NFL Insiders embarrass their mothers, Volume I: John Clayton
I know many of you are tired of these threads. I agree with you that the most important thing is that Harbaugh is in Ann Arbor as the future coach. But I am not at "don't care what NFL guys say" level, not yet. It matters that they're making asses of themselves, and it bears further comment and ridicule. This is prime material for a Brian/Seth/Ace/BISB takedown, and I hope they have a proper article planned during the offseason (I realize Brian has been lighting them on fire throughout the search, but a dedicated, consolidated piece would be read-worthy).
John Clayton just said on Sportscenter that Jim Harbaugh is at Michigan because he "played his hand last week", insinuating he played it too early. Recognizing that NFL teams couldn't talk to him due to tampering, but the now infamous "you can do these things through back channels". So apparently tampering is not a thing, it's fine and normal if done through back channels. The Jets said no, and the Dolphins said no. And then "he didn't really get a chance to talk to the Raiders", took the Michigan job because it was the only option he had, and will "work on that", then go back to the NFL.
Obvious logical flaw: the Jets and Dolphins were able to engage in backchannel tampering, but the Raiders did not? What about the Bears or Falcons? Did they obey the tampering rules like the Raiders, or did they also not want a coach with the fifth best NFL winning percentage of all time, like the Jets and Dolphins? Because the suck level of these teams would suggest otherwise.
Contradiction with guy in cubicle next to him: "Though Jim Harbaugh is expected to land at Michigan, NFL teams such as the Bears, Jets, Raiders continue making overtures to change his mind." - Adam Schefter. ESPN is reporting both of these things simultaneously, as if they are both correct.
This is careless and thoughtless reporting, and it defies common sense. That, or they are for some reason telling a story to "cover" the NFL for losing one of its top coaches. In that case they are just flat out lying.
December 30th, 2014 at 9:24 AM ^
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December 30th, 2014 at 9:35 AM ^
But I built a bridge and...I got over it. Now it's Harbaugh Day. John Clayton and Adam Schefter can't ruin that by being idiots.
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December 30th, 2014 at 9:49 AM ^
The only thing John Clayton did that was respectable was make that hilarious SC commercial.
December 30th, 2014 at 9:51 AM ^
These guys need to expand beyond the NFL. They have been stuck there too long. Tells you something about them when they cannot admit they were wrong.
Mike Golic did, he said, "I was totally wrong on this and did not see it coming" At least he had the nuts to admit it. Even Colin Cowherd apologized to the Michigan fans yesterday. Although he owed the Michigan fanbase an apology.
Time to move on. Go Blue
December 30th, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^
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December 30th, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
In today's Chicago Tribune, the Bears front office stated that they never reached out to Harbaugh, so anyone saying the Bears were serious about getting him or wanting to be in the hunt for him are full of dung. I mean, come'on, we are talking about the Bears.
December 30th, 2014 at 10:48 AM ^
I have never seen so many people so pissed off after getting what they want. Come on guys, we got our guy! Who cares what the NFL people say? A bunch of people complaining on a message board isn't going to change anybody's behavior. They were wrong, let's just move on.
December 30th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ^
into the little holes where they spend most of their time, and be forgotten. The narrative has been that Michigan was down, and the easy tendency has been to kick the dog rather than examine it. The dog has set off in a new direction and a lot of people are going to be left behind.
Michigan has received a tremendous boost this week--by hiring a guy who cares about academics and who eschewed bigger money to go back to his school the whole community has really gained. Michigan is a powerful entity--in its combination of story and academic as well as sporting glory, Alabama can obviously in no way compare, and who does that leave? ND, maybe--but it's a smaller and in the end less prestigious place. None of the Ivies approaches this combination. We can be pretty happy with how nice a light all this has shown on UM.
December 30th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
I somewhat agree with your post. However, I think there are several other schools that do in fact have the ability to compare academically and athletically:
- Texas
- Stanford
- UCLA
- Washington
- Ohio State
- Notre Dame
I realize that you can never do a perfect comparison. For instance, Ohio State is not rated as highly as Michigan academically. But all of the above schools are at least in the ballpark, in terms of having had success athletically and academically.
December 30th, 2014 at 11:10 AM ^
http://www.theonion.com/articles/espn-gives-onair-personalities-list-of…
BRISTOL, CT—Following the network’s three-week suspension of analyst Bill Simmons over comments regarding NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, ESPN reportedly sent all on-air personalities a comprehensive list Wednesday of the six pre-approved opinions they may express during broadcasts. “Effective immediately, all on-air talent will be restricted to voicing only the half-dozen sports-related viewpoints officially authorized and endorsed by ESPN,” read the internal company memo, advising all employees to adhere strictly to the new protocol or risk punishment and possible termination. “The network-sanctioned opinions are as follows: 1. The NFL has become a passing league; 2. LeBron James is a great basketball player; 3. The sport of soccer is growing in the United States; 4. Peyton Manning is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer; 5. Rory McIlroy is the new face of golf; 6. The MLB playoffs are incredibly exciting. Thank you for your cooperation.” At press time, ESPN had reportedly revised the list to three opinions after receiving feedback from the NFL front office.