Integrity is worth more than Les Miles
January 7th, 2011 at 11:17 PM ^
You sound like the sketchy guy trying to sell steroids to athletes in a bad sports movie.
January 7th, 2011 at 7:29 PM ^
I would take Hoke over Les Miles in a heartbeat. Yes, Les has a national championship. So what? It was with a two-loss LSU team (how often does that happen?) that could have easily been a four-loss LSU team thanks in part to his enigmatic play calling and clock management. Furthermore, Michigan is already on probation. Do we really want to bring in someone who brought the NCAA to come knocking on LSU's door? No thanks.
By all accounts, Brady Hoke seems to have a genuine love for Michigan, and as patchwork as his resume has been, it's hard to argue with at least the recent success he's had. I can't imagine there would be any upheaval within the department with his hire. It just seems so milquetoast and doesn't give me any faith that he will reenergize the program.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:27 PM ^
OK. Hoke - basically three or four winning seasons in the MAC and . . . what is the conference that SDSU is in? Miles - numerous winning seasons - even 10 plus win seasons - in the SEC. A national championship. Really? Do you want to cheer as Michigan beats OSU? Do you want the thrill of crushing MSU every year?
January 7th, 2011 at 9:48 PM ^
I would love to cheer as Michigan beats OSU. I would love the thrill of crushing MSU every year. But not at the expense of the integrity of our program, and especially not now. We're already on probation to begin with, and even someone who looks solely at past accomplishments as an indicator of future success should be concerned with hiring someone with a track record of skirting NCAA rules for an advantage on the field.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:47 PM ^
Let me get this straight, what you value in a candidate for head coach of the nations winningest football program is:
"genuine love for Michigan",
"no department upheaval" and
"patchwork resume....recent success"
When we have a good shot at:
Proven BCS-level coach
Multiple 10-win seasons
National Championship
UofM Alumus (bonus)
By the way, the quickest way to get upheaval, of the fan base and alumni is another losing record. Something that is nearly certain with Hoke.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:04 PM ^
Hoke is not the guy I want, but I would take him over Les Miles, because he would be a far better ambassador for my alma mater.
It's amazing to me that there are people who don't give a shit that Les Miles has pulled scholarships from student athlettes with little notice. Even if you don't care about destroying a student-athlete's college career for the sake of competitive advantage, you should care that the NCAA has a close eye on LSU for some of their recent recruiting practices, because we're already on probation. And even if you don't care about that, he would never be able to get away with such practices in the Big Ten, which lessens the likelihood of having the same level of success here -- he won't have an enormous talent advantage to mask his frankly enigmatic playcalling.
For the record, department upheaval is what doomed Rich Rod from the start, so I think yes, it's worth taking into account. It's well-documented that Les Miles had clashed with parts of the Lloyd contingency, and yes, while Lloyd is gone, I wouldn't be so sure that the distrust of Les is.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:07 PM ^
Do you think Hoke can outdo Tressel?
With all of the class in the world, getting your ass kicked every year by those mouthbreathers is not being a good ambassador of the university.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:15 PM ^
Again, Hoke is not the coach I want, but I would take him over Les Miles, if only for what Miles has done at LSU. The integrity of the program that represents my alma mater is far, far more important to me than winning. If that makes me a loser, so be it.
Do I think Hoke can beat Tressel. Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know. I'm not sure Les Miles could either though, FWIW. Not with a level playing field, anyway.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:57 PM ^
Preach on Sommy. I'd never take winning a Nat'l championship ever again if it meant one student-athlete was lied to and cheated by one of our coaches. That is not a Michigan Man. A Michigan Man is not someone from Michigan. A Michigan Man is someone of the utmost moral and ethical standing. He is someone who does the University proud.
I'm proud to be a Michigan Man - I would be ashamed if the high moral standards of our University were forsaken for a couple wins.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:54 PM ^
It's amazing to me that there are people who don't give a shit that Les Miles has pulled scholarships from student athlettes with little notice.
This is a common and accepted practice in the SEC. It's not acceptable in the Big Ten and I believe that DB would make that well known to Miles and that the price he'd pay would be termination. I don't see this as something that Les can't or wouldn't correct in exchange for coaching at his alma mater.
which lessens the likelihood of having the same level of success here, he won't have an enormous talent advantage to mask his frankly enigmatic playcalling
Michigan can and will always recruit talented student athletes. OSU and Wisconsin have been the top teams in the big ten and they don't over recruit or use greyshirts.
If there are people that are still holding grudges towards events that occurred in the past, then those people need to come to terms with things and move along. We should all be more worried about the damage THOSE FOLKS are doing to the program than speculating about what-ifs regarding a qualified coaching candidate. Those folks bare a large portion of the blame for RR's struggles off the field and ultimate demise. it would be a major bummer if this coaching search gets sabotaged by people holding grudges.
Edit: BTW, LSU just scored again 35-17.
January 7th, 2011 at 7:51 PM ^
hire Tony Dungy. A phone call from this guy would get 9 out of ten recruits and 10 out of 10 assistants on the spot. A Big Ten player and big time coach with the experience and contacts that could get Michigan Fans excited.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:16 PM ^
Wont happen hes done coaching.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:53 PM ^
With how much of a debacle this has become, and the seeming lack of quality candidates, I increasingly could be talked into Les Miles.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:11 PM ^
http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/brady-hoke-not-jim-harba…
Just another opinion on the internets, but it oddly left me feeling better should we end up with Hoke. A high-character guy who has worked hard and wants more than anything else to be here should count for something I suppose.
Edit: Link was posted earlier so feel free to ignore or if need be, neg.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:05 PM ^
All I needed to read was this:
Jim Harbaugh’s 12-1 can’t touch Brady Hoke’s 12-1.
to realize that Whitlock's opinion is one based on a friendship and not sound football knowledge. Going 12-1 against PAC-10 teams with the academic requirements of Stanford far outweighs Ball States 12-1 against powerhouses like Eastern Michigan, Toledo and Miami (NTM). Ball State is hardly the "Harvard of Central Indiana" either.
Maybe when Hoke wins a few more games and has a winning percentage over .500 I will look at him a little more seriously. But if he is all we can get as a coach, we've got bigger issues.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:51 PM ^
Integrity went out the window about 5 OSU victories ago. Its now time to win and do whatever it takes to do so.
January 7th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
CLASSY
January 8th, 2011 at 12:00 AM ^
Integrity went out the window about 5 OSU victories ago. Its now time to win and do whatever it takes to do so.
Please, go be a fan of an SEC team.
I cannot wait until the point system is back online so I can burn each and last one of mine on these ignorant comments about how Michigan should "win at all costs."
January 8th, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
Hey at least they raise that crystal ball at the end of the year don't they.
Yeah look out you're going to get me with your points....lol you're such a goof.
January 8th, 2011 at 7:58 AM ^
tell me, when did you lose your integrity? or did you never have any?
January 7th, 2011 at 11:46 PM ^
In segments like this, we're getting only one side of the story.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:47 PM ^
Remember how pissed off we all were at the Freep? Same sh*t, different shovel.
People: we need to get off our high horse and realize we don't have a lot of options. Miles represents, in all probability, around 5-7 years of consistent success in the Big 10, and maybe even beyond it. He's not the best option, long-term, as he's too old to be our Tressel, Stoops or even Lloyd Carr. But he could get us back on our feet, and could set up a CIW, the way Bo did with Moeller and Carr.
Let's be frank: this is, by far, one of our best and most realistic options at this point.
January 8th, 2011 at 12:17 AM ^
Since everyone is hung up on the scholarship issue,
"Les Miles has become renowned for his charity work during Hurricane Katrina as well as work with the Special Olympics and various children’s charities." From: http://www.onlinetickets.com/info/sports_ncaa/lsu_tigers/les_miles_bio…
I've also heard he visited troops in Iraq but haven't put in the effort to find a source other than what someone posted on LSU's version of mgoblog.
January 8th, 2011 at 12:21 AM ^
He can do as much charity work as he wants, that's certainly great for him and the causes, but as long as he continuously fucks kids over, I'm not okay with him being hired.
January 8th, 2011 at 12:27 AM ^
Fair enough, I was just throwing it out there to save him some face, after all he is Michigan Man (for those who believe in the term).
January 8th, 2011 at 12:32 AM ^
Defending Miles's slimy practices didn't go to Michigan...
January 8th, 2011 at 2:07 AM ^
If Mary Sue Coleman and David Brandon are okay with him, why shouldn't we be? Who would have higher standards than the university president and AD - people who are responsible for the guy if he Fs up?
January 8th, 2011 at 12:39 AM ^
http://www.facebook.com/1150wjbo?v=wall
Station in LA is breaking Miles to UM, Bo P. to LSU.
January 8th, 2011 at 12:59 AM ^
Hm, seems like this is becoming more and more of a done deal. Gon' be interusting tomarru
January 8th, 2011 at 1:08 AM ^
In his Cotton Bowl post-game press conference, he said he had no contact with Michigan.
Lots of tweets saying Les Miles told his players he will be back at LSU next year.
January 8th, 2011 at 1:17 AM ^
There's a difference between Miles contact, and agent contact.
January 8th, 2011 at 1:32 AM ^
January 8th, 2011 at 2:55 AM ^
in the SEC.
According to the video the average SEC team has 103 players signed and Miles was 9 over the 85. If my math is right then that would mean he signed 94, well below average.
Also, PAC 10 on average signs 90. Any indication of where Harbaugh fit in? Is he above or below average?
January 8th, 2011 at 3:30 AM ^
Even though the point is moot, and I'd rather forget about Harbaugh (makes me sad), he was below. Average of 20.2 in the five recruiting classes he was apart of (hired in December 2006, counted the 2007 class up until the 2011 class which might not be quite full but is close with 21 recruits).
Makes me even sadder to think he'd is just a jerk and not an immoral jerk...
January 8th, 2011 at 10:59 AM ^
I can see both sides of the debate, but it's not like they kicked the kids off the team. They just lost the competition for a full-ride scholarship.
I financed my education with government loans. So can they.
January 8th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^
I'd be more concerned about his clock management skills Lol
LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson said Les Miles has told his team he's not going to take the head coaching job at Michigan after LSU's 41-24 AT&T Cotton Bowl victory against Texas A&M.
"He said, 'They have rumors going around about (me) going to Michigan, but it's not true,'" Jefferson said. "'It's nonsense.' He said hasn't spoken to anybody, anything about Michigan. We're going to stick with that and get ready for next year."
"I'm not worried. Les Miles loves this team. He loves all the work that we do for him. He loves working with us. I feel he's not going anywhere. I'm positive he's not going anywhere."