Sneers and jeers?: Harbaugh and Rodriguez in same room during UM Team Banquet

Submitted by markusr2007 on

As luck would have it, the 1985 Michigan team is apparently going to be honored during the UM football team banquet this week Thursday.

Harbaugh will be in the house under the same roof as Rodriguez, GERG, Magee and Co.

Anyone know whether the press be there?

Man, for Rodriguez the hits just keep coming.  That guy has to be the unluckiest son of a bitch on the planet.

 

Wolverine318

November 29th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^

Yep, like I said in the other threads Jimbo is not coming. It is a mature decision to insure everyone has a good time.

http://michigan.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=338&mid=139424639&sid=883&tid=139424499&style=1

This is a link to the pay board at the Wolverine where Chris Balas at the Wolverine stated Jimbo is not going to show now. 

Bando Calrissian

November 29th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^

This reminds me of a fun story regarding the Football Bust:

In 1997, my friend and his dad came up with tickets for the Bust, and invited me and my dad to come along.  So we're sitting there at the table completely starstruck by the whole thing, and of course we'd brought some stuff to be autographed by players.  (We were 12, it was acceptable.)

Anyways, midway through dinner, we noticed Brian Griese went up to go to the bathroom.  So, being the enterprising youngsters we were, we did the same.  And politely waited outside in the hall until he came out.  He was really cool, and signed our Michigan Daily Big 10 Championship editions. 

About a half hour later, he joked in his speech that he was getting so big that people were following him to the bathroom for autographs. 

Bazinga.  Heads hung in shame.

Dark Blue

November 29th, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^

When I first noticed you, you were all "Hard Edge." Now its stupid pictures in every thread. It would be one thing if you were funny, but you're not. It would be another thing if you kept the mgoidiots in line, but you don't. I'm just trying to understand, work with me.

Zone Left

November 29th, 2010 at 11:43 AM ^

Harbaugh has a game to get ready for this weekend, so I'd doubt he would show.  However, head coaches are politicians, and I think it would be awkward but otherwise uneventful.

Don

November 29th, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^

Unless you're referring to his son's youth league game, his season is over. OSU was Stanford's last game, at least according to the ESPN page on Stanford.

As Brandon is apparently unable/unwilling to give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to RR for another month, I guess it was decided that JH showing up at the banquet was just too much of a distraction, and a damned awkward one to boot.

Section 1

November 29th, 2010 at 12:32 PM ^

I was going to post a snarky reply, but the fact is, you're right.  After middling, muddling Seasons 1, 2 and 3 at Stanford, including a spanking at the hands of Oregon State a year ago, Harbaugh has things rolling now.  Stanford would have really screwed the pooch if they had let Harbaugh go after 4-8, 5-7 and 8-5 seasons.

And the Stanford win over Oregon State last Saturday was a statement.  Inasmuch as Oregon State's five losses were to TCU (30-21), Boise State (37-24), Washington in 2OT, UCLA 17-14 in Los Angeles, Washington State, and one blowout loss to Stanford. 

So Oregon State's losses were basically only to Top-10 teams or tough conference opponents on the road.  Sound familiar?

OOPS!  How did that snark get there?

Michichick

November 29th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^

Man, for Rodriguez the hits just keep coming.  That guy has to be the unluckiest son of a bitch on the planet.

This is true regardless of Harbaugh's presence at the Bust.

MGoShtoink

November 29th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^

has really screwed both coaches in this situation.

JH doesn't get to attend his 25th anniversary banquet and RR gets to hear about this speculation for the next month.

readyourguard

November 29th, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^

How much more awkward would it be compared to Brian Kelly's Cinci bust last year.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we've just experience one of the greatest seasons in Bearcat football history.  Please raise you glass and toast ME as I become the new head coach at the University of Notre Dame.  Go Irish!"

Blaze09

November 29th, 2010 at 1:18 PM ^

and rightfully so. My brother plays for Cincy, and he told me Mardy had his back to Kelly the whole night. The way my brother told me was hilarious.

Kinda happy JH will take a step back to avoid an awkward situation, but it sucks he can't be honored with the rest of his former teammates.

Ben from SF

November 29th, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^

Harbaugh should not have cancelled.  He is one of the stars of the 1985 team and earned this honor.  In addition, he is the head coach at Stanford first and foremost, and any candidacy talk is exactly what it is, talk.

If Brandon is serious about merging the fractions in the fanbase and throwing his weight behind RR, then there is nothing better than have Harbaugh at the banquet, give a speech about "Those who stay will be champions", and rally his mates behind RR.  Conversely, if Brandon is serious about Harbaugh's candidacy as a potential RR replacement, then watching how Harbaugh interact with the pro-RR factions will go a long way toward his eventual hiring.

For RR, it is really a chance to embrace the traditions, to break the mode, and to solicit input from the alums.  Plus, Brandon will be there to manage any awkward moments that may arise.

While I will defer to Brandon since he is the AD, and I am just a pretender on mgoblog, but, it seems like the positives of having Harbaugh there outweighs the negatives.

Section 1

November 29th, 2010 at 1:06 PM ^

But gee whiz; I'd be surprised, frankly, if any BCS-bowl-bound Head Coach has free time during the first week in December to fly around the country for banquets with his old college teammates from 25 years ago.

I really have a hard time believing that this event would have ever been on Jim's radar, unless he combined the trip with some serious midwest recruiting.

mgokev

November 29th, 2010 at 12:47 PM ^

Agreed.  The only reason why I would think Harbaugh avoids the meeting is if there have already been talks behind closed doors and both Rich Rod and Harbaugh know that Harbaugh will be coaching Michigan next year.  Then I could see Harbaugh not attending out of respect to Rich Rodriguez. Otherwise, why not come and enjoy the day with your old teammates?

bluenyc

November 29th, 2010 at 12:52 PM ^

I agree Ben.  Harbaugh should be there.  He was part of that team and he has earned the right to be there.  I am not a supporter of Jim's, but he should be there and I would like to see him possibly mending the fences for his comment.  It would should maturity.  Even if he is not our head coach in the future, I would love to welcome him back to the family.  He did alot for the school and he has hurt us as well.  All can be forgiven, as long as he wants forgiveness. 

jmblue

November 29th, 2010 at 2:46 PM ^

Given the circumstances, it doesn't make sense for Harbaugh to be there.  The Bust is, above all, a retrospective on the 2010 team's season.  Yeah, they'll honor the 1985 guys, but this really isn't their day.  It's a day for this year's seniors to get their M rings and give their speeches, and it doesn't deserve to be a circus.  There is no way for JH and RR to be in the same room and for it not to be extremely awkward for both.

MGoShoe

November 29th, 2010 at 1:56 PM ^

...to point out how incredibly awesome this team was. I consider myself extremely fortunate that I got to experience it as a student.  I have a ton of great memories from the 1985 season.

ChalmersE

November 29th, 2010 at 2:55 PM ^

and getting 5, but the situation is only awkward if Harbaugh is indeed interested in the Michigan job right now.   Any awkwardness would be eliminated if Harbaugh were to say he's the Stanford coach and would not accept the Michigan job if offered (or Brandon were to say RR will be back and extends his contract).  The fact that neither of those things are happening says to me that there may indeed be back channel discussions underway regarding Harbaugh becoming the Wolverine coach. 

skunk bear

November 29th, 2010 at 3:29 PM ^

That Harbaugh isn't going to show for this shows just how real a possibility Harbaugh being our next coach really is.

If Harbaugh had no interest in the job, there would be no reason to stay home. If there was no chance of a coaching change, ditto.

NateVolk

November 29th, 2010 at 3:32 PM ^

I guess one dubious bright side might be: If he does show up and he speaks with Brandon in an open room setting they could more easily answer the question about whether they have spoken recently.  "Yeah. At that banquet."

Jokes aside:

I feel bad in some ways for Rich because he has been a victim of bad circumstances (like this) and misunderstanding by a lot of fans. I am not sure it would buy him any more time in this case, but you have to feel for him as person trying his best to do a job.

Stanford will very likely never get to this point again, and David Brandon will do nothing to take away from that. Opposite of the  way Notre Dame took away from Cincinatti's big moment last year. That likely includes any discussions with a coach who would rather enjoy his time coaching the fruits of what he built from nothing.  I doubt they have spoken at any point since it became increasingly clear that Rodriguez had fallen out of favor. 

 Long haul there is no reason everyone can't be who they are right now for a couple hours, let the season finish up and then have something done either way. Although, once again the guy getting beat up is Rodriguez. 

I want Harbaugh and I think we need a Harbaugh level coach to be great again, but I don't like seeing a decent guy like Rich pelted over and over.