powerful institution on earth and it isn't even close.
* All three had wealth, but it was wealth directly related to their offices.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:06 PM ^
Centralized government is controlled by the men with power behind the scenes. Even our Military is controlled by the influence of money.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:25 PM ^
Nor was/it the case for Castro, Gaddafi, etc.
The man who can manipulate the masses is always, ALWAYS the most powerful. He can simply take what the rich have. Lenin largely exterminated the rich in his country. He shot the wealthiest man in Tsarist Russia(the Tsar who was seen as an earthlyGod)in a basement!
The wealthy can have a lot of influence, but history shows that even that has it's limits. He who controls the military controls the country.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:34 PM ^
this devolved into a history knowledge dick measuring contest is rather impressive.
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:00 AM ^
It reminds me of the way the blog used to be. Right before Hoke and Brandon put a turd in the punch bowl.
October 2nd, 2014 at 10:14 AM ^
Look, strange women lying in ponds is no basis for a system of government.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:50 PM ^
Stephen M. Ross is not the richest (in terms of net worth) Michigan alumnus. I'm not 100% sure who that distinction belongs to, but Larry Page is worth more.
Stephen M. Ross net worth: $4.8 billion
Larry Page net worth: $32.3 billion. And if you want to talk about "power"....Larry Page is CEO of Google, which has cornered the market on personal data. Yeah that's actually a lot of power when you think about it...
October 2nd, 2014 at 1:54 AM ^
but I have never heard him connected in anyway with UM athletics, Ross has made significant contributions specifically to the athletic department, I would be surprised if Page was even aware/gave a shit about this "scandal".
October 1st, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^
You're assuming that Ross' wealth equates to great power. Well, at this moment another living "alum", Valerie Jarrett, is in a pretty damn powerful position, yet she probably has a fraction of the money lost in Ross' couch.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:11 PM ^
Umm pretty sure Fred Wilpon, Mets owner, is just as powerful then if we're going by these metrics... or the Thomas Wilson, Allstate CEO, hell, might as well throw in Dick Costolo and Sanjay Gupta while we're at it
October 1st, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^
Well when they donate $200 million and get the University to force the whole stadium to stand up and applaud them in thanks for it we can add them into consideration.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:19 PM ^
And here I thought commencement speeches and rigging a Sugar Bowl bid in favor of Michigan were enough
HAHA
/s
October 2nd, 2014 at 6:12 AM ^
Umm no. One check from Larry Page at Google would make Ross look like the minor leagues.
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October 2nd, 2014 at 8:43 AM ^
"He chose money over power. In this town, a mistake nearly everyone makes. Money is the Mc-mansion in Sarasota that starts falling apart after 10 years. Power is the old stone building that stands for centuries. I cannot respect someone who doesn't see the difference."
-Francis Underwood
October 1st, 2014 at 11:54 PM ^
he'd get a LONG and thorough look, if not hired. Money = Power. $400M in a decade sort of buys things like that.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
Seriously? Now Brady is an asshole? Every expression from Brady is anything but an asshole. Not a good coach - up for consideration. But asshole?
Your the asshole. Get a perspective brother.
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October 1st, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^
He was talking about Brandon.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:43 PM ^
I thought he was referring to Brandon, since Brandon would be the one replacing Hoke with a "Michigan Man," something that most of us agree needs to die if we are ever going to compete again.
If we get Harbaugh, sure it's the best of both worlds, but his success will be because he's the best coach available and not simply because of his ties to the university.
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October 1st, 2014 at 8:49 PM ^
Hmm...
October 1st, 2014 at 9:03 PM ^
It's not up for consideration. Brady Hoke is a terrible head football coach. He is one of the worst coaches in the conference if not the country. While I appreciate his love and devotion for the university that is nowhere near enough to outweigh his lack of coaching skills or I'd be preparing my resume.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:12 PM ^
...so how does that make him an asshole? You're ratifying the point of the guy you're yelling at. He sucks at his job, yes. Doesn't make him an asshole. Bit extreme.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:36 PM ^
that's cool. but call a man an asshole and you've gone too far, man.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
Sounds like this hot young coach out in San Fran I've heard about.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:39 PM ^
Except that Ross wants Harbaugh to coach the team he owns down in Miami.
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October 1st, 2014 at 11:55 PM ^
Almost got him last time.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
Well we need his money so whatever. I don't think he will have any true pull as to who we hire next time around (I HOPE).
October 1st, 2014 at 8:40 PM ^
"Need his money" is overstating the case, by a lot. His money is very nice indeed but by no means does the AD "need" it, it turns a profit without it.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:44 PM ^
true enough, how about it helps.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:03 PM ^
Well without oxygen how helpful is money? Whichever alum produces the most oxygen is therefore the most powerful. Pfft, Ross and his puny "money." I bet he doesn't even have gold behind it.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:45 PM ^
This. We don't need his money. I also doubt he'd withhold future donations out of some sense of loyalty to DB. He cares about the university, not the AD.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:50 PM ^
Would we have turned a profit this year without Ross's donation? I thought our projected margins were pretty small for 2014-15.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:59 PM ^
though we might be unable to replace athletic facilities just because we can or build new ones we don't really need.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^
So now it's "Michigan person?"
October 1st, 2014 at 8:44 PM ^
Hutch4FootballHC?
October 1st, 2014 at 9:02 PM ^
A lot worse.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:05 PM ^
Indeed. Heard a story that Bo saw her walking across the parking lot and said something like, "that the best damn coach that Michigan's every had."
October 1st, 2014 at 9:59 PM ^
Ask Hutch what she thinks of Brandon as she has been here under many ADs. I would be shocked if she isnt fully supportive of Brandon...although you may not get away from her going on an hour long rage against Don Canham. People here act like he was god...ask Hutch about Canham and his he treated her sport. Plenty of articles out there with her slamming Canham.
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October 1st, 2014 at 9:43 PM ^
Nah, gotta keep the alliteration.
Michigan Man and Wolverine Woman.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:48 PM ^
Kudos to the WSJ for finding the worst possible picture of Brandon. He looks like Emperor Palpatine in that thing.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:50 PM ^
Number 2 at Berkshire Hathaway would be a good ally, and I believe he just made a huge gift to the B School
October 1st, 2014 at 8:59 PM ^
For those who are saying we don't need Ross's money you are wrong. How do you think buildings get built? By using the $5-6M of operating profit the AD generates each year? That's nothing. Most of the projects undertaken by the AD are $20M plus.
Also btw do you realize what his money does for non-AD related projects? The entire new business school (and additional construction now) were made possible entirely from Ross's $200M in donations (this does not include money he gave to the AD). I don't think you can get one without the other so let's just all be super grateful for what Ross does for this university.