Jim Harbaugh's first team meeting served as a harbinger of Michigan's new era
August 11th, 2015 at 8:21 AM ^
Compete for everything, even seating at meetings!
August 11th, 2015 at 8:21 AM ^
Compete for everything, even seating at meetings!
August 11th, 2015 at 8:28 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 8:32 AM ^
Yep. The Hoke seating arrangement sounds like a few companies I've worked for...and not in a good way.
August 11th, 2015 at 8:58 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 9:08 AM ^
Seniors up front, Juniors, Sophmores, Freshman was originated in the program by Bo.
August 11th, 2015 at 10:14 AM ^
The difference: Under Bo, being a senior meant you actually worked your way through adversity to make it to your final year. Under Hoke, it just meant you were around for a while and were older than the other guys.
Bo was Bo. Hoke was a guy trying to be Bo, but just ended up doing a really weak impression of him.
August 11th, 2015 at 10:26 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 10:39 AM ^
I read that as him bashing guys who are seniors and juniors on this team more than Hoke. It makes it sound like every kid just glided thru for 4-5 years. I am sure most worked their tail off but worked it off to little avail based on the general skill level of their coaches. It is very possible to work very hard without making much progress if leadership is poor.
August 11th, 2015 at 12:55 PM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 4:38 PM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 7:06 PM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 1:16 PM ^
Reality = bashing Hoke? If we want to talk honestly about the Hoke era, guess what? Its gonna be a lot of negatives.
August 11th, 2015 at 9:39 AM ^
to work for Harbaugh as life would be simpler-those who work hard and compete get rewarded. Politics and favoritisim gone! However, in a Fortune 100 company that's just a fantasy...
August 11th, 2015 at 9:04 AM ^
priviledged attitiude of the seniors after it became clear there was a sense of entitlement yet he let this obvious example remain. This may not seem important but I think it was. I like identifying the teams by the numbers because it gives an emphasis to how long Michigan has been playing football, however I get a feeling that there was too much separating the classes. Each team member should be include in the class for the 4 or 5 years they are here. You need to build cohesiveness and not isolation.
August 11th, 2015 at 8:47 AM ^
Harbaugh, not surprisingly, opened with an allegory. This Michigan team, he told the players, was going to build a keel. Confused eyes scuttled back and forth.
A great beginning to an opening meeting indeed, and probably the right allegory at the right time too. It tends to confirm what I think a lot of us assumed, that the founding idea (or one of them) was to make as clean a break as possible from the last several years.
August 11th, 2015 at 8:53 AM ^
I have to say I liked the Stanford first team meeting better.
"Anyone here think we can win the National Championship? Ok, the rest of you get out."
August 11th, 2015 at 8:56 AM ^
I like how they are keeping the "house rules" in the house, rather than blathering about them to the press. It's smart for several reasons:
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It avoids outsiders (esp. the media) from second-guessing internal decisions
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It builds a sense of "tribe" or family
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It reduces the publication of house rules for competitors - that stuff will eventually slip out, but the rules will evolve too
- It teaches the players the difference between public and internal knowledge
I like this a lot, and the mantra of "compete for everything" too. This is the sort of stuff that resonates particularly well in the college atmosphere.
August 11th, 2015 at 9:11 AM ^
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August 11th, 2015 at 9:24 AM ^
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August 11th, 2015 at 10:13 AM ^
Eh, I think plenty of people can pinpoint issues with Hoke's system.
August 11th, 2015 at 10:15 AM ^
Blindfold? Check
Point at a thing? Check
Found one.
August 11th, 2015 at 10:48 AM ^
you, simply reading of strategies and methodoligies in no way empowers you the ability to effectuate positive change.
August 11th, 2015 at 9:17 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 10:13 AM ^
My favorite part:
"Harbaugh, not surprisingly, opened with an allegory. This Michigan team, he told the players, was going to build a keel. Confused eyes scuttled back and forth.
"No one knew what a keel is," junior wideout Jehu Chesson says."
August 11th, 2015 at 10:14 AM ^
That Sun Tzu quote is so depressing, given how the Hoke era went down. Good to see Harbaugh bringing about positive change.
August 11th, 2015 at 10:25 AM ^
"For a program with deep, fresh scars, Harbaugh came to the meeting not with bandages, but with cures. He spoke. He changed their program in one fell swoop."
Anybody else fired up to get this season started? DAMN September 3rd cant get here fast enough.
August 11th, 2015 at 10:34 AM ^
since the summer of 2007. Hopefully this year turns out better than that one did.
August 11th, 2015 at 1:17 PM ^
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August 11th, 2015 at 11:34 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 2:23 PM ^
It will be great to win the first game but most are expecting a loss. I will be watching how the team improves through the season and odds are Harbaugh will upset one of the higher ranked visitors of MSU or OSU. The last two seasons under Hoke the team did not improve through the season! After watching KSU manhandle us in the BWW bowl is when I knew Hoke could not cut it here. 7-5 is very possible this season though the Harbaugh difference will add on 2 more wins with 9-3.
August 11th, 2015 at 10:31 AM ^
Lloyd Carr was a big fan of using allegories with his teams, especially the one all about "climbing to the summit" and giving everyone on the team a pickaxe. I like that Harbaugh is (knowingly or not) taking a very similar approach.
If there's one guy who can take a ship to the top of a mountain it has to be Harbaugh, right?
August 11th, 2015 at 10:45 AM ^
and his program wilting temper tantrum. He inherited Mo's recrutits then coached the best 4 loss teams in history. Oh yea...then there's app st. Fuck Loyd Carr!
August 11th, 2015 at 11:19 AM ^
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August 11th, 2015 at 7:10 PM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 10:32 AM ^
A football team embodies their coach. Hoke was soft, scatter brained, and couldn't articulate. All these qualities were reflected on the field.
As an aside, a coach/person cannot successfully lead while being overweight. It shows a lack of discipline and an aversion to daily, hard work. A lot of people won't like hearing it, but it's the truth.
August 11th, 2015 at 10:49 AM ^
The only caveat I will offer is that if you acknowledge, and adhere to altering your health, people will follow you.
Jdon
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August 11th, 2015 at 10:37 AM ^
to know what the rules changes were. What could he have done/said to get them that motivated? These are guys who have listened to no end of rah rah speaches.
Alot of people outside rip on Harbaugh; question his sanity. But his ability to really reach out and grab a team and touch it to its core is undeniable. Its like the guy is distilled football essence.
August 11th, 2015 at 10:52 AM ^
http://southernpapa.blogspot.com/2005/07/are-you-ready-for-some-footbal…
August 11th, 2015 at 11:06 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 11:38 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 12:01 PM ^
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August 11th, 2015 at 11:01 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 11:05 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 11:38 AM ^
thanks for posting.
August 11th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^
August 11th, 2015 at 12:58 PM ^
I loved Jake Butt's comment at the end about smiling at Drake Harris and thinking that it was go time. That appears to suggest that these players are excited to play for Harbaugh.
August 11th, 2015 at 2:45 PM ^
stuck out to me. One, unlike most of today's world every detail about practice and the team won't be played out at pressors or on social media with mood swings precipitated by every dropped pass or completion. Media won't like this but somehow it seems right for Michigan's program at this particular time. Number 2, the analogy of first building a strong keel for a seaworthy boat indicates Harbaugh may want players to strive for a NC but he knows much work needs to be done before that might happen. Expectations for this season need to be tempered accordingly.