Is there a Lloyd Carr (auto) Biography / Memoir?

Submitted by MCalibur on

Does anyone know if there is a Lloyd Carr coaching memoir or autobiography available? I couldn't find anything like that at Amazon.com and thought maybe someone here knows of something. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

The Original Seth

April 9th, 2010 at 8:51 AM ^

One does not yet exist. Remember, for a retiree he's still decidedly on the young end of things, and he's only been out of coaching for the past couple years -- not out of working entirely, as we see with his consulting firm and numerous fundraising engagements. Given the guy's work ethic, it'll probably be a bit before he sits down to write.

When it comes out, though, I imagine it'll be the most literate and impressive one ever published.

TrppWlbrnID

April 9th, 2010 at 9:54 AM ^

yeah, it goes like this:

i am from Riverview. i shut my mouth and did a good job with no gimmickery. i sent a lot of young men out into the world better for having known me. when it was time to be done, i stopped.

rb4kb8

April 9th, 2010 at 10:29 AM ^

What I’ll remember is his priceless halftime interviews with sideline reporters. I can’t think of a worse task for a sideline reporter (and there are tons of them) than having to interview Carr at halftime when his team losing. My favorite came at halftime of the 2003 OSU-UM game. ABC’s Todd Harris had the task of asking Carr why he didn’t try to move the ball down field with two timeouts. Here’s what happened.

Harris: ”Well coach I know you get second guessed all week long, how come you did go with anything when you have two timeouts left in the half?

Carr: “Why would you ask a dumb question like that?”

Harris: “Well, I’m just curious with 44 seconds left with a chance to make a move down the field and possibly get a field goal.”

Carr: [stares for a second then walks away, appearing to smile and shake his head, disappointed in the young man or disgusted or both]

Harris: “All right Keith [Jackson], back to you. I guess coach didn’t want to answer that.”

MGoBlue95

April 9th, 2010 at 10:56 AM ^

I also loved the follow-up interview with Todd Harris during the Rose Bowl pre-game that year. Lloyd had taken a little flak for the incident, and it was the first time the two had appeared on camera together since the OSU game. Todd Harris began interviewing him, and Lloyd, with that all-knowing half-smile of his, interrupted him and said (very warmly, with a full understanding of the situation) "Happy New Year, Todd." It was classic.

WindyCityBlue

April 9th, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^

...who thinks LC was WAY over-rated and that he doesn't really merit writing a book? I understand that he can do whatever he wants, but seriously, in all his great off the field wisdom, he was at best an above average coach. He is one less half NC away from being an average coach.

I am pretty open minded, so if you can prove to me why an LC book is even worth buying, please let me know. I am easily swayed.

Let the neg-banging begin, but please be gentle.

wutwut

April 9th, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^

would not come from the technical football stuff, but from his thought as a leader, teacher, and intellectual. Even though some of his x's and o's stuff drove me nuts right to the end, I still think he was an above average football coach. He truly loved his players, and they loved and respected him. This motivation can make a significant impact on a team's performance, especially in a violent and emotional game like college football.

WindyCityBlue

April 9th, 2010 at 12:43 PM ^

And I agree. But I think that the vast majority of college football coaches truly love their players and said players return the feelings. However, if this love is what LC used as motivation, it didn't really translate too well on the field.

As a leader, teacher and intellectual. I agree and I can see your point in wanting to buy his book.

What I look for in a coach is that people who are not close Michigan fans would want to buy his book. Its easy for us to want to buy - he was out coach. I want our coach to be so great and compelling that even a Sparty, Domer, or Bucknut would want to buy his book. Is it too much to ask that of our coaches?

blueblueblue

April 9th, 2010 at 12:39 PM ^

"if you can prove to me why an LC book is even worth buying, please let me know. I am easily swayed"

Unbelievable. WHile I can't fathom why you would want to re-hash all the debate people have had over and over regarding Lloyd's coaching, what is really astonishing is your failure to grasp, as wutwut laid out, Lloyd's other qualities that would make the book worth a read - regardless of his game-day decisions. Have you just not been paying attention for, say, the past 10 years? Or are you a newcomer to Michigan sports?

WindyCityBlue

April 9th, 2010 at 1:39 PM ^

But I know what can't be debated, is that I am no newcomer to Michigan sports.
- First game, Michigan - OSU in 1980 (my dad is an OSU fan. Boo!)
- 2 degrees (LSA '00, MBA '08)
- Season ticket holder
- Went to EVERY SINGLE GAME in 2008, home and away
- Chances are, I will be in one of the new luxury boxes this fall

The list goes on. There is no debate - I have paid attention to Michigan the last 10 (and longer)

I understand that we can debate about LC accomplishments as a coach and I don't want to go there either.

Howeva! Being a coach is what defines LC in our eyes. If he was not a coach, he would be just like our grandparents - older, wiser, always have a good story, but would never allow to drive your car. And if he was not the coach of Michigan, we would give a rats ass that he has read Aristotle or can repeat the words of Nietzche (spelling?).

Without being attached as the coach of the University of Michigan LC would be no different than a lot of good men out there - all of which you probably would not buy thier book.

WindyCityBlue

April 9th, 2010 at 2:31 PM ^

Is that what makes him great? You forgot lots of other stats:

- losing record to OSU
- lose to Appy State
- Losing at least 1 OOC game the majority of the years.
- Losing BCS record
- No BSC title games

Again, going down the good coach/bad coach road is futile.

He probably will never write a book anyway. He barely talked to the media and kept his thoughts and feelings close to his chest. I don't expect him to do change now. If so, I doubt he would tell too much.

M-Wolverine

April 9th, 2010 at 10:59 PM ^

The only way it's a HALF a title is if the AP, or whoever, had a tie, and made them co-champs. The AP, and pretty much EVERY other National Championship awarding organization did not do that. They all said "MICHIGAN". Because, if you're going to count each as half, well then, it's really more like 95%/5% National Championship. Hardly anyone BUT the coaches awarded it to Nebraska.

Eck Sentrik

April 9th, 2010 at 9:24 PM ^

"Is that what made him great?"

Where did I say he was "great" straw man? I was poking fun at your "am I the only one who thinks LC overrated" nonsense.

I will, however, say it now. LC was great. Most D1 schools would have killed to have him leading their program.

There's two possibilities as I see it.

1. You're a troll (you knew there would be a negative reaction to calling LC overrated and just did it for the lulz).

2. You're an idiot for calling a man who coached at Michigan for 27 years, HC for the last 12 and posted a record comparable to Bo, overrated.

M-Wolverine

April 9th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^

Because there really is only one side of the argument. There's the "good coach" side (you don't even do yourself any favors by not defining it as GREAT coach), and then there's the stupid side. But, if you want to list stats: The overall winning percentages, the winning record vs. the SEC, continuing the Bowl streak, and continuing almost all of it on New Year's Day, owing JoePa, running off a streak against MSU that would have made Bo proud, no losing records or .500 seasons. If it were so easy, everyone would be doing it...including us.

MCalibur

April 9th, 2010 at 9:43 PM ^

I also think it'd be cool to hear his first person account of his personal coaching priorities and goals for the program, the 1997 season, the Henson-Brady affair, his handling of Chris Perry and Braylon Edwards, and so on. I couldn't care less of fan of other programs would buy it, Michigan people would eat that shit up. There are a lot of us out there. Hell, this site gets 60k+ visitors everyday...

M-Wolverine

April 9th, 2010 at 2:27 PM ^

But I remember so many of his interviews and press conferences, where they'd ask him about the grand state of something, and he'd say something to the effect of "yeah, I have a lot to say on that...but you'll have to wait for the book, when I'm all said and done". Usually to the hypocrisy of the NCAA. I know I'd read it. If you're reading it for just the football stuff, then you're missing the point. I mean, don't get me wrong...there's a LOT of good stuff that could be covered there (as well as bad...would love to see him REALLY let loose on Clockgate), but man, that's not the meat to me. Never is. You can reread the news coverage if that's all you want.

BO was a great book. But the football was such a small part of it. It was on how they did things, and how doing things the right way mattered MORE than the football, that's gold. Though I still get chills every time I reread the part about halftime of the OSU '69 game... "THEY...WILL...NOT....SCORE...AGAIN!!"

SysMark

April 10th, 2010 at 1:28 PM ^

There were things I did not particularly like about Carr as a coach, and many things I liked about him as a person. I thought it was time for a change, and still do, but when I watched his retirement press conference I was reminded of all the good things about him and the values he represented. There may have been some bad losses and a few too many gruff retorts to sideline reporters but in the things that really count he represented Michigan as well as any coach could.

Having said that I believe that despite the ridiculous onslaught of negative attack reporting Rich Rodriguez has many of the same qualities and will eventually gain a similar stature. And the big time winning is about ready to start.