expatriate

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Date	Title	Body
3 weeks 4 days ago	Oberon	I am in DC and so grateful they have it here. Plan to continue on Oberon for the rest of the night!
5 weeks 6 days ago	It's all about perspective	I try to remember back to the beginning of the season and think about what my expectations were.  Was Michigan the best team in the country?  Honestly Louisville was pretty dominant and yea, they probably really were the better team.  That doesn't diminish how far this team went.  This season was a coming out party for Michigan, a basketball juggernaut resurrected for the long haul.  So they didn't win the title- only one team ever can.  I try not to think about the game itself, that is just one data point on a whole spectrum that show the upward trajectory of this team. Big picture, this has been an amazing time for Michigan basketball. One game can't spoil that.
21 weeks 6 days ago	THIS	I don't know who you are and of course no University fundraisers would ever go on the record, but... THIS. YES. THIS.   The football program was long a way to funnel donors into the academic mission of the university. They would start by making gifts to the athletic programs and would subsequently get better acquainted with the academic side and start to fund scholarships, professorships, etc. Now those donors are being sequestered, with no one else from the university allowed to talk with them. This eliminates most of the residual benefits to the actual university (we are a university, not an NFL team) from having an athletics program.
21 weeks 6 days ago	THIS	I don't know who you are and of course no University fundraisers would ever go on the record, but... THIS. YES. THIS.   The football program was long a way to funnel donors into the academic mission of the university. They would start by making gifts to the athletic programs and would subsequently get better acquainted with the academic side and start to fund scholarships, professorships, etc. Now those donors are being sequestered, with no one else from the university allowed to talk with them. This eliminates most of the residual benefits to the actual university (we are a university, not an NFL team) from having an athletics program.
21 weeks 6 days ago	Money for money's sake is just paper	Money in and of itself makes nothing better or worse.  Dave Brandon is successful at making money.  I hope he does not alienate the older donors who will provide some of the endowed long-term funds for the athletic department.   Regardless of that, being profitable (just as having money in life) is only valuable in how it is used.  Building new monuments to vanity that do not advance the basic academic mission of the university are not as important as maintaining our integrity and identity as an institution.   Dave Brandon is very good at what he sets out to do. He is a very talented man.  I question what he is setting out to do.  The AD is more than a CEO, he is a representative of the University.  I didn't come to the University of Michigan for the football, I came here for the finest education I could obtain at an institution that had integrity, identity, and class.  I want our representatives to care about more than making money.
23 weeks 6 days ago	Health System	The health system is one of the most inefficient medical systems in the country in terms of fundraising, which is why those folks need those kinds of cuts.  The University kind of lets them operate on their own turf, which has its downsides.  Those folks need to clean house and learn how to raise money properly.  They have the facilties, they have the experts- now they need to learn how to pay for them.   I hate the need to buy up all the property in Ann Arbor- when I was a student and a few years after I could see the need, but at this point it is feeling a bit sprawling.  The best thing about Ann Arbor is the city/university interplay.  If it becomes all university it takes away what made my experience unique, and what I think makes Ann Arbor such a wonderful place to live.
26 weeks 11 hours ago	Sent mine in	Good luck and great work!
26 weeks 1 day ago	The story on Maryland	I think the post sells Maryland short.  First of all, a Terrapin is a specific kind of snapping turtle, not just an ordinary turtle (not that it makes a big difference).  Second of all, yes their uniforms are garish but that is better than them coming out in drab red and white garb like about 40% of the rest of college football.  They are trying to build a fanbase by puffing out their chests and being a bit garish- not every school has the strong automatic affinity we do at Michigan.  There is an effort there.   There has been a ton of mismanagement but the reason they wound up in this financial situation is largely the result of investing millions over the last couple decades in Olympic sports at the expense of football and basketball- they have some of the best soccer and lacrosse facilities but of course have let their football facilities languish until recently and even then, it's rough.   Maryland basketball has fallen on hard times due to Gary Williams being a bit of a Lloyd Carr in letting the program slip as he neared retirement and Mark Turgeon is really turning things around.  Football is a mess because of firing Ralph Friedgen (who wasn't great but was a solid 8-win coach) and hiring Edsall, but now that they can compete on more even footing with Penn State (which has made a career out of poaching the best Maryland talent) by being in the same conference they have a shot.   Finally, don't rip Maryland baseball too badly.  After all, they were good enough for Michigan to hire away their coach earlier this year.   Source: Michigan alum, Maryland native, twin brother went to Maryland
26 weeks 2 days ago	Divided loyalty here	My twin brother went to Maryland so while I would love to go to Michigan games in College Park we are both cringing at the thought of having to root against each others teams (we both grew up Michigan fans).  I live in DC (he lives in Baltimore) so it would be nice, but terribly awkward.  So personally I have to lean on the side of not being in the same division for selfish reasons.   Oh, and New Yorkers won't go to Rugters for a game the way DC folks would show up in College Park anyway.
26 weeks 2 days ago	Trying to think like the Big Ten may make your head explode	In order to make this determination you need to come up with some logical way of putting the teams into divisions- prestige, talent, geography, etc.  However, therein lies the problem.  There is no logic that defines how and why the Big Ten makes decisions except in what can glean an extra dollar. If they find out that Maryland playing in the Legends will increase viewership by 14 people in Western Maryland over putting them in the Leaders, it will happen.  There is no other rationale. We don't need logic, we need MBAs.
26 weeks 2 days ago	I am a Maryland fan- my	I am a Maryland fan- my brother went to Maryland, I grew up in the state, and I love that university.  However, they were a founding member of the ACC- they have long-standing rivalries with UVa, UNC, and Duke (I know, not primary rivals or anything).  They have no connection with the Big Ten and so much history with the East Coast.  Also, Maryland is not a powerful brand, even in the state, at least not at the level of the Big Ten public schools.  Maryland fans that I know are really not happy about this potential move- it isn't Nebraska, where there is a cultural connection or a style of play that matches with the conference.   This is such a transparently financial moves that doesn't just add an unnecessary extra pair of teams but also wrenches one from a lot of tradition, cultural connections, and longstanding rivalries.
27 weeks 3 hours ago	Thanks, much appreciated	I will do both of these, thanks.
27 weeks 5 hours ago	UM Club Question	MGoShoe, I figure you might be a good person to ask about this.  I moved to DC in August from Ann Arbor (BA 2008, worked for U-M until now) and want to try to be more engaged with the UM Alumni Club.  Do you know a good place to start or a good person to talk with?  I have seen a ton of different committees on the site but I don't know what half of them even mean... Thanks!
27 weeks 3 days ago	As a former out of state student	1) Come on now, in-state tuition at Michigan is the biggest bargain in higher education.  The sheer quality of the institution relative to the amount paid is lost on so many Michiganders- the most frustrating thing about my time there was people thinking they were being robbed when there was always, you know, ANY PRIVATE SCHOOL.  They don't realize how amazing their school is because it's always been right there. 2) Out of state tuition is ridiculous, but at the same time, you get what you pay for.  If I want to be at an elite institution that remains elite, it is worth it.  And even then out of state tuition doesnt even cover the full cost of educating a single student.  Thank God for fundraising to make up the difference.
28 weeks 4 days ago	From what I recall at the	From what I recall at the time DG's medical redshirt was something that we wouldn't know about until after his senior year but was something that was more or less expected to go through without a problem.  Now folks seem to highly doubt it will happen.  Since there has been a complete lack of information/updates I wonder why the perception has changed.   Even so, for today- WOOOO!
29 weeks 4 days ago	Three shots of Canadian whiskey	I have a big drive in the morning but my roommate is just too damn persuasive.  It may get to four, depends what happens.  This is what goes down when we have run out of beer...   ed: yes, the fourth happened. We are sitting here talking about deep dark personal stuff that probably isn't that relevatory but feels deep at the moment.
31 weeks 2 days ago	Fall Break	I was told it was Fall Break for students- many of them may have gone home or somewhere else for the long weekend.  Not an excuse, but a mitigating factor.
37 weeks 6 days ago	Wait...	You lost respect for the whole fanbase and find us universally evil because your thread got taken down?  That's it?  Just making sure. It's a good thing I wouldn't lose respect for an entire fanbase because some whack job went all-caps on an unhinged insulting rant.  Well you did wish me a good day, so I will give you credit for that.  That was a nice touch.  Good day to you too, friend.
37 weeks 6 days ago	Roommate is an Auburn fan	My roommate is an Auburn fan and she said she and her family (made up of almost all Auburn grads) are universally rooting for Michigan.  The thought never even occurred to them to root for their hated rival.  She figures the SEC is going to be the best anyway in the end, they don't need to prove anything.
38 weeks 1 day ago	At least 1	Oh, did you mean Arlington, TX?  I live in VA, you will have to be more specific.
43 weeks 6 hours ago	Marketplace	Ross Douglas and his mother were on Marketplace, a public radio show, yesterday.  He sounds like a great kid and I am glad to have him in the fold.  I wish he had been asked why he went to Michigan but they were concentrating on the Penn State reaction.   Link to audio here.
44 weeks 4 days ago	Sorry, don't feel bad.	Aww, he was promised a job before the hiring process was actually done and they wound up going with someone else?  I feel so bad for him.  I guess being a national champion qualifies you for all kinds of jobs.  Without knowing the whole background, I hope the university did its due diligence and went with the best candidate rather than just giving a wink and a nod to someone.   No one should have "promised" him the job in the first place of course, but still.  I have been passed over for a lot of jobs and no one should be gifted one.
44 weeks 6 days ago	Any known U-M Connection?	Saniya Chong may be a great player but who says U-M hasn't reached out?  Is she a closet Michigan fan waiting on an offer or something?  Given that our new coach came from St. Johns I am sure she is familiar with the New York recruiting scene and isn't overlooking anyone.  If this is just a random talented player then there could be any number of reasons why U-M isn't among her top schools.
46 weeks 6 days ago	Use the career services	I have heard their career services are absolutely amazing, they really invest in that.  They will hook you up if you stay active with them, especially for the MPPs.
47 weeks 5 hours ago	Thoughts from a true Maryland baseball fan	My friend is a Maryland grad, baseball broadcaster, and close follower of his alma mater's baseball team.  Here were his thoughts:     Wow, you swiped an up and coming coach.  Maryland got Bakich from Vanderbilt where he was an assistant, where he recruited people like David Price.  He made Maryland much stronger in his three years there, and really recruited well there.  In fact, the Terps had problems of players would commit to Maryland, then get drafted and sign.  That was his only problem really, the Terps took two of three from UCLA this season, a team that went to the CWS.   Maryland did not make it to the NCAAs, but I honestly feel one more year and the Terps would have gotten there.  I have no doubt Maryland was on the verge of becoming a strong ACC power, but I don't blame Bakich for leaving Maryland for Michigan.  You have a great coach coming to Ann Arbor, I just wish Maryland had a few more years with him.
1 year 5 days ago	Summary	Allow me to summarize his piece: Alabama is better SEC Fast, B1G Slow Alabama is still better Denard can't throw Alabama won't let Michigan run either Alabama has better players... Better coaches, too. Insert cliches and statistics grabbed off of Yahoo! Sports in 3 minutes.   There, just saved everyone some time.
1 year 2 weeks ago	As a Ravens fan I am upset	As a Ravens fan I am upset but this defense has a knack for players coming in and out and performing well.  When Adalius Thomas, Ed Hartwell, Bart Scott, Will Demps, Jim Leonhard, etc. all left at various times it looked like the defense would take a step back and it never really did.  Players tend to be better with the Ravens than they are anywhere else. I am cautiously optimistic about this season, but it will require the offense to take another step forward.  Unfortunately the easiest way to do that is to kidnap Cam Cameron and lock him in a dark room for the duration of the season, but that is frowned upon in Maryland law.
1 year 3 weeks ago	Patience, grasshopper.	Come on man, RDT will post if he has info that he is comfortable sharing, it's not like he is holding out on everyone just to be spiteful.  Just wait for the Hello post if/when it comes, in the meantime sit back and take it easy.
1 year 4 weeks ago	It still took all this for him to do the bare minimum	It still doesn't take away the fact that it took an absolute uproar for the Athletic Department to do the bare minimum that they should have done in the first place.  It honestly made us look like a second-tier department compared to Alabama and our numerous peer institutions who would have certainly brought their bands in the first place. I hope Brandon didn't just turn the screws on donors to get some big donors to pay for it- that kind of extortion is not how you build loyalty or set yourself up for larger future gifts.
1 year 4 weeks ago	Uh Oh	Somebody's gonna get in trouble...

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