Interesting Read on Jim Harbaugh
I haven't seen this posted yet, so pardon asked if it has been. From ESPN's Seth Wichersham on Jim Harbaugh's clearly complex and admittedly problematic personality. In the end, it appears that being the younger brother has not worn well with him, and that he lives - and will die - competing.
What all this would mean for a college coaching stint is unclear. In some ways, JH carries the necessary intensity, bluntness, and demandingness to help a team succeed, somewhat in the manner of Bo and other greats; on the other hand, all that at what cost. For me, the article reinforces the reasons why I would much prefer John over Jim.
Here's the link:
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11625088/san-francisco-49ers-head-coa…
October 6th, 2014 at 3:47 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 11:50 AM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 3:47 PM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 3:48 PM ^
The snark never sleeps
October 6th, 2014 at 10:12 PM ^
It was interesting the three previous time too.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:09 PM ^
comes from mod wanna-bees who need to find better things to do with their time than play internet forum police.
Not all of us have time to hit the refresh button a million times a day, besides the fact that interesting articles are often buried beneath nine pages of posts. I generally don't mind reposts of stuff that I might otherwise not find.
October 6th, 2014 at 3:48 PM ^
Has completely gone to shit
October 6th, 2014 at 3:48 PM ^
I think you pointed out why it would take hot slivers under his fingernails to return to college coaching and I'm not sure even that would be enough.
October 6th, 2014 at 3:48 PM ^
"Jim, you have forgotten who you are. And you have forgotten me. You MUST return and take your place"
October 6th, 2014 at 3:48 PM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
Well did you know that we landed on the moon?
October 6th, 2014 at 3:48 PM ^
I've said this before and I'll say it again: There IS a decision tree out there where he comes to Michigan sometime over the next 4 months to be our head coach. A lot of things have to happen, namely:
- DB / Hoke Fired
- Harbaugh's relationship with Niners worn as thin as the media says
- Family willing to leave Bay Area
- Steve Ross not 'buying' Michigan out
- Michigan's offer being competitive with NFL offers
- Jim willing to return to college / coach immediately in 2015
Probably some things I am missing here.... but I'm saying there is a chance.
October 6th, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^
So it may take "little brother" to help Michigan beat "little brother" consistenly again?
Seriously I grew up watching Harbaugh play at Michigan, and he always had that edge, that chip which was admirable. Bo no doubt saw it too and he let JH get away with some things, such as the Ohio State guarantee in 86, because he knew that was the type of competitor he had at QB.
That being said, JH is in the prime of his NFL coaching career and it would be unlikely that he takes a step back to the college game at this point.
October 6th, 2014 at 4:19 PM ^
If Jim Harbaugh is making $5MM per year with the 49er's and he's offered $7-8MM to coach at Michigan......is that really a step back?
I realize that the 49er's may renegotiate or that Jim may find a better paying job in the NFL, I just don't think that the gap is that big between the NFL and college (in terms of pay and/or prestige).
October 6th, 2014 at 4:27 PM ^
Well he could make more than that in the NFL. In the NFL, he doesnt have to worry about recruting HS kids, the messed up NCAA policies, stroking boosters, dealing with irrational fan bases (not as much). He can just coach up guys and if they dont like it, tough...they are professionals. JH is at the pinnacle of coaching and it doesnt look like he is the type to walk away from that right now. Perhaps when he is 65 and on the down side of his career, but no successful NFL coach has ever left at the pinnacle of his career to take a college job.
October 6th, 2014 at 4:59 PM ^
I agree with all your negatives about college football, but the NFL has negatives as well.
In college he doesn't have to worry about millinaire adults who may have zero interest in listening to anything he says. Stroking the ego's and dealing with owners and GM's who he may not always agree with on personnel decisions. His intensity will always wear out quicker in the NFL because guys can stay around for more than 4 - 5 years and they are professionals unlike college athletes.
I have no idea what Harbaugh wants or where he thinks is a better fit for him, but both the NFL and NCAA have downsides and upsides, he just needs to decide which is better for him. I doubt its Michigan, but that doesn't mean I won't keep holding out a sliver of hope until we have another coach.
October 6th, 2014 at 3:51 PM ^
an nfl coach who is reasonably succesful would be occupied until at least mid - january
I think thats too late to get a coach into ann arbor
October 6th, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^
Even if Harbaugh is done with the Niners after this year, if they are successful and make the playoffs, if Harbaugh is the first choice, it almost becomes Harbaugh or bust.
October 6th, 2014 at 3:54 PM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 3:54 PM ^
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October 6th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
Anyone as intense as JH is going to rub some people the wrong way.
But what's going on within the Niners right now has less to do with JH's style having a "shelf life," as it does with a power struggle between JH and Trent Baalke. JH does not suffer fools kindly, and the Niners' front office is, in my view, stocked with them. Baalke is a corporate stooge, who is on the one hand, preaching unity, and on the other hand working to undermine JH.
October 6th, 2014 at 4:08 PM ^
The SF front office is a bunch of idiots, and Jim Harbaugh doesn't play politics with idiots. He just comes right out and calls them idiots. Probably right to their face. Idiots generally don't like this, especially powerful idiots who have gotten away with being idiots most of their lives because most people are afraid to call them on their s***. People like Harbaugh threaten them.
October 6th, 2014 at 4:22 PM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
As Caldwell is proving with the Lions defense this season, roster is irrelevant without coaching. He has come in and fixed the Lions defense very quickly.
NFL GM's who are out for glory are stupid. If you don't understand that coaches are going to be the glory hogs, then you're a fool. And if you really want a coach who is going to give all of the praise to the GM, well then you're probably going to get stuck with a 2nd rate coach.
October 6th, 2014 at 9:04 PM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 6:05 PM ^
Yes. Baalke's Wikipedia page (edited by his agent, I bet) credits him with the turnaround. This really does come down to a dick-waving contest. The thing is, if the Niners are not careful the question of who should get the credit for when the Niners used to be good is going to be moot.
October 6th, 2014 at 3:59 PM ^
And I upvoted Mutley for double the upvoting fun.
October 6th, 2014 at 4:02 PM ^
The upvoting upvoter. And Mutley.
October 6th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 5:58 PM ^
About the copy of a copy not being as good as the original?
October 6th, 2014 at 3:58 PM ^
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October 6th, 2014 at 4:02 PM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 4:09 PM ^
Good for him. Ditka said it best yesterday on the NFL pregame show. You should want someone who wants to be great.
October 6th, 2014 at 4:11 PM ^
Got to be JIM. Come on!
October 6th, 2014 at 4:12 PM ^
How ironic. The Little Brother coaching M against MSU.
October 6th, 2014 at 5:06 PM ^
get bent. Door's that way... --->
October 6th, 2014 at 4:57 PM ^
Fyi, I live in KC and KU people believe this. For real. It's the opposite of the "his wife would never move to AA" it's "his wife loves Lawrence".
October 6th, 2014 at 5:02 PM ^
And prefers it over AA??? Is that what they think? THAT is the definition of delusional. Lawrence, Kansas. Ewww. I spent a week there one day...
October 6th, 2014 at 4:59 PM ^
Sooooo you want a guy who has not coached in college since 1997 over a guy who recently coached in college, took a dump of a program and made it into PAC 10 title contender. I don't give a damn if John has won a superbowl, college is different than the NFL. Give me Jim any day over John.
October 6th, 2014 at 6:38 PM ^
Please, lets try to avoid acting like we might somehow get to take our pick of Harbaughs. We'll be lucky to have a shot at either.
October 6th, 2014 at 5:29 PM ^
I work with someone who played under Harbaugh (and very succesfully, at that) in college. He says that Harbaugh was truly an excellent coach and credits him with developing him so that he could play at the next level. He also doesn't seem to like him much personally.
But I think that if there's ever a time for a coach that no one really likes, but squeezes every bit out of each player's innate talent. . .
October 6th, 2014 at 8:18 PM ^
With Jim we could make the playoffs in 2-3 years.
On the other hand, with John we could build a winning tradition that grows stronger over the course of twenty years.
Considering the akward situations they're facing with their current teams, it would be human nature for both of them to be thinking about what it would be like: Coming home to be a hero.
October 6th, 2014 at 6:20 PM ^
I liked it, reading this made me want him at Michigan more. During last coaching search I just though he was a dick, which maybe he is, but assuming that article is true, he's really not. Reading that made me think he's exactly the kind of coach we need.
Also, I'm pretty tired of the whole 'no way Miles or Harbaugh comes to Michigan' idea. Why not? I'll give you that the AD is a mess right now, but there are boatloads of young talent on this team, I believe the right coach could turn them into a juggernaut. None of us really know what those guys are thinking, but for all we know they could be as dedicated to Michigan as many of us are. Then again maybe Jim hated growing up Ann Arbor and has no interest in returning. Finally, I think there are some guys that just prefer to coach college, look at Saban.
October 6th, 2014 at 6:45 PM ^
Not sure that's a fair comparison, as Saban pretty much bombed with the Dolphins. I agree that Saban is a better fit for the college game, and I think he realized that himself after a couple seasons in the pros. Its harder to say that Jim is not a fit for the pros or that Jim sees himself as not having future as NFL coach.
October 6th, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 6:41 PM ^
...as close as we will get to Bo in this day and age:
"He is a vessel of pain. He inflicts it and welcomes it. Practice is supposed to suck. Games are supposed to hurt. Most coaches arrive with a calculated, five-year plan. Harbaugh's plan is kick ass."
Back up the Brinks truck and bring Jimmy home!
October 6th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^