Mlive U-M 'three ring circus'
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/09/column_brady_hoke_app…
"If Michigan removes Hoke and allows Brandon to search for his replacement, best of luck finding anything close to an accomplished coach to come and work in this current environment."
They both have to go. There is no other option.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:46 AM ^
but a very large check can do wonders. Storied program, in current disarray - somebody with either 1. a big ego who says "I can turn this around" or 2. Someone who loves the U and wants it to do well and 3. PAY THE MAN - or a combination of either or all 3 would be fine by me.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^
Money only does so much. Isn't Brady Hoke one of the highest paid college coaches in the country?
September 30th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
But I'm still not sure why. Even when he first signed a contract, I was wondering why we had to pay so much for someone who would have "walked to Michigan"
September 30th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^
Yeah, always thought that was stupid. The only thing I can think of is the fallacy that "top tier coaches are paid top dollar; he's paid top dollar; ergo, he must be a top tier coach." Which of course is total horsecrap. It seems to happen quite a bit in the corporate world with CEO compensation though... Which, yep, Brandon.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:49 AM ^
Other people can pay for the same coaches we'd try to get for a big check. That will not be incentive if the trade is DB as a boss.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:55 AM ^
unless you have a crapton more of it than everybody else. We have a lot, but we can't dominate other elite programs with compensation. A big ego would presumably rather choose something to turn around that will not be a stinkbomb for the foreseeable future.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^
September 30th, 2014 at 11:49 AM ^
For what it's worth, John U Bacon was on several call in shows this morning and he still believes that if Brandon goes our next coach will be named Miles or Harbaugh.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:02 PM ^
Good god, just get rid of Brandon
September 30th, 2014 at 12:38 PM ^
Are you saying you want to keep Hoke?
September 30th, 2014 at 12:05 PM ^
I'm not saying DB should still be AD. I'm just saying from where I'm sitting, why would you subject yourself to that?
September 30th, 2014 at 12:16 PM ^
It has been shown that almost every top-flight coach shows a large improvement in the program by year 4. Year 4 is "enough" time. You can argue all you want that RichRod didn't get enough time (his defense and special teams were unbelieveably incompetent and his comments that he "didn't have time to coach them" were ridiculous) but Brady Hoke has "had enough time".
A capable coach is not going to be worried about turning the program into crap in 4 years because, in 4 years, they will actually have the program going in a positive direction.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:24 PM ^
why would you subject yourself to that?$$$ What's that? $$$ Subject myself to $$$ what?$$$ I can't hear $$$ you $$$ over all the $$$$$$$$$.
September 30th, 2014 at 1:34 PM ^
If you were an available coach, wouldn't you want to be the one who could say that he turned around the Michigan program?
I think 99% of head football coaches know that they have to put up with a fickle fan base. It comes with the territory. I don't think that would scare away any coach worth his salt.
Working for an egotistical, micromanaging AD? Now there's an issue.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:10 PM ^
Yes Please.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:55 AM ^
But the environment changes if you take out the head man (Brandon) and give a new AD permission to clean out all of his cronies. The environment initially is going to be about a presentable positive change. Think about it. Brandon gets axed and in comes a former M player (Bates or Manuel) who has been in athletics his whole career and not a businessman like Martin or Brandon. The narrative completely changes damn near instantly.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:57 AM ^
With a new AD, the environment's actually not too terrible. Everyone responsible for the current fiasco would be gone. There would be an expectation to go back to winning, of course, but that's true for any high profile position. For all his failures, one thing Hoke has done well is recruit, so the raw ingredients for a relatively quick turnaround is there. And unlike many scandals, there's no NCAA scrutiny or potential sanctions looming (if only because the NCAA does not have official concussion regulations - though maybe this whole fracus will help change that.) So provided M clears house, there's actually reason for optimism.
Without Brandon gone though, I agree, many prospects are going to think twice about working under an AD that not only presided over this shitstorm but then threw the last guy under a bus.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:10 PM ^
Regardless of how this plays out specifically the bottom line is that for the program to return to it's rightful place of glory we need to clean house. UM needs to start over with an AD that doesn't have a business background (a la Martin/Brandon) and then do a thorough search for the best coach possible. Don't lone ranger the search but put an extensive team together. If they dick this up again we're looking at another 4 years lost on top of the 6 we've already endured (not counting 2011).
September 30th, 2014 at 1:42 PM ^
...which brings up a qustion we may have forgot to ask ourselves:
With Hoke's recruiting classes generally so well-regarded, and Hoke being generally considered to be so popular with "his kids"
...what are the odds that a fair percentage of them decide that without Hoke running the team, they'd rather play/study somewhere else? Especially if his replacement is a guy whose philosophies or people skills are not exactly on par with Hoke's?
I'm not saying Hoke needs to stay. I was all for firing him after the Bee-Dubs Bowl last year. But there is the possibility that the rebuilding under the next coach won't be as easy as we think it might be.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:52 AM ^
Accurate. What coach worth a crap will want to work for an AD who may be gone. Forgetting all the other crap about Brandon (which is hard to do because I despise him), if you're going to get a new coach which is pretty much guaranteed, you have to have a new AD in place that the new coach will feel comfortable will be there.
September 30th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
It's one thing when you're just bad at football. A lot of coaches with big egos would be willing to take on that kind of challenge. It is another when your entire athletic structure and enviornment is incompetent and toxic.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
I would think a coach with any moxie would tell Brandon to pound sand if he tries to watch film with the staff. I'd say after we as a staff review it, if you are interesed I will provide you a copy of the film we reviewed for you to watch on your own time.
But, the word on the street is that DB surrounds himself with incompetent yes men.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:11 PM ^
"But, the word on the street is that DB surrounds himself with incompetent yes men."
On Friday I would have told you that this is a very mean thing to say about Brady Hoke.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
"But, the word on the street is that DB surrounds himself with incompetent yes men."
Sadly, this indictment of DB is actually pretty common in business, at least from my observation. Smart, driven, Type-A guys have a way of bullying their way to the top, and then being so inscecure that anyone with an contradictory thought (no matter how appropriate) is weeded out of their organization until there are only "yes men" lackies left. These spineless twits stroke the ego of their boss to keep their position, and the organization sprials in on itself because the boss, convinced of his own genius, make poorer and poorer decisions.
David Ogilvy is quoted as saying, ''If you ever find a man who is better than you are - hire him. If necessary, pay him more than you would pay yourself..." and "If you always hire people who are smaller than you, we shall become a company of dwarfs. If, on the other hand, you always hire people who are bigger than you, we shall become a company of giants."
Brandon is certainly making Michigan look like a company of dwarfs.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:52 PM ^
This has been my experience in business as well: Those at the top want, more than anything else, to never be challenged. Because they are at the top, they can--over time--make it so. When they do, the organization at issue crumbles under the weight of its own, top-down echo-chamber.
I'm saddened to think that the Michigan Athletic Department is just Dave Brandon's toady-infested pleasure dome. But I'm inclined to believe it is. If so, then no permanent, positive change can occur until he (and shortly thereafter, his minions) are shown the door.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:14 PM ^
On Monday afternoon, Brandon allowed his head football coach to step to a press conference podium in an absolute no-win situation. Hoke was unprepared, unsupported and left there to face live bullets.
This among many reasons is why no one of any note would probably come to Michigan so long as David Brandon is in charge. The crisis management on this one was deplorable and as critical as I've been of Hoke's in-game strategy lately, I really felt bad for a man who, in a time of need, was left to face that situation by himself and unprepared. A responsible manager would have at least gone to bat with their employee if not for them per se, and he didn't even bother to do this. There are very few respectable, accomplished people who would want that to even be a possibility.
September 30th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
To let him "face live bullets" is why Brandon hired Hoke in the first place.
It is a common misconception among Michigan fans that when it is said, "Brandon hired Hoke because they're friends," this means Brandon and Hoke are "friends" in the traditional sense of the word. This is not the case.
Instead, "Brandon hired Hoke because they're friends," is simply shorthand for Brandon failed to conduct a real search; Brandon picked a toady; Brandon needed a yes-man; Brandon was interested in hiring a sycophant.
Once this is appreciated, the situation is clear: Brandon lets Hoke "face live bullets" alone for the same reason he originally hired him: To provide a loyal, albeit dim-witted, target when things go poorly for the Athletic Department. Brandon needed someone who would never resign, no matter how bad it got. A true believer. A toady. Brandon got his man in Brady Hoke.
Please don't misunderstand: Hoke will still remain when Brandon is fired. Brandon will never fire Hoke. That's why Brandon picked him.
It will be up to the next AD to select Hoke's replacement.
September 30th, 2014 at 1:00 PM ^
No one could've said it any better. If Hoke gets canned and Brandon remains, there won't be a single qualfied coach in the country that will want to come here and work for that assclown.
Hoke is deserving of his share of criticism. The man is in over his head, and his press conferences involve watching him retreat into his turtle shell. His decision to leave Shane in the game is deplorable, and that alone may be enough to have him get his pink slip.
But Brandon....ugh I don't even know what to say about this guy anymore. Sends out that statement at 1am when no one will read it, and refuses to go to bat for the guy he hired. Say what you will about Hoke, but he didn't deserve to be the only one there walking into a minefield. What is that going to say to any qualified coach out there who might otherwise come to Michigan? That we've got an athletic director who will go into hiding and refuse to defend you when times get tough? Again, why would any coach, much less John/Jim Harbaugh, want to work for this man?
Its funny, I think I remember that when times were good with this football team, Brandon was everywhere. You could always catch him for quotes, see him at events, tweeting, yada yada yada. Sure as shit enough, now he's nowhere to be found.
September 30th, 2014 at 3:39 PM ^
are not likely to be interested in the M job. Harbaughs both make double what they would be paid at Michigan and John is under contract until 2017 and his team is 3-1 currently. Jim H has had his differences with Michigan higher ups and he has been living in the golden state for some time now. Les Miles is more likely but why would you make a lateral move at his age? He won't make any more money and would have to uproot his family and deal with the famously described opposition from Lloyd Carr. We are likely to see a lesser name with less of a track record and thus more risky. This is most likely why you won't see any quick moves however as the season degenerates with each loss the clamor to do something will get louder and louder.