WKTA Roundtable--why is Brian always so rude to Ira?

Submitted by Dennis on
I understand that Brian has a better holistic understanding of football than Ira, given that Ira is mostly a stats guy, but I don't understand why Brian is always so dismissive and rude to him. I think it's okay to disagree with someone who might know less than you, but it comes across as lacking emotional intelligence and typical "I know more than you, so you're dumb" attitude that guys exhibit discussing football.
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midwest M fan

January 5th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^

was extremely annoying on the show yesterday. He is brought in there to talk about the games and basically refused to do so. Anything besides his take on a situation is a “hot take” in his mind. Very arrogant.

Joined: 02/01/2017

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tenerson

January 5th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^

Yeah, maybe he was but at this point I think he's just legitimately sick of arguing the same things over and over with the same result. He has his current opinion on the state of things, which is well documented and it hasn't changed, so going to battle with a guy who wants to pick apart Don Brown isn't something attractive to him. He's also said he's sick of the constant overreaction to things with little in the way of perspective on the whole situation. He's not like us where he pops in once or twice a day and reads this stuff, chimes in and goes back to his other job. He has to deal with this insufferable fanbase all day, every day. I can understand how that gets exhausting. 

Joined: 10/04/2009

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UMxWolverines

January 5th, 2018 at 12:08 PM ^

His opinion isn't any more special than anyone elses on here or on the radio. Go back and re-read season previews since he started the site and I would bet most of them are way off. I get it, he has to have a positive spin on things to get traffic here, but a prediction is a prediction and his name is on it. Also, to say the fanbase is "toxic" after what we've been through and how much hype was put out on Harbaugh, give me a break.

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Bodogblog

January 5th, 2018 at 12:27 PM ^

This is where someone jumps in to note that Harbaugh has been here 3 years, and has finished with the AP #12 and #10 teams in the country his first two.  That's fantastic. 

Then you say "third in the division" 

Then I sigh, and say "yes that's what happens when you have a division where two other teams finish higher in the top 10 than you did" 

Then you say "rivals record" 

Then I say "should be 2-1 vs. MSU, could easily be 2-1 vs. OSU" 

Then you say "but wasn't, results are only things matters" 

Then I say "true if you're a coach, if you're an analyst assessing the job, then no" 

And you say "this year sucked" 

And I say "yes I agree" 

Then you say "if we go 8-5 for the next two years, what happens" 

And I say "that seems like an unreasonable hypothetical given actual results. More approriate would be 'if we finish top 10 two out of 3 years and have a legitimate shot to go to a playoff in one of those years (decided by the spot of a football), what happens'" 

And a bunch of other things.  We end up with you saying "Unacceptable" and me saying "they're probably going to be really good next year, he's a great coach".  No need to have this debate endlessly. 

Joined: 06/08/2010

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UMxWolverines

January 5th, 2018 at 1:19 PM ^

And then you say "I can't wait until MSU falls back to their mean" for the tenth consecutive season. We shouldn't be 2-1 vs MSU, they made the plays when we didn't. I really hope the team and coaches don't have the same mentality as some of our fans that "we should have won, we got screwed by the refs, or they got lucky". No wonder we don't win anything. All we do is play the victim card and don't take responsibility for bad plays or bad coaching.

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Realus

January 5th, 2018 at 1:23 PM ^

That's what has aways confused me.  Harbaugh IS 1-2 against MSU.  Yes, bad, though one was on fluke, but still.  And this year was a legit loss.  When you have 5 TOs you deserve to lose.

But let's see ... since Harbaugh has been here, U-M is 28-11 and MSU is 25-14.  MSU is pretty much back to it's mean.  They should be winning about 8 or 9 games a year.  Michigan should be a bit better.

Yeah, this season sucked.  Yeah, the bowl game sucked.  Yeah, I whined and complained after the bowl game (not on MGoBlog).  But the results are there.  Under Harbaugh UM is better than MSU.  And probably always will be.

Joined: 01/02/2010

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UMxWolverines

January 5th, 2018 at 1:31 PM ^

How have we been better? A better overall record doesn't mean we've been better as far as accomplishments. They have a big ten title with a 12-2 record and a 10-3 season while we have two 10-3 seasons with a Citrus Bowl win. I would rather have a bad season here or there if it means we actually win something significant like they have.

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Bodogblog

January 5th, 2018 at 2:20 PM ^

I don't care that much about MSU. If you're going maek plays argue the punt game, I can't help you. When Michigan 11-2 under Hoke, this site and most posters here recognized a lot of it was luck. Remember golden poops? Fumble luck and penalties - remember the Sugar Bowl when nearly all M fans recognized it was pretty lucky to have that TD reversed, and for our FG unit to clownshow into a TD? Sure, we thought we'd be going up from that point bc Hoke was killing the recruiting trail. But we recognized turnover luck and penalties in M's favor benefited the team tremendously all year. The 50-50 heaves from Denard that were somehow brought down over and over. We recognized the luck for, we recognize against.

Joined: 06/08/2010

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Bodogblog

January 5th, 2018 at 3:47 PM ^

So again, it's back to MSU. You're making up arguments and ascribing them to me when I've asserted nothing such. I'm talking about one game. This is how you know you have weak arguments - strawmen, continously. Most posters on this site can see through that. You can go on talk radio and shout and a bunch of lowest common denominator hosts and listeners will eat it up. You need to forget the MSU game this year. And learn how to handle dork heat from your Sparty buddies. Start by not rubbing their noses it and being a dick fan to them when Michigan wins.

Joined: 06/08/2010

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UMxWolverines

January 5th, 2018 at 5:50 PM ^

I prefer to look at reality instead of a bunch of what ifs. Michigan fans have been playing the what if game vs MSU since 2008 and it never changes no matter how many times we lose, because it's the only way for them to not have to admit they made a wrong prediction. Just admit you made a wrong prediction and move on, how hard is it? I made a wrong prediction, I thought we would win easily at home, but I witnessed a terrible game plan for a rainstorm and a team that didn't take MSU seriously, much like a lot of our fans.

Joined: 03/01/2009

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Bodogblog

January 5th, 2018 at 10:47 PM ^

You need to unclench your sphinctre.  We lost to MSU.  Your dork friends gave you guff.  There are many more important things in the world.  Your anger is petty and ultimately futile. The fanbase is not the thing against Harbaugh because we're not lunatics.  But Unacceptable if helps you cope 

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tenerson

January 5th, 2018 at 6:19 PM ^

Well evidently it is because people are visiting his blog and listening to his podcast, not yours or mine. As for season previews- he was pretty damn close this year. I think he had them at 9-3 before knowing the starting QB would be hurt and the #1 receiever would be hurt. I think he's usually bashed for being to pessimistic in his previews as well, which would lead me to believe he's been right the last few years. 

The fanbase is somewhat toxic. ALl fanbases can be somewhat toxic. Are they heavily influencing the program? Not right now but they influenced the program when Rich Rod was hired and a powerful portion didn't like it. Then they influenced the hiring of Hoke which was a relative disaster. You're right that the reality has not meant the hype but that doesn't justify idiocy like asking if Don Brown is good or not. 

At the end of the day, after the USC game, there isn't anything left to add. That game didn't change the season no matter what some hearts seem to feel. It sucks that they didn't win but winning 35-10 didn't change that there was a need for change on offense even though a lot of the fanbase would have felt better. 

The main point is that Brian, who I disagree with a lot, doesn't owe you, me or anyone else anything. He isn't a fanbase elected official who owes people answers. He's a guy that runs a blog and does radio shows and it's provate business. If he doesn't want to re-write the same stuff over and over, he doesn't have to. 

Joined: 10/04/2009

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ScruffyTheJanitor

January 5th, 2018 at 11:35 AM ^

It just sounded like Brian needs a vacation. I think he's just been hearing dumb take after dumb take, and he probably just needs a week sitting somewhere warm, reading a book to clear his pallet. Any man would go insane after hearing "Don Brown Sux" and "Harbaugh can't coach" for the 10,000th time.

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karpodiem

January 5th, 2018 at 11:03 AM ^

Brian is more invested in Michigan football than most people so the passive aggressive stuff is his way of acting out while maintaining the “whatever” attitude. Only human, /shrug

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Fezzik

January 5th, 2018 at 11:49 AM ^

The whole "whatever" thing is comparable to a moody teenage girl. After leading the Speight hype train and putting fans in the mud for questioning our coaching staff I think his resolve is fractured. Speight regressed and left. The coaching staff is getting blown up.

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skegemogpoint

January 5th, 2018 at 11:45 AM ^

I find Brian dismissive toward Ed.  No idea why. Guessing that Brian likes to think he's the authority on all things UM and though he does have a deep understanding, his is not the only POV that has merit.  It's really a very noticeable chink in his armor.

Plus, the guy lives and breathes UM athletics, so it's not hard to understand his frustration.

Joined: 07/08/2008

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JFW

January 5th, 2018 at 11:15 AM ^

I didn't get any bad treatment in my listen. The whole thing seems like a pretty collegial environment where they all kind of zing each other, but no real offense is meant. 

Joined: 10/20/2010

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AZBlue

January 5th, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^

Ira is rarely involved in the segment when Sam is in town.

That said, I did notice Brian being short with him regarding the BBall team yesterday. Ira seemed to be doing the Sam-thing — repeating a talking-point or theme of the day or week - positing that the OSU loss last year was a low-point/springboard and possibly this year’s loss could represent the same. Brian clearly believes the Illini loss and the “soft” comment was that point last year and tried to shut him down a bit.

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GoBLUE_SemperFi

January 5th, 2018 at 11:19 AM ^

...WTKA podcast that I could go listen to or is this just an "in general" kind of thing.  I'd be interested in listening to someone be obnoxiously dismissive, to some of the dooms day opinions regarding Michigan football lately. 

 

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chewieblue

January 5th, 2018 at 11:19 AM ^

He’s dismissive of Ed, not Ira, and rightfully so. It’s clear Ed has very little knowledge of most of the things he talks about. I assume he is a personal friend of Sam’s, otherwise I can’t think of a single reason he should be on the show. Sam, Brian and Craig would be fine and would eliminate the one uniformed person on the round table.

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