BBrown: Predicting The Hand Decision
I know there is already a forum topic about Hand's commitment but this is a little bit different. A few weeks back I posted a forum about "Predicting Commitments" and cited the responses that I get from recruits as a pretty good barometer for how they are feeling as their decisions near. Unfortunately, that method has held true again.
Granted my Crystal Ball pick for Hand on 247 was Michigan, but I should've went with my unfortunate personal evidence as opposed to my homerness and public perception. I wanted Hand at Michigan badly, as I'm sure every one who comes to this site did. It seemed like Michigan was where he was going. Experts all around the country had predicted him to choose the Wolverines. His high school coach talked to me very regularly.......but Da'Shawn himself didn't.
Da'Shawn kept a lot to himself obviously and I convinced myself that he was simply being private in not talking to me anymore. In August he and I talked on the phone for a long time. For a month or so after our long interview he and I would text occoasionally just to see what was going on with his recruitment. Then it stopped. He wouldn't respond anymore and I just assumed (hoped) that it was because he was shutting down the interview process a little bit as his decision date neared. It turns out that there was a little more to it than that.
Hand chose Alabama and honestly, I can't really say that I blame him. Hindsight of course is always 20/20 but looking back now, I should've seen this coming. I'm not saying I knew anything for sure because I didn't. Clearly most people didn't. But over the last month or so, Da'Shawn wouldn't respond to me anymore and that ended up being quite telling.
I am going to do my absolute best from now on to use only my head and not my heart, and also to try and not be influenced by other guys that really know what they are talking about. That is a very hard thing to do when you have guys like Tom, Steve Lorenz, Mike Farrell, Clint Brewster, Steve Wiltfong, JC Shurburtt, Eleven Warriors guys, and many, many more all predicting Hand to choose Michigan.
Good luck to Da'Shawn.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:33 PM ^
he's dead to me now. just like dee hart and jake fisher.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:37 PM ^
and treadwell. and garnett. and...
November 14th, 2013 at 4:09 PM ^
Ronald Johnson...
November 14th, 2013 at 8:56 PM ^
this episode was practically a carbon copy of that recruitment. Except it was Pete Carroll and not Saban.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:40 PM ^
Come on, how could he have known who Hand was going to choose?
November 14th, 2013 at 2:53 PM ^
<sarcasm>
November 14th, 2013 at 2:34 PM ^
So no Malik McDowell either?
November 14th, 2013 at 2:38 PM ^
Unfortunately, McDowell is behaving in a very similar fashion. Granted he is also on the quiet side, but not too long ago he'd respond back to me very punctually and regularly. He doesn't do that anymore.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:40 PM ^
Well. Here's to hoping your theory is bullshit.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:47 PM ^
Your post inadvertently sums up the current M situation perfectly:
"...BUT WHY IS THE RUM GONE?"
November 14th, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
But let's s'pose The Honorable Sparrow instead says "...but why is the run gone?" Now that would sum it up beautifully.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:42 PM ^
Noted. Will mark him down as "he gone" then.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:47 PM ^
...maybe they just don't...like...you?
November 14th, 2013 at 4:00 PM ^
Not sure if reassuring.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:35 PM ^
is in that same post, you said McDowell was doing the same thing. . . it just keeps getting better doesn't it?
November 14th, 2013 at 2:35 PM ^
WTF is this?
November 14th, 2013 at 2:45 PM ^
So BB created a post of "I knew it all along guys"? Awesome. Internet pat on the back. He could have least given us his honest opinion on why he went quiet.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:50 PM ^
I think you need to read it again. I was saying that I had a feeling, but I was completely wrong....not sure how I'm patting myself on the back with that explanation.
No one who covers or follows recruiting is ever going to get them ALL right, that's obvious, but really this observation I've made has been pretty accurate so far. I just didn't want to believe it with Hand.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:00 PM ^
So what's the point of this post? To say you were wrong but you'll not let your heart get in the way the next time? That's what I'm not getting? It adds nothing to the board.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:10 PM ^
Yeah ok clown, Brandon is just taking up wayyy too much e-space in the precious mgoboard. Meanwhile,your posts are just critical.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:12 PM ^
The irony in his response to my post is beautiful.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:56 PM ^
but it's not a whole fucking new thread. That's the point. This whole thread you started was dumb - "Well I was right about my theory with kids talking to me, but I didn't listen to my theory this time around. I'll do better next time guys."
And you still haven't given your thoughts as to why he went quiet and chose Bama, which would have been a 100% better topic to discuss.
Edit: I'd like to say that I appreciate what BB does. And he has been right in the past (most of the time). This downward sipral of MGoBlog is sickening though and threads like this don't add anything. Look how many "appreciation" threads there are. Hell, there is an "appreciation of the Appreciation Appreciation thread) there.
November 14th, 2013 at 5:06 PM ^
He is basically apologizing for getting the call wrong and explaining why he did and how he will be better in the future. I'm sorry that this material isn't good enough but you can leave this thread or even the sight if it isn't.
November 14th, 2013 at 5:24 PM ^
99% of people here understand your post and it makes sense. There will always be buttholes like SSB so what can you do.
Also tough as well since everyone else had him coming here as well. To me, that's what hurts the most. At least with others that we "lost" it felt like it was truly 50/50 and we just ended up on the wrong side of it. This time it felt like it was 90/10.
November 14th, 2013 at 6:53 PM ^
How dare a recruiting analyst analyze recruits! I hope you learned your lesson Brandon.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:12 PM ^
He wrote a post (last week?) about how he has noticed the trend of how recruits interact with him vs. if they end up at Michigan.
It makes sense. A kid who think he is going to M is going to talk to M reporters more, and other schools less so they don't get anyone's hopes up. And will stop talking to M reporters if they don't think they are going to come here.
BBrown is just using this recruitment and Hand's decision to provide a further example to his theory.
The whole "doesn't add anything to the board" thing is just way off base. He is MGoBlog's recruiting reporter. He wants to be able to give us better insight on recruits and where they might end up. And is basically stating he needs to not let his own fandom get in the way.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:18 PM ^
That is it, explained perfectly. Thanks mgobaran.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:28 PM ^
Lets not forget Coach Brown nailed the Winovich prediction....... stick to your guns Coach Brown...
I only hope that McDowell isn't communicating with sparty
November 14th, 2013 at 3:13 PM ^
Yeah.......I strongly disagree with you. I appreciate Brandon's post and find value in it. So next time, just feel free not to read.
November 14th, 2013 at 11:13 PM ^
^^^^THIS is why we need moderation back! #primeEXAMPLE
November 14th, 2013 at 3:18 PM ^
a mea culpa--I was technically wrong (with my heart)--but believe me I was right (in my head)--and my methodology, which, as I understand it is: good if they talk with me and bad if they don't. I'm still a little creeped out that you call them at all--and certainly would be if I was on the receiving end.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:36 PM ^
If you thinking recruiting is creepy then don't follow it.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^
Not disagreeing with your point just the way you made it- coaches calling recruits is a necessary part of CFB, age shouldn't matter. Following recruiting is totally unnecessary.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:52 PM ^
between a coach or someone officially representing a college (regardless of age) contacting a recruit (the very definition of recruiting) and "some guy" doing the same thing, then I suspect you don't know how it is supposed to work. He ain't a coach, an official recruiter, a sportswriter or even a sports blogger. If he has, in fact, been "hired" by Brian to do so on behalf of MGoBlog, I stand partially corrected--though I question the decision to do so, and he fails the journalistic smell test if he lets his heart control his head--it is the latter he would presumably be hired to do. Frankly, I think almost all of his postings are his "feelings" based upon how a recruit responds to him--facts, not so much. And, who puts their effing name in the title of their post?
November 14th, 2013 at 3:20 PM ^
Agree with SS Blue.
Look, man all due respect - which not sure much is due , but we just lost out on the #1 recruit in the country to who else but that team that wins funcking everything anyway and would have been just fine without Hand.
Look man the last time we were good was in 2006 . Bo died. The game happened. We fucked about for a bit and hired RR which went poorly. We flung the baby out with the bathwater and tried to hire a few different people before landing on a coach (heart of gold), but without a coaching record of great success. He has never coached in a BCS game.
Now this coach looks to be backsliding. Hell I was a completely different person with completely different friends in a completely different state the last time Michigan was even regarded as "good." and that year we didn't win shit.
So you want some sort of "ahh gee, guy. It's ok you went with EVERYONE who gets paid to do whatever it is you do and think Hand would chose Michigan. You'll do better next time." Well save it. I can only speak for myself, but I'm tired, man. I'm tired of watching this team fuck about on a football field and end up being terrible with all the talent in the world.
Just keep doing what you're doing, but for the love of god dont apologize for it. It's hard to draw sympathy from a group who have just had their collective junk smashed into tiny bits.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:23 PM ^
Welcome back, you can't quit us.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:27 PM ^
over Hand, because he WANTS TO BE HERE
November 14th, 2013 at 3:31 PM ^
Never change. Never, change.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:48 PM ^
don't sweat it. . . I appreciate your work..
November 14th, 2013 at 3:15 PM ^
Is why we can't have nice things.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:37 PM ^
Thanks Coach B. Let us know if Peppers stops returning your calls. It would be good to know in advance - partially sarcastic before people lambast me. ;)
Serious question - have you had ongoing conversation with Malik M? If so do you see a change in those conversations the past month or two? I am getting a Treadwell feeling here. At this point my hope is its not OSU or MSU more than it is Michigan...which is sort of sad, that its come to this...
November 14th, 2013 at 4:15 PM ^
Well, Jabrill doesn't return my calls and I'm worried.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:39 PM ^
Dude don't beat yourself up for getting it wrong. A large majority got it wrong along with you.
Would've been awesome if he played here, but it wasn't the best place for him.
On to the next one, go blue.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:41 PM ^
I know MOST got it wrong, in fact, it was a large majority. I just feel like the writing was on the wall for me but I couldn't get past my own fandom.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:43 PM ^
You allow your fandom to take impressions from others and see a bright side, and then that gets translated into your opinions and then we read it and make our own opinions based also in part on how other people are reacting to your thoughts.
November 14th, 2013 at 2:51 PM ^
...that he would wind up there?
Wish him luck...seems like a good kid. Not sure if I buy the engineering school thing...since we have one of the best...but if I were a talented high school kid with dreams of playing in the NFL, I would go to the place with the track record to get me there.
I have never had a good feeling about McDowel from what I have read (or not read)...and your comments do not give me any hope there. :(
November 14th, 2013 at 2:57 PM ^
what is it that you do that puts you in a position to be contacting these kids? Honestly, I don't know...maybe I’ve missed something. Or, maybe you shouldn't be reaching out to these kids and eventually they figure out that responding to your inquiries is pointless.
Are you a recruiting analyst? Or, do you do this for a hobby. I'm not trying to be rude, but seriously, who are you and what is your profession?
November 14th, 2013 at 3:05 PM ^
Brian hired me to be the part-time recruiting reporter.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:07 PM ^
I really didn't know that...Makes sense now.
November 14th, 2013 at 3:39 PM ^
as recruiting reporter, my serious question to you is why on earth would Michigan be in the running for a very high level recruit right now? Is somehow the national consensus something other than "Michigan is a tire fire." Do you think Pepper's comittment is solid?