Is it only about winning games?

Submitted by A_Maize_Zing on

For all of the Michigan fans that are pissed today let me say " I understand how you feel but"...RR and his staff should be judged for more than just winning games.  The team is young and has taken steps in the right direction, even if the steps are not as fast as we would all like.

I really wish Michigan would have won today but this team has already given me 3 amazing moments that I will remember for the rest of my life. (Brock, End ND, End Indiana)  Those moments have made this a special Michigan season so far and we still have a lot of season left.  Oh and we are 5-2 after 7 games and our next 3 games we should be favored...Maybe it is just me but I'm ok with that.

This may seem too sentimental but if not for RR I wonder if Elliot Mealer would have a scholarship right now and if Brock Mealer would have a psychotic, wolf-raising  trainer helping him walk again.  Football and games won really don't mean as much when your staff is doing things that are just...right.  My opinion is they deserve our support even when they struggle…since they are good men…not just Michigan Men.

StephenRKass

October 17th, 2010 at 3:47 AM ^

Of course, we're all disappointed. But this is a very good team, heading in the right direction. I believe that Michigan will win 2 to 3 more games, and we will see a huge improvement in the defense next year. Even if catastrophically we only won one more game, we would still be bowl eligible, with the extra practice that comes along with that.

I also think that some recruits see the great possibilities for the team down the road a year or two.

Regarding RR, I think that he is a great coach, who leads his team well, and that it would be disastrous to cut him this year. In fact, I'm at a point where I think I would lose a lot of interest in Michigan if RR was let go. I'm so thankful for Brandon standing behind RR.

In reply to by M-Wolverine

StephenRKass

October 18th, 2010 at 1:03 AM ^

However, because of the current state of the defense, I can't call this a great team. I believe that with our current offense, along with a solid defense, we would either have been competitive with MSU and Iowa, or won both games. I do not blame RR or his staff for our teams current woes.

Regarding Brandon, yes, there would have to be a very good reason to release RR. I just think that RR deserves a bare minimum of one more year (through end of 2011 regular season.) I actually believe that two more years will give a much more accurate picture

One last comment:  the focus has been on our atrocious defense. I actually think that if there is anyplace I would fault RR, it would be with special teams coaching. All aspects of special teams need to improve, from the kicking game to covering missed field goals.

RAGING COX

October 17th, 2010 at 5:42 AM ^

Is it only about winning games?

Ask Lloyd Carr.

Football and games won really don't mean as much when your staff is doing things that are just...right.

Yeah, things like major NCAA violations. Rodriguez is a football coach. If there were a position for the Dean of Good Deeds, Coach Carr would have occupied it until he died. Rodriguez was hired to win football games. If Michigan beats PSU, Illinois and Purdue, he'll be fine but in years 4-5 he'll have to start beating rivals and challenging for the Big Ten Championship. Welcome to Michigan: Win or GTFO.

exmtroj

October 17th, 2010 at 6:12 AM ^

+1 forever.  Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one on here who thinks winning is important. There is no room for "growing pains" in year three. Look like something other than a pathetic mess of a team destined to finish in the bottom of the Big Ten, or GTFO.  I'm not interested in excuses or explanations for failure, at Michigan we WIN, end of story.

Brandon_L

October 17th, 2010 at 7:35 AM ^

COUNT YEAR ONE. I.E. STEVEN THREET. THIS IS THE REAL YEAR 2. I THINK DAVE BRANDON REALIZES IT BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS FOOTBALL AND HE KNOWS THIS IS THE BIG IMPROVEMENT YEAR FROM YEAR ONE TO YEAR TWO RICH ROD USUALLY HAS. YES IM YELLING BECAUSE THATS HOW I TALK.

WHATS EVEN BETTER IS THE LEVERAGE RICH ROD HAS BECAUSE IF HE IS OUSTED WE HAVE TO REBUILD AGAIN. AND GUESS WHAT THAT MEANS??? WE THROW AWAY THE FIRST NIGHT GAME BECAUSE WE WOULD MOST LIKELY STRUGGLE. AND THE ALABAMA GAME AS WELL. WE HAVE A NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WHO REALIZES THE BIG PICTURE.

THE TEAM THE TEAM THE TEAM. FOR THOSE WHO FORGOT THAT ITS THE TEAM GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE AND GO ROOT FOR TCU OR BOISE THEY PLAY 1 TOUGH TEAM A YEAR AND IM SURE ITS WAY EASIER ON THE BLOOD PRESSURE.

mtzlblk

October 17th, 2010 at 12:19 PM ^

you must be such a winner in real life because losing is so unacceptable to you!

you must be the only person on here that really cares about winning, you know, like a winner!!

tell us all what it is like to be such a winner, who wins all the time and cares so much about just winning above all else!!!

exmtroj

October 17th, 2010 at 6:08 AM ^

A comeback/last second win against INDIANA is a moment you will never forget?!?!  That right there is a perfect example of how far this program has fallen. 

nazooq

October 17th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^

I think you're reinforcing his point.  In 1979 with Michigan riding a six game win streak under Bo against Indiana, the thought of a tie with lowly Indiana was abhorrent.  Carter's play was incredible not only because it was a last second play, not only because he narrowly avoided a tackle and managed to stay on his feet but also because it kept Michigan from an embarassing fate.

jmblue

October 17th, 2010 at 5:47 PM ^

So a game won on a last-minute, tie-breaking score against IU in 1979 was evidence of the program's strength while a game won on a last-minute, tiebreaking score against IU in 2010 is evidence of the program's weakness?  That's some tortured logic.

dothepose

October 17th, 2010 at 8:08 AM ^

I agree that is sad if thats a victory that stands out with you forever. There is only one indiana victory that will stay with me forever and that is obviously in 1979.  Its not alll about winning, but for christ sake, he has 4 big ten wins in 19 big ten games. He can't even do a little winning. John L. Smith was even able to win more games in the big ten and I think we all agree he was a boob. The only thing game rich rod has given me that I will never forget is the ND game last year, that was a classic. But other than that, I think alot of coaches and can better in terms of PR and winning. But we should all see what happens in these next 5 games, then release hounds.

Buzz

October 17th, 2010 at 8:34 AM ^

In the end, RR was hired to win games and do his best to see that his players graduate.  So was Tressel, and Saban, and Meyer, and on and on and on.  In RR's case, I think things changed when eevryone saw what he was ultimately left with.  But that was 2 seasons ago, and while the offense has obviously come around, there are still some glaring holes on this team.  What upsets me the most right now is the penalties and lapses of judgement (i.e., the botched FG and the return).  

What I will say is that the team did show some heart and urgency in the 4th Q.  They didn't just pack it in after being down 3 scores.  That does say alot about this team.

Yooper

October 17th, 2010 at 11:18 AM ^

Demanding and expecting excellence on and off the field at no sacrifice to the reputation for the highest standards of a great university is what Michigan is all about. We have proven this for decades. It is not either or for me

Indiana Blue

October 17th, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^

A rather odd question to ask about a school that takes a huge amount of pride (deservedly so) in the fact that:

1)  Michigan has WON more games than ANY other football program !!

2) Michigan holds the highest winning % all-time of ANY football program !! 

This is WHY Michigan Stadium is the largest stadium in the country and WHY we have over 100,000 fans at EVERY game for what, the last 40 years.

There are right ways to win (having character and pride and playing hard, graduating student athletes, etc) and wrong ways (reference players serving jail time, drug offenders, etc) but the school ignores all this because the guy has football talent.  Michigan long ago chose to win the right way !!!

So yeah ... the answer to your question is YES its all about winning !

Go Blue !

Tater

October 17th, 2010 at 11:47 AM ^

RR was hired to rebuild the program into one that will be able to compete for National Championships on a regular basis in the current era of football.  Michigan was becoming a quaint anachronism under the old regieme, and a total rebuilding job was neccessary. 

It's about winning, but a few more losses this year won't really hurt.  What is important is that, once the job is done, this team is a perennial top ten team. 

cjpops

October 17th, 2010 at 3:44 PM ^

RR was hired to rebuild the program into one that will be able to compete for National Championships on a regular basis in the current era of football.  Michigan was becoming a quaint anachronism under the old regieme, and a total rebuilding job was neccessary. 

Not sure how far off the team was before he came here.  I didn't think that UM needed a "complete rebuild" when RR came aboard.

clarkiefromcanada

October 17th, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^

RichRod plays to win the game but he is running Sophomores and Freshmen (and walk-ons for god's sake) against elite teams in the B10 with Senior laden defenses and staying with them. Our day will arrive...and soon.

I'll take my chances going forward with Denard, Tate, Lewan, Roh, Gallon, Black, Ash, Christian, Omameh, Barnum, Hagerup and Gardner. I would enjoy competent kicker retention, however.

bacon1431

October 17th, 2010 at 2:02 PM ^

I would be more leniant if we were losing games and it all hinged on circumstances outside of RR's control: ie bare cupboard, injuries etc. But many of the problems I see are controllable and fixable.

We're committing way too many turnovers. You say it's the players out there doing it? When we're in our third straight year of wretched TO differential, it's on the coaching.

Poor tackling - players fault? You can teach kids to tackle. We obviously haven't.

Personnel decisions - Why oh why did Obi come in for Demens after those first 2 possesssions? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. We've kept terrible players in instead of giving the young guys a chance when the veterans are wretched.

Coaching staff - no continuity on this staff whatsover. At least on D. We bring in Shaffer, he struggles, we switch to a 3-3-5 late in the season. It gets torched. Fire Shaffer, hire Gerg. He runs his D last year, gets torched, we switch to 3-3-5 this year, a D Gerg has never run. We get torched. Why don't we let the DC make defensive staff decisions nad decide what scheme to run? Makes no sense what we're doing.

M-Wolverine

October 17th, 2010 at 3:36 PM ^

It's about developing young men, giving them an education, and the best experience of their life that they will always remember fondly.
<br>
<br>The problem is you don't get a chance to do all that unless you win a whole lot too.

jmblue

October 17th, 2010 at 5:59 PM ^

I like and support RR, but let's not carry this stuff to extremes.  Yes, he needs to win if he is to be a long-term coach here.  This is really the last year that we can talk about youth and keep expectations grounded.  Next year the schedule is set up for us to make a run at the Big Ten championship (if not more), and we'll return a ton of starters.  Next year expectations need to be at normal UM levels.