Bust
here are some comments from the teams banquet
http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=885751
December 5th, 2008 at 3:28 PM ^
Rita was making Kool-Aid for Poison back in the 80's.
December 5th, 2008 at 3:39 PM ^
I believe this program is in good hands. The championships will come. I think the PR dept should hire Rick Leach as it's football spokesman. He should make all the colorful comments for RR at the pressers. The media would show up in droves.
December 5th, 2008 at 3:43 PM ^
“I’ll make you a promise before I go,” he said. “My promise to you is, I know that day’s coming. Maybe you had your fun and got your pound of flesh out of Michigan after 33 years. I don’t care if it’s Mark Dantonio, Charlie Weis or - you better believe it - Jim Tressel. Your freakin’ day is coming.”
December 5th, 2008 at 3:48 PM ^
Mark me down as being not a big fan of Leach's statement.
I know Leach isn't employed by our football program, but how is this different than "Pride comes before the fall"?
Jim Tressel doesn't talk shit about Michigan. He's always very respectful. And who gives a damn about Charlie Weis, who has done mediocre against Michigan, and Dantonio, who's 1-1? Why do we care what they think? There's no need to say shit like this, especially when you've lost 6 out of 7 games to OSU. Actions speak louder than words.
December 5th, 2008 at 4:04 PM ^
Fall came. After fall is Winter, followed by April Showers, followed by Mayflowers, which brings with it a bunch of cranky-ass puritans who were so stuffy both the Brits and Dutch wouldn't have 'em.
Frankly, I need some shit talked on our behalf right now. I don't think anyone can really accuse us of pride after a 3-9 season. More like defiance. Defiance, Ohio. Ohio State. Fuck!
December 5th, 2008 at 4:12 PM ^
As Brian noted, this is an ex-player, and a legendary one at that, getting fired up for the future, at a time when our program has lost some of its swagger. And I think it's important, especially for the older fans among the Michigan fanbase, perhaps the kind that go to the bust, to hear things like this from a guy like The Peach. Trust me, I'm coming off of a Thanksgiving where I had to hear concerns from the older generation about 'Rodriguez not getting the tradition' which made my blood boil.
Jim Tressel doesn't talk shit about Michigan? Maybe not in public. But lest we forget the first thing he did as head coach was (in so many words) state that his number one goal is to defeat Michigan. And he's got his guys playing like Michigan ran over their puppy-- you can imagine what he says behind closed doors to get them fired up. It isn't 'Well, gentlemen, Michigan's a fine team, they've got a strong program up there in Ann Arbor and we'll have to have our best effort on Saturday...'
And Mark Dantonio? This is a guy who panders to his fanbase by reflecting their obsession with, above all things (even going to the Rose Bowl, apparently), defeating Michigan. I hate Mark Dantonio.
And Charlie? Well, Charlie could always use some humble pie. Mmmmm, pie...
December 5th, 2008 at 4:30 PM ^
There's a vast difference between saying "Our number one goal is to beat Michigan" and "Your time is coming."
I'm sure Tressel says negative things behind closed doors and to his team, but that's expected. Every coach does that.
December 5th, 2008 at 4:28 PM ^
than any ex-OSU player talking crap?
"Jim Tressel doesn't talk shit about Michigan."
Yeah, and as of so far, I've never seen Rich Rodriguez talk talk shit about OSU. How can you tie Tressel to Leach and call it the same thing?
December 5th, 2008 at 4:33 PM ^
Ummm...because Rick Leach is talking shit DIRECTLY TO Jim Tressel? That's how I tie them together. I'm saying, why talk shit to a guy who a) has beaten you 6 out of 7 times and b) is always respectful of his rival in public?
If an ex-OSU player talked shit about Michigan, then I'd think that was stupid, too.
I'm not sure what your point is.
December 5th, 2008 at 5:36 PM ^
that Michigan's program isn't responsible for anything an ex-player says. You can't control them. I don't care if he's talking shit directly to Tressel. He's not the coach. He's not on the staff. If Rich Rod talked shit, then maybe it would bother me.
December 5th, 2008 at 5:43 PM ^
I get where you're coming from.. But I'm sure I could dig up a bunch of Cris Carter or Spielman or Herbstreit or Stanley Jackson quotes talking junk about Michigan. It wouldn't be much of a rivalry if there weren't.
December 5th, 2008 at 8:31 PM ^
You would only have to go back two weeks to find that.
And as far as Tressel not talking shit about Michigan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDOXwSwvwO8
It's not especially good shit, but it's shit. And it's pretty much the same thing that Leach said.
December 5th, 2008 at 3:54 PM ^
and I'm excited about next year and all of the following with such great players! GO BLUE!!!
December 5th, 2008 at 4:51 PM ^
i can't believe that any of our fans would get their panties in a bunch just cause Rick Leach basically said he wanted to kick everyones ass soon, and that we will. i don't understand why we can't say shit like that. oh, b/c we're michigan and we're too good for that? c'mon, give me a break.
December 5th, 2008 at 4:53 PM ^
Again, there is a difference between "I want to kick your ass" and "Your time is coming."
I don't like it when people talk shit. Period. I don't do it. I don't let my players do it. Never have, never will.
December 5th, 2008 at 5:36 PM ^
i guess talking shit isn't cool if you're overly cocky and just exposing yourself. but, if you're confident, and truly confident in our future then i think it's fine to say that we'll be back and be dominant again. let that be known. but, i am a bit confused.. which of the 2 do you find worse, "i want to kick your ass" or "your time is coming"?. i think the former is stupid. the latter is more definitive. i like that.
December 5th, 2008 at 5:42 PM ^
and for the record, i hope that RR comes out with some quotes along the lines of Leachs' comments. don't you remember seeing the clip of Tressel after he was first hired when he said something along the lines of "in X many days when we go into ann arbor yadya yadya we beat that team up north yadyda yadya.." at a tOSU bball game? they still show that clip on espn. that inspired and motivated an entire program and fanbase. although i despise the sweater vest, those are the types of comments that fuel confidence in a program in need of a new direction. we could use that.
December 5th, 2008 at 4:56 PM ^
Turbo- I agree 100%.
I LOVE what Rick Leach said. I'd like to hear it out of Harlan Huckleby, Mark Messner and Jerame Tuman's mouths as well.
December 5th, 2008 at 4:58 PM ^
Have we all forgotten the brilliant things Spielman said about Michigan just a few weeks ago? It's really no different than that. Its about time one of the greats came in and had RR's back. It was kind of hoping Desmond would say something like that, but at the same time I know he is a smart cat and knows in his position with ESPN it is not in his best interest to do so...something Spielman should consider before he opens his dumb mouth!
December 5th, 2008 at 5:43 PM ^
Ah, yes.
Spielman was a douche, so our ex-players can be douches, too!
December 5th, 2008 at 5:22 PM ^
get over it
rick leach can say whatever the fuck he wants
December 5th, 2008 at 5:42 PM ^
You are correct.
And yet, I am not obligated to like what he says.
December 5th, 2008 at 7:05 PM ^
Yes you are. Because he played Michigan football.
December 5th, 2008 at 7:11 PM ^
so When John Navarre delivers my pizza in 31 minutes instead of thirty...I should let it slide?
December 5th, 2008 at 7:59 PM ^
This is officially the post of the day.
It was so unexpected, yet witty. Good work.
December 6th, 2008 at 12:01 AM ^
ahhh, the CONE BONE plying his trade.
December 6th, 2008 at 1:08 AM ^
So let me get this straight- an ex player, who is held in EXTREMELY high regard by a great many of the older generation of fans- throws his support behind our new coach and you don't like it? Call me crazy, but this is the one thing the program DOES need- vocal support of Rodriguez. After all the whining this season it's about time some of the supporters came out publicly.
But I think we finally agree about one thing Magnus- you're a tremendous douche.
December 6th, 2008 at 2:47 AM ^
Ah, yes. This is a completely logical conclusion.
"You don't like it when anybody - even representatives of the team you love - talks shit? You are a tremendous douchebag!"
Once again (as I've stated a couple times above), there is a vast difference between "I support Coach Rodriguez" and "Your time is coming!"
Let's look at this objectively:
If Bill Burke showed up at an MSU rally and said, "Rich Rodriguez, you're going down!" we would make a discussion board post and laugh at him.
If Joe Germaine showed up at an OSU rally and said, "Rich Rodriguez, your time is coming!" we would make a discussion board and call him a douchebag.
You're lying to yourself if you think differently.
So how is it different that Rick Leach did it? Oh, yeah - he played for Michigan. So it's okay. Cool, even.
But thanks for the ad hominem attack. I'm pretty sure I never attacked anyone for their opinion on the subject, so thanks for lowering the bar.
December 6th, 2008 at 7:51 AM ^
Magnus, I'm in complete agreement with you about talking shit on the field; if I was a coach, I wouldn't let my players demean, belittle, or denigrate their opponents, or their mothers, either. I hate all that crap, which makes me old school I guess. However, in the comments I've read, Leach didn't do any of that. All he apparently said was, in essence, "Someday, and I think it'll be sooner than you think, we're gonna clean your clock." Frankly, at a team's semi-private end-of-season party, I would expect nothing less, esp. from a fiery former star player.
December 6th, 2008 at 3:17 PM ^
Magnus,
1. Turn you sarcasm meter on.
2. Who the hell cares if fans of other teams make posts about what Leach said and make fun of "us". Serioulsy, if you're worried that fans of other teams will make fun of you as a Michigan fan and you let it affect your life than you need a little more perspective.
3. What is needed right now is not a quiet "I support RR." There have been people saying that all year, and they get no press; their message does not reach the unwashed masses, because you have idiots in the media screaming bloody murder about all the records that went down this year, etc. It's about time someone with a little cache and a pro-RR stance started screaming, too. I get that you don't like the smack talking, but it's the best way to get a point across when all anyone is reporting is the negativity.
4. Leach is just doing as I've done, as I wish a lot of people would, and that's taking a stand on what you believe, taking a side and not sitting on the fence waiting to see which way the tide will turn. We are going to be destroying people in a few years- without statements like Leach's the short-sighted torch and pitchfork crowd may actually get out of control and not give RR his chance.
December 6th, 2008 at 3:20 PM ^
I don't care if other teams' fans make fun of us. I do care if the esteem of the program is tarnished. What made MSU look bad last year was not that they lost - it's that their head coach got into a war of words with a 22-year-old kid. I realize Leach isn't officially affiliated with the program, so it's not quite the same as something Dantonio might say. Still, it doesn't look good when people from your program talk shit after losing 6 of 7 games.
The "unwashed masses" and the media have nothing to do with me. Drew Sharp is a giant douchebag, yet his problems with Rodriguez have - surprise! - had zero effect on Rodriguez's job stability. Whether Rick Leach says "Your time is coming" or "I support Rodriguez", neither is going to change the fact that Rodriguez is going to work hard and, in my opinion, get this program back to an elite level.
I do not want the Michigan program to look like MSU - perennial losers with no self-awareness. Like I said, actions speak louder than words.
I think several of you have overreacted to my statement. I never said Rick Leach should apologize or that he should never be invited back to a bust or be banned from speaking to the media or have his lips cut off. I simply said I didn't like his statement.