Mullen hasn't said anything recently. He did come out and say, and there were articles on ESPN.com about this, back when he was being mentioned as a candidate for the Miami job that he was happy at MS. State and had no intention of leaving. Shortly after that is when MS. State signed him to a new contract.
People are saying they don't think he's a candidate for the Michigan job. Interestingly enough, I have an ESPN Insider account and they do list him as a Michigan candidate. I don't know what info they base that on, if any, though.
Well, that's your opinion and we're allowed to have ours. Don't come be holier than thou about it, either. If some people see doom and gloom spelled all over the Michigan basketball team after 6 games, 4 of which really didn't look that great, I can't blame them...especially thinking about what the rest of the Big Ten looks like. There's a reason analysts considered the Big Ten to be the best this season, even though it hasn't totally lived up to it thus far. It's also just sports' fans nature to look ahead and speculate, and we're going to do that. Realistic speculating right now for Michigan--it doesn't look good, i.e. we don't look like a NCAA Tourney team. Hopefully, that will change, and for the majority of us it's not like what we've seen is going to make us stop watching/supporting and hoping for the best.
Also, as a Michigan alum...not sure how other Michigan alums feel, but for me this is not just about sports. These teams are an extension of the University, and they represent the university. When I was a student at Michigan, I could not send out resumes or go on job interviews without those employers talking to me about the football team. Our university is associated with excellence, and our football, basketball and hockey teams look far from excellent. It's not just embarrassing, but it's also painful to see Michigan fail at so many things...not to say the basketball team and hockey teams have failed, because the season is young for both...even though over the past decade, yeah, the basketball team kinda has failed, and the football team has failed the past two years, whatever excuse people want to make for them/RR. But neither the bball nor hockey teams are meeting standards and goals set for them right now both as sports teams and as entities associated with a proud university such as Michigan.
Cissoko is far from Michigan's only problem, especially on defense--if there is any reason to not pile on him, it's that. Frankly, if it weren't for Forcier and somewhat Carlos Brown, they wouldn't be 4-0. You don't have to "look" for problems with Michigan this year because several are GLARING, but, at the same time--sure, Michigan is also giving us a LOT to be proud of. It's highly unrealistic to expect Michigan or any other fans not to complain or point out problems with a team, though, especially when you're a fan of a team with Michigan's history. It's not the case that just because you point out problems, you're not grateful for what Michigan has accomplished so far--it's hard to know that if Michigan's defense was better, they could probably win the Big Ten this year...even with a freshman quarterback. After last year, seeing Michigan win the Big Ten would be amazing, and who doesn't want that feeling?
It seems like there are some people here who expect entirely too much, as if everyone is supposed to write like an ESPN blogger--perfect stats and understanding of the game, perfect format, etc--on a personal blog. Don't worry about it.
I completely agree with you about how some of those players probably feel about RR and how it affects their play. I think Michigan is supposed to be better than they are this season, too, and I suspect the reasons why they're not have more to do with what's going on inside the program than what kind of players we have. The QB situation is a problem (and some people want to say the O-Line, too, although I think they have, at least, gotten better enough), but it's not the only one.
My personal feeling is this is not like App St., and for people who compare it I'd say App. St. was worse. For one thing, when Michigan lost that game, everyone was healthy and we had all these playmakers, all these seniors, and we were being talked about for the National Championship. At this point in the season--and, frankly, the same should be said for when Michigan played Miami OH--I don't see how anyone could look at the way Michigan has played and not have worried they'd lose to Toledo. App. St. was surprising; unfortunately, this loss was not. App. St. ruined our whole season, depending on what you wanted for Michigan and thought Michigan had potential to do (I want a national title...not the Rose Bowl, not just the Big Ten title, not just to beat OSU).
Hmmm, hadn't thought about that. I have been thinking he is tougher on players, but in a different sense (i.e. practicing--even though you can't tell from the game play--conditioning, etc). He's more emotional than Carr. It's funny at times--watch his face when Michigan is losing. He looks disgusted, devastated, pained. His reaction to the Thompson interception touchdown--never would have seen that from Carr. It's great because that's one big thing I didn't like about Carr. But I'm pretty sure he is a huge @sshole in practice, from clips I've seen.
For me, not caring much for Rodriguez has nothing to do with what I think Michigan will do in the next few years, or even this season. I believe Michigan will win the National Championship under him, and soon (like before these freshmen graduate). There's just something about *him* as a person...
I'm curious about your comment that MSU is whipping us in recruiting. I was watching CBSC the other day, possibly yesterday but no later than Monday, and they had Michigan listed in the top 10 so far for recruiting. I don't recall MSU being in the top 10, but I could be wrong. Also, different recruiting lists rank differently.
Even so, I'm glad there's someone else who is not sure they're in love with Rich coming to Michigan, because on mlive.com a lot of fans try to make it seem like you're not a real Michigan fan if you say anything against him/his staff. Personally, I find Rodriguez to be kind of fake. This could be why we hear things from the inside about "family values," but why he seems like a nice guy to the media. In addition, does anyone watch "Inside Michigan Football"? I believe that is where I saw a Michigan D player say he hated Rodriguez "at first."
I'm not sure I want Ferentz, but boy, I was watching a little of Boise State smack Louisiana Tech and thought maybe we should have stolen that coach. I saw his name thrown around by the media a little bit last season when Carr announced his retirement. The position that BSU coach keeps putting that program in amazes me.
I definitely understand how some people could hesitate to even think about this, much less make a prediction, and how some would think anyone is crazy to say it. But I agree--I just have a feeling Michigan will do it this year, and because it seems the most unlikely year. To put it in context, the past two years--especially in 2006--it seems like so many people seriously thought Michigan had a chance. I looked at OSU, then looked at Michigan, play their games and told those people without any hesitation, "absolutely not." Michigan had the talent, but they didn't play well enough in 2006 as opposed to how OSU played. In 2007, Michigan certainly could have done it if we didn't have those key injuries, because OSU didn't play well in that game.
So this is the only year I've believed Michigan could do this. OSU is inexplicably underperforming--some people don't see it, but I totally do. Michigan is under the radar this season. I don't think any of the coaches who have to play Michigan respect Michigan as much as they try to say in their conferences, so that's going to affect how the team prepares and how they come out against us. We have oodles of talent. To me, it's not so much about how much better we'll be then, because I look at our inconsistency and really worry that it won't get any better by the end of the season. I worry we'll still only be capable of playing well for 30 mins.
But I also look at Threet, who really seems to care deeply about the QB position and doing well, even when it looks just gone (i.e. the Wisconsin game)--he is the kind of person with serious leadership who makes things happen, pulls stuff out the air, wills himself to play better when you least expect it. And I think that's partially because he is fighting for the position--it's not 100% his. What I like about the Michigan team we have now is they have a fighting spirit that I don't think Michigan quite had the past few years, except maybe the Capital One bowl (and you saw what Michigan was capable of with that spirit), and that matters.
Recent Comments
Mullen hasn't said anything recently. He did come out and say, and there were articles on ESPN.com about this, back when he was being mentioned as a candidate for the Miami job that he was happy at MS. State and had no intention of leaving. Shortly after that is when MS. State signed him to a new contract.
People are saying they don't think he's a candidate for the Michigan job. Interestingly enough, I have an ESPN Insider account and they do list him as a Michigan candidate. I don't know what info they base that on, if any, though.
It seems like there are some people here who expect entirely too much, as if everyone is supposed to write like an ESPN blogger--perfect stats and understanding of the game, perfect format, etc--on a personal blog. Don't worry about it.
I completely agree with you about how some of those players probably feel about RR and how it affects their play. I think Michigan is supposed to be better than they are this season, too, and I suspect the reasons why they're not have more to do with what's going on inside the program than what kind of players we have. The QB situation is a problem (and some people want to say the O-Line, too, although I think they have, at least, gotten better enough), but it's not the only one.
My personal feeling is this is not like App St., and for people who compare it I'd say App. St. was worse. For one thing, when Michigan lost that game, everyone was healthy and we had all these playmakers, all these seniors, and we were being talked about for the National Championship. At this point in the season--and, frankly, the same should be said for when Michigan played Miami OH--I don't see how anyone could look at the way Michigan has played and not have worried they'd lose to Toledo. App. St. was surprising; unfortunately, this loss was not. App. St. ruined our whole season, depending on what you wanted for Michigan and thought Michigan had potential to do (I want a national title...not the Rose Bowl, not just the Big Ten title, not just to beat OSU).
I'm curious about your comment that MSU is whipping us in recruiting. I was watching CBSC the other day, possibly yesterday but no later than Monday, and they had Michigan listed in the top 10 so far for recruiting. I don't recall MSU being in the top 10, but I could be wrong. Also, different recruiting lists rank differently.
Even so, I'm glad there's someone else who is not sure they're in love with Rich coming to Michigan, because on mlive.com a lot of fans try to make it seem like you're not a real Michigan fan if you say anything against him/his staff. Personally, I find Rodriguez to be kind of fake. This could be why we hear things from the inside about "family values," but why he seems like a nice guy to the media. In addition, does anyone watch "Inside Michigan Football"? I believe that is where I saw a Michigan D player say he hated Rodriguez "at first."
I'm not sure I want Ferentz, but boy, I was watching a little of Boise State smack Louisiana Tech and thought maybe we should have stolen that coach. I saw his name thrown around by the media a little bit last season when Carr announced his retirement. The position that BSU coach keeps putting that program in amazes me.
I definitely understand how some people could hesitate to even think about this, much less make a prediction, and how some would think anyone is crazy to say it. But I agree--I just have a feeling Michigan will do it this year, and because it seems the most unlikely year. To put it in context, the past two years--especially in 2006--it seems like so many people seriously thought Michigan had a chance. I looked at OSU, then looked at Michigan, play their games and told those people without any hesitation, "absolutely not." Michigan had the talent, but they didn't play well enough in 2006 as opposed to how OSU played. In 2007, Michigan certainly could have done it if we didn't have those key injuries, because OSU didn't play well in that game.
So this is the only year I've believed Michigan could do this. OSU is inexplicably underperforming--some people don't see it, but I totally do. Michigan is under the radar this season. I don't think any of the coaches who have to play Michigan respect Michigan as much as they try to say in their conferences, so that's going to affect how the team prepares and how they come out against us. We have oodles of talent. To me, it's not so much about how much better we'll be then, because I look at our inconsistency and really worry that it won't get any better by the end of the season. I worry we'll still only be capable of playing well for 30 mins.
But I also look at Threet, who really seems to care deeply about the QB position and doing well, even when it looks just gone (i.e. the Wisconsin game)--he is the kind of person with serious leadership who makes things happen, pulls stuff out the air, wills himself to play better when you least expect it. And I think that's partially because he is fighting for the position--it's not 100% his. What I like about the Michigan team we have now is they have a fighting spirit that I don't think Michigan quite had the past few years, except maybe the Capital One bowl (and you saw what Michigan was capable of with that spirit), and that matters.