Support for Brian and for Hoke
I think everyone out there who is up in arms about Brian's response to the Hoke hire needs to step back and take a deep breath.
Brady Hoke became the next coach at Michigan only two days ago now. I know that when I first heard the news I was less than thrilled. But since that time I have really warmed up to him, and now I'm all in. But for others it may take more time.
More importantly, we all need to realize that Brian is entitled to his opinion on this matter. That guy works tirelessly to make this the best blog of any kind that I have ever been a part of. And guess what? I get to log on to this site and be a part of it for FREE! So despite my disagreement with Brian's perspective at the moment, I'm still all in for him and this blog as well.
I know that the Michigan fan base needs to be united in order for the program to be successful. And it is my hope that Brian eventually warms up to Brady Hoke. But the one thing I will never question is that Brian is ALL IN FOR MICHIGAN. Michigan is that guy's life. And this blog is the product of that.
To Brian, I'm sure my vote of confidence doesn't mean much, as you've no doubt developed tough skin over your time running this site. But most of us are still behind you. So keep up the good work that we get to enjoy every day.
Go Blue!
January 13th, 2011 at 10:41 AM ^
Did YOU listen to Brian on the Radio? Yeah he had a negative tone and was disappointed, but he wasn't devastated RR got fired, and there was never any "the world is over...DOOM' type reaction.
Clear disappointment with Hoke? Yes, but that's really the only obvious thing I got from it.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:54 AM ^
because sports exist for winning, nothing more. You want to feel good about something and act socially superior? go volunteer or something. you want to act like good intentions and civility is relevant in sports? thats stupid. Football exists for one reason, beating the other team. pressers are not football, football is football
January 13th, 2011 at 12:03 PM ^
go watch the NFL or something. (Wow, how's that feel?). Because those of us who know something about college sports know it can be so much more.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
the MGoBlog brand was seriously weakened as Brian was way too slow to recognize that RR did not have what it took to succeed at Michigan. As too many of his followers unrealistically clung to the hope that the RR revolution would take hold after the failures started to mount and shouted down those that dared to post otherwise, work needs to be done here. The site is still fantastic but it will take time to regain equilibrium.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:34 AM ^
it. He's not going to turn this blog into the Freep and attempt to undermine and destroy Hoke. It has been 2 days since this hire, things will ease. Brian will bleed the Maize and Blue again. Maybe he'll even drink some Hoke Kool Aid.
Let's all sit back and see the assistant hires. Let us see if we can salvage part of this recruiting class. Let's enjoy the Spring Game (rah!)
August can't get here soon enough - by then everything will be "okay"
January 13th, 2011 at 10:36 AM ^
I'm 100% behind Michigan. I'm 100% behind this blog & Brian. Hoke, well, I'm not sure. I'm not rooting for Hoke to fail, but I will wait and see what he does first. I haven't fallen in love with him. I do know I really liked RR & Barwis as persons. I'm not happy that Barwis was not retained. I'm less than overjoyed with the OC. So I'm not jumping on the Hoke bandwagon just yet. The OP and others can go ahead and lead the way.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:02 AM ^
Michigan winning championships is more important then me being able to tell my buddies "I told ya so...." We should all keep that in mind even though some of us would rather have RR.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
For never seeing anyone use the term "all in" again. Seriously
January 13th, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
just as Michigan shifts away from a person and more about the team, the site seems to be doing the opposite.
decide for yourself why that is and you probably begin to understand the past three years a bit better.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:47 AM ^
but I think it's completely wrong. Brian's coverage of this coaching search hasn't been noticeably different from his coverage of the last one. People just agreed with him last time.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
Brian tore apart the media for never giving RR a chance to struggle and build up, second guessing his ability to win before he was hired.
How is that different than the current coverage on this site of Hoke?
January 13th, 2011 at 11:45 AM ^
on stuff that was stupid, whereas Brian is criticizing Hoke for stuff that is important.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:04 PM ^
For me it seems like the same stupid stuff. Preconceived notions from 3 years ago that he refuses to let go. The media tore Rich down for stuff that was stupid that happened here (or in coming here). Brian's doing it on nothing that's been done here.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:07 PM ^
Dude, criticizing a coach for not winning very many football games at his prior jobs is totally different from criticizing a coach for cleaning out his office and negotiating a buyout and having a southern accent and having a wife who wears leopard skin prints. Brian is criticizing the hiring of Hoke on the former grounds, whereas he criticized the criticism of RR on the latter.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
This isn't Communist Russia. You won't be shot for having a dissenting opinion. So Brian isn't a fan of the hire. He's not the only one in that boat, he's just the only one in that boat with a microphone and the thin-skinned among us can't take it. I wasn't a fan of the hire at the time, but I'm slowly coming around based on blind hope and a pocket full of dreams. Brian isn't a fan of the hire and he has the right to say so. If you don't like it, just get over it and move on.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^
At least Hoke gets what UM is all about, which is excellence. Not just the football team but the entire university. RR is like Cooper was at OSU. Big time coach that never really got it. The kids were recruited to play for a RR offense, not to represent the U of M. At least not in the same way that most of us alumni do. Nobody ever came to Michigan because of the coach (maybe Bo). THey came because its Michigan. U of M is about leadership and success. Hoke will be a fine coach.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:51 AM ^
is about winning football games. It's only different from OSU or Texas or Notre Dame or Alabama in the minds of its alumni.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:56 AM ^
Of course its about winning football games. And it is different in the eyes of the alumni. U of M has so much more to offer anyone who goes to the university than those others and that should not be ignored. When that philosophy was employed to the football program in the past we've had wild success. Being an alumni has helped me in my professional life immensely and that legacy needs to be highlighted to recruits and motivation for players. Its a standard that doesn't exist at other universities.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:58 AM ^
U of M has so much more to offer anyone who goes to the university than those others and that should not be ignored.
is true.
January 13th, 2011 at 10:59 AM ^
Let me guess. You went to Central.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:05 AM ^
LS&A class of 2006.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:34 AM ^
Bitch.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:06 PM ^
Than a degree.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:31 PM ^
I just don't see what my mad beer pong skills have to do with winning football games.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:04 AM ^
I agree with AAB, U of M the academics, the students, the social awareness, those are about different things than football. football is about winning, if it isnt about winning why have a football team? there are no ties in football, only wins and losses (at least in college), and football wasnt invented for any other reason but to win. it has no other meaning, no other reason to exist. why care about football if you dont care about winning as many games as possible?
January 13th, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
Of course its about winning. However, to me and most others its more about the process of achievement. The process at UM has always been about integrity, hard work, etc. That's why college sports are awesome. Thats also the main reason so many are down on Les Miles. If I'm totally wrong on this then why are there so many UM fans through this three year debacle that didn't stop watching and latch onto some SEC bandwagon. They win.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:52 AM ^
students at 119 other universities think differently than the students do here then. its not about integrity and hard work, its about results. Lets say you graduate with a 2.5 gpa. But hey dude who is doing the hiring, I know I didnt accomplish as much as the other guys but i did worked hard too and did it with integrity, shouldnt that count for something? no, no it doesnt. Integrity doesnt mean anything, its just a word. Look at the Auburn fans, do you really think they care about whether cam newton really took money? no, they are celebrating a national championship and heisman winner while we talk about non quantifiable things like integrity.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:03 PM ^
Your family or place of business was obviously not one of them. (But I fear to guess what line of business that may be...)
January 13th, 2011 at 1:14 PM ^
ask your mom, she came around on the regular
January 13th, 2011 at 1:43 PM ^
If you're reduced to that when you lose the argument, at least don't resort to insults that insult yourself.
January 13th, 2011 at 5:43 PM ^
dude, you are sooooo fucking boring, i bet you are one of the people who yell "down in from"
January 13th, 2011 at 5:44 PM ^
dude, you are sooooo fucking boring, i bet you are one of the people who yell "down in from"
January 13th, 2011 at 12:07 PM ^
And for most of it's history, football had ties? Your view is simplistic. If that were the case, we wouldn't make them attend classes. They'd just be minor league teams.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:16 PM ^
and your view is skewed because you are a U of M student who thinks that this university stands for something that other universities don't, and you would be wrong. This is just another university and now this football team is just another team
January 13th, 2011 at 12:20 PM ^
This is just another university
You couldn't be more wrong.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:32 PM ^
dude, u of m isnt even in the top 25 anymore on the us news and world report. they arent even the top public university. no list, whether it be kiplingers or princeton review has michigan at the top of any list. get off it man, lots of people go to better colleges than you do and lots of people will be more successful
January 13th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
get off it man, lots of people go to better colleges than you do and lots of people will be more successful
It sounds to me like you're the one who needs to "get off it." Seriously, you're acting like an immature brat. Knock it off.
Further, I don't need to validate my own self-worth to someone on the internet, least of all you.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:47 PM ^
sorry pointing out data makes me immature, you are the one getting pissed off about reality though. this fan base is as far removed from reality as you can get. Ann Arobr is not the greatest place on earth, U of M isnt the greatest univeristy ever, and zingermans isnt the best restaurant in town. The sooner everyone realizes this the sooner we can get back to doing what needs to be done to field a winning football team, unitl then we will just be another team
January 13th, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
Pissed off? I'm perfectly calm dude. Calmer than you are, anyway.
Again, I don't need my self-worth, my degree, or my University validated by some list, or some random dude on the internet. For me, to me, it is the best University on the planet, and that's why I chose to graduate from there. My perception is that, and there's not a thing you can do to change my perception of my University, regardless of how you feel about A² or the University.
My thoughts on the University have nothing to do with the success or failure of the football team. The sooner you realize that, the sooner.. I don't know, you're the one here that is good at drawing irrelevant conclusions, how about you finish that one for me?
We've been down this road with you before. There's an entire thread devoted to it, sitting in the user-curated HoF. I'm sorry you're pissed off about working wherever you work or graduating from whatever University you did, but that's not our fault. Internalize your rage or go blather on about it to some group who actually cares.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^
if your thoughts on the university have nothing to do with the sucess or failure of the football team then the successof the football team should not have anything to do with your thoughts on the university. I'm not pissed about anything in my life except for the fact i moved here because I grew up going to u of m football and hockey games and loving the teams only to find out the fan base and student population are fucking delusional and thinks that every business or organization should be run by ghandis instead of gordon geckos.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:30 PM ^
the fan base and student population are fucking delusional and thinks that every business or organization should be run by ghandis instead of gordon geckos
Link? Source? Did you do a poll?
Really? I'm sure Stephen M. Ross might have something to say about that, or how about the other 400,000 alumni?
January 13th, 2011 at 2:15 PM ^
if your thoughts on the university have nothing to do with the sucess or failure of the football team then the successof the football team should not have anything to do with your thoughts on the university
Right. Believe it or not, the success of the football team has nothing to do with my thoughts on the University - I hold them separate, and at no point did I posit that the two were one and the same. In 2000 (which is when I applied to UofM) I couldn't tell you how the four down system works.
I am an alumnus of the University. I am a fan of the University's football team. There is a difference.
the fan base and student population are fucking delusional
Again you're making sweeping generalizations of groups based on limited interactions with a small number of their representatives and coming up well short of what the truth actually is. As mentioned earlier, we've been through this before with you - you apparently haven't grown a bit since then, hence the previous assertion that you're acting like an immature brat (or more specifically, one that can't have his way and is throwing a tantrum).
edit: also, last reply. I have work I should be doing and this is not a particularly productive exercise.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:33 PM ^
are Wal-Mart's low low prices really as low as the commercials say?
January 13th, 2011 at 1:05 PM ^
It's obvious from your feelings on the school and team, it's not "your" team at all. It's just one you like to pretend to like when they're winning so you can brag to your friends. That's your reality.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:04 PM ^
It's getting pretty obvious you don't go to one of those better schools. Glass houses.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:20 PM ^
US News and other rankings should be taken with a dump truck of salt.
There is absolutely no possible way that a school moves up or down a spot or 2 in any given year. It's all to sell magazines.
Schools rise and fall in those lists like elevators. If the lists stayed relatively the same year to year just like the schools, then they wouldn't be able to sell their "Best Colleges and Grad Schools" book year after year.
You want the real rankings? Just look at the ones done by job recruiters and HR professionals:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704554104575435563989873060.html
Michigan ranks #6.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:01 PM ^
Not sure where you went to school, but if you didn't go to U-M, how can you know if it's different or not? You have no point of reference. So you can't really comment on who's wrong or right. And frankly, if you have no ties or love for the University or team, why are you rooting for it? There are tons of NFL teams out there just out for a dollar, and they'll take your dollar and try and win for you. Those that actually know something about college sports know it can be very different. Until you have any point of reference, you're probably better off just keeping quiet rather than looking foolish.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:46 PM ^
I think you're forgetting that white_pony_rocks is the author of this masterpiece:
January 13th, 2011 at 1:22 PM ^
If it was, Stanford would be filling their stands and selling out every game.
They are not.