Sometimes Things Are Bad, And That's Okay Comment Count

Brian

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either it will work or it will not work [Eric Upchurch]

Hey guys! As you may have noticed, the theme of this week on the blog is "nah." When I thought to myself "I should start a Michigan blog" back in 2004 I did not anticipate that about every three years things would descend into a melee of recriminations and stupidity. Insofar as it's possible I am opting out of this edition.

I could point out various reasons that things aren't going well again, but what's the point? I've already said the things, and people willing to listen have already read them. What's the point in arguing with this guy who's all up in my inbox?

Brian, your mattress story ,while creative in another genre, makes michigan football fans look like a bunch of smoked out , entitled, arrogant assholes. How so? It puts an emphasis on quirky,smarter than the rest of football  fan bases,and takes away from the team of mostly working class players whom have little in common with you or most of your followers.

Its time to end this little money making with little to no sweat, blood,or tears called mgoblog while profitting off the Michigan athletes and get a real job...oh wait, that is not in your genetic makeup.

There isn't one. Nor is there a point in arguing with people who don't think Brady Hoke and his #37 and #20 2014-15 recruiting classes don't still have an impact on Michigan's performance. While assaulting previous regimes for failures has been somewhere between plausible and a holy quest, to do so after this start from Harbaugh...

In Harbaugh’s first season, Michigan doubled its win total from five to 10 and improved from 48th in S&P+ to fifth. The Wolverines won seven games by at least 21 points and lost to only three opponents (Utah, Michigan State, Ohio State) that combined to go 34-7. Against Utah, they lost because of a pick six. Against Michigan State, well, you remember that one. Not a bad debut.

In 2016, Michigan came within a spot of the Big Ten East title. If officials mark J.T. Barrett’s fourth-down conversion attempt slightly differently, the Wolverines go to the Big Ten title game and likely go to the College Football Playoff. As it stands, they merely backed up the previous season with another 10-3 record, another top-five S&P+ finish, and losses by a combined three points against Ohio State and Florida State teams that won 21 games. All this despite a late-season shoulder injury to quarterback Wilton Speight.

...given Harbaugh's track record is asinine. To do so after Michigan returned the fewest starters of any Power 5 team and lost their top quarterback, left tackle, and wide receiver to injury is brain dead. Yes, I thought things would be going better, but my preseason prediction didn't bake in injuries to Speight and Black; without those the chances that Michigan is headed towards 9-3 at worst are what, 90%? Have we already forgotten what a truly bad team looks like?

I get it if you're a rival and you're getting your yucks in. If you're a Michigan fan and your reaction isn't along the lines of "well, this is very disappointing but lets see what happens next year" I don't want to talk to you. Because what good would it do?

Comments

FatGuyTouchdown

October 24th, 2017 at 2:39 PM ^

I've seen a lot of people freaking out, and using the metric that Brady Hoke and Jim Harbaugh have similar records in their first 32 games. While this record is techincally true, I would like to point out that the 2011 B1G Conference had: Bo Pelini, Bret Bielema, interim coach Luke Fickell, Joe Paterno/Tom Bradley, Ron Zook, Danny Hope, first year Jerry Kill and  first year Kevin Wilson. Almost all of those head coaches have been fired/retired in favor of someone significantly better at some point: Paul Chryst, Urban Meyer, James Franklin, Jeff Brohm, PJ Fleck, are all significant coaching upgrades. 

The B1G when Brady Hoke started had 1 team finish in the top 10 at the end of the season, last year had 4 B1G teams finish in the top 10 and 10/14 teams made bowl games. The conference is significant stronger than it has been, which will exacerbate a rebuilding season into looking much worse than it actually is. 

 

Larry Appleton

October 24th, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^

To those people, I pose a simple question:

You are given the opportunity to trade Jim Harbaugh right now for Brady Hoke and a cup of coffee; do you do it?

If not, then shut your pie hole with that useless record comparison.

Newton Gimmick

October 24th, 2017 at 6:13 PM ^

I'll pose another:

What would our opposing fans -- Buckeyes, Spartans, etc. -- most like to see happen?

If I were them:

- Rile up the dumbest U-M fans by gerrymandered stat comparisons and simplistic, talk-radio-level ultimatums ("if he doesn't win a conference championship by Year 3...").

- Fan the flames for another coaching change to get Harbaugh out of here.

- Repeat the cycle of losing a year of recruiting, changing scheme, etc., that has led to ridiculous instability and roster gaps over the last ten years.

You Only Live Twice

October 24th, 2017 at 9:03 PM ^

this week Newton.  Sam's show is the only voice of sanity and that's Sam, and his staff, not so much the callers.  Spath is unlistenable.  On the M Zone this afternoon, hopefully this wasn't representative but the 3 guys talking sounded like they abandoned any semblance of reason and were looking for a building to jump from.  I get that they care and maybe after the anger, now the depression is setting in but JESUS people get a freaking grip!  If you need therapy go into therapy don't turn the airwaves into your personal therapy session.

Guybrush3pwd

October 25th, 2017 at 4:15 PM ^

That isn't really the suggestion though... nobody wants to trade the $9 million coach who hasn't won for the $3 million coach who everyone knows can't win.  They're saying maybe the $9 million coach wasn't such a guaranteed winner and maybe another younger cheaper option could have given the same results.

I'm not saying I would do this either.  10 win seasons his first two years is not unimpressive and I still have hope that he will continue to improve.  I just don't think it's unreasonable to question whether his ultimate success is really as inevitable as the hype made it sound.

Larry Appleton

October 24th, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^

God bless you Brian, but they don't want to hear it.  They are petulent, entitled children who are personally offended by games in which Michigan doesn't cover the spread, and hopelessly apoplectic during rebuilding years.

Let fools talk.  Ignore them and carry on.

Wee-Bey Brice

October 24th, 2017 at 1:23 PM ^

I’ve said several times the aftermath of the Najee recruitment made me realize fandom is self-centered. Many sports fans are largely irrational and selfish and should be ignored. There are no amounts of words that will change their perspective or lack thereof.

ScooterTooter

October 24th, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^

I generally agree with this, but I think Ron Utah's piece laid out a pretty convincing case that its not just recruiting or injuries. As we always said during the Hoke and RR era, there are teams out there doing more with less. I would also say that like those previous coaches, Harbaugh hasn't overachieved on expectations yet. I think that is mainly down to flukish luck, but it is still frustrating. 

N. Campus Tech

October 24th, 2017 at 12:55 PM ^

They went 20-6 the first two years... with Brady Hoke's players. Only two losses have been by more than 7 points (2015 OSU and 2017 PSU). What was your expectation for the first season? A B1G title? Year 2 National Championship? The players and staff have exceed my expectations.

This season is dissapointing so far becuase the offense has looked clunky compaired to the first two years, and we lost a sludge fart contest with our backup quarterback against MSU. 

If we only turn the ball over three times against MSU to win the game, our only loss during this rebuilding year would be to a #2 ranked team on the road, during a rebuilding year.

Curious to hear what your expectations were.

 

ScooterTooter

October 24th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^

Year one I expected 10 wins. Achieved that. 

Year two I expected a Big Ten title and beating Ohio State. Failed to meet those expecations. 

Year three I expected to not experience a Hoke-like drop-off. We're failing that right now with a loss to an MSU that looks terrible and had an awful offseason and a blowout at PSU. 

Also, Brady Hoke's players included a load of NFL draft picks on the 2015 and 2016 teams. I'm not really sure what your point is there. Michigan's defense was easily the best unit on either side of the ball in 2016 in the Big Ten. I'm not saying he's not to blame for some of the struggles, but those two Michigan teams had plenty of talent. What I expected was Harbaugh to be able to mitigate the talent deficiencies left by the previous regime better than RR and Hoke. I think that has been done somewhat, but honestly, we are where we were in Year 3 of Brady Hoke when it comes to results. 

Ham

October 24th, 2017 at 2:47 PM ^

With the current trend of Michigan's offense playing as poorly as it has, they have no chance against Wisconsin or Ohio State. That's 8-4. If the offense plays at all like it did against Indiana or worse, then they could reasonably lose to either Minnesota or Maryland. That's 7-5.

bronxblue

October 24th, 2017 at 3:24 PM ^

Both Maryland and Minnesota have worse defenses than IU and while Maryland's offense is a smidge better, #77 isn't anything to write home about.

Plus, Minnesota is at home, while IU was on the road. It's not a cupcake schedule, but if they play as well as they did against IU (minus a school record number of penalties - hit their national average of 8 instead), they probably win all by double digits.

jimmyshi03

October 24th, 2017 at 6:22 PM ^

Both, for different reasons, lack both the offensicve weapons and creativity to exploit the mismatches they don't have. PSU was more successful than any team against Michigan because they created and exploited matchup problems. And neither had a quarterback capable of making plays as well as McSorely or Lewerke.

DavidP814

October 24th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^

4 years of Hoke's teams according to S&P: #7, #25, #44, #48.

3 years of Harbaugh: #5, #3, #27.

Only Hoke's best team, with Denard, was appreciably better than this team, Harbaugh's worst in 3 years, with injuries to their QB1 and WR1.  That is the difference.

Ham

October 24th, 2017 at 2:31 PM ^

Can't respond to the argument by using facts so you make ad hominem attacks instead by taking the time to click my username and read through every post that I've made until you find one you can use against me. The offense is as bad as it was in Hoke's last year and that greatly limits what Michigan will be able to do this year. If you can't handle that, then that's on you.

matty blue

October 24th, 2017 at 4:27 PM ^

i didn't search through your posts, i remembered your name and remembered responding at the time.

see, "i'm out of here this time, i really really mean it" posts are kind of a hobby of mine, because they are almost without exception followed by multiple posts continuing to complain, leading to the inevitable "i just can't take this place any longer" post.  let's see...yup, there it is.

as far as your argument?  what is it, that the offense isn't very good?  congratulations, i guess.  full marks.

You Only Live Twice

October 24th, 2017 at 9:14 PM ^

He won't go away.  He's either one of these guys who mindlessly echo every bitch and complaint cause that's how they live... or opposing fanbase.  First page of his post history tells you all you need to know.

and Ham, you complaining about "ad hominem" is laughable as you have no problem launching your own attacks.  You just don't like being called out on your shit.

ScooterTooter

October 24th, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^

Hoke was 6-2 with a blowout loss at Michigan State and a bad loss to Penn State. The team scuttled to several victories over bad teams.  

Right now, this team is 5-2 with a blowout loss at Penn State and a bad loss to Michigan State. This team scuttled to several victories over bad teams as well, just not as bad as the 2013 team.  

I don't think its as bad (i.e. our defense is better than anything Hoke put together in 2013), but the results are similar thus far.