Dez on College Gameday

Submitted by AeonBlue on

Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit just had a debate about DB on Gameday. Desmond's main points were defending DB and all the funds he raised and how he was a champion of Women's sports. He basically implied the only reason DB was forced into resignation was because of the football team's performance. Is he this out of touch with the state of affairs and the fan-base or is this just a scripted talking point from ESPN? 

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WolvRev86

November 1st, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^

While I've never played collegiate sports (outside of intra-mural ultimate frisbee, which my team won 3 years in a row) it seems as though this is a bit like the military (though I've never served there either, though I respect those that have).

You trust your leader (Hoke) implicitly, including those above him (Brandon), and in Dez's case probably those that you didn't "serve" under but still hold the office you respect. Indoctrination is fundamental to the military throughout history. And I would guess that if you're in the military and "bought in", you would assume that anyone who hasn't served has no idea what they're talking about when they weigh in on the matter (muggles). I suppose I don't mean that to be universal, surely some former military would disagree, as would some former players. Indoctrination can lead to blindness, ex. Nazis, ex. DB, but that too is not universal.

Feel free to disagree, just my 2 cents. Go Blue.

Joined: 10/29/2011

MGoPoints: 168

GoBLUinTX

November 1st, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^

trusts their leaders implicitly unless they have a reason to do so.  Two reasons actually, and they go hand in hand.  Is he competent and will he keep us alive?  I've had commanders that I thouroughly disliked on a personal level but gladly served with because of their competence and abilitiy to lead.  On the extreme other end of the scale I've had a commander that was liked by everyone, and everyone held him in contempt because he was a quivering simp.

Indoctrination. LOL, your post is a reflection of your own indoctrination.  Group think is just another way of saying indoctrinated.  But in any case, you are right about the muggles thing, and Mealer shouldn't be denigrated because of it.  Everyone that is part of a club or tribe sees outsiders as "muggles."  Academicians see athletes as muggles.  Firefighters and policemen see civilans as muggles.  Members of the Chess Club see the guys in autoshop and think muggles. 

 

Joined: 12/02/2013

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WolvRev86

November 1st, 2014 at 11:44 AM ^

Got it, I do appreciate the insight. Like I mentioned, I don't have the credentials to post authoritatively regarding many things, such as the military. That doesn't stop most people on internet blogs, perhaps it should (case in point?).

I think I was aiming at the idea that individualism is considered detrimental to many military operations (based on what I've read, not personal experience). The opposite of individualism would be a corporal ethic, brought about through indoctrination. Indoctrinating the many to think, move, act, and trust as one, or parts of one body. A football team, an athletic department, could fall under that category. 

I think I'm trying to clarify what I was thinking, not being argumenative. 

Joined: 10/29/2011

MGoPoints: 168

chunkums

November 1st, 2014 at 10:38 AM ^

There's probably a reason athletes and coaches like Dave Brandon. You can hate him for his commodification of seemingly everything, but he raised lots of money, and it sounds like he was very, very good to all of the sports other than football. Regarding football, his biggest issue was that his coaching hire sucked. 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 29029

Alton

November 1st, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^

Mvictors had this brilliant post almost 4 years ago, and in many ways it is still accurate:

http://mvictors.com/the-clans-the-factions-defined/

Mr. Howard is part of the single faction (called "Lloyd loyalists" 4 years ago, although I'm not sure that's the best name for them now) that still feel that David Brandon and Brady Hoke should be trusted to lead Michigan athletics moving forward.  Mr. Howard represents that faction very well, although it often seems that the only people left in that group are former players from the '90s and '00s, plus a handful of knee-jerk contrarians who post on this board.

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 13300

AlwaysBlue

November 1st, 2014 at 11:24 AM ^

it goes. It's more likely though that Howard sees the whole pie and knows that it would have been tough to knit together all of the factions in an anti-Brandon crusade if the team was winning. What's more interesting is that Prez S most likely is among the corduroy jacket crowd at heart. Now he's challenged with knitting the factions together while maintaining his view of the identity of the University as an academic institution. The "obsessives" here stand to be deeply disappointed.

Joined: 11/23/2008

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MGoRob

November 1st, 2014 at 11:09 AM ^

How about we drop all the bad PR that Brandon did and focus on one issue. He fired RR and hired Hoke. Terrible decision. Now he has paid the price for this with his own job.

Joined: 03/14/2010

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Doc Brown

November 1st, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^

Because a good AD actively works to rid all of the individual sport booster clubs such as diamond club and the Dekers. A good AD also doesn't treat each season ticket holder as a customer buying a pizza at Dominoes. Michigan athletics is not a business.


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Joined: 11/20/2011

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Ranger1010

November 1st, 2014 at 11:19 AM ^

Thank you Desmond Howard for speaking the truth!!!  Desmond nailed it.  The Brandon fiasco was a political witch-hunt the moment the left-wing UM faculty, the easily manipulated students, and left-wing press smelled blood in the water.  The UM faculty never agreed with the Brandon hire.  Considering the election is three days away, the press will do anything to damage anyone even vaguely associated with Gov.Snyder (Brandon his a high-profile republican.)

Did Brandon deserve to "resign"? Perhaps.  But dont let that fool you.  He was forced out because leftie shouting booths like mlive, mgoblog (Brian and his wife are hard-core liberals.  You dont like it?  You dont agree?.  I dont care.  Read Brian's stuff.  His politics jump off the page), Ann Arbor daily, the UM faculty and the students who were lead around like sheep, all wanted him gone for his politics, not how UM played football on the field.

Joined: 08/16/2014

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erald01

November 1st, 2014 at 11:49 AM ^

Yes we hate him cause he is republican...you my friend are a walking void..if you dont know what that is then look it up.
I do agree with one thing from your pointless rambling that if we were winning no one would care about any of these things BUT when you DON'T perform and get paid millions of dollars, fire ~160 people so you can bring the "YES Mister Dave Brandon Sir" people in the staff and everyone gets on their knees for him, charge $5 for a water..for WATER you moron..overcharge people for the tickets, and other embarrasing shit....YES we didnt like him because he is a republican

Joined: 01/17/2013

MGoPoints: 3462

asquared

November 1st, 2014 at 11:55 AM ^

I think what it really comes down to is that Brandon would have gotten away with all the crap he pulled if the football team was successful. This wouldn't have made him any better of an AD, just a more powerful one. 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 1357

AMazinBlue

November 1st, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^

Desmond said that during the discussion.  He is going to protect DB's character.  The results on the field arepart ofhe problem.  DB's PR disasters and inabilty to connect with the fanbase is was his ultimate undoing.  How hated would DB be if the team was 7-1?  I think he would be tolerated at best.

Desmond is part of the former player base that protects what is in Schembechler hall.  Being part of that family is rallying around whoever is in charge.  The only way to unite all parts of this dfistant family is get an AD that does AD work, not so much PR and lets the football program be the football program.

The key to thast last part is getting the RIGHT coach.  One with a strong personality and will push the kids, teach the kids and put Michigan back on the map where they belong.  We need a coach that wants to own MSU, OSU and the make the Big House the toughest place to play in the country.

Once that happens, everything will fall into place and the family comes back together like it was under Bo.

Joined: 10/12/2008

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TheSacko221

November 1st, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^

Brandon was fired because the diamond of the department(football) was underachieving. Brandon did plenty of good things.

The issue is the fan base. They refuse to adapt and grow and want to live in the Age of dial up and projection TVs. The sad fact is whoever is the next AD will fail as well unless the fan base gets beyond the old ways and think tradition is never changing.

Real fans just want to win no matter the jersey, helmet or anything else. Michigan fan base thinks not changing puts them on a higher level and it is that arrogance that will hold the program down.

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