I agree with your post. The main reason RR failed is due to lack of support from Bill Martin and Dave Brandon. It was a twofold lack of support in both Martin and Brandon. First, they would not pay for a defensive coordinator. Greg Robinson was paid $270,000. I don't believe Casteel was going to come to Michigan while taking a $70,000 pay cut. He was making $340,000+ at WVU. The SEC pays $500,000 to $700,000 for DC and Texas paid $900,000 last year. If you want to play with the big boys you have to pay like the big boys. No leadership from Martin or Martin. Secondly, never, did either Brandon or Martin voice public support for RR or ask for alumni and former players to back the then current coach as is being done now for Hoke, who I like a lot. Failed, ineffective, cheap, shortedsighted, weak and stupid leadership from both AD's. There is no way RR was going to succeed in making the massive changes he was trying to make. Now we go back to smashmouth, Big Ten style football, which will get us competitive in B10 but not a national championship. B10 is a doormat. 9000 student TCU beats Wisconsin, and B10 goes 0-5 New Years day. RR would have changed that with some standup, visionary leadership from our AD's
Belein went to RR practices whenever he could, took a real interest. In my two times meerting and talking with RR he was most cordial and patient, pleasant to be with. Mike Kenn who played under Bo for 3 years and then 17 years with the Atlanta Falcons, said that in all of his 20 years of playing high level football, he had never seen better run practices than RR ran. Rita who maybe didn't have the appearance everyone wanted was in my contact with her very serious and community minded. It was in part her idea to turn the spring game into a charity event, and a substantial amount of money was raised for Mott Hospital as a result. I believe a major in the RR downfall was the lack of leadership and public support for RR from the highest levels, including Bill Martin, Dave Brandon, Mary Sue Coleman, along with Lloyd Carr and others.
Strong public support form the top along with Lloyd, in which they could have demanded that while RR is coach that we all get behind him and let this play out may have led to different outcome. I am embarrssed by that lack of leadership and by our impatient, whiny fan base. We obviously are not the leaders and best in all regards. We can't face a little adversity and have a stiff upper lip when we need it. RR was the best option to make us competitive with the SEC. The best of the Big Ten failed New Years day. Is that what we want emulate. As much as I can't stand Drew Sharp he had the right question at the press conference. National championships is what I wanted, and I believe That is now unlikely as we fade back to the traditional Big Ten style of play. We will continue to slide down as a conference until someone comes in somewhere and changes direction as RR was doing.
I like Brady Hoke as a person, leader, teacher, someone who deeply cares about Michigan and the student athletes and I will support him. However, I believe his approach will at best make us competitive in the Big Ten eventually and not a national champion.
Bo and Canham would have said 2 more years then assess. That is the logical obvious choice with a 5 year recruiting cycle etc. The impatient short-sighted whiner alumni and big donors are an embarassment to what UM used to stand for. Excellence embodies common sense, logic, and fairness. This very premature axing of RR flies in the face of "Leaders and Best" and in the process it moves us toward losers and worst. After 55 years around the program as former scholarship athlete and alum it is deeply disappointing and frustrating. We were headed for much better things. Now we move to become the corporate UM and quickly building our "brand" and marketing our image etc, etc. What a cruel joke.
Ziff72 I agree wholeheartedly. Would just add that DB should say he has insisted on a real and true fix to the defense, solid new DC. Otherwise I love the post. Pretty much my sentiments. I am, after many, many years, seeing my respect for my UM diminish.
When Moeller was fired after 3 years at Illinois, Bo said he should have 2 more years even though his record was worse in year 3 than year 1 and all three years were losing years.
Thanks for the sanity of your thoughts. It is wonderful to feel your sense of calm, appreciation, and rationality. Enjoyable post, I am fully in accord with you.
This is complete bunk. The athletic department just announced evaluation of the football program like all other sports will start after the end of the season including the post season. So RR will be here for at least a month.
Actually, it appears he will be here for 24 months barring outright collapse next year. DB will follow his beloved mentor, Bo, using Bo's dictum of a full 5 yr requirement to eveluate any coach in a new program. More to the point, DB told the Cleveland alumni this week that he is really excited to think of Denard as a senior at the "Jerry" bowl with Alabama in 2012. A potential Denard transfer is something he will avoid, hence no Harbaugh or anyone else if he can possibly help it. He talked about bringing the wow factor to Michigan. As far as the defense, he also talked about our 18 year-olds fresh from the prom playing against 22-23 year-olds with 19 seniors. He watches film every Sunday after games with RR and says there is no way for a quick fix of the defense, but that it will improve. He spoke with Lynn Henning about the risks inherent in change and has said he does not want Michigan to start to be seen as a school that changes coaches every 3 years. Finally he appears to prefer the spread offense as part of the wow factor along with night games etc. Hence no Harbaugh, ever, since JH neither favors the spread nor can he defend against it as seen in his 52-31 loss to Oregon in which 625 yards were put up against him. Further, he threw the UM program under the bus in 2007, with comments on academics in the department, and has an arrogance that does not represent UM well. Finally he started with 2 losing seasons at Stanford before goint to a bowl in his 3rd season and going 8-5. Do we want to do thjat again?
I look forward to a very exciting future with DB and RR at the helm
I have it from a truly inside source less than one hour ago at 9:45 p.m. The Lynn Henning story that RR will be fired Monday is complete nonsense. Have a nice Thanksgiving.
Brandon has stated the alums and boosters have no bearing on his decision. RR is here is here for 2 more years minimum. As Bobby Bowden and others have said any new coach should be given 5 years. Its only logical and Brandon clearly sees the logic. Go RR and GR.
Harbaugh is a complete joke both as a coach and a person; a Bo wannabe without the stuff. Lousy coaching record, has done nothing for Michigan except spew garbage on academics. Brandon will keep RR for at least two more years. Your "source" is balogna. There is no way Harbaugh will ever coach Michigan, Go ND.
Sorry, no Iowa tickets, but I have great tickets available for Wisconsin, Illinois, as well as UMass and Bowling Green, at least two for each of those games at face value. You can contact me at 734-649-7997.
for anyone needing Uconn tickets, I have 4 available in the westside chairback section at face value. contact me at [email protected]. an exceptional deal
It is clear that you are not a Michigan grad. You have no class, and take journalism well below the level of Drew Sharp. You are uninformed on the issue, emotional, biased and generally crass and rude. I hold three degrees from UM and have been a supporter for over thirty years. I believe the RR hire was a very good one and applaud Bill Martin. I'm glad RR went into depth to investigate this and gave Dorsey the benefit of any doubt that may or may not exist. A competent executive such as Dave Brandon is not going to fire RR until he has four complete recruiting classes and has played them. So we will see three more seasons of play before RR is seriously at risk of losing his job, unless he does not gradually improve his record. RR is going to be fine, and will soon make M a winner again. As this occurs, weak individuals such as you will disappear, to the benefit of all.
Recent Comments
I agree with your post. The main reason RR failed is due to lack of support from Bill Martin and Dave Brandon. It was a twofold lack of support in both Martin and Brandon. First, they would not pay for a defensive coordinator. Greg Robinson was paid $270,000. I don't believe Casteel was going to come to Michigan while taking a $70,000 pay cut. He was making $340,000+ at WVU. The SEC pays $500,000 to $700,000 for DC and Texas paid $900,000 last year. If you want to play with the big boys you have to pay like the big boys. No leadership from Martin or Martin. Secondly, never, did either Brandon or Martin voice public support for RR or ask for alumni and former players to back the then current coach as is being done now for Hoke, who I like a lot. Failed, ineffective, cheap, shortedsighted, weak and stupid leadership from both AD's. There is no way RR was going to succeed in making the massive changes he was trying to make. Now we go back to smashmouth, Big Ten style football, which will get us competitive in B10 but not a national championship. B10 is a doormat. 9000 student TCU beats Wisconsin, and B10 goes 0-5 New Years day. RR would have changed that with some standup, visionary leadership from our AD's
Belein went to RR practices whenever he could, took a real interest. In my two times meerting and talking with RR he was most cordial and patient, pleasant to be with. Mike Kenn who played under Bo for 3 years and then 17 years with the Atlanta Falcons, said that in all of his 20 years of playing high level football, he had never seen better run practices than RR ran. Rita who maybe didn't have the appearance everyone wanted was in my contact with her very serious and community minded. It was in part her idea to turn the spring game into a charity event, and a substantial amount of money was raised for Mott Hospital as a result. I believe a major in the RR downfall was the lack of leadership and public support for RR from the highest levels, including Bill Martin, Dave Brandon, Mary Sue Coleman, along with Lloyd Carr and others.
Strong public support form the top along with Lloyd, in which they could have demanded that while RR is coach that we all get behind him and let this play out may have led to different outcome. I am embarrssed by that lack of leadership and by our impatient, whiny fan base. We obviously are not the leaders and best in all regards. We can't face a little adversity and have a stiff upper lip when we need it. RR was the best option to make us competitive with the SEC. The best of the Big Ten failed New Years day. Is that what we want emulate. As much as I can't stand Drew Sharp he had the right question at the press conference. National championships is what I wanted, and I believe That is now unlikely as we fade back to the traditional Big Ten style of play. We will continue to slide down as a conference until someone comes in somewhere and changes direction as RR was doing.
I like Brady Hoke as a person, leader, teacher, someone who deeply cares about Michigan and the student athletes and I will support him. However, I believe his approach will at best make us competitive in the Big Ten eventually and not a national champion.
wonderful response. I couldn't agree more.
Bo and Canham would have said 2 more years then assess. That is the logical obvious choice with a 5 year recruiting cycle etc. The impatient short-sighted whiner alumni and big donors are an embarassment to what UM used to stand for. Excellence embodies common sense, logic, and fairness. This very premature axing of RR flies in the face of "Leaders and Best" and in the process it moves us toward losers and worst. After 55 years around the program as former scholarship athlete and alum it is deeply disappointing and frustrating. We were headed for much better things. Now we move to become the corporate UM and quickly building our "brand" and marketing our image etc, etc. What a cruel joke.
I like it.
Ziff72 I agree wholeheartedly. Would just add that DB should say he has insisted on a real and true fix to the defense, solid new DC. Otherwise I love the post. Pretty much my sentiments. I am, after many, many years, seeing my respect for my UM diminish.
JH statements were called "arrogant, elitist and self-serving" by Lloyd Carr
Highly doubtful.
When RR arrived he had 28 scholarship players on defense instead of the normal 42, and had to play with a walk-on quarterback.
When Moeller was fired after 3 years at Illinois, Bo said he should have 2 more years even though his record was worse in year 3 than year 1 and all three years were losing years.
JH record at Stanford 4-8, 5-7, 8-5 1st 3 years, RR record at Mi 3-9, 5-7. 7-5 with 2 previous BCS bowl wins What has JH done that merits attention?
agreed.
Bravo! Totally agree with you
absolutely on the money. Thanks
Adrian,
Thanks for the sanity of your thoughts. It is wonderful to feel your sense of calm, appreciation, and rationality. Enjoyable post, I am fully in accord with you.
Great post, best I have ever seen on the board
another small mind
small mind
This is complete bunk. The athletic department just announced evaluation of the football program like all other sports will start after the end of the season including the post season. So RR will be here for at least a month.
Actually, it appears he will be here for 24 months barring outright collapse next year. DB will follow his beloved mentor, Bo, using Bo's dictum of a full 5 yr requirement to eveluate any coach in a new program. More to the point, DB told the Cleveland alumni this week that he is really excited to think of Denard as a senior at the "Jerry" bowl with Alabama in 2012. A potential Denard transfer is something he will avoid, hence no Harbaugh or anyone else if he can possibly help it. He talked about bringing the wow factor to Michigan. As far as the defense, he also talked about our 18 year-olds fresh from the prom playing against 22-23 year-olds with 19 seniors. He watches film every Sunday after games with RR and says there is no way for a quick fix of the defense, but that it will improve. He spoke with Lynn Henning about the risks inherent in change and has said he does not want Michigan to start to be seen as a school that changes coaches every 3 years. Finally he appears to prefer the spread offense as part of the wow factor along with night games etc. Hence no Harbaugh, ever, since JH neither favors the spread nor can he defend against it as seen in his 52-31 loss to Oregon in which 625 yards were put up against him. Further, he threw the UM program under the bus in 2007, with comments on academics in the department, and has an arrogance that does not represent UM well. Finally he started with 2 losing seasons at Stanford before goint to a bowl in his 3rd season and going 8-5. Do we want to do thjat again?
I look forward to a very exciting future with DB and RR at the helm
Total offense 2nd half...... Michigan 325yds, Wisky 185 yards. 2nd half score: Michigan 28 , Wisky 24
I'm very serious. Cannot reveal the source but stand by the statement and I know how ridiculous this sounds.
I'm very serious. Cannot reveal the source but stand by the statement and I know how ridiculous this sounds.
I have it from a truly inside source less than one hour ago at 9:45 p.m. The Lynn Henning story that RR will be fired Monday is complete nonsense. Have a nice Thanksgiving.
Brandon has stated the alums and boosters have no bearing on his decision. RR is here is here for 2 more years minimum. As Bobby Bowden and others have said any new coach should be given 5 years. Its only logical and Brandon clearly sees the logic. Go RR and GR.
Yes,
Brandon is the man. RR is here for the long haul, Just ask Dave.
Harbaugh is a complete joke both as a coach and a person; a Bo wannabe without the stuff. Lousy coaching record, has done nothing for Michigan except spew garbage on academics. Brandon will keep RR for at least two more years. Your "source" is balogna. There is no way Harbaugh will ever coach Michigan, Go ND.
Sorry, no Iowa tickets, but I have great tickets available for Wisconsin, Illinois, as well as UMass and Bowling Green, at least two for each of those games at face value. You can contact me at 734-649-7997.
I guess this is too late, but in case you are on your way, I have two premium chairback seats near midfield. $53. each [email protected]. 734-649-7997
for anyone needing Uconn tickets, I have 4 available in the westside chairback section at face value. contact me at [email protected]. an exceptional deal
I have 4 uconn westside chairback seats available. face value great deal. post your e-mail address