Friday morning 'WTF is going on?' thread
But if the latest reports are accurate (which you should doubt), then it's starting to look like Harbaugh may be content where he is and may have just been using his newfound status as the hottest coach in America to get a bigger payday out of Stanford.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:51 AM ^
Nothing like a coaching search to show the Michigan fanbase at its absolute finest. I fondly remember the mania of December 2007, with 1000+ post haloscan threads. And no logins! Handlejacking ran rampant!
Oh, the nostalgia
January 7th, 2011 at 11:18 AM ^
Those were the days!
January 7th, 2011 at 1:32 PM ^
Depending on who is jacking your handle.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:20 AM ^
In my mind, I thought we would have a coach by Saturday, which is not looking good. This can't drag out much longer I wouldn't think but the way things have been going I would have to say throw out all logical reasoning. Which still means Les Miles is not coming to Ann Harbor.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:20 AM ^
Luck just announced he is staying at Stanford so JH knows he should have at least another decent year, and similar options a year from now. I think our optimal situation would have been to have RR coming back for one more year, and our options would have been just as good as now. Thinking Meyer will likely take the year off.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:11 AM ^
Here's what is obviously going to happen:
Luck is just a brainy kid. He has crazy QB talent, but all he really wants is degrees. So he's going to stay at Stanford next year on that premise alone, and will submit his transfer papers to "Harvard-West" along with accelerated grad program paperwork with haste. Meanwhile JH comes to Michigan to salvage the program. By Spring of 2012, Luck has his architecture degree, but he's obviously haunted by the thought of making millions of NFL dollars without the fallback options of a Masters or Ph.D. He's accepted for enrollment at Michigan and enters the 2012 class with a year of eligibility left. Denard, Tate and Devin stick around because the reality of what is occurring is absurd and amazing.
Now it's 2012. JH has had 2011 to turn his fleet-footed O-line and D-line into stout trenchmen. He's got Luck at starting QB, Denard lining up left of center to take direct snaps, Tate a worthy backup, and Devin in the wings. Hopkins is a breakout running back at this point in his career, and Justice Hayes is every ounce as awesome as his G.I. Joe action figure name implies. And Michigan can play defense a little bit.
National Championships follow, and Ann Arbor soars. The End.
January 7th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
Tim Tebro likes your avatar.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:20 AM ^
that we start hearing Michigans chances start to rise. Brandon is no dummy like many have called him for the early reports of Hoke and no Jimmy. He knew he would get his shot and I think Ross may have also given some good words about M. Love our chances know that he hasn't signed with the NFL yet. I figured Friday would be the day when Brandon said this week was when it starts.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:02 AM ^
Brandon might actually be a dummy, but I agree. First Harbaugh had "indicated plans to accept" Stanford's extension. Then he was "impossible to pry" from Michigan. Then he was signed, sealed, delivered to the 49ers. Then the Dolphins gave him all the money in Uganda. Now he's going back to Stanford and meeting with the Broncos at the same time.
There are two people whom we cannot expect to be named head coach at Michigan: Harbaugh and Not Harbaugh.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:20 AM ^
when DB steps up to the podium on Monday and announces that the Mad Hatter is our new HC?
January 7th, 2011 at 8:26 AM ^
We demand that DB's first order of business is to make Mr. Miles attend a seminar on clock management.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:37 AM ^
Forget that. Make him go to grade school to learn how to count...
January 7th, 2011 at 10:06 AM ^
Taught by Andy Reid or D McNabb.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:38 AM ^
At least I can find some peace with myself at that point. Really I think he is our best bet for making that big splash right away. He's crazy but he wins and his defense does not give up 450 ypg.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:48 AM ^
He has won almost 80% of his games at LSU and he's 10-2 this year with his players. He might even be better than Harbaugh (I know that few will believe this)
Plus, he is entertaining as hell and he will help kill off some of the blue hair alumni when he does the place holder over the head backwards bounce pass to the kicker on 4th and 30 from our 2 yard line....(based on a true story but kinda like movies.....)
January 7th, 2011 at 9:17 AM ^
one thing about Miles here is that is not very good in rivalry games. AR is to LSU what tO$U is to us and since 2007 they have only beat the piggies 1 time, and that was during the first year under Petrino. Mallet was taking his mandatory red-shirt year and they still had Casey Dick slinging the ball to anyone that wasn't wearing a helmet with a pig on it. As good as LSU was in 07 they still lost to AR and that was even twhile Houston Nutt was still there.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
But I'd much rather have a coach that I could have respect for. As much as I don't want Hoke, I'd feel better losing with him than I would winning with a sleazy guy like Miles. I can stand the pain of watching us lose under a good man (barely), I can't stand to watch us win under a (imo) shady and dishonorable man.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
Miles doesn't have any NCAA violations under his belt. As long as that remains true, I fail to see how you can call him "sleazy". Every coach at a major program in NCAA football/basketball does things that seem "sleazy". So as far as respecting Miles, any coach at Michigan will have my respect as long as they win and don't receive any violations.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:52 AM ^
of sleazy. RR got violations.......for stretching. Nick Saban has not had any violations despite forcing 10 times as many kids into medical redshirts. Tressell has not had any violations despite the fact that there's a long line of evidence, from T. Smith to Clarrett to Pryor that tOSU players receive a little extra. Mike Leach has not had any violations despite locking a kid in a closet.
In my mind these things don't just "seem sleazy". They are sleazy. And regardless of what you felt about RR's coaching ability, there is very little to suggest he was sleazy.
So NCAA violations are a pretty poor barometer in the abstract.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
This is the same mentality that keeps Beilein at Michigan. Folks, Beilein will never win it all, and neither would Brady Hoke if he was hired. If what Michigan fans want is a "Michigan man" (i.e., someone with Michigan somewhere on their resume) who adheres to some nebulous set of values to which all Michigan men apparently adhere, then hire Brady Hoke. But in that circumstance, fans should be honest about the program's future: fewer elite recruits will commit to play for Michigan; fewer big games will be won; and we can forget about ever playing for a national championship. That's what Brady Hoke would bring: stability, but no excitement. The program would trudge along at a consistent 8-4, with the occassional 9-3 or 10-2 record, and that would be that.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:07 AM ^
What keeps Beilein at Michigan is that he has had success without violations. No other UM coach has done that over the last 20 years. Why do people insist that our basketball program can do better? Bad facilities, stiff in-state competition, and a lack of recent success make recruiting difficult. We are just starting to get those things turned around.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:31 AM ^
Ability to adapt. When the team stagnated last year, he correctly identified what hte problems were and started over with his assistant coaches.
Rodriguez was never able to do that, sadly.
January 7th, 2011 at 12:00 PM ^
The point is that Beilein isn't a "sexy" coach. His system, record, and persona don't attract the high-caliber players needed to win the NCAA tournament. Yes, he may Pittsnogle his way to the Sweet 16 or the Elite 8, but he will never win it all. I'd gladly risk some minor NCAA violations for a "sexy" coach who brings in big-time players and generates real excitement around the basketball program. If OSU and MSU and a host of other programs can produce some pretty good teams while getting off easy with the NCAA, why can't we? If the NCAA isn't serious about its rules, we shouldn't be either.
January 7th, 2011 at 12:27 PM ^
Aside from if we had a true slimeball like Calipari or Pitino, the recruiting classes Beilein has gotten for 2010 and 2011 are about as good as could be expected from any program coming off the mediocrity that our program has had the past 12 years. If this young Michigan team continues to improve over the next couple seasons (seems likely), the recruiting classes will keep getting better. Combine that with the new practice facility and it's pretty easy to see the upward mobility of Michigan BB.
January 7th, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^
Or are you just a fan of it's sports teams?
<br>
<br>I just want to know how ashamed of you I should be. Character is what you do when no one is looking. And if you're a fan of the program rebuilt under Bo and carried through Lloyd (and Rich) and you value an extra win or two over character, then you weren't paying attention.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:34 AM ^
but I dont seem to be able to. also not a MIles fan, and knew him back in the day.
My wish list would be
Patterson
Cowher
Tressel
Harbaugh
Jerry Moore (yea, him and his multiple Nat Champs)
January 7th, 2011 at 9:26 AM ^
January 7th, 2011 at 8:22 AM ^
If nothing else, he doesn't claim to have inside information, just his opinion based on experience and what we suspects:
http://detnews.com/article/20110107/OPINION03/101070341/1131/
January 7th, 2011 at 9:42 AM ^
... a UM alum who doesn't use it as a club or a shield.
My criteria:
1. Don't chase flavor of the week: scratch Harbaugh.
2. Don't chase other B1G coaches: scratch Fitz and Bangin' Bo (NNTB).
3. Don't chase gimmick lifers: scratch Patterson and Petersen.
4. Don't chase old NFL coaches: scratch a lot.
6. Don't chase idiots: scratch Miles.
7. Don't chase only people who have run through the tunnel at the Big House.
So to me, the answer is clear, and he's on the temporary site banner, albeit offensively.
Michigan doesn't need a "name" coach to help the program. The best coaches have always been from the outside, sometimes with archrival lineage. They have been leaders on the way up, not lateral hires.
The "Save us Jim" contingent has been embarrassing and I am confident Brandon saw this. I just hope he can resist Les Miles, because he would be an absolute disaster.
The good news to me: apparently Barwis may stay. Mike Barwis with a plastic fork is all anyone needs to be led into battle.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:19 AM ^
What exactly is gimmicky about Gary Patterson? His "good defense" gimmick doesn't pass the smell test to you?
If you want a leader on the way up, I'd suggest Charlie Strong over Brady Hoke, also.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:24 AM ^
I don't see Patterson and Peterson as 'gimmick lifers'. Unless Patterson's gimmick is playing good defense, that is.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:22 AM ^
Bringing back Sporano shocked me, so either Harbaugh had a really bad interview or Miami had this in mind all of the time. I do think that Luck coming back will be a major feather in the cap for Stanford, but Harbaugh also knows that the UM job won't be available next year and who knows how high his stock would be if the Cardinal "struggled" next year to 9-4, 10-3, 11-2 etc. record. It wouldn't take much. I am not a huge fan of JH, but if you fired RR then you have to get him.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:29 AM ^
Harbaugh wanted total control and they didn't want to fire their GM.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:37 AM ^
I can think of two places where he can have total control, and neither of them is in the NFL.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:20 AM ^
I'm not a fan of his, but I'll say this for Harbaugh . . . He's got some balls! To have absolutely no NFL experience and go into an interview demanding complete control is borderline crazy. I know he's a hot commodity, but come on. That's crazy talk.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:03 AM ^
but maybe he was asking that because he hasn't convinced himself he wants to go to the NFL yet. Perhaps he figured if they give it to me, I'll take the job but if they don't, I still have lots of other options.
My totally worthless guess is that JH has realized that the NFL is always going to be there. There are usually at least 6-10 coaching changes each year in the NFL and I don't think Harbaugh particularly cares where he goes once he makes the jump.
UM on the other hand, may indeed be his dream job. This job doesn't come around every year and for JH, this could very well be his only shot at it (and lets not pretend that its not his for the taking). I am not a big fan of the guy and would have rather had RR for another year, but at this point for me...I want either JH, GPatterson, Dan Mullen or John Gruden in that order.
I am hoping JH has realized he can make the jump to the NFL anytime, but UM won't come knocking again so he jumps at it now. Either way I guess we'll see before too much longer.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:16 AM ^
I, as well, agree with you. I think this is Harbaugh's only chance. If he wants to coach at Michigan he's got to jump at it. The problem with that, as others have said, is that if his ultimate dream is the NFL then Michigan risks losing him in the near (?) future. Not that it deters Michigan from hiring him if he's available.
I think I prefer Boise's coach. I can't imagine he wouldn't leave if Michigan throws serious money on the table. I mean, who wants to live in Idaho and stare at that blue field all day?
January 7th, 2011 at 11:08 AM ^
is potentially an unnecessary one. Assume JH struggles for a few years here. He won't be a hot property for the NFL (there will be a new "hot" coach by then), and he won't have the options he appears to have today. If he does great over the next 3 years and Michigan is back, I am OK with him moving on to the NFL because we will be arguably the hottest college team to coach. Or he won't leave because he is having success here. I am not that worried about it.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:08 AM ^
From every indication so far........Peterson does. He seems happy there and I think he's noticed the struggles of his predecessors. Plus there has to be some reason every friend of mine who has moved to Boise(I'm originally from NE Nevada) has fallen in love with the place.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:44 AM ^
I think the places where NFL coaches do not have total control, are the ones that are screwed up - at least most of the time. Dallas for example is an ongoing saga. All the money in the world, but say one wrong word around Jerry, or disagree with Jerry's direction and your gone. (It's like watching The Apprentice.) Same with the Redskins - everyone in DC knows the skins will never be back until there is a change in ownership.
I am wondering if, as Jim interviews, he's getting an education on what it would be like to be an NFL coach, versus sitting on his golden throne at a university.
(I am hoping Ross laid it out for him - the economics, risks, and control conflicts - and Jim is now reconsidering his options.)
That said, I also think he has family issues with moving to Ann Arbor. Don't get me wrong, I love Ann Arbor, and I would really like to be that close to The University and Michigan football again, but I also remember the snow, cold, and gray skies from Thanksgiving to just before finals. If your family is used to Palo Alto, and the money offered is competitive, and your golden throne is already in place, it is going to be real hard to convince the family to move to Ann Arbor.
Of course, after the Orange Bowl, his wife was crying. They didn't look like tears of joy and accomplishment so much as they looked like "this is the end, the last time here, and now everything is going to change" ... pure conjecture I know.
January 7th, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^
Total control with an interfering owner. Most coaches aren't GM's too, and there's a list of great coaches who get total power somewhere and then fail. But an owner who has to tinker with EVERYTHING is almost never good.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:44 AM ^
Im not sure how orchestrated all this is by Harbaugh, can't imagine he could forsee all these events falling in place to give him such leverage but I'm wondering if he sees that Stanford has the potential to be the Duke of major college football. Luck staying proves that potential. He can get the smart, high-end 4 year type guys and build a dynasty out there with a wealthy alumni base. Coach K does pretty well money-wise also.
January 7th, 2011 at 8:57 AM ^
You need a lot more of those guys in football than in bball. California's a good place to look for them but you still have to compete against 3 really good institutions that are just a step down academically (Cal, USC and UCLA).
Now if Harbaugh can get them to move Stanford to Florida...
January 7th, 2011 at 9:13 AM ^
Which of these three is "a step down academically"--and from whom? Michigan?
Academically, Cal is almost always rated ahead of Michigan. It is the best public university in the country by most rankings.
Recently, UCLA has pulled ahead of Michigan in the US News ranking. In any case, UCLA is very strong academically and probably ranks with UM. USC is not as strong academically.
I don't put much confidence in the US News rankings, but it is widely followed and known.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:26 AM ^
I think Needs was comparing UCLA, Cal and USC to Stanford; not Michigan.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:28 AM ^
The poster you replied to was saying that the three other institutions in California were a slight step down from Stanford, not Michigan. No need to go on a rage listing schools that are better or as good as Michigan academically.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:55 AM ^
JSwift,
I suggest you work on your reading comprehension before going crazy and bashing Michigan. The above poster was obviously talking about Stanford.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:15 AM ^
Hasn't Notre Dame been applying a similar method to their teams?
I'm not saying Stanford is, or wil be, ND, but recruiting the "smart kids" only goes so far.
Many of those guys are at their peak coming into college and don't progress as well as the "raw" athletic types.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:50 AM ^
What an asinine thing to say. It is the equivalent of saying many those "raw" athletic types cannot progress academically in a University.
There are athletes in this world, who are also smart.