Brandon Out Soon?
[Eric Upchurch]
It might be happening, and soon. Chatter has picked up after the most recent last straw. Today I've gotten two reports that Brandon is resigning in… a couple hours(!). One comes second-hand from within the department, the other second-hand from the regents*. Premium sites seem to have the same chatter.
Prior to what seems like a major shift today but after the most recent last straw I had heard that the next bye week (ie, after Northwestern) was a point at which something might happen, with another independent report from within the department asserting that knives were being sharpened, and a report from one of the events being held in the run up to the regents' election that he was done in a couple weeks.
The the emails supposedly blunted a lot of pushback Brandon's supporters were trying to muster. While you should keep in mind that someone who would relate this to me might be inclined to believe such a thing, John Borton is… uh… not so inclined, and he asserted that white flags are being waved($) inside the department. Sorry if that sounds like self-tootin'. Nobody likes a self-tooter.
*[Note: I endorsed Mike Behm. I should clarify that none of this comes from him or his camp.]
UPDATE: itshappening.gif
I am told by several sources there will be a 1:30 press conference at UM involving the president to discuss AD Dave Brandon
— angelique (@chengelis) October 31, 2014
UPDATE II:
Dave Brandon is resigning as Michigan’s AD, source told @ESPN. Press conference this afternoon
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) October 31, 2014
October 31st, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^
Jim Harbaugh or anyone with the last name of Harbaugh will NOT be coming to Michigan to coach anytime soon. Which part of being a successful coach at the highest level can't Michigan fans understand?!?!
October 31st, 2014 at 12:18 PM ^
[re-posted here from a duplicate thread]
Fuck im'
I am so happy that this douche will no longer be connected to UM....I honestly hope he is bitter and severs all ties to the U and never darkens a doorway on campus again.
As an AD he is (dare I say 'was'?) more than simply inept, he was categorically bad at his job at nearly every turn. He took cheap shots at the quick buck and proved himself willing to sell out any and all aspects of the traditions we all hold so dear in favor of short term monetary (and more than likely personal/political) gain. He had zero long term vision and probably still has little-to-no understanding of the lasting damage he has practiced upon the fan base that will require years to repair.
As a boss, he represents the worst kind of leader...he rules through fear and intimidation and threat of firing, not at all through any kind of substance, knowledge, intelligence, experience or insight.....and as a separate point....most certainly not through example.
As a person, quite simply....he typifies the word 'asshole'. Anyone arrogant enough to go around espousing a business theory based on 'if it is not broke, break it' that displays such an utter contempt for other people, directly in his email responses and through the condescension implicit in his public relations strategies (as if people are not smart enough to see through the smoke screens he attempted to lay down), is someone I am very glad not to know in person. Good luck ever becoming Governor now, thankfully for the State of Michigan that is a near impossibility now. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.
There is zero doubt in my mind that right now that he honestly thinks that he is the victim in all this....it will be interesting to see if he can keep his mouth shut during after this all goes down.
Hey Dave - it was broken.....and we fixed it.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:18 PM ^
Muppets would be in bad taste?
October 31st, 2014 at 12:24 PM ^
October 31st, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
October 31st, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^
October 31st, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
Normally, I don't like a self tooter, but in this case I think it is well justified. Brian and his crew put in a lot of work. At a bare minimum, it only expedited the process. If Brandon would have been able to pull out the last of his nine political lives and muster some support to keep his job for another year, the Blog's yeoman work averted disaster for our beloved program and university. Thanks Brian. Toot away.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:30 PM ^
October 31st, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^
Homecoming is tomorrow. This changes the day from a depressing downer to total jubilation. I'm sure that's not lost on Schlissel.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^
now get hoke to step down
I don't care how much he "loves" michigan, his MAC team was obviously just being able to recruit by being close to michigan and riding on the coattails of the success under Carr... other than that, he's sucked badly. It's not hard to recruit when you were a "special" assistaint coach at michigan during a successful era.... other than that, his track record wasn't that impressive
I don't blame him for wanting the job and taking it, and don't doubt the love.... and i think he'd make a damn good addition to the coaching staff... just not the head coach..... and i don't think he'll have a lot of success after this as a head coach in other areas. he just doesn't have what it takes... He's not like a RR who can see potential in small time recruits and turn them into players that can compete with 4/5 star talent....
I wish him well, but really think his value was artifically inflated just because he had the easiest recruiting job in the mac... "oh, yeah, i'm used to winning on a national level and we're close to michigan, you'll actually get to play here, and we'll win"
Good luck to him either way though, I know he loves the program, and is probably going through a pretty hard time, but it's hard for me to feel bad for him when there's a bunch of players on this team who get paid 0 dollars to get the piss beat out of them while never properly being developed as a team/individuals.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^
Time to party and dance!
October 31st, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
It wasn't broke, so he broke it.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:47 PM ^
for President Schlissel, he was handed a dumpster fire when none should have been there. Dealing with athletics is not that man's thing.
I'm sure he's very annoyed by the whole thing.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^
Thus far he has handled it like a true professional. DB should take notes.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:48 PM ^
Dormant UofM fans at my office are coming alive! Glad they didn't (all - cough sparty jumpers) find a new team to support. Here comes a renewal of fandom, hope quality football isn't far behind.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:51 PM ^
As much as I don't care for him, the worst part of Brandon as AD was not his personality, it was his lack of feel for, well, everything.
He had lost touch with what makes game day great at Michigan.
No one wanted to see him fail. But he was far too divisive to be an AD here, and honestly, I think he wanted to have his own way regardless of how anyone else felt.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:52 PM ^
This is big. I assume Brady is somewhat aware that his boss is resigning.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:54 PM ^
not fully aware
October 31st, 2014 at 12:55 PM ^
not fully aware
October 31st, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
ESPN's reporting that it's worded as Brandon won't return next school year. That means he'll be around until the summer, right? So if he fires Hoke he'll be doing the next coaching search?
October 31st, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
October 31st, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
Given the timing it sure seems that your reporting had a major impact.
October 31st, 2014 at 1:22 PM ^
Dear Dave:
I suggest you find a new team to support. WE WILL BE FINE WITHOUT YOU.
Michigan
October 31st, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^
Time to move on and forward! #GO BLUE
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