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How can you say that? I even

How can you say that? I even stated that being supportive of the current situation is one thing, but having an opinion on whether its the BEST situation is another. Just because I dont agree with the direction the program took does not mean I am not a diehard fan. In the end we all want the same thing and that is to see M succeed. The situation isn't changing any time soon (we will see after this season) so my comments didn't need to be publicized and I apologize for that. Here's to a great season under RR!! I dont by any means hope for him to fail and get out. I hope he proves me wrong and we win an NC in the near future.

Did any of those past coaches quit before a bcs bowl game?

I base it on what ive seen on game day. The way I see him interact with his players and his coaches. He was on freaking television looking flustered and angry during multiple games this year. As a coach I understand intensity but when I saw how he reacted at certain points, it looked like a person who didn't know how to handle a situation when a play didn't go as planned. I agree I cant judge if I haven't met the guy and seen how he is face to face. But please dont ever compare Fielding Yost, Fritz Crisler, and Bo Schembechler to RR. At least not yet. And yes I do think he has less character because he left his team hanging before a bowl game. That is a shit move no matter how you look at it. He had an entire state backing him and counting on him to win, and he left. That is not a character move and its insulting you even remotely compare him to past coaches at MI.

And what I mean by ambition and opportunity is that the guy has zero reason to consider the Michigan job aside from a step up to a top tier program. Yes I think its important to have ties to the University if you are considering this job. And its a huge character flaw to leave WVU the way he did. I live in WV at the moment and literally left an entire state down. A state which he is from. I never said you shouldn't have ambition in taking a job because that is always there when moving to a better program in college football. What I meant is that it could have been ND, UF, Texas, USC, or even Ohio State and I guarantee you it would not make a difference to RR. Yes you are right I am skeptical, but why shouldn't I be? I think him being successful will help change my opinion but he has a long way to go before I can say he is a good fit. I hope he proves me wrong because trust me I will be the first to admit my mistake in doubting him. To specify I think a person who is the RIGHT fit can learn to become a Michigan Man. I just don't see it with RR and think he is the wrong fit for us. I'll continue to judge him for more than just results on the field because that comes with job title of Head Coach at Michigan.

Why is there way bad?

Being a Michigan man does mean having a large degree of integrity I agree. But honestly when it comes to recruiting I really do not see any other option to be competitive for the top prospects. Financial compensation in any way is completely wrong. But we aren't UF, we dont have the warm weather attractiveness. Under RR we now also have lost our ability to tell recruits that Michigan is a school which can develop you for not only the NFL, but a good draft pick. Recruiting is a shady game these days and we all know it.

Being a Michigan Man means understanding and feeling a certain way for the school. Making the school yours in a sense. Not integrity when it comes to recruiting.

Ignorant

Understanding our football program and university means more than just winning. Respecting "traditional" or long established alumni is important. How can you sit there and insult fans who've proven themselves with 30 years of support? Winning is probably always THE single most important quality to most programs, but we aren't most programs. We are Michigan. Hopefully RR suceeds so the University isn't embarassed, but the man took the job out of ambition and opportunity. I dont know him, but I can tell through videos that his mentality is not one to embrace the community and culture of Ann Arbor. I mean the guy also has a history of ditching is hometown. That says a lot about character....

Bo

Bo had Midwestern roots and understood "The" rivalry and what it means to both Michigan and OSU alike.

Growing up in Ann Arbor

I was born and raised in Ann Arbor, but in the same regard my parents immigrated to this country and therefore never understood the spirit of Michigan sports until I went there for college. My first football game was in middle school with a friend whose father was dean of the math department. We had seats on the fifty yard line next to Marty Mornhinweg (at the time coach of the lions). Attending a game elevated my pride and made me understand the meaning of being a serious fan of the University of Michigan. Being a townie gives you a whole new perspective on things and I would never in a million years trade being raised in Ann Arbor for anywhere else in the world. I’ve had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with older alumni through the majority of my life I can never negate the opinion that rich rod is NOT a Michigan man. Currently he is early in his tenure, and change may very well be the best thing for the program at this time. But I can say that there are certain traits about RR which diminish what many consider a true Michigan man. RR is harsh, crude, and stubborn in his mentality. He has absolutely no relation to the UofM vs OSU rivalry in any way (compared to Bo who coached under Hayes prior to being a legend with us). In all honesty it does take an element away from the tradition and heritage of the program. Yes RR can adapt, but I personally never see him understanding things a true Michigan man would.

I currently live in Charleston, WV and the people are amazingly friendly and laid back. Tonight I hung out with some ex-WVU football players and they told me their thoughts on RR. They had many great things to say, but also emphasized how he lacks the ability to develop connections with players. He does not have the ability to motivate rather than deflate a player’s confidence when a mistake is made. Instead of teaching he resorts to shouting obscenities and strays away from helping the player correct their mistakes. Even though these were WVU players they were extremely friendly and seemed genuinely honest.

We’ve all watched on national TV RR’s reaction to blown plays this past year. We’ve seen times when the coaching staff themselves were arguing in front of the camera (how much common sense does it take to at least try and save it for the locker room?). RR takes away from this universities image. Yes his offensive scheme may be successful this year, but hiring him was a bad decision. I love the university and I think your father in-law would agree that winning will dampen the dislike. RR has never been the right answer for us, and does not fit here. I know many may disagree but Ann Arbor is where my parents and brother live. My brother is an alum season ticket holder. In our family we support the program through everything and anything. Maybe RR is learning and progressing with time but currently it is not the image I expect from our head coach. I'm optimistic about next season and without a doubt want RR to succeed because I always want Michigan to succeed.

I will always support whoever coaches the Wolverines. But to say RR is a Michigan man at this time is wrong. He hasn’t proven anything to me. He doesn’t have the substance both as a coach and as a person to deserve that title. I hope one day he does, but right now it is very frustrating for a lot of people like your father in-law for a man like this to be our coach. This is Michigan not WV and we will always have our strong beliefs. You as a coach need to respect that and change to adopt that culture. I don’t see RR doing that and for that reason I have never liked the decision to make him coach. Jim Harbaugh has said a few negative comments regarding emphasizing legitimate academics on the football team. BiG freaking deal....the man is a true Michigan man at heart. People like him understand the university and the community on a different level. If you were insulted by his comments then you underestimate the passion he has for UofM. I guarantee you growing up in Ann Arbor; you won’t EVER stop loving UofM. Harbaugh is who belongs here. He’s the one who can make an extremely positive impact both on and off the field.
Rich Rod is not the answer. Sorry for being pessimistic but im sharing the opinion of a great deal of fans who love the university. In the end we all want whats best for the school and unfortunately those who simply spend their 4-8 years in Ann Arbor and leave cant understand certain aspects of the community. Yes he may win at some point (hopefully) but he simply just doesn't have either A. the open mind to become a michigan man or B. the passion a man like Harbaugh whose roots are here has. To him its a job to make a mark in the sport and nothing else, and It's a shame for the school I love to not have that in their coach.

Impact

Would a Pitt or Mizzou entry into the big ten be able to make the same impact that Penn St. made when they entered? 12 teams is the right move and we all have known it for a long time, but expansion should only be considered if there is a legitimate team which could improve the Big Ten. Football is the main moneymaker for most schools in the big ten so why go with a team with a low/mediocre ceiling in an area which is either not improving our recruiting base (Missouri) or already covered (Pitt)? In the end an addition is better than staying with an 11 team conference with no championship game.

Virginia?

Strong public institution and one of the founders of the ACC. It was mentioned it would be dificult to pry away an ACC school because of the lacrosse/soccer strength of that conference and the lack thereof in the big ten. Being in a conference like the big ten would give them more national exposure from a football standpoint. Academically it would look great in the big ten.

The ACC with Virginia, Maryland, BC, or even G Tech has teams which could improve the big ten as a conference to a much larger extent than teams like Pitt. If we could somehow get one of these teams to join it would be a huge asset to the conference.