Article introducing Bo in '69 notes his lack of Michigan ties
Most Michigan fans know that the Free Press ran a headline "Bo Who?" following Schembechler being named to succeed Elliott. Given that Bo is the ultimate Michigan Man I thought this Jan 9, 1969 MIchigan Daily piece was ironic:
"Schembechler does have one thing going for him. He joins the great non-Michigan tradition of Wolverine coaches. Coming from the University of Miami, the starting point of many mentors, Schembechler, along with basketball coach John Orr, has succeeded in breaking the old system of having Michigan alums named to coach Michigan teams."
Regardless I'd be thrilled to get Harbaugh, but I just found it interesting that one of the first things mentioned about Bo was that he wasn't a Michigan man.
October 30th, 2014 at 9:19 PM ^
The michigan man thing is horrible. It narrows the pool of legitimate candidates by a lot and it's perfectly in line with the athletic department wide arrogance.
I'm really not happy with the arrogance and the stubbornness of the program. The phrase "this is Michigan" has done way more harm than good by bringing complacency and entitlement. They expected winning to be handed to them on a platter just because they're Michigan.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:26 AM ^
October 31st, 2014 at 7:17 AM ^
I completely agree with you and think you said that perfectly. If that's the accepted definition of a Michigan Man, then I hope like hell every coach is a Michigan Man. However the definition IMO has been highly skewed. I feel like a lot of people have been interpreting it as needing someone who has been here before which I think is detrimental to the success of the whole athletic program.
October 31st, 2014 at 8:04 AM ^
and those of us were alive and appreciated Michigan Football when Bo was alive know what he meant when he said "Michigan Man" and that definition has gotten warped over time. I hope that we get a coach that is tough as nails, like Bo was, who will instill discipline, like Bo did, and win games, like Bo did.
October 31st, 2014 at 9:11 AM ^
Anyone who misses this point truly doesn't get it
October 31st, 2014 at 7:56 AM ^
I totally agree with your first paragraph. That said, I totally disagree with your second paragraph. Michigan is a special place. We are entitled to a bit of arrogance and stubborness, but at the same time we can't let those traits drive us.
October 31st, 2014 at 8:53 AM ^
If you don't like arrogance, entitlement and complacency than I suggest you find a new head coach to support. Brady Hoke "the blah blah blah I sold my soul to the devil family" head coach would have walked here mmmk. So get over it because this is Michigan do you know how many people would have walked here?
GOD BLESS
DAVE
October 30th, 2014 at 9:20 PM ^
I have made this point a few times. In Bump Elliott, Bo had someone who told his players and other alums not to bitch about the new coach. Rich Rod had the polar opposite.
Hopefully, the "Michigan Men" have learned their lesson and will support the next coach, even if he is from outside the Inbred Michigan Coaching Tree. It is time for some new DNA in the football program.
October 30th, 2014 at 9:23 PM ^
Bump got some measure of revenge when he took the AD job at Iowa and hired Hayden Fry, the architect of Iowa football.
October 30th, 2014 at 9:42 PM ^
I never understood why Carr couldn't just step away? Wish the new guy well, tell the players that he's the coach now, and that's that. Carr has a family and always seemed to have a life outside of football. So why did he allow himself to get dragged down into all that mess?
October 31st, 2014 at 9:27 AM ^
been a great coach at Michigan regardless of what Bump said or did. RR was certainly not done any favors by many entrenched entities at Michigan, but he didn't do himself any damned favors either. We need to both modernize the program and honor the tradition. RR was all about the former and Hoke about the latter. Schembechler did it perfectly. Maybe the next guy will as well. This idea that RR was prevented from being successful because a retired coach and a few former players didn't like him is bullshit. Lloyd Carr didn't recruit 1 O-Lineman in a class. John Wangler didn't recruit Justin Feagin.
We are not talking about resurrecting Sparty or Kentucky or Colorado. We are talking about a program that's in the top 5 in teh country in terms of both history and resources. Neither of the last 2 coaches have been effective. The next guy needs to be and will have the infrasturction adn the players to do so. That is truly the end of the story.
October 30th, 2014 at 9:22 PM ^
October 30th, 2014 at 9:28 PM ^
Was it wrong back then? I know that UIowa's name was formerly State University of Iowa.
October 30th, 2014 at 10:49 PM ^
October 30th, 2014 at 9:23 PM ^
October 30th, 2014 at 11:18 PM ^
October 31st, 2014 at 2:48 AM ^
October 30th, 2014 at 9:34 PM ^
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October 30th, 2014 at 9:34 PM ^
We get it.
Honestly, the Michigan Man meme is brought up more by people trying to shoot it down than people who actually think it's a legitimate thing.
October 30th, 2014 at 9:38 PM ^
yeah, it's not a edgy new thing to dispel the michigan man. Everyone uses it with a negative connotation at this point.
October 30th, 2014 at 10:01 PM ^
Never intended the "Michigan Man" comment to exclude someone who was capable and utterly committed to the university. He only meant that someone who had accepted a position at Arizona State should not coach a Michigan team through the tournament. I saw the press conference live and I am confident in my assessment.
Somewhere, I'd like to think, that Bo is pissed off at this whole perversion of the "Michigan Man" expression. Were he here, I'm sure he'd let us all know himself. I'm equally sure he'd support hiring the best coach, who coaches within the rules, and who is 100% committed to Michigan, to come right the ship. That's what he did.
October 30th, 2014 at 10:21 PM ^
besides, M-Man is something to be earned, not some kind of genetic endowment.
October 31st, 2014 at 7:47 AM ^
Agree completely, but Bo isn't the originator of the Michigan Man meme.
Fielding H. Yost, at his retirement banquet:
My heart is so full at this moment, I fear I could say little else. But do let me reiterate the Spirit of Michigan. It is based on a deathless loyalty to Michigan and all her ways. An enthusiasm that makes it second nature for Michigan Men to spread the gospel of their university to the world’s distant outposts. And a conviction that nowhere, is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours.
October 31st, 2014 at 8:34 AM ^
October 30th, 2014 at 10:05 PM ^
I wondered why in the world would Michigan hire someone with a name I could not pronounce!?
Now it rolls off the tongue like music.
October 30th, 2014 at 11:12 PM ^
What part of "Bo" was so hard to pronounce?