Alumni Conspiracy in the 2nd Jihad
This AM I rcvd a very long e-mail with unattributed mtl. that looks to be from The Wolverine. I don't subscribe to the Wolverine, and this may be behind a paywall. If so, mods, plz delete this post. But here is some of what is said:
. . . the latest on the Detroit Free Press investigation into “practice gate.” Without going into detail … and as we’ve hinted before … the sources behind the story (and their willingness to speak to reporters in an attempt to throw the program under the bus) are more of a story than the violations supposedly uncovered.
In fact, some of what’s going on behind the scenes is fascinating. According to our own anonymous (but impeccable) sources, the source for much of this mess has been publicly outspoken against Rodriguez since his hiring and has close ties to one of the newspapers doing the digging. That alone has raised some eyebrows, especially among the former players supportive of the new coaching staff (and there are far more in favor than against among those we’ve spoken with).
It will be interesting to see if someone picks up this angle and runs with it … it has the makings of quite a story.
Later in the e-mail, it goes on to speculate on who would try to destroy RR. Again, I don't know the author. This could be a quote, or commentary from the e-mailer, who is familiar with UM football and a university employee. It reads:
These posts by mods of “The Wolverine” caused quite a stir on the message board. A lot of speculation as to who this person/these persons are who are throwing Michigan under the bus in order to oust RichRod. While I don’t who it is, they made at clear who it is NOT. It is not Lloyd Carr, and it is not Dave Brandon (former UM football player, former Regeant, and current CEO of Dominoes Pizza). People NOT cleared as suspects by the mods: Desmond Howard and Mike Boren (not saying it is them, just that when Carr’s and Brandon’s names it was made very clear that those 2 were not involved, but when Howard and Boren were brought up there was no such mention as them not being part of the problem).
My apologies if this was posted earlier. I did a cursory check of the forum, and read MGoBlog daily, so I don't think it was.
Regardless, three things stand out:
1) There is (or was) a significant UM faction fighting against Rich Rodriguez. To me, this is just wrong. You may have wanted Les Miles, but that boat has sailed. Be thankful for Rich Rodriguez, and get behind him. By analogy, regardless of who you supported and voted for as President of the US, once the election was final we all have some obligation to support our current president.
2) Carr is very supportive of RR. Carr gets point 1 above. Namely, Carr may or may not have wanted Miles, but once the decision was made, Carr, as a Michigan Man, has thrown 100% of his support to RR. It won't help RR, the program, or Carr, for Carr to be too much in front. Let Carr pull levers behind the scenes, and let RR be the man in front.
3) Desmond has some 'splaining to do. Boren, I would expect to be a jerk, but Desmond is either all in or not.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:11 AM ^
Conspiracy theories? Really?
This isn't the second shooter on the Grassy Knoll...
September 11th, 2009 at 11:18 AM ^
They've started narrowing it down to some ex-employee from the AD and a former letter winner in a different sport. The place is a clusterfuck, and at one point yesterday people were just posting every name they could think of waiting for the Mods to confirm or deny.
Chris Balas does make it clear that there is someone in the program working against RichRod but won't admit who it is. Supposedly, he's hoping that throwing the allegation out there will put him on notice and will be enough to get him to cut it out.
Other RUMORS from other boards - people close to Gittleson and the former S&C program were very pissed off with the comments from RR and Barwis about the state of the weight room and took it personal.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:01 PM ^
I think this approach by Balas sucks ass:
"Chris Balas does make it clear that there is someone in the program working against RichRod but won't admit who it is. Supposedly, he's hoping that throwing the allegation out there will put him on notice and will be enough to get him to cut it out."
This isn't high school.
If someone is stirring up shit...call them on it. Letting this drag out only exacerbates the problem.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:29 PM ^
I hate the term insider and I am not that nor do I know specifically about who the pot-stirrer is on this one. But in the course of doing all the work for the Maloy Scholarship Auction (see below) I met with about 75 former football players in person. There were some very very clear opinions amongst the former players (of which I solicited none, I honestly didn't and still don't care who the coach is as long as he does a good job on and off the field). There were some who strongly supported (you obviously know how Rick Leach feels); several who felt as I do that it didn't matter as long as they win and stay out of trouble; and there were admittedly a bunch who flat out don't like the guy for varying reasons ranging from their loyalty to others who didn't get the job to some who have had run ins with Rich or his staff. Some of these guys never gave him a chance because he wasn't the guy they knew or wanted, others, as I said, had odd experiences, which, if true, I wouldn't hold against them for feeling badly about. Look, people are going to have a variety of opinions on this. That said, as a poster pointed out, much like the Presidency, once the President is elected, we should all stand behind him. Its very hard to believe that a former player, particularly one who didn't play for RR and get scorned would put a knife in the side of the program just because of their distaste for a coach.
As per the Boren thing, would anyone really give the father any credence all things considered. Isn't his opinion somewhat tainted.
As far as Desmond, thats risking a lot if you're a professional member of the media to pull a stunt like that. He may be somewhat critical, but it would seem like a large risk to his career to be "The Informer". I just can't imagine that one either.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:17 AM ^
"Desmond has some 'splaining to do"
no he doesn't
September 11th, 2009 at 11:27 AM ^
The e-mail recvd also said:
Desmond Howard, who insisted U-M was a team divided after colleague Craig James mentioned how united the Wolverines would be in their opener and said Rodriguez was "not a popular hire."
The first two swings and misses can be overlooked as "talking heads talking." But et tu, Desmond?
Howard should have taken notes from another former Michigan receiver (who has actually been on campus to gauge the pulse of the team in recent weeks) - Ronald Bellamy - who spoke after the game of how focused and united the team had become in recent weeks, something Rodriguez commented on after the game.
If true, I'd like Howard to back up what he says. I gather that all alumni football players, particularly a Heisman winner and NFL player, are welcome in Schembechler Hall. If so, Howard could easily come around and visit. I would think ESPN would be more than happy to foot the bill for some original mtl from one of their own employees.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:43 AM ^
i dont know about the team divided stuff, but i think it's pretty fair to say rod wasn't a particularly popular hire. if everyone loved him, we wouldn't be going through all this
anyway, it's not desmond's job to be u-m public relations department. and just because he doesnt always say exactly what we'd like doesnt mean he's secretly leading some anti-rr campaign. that's just silly speculation - and he certainly doesnt have to answer for every half-baked conspiracy theory someone dreams up on the rivals board
September 11th, 2009 at 12:32 PM ^
Not a popular hire? to some...but I give you this:
http://mgoblog.com/content/its-peanut-butter-jelly-time
September 11th, 2009 at 12:53 PM ^
just because brian and you and i liked the hire doesn't mean everyone did. whether their reasons are good or not, lots of people don't like rod. this should be pretty obvious by now.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:22 PM ^
The people that I have seen voicing opposition to the RR hiring are mainly our rivals. I have found very few people that are actually UM fans that weren't very excited about the RR hire. Because someone is lashing out against him doesn't mean UM fans don't want him. Most of the opposition is from outsiders. If Desmond is part of that faction, than shame him!
September 12th, 2009 at 12:45 AM ^
The problem, which makes Desmond appear at least somewhat guilty (at least of knowing more than he's letting on) came after the aforementioned Craig James analysis to which Desmond's response was "Craig analyzed it wrong". I'd bet money that he knows who's behind this.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:53 PM ^
Desmond Howard DID say the team was divided, on College Gameday last week.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:18 AM ^
Whoever it is needs to give their letter back because they are not just going after RR, but after the whole football program.
I'm not going to say anything about fighting or anything, but this guy needs to get bitch slapped, whoever he is.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:26 AM ^
I don't suspect Desmond. I would be surprised and disappointed if he were a source. And I would be even more furious at the Free Press, because the "current and former players" line would have gotten that much more misleading. Everyone, and I mean everyone, who reads "former players" assumes that refers to guys like Toney Clemons - former players actually coached by Rodriguez.
HOWEVA. I said from the beginning that I'd be shocked if Justin Boren wasn't a source. His dad too. If you're the Free Press, and you're looking for players who left Michigan because they don't like Rodriguez, who's the first name that jumps to mind? I don't mean to represent myself as having any inside info on this. But I would be willing to stake a lot of money that the Borens were called for an interview regarding this and were likewise extraordinarily willing to say whatever it took to make RR look as bad as possible.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:24 PM ^
because he was only here for 1 spring, and couldn't speak to summer schedules, Sundays after games and all the rest of that crap. He'd be an anti- rod voice, for sure, but I can't see how he contributed to the Freep article.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:26 PM ^
By that rationale you are insinuating that Rosenberg at el have integrity and are rational. I think the fact that past players who never played under Carr and company have been quoted about how the "family values" aren't here like they were when Carr was here would mean you are giving the FREEP way too much credit on this.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:33 AM ^
A few points:
1)One of the things floating around WRT a certain reporter is that he USED to be the BMOC--all inside and shit. Now, with a new Michigan Unplugged atmosphere, everybody can get in on their own slice of pizza, and said reporter has been shocked and hurt by his loss, or the others increased, stature and access to the program.
2)I'm sure there is some behind the scenes action going on (and have talked about it way too much cuz I don't know shit)--but DID NOT RICH ROD himself come in here telling UM that they were doing it all wrong, and then proceed to go 3-9? Just sayin' You will NEVER win the argument against 3-9 with all the talk about how many plaers quit, yada yada because the team looked so goddamm bad so much last year and if you follow sports, you know that ALWAYS comes back on the head coach.
3) I believe Lloyd Carr is caught in the middle. He seems to be so reluctant to come out and publicly go Rick Leach or even Mike Kenn--it just seems odd. Is he behind the scenes trying to smooth these factions out?
4) If we are just talking about former players, wow, what a bunch of worthless freaks. Both for what they may be doing, and for it getting so much juice. If UM administration is solidly behind Rodriguez, former players doing this is beyond my comprehension! They should really understand what went on during lloyd's last half decade on the job and understand that there must be a New Way to do things or you become, well, shit. And UM didn't build shiny new temples to house mediocrity.
5) There is now WAY too much of this shit being bandied about. We have met the enemy--and it is us. Buyin into this, puttng it all over the message boards, refusing to let certain reporters just wither and go away (no matter what they do because they are now bigger than the story--they win). We have let this shit get into our souls and under our skin and now it is talked about more than the Game or The Team (inlcuding by me at times). I mean, it's kind of fascinating and all, but nothing has come out, nothing will, and we will just never know.
6) Whatever agenda is out there (and let's assume there is for now)--it has already accomplished what it has set out to do. And it is now reaching the level of Urban Myth that will never go away no matter what. DAMMIT ALL! We, the fans, have fed this monster and now it is out of control!
September 11th, 2009 at 11:54 AM ^
DID NOT RICH ROD himself come in here telling UM that they were doing it all wrong, and then proceed to go 3-9?
Well, I think it was more the blogosphere telling UM that they needed to modernize. RR came in and said that he only knows how to do things one way. While any change could be interpreted as a statement that UM was doing it all wrong, I dont think that RR ever said or even suggested that it was WRONG, just that he was going to implement his system.
I think the reason for 3-9 is well documented and includes a few depleted/fail recruiting classes, NFL and other defections, growing pains with a new system and coaching staff, really bad qb situation, fumblitis and dropsies.
Does RR going 3-9 prove that the old way with Appy State losses and a string of unispiring near misses was better for the long term? I would suggest that is very short sighted.
Just as Appy State did not mean Lloyd's tenure was a failure, nor does 3-9 mean that RR is destined to failure. I do hope you watched the Western Michigan game to see that we can beat a MAC team, and that things are going to improve.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:58 AM ^
That point was made more as a "let's think like the other side for a moment."
September 11th, 2009 at 12:31 PM ^
But who the hell cares what Mike Boren thinks? He's a sell out and he is not a "Michigan Man" as far as I'm concerned.
***edit**** Seriously who do any of you care what Mike Boren thinks? This is a varsity letterman who completely turned on this program and instead of telling his kid to toughen it out he supported him transferring to our hated enemy. Mike Boren is not a Michigan Man. No Michigan Man can openly support Ohio State.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:43 AM ^
Personally I don't believe that there is/was a serious faction against Coach Rod that holds sway with anyone making decisions about his future (B.Martin, MSC). There will alway be a bell curve like distribution of opinions about any public figure (20% in favor, 60% in the middle, and 20% against). However, Bill Martin stated that he has heard from a lot of people and 95% support RR. The nearly 110k fans at the WMU game were pretty vocal in supporting him too. As long as the investigation plays out the way most expect (no significant findings) Coach Rod will be Michigan's coach for years to come.
My only beef is I wish Coach Rod would pick his words more carefully - sometimes he makes it sound like he took over program that was in bad condition - he says "rebuilding" or "building" instead of "building upon" or "continuing to build". Although I cheered his arrival and the changes he has made he still owes credit to Coach Carr and others for running a very successful program that was a play or two away from beating OSU and having a shot at playing in the National Championship game in 2006 (Jan. '07). I am curious what others think.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:00 PM ^
IMHE, I think Lloyd should have been a couple snaps away from the National Championship more than just that one time. I think he consistently underperformed with top talent (I would go into the debacle that was 2007, but it would hurt too much). Lloyd was a stand up guy but his play calling was atrocious. If it was 3rd and more than 7, I could have called the play every time (screen pass or draw play). If he could have called every game like he did for his last game, I think we could have won at least 1 more National Championship. I also think it says a lot about our team that our top draft pick last year went in the 4th round and just got cut by the colts. Lloyd didn't do a great job getting talent in here after (or developing them for that matter) towards the end of his career.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:55 AM ^
We're still playing Notre Dame tomorrow, right?
I thought we were done with all this drama.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:11 PM ^
I want to focus on the game tomorrow too. Winning this season is the single most effective way to shut up the naysayers.
My concern: that there are still assassins who haven't been sniffed out and destroyed. IIRC, in The Godfather, the failed hit opened the door for the elimination of turncoats. At Michigan, this neutering of inside opposition can happen now.
I agree with analysis here and elsewhere that the Rosenberg article was a blessing in disguise. It did two things and failed (or will fail) at a third:
1) Brought the team and University together.
2) Brought the existence of traitors, turncoats, etc., into the light.
3) Failed to destroy RR and the team.
RR & the team can focus on winning. Others can focus on dealing with the opposition. Together, the foundations for the next iteration of a football dynasty can be laid. I believe we are at the ground stage of football success NEVER seen at Michigan in any of our lifetimes.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:56 AM ^
sounds like an episode of "the Mole". (I think; I never actually watched an episode of the show.)
Who's on board? Who's not?
Who cares. Let's play football and support the people in Maize and Blue.
Who's on board? Who's not?
Who cares. Let's play football and support the people in Maize and Blue.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:58 AM ^
Chris Balas wrote:
It will be interesting to see if someone picks up this angle and runs with it … it has the makings of quite a story.
My response:
Aren't you a journalist?
September 11th, 2009 at 12:32 PM ^
Ya know like:
Holtz!
September 11th, 2009 at 1:40 PM ^
that their website desperately needs to stay in business if they're they get involved with naming names. Wouldn't make sense. Has to be from the mainstream media.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:00 PM ^
The problem most people have with RichRod is that he's not like Bo, Woody, Carr, or Tressel. Old school coaches who keep everything close to the vest (no pun intended). Rich is more open when he speaks, especially to the media. This seems to bother certain people for some reason.
I personally don't get it. The guy is a winner everywhere he's been. He seems to be great with recruits and an all around good guy that I'm proud to have as our coach.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:36 PM ^
He may not be like Bo in how he relates to the media, but he is so much like Bo in many other ways. His intensity, his drive, his demanding more from the players then they thought they were capable of. Indeed, supposedly RR was one of Bo's favorite coaches along with Ferentz.
September 11th, 2009 at 4:00 PM ^
I think he's considerably more like Bo than Carr was.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:40 PM ^
I think RR's efforts to make the program more transparent are upsetting those who like to manipulate things behind the scenes. RR has given the media a lot more access than the previous regiemes ever did, and it probably makes those who lack integrity a lot less comfortable to know that they no longer have utter impugnity regarding their actions.
The result here is that RR is actually cleaning up any petty, questionable behavior that happens behind the scenes, but is being accused of disingenuity by those same people. I hope those working behind his back to sabotage the University of Michigan football program are rooted out, fired, and publicly humiliated.
September 11th, 2009 at 2:06 PM ^
I like the transparency. I also like that RR is cleaning up any petty, questionable behavior that happens behind the scenes.
Only thing of which I am unsure in your post: how exactly to deal with those working behind his back. I definitely think this needs to be rooted out, with employees dealt with strongly. They should possibly be fired, or at the least transferred, demoted, etc. However, I am very cautious about public humiliation. Sometimes, (as with Luke & Darth Vader,) someone can be brought from the dark side into the light.
September 11th, 2009 at 4:04 PM ^
It will be interesting to see if someone picks up this angle and runs with it … it has the makings of quite a story.
Isn't CHRIS BALAS a fucking journalist? Why doesn't HE pick up this angle and run with it, and make it quite a story? This is what I fucking hate about the media.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:45 PM ^
The guys at Rivals are too close to the situation to try and dig this up. Moreso, this isn't their job. Their job is to report on recruiting and the actual football aspect. If they start snooping around looking for the rat that is gnawing on cheese in some dark alley of Washtenaw County, they're putting their business in jeopardy, because if things go south they would lose all access they have to everything Michigan-related.
September 11th, 2009 at 10:12 PM ^
I don't claim to have an OMGinsidurz information, but here's how I think it went down based on connecting the dots.
The first option is Ferentz. Highly respected by Bo, Lloyd, and Mary Sue was president when he signed at Iowa. He's contacted, flies out to Michigan, talks, declines.
Internal candidates are interviewed as a matter of policy, but both DeBord and English, despite any internal push for them, are declined by Bill Martin as not being able to put butts in seats, or, simply for performance (DeBord) or inexperience (English).
At that point, talks with Les Miles heat up a bit. His first non-denial denial occurs on the weekend of the last LSU game. Over the next week, a framework of a deal is put into place, against any push by a small fraction that dislikes him. It's now Saturday morning. At this point, TWO teams need to lose games they are highly unlikely to for LSU to make the championship game. Desmond (ON THE SEARCH COMMITTEE), on the same Gameday crew as Herbie, despite Desmond being in Hawaii, blabs a bit about the Les Miles to Michigan deal but asks it to be kept underwraps. Some bonehead at ESPN instructs Herbie to run with the story. I want to highlight this quote from Desmond, "Whether it was true or false, there's no doubt in my mind that Herbstreit believed what he was saying on TV." Desmond, you were on the search committee, you KNOW whether or not it was true. In his quote, he basically absolves Herbie, ESPN to some degree, and essentially blames the whole thing on a miscommunication. Which, come on, ESPN isn't going to announce totally baseless rumors like that. As much as they suck, there's NO WAY they failed that hard.
So anyway, it breaks, Miles has 0 choice, with a SECCG and his AD breathing down his neck, to do anything but deny. Miles, IIRC, also was famously totally unable to contact anyone from Michigan on this morning. There's very, very little hope left with Miles, but it's not totally hopeless. Then WVU and the other team (Missouri?) lose, and LSU is in the MNC game. At this point, between LSU's AD's pressure and the game pressure, Miles needed certain guarantees from Michigan, which he couldn't get. He has no choice but to remain at LSU.
At this point, Mary Sue gets involved, the search goes totally dark, and Schiano is offered, turns it down, tries to get back into it, and is turned away. Then RichRod and stuff happens. Peanut butter jelly time, etc.
Now, let's talk about Desmond here. His motives, I have no idea. Maybe his access was cut off for blabbing. Maybe he really wanted Miles. Maybe he just doesn't like Rich Rod. But here's the second glaring inconsistency I see here:
Desmond Howard, who insisted U-M was a team divided after colleague Craig James mentioned how united the Wolverines would be in their opener and said Rodriguez was "not a popular hire."
Either Desmond is trying way, way too hard to be objective, or he's intentionally misrepresenting the issues. Desmond was pretty forceful and quick to talk over Craig James saying the team was shockingly united and ready to go. So Desmond is either totally out of the loop (we KNOW this isn't the case) or lying.
"Chris Balas does make it clear that there is someone in the program working against RichRod but won't admit who it is. Supposedly, he's hoping that throwing the allegation out there will put him on notice and will be enough to get him to cut it out."
I can understand this, if the person in question is a former Heisman winner, SuperBowl MVP now representing your school on ESPN. Michigan comes out best if the person doing it just cuts it out. Otherwise it will be a very, very public embarrassment for the university and the program. I look at it this way, if Chris Balas knows but won't share, then a LOT of other people know as well. Therefore, these people must be working behind the scenes to make this go away, and this brouhaha is a warning shot being fired. It's a pretty clear message to Desmond (or whomever, but I vote Desmond) "Cut this shit out right now, or you'll leave us no choice." Personally, I think if RR beats ND, that this person will be outed regardless, as RichRod will have proven the corner is turned and it will be safe for the program to do so, as no one will listen to source bitch about RR.
/my $.02
September 11th, 2009 at 11:10 PM ^
I've made it a point not to post on any Jihad II related threads as of recent, but I'm a sucker for conspiracy theories, so here I am. =)
That's a really, really interesting and well-thought-out post. Speculative, but plausible. I wonder if anyone can offer any corroborating evidence that this is possibly correct, or contradictory evidence that may debunk any of the points.
If the mole is, in fact, someone a la Howard... Well, first of all I'd be genuinely disappointed b/c his Heisman pose is my first football-related memory... But, also, I think if it is someone like Howard, than the approach the Rivals guy is taking is a good one, b/c as ShockFX said, it'd be a huge embarrassment if someone like him were attempting to sabotage the program.
Also, man! I had forgotten just how close we were to having friggin Ferentz as our head coach!! To think the ball was actually in his court is just so scary in hindsight. I would have been thrilled w/ Miles, I *am* thrilled w/ RR... But any of these other candidates we were looking at would have been a major, major bummer. If ppl thought last year was bad under RR, think how bad it would have been under Hoke, or Ferentz, or Kelly, or Debord... Every M fan, every day, should jubilantly praise Benevolent Michigan Head Coach Selecting God that things ended up so good when they very, very easily could have ended up so horribly.
September 12th, 2009 at 12:06 AM ^
Reasonable theory, great connecting of the dots. My only disagreement: assuming the party is Desmond, I think he won't be publicly humiliated by being outed. Rather, I think he will be given a choice:
1) Come out publicly in full support of RR, with statements that can't be reversed without self-immolation; or,
2) Be publicly outed, in a way that undermines his career.
There is a slim but unlikely third option:
3) STFU, permanently, as regards RR & the team.
September 13th, 2009 at 12:31 PM ^
I just have one critique. This "Schiano tried to get back in and we said no" thing seems to be a misremembering/misrepresentation of what actually occurred. Brian wrote a post detailing that his sources had told him it was the opposite, after we entered early negotiations with the Rodriguez camp, we went back and gave Schiano one last chance at the job which he turned down. There are some media folks who got the same story, IIRC.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:29 PM ^
NOTE: This is all rumor and speculation from Rivals posters without Mod confirmation
The new Rivals CONSPIRACY THEORY is that one of the rats/moles/whatever you want to call him is James Stapleton. (The former Athletic Department employee who no longer works for the school) He is currently on the EMU Board of Regents and was previously a member of the UofM Control of Intercollegiate Athletics Board. This quote is from when Brian Ellerbe was fired:
Meanwhile, several members of Michigan"s Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics still voice strong concerns and disapproval over how Martin and the athletic department handled the problems facing Ellerbe and the basketball program. "I"m embarrassed by the process undertaken by the athletic department in this matter," said James Stapleton, a member of the Board who is also the chairman for the Detroit Urban League. "It would be one thing if we could, as the University, all look ourselves in the mirror and say we"ve done everything we could to help this man and his program. Instead, we"ve done next to nothing. And it should shame us all especially Bill Martin." This statement came two days after Robert Sellers, a black member of the Board, told the Daily he felt that firing Ellerbe would be "unfair and malicious." "I have a deep and undying concern of the integrity of the department in the last year," said Stapleton, who feels that race has to at least be considered as a factor in the decision to fire Ellerbe. "And I intend to figure out what is going on here."https://www.michigandaily.com/content/mixed-reviews-athletic-director Apparently he still holds a grudge. He supposedly thought English should have gotten the UofM job (which I find weird because he was working for EMU during the coaching search), and was one of the driving forces of English getting the job at EMU. He is married to Carol Cain which is the alleged link to the Free Press. (http://www.freep.com/carolcain) Again this is just rumor and speculation at this point
September 19th, 2009 at 12:08 AM ^
Interesting. If true, I wonder if he also had something to do with the malicious rumors that were spread about Beilein when we hired him (namely, that he "wouldn't recruit Detroit").
September 18th, 2009 at 11:41 PM ^
Like I mentioned earlier this week in the diary about RR's teams in the game after an upset win:
There is plenty of motivation for tomorrow's game. Plenty. There will be no letdown.