November 21st, 2009 at 9:53 PM ^
Debate ova.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:54 PM ^
Congrats to Martin for making a quick announcement.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:54 PM ^
Let's move on and focus on recruiting. Enough of the will he/won't he be back saga.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:55 PM ^
every sunny-day fair-weather ticket selling sellout should finally quit with the "other coaches" shit, but the bad news is they won't.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:27 PM ^
When the university grows some balls and takes away their fucking tickets. Those fucks.
It's abundantly clear after going to the game today who really gave up on this team. It wasn't Rich Rod or the players - it was the long time "fans" (and I use the term loosely) with season tickets.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:56 PM ^
Well, we're stuck with Rod for awhile. Either we sink or swim with him. No other options left.
November 21st, 2009 at 11:02 PM ^
In the spirit of optimism and supporting our team and coach, let's try to avoid the phrase "stuck with." Let's go with we "have Rich Rod for a while," "we have the honor of watching coach Rod turn this thing back into a championship program," or "we don't have to watch another coach come in and blow up the entire program again which would leave us up shit's creek for at least 2 more years."
Any of those would work.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:48 AM ^
What now appears to be complete banning of any dissent here makes this board a very unappealing place to be - like Russia in the 80s or Germany in the 40s. I think keeping RR was undoubtedly the right thing to do, firing him would have been just dumb and would set the program back even further. But RR has made some questionable, even quite bad, calls this season. His coaching while at Michigan deserves questioning. This ultimately leads to his title of 'Michigan coach' being questioned. And that is good, democratic community folks. The intolerance going on here is community alright, but one so intolerant and so homogeneous as make certain historic rulers quite proud. But if that is what you all want, if that is what Brian wants, then by all means have at it.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^
Where is this "complete banning of dissent" you speak of? The post above was not deleted, nor have been the many posts by tomhagan and other very negative posters. They have received criticism by others, yes, but criticism hardly equals censorship. I'm fairly certain they aren't being thrown in jail.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:50 PM ^
Agreed. It is totally ironic (or perhaps just insanely stupid) that the dissenters think it is their right to dissent but it is no one else's right to dissent on their dissent.
So, they can post their diatribes but if anyone dares to neg them they go nuts.
Ya gotta love it.
November 22nd, 2009 at 1:58 PM ^
Are you an idiot or do you just play one here? I never said there is no right to dissent on the dissenters. I think it is everyone's right to dissent, no matter what they are dissenting. That sentiment should be abundantly clear from my post. That was, in fact, my point.
And to jmblue - sorry I used the word "banning" when I didn't mean it literally - but I am glad I could provide you with a strawman argument. Perhaps "socially constructed banning" suits what is going on here better. I obviously didn't mean actual banning - I read the post I commented on didn't I? Try not to impute your level of intelligence to others. Socially constructed banning means banning by negging, by calling out posters, by the herd mentality that anyone who dissents is against the team. Nice try, but not nearly good enough.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:57 PM ^
Very proud of how Rich Rodriguez coached today. This is the absolute correct move and I'm glad Martin did not hesitate to confirm it.
November 21st, 2009 at 11:32 PM ^
Agreed. Also saw some of his press conference. I think he's handled himself with a great deal of class during the past two years. A lot of coaches would have cracked under such intense scrutiny, or at least lashed out a time or two, which he has never done.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:00 PM ^
Bill Martin knew the talent deficit that RR had coming in and that it would take time.
Michigan is paper thin and shockingly young almost everywhere. Next year Michigan will get back to a Florida bowl game (maybe not a good one) and hopefully in 2011 Devin Gardner will be too talented to keep off the field and we'll start the revenge tour.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:55 PM ^
The revenge tour... I like it. Oh, how awesome it will be when Michigan is hanging Baby Seal U numbers on fools...
November 21st, 2009 at 10:01 PM ^
Bueller?
November 21st, 2009 at 10:01 PM ^
That jackass just finished talking on ESPNews... Said: 1) RR could still be gone should the NCAA find violations; 2) M is happy "there is not another game for them to embarrass themselves in"; and 3) that success next year HAS to be a BCS bowl.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:08 PM ^
Just likes to hear himself talk, and yet another Detroit newspaper or radio jackass throwing things out there and hoping something sticks so they can be right for once. Sharp's an asshole.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:05 PM ^
both BM and MSC have been saying that for weeks.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:06 PM ^
Martin said RR will be coach next year regardless.
http://www.annarbor.com/sports/rich-rodriguez-absolutely-will-be-coach-…
November 21st, 2009 at 10:06 PM ^
That must be a mistake, Wilbon had a reliable source.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:19 PM ^
Someone lost all their money in their wallet...
November 22nd, 2009 at 11:15 AM ^
nice reference.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:23 PM ^
I'll take Wilbon's unnamed source over UM's Athletic Director seven days a week.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:08 PM ^
Right on. How about them cagers?
November 21st, 2009 at 10:09 PM ^
As to why the fan base wants such instant gratification? I recognize it has been a trying two years, specifically after watching michigan football for so long, but we all lived through basketball purgatory and we made it out. We will make it out of football purgatory.
We couldn't even beat MAC teams last year. Say what you want, but this year we beat a completely healthy Notre Dame squad. A healthy David Molk and we make a bowl for sure. I frankly am happy to give him the full five years. The biggest reason being - Michigan is still Michigan. If Rich Rod doesn't work out, we'll just get another hot rising star. More than likely from the Bo tree. Either way, it isn't the end of the world. We currently have a coach that is trying to get his team to the next level. He has been successful consistently at every level. Let's just see what he can do. IF THE IDIOTS AT NOTRE DAME CAN GIVE CHARLIE WEIS FIVE YEARS WHY CAN'T WE HAVE R ROD THREE?
November 21st, 2009 at 11:20 PM ^
You said it yourself--instant gratification. Michigan isn't used to losing, especially two years in a row. There are many who feel that putting on the winged helmet automatically means 14 points and 6 wins, regardless of who's on the field. Anything less obviously means that the coach is an idiot.
Fortunately, those of us on this board know better, and are willing to look objectively on the situation at hand. As Fielding Yost said:
True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise --- the other, loyalty.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:11 PM ^
Finally, the 'We should go hire (insert name here)'people can go and hibernate now.
And while Valenti talks, usually Terry Foster comes along for the ride too. You think he really counterpoints him on anything Michigan?
November 21st, 2009 at 10:13 PM ^
Great full circle from ESPN here. Create a controversy, then hype it to high hell, then debunk it. Beautiful.
This should have been over when Bill Martin laughed in JollyHolly Rowe's face.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:27 PM ^
Don't ever say anything bad about my girl, Holly Rowe. Her moon face is what orgasms are made of.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:19 PM ^
Actually, we can now sit back and watch Rich hit the recruiting trail. Here's hoping at this point that he pulls a stud linebacker out of his hat before February.
I can only assume we would've had a surefire win today if he'd managed to sign Barkevious Mingo last year. Mingo.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:55 PM ^
T'would put the woof woof back in the dog-pound er, dog-house er, wolverine house for sure.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:19 PM ^
It really pisses me off that the glorious media puts Martin in the position of having to announce what anyone who pays serious attention to the program knows is going to happen. Congratulations, Drew.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:22 PM ^
Good, good steps today.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:31 PM ^
Coming out right away and immediately and unequivocally announcing that Rich Rod is staying will go a long way to reducing some of the idiocy out there right now.
I was proud of him today - he had inferior talent but fought OSU tooth and nail, and they didn't even cover the spread. I have no idea what the future holds, but 2010 brings a new decade, and I think Rich Rod is going to start owning this fucking rivalry really soon. If this is what he did today, I can't wait to see what he does with a veteran offense and a top caliber defense.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:37 PM ^
I imagine we can now avoid the (formerly) ongoing debate between rational thinking fans (i.e., those who give a coach a reasonable 4 years to implement his system and get in "his players") and the tin hat irrational crowd who believe that simply being M should mean an automatic 10 wins per year.
Well, I imagine we can avoid it until the first fumble of next year when the team will be beset by regression, dissention and a lack of family values.
Thanks sailboat leadership.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:39 PM ^
At least for now. I'm behind him 100%. If we're running any version of the spread, there isn't a single candidate I'd rather have as our coach. There may be a few coaches like Urban and Saban that could have more success quicker but I'm not willing to sacrifice that much of my soul. If we go pro style, who could we bring in? With new scheme changes, linemen asked to become fat and slow again and a need for players with different skill sets we would almost certainly be looking at what everyone wants to avoid which is becoming the next ND or Nebraska. We're down now but I don't want to be here in five years. RR can and will get us there. I don't believe there is anyone we would hire as a coach that would win more games next year or get us back to where we want to be faster. Next year probably won't be great either. We'll make a bowl game but we'll most likely be in the bottom half of the Big 10. 2011 is what we need to look at. That gives RR four years.
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:03 AM ^
It was good for the program to see Harbaugh and Miles fail in such grand fashion today at the end of their games when it mattered the most. For awhile, that will mean two less names cited by the bandwagon-jumpers.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:40 PM ^
does this mean my buddy will stop asking me if Harbaugh is going to be the coach next yr?
November 21st, 2009 at 10:42 PM ^
Good Luck on the recruiting trail Coach Rod! Get it done!
November 21st, 2009 at 10:49 PM ^
for 2011
November 21st, 2009 at 10:59 PM ^
2010!
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:58 AM ^
I think this is the second time I've said 'all in for 2011' when I meant 2010.
Hope that's just the hangover talking.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:57 PM ^
I heard that Bill Martin pointed out that RR has 70 scholarship players, fully 15 under the max. Think we might have been better if Lloyd left 10 more decent defensive players around? Walk ons contributing at Michigan? Heresy! But who the hell would have played if there were on Kovacs or Leach? Yikes!
And on a more immediate note, what is wrong with Dierdorf? he looked like a feeble old man who cant move. Sad.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:57 AM ^
he is an older gentleman, with a lot of miles on the odometer. sure looked like the friendly old neighbor today.
November 22nd, 2009 at 5:18 AM ^
that little fucker lloyd. if he didn't chase off all our defensive talent richrod would have had THREE national championships already at michigan.
I mean if lloyd didn't recruit absolute fucking losers like brandon graham, donovan warren, and stevie brown we would be all world and staring down yet another title game.
November 22nd, 2009 at 6:28 AM ^
Precisely. I mean for real. We have two freshmen quarterbacks, one of which has an injured shoulder, while the other can't throw at all, a freshman and a sophomore running back splitting carries in the biggest game of the year, our best receiver is a 6'0'' tall 150lb freshman, and yet our offense only averages 24 points per game coming into the OSU game. Fucking Rich Rod, what a horrible coach. Doesn't he know ANYTHING about how to run an offense.
I mean don't even get me started about the defense. I mean WTF! W T F! The secondary! A walk on safety because there are absolutely no juniors, or seniors who are capable of playing that position. Another safety who has been switched between corner and safety all year because our other corners opposite the divine donovan warren have been sophomores and/or freshman that have either been injured or kicked off the team. Wow Rich Rod, family values.
That Dline too. I mean its not Lloyd's fault that opposite Brandon Graham there are either freshman or sophomore defensive lineman starting. Don't get me started.
Those linebackers too. So awful, I mean, why has Rich Rod refused to bench Obi and Jonas, cmon, there must be at least ONE upper classmen at the linebacker position better than them. Starting a walk on at linebacker is totally Rod's fault. I mean, what has he been doing the past four years? Obviously not enough because that doesn't happen at Michigan.
I mean, just look at Stevie Brown. Everyone was all over his jock strap until Rich Rod had to be a dumbass and change the defense making Stevie into a horrible player this year who did nothing but disappoint. Doesn't that describe Rich Rod perfectly? Turning All Big Ten Stevie Brown from last year into a worthless player this year.
Rich Rod, what a terrible coach. I mean Lloyd left a loaded team for him to work with. Don't get me started. Don't even get me started.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:58 PM ^
Not that I at all question the return of RR for next year or 2011 because, like, duh, but can we officially not trust ESPN? I seem to recall a "Les Miles confirmed as next head coach at Michigan" report...
November 21st, 2009 at 11:18 PM ^
RR should be given through the 2011 season. I would say he needs to show a steady improvement...lets say 6 or 7 wins in 2010 and 8 or more wins in 2011. I think he will get us to 10 to 11 wins once Gardner takes over in 2012. We just have to hope a lot of defensive studs will see an opportunity here to play quick at Michigan! Good luck recruiting RR and staff and go out there and work hard!
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:19 AM ^
that some of the potential recruits that visited Ann Arbor today will go ahead and commit. They should see that this team is on the rise.