A new low
http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1192346
Hoke's most recent public appearance came last Friday, when he was introduced to the nearly 7,000 fans that crammed into Yost Ice Arena to watch U-M best Western Michigan 6-3 and his simple approach to his introduction was noticed.
Three years earlier, Rich Rodriguez donned a Maize and Blue hockey jersey and took a stab at Score-O - the second-period intermission game in which three contestants attempt to slide a shot from the blue-line through a tiny opening into the net. The student section roared with delight. That was Rodriguez's way and that didn't make it wrong but his occupation of the spotlight did offend some folks.
I apologize for cluttering the board with another emo "Why come they hatez my favorite corch?" topic but this just made me want to stab myself and the only solution is to bitch about it to you all. Neg accordingly. I deserve it, but I can't stop myself.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:40 PM ^
People are stupid. Don't worry yourself over it.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
I like that he gives a solid 2 pumps on his handshakes. RR was a grab and squeeze kind of guy. Total reflection of his character
February 24th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
It's been a few days since we had a thread arguing about RichRod. I guess we were due.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
for playing fucking Score-O, I think we're allowed to complain about that.
February 24th, 2011 at 1:09 PM ^
I would be extremely happy if this thread stayed on topic, however the trend around here is to turn every single slight of RichRod into a 300 comment argument between the Section 1's and DahBlue's of the board. I guess we'll see what direction this one takes, I just don't have high hopes.
February 24th, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^
This is worth sharing, though, whether the response gets out of hand or not. This board has proven in the past that it can wield a hefty sword of influence. If enough people are outraged by Spath's shit, maybe he'll face subscription cancellations or well written emails of opposition or something.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:34 PM ^
I'm surprised nobody has posted Spath's responses. They're fairly entertaining.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:43 PM ^
February 24th, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
Hoke is great and people should support him.
Absurdity pisses me off, which is why I posted that article.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
He never said anything along those lines.
The OP (much like myself) seems to be disillusioned with how the Michigan fanbase has turned so maliciously on a man who, despite his flaws and shortcomings, was a good man who gave everything he had for us for three long years. He endured a constant stream of shit from all directions. Now to take something as innocent as Score-O and call him essentially an attention whore is insane.
In short, RR deserves better than to be treated like this.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^
I can't agree more. This is no longer about x's and o's or DB coaching or any of the other gripes people had with Rich Rod. He's no longer the coach and people seem to just want to pile on.
If you didn't like the guy, just let it go; he's gone.
February 24th, 2011 at 1:47 PM ^
That's right! We don't take kindly to your kind around here.
February 24th, 2011 at 8:31 PM ^
It's actually... We don't take kindly to your type round here.
There, fixed.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:44 PM ^
How the fuck does Score-O make someone seem like an attention whore? It's Score-O! It's fun! The students love it. And a new coach playing it is just trying to endear himself to the students. It's far less conspicuous than installing countdown clocks or refusing to acknowledge Ohio State by name.
RR, despite his faults and his mistakes was a good man. He deserves better.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:46 PM ^
How the fuck does Score-O make someone seem like an attention whore? It's Score-O! It's fun! The students love it.
Quoted for truth and emphasis.
Score-O is a classic, there's no reason for the author over there to add this blurb.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
Legit gripe. Literally no one was offended by Rich Rod's Score-O appearance. In fact it's impossible for me to fathom how offense could be taken by it. He was the brand new coach at the time. It was a PR introduction. BFD.
Rivals has made no secret of its Rodriguez hatred.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:52 PM ^
"Rodriguez didn't appreciate Michigan's traditions." What an egotistical bastard.
"Rodriguez took part in a Michigan tradition." What an egotistical bastard.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:58 PM ^
Well put. Rodriguez could have cured cancer and people would have complained he was taking jobs away from doctors/researchers.
February 24th, 2011 at 1:01 PM ^
Time for a thought exercise: Switch Hoke and Rodriguez and rewrite the article.
"Rodriguez showed up at a hockey game, but he seemed uncomfortable and may[1] have declined to participate in Score-O when asked to do so. Anonymous observers[2] cited this as evidence that Rodriguez is aloof and self-centered. Contrast this with Hoke, who enthusiastically participated in Score-O. Other anonymous observers commented that Hoke, by his actions, proved himself to be an excellent cultural fit at UMich."
[1] Freep-style ... fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
[2] Also Freep-style ... make it up as necessary.
- - -
I'd like to know whose feathers were ruffled by RichRod and how it happened. Was it just some little athletic department gnomes (Lloyd Loyalists)? Or, did he irritate coaches in other sports? I'd believe just about anything.
February 24th, 2011 at 1:14 PM ^
Charles fucking Manson could be a successful college coach if he follows these rules:
Have a strong, defined jawline.
Midwestern values are important. Very important. Christian beliefs and faith, as long as they are repeatedly mentioned, will get you far in Divison 1 football.
Dominate in-state recruiting.
Doesn't matter how you do it! Go 'head and threaten a kid's family or two to scare them into commiting, because as long as you the coach of an Alaska school while pulling recruits from Alaska, you're set.
Bore reporters and the media to tears.
"Well, I thought we played good fooball out there and we executed. And we scored some points on em, but scoring ponits is all about execution. Points. Execution. Execution. Points"
Have a religious virgin star quaterback
The other rules don't need to be applied if you're doing this
February 24th, 2011 at 1:27 PM ^
and may God have mercy on our souls
February 24th, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^
It seems like the media can't get enough of RR. Whether he leaves on his own terms or someone else's, the media seems to just keep writing about him almost as much as if he was still there. They really need to learn how to write the name "Hoke" without feeling like they have an obligation to mention RR.
It's natural to compare, but they could give it a rest once in awhile, too. Really, the only pieces they should be writing are varations of these:
1. Can Borges maximize a great group of players who are just starting to become upperclassmen?
2. Can Mattison turn the defense into a palatable Big Ten defense?
3. Can Hoke lock down a top five recruiting class next year?
4. Lots of fluff. "Getting to know you" posts about the new staff, pieces on players who have overcome a lot of obstacles in their lives or are great students, etc.
I still worry about Hoke's X's and O's on offense, but it has to be obvious to even the most vocal of his critics that he has great leadership skills. I think he can be a very effective head coach in this particular job because he makes a great "front-man" for the program. Hoke projects an image that gives the media plenty of opportunities to write good things about the program.
If Hoke is able to combine his leadership skills with knowing when to delegate authority, particularly on offense, his performance could force the media to do their jobs better. Usually, though, the only way this happens is by creating so many positive things for the media to write about that they forget to be negative.
One can always hope.
February 24th, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^
Of course they can't let go. What are they going to do to replace the ad clicks from the "Fire Dickrod!" crowd?
They're in a bind now because the public seems to really like Hoke, so they've lost their meal ticket.
February 24th, 2011 at 9:17 PM ^
RR is a celebrity. Not all football coaches are celebrities, but RR generates publicity, for good or ill, wherever he goes. By running Michigan into the ground (in the eyes of the general public) and getting fired after 3 years on the job, he has "fallen from grace." What happens next? He rises from the ashes, of course. It's a movie; or at least, that's the kind of story-arc the MSM loves to publish because it wins over readers and ad clicks.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:10 PM ^
Tater -
I'm pretty sure that Hoke has the ability to "combine his leadership skills with knowing when to delegate authority, particularly on offense."
You and others can continue to bury your head in the sand about Hoke's considerable achievements since the start of the 2008 season, but I won't:
Last year, San Diego State scored more points per game than Michigan, with nowhere near the talent Michigan had on hand. They were not blown out in any game. They only lost to top quality teams.
On recent history, which really is all that matters, Michigan's coaching staff in 2011 will be better than it was from 2008-10.
Watch the highlights of the bowl game, and then hopefully you and everyone else will stop acting like Al Borges's playbook is circa 1934.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:18 PM ^
They also scored on defenses far less talented than the ones we faced.
I mostly agree with you, apart from being confident that Borges will be able to utalize Denard to his potential. He hasn't coached a quarterback resembling Denard, so I think that remains to be seen.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:30 PM ^
35 points against TCU, as well as having the ball with the chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter.
Give me the equivalent Michigan offensive performance against a powerhouse defense in 2010. I'm here all day.
As for Borges, he'll better protect Denard (which Denard himself lauded when he first met with Hoke), and he'll make him more dangerous by establishing a downhill running threat while also utilizing play action and the tight ends. This idea that Borges won't have the ability to watch tape and figure out how to use a talented multi-purpose QB is simply asinine. The guy has been a coach for 30 years, but hey, if he doesn't run him 25 times a game, he's probably an idiot, right?
February 24th, 2011 at 4:09 PM ^
Yes, they had the TCU game. They played very well and showed they had a good offense just by that total alone. I wasn't saying we were better, I'm just saying that you cited ppg and that they were less talented. That evens out when you consider they played less talented defenses than we did.
Personally I think Denard should get multiple carries a game, and I believe Borges when he says he'll rush a lot. However, I don't think it's as simple as Borges reading a book or watching some film. I don't care how Denard gets his yards next year (scrambles, draws, whatever), but it'll be a real shame for everyone if he doesn't.
Thanks for the personal attacks though. I wish you could also tell me my opinion on the coaching change, basketball's tournament chances and Woodson's political remarks; I'm going to need to know how to vote, and I'm not sure I can without you telling me how I think.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:56 PM ^
February 24th, 2011 at 1:44 PM ^
I thought this was going to be about the old people singing kareoke at the bar last night. It was like watching one of those "watch me and my wife try to f*ck this college student" porns.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:13 PM ^
Go. Please.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:30 PM ^
I agree that this is unfair. But there are probably going to be more of these comparisons made over the next few years. My advice is to shrug it off. People's opinions aren't going to be changed.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:29 PM ^
Frankly, that's the same way a lot of people deal with your posting on mgoboard.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:34 PM ^
That's fine with me. I'll get by.
February 24th, 2011 at 7:26 PM ^
......but I do like Hoke's simple, understated approach to things in general. The fist pumps are a plus as always.