Rich Rod Compared UM Football To New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina
RichRod recently compared us to what the Saints had to go thru.
He says:
“It’s really kind of ironic that the New Orleans Saints overcame the hurricane a few years back,” Rodriguez said, referring to Hurricane Katrina, which damaged large sections of the Gulf Coast in 2005. “I used to live and coach in New Orleans for a couple years, and I know how devastated that city is and how they overcome and rebuild the stadium and rebuild the program.
“And we’ve had a few hurricanes of our own. We had a big hurricane in August, and it kind of hit us like a ton of bricks. But you had 120 young men and a bunch of people on the staff that said this is not going to tear our program apart.
“In fact, it will do just the opposite: Bring us together. This senior class and the underclassmen that are leaders took charge of this football team and said nothing is going to tear this team apart, and nothing did.
“We didn’t end the season the way we wanted, and we didn’t win as many games as everybody would have liked. But don’t tell me this team is a failure. It’s a disappointment because we thought we could have won more and should have won more. But these guys are champions. I am proud of everyone.”
I really dont like what he compared it to but I like the message of bringing the team together and being proud of our players.
EDIT Sorry about no link, the story comes from a blog.
http://detroit4lyfe.com/articles/michigan-wolverines/rich-rod-not-gaini…
December 4th, 2009 at 12:55 PM ^
when we could be talking about important topics like Tiger Woods' private life.
December 4th, 2009 at 12:56 PM ^
This isnt news. I can tune out the msm, if you guys can.
Besides, he didnt really compare it actually to Katrina.
Football corch says something kinda lame. news a fucking 10
December 4th, 2009 at 12:56 PM ^
it was actually part of what observers considered a great speech
December 4th, 2009 at 1:04 PM ^
No kidding, the thread last night was praising him.
December 4th, 2009 at 12:56 PM ^
and few dozen other sites.
Hopefully this doesn't go ballistic.
December 4th, 2009 at 12:58 PM ^
thinking to himself, "are you fucking kidding me?"
December 4th, 2009 at 1:07 PM ^
This poor guy has to feel so f'ing shell shocked after the past two years he will be lucky if he can put another coherent sentence together....ever. Fuck this is BS.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:10 PM ^
This settled it: Michigan really is Job. It was posted on the Warren/Smith FP thread but honestly, the metaphor works.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:42 PM ^
is going to need new Energizers.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:16 PM ^
This is absolutlyfuckinginsane!
By 4pm this will be on the ESPN ticker on the bottom of TV. Tomorrow you will have 2nd rate national journalists standing at their holier than thou pulpit commenting on how this throwaway line in an overall great speech which my no means compares what New Orleans went through to what Michigan is going through makes Rodriguez an evil person.
Let's put this in pop culture context. Hurricane Katrina is the most famous hurricane in the last 15+ years. So he referenced a hurricane that his players would know. If he referenced Hurricane Andrew his players wouldn't have known what the hell he was talking about. It happened when the seniors were still in pre-school watching Big Bird and Grover.
This is going to end up just like the "get a life," comment getting taken out of context and blown completely out of proportion. We are going to be left here pounding our heads against walls as our coach gets unjustifiably ridiculed and criticized while others with more damning issues get nary a critical word.
December 4th, 2009 at 12:59 PM ^
who gives a shit
December 4th, 2009 at 1:01 PM ^
This is the dumbest thread of the past few weeks, and that's saying something considering what went on last night.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:02 PM ^
What next his hair cut? I wonder what side he keeps his wallet on I smell a scandal. I heard he wore white socks with black shoes!!! Monster!
December 4th, 2009 at 1:05 PM ^
people are offended by comments like these. In fact, nobody is actually really offended by comments like these, they just say they are because they feel like people expect them to be.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:11 PM ^
There are offensive comments and "offensive" comments. The latter are things that are somehow deemed objectively offensive even though no one was in fact personally offended.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:06 PM ^
This is hardly an issue but becuase RR has had nothing but Hurricane "Controversy" follow him here from WV this will be just blown up. Fort Schmbechler is making more and more sense. I was convinced that if left alone to do the job RR would be successful in AA but that farther along we go the mor concerned I am he will not make it to 2011 and get the time he needs. What needs to be done eventually is almost always better served being done immediately. Can RR get the job done under this kind of percieved reality umbrella and divide in the family? I am beginning to question and I am an RR backer! NERVOUS for the program.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:44 PM ^
As other commenters have pointed out, the fact that MSM is trying to tear down RR and create an "RR out at UM" media feeding frenzy is evidence that RR is big news whereever he goes, even when he is losing. The fact that he is at UM, which has been everyone's team-to-beat since before 1901, makes him doubly attractive as a target. That is to say, the constantly circling MSM sharks are, actually, evidence that we have a top-tier coach. The two losing seasons make RR weak enough in publicity terms to encourage the sharks to attack. What the sharks are really hoping is that their pot shots will spark a flustered RR reaction that they can feed off for further headlines, and so far, RR hasn't given them that. So really, things are going just fine. As long as RR is losing, expect this to continue. When RR starts winning, the background noise will die down. That shouldn't be too long, now.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:43 PM ^
there is nothing that the media likes more than a meltdown or flameout of someone or something that is very popular. As long as Rich keeps his head on straight and starts winning ball games (!), the media will sheepishly go away.
December 4th, 2009 at 5:01 PM ^
That's the right order. I once foolishly gave two week's notice at a job before claiming my two weeks accrued vacation; they screwed me out of it. Always take the days first.
I've been an anarcho-socialist ever since.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:12 PM ^
compared the Michigan State football season to the Attica Prison riot of 1971.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:16 PM ^
That would be disrespectful to Attica.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:15 PM ^
Why is this a problem? He didn't say that our suffering or our crappy season was AS BAD AS Katrina. He was simply using a metaphor about a team that had real adversity to deal with, that sucked, and that came together as a group and came out stronger in the end. For decades, coaches have compared big games to "war." Does that undermine or in some way disrespect the suffering of the tens of thousands of troops that have died in wars?
This is a combination of PC being out of control and the witch hunt against RR. Wish the media would STFU and just let this guy do his job.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:18 PM ^
These statements really downplay the amount of pain and suffering Michigan football fans have endured over the last two years.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:19 PM ^
when the problems seem obvious. Is it necessary to provide analogies or specifically describe what was wrong, why, how and who caused it? Can't the statements be simple: "our team has to play better, our coaches have to coach better, see you next year". Any response or description by RR will always be dissected and portrayed negatively. RR is officially on the media or populous "hot seat" next year now that Weis is gone. It is best to not turn up the heat on yourself during pressers and just keep it simple, just IME.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:24 PM ^
this was taken completely out of context, and besides which he was comparing the team to the saints not to the devastation of new orleans by hurricane katrina
December 4th, 2009 at 1:25 PM ^
I don't really see this as turning up the heat. It's a non-issue that no one is actually offended by. He's making a point about the will of the team to continue to improve, and that's a good thing.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:33 PM ^
Coach Rod can't cut a break. Everyone is missing the idea behind the analogy, "we will bounce back... I know you want to win and it's coming". This poor guy has gotten ripped by a large amount of the fans and media, lately all he has done is try and win the fans over to his side and gain their support. How can we ever have a winning program without all the fans supporting the coach because we won't with a 50/50 split. I know this is Michigan, I know we are winners, but cut the guy a break and give him some room to breath. The guy can't even tie his shoes without it being questioned. He's trying to win the fans over, he's trying to tell them times are rough but he's going to make it better...... I'm all in.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:28 PM ^
but this was an address to the team and alumni in attendance at a football function. This was not a press conference.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:52 PM ^
It wasn't a private meeting. It was in public, press was in attendance.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:34 PM ^
everyone is so PC. yeah, this may not make much sense but the 'OMG CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT HE SAID' crowd is dumb.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:15 PM ^
Everyone here is missing the real message: that the Detroit Free Press was Michigan's Hurricane Katrina. Which I think is rather offensive to Hurricane Katrina, quite frankly.
In all seriousness, I don't see why people are arguing that the comment wasn't a bit dumb. He really ought to stick to the Disney analogies; I propose that Michigan football is like Aladdin after Jafar (Dantonio) steals the lamp and gains power. Things looked bad for a while, but ultimately Aladdin wins out and rules over Agrabah (the Big Ten).
Of course, in this analogy the Free Press is Iago the parrot.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:24 PM ^
This is a non-BFD, as silly/over-the-top comparisons are a part of football (as long as they don't go TOO over the top, e.g., referencing Hitler or Holocaust). Although, I will say next time, perhaps he can use this speech when searching for metaphors about trying times & people/things out to get you.
December 5th, 2009 at 5:56 PM ^
..Patrice Martinez was HOT!
December 4th, 2009 at 2:24 PM ^
This was not RR's comparison. Regent White gave a speech early in the night and brought up the Saints and all they have overcome. He merely brought it back up later in the evening when talking about adversity himself. Sure its not a great comparison, but it wasnt even his comparison.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:07 PM ^
Wow. I heard a caller on Rome citing this as one of the reasons to get rid of Rich Rod. Give me a break, he was talking about dealing with adversity and comparing it to his time coaching in Tulane as well as how the Saints overcame. There was nothing negative or disparaging about the comment. On top of that I doubt the Saints had the press holding a gun to their head. Fans are so fickle. None of this would be an issue if Michigan were winning.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:18 PM ^
Fans are so fickle. None of this would be an issue if Michigan were winning.Bingo.
December 4th, 2009 at 5:06 PM ^
the MSM.