Sam Webb says two of his sources are telling him Harbaugh to Michigan is unlikely
"The feeling of two sources that know and talk to Harbaugh (one of which has been actively selling the 49ers coach on the virtues of returning to Michigan) is that he isn’t likely to choose college over the pros. It’s a sentiment that has grown stronger over the past few days."
http://michigan.scout.com/story/1488269-michigan-coaching-search-rumbli…
December 4th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^
There is no amount of money you can pay a filthy rich multi-millionaire to choose a flyover state over San Francisco. Sorry, the locations are not even in the same stratosphere. It's Capital Grille to Outback Steakhouse. Let alone a guy whose wife and kids have called California home for the past twenty years, has had success with the 49ers, has the Oakland job if he wants it, etc.
This was a futile attempt from the get-go. Give the job to Les and get this over with.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:20 AM ^
December 4th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^
Here's your hypo: 49ers pay him $5M year. Safe to assume he's looking for a new/extension in the $7M range from the 49ers or Oakland.
Would Michigan even offer $7M? Probably not. So let's get into fantasy land and say Michigan offers $8M. Do you really think his wife and kids care about that extra million per year? No. Ann Arbor is a horrible place to be that wealthy -- it's nearly impossible to spend more than a million bucks a year here. His kids have to be uprooted, social calendar and lifestyle takes serious hits. Hits worth a lot more than the ficticious $1M per year we offer him.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:42 AM ^
Harbaugh is wealthy, but not that wealthly. Spending a million bucks a year is something a person worth many times more than Harbaugh would do. Plus, the man buys his pants at Walmart. Methinks he isn't a big spender
$6-7 million is also before taxes. That takes a big hit.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:47 AM ^
December 4th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
JH has said this is he's dream job. Dream job is now open. Michigan AD and JH dad are friends. Michigan knows the answer though the back channels (Jims dad) already. Money is not a issue to get him to Michigan if they want him and him only. Women don't marry coaches at this level pro or college and then tell their husbands they can only coach in one state where she's lived her whole life. JH has refused to answer questions about the job. Last time the job was open he publicly said NO he wasn't coming. There are no solid reports that Michigan has talked to anyone else.
December 4th, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^
As far as I can tell Jim only stops thinking about football long enough to frequent Walmart to restock his khaki supply. His brother lives in Baltimore and his sister, I presume, lives in Indiana with her husband Tom Crean (shudder).
December 4th, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
is such a shithole, why are you here?
This is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
December 4th, 2014 at 11:41 AM ^
"If Michigan is such a shithole, why are you here?"
...because I don't have billionaire owners of the 49ers and Raiders offering me $5M-7M per year to live in San Fran? For shame. Further, I didn't say its a shithole. Context is important. Is it depressing if you've lived in San Fran for the last 7 years (or entire life in the new wife's case)? Without a shadow of a doubt.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:34 AM ^
To discount Ann Arbor as merely "flyover" territory is ridiculous.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:40 AM ^
People on the coasts consider everything in the midwest to be flyover country, outside of Chicago. Ann Arbor is the best college town in America, but San Francisco is a world class city. Most people think San Fran is the best city in America, period. To pretend they're peers is just silly. To a 30-y.o. MD resident making $60k/yr, going from SF to AA might not be a huge deal. For a multi-millionaire living a rich lifestyle in SF, going to AA would be HUGE step back. Just the reality.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:45 AM ^
December 4th, 2014 at 10:53 AM ^
I can tell you it is a great city but not the end all be all. And from what I understand he lives in Palo Alto, not San Fransciso, which changes the dynamic. As stated above, unless he chooses to work for the Raiders, who may be relocating soon anyway, he will not have the option to stay where he is.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:55 AM ^
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December 4th, 2014 at 1:42 PM ^
Most people can't agree on what city is the best. I'll wager more people in America have San Fransisco low on places they like to live rather than high, many specifically for the culture. That being said, Ann Arbor is a college town, not I would say a world class city. Maybe a world class small town.
Yosemite though, which is close SF,is the most beautiful place I've ever been. Everyone should see a Sequoia once before they die.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:38 AM ^
Many multi-millionaires HAVE chosen this state over California already.Scenic vistas is not the sole reason why people live in certain places.If that were the case Alaska has us both beaten.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:45 AM ^
"Michigan has one of the wealthiest counties in the country. Many multi-millionaires HAVE chosen this state over California already."
1.) No county in Michigan makes even the top 50. Perhaps 20 years ago Oakland was up there. No longer. It's currently #61.
2.) Many multi-millionaires in San Fran make lateral moves to Michigan? Like whom?
December 4th, 2014 at 11:02 AM ^
I said that millionaire have chosen this place over California. Their presence indicates as such.
Not like that is a virture anyways. Wise Millionaires would be living in Europe, not in the cultural deficient land that is the US. SanFran cannot compare to Europe. The entire US(save maybe NYC) is flyover country if culture is what you are looking for.
December 4th, 2014 at 11:04 AM ^
But none so much as this one. Europe is the benchmark.
December 4th, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^
But it very much lags in terms of culture save for music.(Thank you, Jazz, Blues, and R&B) America's attractiveness comes from it's wealth, not it's culture. Our culture is mostly scorned and for that we have the Coasters to blame.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^
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December 4th, 2014 at 11:06 AM ^
Thank you for being hyper-literal, while also taking things personal. I chose Capital Grille for my example because it's a place most people will recognize... located solely in affluent enclaves, where the filet is $45... Outback's are in middle class towns, and offer filets for $18 ... and a bloomin' onion.
San Fran isn't about image; it's a better city, period. It's not only a playground for a millionaire like him, it's just a wonderful progressive city, with pretty great weather. The guy has lived in California for like twenty years, safe bet he loves it out there.
If he was going to be fired by the 49ers AND the job in Oakland wasn't avail, I'd be more optimistic. But that Raiders gig leaves us no chance. Sorry. Now if it was the Bears versus the U-M job...
December 4th, 2014 at 11:20 AM ^
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December 4th, 2014 at 11:09 AM ^
Reading Lapeer09's point of view is like listening to my 14 year-old son who can't get out of Michigan fast enough. In my younger days, I certainly wanted to do the same, but with the exception of winter (I despise the cold) I now realize how blessed I am to live here.
I have found a few things to be true as I've gotten older:
1. Where you live is much less important than the those people close to you - an open mind and heart will find many places to call home.
2. Michigan is a state like no other.
3. Suburbia is the same patchwork of roads and strip malls no matter where you go.
December 4th, 2014 at 11:29 AM ^
I'm not a 14-y.o. Michigan resident, nor am I the father of a 14-y.o. who has lived in Michigan most of his life. Nor is Jim. Jim and his family have chosen to accept multiple California jobs for the past two decades. Is this a complete coincidence? Probably not. Nobody that's spent more than a weekend in San Fran can say with a straight face it's comparable to Ann Arbor. Please stop deluding yourself. This sell would be realistic only if: 1) the Raiders job wasn't avail 2) he was being fired from a crappy place like Jacksonville or Buffalo or St Louis.
December 4th, 2014 at 12:06 PM ^
I've spend a LOT of time in California over the years and it's very nice and all that. I never said it was comparable to Ann Arbor. Not once. However, I also know that as we get older, what we believe to be our ideal life changes. Sure, for 20 years, California has been the place for him. Maybe it still is, maybe it isn't. They no doubt have many friends and perhaps even some family there - those are roots and I get it. But California is just a place and "home" is a state of mind.
Don't delude yourself that a job with the Raiders is unquestionably attractive to Harbaugh. First, there is a strong possibility that they could be moving (again). Second, they suck - it would be a long time before they would ever be in the hunt for a Super Bowl. Three, their ownership and management are even more crazy than SF's, as though such a thing were possible. Fourth, Oakland is not SF in any way, shape or form - except for the bay itself and the fault lines running beneath the city.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:53 AM ^
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December 4th, 2014 at 3:19 PM ^
You are making the mistake of assuming that everyone wants the same things out of life that you do.
And Ann Arbor is vastly different from the majority of flyover country. It's not like a small town in the middle of Iowa.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^
Sam is not always right, but he's usually as forthcoming as he can be while protecting sources. He also tends to lean towards reporting the positive so if he's hearing from multiple sources the same thing multiple NFL guys have been saying, that Harbaugh does not want to return to coach college, it's probably ture.
I'd rather learn this now that wait 4 weeks.
Also, if Jim's heart is in the NFL I'm not sure he'd be the right fit here, we need stability above all else.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^
OP, I think you left an italics unclosed and broke the thread.
Edit: Actually, I think it's the whole site that's messed up. This coaching search is really hurting the servers, or something.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^
This site has tons and tons of problems from what I've seen. I may have done something though I messed with my signature (italicized) and then it popped up. In no universe should that affect the entire thread though.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^
that left the italics on? It wasn't the OP. This thread was normal till a few minutes ago.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:31 AM ^
Quick! No one believe him/Everyone find a way to discredit him!
December 4th, 2014 at 10:34 AM ^
December 4th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^
December 4th, 2014 at 10:42 AM ^
December 4th, 2014 at 10:34 AM ^
But John Bacon said Brandon was the reason we don't have Harbaugh.
And John Bacon threw our last coach to win a National Championship under the bus.
Yet everyone loves John Bacon.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:37 AM ^
December 4th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^
Why do you guys think Les will just give up his badass job at LSU and come to our rescue? What has he said that would give you that impression? I still think that Florida hiring McElwain (sp?) is really telling. He is their best choice, which means our best choice is probably one below that. Bielema was mentioned above as a bad idea, but I beg to differ. His main problem with Wisconsin was that his assistants couldn't get paid and they kept leaving for more lucrative jobs. We can guarentee his assistants get paid enough (see Nuss), and I would take him in a heartbeat. He runs the offense I grew up watching, and I know that this website is GOO GOO over the spread but I really like the smashmouth approach. The huge difference is that Brett has been successfull with it on a team with way less to work with than he'll have here.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:48 AM ^
If we were to hire Bert, I'm done.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:55 AM ^
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December 4th, 2014 at 11:04 AM ^
>"Good coach"
>9-15 at Arkansas and 2-14 in the SEC
Pick one.
December 4th, 2014 at 11:02 AM ^
Yeah, this is without a doubt the most critical coaching hire in the history of Michigan football. There are a lot of people teetering on the edge of no longer supporting the program. They can't afford to hire that fucking guy.
December 4th, 2014 at 10:48 AM ^
Pay raise? Finish out career at alma mater before he's canned for being old at LSU? Ann Arbor is a nicer town than Baton Rouge?
December 4th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^
Listening to the podcast of the roundtable now, and I'm curious if Sam is so convinced it isn't happening why did he bring up Harbaugh and talk about him so much (in the context of what he would be like as a coach)?
December 4th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ^
A). Because it's his job.
B). Because Michigan fans want to hear about Harbaugh (even assuming there is 0% chance he will be the next coach).
C). Because what else are they going to talk about?
December 4th, 2014 at 10:47 AM ^
December 4th, 2014 at 10:55 AM ^
Buy a ream of red roses, hire mariachis and get down on one knee.
Oh, and back up the Brinks truck.
On the day The One returns, The Dark Times shall end and all shall be put to right. At that time the both the citizens of Sparta and the hairless nuts shall once again know fear...
December 4th, 2014 at 11:54 AM ^
...but I may have forgotten, it's been so long since we went to Pasadena. ;-)
December 4th, 2014 at 10:58 AM ^
My choice I think (assuming no Harbaugh and no Miles) would be Todd Graham - may have been a bit of a tool for how his Pitt departure was handled, but he ticks all the boxes: successful head coach in multiple jobs, midwest experience, recruiting, etc.
Obviously this isn't on the table, but I'm a bit surprised that Pat Schurmur hasn't gotten any play for any of these college HC jobs, including Michigan. He grew up in Michigan, went to MSU, coached for MSU for a long time so has plenty of college experience, is a West Coast Offense guy originally so he'd be a personnel fit, coaches under Chip Kelly now as Eagles OC so he has seen how Chip takes advantage of defenses and can work some of that in along with tempo if he wants. His Brown stint was short enough that there's no reason to really hold that against him. Could do a lot worse in my opinion