BBrown: Malik McDowell In: The Shortest Text Conversation Ever
I exchanged a few text messages with 2014 DL Malik McDowell after he released his Top 7 that included Michigan. The conversation was less than intriguing but this was the first time McDowell has responded to me in quite a long time. I will post the text conversation exactly how it went down to depict the feel of our interaction. Just pretend you are looking at an iPhone screen.
Hey Malik is there any order to your top 7??
No
Are you planning on announcing at your All-American game?
No
Oh ok...when are you going to make your decision you think?
Idk
A lot of people think you are a Michigan lean what do you think about that?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
That marked the end of our conversation. As I have mentioned before this is very different from how he used to respond to me and answer my inquiries. He's always been tough to get a bead on but now I really have no idea who he likes or where he might commit.
I will stand by my theory. If a recruit responds to me openly, often, and punctually it has almost always led to good things. (Drake Harris, Chase Winovich, Wilton Speight, Moe Ways, Jabrill Peppers, Tyree Kinnel, Lawrence Marshall, Mason Cole) On the flip side, when communication really slows or never really takes off in the first place, that has usually led to a different destination other than Michigan. (Da'Shawn Hand, Damon Webb, Sam Mustipher, Jimmie Swain, Jamarco Jones, etc.) Those are just a few examples.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:13 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:14 PM ^
Keep doing your thing, Brandon. It's much easier for haters to bitch about somebody else than to do something themselves.
December 6th, 2013 at 9:22 AM ^
I don't know why people are downvoting this thread. Thank you Coach Brown for sharing.
Yes, it doesn't look good, but McDowell is a damn enigma. I'd rather have some clue that he's not coming to M rather than just flat out assuming he was only to face all of the disappointment.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:14 PM ^
If you're texting with someone and none of their replies are more than three letters, it's kind of a hint.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:17 PM ^
I don't know about that... I've been texting this cute girls I met at the bar from a few weeks ago consitently and she always gives me at least 3 characters, "No" or "IDK"... I'll keep tryin'
December 5th, 2013 at 9:45 PM ^
BBrown only sent 4 texts and Malik responded to the 1st. If he ignored the 1st, then presumably BBrown would not have sent another message.
I take this to mean no Malik for us. Hopefully, he goes way South then.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:41 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 10:19 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 10:59 PM ^
Agreed. After three straight one word (or acronyms that aren't somevariation of "lol") responses, I usually just toss my phone aside, shrug, and tell reassure myself that I tried.
But maybe that's why I'm not a journalist/reporter.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:15 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:16 PM ^
This is cool.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:18 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:22 PM ^
I'm curious as to what you think EVERY update from a recruit is? Reporters contact them, ask them questions, and then post it to their respective sites.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:32 PM ^
I can respect an actual thought and opinion. I see what you mean and while it's probably done this way a lot, it's not always announced as being verbatim or whatever. I guess my approach is that I don't try to twist words, inject emotion, omit negatives, or insert positives. I just shoot it straight.
December 5th, 2013 at 9:13 PM ^
Yeah, I agree. I sorta want to hear your impressions from your "conversations" rahter than quote him because I sorta feel like I'm reading a private conversation which feels a little weird.
On a side note I can't help but feel a little frustrated that the two big recruits (Hand & McDowell) in positions of need that we have been waiting on for quite some time, both of whom were thought to be UM leans, now seem like they are both lost. I'm not sure we can really be a good defense until we can get an elite pass rusher. I think Mone and Pipkins will be good in the middle in the future. I still have high hopes for Charlton. But, we still need some talent at SDE.
December 5th, 2013 at 9:37 PM ^
December 6th, 2013 at 12:18 AM ^
Brandon Brown is mgoblog's recruiting ninja and he will be leading recruiting coverage well into the future. There is no question about it. Bradon has done a great job rebuilding recruiting coverage and reshaping the culture to the level it was under recruiting ninjas TomVH and Aquaman. Anyone making efforts to stir up a recruiting coverage controversy at mgoblog is ill-informed and is likely promotiong a personal agenda that is not in the best interest of mgoblog.
Is recruiting coverage where we want it to be? No. Many don't remember that when Brian started mgoblog in 2004, his recruiting coverage kind of sucked. Brandon shoots straight from Jersey to the Aleutians, from Hudson Bay to the Bermuda Triangle. I know that Brandon Brown will finish his career at mgoblog as one of the most successful writers in mgoblog's storied history.
Keep it real homie and Go Blog!
December 6th, 2013 at 1:21 AM ^
Well played, Dave, err Jabrill.
December 6th, 2013 at 1:24 AM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 11:18 PM ^
Yeah, if I thought someone was going to be posting my text messages on a blog I would likely stop texting with them.
I guess my only question to Mr. Brown would be, are you sure he remembers who you are?
December 5th, 2013 at 11:42 PM ^
you're on thin ice now.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:33 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:15 PM ^
From your postulation a few days ago that recruits not being receptive to your ovetures is a bad thing for Michigan... I'm guessing this is a very bad thing for Michigan?
December 5th, 2013 at 8:18 PM ^
Certainly doesn't bode well when you don't like your chances with your top two in-state players (one of whom is already committed to your biggest rival).
If he's not in blue, hope he goes south of the Mason-Dixon.
I guess upon further review it's not too bad.
Take out two QBs we're not really interested in and Bullough who we have no shot with with, that gives us Drake Harris, MoWays, and Marshall. 3/7 ain't too bad thoguh it always sucks losing blue-chippers to your rivals. It's not like Michigan is the most talent rich of states.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:21 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:23 PM ^
You are right in that maybe he's speaking with everyone this way, but there is context in comparing how he used to communicate with me to how he does now.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:37 PM ^
Hopefully this isn't how his conversations with the coaches go.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:50 PM ^
That said, I think that there might be a flaw in your theory as to how a recruit's responsiveness to you indicates their ultimate decision. Is it possible that when you first contacted him, the recruiting thing was still new and exciting to him, so he was happy to communicate - hell, it would boost my ego to have had adults lapping up my every word when I was 16-18. Now, as his recruitment has gone one, the novelty has worn off and perhaps he is sick of answering questions from so many others in your position. Perhaps he even finds the constant attention from older "reporters" to be somewhat creepy. I don't say this is a remotely negative way, but it is possible.
December 6th, 2013 at 9:00 AM ^
This was my thought as well - that maybe he has grown wary of the whole recruiting process.
December 5th, 2013 at 9:06 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:23 PM ^
Who does Michigan have on tap if this goes The Way of Hand?
December 5th, 2013 at 8:24 PM ^
It seems that a number of recruits know of and/or read this blog.
I'd think that posting text conversations or talking about their habits and responsiveness might not be the best thing to do with regularity.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:28 PM ^
but it's not always rainbows and lollipops. News isn't always good in recruiting, that's just part of it. I'm not going to only post the good stuff and pretend the bad stuff doesn't happen. That being said, this isn't necessarily even a bad thing just what happened.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:35 PM ^
I'm not even speaking about the quality of the news, and it makes total sense for you to report both good things and bad things. However, that's not what I'm saying.
I'm saying, if recruits know the level of detail that you're willing to report on the blog, there's a chance they will be less likely to communicate with you - no matter what the news is.
I appreciate your hard work, and don't want you to think I'm being a prick. It just seems different from other people's methods of reporting.
December 6th, 2013 at 9:33 AM ^
The real question is, did (I) the reader, get any more value from seeing the exact conversation? And, could there be any harm in posting the conversation verbatim?
Personally, I get what you were trying to do by posting it for effect, but it didn't really add any value for me. If you just would have summarized it with an update. I know the title of your post obviously played into this, but I think a general update summarizing the convo would have worked better.
Secondly, I do feel BostonWolverine makes a good point. It does seem like it could lead to an erosion of trust if you post the exact conversation, which ironically could lead to shorter conversations in the future, which is of course what you're trying to avoid.
Thanks for the update though - seems as if he's trending away from Michigan but you just never know. We're really due for an Army All-American recruit to pick up an M hat.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:40 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:30 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:32 PM ^
Exactly.
December 5th, 2013 at 9:56 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:39 PM ^
I'm a whole lot less worried about a recruit reading BBrown's analysis of their interaction than I am a recruit reading the thousands of comments throwing our players, coaches, and administration under the bus, talking about pulling all support of the program, and the regular demands that we "fire e'rybody".
But that's just me, guy who thought we all learned something about public perception and showing a unified front of support for the program after the RR debacle..........
December 5th, 2013 at 8:41 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:43 PM ^
The BEST MGoBlog we can have should be everyone's desire man!
December 5th, 2013 at 10:04 PM ^
Eh, fans will be fans. That's why we're all here. It's unrealistic to expect fans to point out the positives despite a result that is less than desired. People have to be who they are. Some are positive, some are pessimistic, some do research to analyze stuff, and some look to the future during times of our team's frustration. But, you can't expect someone to be someone they aren't.
I personally reserve the right to call for Borges head when I deem his coaching sucks, despite my complete lack of coaching knowledge. I won't disrespect players, but I will call it like I see it as a fan. We want to see our favorite team be successful because we all feel some slight piece of identity with the product we see on the field and when they are not successful we get frustrated and this is a forum to voice that frustration. That's all it is.
One thing I can say as a former college athlete, watching is much harder and more stressful than playing. As a fan all we do is watch and hope. As a player, if you've done your best, it's not that hard to brush off a loss and move on. It's much harder to do that as a fan. If any of our words actually has any real impact on a recruit that is at the very least weird. I know as an athlete no fans words that don't see inside the walls of day to day operations ever affected my actions.
December 6th, 2013 at 8:33 AM ^
and realizes that he comes across as kind of a dick.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:24 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:30 PM ^
Shut your filthy whore mouth.
December 5th, 2013 at 8:34 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 8:51 PM ^