Yabadabablue

November 21st, 2017 at 2:27 PM ^

yeah that would basically just be reassurance to everybody that Harbaugh is not leaving for NFL.

But also Mike Sullivian via Brady Quinn... maybe a time filling topic for a radio or TV show but I would not put much into this. Lots of hawt Harbaugh takes flying around at any given moment. 

Joined: 11/16/2016

MGoPoints: 11263

FranklinHatchett

November 21st, 2017 at 2:19 PM ^

I love Coach Harbaugh but no. I always have said I would never name a kid after a living person cause you just never know so I wouldn't want to guarantee a lifetime contract cause you just never know. That being said I hope he is here forever cause I think he is going to take us all where we wana go, he is a fantastic coach and there is nobody I'd rather have as the coach.

Joined: 11/11/2017

MGoPoints: 1985

OlafThe5Star

November 21st, 2017 at 2:23 PM ^

UM will always be able to get rid of Harbaugh, and Harbaugh will always be able to walk if he wants. In both cases, it is just a matter of what price you have to pay to do so. That is really what a contract dictates -- the alternative to staying locked together. 

So what good does a "lifetime contract" give each party? Pretty much depends entirely on what the terms are for exiting/breaching the contract. 

Joined: 06/15/2012

MGoPoints: 605

ColeIsCorky

November 21st, 2017 at 6:50 PM ^

What's silly is Harbaugh has already been "competing" for National Championships his first two years. Michigan was in the Playoff discussion up until the final game of the season his first two years coaching here. That's "competing" for the national championship if you ask me. This year, in my opinion, will be an outlier. May not make the playoffs every year, or even most years, but I expect that the Michigan OSU game will have playoff/B1G Championship implications nearly every single year for the foreseeable future.

Joined: 11/15/2016

MGoPoints: 4627

Stay.Classy.An…

November 21st, 2017 at 2:27 PM ^

a lifetime contract isn't for a lifetime, just like a seven year contract (in most cases) isn't for LITERALLY seven years. As some have stated above, there will be clasuses for both parties. I love the blog and some of you need to take a deep breath and examine the situation before saying DON'T DO THIS, DON"T TIE THE UNIVERSITY TO A SPECIFIC COACH FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. 

Joined: 11/27/2012

MGoPoints: 19972

ijohnb

November 21st, 2017 at 2:29 PM ^

is a bad idea.  If this is about "rumors" than Harbaugh could just address any rumors publicly and dispel them.  If Harbaugh is asking for some kind of lifetime contract to stay here, hell no, that isn't right.  If this is nothing more than a gimmick and it doesn't mean anything than don't do it for that reason.

In any case, no. 

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 69986

LSAClassOf2000

November 21st, 2017 at 2:41 PM ^

At least with regards to the rumors, he's basically addressed them without addressing them, if you will, in that on numerous occasions throughout these last three seasons, he has said several things which, if one listens, would give you the impression that he is exactly where he wants to be. 

I think it is more about the NFL beat writers simply being unable to comprehend fully that someone would actually leave the league once they got there, especially someone like Jim Harbaugh, who did well for himself. 

Does he really need to devote a block of time to this? I don't think anyone who knows anything is that worried about it if they are worried at all. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130610

GordonG

November 21st, 2017 at 3:07 PM ^

really dumb idea... what is his record against MSU and OSU..

and when we start losing to ND too... then freaking what !!!!!

Folks are really stupid.

Joined: 11/13/2016

MGoPoints: 2969

My name ... is Tim

November 21st, 2017 at 2:32 PM ^

Michigan is not getting anyone any better and I am sure any such contract would include the usual termination for cause terms that account for the unexpected. There will also always be buyouts that our cash-flush University, alumni base and athletic department could always afford.

I love Michigan as much as anyone here, but you are absolutely delusional if you envision a scenario where Harbaugh fails and the next coach who comes in will succeed where he has failed. If Harbaugh is let go, the program will basically have announced at that point that it is chasing the dragon and will never get back to where it once was. More importantly, what rational, attainable and desirable head coach will look at Jim Harbaugh's resume prior to UofM, see that UofM let him go, somehow dissatisfied with his results, and think that UofM is a place where he can succeed and thrive and spend the rest of his days?

They should lock him up now and foreclose 90% of the dumb chatter that surrounds the program in the form of either: a) Harbaugh's leaving for the NFL (or UCLA, apparently): or b) Harbaugh isn't meeting expectations - time to look elsewhere!

Joined: 12/20/2008

MGoPoints: 1613

I dumped the Dope

November 21st, 2017 at 4:07 PM ^

MSU had a down year: 3-9

ND had a down year: 4-8

FSU having a down year: 4-6

Texas had many down years after sMack Brown was retired.

Tennessee is in the middle of many down years.

We have 8 wins this season in a down year....and the sky is falling for so many.

I am totally on board with crushing our rivals regularly.  But I'm willing to wait for it.

To have no down years (let's just throw out OSU) its going to take the recruiting pipeline to be built and flowing...and this is not done in 1 or 3 years.

I would be super happy to have Harbaugh stay as long as he possibly can.  Dick-move by Herbstreet, I called him out the minute he mouthed off on that BS (not that HStreet can actually hear me you know).  But, I think its the only way to stop that negative recruiting.

Here's the other thing I've thought of.  At this point, Harbaugh's legacy is affixed with UM, like it or not.  Were he to leave now, or even soon, the narrative would be forever written with easystats that he couldn't win the big games and got out.  The program would probably implode again and that would further taint his legacy that the Great King bailed on us.

My theory: if the budget can handle it and its within the rules, and JH wants it...let him have it!

Joined: 09/22/2013

MGoPoints: 2342

goblue16

November 21st, 2017 at 2:50 PM ^

As much criticism as harbaugh is getting and some of it is deserved he is our best fit and even a disastrous season is winning 8 games. Sign it!

Joined: 03/28/2010

MGoPoints: 17468

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

November 21st, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^

100% safe with the AD, President and key boosters. The people who matter do not pay attention to trolls and internet blowhards - especially when many of those folks are OSU fans or MSU fans. "Harbaugh has failed", "hire Mike Leach", "unacceptable unless he wins 10 games next year" and other inane comments are not worth a direct response.

Joined: 11/01/2012

MGoPoints: 18049

Youngharbaugh4

November 21st, 2017 at 2:51 PM ^

has anyone seen the rumors of shea patterson visiting michigan for "The Game". In my honest opinion I would fully accept him being here cause in all honesty he'd only be here for one year or so, and I think he'd give us something we have never had in a quarterback. In parallel with harbs contract if he could pull in shea and get this contract I would be one happy michigan fan.

Joined: 08/01/2017

MGoPoints: 680

1VaBlue1

November 21st, 2017 at 9:03 PM ^

Funny, she was just on the family podcast a few weeks ago and was talking a lot about how much she loves it here.  Talking glowingly about thier neighbors, the town, the kids school, how welcoming the office is when Jim needs to watch them, that her in-laws are right next door, and that the community has absolutely welcomed them with open arms at every turn.

But you keep on trolling about things you know nothing about, Mr Leach.

Joined: 01/31/2016

MGoPoints: 126893

KennyHiggins

November 21st, 2017 at 2:57 PM ^

For those that don't thing Jimmy is the BEST possible coach we could have over the next decade....who the FUCK would you rather have??  Or do you just like to bitch and moan?

I hate losing, but I love our Coach and the direction of our program.

Joined: 12/03/2016

MGoPoints: 12486

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

November 21st, 2017 at 3:02 PM ^

Harbaugh releasing his agent or add some ridiculous buyout amount of $50 million - those are tangible ways to show he is not interested in the NFL. The issue is his leaving UM and not UM firing him.

Joined: 11/01/2012

MGoPoints: 18049

You Only Live Twice

November 21st, 2017 at 3:26 PM ^

negative recruiting along those lines no doubt.  "You may want to play for Jim Harbaugh but you know he's going to the NFL."  Very easy to plant in a recruit's ear and it will be "reinforced" by trolling media and social media.  The "lifetime contract" offers some rebuttal, and also will be picked up as reinforcing narrative. 

Also, for people nervous about anything "lifetime", contracts can be renegotiated.  Harbaugh isn't about to do anything in bad faith - the man has too much character.  

 

Joined: 09/14/2013

MGoPoints: 9615