If you could ask DB one question...
February 16th, 2011 at 12:31 PM ^
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K5d5jxJ5vbM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
February 16th, 2011 at 9:28 AM ^
What major differences do you perceive between running a corporation and running the athletic department of an institution of higher education that is funded by the state? As a follow-up, do you believe that the private donors to the athletic department can be "handled" in the same manner as shareholders of a corporation (the largest of which are generally not individuals).
February 16th, 2011 at 9:30 AM ^
1. Why didn't you thinking of owning up to making bad pizza?
2. What is your stance on $5 premade pizza?
3. What is your favorite color?
February 16th, 2011 at 10:24 AM ^
...airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
February 16th, 2011 at 12:54 PM ^
African or European?
February 16th, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^
When you became CEO of Dominos did the execs openly acknowledge that their product was bland or were they in denial?
February 16th, 2011 at 9:33 AM ^
What percentage of Dominos pizza crust is made of cardboard?
February 16th, 2011 at 9:39 AM ^
0%. Don't you watch commercials?
February 16th, 2011 at 9:36 AM ^
Dave, can I have a job?
February 16th, 2011 at 9:37 AM ^
On a Domino's pizza contain some sort of laxative?
February 16th, 2011 at 9:38 AM ^
My one and only question would be why he seems to have a double standard when it comes to his evaluation of Beilein and Rich Rod. His recent comments about patience and the development of a young team regarding basketball apparently didn't apply to the football program.
February 16th, 2011 at 10:13 AM ^
I just don't get this view. The basketball program was a mess for years before Beilein. Plus, Beilein has made the post season, and won a tournament game. While it's a longshot, he also has a team with zero seniors in the mix for a tournament birth this year.
The football and basketball programs under the timeframe that applies to this question is an apples to oranges comparison.
February 17th, 2011 at 3:38 AM ^
Seniors? Who cares? It's college BASKETBALL. A sport dominated by freshmen now-a-days.
A lot of people aren't fond of Beilein because his small-ball style seems to give us a very low ceiling for success.
February 16th, 2011 at 10:15 AM ^
Honestly, I would have loved a 4th year of RR, but the big difference is year 2. Beilein's team performed over their head, made the tournament and gave him some leeway.
Had the 2009 Michigan team made a couple more plays and won their three close losses (MSU, Iowa, Purdue) and overachieved, I think RR would have had the same bit of leverage in regards to youth this season.
February 17th, 2011 at 3:43 AM ^
Sorry but if you are going to give Beilein credit for the team "performing above their head" and making the tournament in 2009 you have to give him blame for that same group going into 2010 with high expectations only to not even make the freaking NIT.
It goes both ways, unless of course you have such low expectations that you think a single tournament berth buys years of goodwill.
February 16th, 2011 at 10:22 AM ^
There isn't a double standard...
RR never beat a BigTen team with a winning conference record. Beilein has. RR never beat State. JB has. RR's teams never had a record as good as their predecssor, JB's have. RR never won a "must win" game. JB has. RR ended the nation's longest bowl streak. JB broke a NCAA tourney drought. RR got destroyed in a bowl game. JB pulled a tourney upset.
It's really simple...all RR had to do to keep his job was win more games. It's not about "Michigan Man" or the "I didn't have enough support". The record, and especially the record when the pressure is on, counts. That's why JB has a job and RR does not.
February 16th, 2011 at 10:29 AM ^
Wait, what? I agree with dahblue on something?
February 16th, 2011 at 10:32 AM ^
...and a phantom +1 to you for seeing the light!
February 16th, 2011 at 11:33 AM ^
February 16th, 2011 at 12:25 PM ^
You really need to get over it. RR lost his job because of performance. Nothing else. It wasn't measured "right off the bat". He had three years and his performance indicated that his teams were not competitive when they needed to be. You're kidding yourself if you think a Michigan football coach can survive after producing the worst defense ever, three years in a row. You're also kidding yourself if you think a coach can keep the job going 0-6 to MSU/OSU over three years.
As for the "Michigan Man" nonsense...Unless RR had signed a contract to coach elsewhere while still working in A2, he was a "Michigan Man" (at least, according to Bo, the guy who coined the phrase in canning Bill Frieder). DB hired a guy who he thinks will get the job done. It's funny that Hoke's "losing record" as the coach of teams used as insta-wins for the big boys is so bothersome to you when RR's losing record at Michigan just meant he needed more time. And why are you bothered by the fact that Hoke loves Michigan as much as all of us? That is a positive that will show on the recruiting trail and the field of play.
Hoke's performance (holy shit! same standard!) is what he'll eventually be judged on - whether he's a Michigan Man or a Mandolin. At this point, however, it should be clear that the guy can recruit, can hold together a team and can assemble a top-notch assistant crew. Maybe you should consider that "perspective".
February 16th, 2011 at 3:23 PM ^
February 16th, 2011 at 8:22 PM ^
Because the rest of the post starts to sound like a teacher in Peanuts...
<br>
<br>It was a joke, basically saying "Welcome Back, Brady". Only those who were looking for someone ready to jump Rich behind every corner, or too butt hurt about him getting fired (or both) saw that as a knowing, on purpose dig at Rich. Because they saw EVERYTHING as a dig/plot against Rich.
February 16th, 2011 at 2:07 PM ^
That's why JB has a job and RR does not. .
JB had universal acknowledgement that the Michigan program he took over was operating at a talent gap relative to the rest of the Big 10 and would need rebuilding; expectations were modest. RR inherited a similar situation in 2008, but the rank and file would never acknowledge the talent gap that had opened up by poor recuiting in Lloyd's last few seasons. Expectations never really adjusted based on reality.
February 16th, 2011 at 10:48 AM ^
So, if what you all say is true then patience for development has absolutely nothing to do with it. To keep the job it requires immediate results. Again, this seems to show DB's comments as disingenuous, at best.
February 16th, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^
No. No one is saying that. Of course, what JB has shown this year is that youth is not an excuse for failure. Expectations for the squad were beyond low, but his team is competitive and has (as I mentioned below) won meaningful games. There's no need to keep poking around for something to be upset about. Be happy that our bball team is exceeding expectations and that people are excited about football again. These are good things!
February 16th, 2011 at 11:44 AM ^
Then yes. But guess what, no one is surviving 3 years without results in Michigan Football, because it's Michigan Football. Michigan Basketball doesn't have the expectations, or the ceiling, or frankly, the starting place.
February 16th, 2011 at 12:20 PM ^
Beilein beat a very talented OSU team near the end of his first miserable year, a game that probably set the tone for Michigan's first tournament run in a freaking decade(not to mention beating Duke) in his second year. In three years RR beat Wisconsin and a couple of bad Notre Dame teams. Your comparison is without merit.
My question: What could I say that would result in you giving me $100,000?
February 16th, 2011 at 4:00 PM ^
1. When RR came in, M had not missed out on going to a bowl in 30+ years - in a single season, RR came in and broke the longest standing record in M history. By contrast, Beilein inherited a team that hadn't sniffed a tourney in ages.
2. When RR came in, he went 3-9, leading Michigan to its worst season EVER. He followed this by a season in which he lost to almost EVERY SINGLE B10 team that we played. He lost to Sparty for 3 straight years, was outscored by OSU 24-109 over three years and put up the worst defense in Michigan, maybe B10, history. RR also didn't have a single signature win. Beilein came in and got us to the tourney in year 2. He has beaten several very good teams, and even beat Sparty this season in East Lansing. Even in losses, we are competitive for most of the game.
3. Beilein is teaching the team fundamentals, which will pay off in the long term. This is why the "youth" excuse flies with him. My contrast, RR's team had NO funadmentals - tackling, angles, catching, running, blocking, turnovers. The youth excuse doesn't work because the offense has a ton of senior talent, and there were issues with the fundamentals there, as well.
4. Beilein's team is improving throughout the season. RR's team regressed in both of 2009 and 2010.
5. (and this one is not fair to RR) - In Michigan, football is king, and we do not tolerate losing at football, whereas not as many people care about basketball because we have been so bad for so long.
I await the inevitable Dudeness defense of RR reply.
February 16th, 2011 at 5:41 PM ^
February 16th, 2011 at 6:49 PM ^
In which year did Rodriguez have the most senior talent?
Was it, '08, '09, or '10? He didn't say good talent, mind you.
It breaks out like this:
'08 = 12 total seniors
'09 = 16 total seniors, 17 with Baker, but does Grady count?'
'10 = 12 total seniors, 11 without Woolfolk.
So Rodriguez never had senior talent, except for in 2009. He had a lot of juniors last year, so he technically had a decent number of upperclassmen in certain spots.
Now whose fault is that, especially for this year? I bet I can guess where you place the blame.
February 17th, 2011 at 3:31 AM ^
If he were to answer that candidly (DB is a politician in my view so he wouldn't) he would tell you that the AD is much more revenue-dependent on football than basketball and thus, can't afford the same patience.
February 16th, 2011 at 9:43 AM ^
Dave, during your trip around the world looking for a coach, did you find yourself flipping through the adult film selections at the hotel? If so, which one?
EDIT: It has been confirmed....Big Sausage Pizza
February 16th, 2011 at 9:42 AM ^
Is it all an act or is Donald Trump really that big of a dick?
February 16th, 2011 at 9:43 AM ^
....to those who did not respect the process?
February 16th, 2011 at 9:44 AM ^
Was there ever anyone in your mind besdies hoke?
If not...then why the process?
February 16th, 2011 at 9:48 AM ^
Do you read MGoBlog?
<br>
<br>Follow-up:
<br>If no - Why not? Are you an idiot?
<br>Or
<br>If yes - Who's your favorite poster? (my money is on Dudeness)
February 16th, 2011 at 2:02 PM ^
It is well-known within the AD that DB takes his marching orders from THE KNOWLEDGE.
February 16th, 2011 at 3:32 PM ^
Well at least I understand the past two months now.
February 16th, 2011 at 9:55 AM ^
Friend: mr Brandon, did you hear Fred jacksons assessment of you?
<br>
<br>Brandon: no sir, what did he say?
<br>
<br>Friend, quoting Fred Jackson: "He's a lot like Bo, except not really at all. I miss Lloyd."
February 16th, 2011 at 9:57 AM ^
What where you looking for in the Bowl game that you did not know already? Did you REALLY offer the job to JH and LM? etc.,
February 16th, 2011 at 9:59 AM ^
What head football coaching candidates were considered acceptable to Michigan during your process? Of those coaches, which of them were interested in the job?
February 16th, 2011 at 10:02 AM ^
Will you be pissed if Rodriguez lands at a big-name program, get the full backing of the alumni/donors/fans, and immediately competes for a conference and national championship?
February 16th, 2011 at 10:08 AM ^
If the team were to go 3-9 in 2011 with losses to OSU, MSU, and Nebraska, followed by 5-7 in 2012 with losses to OSU, MSU, Nebraska, and Alabama, what would you be thinking around Christmas of 2012?
February 16th, 2011 at 10:09 AM ^
where can I get glasses and a mustache
February 16th, 2011 at 11:11 AM ^
Actually, the better and more likely question might be, if the football team goes 7-5 in 2011, then 5-7 in 2012, and then 3-9 after that, what will you be thinking in November of 2013? (We will assuredly not go 3-9 this year, and the brutal 2012 schedule could plausibly make it hard to do more than finish .500, especially if Denard decides he no longer wants to play in a Hoke offense and would rather return kicks in the NFL...)
But this is one of those many questions where we already know the answer.
The real trick is to ask Dave Brandon a question that will get him talking from his gut, and acutallly saying something.
February 16th, 2011 at 10:14 AM ^
Who in the hell would hold a private luncheon and order Domino's Pizza?
February 16th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^
February 16th, 2011 at 10:24 AM ^
Any chance you'll get rid of the Jock Jamz? Wait...quick follow up's...did you know that, despite Journey's lyrics, there is no "South Detroit"? Last one...do you find Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" to be a better and more suitable song for play at Michigan Stadium than "The Victors"?
February 16th, 2011 at 10:28 AM ^
I'll go with:
1. Dave, how will you measure the success of the new regime? Is Brady Hoke starting on a new timeline for recovery, or is he picking up where the last head coach left off?
2. Dave, how 'bout some new away jerseys? We should put the adidas designers to work to develop something uniquely Michigan. Doing their jersey template in maize and blue isn't good enough.
Or...
3. Dude, have you considered calling Six Zero? Together you guys could make the best UM gear ever!
February 16th, 2011 at 1:55 PM ^
4. Mr. Brandon, when will you be sitting down with Six Zero for your MGoProfile interview this summer?