Gregg Henson: Sources- Dave Brandon next domino to fall
Saw this in the thread below this one.
http://gregghenson.com/new-information-on-the-new-michigan-coach-and-ad/
This was just posted 20 minutes ago. He details his sources (without naming them), talks about the Regents not being DB's corner anymore and that they will not pursue a new HC without a new AD.
My three separate sources tell me that the next domino to fall is Brandon. He must go before any potential football coach can be approached as he totally botched the Hoke hire, never offering the gig to Miles or either Harbaugh. As a matter of fact, he never even returned calls to Les Miles when he was interested. In his mind Hoke was the only option from day one.
The two names surfacing in the AD hunt are Ward Manuel the AD at Uconn and Brad Bates, the current AD at Boston College.
September 23rd, 2014 at 6:50 AM ^
September 23rd, 2014 at 6:20 AM ^
September 23rd, 2014 at 7:05 AM ^
I do see your point, and perhaps the perception will be enough. But John Harbaugh is on the record as being a whistleblower who was ignored, which could easily be milked for some credit if people are interested in appearances.
September 23rd, 2014 at 7:07 AM ^
Dammit. Double post. Sorry dudes.
September 23rd, 2014 at 6:43 AM ^
Yesterday one of my friends who roots for Ohio State texted me a picture of the milk carton (whatever it was) offering two tickets to see the Minnesota game, saying it was sad times in Ann Arbor, and then he asked me how long it'd be until Les Miles became the highest paid college coach. Now I don't know if they'll make whoever coaches them next the highest paid coach but I do think they're in a situation where they should approach their candidate, ask them what number will bring them to Michigan, then cut the check. No more settling for a passionate guy. Harbaugh dominated the west coast when he was at Stanford, a team that is STILL GOOD now. He's done very well in the NFL (save for this season). Les Miles has consistently won 9-11 games a season in the SEC. Give either of these men the money they want to come to Ann Arbor and let them take care of business. Michigan hasn't been consistently good for almost 10 years now. It's time to end that.
September 23rd, 2014 at 6:47 AM ^
September 23rd, 2014 at 6:52 AM ^
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September 23rd, 2014 at 6:59 AM ^
September 23rd, 2014 at 7:09 AM ^
I don't get all the animosity toward Brandon. I'm actually quite ahppy with the job he's done except for the part about the football team not winning.
September 23rd, 2014 at 7:24 AM ^
He's overseen the hiring of a few great head coaches (KBA, Bakich) and has massively upgraded athletic facilities all over campus. As far as I can tell, everyone hates him because they don't like how he markets / how he treats Tradition(TM) and/or he's just an extension of the football program's misery
September 23rd, 2014 at 7:58 AM ^
Brandon also craps on the season ticket holders, inked a deal with stub hub to make it easy for rival fans to get tickets just so the Department can get a few more bucks, he got rolled by Delaney on the Big Ten scheduling, RAWK MUZAK, 4.50 bottles of water that even the people selling them think are ridiculous, Hoke, Arby's patches on Hockey uniforms, a dozen shirty "throwbacks," treating the students poorly, and I really have to go to work so I can't get to the other half if the list.
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:31 AM ^
So you're basically arguing that he's OK because he's done well with the easiest 1/4th of his job, while dismissing everyone elses anger at him doing a shitty job at the other 3/4ths?
September 23rd, 2014 at 10:02 AM ^
"Dave Brandon should be fired because ______________ "
he makes me mad?
something about kraft?
September 23rd, 2014 at 11:41 AM ^
I could type a thousand words about all of the awful things DB has done here, but I'm busy, so I'm not doing that.
September 23rd, 2014 at 12:14 PM ^
Everyone seems pissy about how football is being managed, well being AD is more than just football.
September 23rd, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^
If that's really a true sentiment, then nothing I would say could possibly sway you. You spend a lot of time here, as do I. You've seen just as well as I have all of the objectionable (to be nice) things that Brandon has done with little or zero foresight. A very, very quick recap:
- taking two days to fire RR
- The Process
- Uniformz, many of them.
- RAWK/ Special K
- band trip to bowl game fiasco
- ticket prices
- student seating fiasco
- MOAR ticket prices/ PSL's
- the noodle
- mascot noise
- no water allowed in stadium
- no seat cushion allowed in stadium
- whoops, seat cushions allowed after all
- naming rights to coaching positions
- social media BRANDING
- skywriting- then tried to lie about it
- condescending responses to fan emails
- fireworks?
- have a Coke and a smile, and a Michigan Football ticket!
There's more, but I don't have time. Was that enough for you? Still feel the same?
September 23rd, 2014 at 5:31 PM ^
I too am annoyed by a lot of the really dumb stuff he tries to pull and would be worried about going through another coaching search with him, but he's done quite well on spending money where it needs to be spent lately
- Pulling in Kim Barnes Arico, Erik Bakich
- Spending the money to get Mattison and Nussmeier
- Canning coaches as needed - I believe he got rid some tennis or golf coaches lately?
- Overseeing the creation of D1 Men's and Women's Lax
- Numerous athletic campus upgrades
Obviously he's done a multitude of stupid things, but I think he's done a lot of good things for Michigan as well. I like having an AD willing to spend some money (even though his way of doing is squeezing every last cent out of all of us) so I'm undecided, but is Dave Brandon better than Bill Martin? Probably.
September 24th, 2014 at 2:56 AM ^
I am on the fence about Brandon. I do not think everything he has done is bad for the school, but I have doubts that anything he has done was in service of the school.
September 23rd, 2014 at 9:35 PM ^
legacy jerseys.
September 23rd, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:54 AM ^
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September 23rd, 2014 at 8:22 AM ^
the team is losing, so it is "fire everyone". The threads are actually pretty interesting, from a psychology standpoint. There are now some extolling the virtues of Rich Rod, when in the days after the MIssissippi State bowl Massacre, he was enemy #1. As was Bill Martin. I believe we've hit rock bottom. Please let this be rock bottom.
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:51 AM ^
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September 23rd, 2014 at 9:38 AM ^
When I was in law school, maybe 15 years ago or thereabouts, a friend of mine had a job working the scoreboard or something for the Lansing Lugnuts. So, one day I went to one of their games. It was borderline intolerable. The baseball itself was bad, but whatever, that's minor league baseball. The real issue was the constant rawk music that made it difficult to converse with the person next to me, and that every half inning there was some weird thing happening with a just-as-loud PA system--either rolling giant dice down a section of seats to see who wins hot dogs, or people dressed up like food and chasing each other around the warning track, or a T-shirt cannon, something. I was worn down by about the third or fourth inning. I just wanted to get the hell out of there--and I was only like 24 years old at the time.
Anyway, at the end of the game, my friend the scoreboard operator asked me what I thought. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I just said, "oh, it was great." And then he says, "isn't it!? What really makes us so much better than other teams is that we have a promotion at the end of every half-inning! We don't want there to be a single moment from when a fan comes in to when they leave that something isn't happening!" Obviously I had a different view, but whatever--again, it was just minor league baseball.
September 23rd, 2014 at 7:13 AM ^
I very much want this to be true, but the source doesn't "feel" authentic. Are we sure that it's true that this is the guy who broke Hoke first?
I would feel encouraged by this article if and only if the author has an established track record of "insider knowledge."
September 23rd, 2014 at 7:20 AM ^
September 23rd, 2014 at 7:50 AM ^
Not sure on the credibility but if Brandon didn't even return the phone calls of Les Miles... wow really? Even without this, please send him and this staff on their way!
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:01 AM ^
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:12 AM ^
Note, however, two points:
1. I don't think any of us "Michigan men supporters" have that as the only job requirement. It is not. The first through fifth requirements are competence and ability to bring this program back to the top. Being a Michigan Man is a nice plus for these guys, though.
2. In wanting a Michigan man as AD, this does not mean that I only want a Michigan man as head coach. I don't. I want the best coach out there to bring us back. Again, a connection to the university would be nice, and shouldn't be seen as a negative, but for a coaching hire, it is nothing more than a nice aside. My reasoning here is that the AD sets policy, and understanding the traditions will help in that regard (I have no explanation for Brandon's rawk, noodles, skywriting, etc). A football coach only needs to understand how to coach football. Most decent coaches will find a way to connect with alum and former players, even if they are not michigan men when they come in.
September 23rd, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:49 AM ^
Being a Michigan Man (TM) isn't a bad thing. It's when being a Michigan Man (TM) is one's only real qualification for the job that we get into a RR/Hoke situation. In the case of the above AD candidates, they have actual real qualifications that would make them good ADs outside of the Michigan Man (TM).
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:16 AM ^
I don't know about Manuel, but I sure as hell don't want Bates. His one big hire at Boston College was easily as stupid as anything that Brandon has done. He hired Steve Addazzio as the head coach, the horrifically incompetent offensive coordinator who was fired from Florida after completely destroying their offense. That would be like hiring Greg Davis as your head coach. Addazio was a terrible hire and I would question any decision made by this guy.
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:35 AM ^
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September 23rd, 2014 at 8:16 AM ^
September 23rd, 2014 at 9:13 AM ^
I'm gonna focus on this...
" And you don't say Bo's boys and talk about Miles (who Bo didn't want"
-what? You do know Miles was in contact with Bo more closely than most Michigan coaches, right? The only reason Miles left Oklahoma State for LSU was because Bo gave him his blessing. Jeeze, I can't believe the poop I read now.
If you want Michigan football back, you go to Les Miles. Neither Harbaugh is coming here...yet. If you have watched CBS for SEC football from 2011-2013, all they talk about when LSU is playing is how "if you want to see Michigan Football of the 70's, you're looking right at it." I don't know how many times I've heard it watching that channel and realizing that it is, in fact, true.
Les Miles is my guy now. Jim Harbaugh is my guy when Les & Cam Cameron Retire. Jim is still out there seeking that Super Bowl Ring, he won't be here until he achieves that goal.
September 23rd, 2014 at 9:35 AM ^
Les Miles would probably do a fine job, but the very last thing I want for our program is to try to get back to playing "Michigan Football of the 70's." We need to grow up and realize that tradition is nice, but it has no influence whatsoever on how we should be playing football. Instead of trying to play the "Michigan way," whatever that is, why can't we just play the way that gives us the best chance to win, like every other goddamn program in the country. Sheesh.
September 23rd, 2014 at 10:38 AM ^
Well said. It is OK to remeber the past, but why do we have to still live in it?
September 23rd, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
I wasn't saying to go back to the ways of "football in the 70's"... I just meant it as, even SEC commentators have appreciation for the 'trench-game' of football... I wouldn't say Les Miles whole game is played like that in the 70's, rather that he understands the game and when you play Spread-like and modern, and when you play an I-formation with a Fullback and grind it out for 1-3 yards...
I like Hoke's "idea" of playing at the lines and evolving from that, but this team's identity hasn't been established as that. At least not offensively. Les Miles has continually had sustainable success at LSU, even if he is in a fertile recruiting landscape, he gets guys head-to-head with the Alabama's the Texas A&M's, etc. I probably sound like a broken record player, but if Michigan is going to be [realistically] competitive in a hiring, it's got to be Les Miles. The only negative I see with him is that "Moeller Issue"... which I don't know if any of us know the actual situation that happened, I know we know what was alleged, but has anything ever been proven fact? (I'm not of the belief nothing happened, just not 100% educated on the matter)
September 23rd, 2014 at 11:52 AM ^
It was my understanding that Bo and Miles were very close.
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:17 AM ^
The saddest part of this to me is that the only options as saviors of the program are one of the Harbaughs or Les Miles. Can we open our options a bit more than that?
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:35 AM ^
Seriously. Why is everyone still only fucking throwing out the Harbaughs and Miles? That's the same damn thinking that got the football program into this mess.
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:49 AM ^
The reason why people keep on throwing out Harbaugh is because even though there might be other options, you will never get a more obvious leading candidate than Jim. He is the stone cold lock best candidate for the job. No program has ever had a more blindingly obvious choice. He is to Michigan what Urban Meyer was to Ohio State. The only difference is availability or willingness, in which case, you hand him a blank check and tell him to write the number on there for you.
If he turns you down, then you move on. But he is the first guy that you call. And if you are the AD, you do whatever the fuck it takes.
Harbaugh is a Nick Saban caliber coach who will have Michigan regularly in the Top 5 if he is in charge of our program.
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:57 AM ^
I want to believe that - I sincerely do. But going after Harbaugh seems like swinging for the cheap seats every time we're at bat.
On the other hand, our current AD seems incapable of even a solid bunt single, so ...
September 23rd, 2014 at 9:03 AM ^
Look at what Harbaugh did at Stanford. His tenure there was more impressive than what Saban did at Michigan State, and he also is successful in the NFL, unlike Saban. And he has Michigan ties, unlike Saban to his SEC programs.
Jim Harbaugh is the closest thing to a stone cold lock obvious leading candidate that any program is ever going to have. The only question is whether you are willing to pay him the required amount of money. And when youa re spending $150 million to upgrade the facilities for non-revenue sports, you have the fucking money.
September 23rd, 2014 at 9:08 AM ^
If he agreed to wear a headset. Surgically implanted, in fact.
September 23rd, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
When the dude swinging for the cheap seats bats .900, is that a bad thing? He dominated in the NFL, taking a terrible team to the SB after taking a doormat to NC levels in CFB. Where's the downside to swinging for the cheap seats?
September 23rd, 2014 at 8:59 AM ^
Jim is the only one on that list that I think would be a grade A hire. John Harbaugh has not coached college since 1997 and never been a coordinator in college ball. Miles will be 61 years old this year. Neither of those guys should be mentioned as top candidates at this point. And it's not like Jim doesn't come with his own baggage either; he's going to rub a lot of people the wrong way. The Jim H/Meyer comparison is pretty good though. I think if Jim is willing to come, you take him at this point considering UM will probably be competing with Florida for their next coach. But it just annoys me that UM has been recycling the same damn list of HC candidates as if no one else in the country besides those who have played or coached as UM in the past has ever done anything.
September 23rd, 2014 at 9:16 AM ^
I truly believe Miles has years left in him to coach. Not only that, but he grooms coordinators for HC Positions (See my posts on here: Gundy, Pelini)... If we could get Les in here to somewhat mend us back to 10-win seasons regulary (especially given we're possibly going to be playing TOUGH schedules with Texas, Arkansas, Florida, etc... Cam Cameron can be groomed to take over, and then Jim can come back home and push us through the 8-team College Football Playoff since he'll have the experience with the NFL.
September 23rd, 2014 at 11:50 AM ^
Cam Cameron has proven over and over that he is not head coach material. Never bring up that name again!
September 23rd, 2014 at 1:15 PM ^
I'm not sure IU should really count if he's just going to be inheriting a program... I'm not saying it's the #1 choice... but if we have Les Miles for a 10-year run, he takes over and handles the program Hoke/Les built until Harbaugh is even remotely interested? It's more wishful thinking than an actual option...