Read the Book(3 and Out)
Am I missing a Meta post for this? If so, delete and I will move it. Plus I want to dicuss some of the spoiler type hot-points of the story. Where can we do that with the MGoCommunity?
I am writing because I just finished reading the comments to Brian's post today regarding the excerpt. The folks around here who are questioning RR's attitude from that excerpt need to actually pick the book up and read it cover to cover. The folks who think that RR is an angel and just a poor guy screwed from the start; pick up the book and read it cover to cover.
I put it down last night at 1am with many, many more questions than when I started but the most pressing question I have is - Could there be a counter-argument to this books' perspective? If so, who would write it? (not that it is really arguing anything) But as an objective reader I thought that this is just one man's story.
Those of you who have read it, what do you think? As an MGoBlogger I already knew 80% of the material. The other 20% was shocking. THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK BRIAN....and it is clear from that hard work over the last 3 years, Bacon respects you cause there is a clear MGoBlog undertone.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:51 PM ^
I think you are probably the first one to finish it!
/s
October 28th, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^
Every post about The Book makes me want to run to a book store...oops there aren't book stores anymore...never mind.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
Just head to borde--...nevermind.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:58 PM ^
ARGH! Mine has been delivered to Grand Rapids, and I'm waiting for my brother to bring it tomorrow when he comes for the game. I hate having to avoid the internet right now!
October 28th, 2011 at 1:01 PM ^
Bought the book yesterday at Barnes n noble. One of only two copies left. Barely on the third page of the first chapter.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:10 PM ^
I am only a couple chapters in but to IMHO Bacon did a hell of a job explaining why RR is the way he is/made the decisions he did, and the depiction of him as a riverboat gambler who has 110% faith in himself when the stakes are on the line has helped me understand some of the miscues he made during his time here.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:19 PM ^
i don't know if anyone else could do another perspective because I am not sure who would have had the same access. I really wish Bacon (and for that matter Brian) would give us the whole story at some point. If you listened to the radio spot from WTKA with Brian this week it seems both he and Bacon have quite a bit more to tell...
October 28th, 2011 at 1:30 PM ^
I think they said that if the book wasn't edited down it would be thousands of pages.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:35 PM ^
Exactly. I spend enough time here. I would read the Infinite Jest of Michigan Football without question.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:26 PM ^
Just start reading. got it in a couple of secs ago over kindle and will wait for my hard copy to be available soon. one question, is after reading the book, which i have not done, is now what. what does the book point out for us to do going forward?
October 28th, 2011 at 1:35 PM ^
I haven't even gotten my book in the mail yet.
I don't know if it actually points anything out, but I'm guessing the moral of the story is support. Like most people said in the past the previous coach supported the new coach.
Also if you heard Brian on WTKA yesterday, he talked about how upsetting it was when former players were not supporting the current players.
Just read the quote from Coach Moeller in my sig.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^
thanks, bacon had an important point. in the discussion this morning on wtka, he said he hopes the people get that after reading the book, hoke needs support. he think the lesson is without support, rich had a much tougher job to succeed.
October 29th, 2011 at 2:37 AM ^
at this Michigan Fan thing since 1997 when I was 10. I supported Carr, I supported Rodriguez, and I support Hoke. One reason for my support: they are the Michigan coach and Michigan is my favorite team. I want them to win. That's enough for me. It should be enough for anybody who calls themself a fan. It's sad that we have to be told this, but hopefully that message gets through to people.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:28 PM ^
What is this Three and Out of which you speak? Never heard of it.
/s
October 28th, 2011 at 1:28 PM ^
Bacon is signing books at Nicola's Bookstore tonight (Ann Arbor's west side). I just went there last week and they had a lot of copies left (Bacon also said on WTKA this morning that they still had plenty of copies). I can't go tonight but figure I'd share the wealth
October 28th, 2011 at 1:28 PM ^
Finished it yesterday. Must say, one of the best books I've read (non-fiction). Bacon has a way of building up each past game that I actullay think we have a chance to win the ones we lost. My impression is that is a fairly written account of the last 3 years of Michigan football. It does not appear to me to be tiltes toward any one person, although obviously has a lot more RR content than anyone else. I also thought the insider views into the players and assistant coaches lifes was mesmerizing.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:29 PM ^
Bacon's doing a talk and book signing tonight at Nicola's books, so if you don't have a copy, go to that!
October 28th, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^
I have read the book.
Going in I thought very highly of Bacon and after reading the book I feel even more confident that what I read is the closest I will get to the truth of what has went down in the past 3 years. Bacon has always been very factual and true about Michigan football. Whether its opinions or quotes in his book, either one holds alot more weight to me then something writen by Sharp, Album, or Regner. Bacon has never took sides with any coach. That's why the things said about Lloyd Carr in this book I think are true, and embarrassing. Bacon has no reason to attack Carr. Carr spoke to his classes and before this book never casted Lloyd in a negative light.
There was some shocking things I read in this book and somethings that I figured were true and this book just reaffirmed them with me. The most shocking thing of all to me in this book, is also the #1 reason why I believe it to be the most factual and true..... Bacon's access to the program in the last 3 years has been unreal. Coaches meetings, player meetings, lunches, phone call conversations, recruiting, media, etc. It was unbelieveable that in this day an age a media member could get such access. Unless there is a ghost living in Schemmy Hall, Bacon is the only one who can give you the most truth about what has happened to our program in the last 3 years.... and i believe he does that in a very truthful and factual way.
October 28th, 2011 at 2:07 PM ^
October 28th, 2011 at 3:41 PM ^
I have not read the book but probably will eventually. I'm curious about this, though:
Bacon's access to the program in the last 3 years has been unreal. Coaches meetings, player meetings, lunches, phone call conversations, recruiting, media, etc. It was unbelieveable that in this day an age a media member could get such access.
Does Bacon make it clear in the book which things he observed firsthand and which he was told about from other people, or do we have to guess about what he actually was there for? I hope it's the former. I remember reading Fab Five and being amazed at the things Mitch Albom was seemingly present to report, only to have Albom admit years later that some of it was told to him secondhand, and may have been a tad embellished.
October 28th, 2011 at 4:50 PM ^
There is a ghost living there. And he isn't talking. I'd really love to hear what he has to say, though. The program hasn't been the same without him.
October 28th, 2011 at 1:51 PM ^
I just got an email from the M alumni club in San Diego that JUB will have an appearance here in about two Weeks. Just loaded the book on the kindle, iPad and Droid phone...can't wait to read it for myself!
October 28th, 2011 at 1:53 PM ^
It's an excellent book.
While it's nominally about the RR years, there are some insightful observations one can glean regarding the University and its athletic department.
And that state ain't all good.
October 28th, 2011 at 2:00 PM ^
Great read from start to finish. I have to admit that my opinion of Lloyd Carr has plummeted. Although I thought Carr's coaching was anemic towards the end, I always thought that he was a virtuous, sincere and ethical guy. In the book he comes across nearly as bad as the free press d-bags.
October 28th, 2011 at 2:08 PM ^
I just got an email from the M alumni club in San Diego that JUB will have an appearance here in about two Weeks. Just loaded the book on the kindle, iPad and Droid phone...can't wait to read it for myself...
The beginning is great just from an overall historic perspective.
October 28th, 2011 at 2:09 PM ^
Double post..appologies
October 28th, 2011 at 2:18 PM ^
I'm a third of the way in, and I'm surprised on everyone's take on Carr. 1/3 of the way in there are 2 big things to explain: Carr releasing players and Carr's assistants and former players undermining RR unchecked. Releasing the players is understandable. If Carr thinks that RR is a bad fit for some of his players, he's forced to protect Michigan at the expense of his players, or protect his players at the expense of Michigan. I expect a Michigan coach to do the latter every time. This isn't the SEC. Regarding the behavior of Carr's loyalists, people seem to think Carr flipped some kind of 180 degree turn after Dec 17th when he was supportive of RR in the press and that he turned his loyalists against him, even though there's no evidence of this. I think the book supports the idea that that's backwards. On Dec. 20th, the exit interview process upset Carr's assistants. "Any labor lawyer can tell you it's not firing employees that generates lawsuits but the way you fire them. And this was not handled well-creating another layer of well-connected insiders who would have no love for Rodriguez, no mixed feelings if he failed, and no hesitation about spreading their views on the matter."
After that, Carr gets quiet. No surprise there. If his loyalists are all upset, Carr is probably going to side with them, but he doesn't say anything about it in public, which is very Carr-like.
October 28th, 2011 at 2:50 PM ^
I will, but mainly because I have a certain distaste for being negged for expressing an opinion that is, perhaps, not so popular.
October 28th, 2011 at 2:53 PM ^
The author will be signing books and giving a little talk for Seattle UM Alumn on Thus. next week!
I am hoping to ask a few questions about the scandalous stuff he left behind...
October 28th, 2011 at 3:00 PM ^
Dude I stopped reading after college, could you just summarize the key points?
October 28th, 2011 at 3:24 PM ^
They had two left and were next to Demond's I Wore 21 book.
BTW - Great post from the DSR about Rosenberg and the FreeP...
Michael Rosenberg's Tears
October 28th, 2011 at 3:29 PM ^
My copy (courtesy of Amazon) was sitting on the front porch when I came home (took part of the afternoon off). I plan to start tonight after the kids go to bed.
October 28th, 2011 at 3:35 PM ^
Just got it last night and I'm about 130 pages in at this point and I'm having a hard time putting it down, which is saying a lot because I hate reading.
One thing that bothers me is the small little things about games that don't match up. The Purdue one is obvious, but he also says that the field goal was missed to the right against Toledo. I just watched it again and it was definitely wide left.
October 28th, 2011 at 3:47 PM ^
Well yeah! Isn't it obvious! You have it backwards. The book is the counter-argument to the reality which played out for 3.5yrs. This crap should have never gone this far. The attitudes, environment, culture, all ugly. WTH!
Shameful!
I'm more pissed!
October 28th, 2011 at 5:02 PM ^
You are absolutely correct. I didn't even think about that. I'm with you though, I am more frustrated after reading it.
October 28th, 2011 at 6:00 PM ^
for putting up with my rant. And now back to our regular schedule programming - Hoke Undefeated @ Home Part Deux. Go Blue!
October 28th, 2011 at 8:20 PM ^
UGP and MDen on Main St. both had copies yesterday, for those in A2 still looking for it.
October 28th, 2011 at 8:50 PM ^
Some quick points -
So far, my feelings remain unchanged in that I still mainly blame Bill Martin - who really is a prick IRL (have been at meetings with First Martin reps) - for turning the search in 2007 into a train wreck.
As for Carr, I suppose I get it - I think he somehow felt he was looking out for the program, but it is pretty clear his feelings towards various people got the better of him.
Mary Sue Coleman - the portrayal is that she was likely more pissed about how Martin was making the university look than about the situation per se, which may be true. Could be wrong here.
Why does this book make me doubly sad that Bo is no longer with us?
October 28th, 2011 at 10:57 PM ^
All biggest thing I have gotten so far is the lunch with Carr, Martin and RR...if that is 100% fact then the lloyd being with his guys and certain guys tearing things up from the inside is an absolute joke.
November 7th, 2011 at 5:41 PM ^
John Bacon:
Thank you so much for writing this book.
Allowing you the access to write this book was the best thing Rich Rod could do.
As a result, Rich Rod finally gets his story told.
Maybe he wasn't perfect, but he was a damn good coach, he was honest, and he really took care of his team.
He worked his butt off for Michigan... and look what he got in return.
Best of luck to the author and to RichRod.
Go Blue!