2014 recruiting
da'shawn hand
100% worst month ever

Hand To Alabama Comment Count

Ace

Da'Shawn Hand chose Alabama over Michigan and Florida in an excruciatingly long televised announcement on NBCSN, citing the opportunity to major in civil enginering and the chance to win a national championship.

I've got nothing else. This month can't end soon enough. Please be civil in the comments, especially since it's pretty darn difficult to blame Hand given, you know, the state of things.

Comments

bronxblue

November 14th, 2013 at 3:02 PM ^

But my argument remains that teams are "elite" for stretches, and sometimes that can be a couple of years (like with Saban at Alabama) or even a couple of years.  OSU was downright elite under Tressell, remarkably solid under Cooper, and look to be the same under Meyer.  Yet do people consistently view them as elite?  I'm guessing not, save for the recent run, because they lost in bowl games and their own title win is considered a bit of a fluke.

UM isn't the most elite team in the world, but I was specifically refuting the idea that Alabama is some amazing program that has always been a dominant national player.  Saban has made them elite since he got there; that probably won't continue once he leaves, if you look at historical precedent.  That said, kids today are totally going to see them in a different light than me.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171436

clarkiefromcanada

November 14th, 2013 at 2:31 PM ^

The "Saban Era" post 06 has been phenomenal at Alabama...but the Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione, Mike "it's Rollin" Price and David Shula era was a horror show of epic proportions combined with a roller coaster ride.

The sort of revisionist analysis you're forwarding that somehow the past 20 years were so awesome at Alabama is ridiculous. Saban era is historically almost unmatched but the rest of their results very, very mixed.

Michigan has actually been the more consistent program over that time but the lows and highs (particularly recently) far more epic at Alabama.

You could look it up, but why let facts get in the way.

Joined: 11/20/2008

MGoPoints: 49257

bronxblue

November 14th, 2013 at 2:59 PM ^

My point is that the Saban era has dramatically altered the perception of Alabama.  Before he showed up, they were a middling team with a couple of lost seasons due to sanctions.  I mean, as recently as 2003 they were a legit 4-9, and hadn't lost less than 3 games since 1994.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Alabama_Crimson_Tide_football_seasons

UM hasn't be amazing, but Saban turned them into another beast in the minds of recruits, and I recognize that.  But your findings are heavily weighed (rightfully so to your argument) by Saban.  And remember to, some of those SEC years were turrible (like the Big 10 is now).  And maybe this is just me, but I also think a program that has multiple sanctions should be held accountable for that when it comes to their "eliteness" because, well, they apparently had to cheat significantly enough that a bunch of goobers in the NCAA enforcement office found them out.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171436

M-Wolverine

November 14th, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^

Not even counting 2 of the 4 times they've had the games taken away by the NCAA. That's 10 out of 20 years that they've had at least 5 losses. Some would say that's half.  That's a program that was bumbling around and cheating most of the time followed by maybe the greatest coach of all time having a historic run at a school (and probably later getting slammed for cheating.)

Joined: 10/04/2009

MGoPoints: 42190

lilpenny1316

November 14th, 2013 at 2:20 PM ^

If he started paying attention to college football 10 years ago, at age eight, in Virginia of all places, he wouldn't care about our history.  That's as much SEC territory as it is ACC or Big East.  We're not an elite program anymore.  We weren't elite when LC left.  And we didn't close the deal in 2006.  Once OSU started handing it to us on a yearly basis and we couldn't escape September without a loss, we lost elite status.  We have a good brand name that kids recognize, which gets them on campus.  But UCLA is a good brand name in college hoops and they haven't sniffed elite status for a long time.

Alabama has three national titles in four years, with a demolishing of Sparty in the middle of that.  Every year, they're churning out first round draft picks.  Best team in the most adored/hated conference in the country.  And they're Alabama's professional football team.  To top it off, they have Nick Saban.  I don't think 1997 registers with someone who was a couple years old at the time.

Joined: 11/19/2009

MGoPoints: 61787

O Fo Sho

November 14th, 2013 at 1:21 PM ^

due to the incompetence of FUNK and BORGESS.  Seriously.  They've made our program look like garbage this year.  I would not be suprised if we lose Peppers and a couple of others b4 national signing day. 

Joined: 11/21/2011

MGoPoints: 429

remdog

November 14th, 2013 at 1:23 PM ^

given the relative state of the football programs. I tend to be an optimist but Michigan is horrible right now. And I'm beginning to wonder if some recruits might decommit. Borges might be singlehandedly destroying the program.

Joined: 05/14/2009

MGoPoints: 3086

flashOverride

November 14th, 2013 at 1:24 PM ^

Would have been pretty shocked if he'd still been UM-bound after seeing this overhyped team drop three out of four. Obviously we outside the program have no clue what's going on inside the Fort, but to the external observer it's hard to discern what exactly the coaching staff's plan is, or if they even really have one. 

Joined: 08/04/2013

MGoPoints: 9070

Everyone Murders

November 14th, 2013 at 1:24 PM ^

Hand's decision was just that - Hand's decision.  I'd love to see him in maize and blue (or highlighter yellow and blue if you want to be accurate), but I respect his decision.  I hope we all will.

So good luck, Da'Shawn.  I hope your career at Alabama goes well.

Joined: 12/14/2010

MGoPoints: 65552

boliver46

November 14th, 2013 at 1:40 PM ^

Remember, remember, the Fifth Fourteenth of November

Quote is for Saban - not Hand.  Such hate boiling over about him - but wish Hand the best.  Good kid with a bright future.

Joined: 09/14/2012

MGoPoints: -3374

Magnus

November 14th, 2013 at 1:26 PM ^

...the world is not ending. Michigan already has some pretty good defensive linemen on the team and in the pipeline. I like Hand as a player, but I don't think he's a program-changing player. If Hoke is going to lead Michigan to greatness, he'll still do it.

The defense is good enough already to win some championships, by the way (Big Ten or BCS). The offense is the questionable part, in my opinion.

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 166007

Fort Wayne Blue

November 14th, 2013 at 1:40 PM ^

Magnus,
I like you. I really do. You're one of my favorite posters on this site, but I think for me today has nothing to do with schematics or logical thinking.

It has everything to do with the picture of a guy who has been favored to come to Michigan for months and months - the #1 player in the country none the less - at the zenith moment for program, picking NOT MICHIGAN. its the emotional feel that you get when another top recruit holds out until the end to pick NOT MICHIGAN.

knowing that Alabama was like, well its cool if he doesn't come here. And Michigan being like WE DESPERATELY NEED HOPE! and then Hand picks, NOT MICHIGAN.

We're desperate for some glimmer of hope. Whether its Al or Brady at least admiting that there are real issues. Or Braxton Miller getting a really bad cough...... Something...... instead we get #HandPicks NOT MICHIGAN

Joined: 08/03/2011

MGoPoints: 1067