I thought so, too, but something really isn't right. He has so much talent but has been making really odd choices recently. His prior teams never looked this sloppy. Half the coaching staff are his buddies; half are chosen because of their questionable ethics; there aren't that many muscle-flexing top-of-the-game poachings (Larry Johnson) like he used to get.
Of course they're still very good, but he really has lost a step.
Dumb question about Wisconsin: How do they do it? They take relatively unheralded large people & turn them into really excellent offensive linemen year after year over 3-4 coaches and almost 30 years with almost no down years. I cannot think of another example like it in sports. What would it look like to have an S&C program so much better than others? What do they do to keep it ahead of the competition for so long?
This is why O'Korn should start. Fans may feel like "the season is lost", but to recruits there's a difference between 10-3 and 8-5. Starting someone other than the best player is a risk.
This worries me, though. Long-term investments in college? By the time the players have learned, they leave.
The point isn't necessarily spread vs. pro. It's that the best college offenses are usually ones that relatively few, simpl and complementary plays based on what the defense offers. It's hard for an offense to outsmarting a defense on the limited practice time.
This gives the offense time to learn those plays so they're more likely to execute them well.
(FWIW, my complaints about RR were always about defense.)
He was a good, hard, strong player who didn't fully "get it" in college. Give him more time to learn, away from classes, I could imagine him turning into a reasonably good player. Risky, but not crazy.
Englestad Arena is supposed to be pretty much a BMW with ice on it. "Each seat is green leather and padded with cherry wood arms." OK, BMWs are not made of wood, but my point is it's nice.
They write the blog posts, keep the site running (mostly), and shut down the most egregious threads. They do plenty of community things with public appearances. Isn't that what they've always done? What would you rather they do?
TBH, I kind of dislike it when Brian posts on a thread. I feel like his presence on the thread shuts down conversation.
I'm honestly surprised we haven't heard a lot of stories like this. By basic demographics, the black players in the NFL likely almost all support democratic candidates, as >80% of African-American's do. The white players disproportionately fit demographics that would make them Trump voters. A characteristicall unscientific Bleacher Report poll found this very strongly.
The political divide has become so strong.Both Trump's hatred and the left's hatred of Trump are so visceral that I'm sure it's getting a lot harder to avoid politicized, nasty fights like this.
I thought the reason pro leagues avoided Vegas was fears it would lead to the players getting caught doing embarassing/illegal things. I would be surprised if they solved this problem.
I would definitely look in to the Little Huskies day care. It's an outpost of the Ann Arbor-based Gretchen's House chain, which we've been very happy with for our kids.
His role in recruiting was really important. When Hoke showed up, people thought he was out of his league (correctly) and the general perception was Michigan had slipped to a regional program. Getting Morris - at that point a 5-star - was seen as somewhat legitimizing of what Hoke was doing. Morris' role in recruiting near 5-star Kalis, Wyatt Shallman, and others, was seen as saving the program from mediocrity. Those recruits were absolutely key to this being such a good year. He really was vital for the program and that shouldn't be forgotten.
Ultimately, the weakness for this team is that Hoke had one great recruiting class followed by a few small, less-talented ones. Those senior players lead this team to a great season, but there was no depth and no way for the big guys to rest. This was a major problem on the offensive line and for the linebackers that will show itself late in the game.
I agree and think this is an unforced error that will come back to make Rutgers and OSU look bad. Harbaugh has been saying form the beginning the camps are good opportunities for students to learn football and be seen. Other coaches say "no he's just recruiting." By scheduling camps on the same day, Rutgers and OSU are preventing kids' opportunities to learn and be seen in favor choosing where they want to be recruited by. I think this will help H's pitch.
Klinsmann was always a bit of a fake. When he coached Germany, he got the press while Joachim Low did the work. When he left, the Low took over and the German team got better. Basically every time he leaves somewhere, the team gets better.
Colbert answered this with inarguable definitive science last year. By using robotic dummies, they can tackle more often and more safely, improving tackling for defenders and preventing injuries for all players. I think it's really innovative.
I definitely see what they mean about injuries, also. The last few years we've had a lot of very serious injuries occur in practice. Anything that could minimize that would be useful.
Demeaning himself. If you were a coach or player there, would you be more impressed by (1) Harbaugh on the field, changing how people coach and recruit college football or (2) Bielema, sitting in the stands looking in like the kid who didn't make varsity.
Sadly, I hear the SEC just convinced the NCAA that this is a recruiting violation. He won't be allowed to attend next year. Spirit of amateurism, souls of America's youth, etc.
FWIW, I agree with you on that and think Bush will likely be a good reruiter for us. It's just sketchy because of what it says about the advice he gave a bunch of kids while at the same time trying to impress Michigan.
Of all the Harbaugh recruiting controversies, I find hiring recruits' mentors the sketchiest.
Did Metellus and Gil get fair advice to come here? How would you react if a mentor said "UMich is great, you'll be really happy there, and I'm in the process of trying to impress them so I can get a job there?" What about if the mentor didn't?
Calipari used to do this and it always seemed like a pretty clear way of paying the players.
Not illegal, others do it, don't neg me too hard (I just reached 500!), just sayin'.
Sort of, but it's also by far the easiest to make the pros in. They NFL needs roughly 150 new players per year and you know if you're going to make it roughly by year one. In baseball, you spend years in the minors, getting paid terribly and living a rough lifestyle, and then fewer people make it.
Even Drew Henson, who basically chose baseball for the reason you mention, ultimately went back to football because he'd get in the NFL and hadn't made it in MLB.
I don't get how it's hypocritical. Lots of people, probably most, have had jobs they hated but did for all sorts of reasons, like saving for the future. It's a little sad, but not hypocritical, or even ironic.
Also, if I'm reading right, Harbaugh is worried about things that students do on vacation, so he's having them spend Spring Break in Florida to remove temptation.
It looks like he's a lecturer in the history department. Given the way universities treat lecturers right now, he almost certainly does need (and deserve) a raise. History is a rough field.
To spend many months hinting Michigan, then show up wearing those clothes, and then choose another school really would be a jerk move. He hasn't otherwise seemed like a jerk.
He was joking. I don't think he's announced the real name yet.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">For the record, I could not actually get Denard past the selection committee.</p>— mgoblog (@mgoblog) <a href="https://twitter.com/mgoblog/status/692416883337883648">January 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
This signing time is clearly not his idea. I'm not sure who set up the Signing of the Stars, but they're putting a lot of work in and it's clear _they_ want him as the end of the show.
At this point, if he doesn't go blue Signing of the Stars is going to be pretty awkward. Holtz, Desmond Howard and a few famous people who I'm too old to know hanging out will be a little odd if there isn't an exciting ending.
The phrase predates WWII, yes. The reason Americans knows it is because of Nazis. As wikipedia points out, Nazis omitted the rest of the national anthem just to focus on the verse with that phrase. That's why it's famous.
It's used here because it was a joke Brian made years ago, actually back when Hoke was popular. He and I had an e-mail exchange about it, and he knew my history was right. He said it was "a parody of sports' tendency to devolve into mindless nationalism." Fair enough, I just pointed out I find it unfunny.
Beyong that, it's not that commonly used elsewhere. Google it - most references are to the Dead Kennedys, who used it as a Nazi reference.
Man, I hate the "uber alles" line. I go to read about a sports team, I have no desire to have positive Hitler references showing up coming from my side, even when they're sort of joking.
Yeah, yeah, I know I'm not going to win this one. It just removes the fun from reading every time I see it.
I think the attacks on Texas doing poorly are a little harsh. The last few years of Mack Brown's recruiting were pretty bad, then Strong came in and kicked out 9 players for bad attitudes. Of course they're bad - they don't have Texas-caliber players, but there's no reason to think that won't change. Their future is probably better then their present
Seriously, how does someone get the name McDoom? We're used to odd first names, which just means someone's parents have good marketing sense. A lot of the other NOTY's are basically signs of less-common ethnic backgrounds.
I've heard that, too, but it's a slightly unfair argument. O'Brien walked into a full group of upperclassmen and wan't allowed to recruit younger players. Franklin got a small number of upperclassmen and has done pretty well with recruiting. With those situations, it's not surprising O'Brien could win and Franklin couldn't.
Not to imply that Franklin has made the most of his players. I have eyes.
The thing I wondered about with the ST last year is it seems like Michigan put more starters on the field for ST then most competitors. I'm not sure this is a great idea - they're better players, but other teams don't play them because the injury risk is high. Did he do better by taking what many see as low-yield risks?
I think it's great that this is a part of what he does and encourages. That said, every school in the country has teams of academic support staff for students. I'm sure they've got it under control. I always wondered how they would deal with a football coach coming in with his own plan.
I thought the center is the "QB of the Offensive Line" and was responsible for things like recognizing formations and helping with who to block. Wouldn't this require a really good knowledge of the playbook and be really hard for a transfer?
I love the band and I think people shouldn't be offended any more because their history is so clear, you need to expect it.
That said, what I never understand is who pays for it? In most departments, it's the athletic department and the costs add up. Just getting hotel rooms for that many near the Rose Bowl is a big deal. If the Stanford AD pays for it, I'm surprised other Pac 10 teams haven't told the Stanford AD they're sick of being mocked.
The benefit of B is that he'll learn the system and teammates of the new school where he's going and they'lll all get to know him. This is really valuable and will make it much more likely he'll start from day 1 his 5th year.
That's how I read Harbaugh's comment - that he basically knows at least one defensive coach is likely leaving for the pros and has told Partridge he's getting the role, with it all announced after signing day.
Recent Comments
I thought so, too, but something really isn't right. He has so much talent but has been making really odd choices recently. His prior teams never looked this sloppy. Half the coaching staff are his buddies; half are chosen because of their questionable ethics; there aren't that many muscle-flexing top-of-the-game poachings (Larry Johnson) like he used to get.
Of course they're still very good, but he really has lost a step.
Dumb question about Wisconsin: How do they do it? They take relatively unheralded large people & turn them into really excellent offensive linemen year after year over 3-4 coaches and almost 30 years with almost no down years. I cannot think of another example like it in sports. What would it look like to have an S&C program so much better than others? What do they do to keep it ahead of the competition for so long?
This is why O'Korn should start. Fans may feel like "the season is lost", but to recruits there's a difference between 10-3 and 8-5. Starting someone other than the best player is a risk.
This worries me, though. Long-term investments in college? By the time the players have learned, they leave.
The point isn't necessarily spread vs. pro. It's that the best college offenses are usually ones that relatively few, simpl and complementary plays based on what the defense offers. It's hard for an offense to outsmarting a defense on the limited practice time.
This gives the offense time to learn those plays so they're more likely to execute them well.
(FWIW, my complaints about RR were always about defense.)
He was a good, hard, strong player who didn't fully "get it" in college. Give him more time to learn, away from classes, I could imagine him turning into a reasonably good player. Risky, but not crazy.
Clearly near Kenya. That's why there are elephants in the room.
Englestad Arena is supposed to be pretty much a BMW with ice on it. "Each seat is green leather and padded with cherry wood arms." OK, BMWs are not made of wood, but my point is it's nice.
http://www.undsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=736148
They write the blog posts, keep the site running (mostly), and shut down the most egregious threads. They do plenty of community things with public appearances. Isn't that what they've always done? What would you rather they do?
TBH, I kind of dislike it when Brian posts on a thread. I feel like his presence on the thread shuts down conversation.
I'm honestly surprised we haven't heard a lot of stories like this. By basic demographics, the black players in the NFL likely almost all support democratic candidates, as >80% of African-American's do. The white players disproportionately fit demographics that would make them Trump voters. A characteristicall unscientific Bleacher Report poll found this very strongly.
The political divide has become so strong.Both Trump's hatred and the left's hatred of Trump are so visceral that I'm sure it's getting a lot harder to avoid politicized, nasty fights like this.
I thought the reason pro leagues avoided Vegas was fears it would lead to the players getting caught doing embarassing/illegal things. I would be surprised if they solved this problem.
I would definitely look in to the Little Huskies day care. It's an outpost of the Ann Arbor-based Gretchen's House chain, which we've been very happy with for our kids.
http://www.gretchenshouse.com/centers/gh-little-huskies/
His role in recruiting was really important. When Hoke showed up, people thought he was out of his league (correctly) and the general perception was Michigan had slipped to a regional program. Getting Morris - at that point a 5-star - was seen as somewhat legitimizing of what Hoke was doing. Morris' role in recruiting near 5-star Kalis, Wyatt Shallman, and others, was seen as saving the program from mediocrity. Those recruits were absolutely key to this being such a good year. He really was vital for the program and that shouldn't be forgotten.
I think this is one opening for which we can safely say Mark Dantonio won't be rumored.
Ultimately, the weakness for this team is that Hoke had one great recruiting class followed by a few small, less-talented ones. Those senior players lead this team to a great season, but there was no depth and no way for the big guys to rest. This was a major problem on the offensive line and for the linebackers that will show itself late in the game.
I don't know what he'd be like as coach, but we've seen him in interviews. He'd be a friggin' genie on the recruiting trail.
I agree and think this is an unforced error that will come back to make Rutgers and OSU look bad. Harbaugh has been saying form the beginning the camps are good opportunities for students to learn football and be seen. Other coaches say "no he's just recruiting." By scheduling camps on the same day, Rutgers and OSU are preventing kids' opportunities to learn and be seen in favor choosing where they want to be recruited by. I think this will help H's pitch.
Klinsmann was always a bit of a fake. When he coached Germany, he got the press while Joachim Low did the work. When he left, the Low took over and the German team got better. Basically every time he leaves somewhere, the team gets better.
http://worldsoccertalk.com/2015/07/23/us-soccer-should-have-hired-joach…
Colbert answered this with inarguable definitive science last year. By using robotic dummies, they can tackle more often and more safely, improving tackling for defenders and preventing injuries for all players. I think it's really innovative.
I definitely see what they mean about injuries, also. The last few years we've had a lot of very serious injuries occur in practice. Anything that could minimize that would be useful.
double post. sorry
Demeaning himself. If you were a coach or player there, would you be more impressed by (1) Harbaugh on the field, changing how people coach and recruit college football or (2) Bielema, sitting in the stands looking in like the kid who didn't make varsity.
Let him watch.
Sadly, I hear the SEC just convinced the NCAA that this is a recruiting violation. He won't be allowed to attend next year. Spirit of amateurism, souls of America's youth, etc.
I love how what's supposed to be his broken arm seems to be attached somewhere around the back of his neck.
My favorite part is it's actually unclear if he means the SEC, sportwriters, or his own children.
FWIW, I agree with you on that and think Bush will likely be a good reruiter for us. It's just sketchy because of what it says about the advice he gave a bunch of kids while at the same time trying to impress Michigan.
Of all the Harbaugh recruiting controversies, I find hiring recruits' mentors the sketchiest.
Did Metellus and Gil get fair advice to come here? How would you react if a mentor said "UMich is great, you'll be really happy there, and I'm in the process of trying to impress them so I can get a job there?" What about if the mentor didn't?
Calipari used to do this and it always seemed like a pretty clear way of paying the players.
Not illegal, others do it, don't neg me too hard (I just reached 500!), just sayin'.
Sort of, but it's also by far the easiest to make the pros in. They NFL needs roughly 150 new players per year and you know if you're going to make it roughly by year one. In baseball, you spend years in the minors, getting paid terribly and living a rough lifestyle, and then fewer people make it.
Even Drew Henson, who basically chose baseball for the reason you mention, ultimately went back to football because he'd get in the NFL and hadn't made it in MLB.
I don't get how it's hypocritical. Lots of people, probably most, have had jobs they hated but did for all sorts of reasons, like saving for the future. It's a little sad, but not hypocritical, or even ironic.
Also, if I'm reading right, Harbaugh is worried about things that students do on vacation, so he's having them spend Spring Break in Florida to remove temptation.
It looks like he's a lecturer in the history department. Given the way universities treat lecturers right now, he almost certainly does need (and deserve) a raise. History is a rough field.
To spend many months hinting Michigan, then show up wearing those clothes, and then choose another school really would be a jerk move. He hasn't otherwise seemed like a jerk.
As far as health effects go, pot's nothing compared to D1 football.
Cool stuff. I dare you to post something about animal bones on February 3rd. I double-dog dare you.
This signing time is clearly not his idea. I'm not sure who set up the Signing of the Stars, but they're putting a lot of work in and it's clear _they_ want him as the end of the show.
At this point, if he doesn't go blue Signing of the Stars is going to be pretty awkward. Holtz, Desmond Howard and a few famous people who I'm too old to know hanging out will be a little odd if there isn't an exciting ending.
The phrase predates WWII, yes. The reason Americans knows it is because of Nazis. As wikipedia points out, Nazis omitted the rest of the national anthem just to focus on the verse with that phrase. That's why it's famous.
It's used here because it was a joke Brian made years ago, actually back when Hoke was popular. He and I had an e-mail exchange about it, and he knew my history was right. He said it was "a parody of sports' tendency to devolve into mindless nationalism." Fair enough, I just pointed out I find it unfunny.
Beyong that, it's not that commonly used elsewhere. Google it - most references are to the Dead Kennedys, who used it as a Nazi reference.
Man, I hate the "uber alles" line. I go to read about a sports team, I have no desire to have positive Hitler references showing up coming from my side, even when they're sort of joking.
Yeah, yeah, I know I'm not going to win this one. It just removes the fun from reading every time I see it.
I think the attacks on Texas doing poorly are a little harsh. The last few years of Mack Brown's recruiting were pretty bad, then Strong came in and kicked out 9 players for bad attitudes. Of course they're bad - they don't have Texas-caliber players, but there's no reason to think that won't change. Their future is probably better then their present
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11574697/texas-longhorns…
Seriously, how does someone get the name McDoom? We're used to odd first names, which just means someone's parents have good marketing sense. A lot of the other NOTY's are basically signs of less-common ethnic backgrounds.
But McDoom?! Is he half-Irish, half-Latverian?
I've heard that, too, but it's a slightly unfair argument. O'Brien walked into a full group of upperclassmen and wan't allowed to recruit younger players. Franklin got a small number of upperclassmen and has done pretty well with recruiting. With those situations, it's not surprising O'Brien could win and Franklin couldn't.
Not to imply that Franklin has made the most of his players. I have eyes.
The thing I wondered about with the ST last year is it seems like Michigan put more starters on the field for ST then most competitors. I'm not sure this is a great idea - they're better players, but other teams don't play them because the injury risk is high. Did he do better by taking what many see as low-yield risks?
I think it's great that this is a part of what he does and encourages. That said, every school in the country has teams of academic support staff for students. I'm sure they've got it under control. I always wondered how they would deal with a football coach coming in with his own plan.
What's up with his teeth in that photo? Looks like he has pearly whites, not shiny golds, like promised?
I thought the center is the "QB of the Offensive Line" and was responsible for things like recognizing formations and helping with who to block. Wouldn't this require a really good knowledge of the playbook and be really hard for a transfer?
His big change is clearly that he's developing the world's first 5-1-5 defense. Always play to your strengths.
I love the band and I think people shouldn't be offended any more because their history is so clear, you need to expect it.
That said, what I never understand is who pays for it? In most departments, it's the athletic department and the costs add up. Just getting hotel rooms for that many near the Rose Bowl is a big deal. If the Stanford AD pays for it, I'm surprised other Pac 10 teams haven't told the Stanford AD they're sick of being mocked.
He writes about it in the Players Tribune here.
The early rumor was they did it because he doesn't use instagram much, which is clearly the perfect reason.
The benefit of B is that he'll learn the system and teammates of the new school where he's going and they'lll all get to know him. This is really valuable and will make it much more likely he'll start from day 1 his 5th year.
That's how I read Harbaugh's comment - that he basically knows at least one defensive coach is likely leaving for the pros and has told Partridge he's getting the role, with it all announced after signing day.