So, Michigan has a coach.
I know there is much rejoicing among many of the loyal fans to the Maize and Blue. I also hear there is a lot of rejoicing at some of our toughest competitors...
Before I give you my opinion, let's break this down into the X's and O's that we will soon be hearing about.
First, the Bad and Not So Good.
1. Rodriguez wasn't on my short list. To review my assessment from very early in this process:
11. Rodriguez - West Virginia - he turned down Alabama stating he was in his dream job...Or was he just saying that to make WVU fans happy? My guess is he knows that WVU will always be a 2nd tier to the Big Schools, one of them being Michigan. Beline might have paved the road for Rodriguez....No Michigan ties...100-1
So, Michigan landed a 100-1 (my opinion) shot from the Big East, and if everything holds true, it would appear that we paid top dollar, and I do mean TOP DOLLAR to do it. Rodrigues had a $4.5M dollar buyout in his contract. No doubt, Michigan will be paying for two head football coaches next season - Rodrigues and whoever West Virginia hires..
2. About 6 years ago, another Big Ten school was looking for the "hot" coach with an innovative offense. They looked to the Big East at a coach who had led an obscure team to 5 straight bowl appearances and was highly regarded for many coaching positions in the country, but this Big Ten school landed the "coach" and everything in the Big Ten was going to change for the better and the school had "finally gotten it right." That School: MSU, affectionately known here as Sparty. The Coach: Louisville's John L. Smith....So when did the Big East become a hot bed for Big Ten Coaches???? I am not saying that Rich is John L., but the comparisons make me a little ill....I would have preferred paying top dollar for an SEC coach that is playing in the National Title Game....Granted, Rodrigues was one bad loss from that game, but his team still lost...
3. I am not overly impressed with the current WVU hire (Beeline) in the Men's Basketball Program....We have lost to Harvard and the coach we canned and we have now lost to Central - BADLY - and I am beginning to wonder what the heck we are doing...
4. My guess is he is a short term solution if things don't work out immediately (3-5 years) Why? Well, he's too young to let what happened to John L. happen to him. If he thinks his system won't work in the Big 10, he'll be gone to the first opportunity where it will work.
The Good
1. I know many of you like what Rich has done at WVU and think the Slaton and White thing would look SO GOOD at Michigan...Well folks, I am here to tell you that this system with the right athletes is a far cry from where Michigan currently stands today...Whether or not that's good or bad remains to be seen, but I am correct in saying that THINGS ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM NOW ON! I believe that the days of the Big Time Receiver at Michigan have come to an end...I know, it's hard to believe that we had the "days of the Big Time Receiver", but this offense is truly a "misdirect and run first" offense, it's just not run off left tackle first down every game.... I think some of the receiving and passing records that were set at Michigan may stay there for awhile, just a hunch....
2. He turned down Alabama and the SEC, meaning he understands that things can go up and down and didn't want to be part of that circus...Yes, that's a good thing...
3. Rodriguez is a proven coach. He will have success at Michigan, to what degree remains to be seen. He will graduate kids and he will run a relatively clean program, if what we have seen at WVU is any indication.
4. His overall record of 104-62-2 will most likely improve.
5. Will he win? That remains to be seen. - Read: Can he beat OSU and win a Bowl Game????
The Questions:
We already know he is bringing his secondary coach with him. That's probably a good thing based on Michigan's secondary. Michigan has stated they want to keep Jackson, Campbell, and English, which prbobably leaves DeBord looking for a job...Another good thing...
The Press conference is at 9:00 A.M. this morning, and I will submit another post after digesting what's said and not said....
Overall, I can say this:
It's a good hire. But the way it was handled (Martin is still a Boob) from the get go after the Rose Bowl last year has to go down in the history books of what not to do when looking to hire a head coach when you have 1 year of warning...
I actually think Mary Sue Coleman deserves a lot of the credit for this. My guess is we are going to hear a lot in the press in the next couple of days regarding how she hired Ferentz and how she got involved to sell the University of Michigan to Rodriguez and get him to come here. Just a hunch...
GO BLUE AND BRING ON THE NEW ERA!!!!
The MMQ
Monday, December 17, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Monday Morning - Still no Coach.....
Well, I don't know what else can be said...If you have been following along, you know this:
1. Martin is a Boob....Double D
2. Did I mention that Martin is a Boob?
3. Les Miles will not be the Michigan Head Coach next year - or will he?
4. Ferentz is out
5. Schiano is out
6. Others that are reportedly out (Before they were ever in): Cameron, Payton....
7. New Names in: Marvin Lewis, Jerry Lewis, Louis and Clark, Huey, Duey and Louey, You, Me, and whoever else that HASN'T taken his name out of consideration (But UM will still talk to them anyway)
8. Mary Sue Coleman is (finally) getting involved, if she wasn't already...
9. Lloyd Carr has been mysteriously silent throughout all of this...
10. If you have been reading this blog, you know as much as everyone else....At the end of the day, that's not much. Discuss....Like all the talking heads on every radio show have been doing....
The latest in an ever frustrating string of events has the Boob and the Boob's boss calling Les Miles last Friday asking for "advice" on who HE thinks the next head coach at Michigan should be. Now, bear with me for a minute while I ramble: Michigan is supposed to be a top notch program with links and people all over the football community. I would think, THINK, that once the "word" was out that Michigan needed a coach and that if there was anyone who met the qualifications and was interested, don't you THINK that maybe Michigan would know about it? Why pursue Ferentz if he expressed non-interest once? I mean, do we need to sell Ferentz on the Job? He knows the job...He's at Iowa and he is a man of character...He's there to stay. Why pursue Schiano, when he's made it clear that he wants to coach PSU or stay at Rutgers and let the world know that you were going to pay the RUTGERS head coach $2.2M for 5 years....That just made the price tag on whoever you get that much higher. No offense, Schiano's a good coach and all, but he is still a Big East Head Coach at Rutgers. And the coaching fraternity is small...they might even have support groups that talk to each other and give each other advice about who wants what job where...Maybe...Do you think that goes on???
But more on this Miles Development...What play are Mary Sue and Bill making? Did the two get together and the cooler head among them,let's say that's Coleman, because the Boob has botched everything except the spelling of Michigan's name up to this point, decide to open a dialog with Miles to convince him that this is the place he needs to be? Michigan (Coleman) may have finally realized that just because you're Michigan doesn't mean that the world comes running...So maybe they figure that by talking and exploring the "suggestions" of names from Les and after they run those down, and after Les wins a National Title at LSU - he will, of that I am pretty sure, that maybe Les starts to realize his University truly does need him...And they make their play and make him an offer that he reponds to just like Bear Bryant, "Boys, Momma's calling." As the MMQ, all I am saying is don't count Miles out yet...ESPECIALLY IF MICHIGAN HASN'T FORMALLY TALKED TO ANYONE ELSE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. The heat will be off after that...Bowl Games, distractions...No one will care. But the week leading up to the Championship Game will be exactly like the week we had leading up to the SEC title...and if LSU wins, expect a slightly different result...Maybe...
BUT THIS ALL COULD HAVE HAPPENED 2 MONTHS AGO!!! That's what's really pissing most of the loyal Michigan faithful off...They have watched this thing unfold and realize it could have been handled so much better. Explore the possibilities - quietly - and then go back to Les and say, "Hey, you're School needs you." DO NOT LET LLOYD announce his retirement until the week of the bowl game or right after the bowl, and have Miles ready to go a day or two after his National Title, if his team was playing in the game...Makes sense now, doesn't it? It would have made sense to me awhile ago, also, when I would have had the conversation with Miles....
But nooooooooo....We parade the University of Michigan around like arrogant idiots and make offers that others use to get better offers from their own University or we completely screw up the one situation that falls in our lap - Miles. And the parading of the University is what really makes us look bad. I mean, at least with Arkansas, you can look at it and say, "Well, who in their right mind would take that job? The guy just beats the number 1 team in the land and they can the head coach? What kind of atmosphere is that?" But with Michigan, it's supposed to be a job for life....How can you possibly go wrong...And we couldn't lure a guy away from Rutgers???? Martin, you are a Boob...I thought the Halo was bad, but you are raising the bar, to exceedingly dizzy heights with your incompetence.
Lloyd Carr's silence is worth commenting on as well....Is he silent because he isn't getting what he wants or is his silence a form of protest that his guy isn't getting the consideration he should? Sources (mgoblog - others) have stated that if it can't be English or Deboard, than Carr is pulling for Brady Hoke. No offense, but other than being a head coach and assisting under Carr, what's he done? Check the record...It's nothing to write home about. Which brings me to my final point in this week's late submission:
Is Lloyd Carr really doing what's best for Michigan or is Lloyd doing what's best for Lloyd Carr, his buddies, and everyone else? I know we have all said great things about Carr the last couple of weeks. I will continue to say those things and remember what a great guy he was. But, like I said earlier, the buck no longer stops with Lloyd, it stops with Martin and Coleman. I would hate to think that Lloyd would put his buddies before the University, but I get the feeling that maybe he is a bigger part of the problem than previously thought...And if that's the case, than powers that are in control need to address that ASAP...
OSU didn't hire Tressel until January when they canned Super Cooper...So, I am still not worried - but I am getting there quick. I hate the way it's developed up to this point. The process and the plan suck, and that is all on Sailboat Bill and his one man band of ineptness...
1. Martin is a Boob....Double D
2. Did I mention that Martin is a Boob?
3. Les Miles will not be the Michigan Head Coach next year - or will he?
4. Ferentz is out
5. Schiano is out
6. Others that are reportedly out (Before they were ever in): Cameron, Payton....
7. New Names in: Marvin Lewis, Jerry Lewis, Louis and Clark, Huey, Duey and Louey, You, Me, and whoever else that HASN'T taken his name out of consideration (But UM will still talk to them anyway)
8. Mary Sue Coleman is (finally) getting involved, if she wasn't already...
9. Lloyd Carr has been mysteriously silent throughout all of this...
10. If you have been reading this blog, you know as much as everyone else....At the end of the day, that's not much. Discuss....Like all the talking heads on every radio show have been doing....
The latest in an ever frustrating string of events has the Boob and the Boob's boss calling Les Miles last Friday asking for "advice" on who HE thinks the next head coach at Michigan should be. Now, bear with me for a minute while I ramble: Michigan is supposed to be a top notch program with links and people all over the football community. I would think, THINK, that once the "word" was out that Michigan needed a coach and that if there was anyone who met the qualifications and was interested, don't you THINK that maybe Michigan would know about it? Why pursue Ferentz if he expressed non-interest once? I mean, do we need to sell Ferentz on the Job? He knows the job...He's at Iowa and he is a man of character...He's there to stay. Why pursue Schiano, when he's made it clear that he wants to coach PSU or stay at Rutgers and let the world know that you were going to pay the RUTGERS head coach $2.2M for 5 years....That just made the price tag on whoever you get that much higher. No offense, Schiano's a good coach and all, but he is still a Big East Head Coach at Rutgers. And the coaching fraternity is small...they might even have support groups that talk to each other and give each other advice about who wants what job where...Maybe...Do you think that goes on???
But more on this Miles Development...What play are Mary Sue and Bill making? Did the two get together and the cooler head among them,let's say that's Coleman, because the Boob has botched everything except the spelling of Michigan's name up to this point, decide to open a dialog with Miles to convince him that this is the place he needs to be? Michigan (Coleman) may have finally realized that just because you're Michigan doesn't mean that the world comes running...So maybe they figure that by talking and exploring the "suggestions" of names from Les and after they run those down, and after Les wins a National Title at LSU - he will, of that I am pretty sure, that maybe Les starts to realize his University truly does need him...And they make their play and make him an offer that he reponds to just like Bear Bryant, "Boys, Momma's calling." As the MMQ, all I am saying is don't count Miles out yet...ESPECIALLY IF MICHIGAN HASN'T FORMALLY TALKED TO ANYONE ELSE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. The heat will be off after that...Bowl Games, distractions...No one will care. But the week leading up to the Championship Game will be exactly like the week we had leading up to the SEC title...and if LSU wins, expect a slightly different result...Maybe...
BUT THIS ALL COULD HAVE HAPPENED 2 MONTHS AGO!!! That's what's really pissing most of the loyal Michigan faithful off...They have watched this thing unfold and realize it could have been handled so much better. Explore the possibilities - quietly - and then go back to Les and say, "Hey, you're School needs you." DO NOT LET LLOYD announce his retirement until the week of the bowl game or right after the bowl, and have Miles ready to go a day or two after his National Title, if his team was playing in the game...Makes sense now, doesn't it? It would have made sense to me awhile ago, also, when I would have had the conversation with Miles....
But nooooooooo....We parade the University of Michigan around like arrogant idiots and make offers that others use to get better offers from their own University or we completely screw up the one situation that falls in our lap - Miles. And the parading of the University is what really makes us look bad. I mean, at least with Arkansas, you can look at it and say, "Well, who in their right mind would take that job? The guy just beats the number 1 team in the land and they can the head coach? What kind of atmosphere is that?" But with Michigan, it's supposed to be a job for life....How can you possibly go wrong...And we couldn't lure a guy away from Rutgers???? Martin, you are a Boob...I thought the Halo was bad, but you are raising the bar, to exceedingly dizzy heights with your incompetence.
Lloyd Carr's silence is worth commenting on as well....Is he silent because he isn't getting what he wants or is his silence a form of protest that his guy isn't getting the consideration he should? Sources (mgoblog - others) have stated that if it can't be English or Deboard, than Carr is pulling for Brady Hoke. No offense, but other than being a head coach and assisting under Carr, what's he done? Check the record...It's nothing to write home about. Which brings me to my final point in this week's late submission:
Is Lloyd Carr really doing what's best for Michigan or is Lloyd doing what's best for Lloyd Carr, his buddies, and everyone else? I know we have all said great things about Carr the last couple of weeks. I will continue to say those things and remember what a great guy he was. But, like I said earlier, the buck no longer stops with Lloyd, it stops with Martin and Coleman. I would hate to think that Lloyd would put his buddies before the University, but I get the feeling that maybe he is a bigger part of the problem than previously thought...And if that's the case, than powers that are in control need to address that ASAP...
OSU didn't hire Tressel until January when they canned Super Cooper...So, I am still not worried - but I am getting there quick. I hate the way it's developed up to this point. The process and the plan suck, and that is all on Sailboat Bill and his one man band of ineptness...
Friday, December 7, 2007
Martin's a MORON!!!!
How Dumb Are We????
Okay, let's run this down and count the ways:
First Candidate (But not the Boob's top choice):
1. Les Miles - signed a contract extension with LSU through 2012 after receiving a vote of no confidence from Michigan....
2. Kirk Ferentz - I like Iowa.
3. Greg Schiano - I like Rutgers - and I LOVE PENN STATE!!!!
The Boob is saying, "Now What??? bibbibibbibbiddy....(this is the finger over the lips noise you make when you have no clue what's happening)"
Now, I am REALLY starting to think that I could have handled this search a WHOLE LOT BETTER than the Boob has up to this point, I would have known about all of these candidates and their respective interest in Michigan long before "Right Now". You knew Lloyd was gone. There was Bo's funeral and memorial when Martin and Les could have "chatted" and he could have decided then on Miles and made a statement on him early. There are Big 10 Coach's meetings (that the AD's regularly attend) where a quiet dinner could have been had with Ferentz...Schiano - I pick up the phone and call Jim Carty of the Ann Arbor News and who was a beat writer in Jersey, who knows Schiano well and ask him to arrange an introduction and then I tell Jim to get lost. All things that could have happened BEFORE YOU WERE ON THE NATIONAL STAGE WITH THE CLOCK TICKING, RECRUITS WATCHING AND EVERYONE CONTEMPLATING YOUR NEXT MOVE....
So, If the Boob is as predictable as we all think, then I guess we're on to
4. Gary Pinkell? - See Greg Schiano. This guy has a big ego and has built Mizzou into what it is today..He has a hot QB and only lost to Oklahoma this year...He's not leaving that for Michigan...Even though he is from Ohio and coached Toledo...That's my guess...
5. Jim Tedford - (California) Why would I go to Michigan?
6. Brady Hoke - Sure, I'll coach Michigan...Why not?
7. Peyton -New Orleans Head Coach...He's got a great job in the NFL...why go back to college?
Nope....I am telling you right now that the UM Job is starting to scare the candidates and the next guy they talk to will know that they weren't the 1st,2nd, or 3rd choice...And that will probably turn a lot of guys off to any offer Michigan makes. How you handle the search, per the Boob's "PLAN", is critical. And if his PLAN included bringing embarrassment and a look of incompetence to the AD department, than, by golly, THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THEIR GOALS WITH FLYING COLORS!
I would like to go on record right here that I am embarrassed, maybe that isn't the right word, it's more like HUMILIATED that the University that I associate myself with is showing a greater incompetence in this process than all the other universities out there searching for head coaches combined...
Bill Martin's head should be on a platter and we should also be looking for an AD that knows how to run a department, or at least knows how to handle Public Relations and the press....And understand the politics in the most important sport that his Univeristy is involved with....
MMQ
Okay, let's run this down and count the ways:
First Candidate (But not the Boob's top choice):
1. Les Miles - signed a contract extension with LSU through 2012 after receiving a vote of no confidence from Michigan....
2. Kirk Ferentz - I like Iowa.
3. Greg Schiano - I like Rutgers - and I LOVE PENN STATE!!!!
The Boob is saying, "Now What??? bibbibibbibbiddy....(this is the finger over the lips noise you make when you have no clue what's happening)"
Now, I am REALLY starting to think that I could have handled this search a WHOLE LOT BETTER than the Boob has up to this point, I would have known about all of these candidates and their respective interest in Michigan long before "Right Now". You knew Lloyd was gone. There was Bo's funeral and memorial when Martin and Les could have "chatted" and he could have decided then on Miles and made a statement on him early. There are Big 10 Coach's meetings (that the AD's regularly attend) where a quiet dinner could have been had with Ferentz...Schiano - I pick up the phone and call Jim Carty of the Ann Arbor News and who was a beat writer in Jersey, who knows Schiano well and ask him to arrange an introduction and then I tell Jim to get lost. All things that could have happened BEFORE YOU WERE ON THE NATIONAL STAGE WITH THE CLOCK TICKING, RECRUITS WATCHING AND EVERYONE CONTEMPLATING YOUR NEXT MOVE....
So, If the Boob is as predictable as we all think, then I guess we're on to
4. Gary Pinkell? - See Greg Schiano. This guy has a big ego and has built Mizzou into what it is today..He has a hot QB and only lost to Oklahoma this year...He's not leaving that for Michigan...Even though he is from Ohio and coached Toledo...That's my guess...
5. Jim Tedford - (California) Why would I go to Michigan?
6. Brady Hoke - Sure, I'll coach Michigan...Why not?
7. Peyton -New Orleans Head Coach...He's got a great job in the NFL...why go back to college?
Nope....I am telling you right now that the UM Job is starting to scare the candidates and the next guy they talk to will know that they weren't the 1st,2nd, or 3rd choice...And that will probably turn a lot of guys off to any offer Michigan makes. How you handle the search, per the Boob's "PLAN", is critical. And if his PLAN included bringing embarrassment and a look of incompetence to the AD department, than, by golly, THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THEIR GOALS WITH FLYING COLORS!
I would like to go on record right here that I am embarrassed, maybe that isn't the right word, it's more like HUMILIATED that the University that I associate myself with is showing a greater incompetence in this process than all the other universities out there searching for head coaches combined...
Bill Martin's head should be on a platter and we should also be looking for an AD that knows how to run a department, or at least knows how to handle Public Relations and the press....And understand the politics in the most important sport that his Univeristy is involved with....
MMQ
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Can New Coach Survive?
I know I just posted yesterday, but these thoughts keep coming at me faster than I can type....
Here's a scenario: Once the Bumbling Boob (Come Sail Away With Me Bill Martin) finally does name a permanent or temporary head coach, is there any way the individual can survive?
What do I mean by that? Well let's look at what the "new" guy is going to be faced with:
1. Replacing Lloyd Carr. Yeah, we all know what we "think" now, but history will say that he won 75% of his games. First one he loses, we will all be talking about how Lloyd maintained the record at Michigan...
2. He won't be Les Miles. This one might, just might, be bigger and get more run than #1. If Les Miles continues to win down at LSU, I mean, he stays on top for 5 years or more, this will end up being the hardest thing for the new guy to live down....He will FOREVER BE IN THE MILES Shadow and Miles didn't even coach here....But we will believe that all the victories Les rolls up would have been Michigan victories...His record will FOREVER be compared to Miles. Yep, that one's going to be tough and Michigan will only have itself to blame.
3. No one is going to give him a chance...This one is also very much a reality. Think about it: Michigan Fan's have been abused in this process. So, whoever gets the nod, we are going to know what could have been - and we'll be pissed and who better to vent against than the guy that the Head Boob (DD, I might add) hired to be on the sideline...When it's the Head Boob's Head that we really want on the platter...Not the coach who's busting his hump trying to please the masses...
4. Is Michigan more like Florida, or are they more like Notre Dame? This goes into the "I know what you're thinking, but before you answer" category... Let's go back 6 years ago and look at what was happening. Florida was getting ready to can Zooky...They knew he was gone in September. He just didn't fit there and couldn't successfully replace Spurrier. Notre Dame was also considering dumping Bob Davie - and they knew it. Urban Mayer at Utah had a buyout clause for Notre Dame and Michigan in his contract....Notre Dame figures, "Well, I don't need to talk to this guy - he wants to come here!" So, when they fire Bob, they THEN pick up the phone and say "Hey, Urb, how about coaching the Domers?" Urban, hand over his mouth, with the other hand behind his back and his fingers crossed says he is committed to Utah and a week later goes to Florida...Florida had ALREADY CALLED AND MADE A QUIET DEAL with Urb before they canned Zooky. DomerLand hires and fires O-Leary in the same week and then finally settles on Losingham....Who is canned 3 years later and again the Domers don't have a guy lined up and they settle for the Weasel.....So, which are we more like? Well, from the cheap seats, we're starting to look a lot like the Domers...AND THAT, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE REALLY PISSES ME OFF!!!!! So the new guy will be stepping into a situation that he didn't create but will need to do a whole lot of winning right away to stay out of the 3 years and out scenario...
5. Who, after completely reviewing the facts, would take this Job now? This is probably the most interesting question. Bear with me while I ramble...Everyone who was thinking that Michigan was a dream job was probably thinking, like everyone else, that Miles was the Man. So, now that he's not, anyone who is considering it is probably making a list JUST LIKE THIS ONE and deciding does he want to put himself, his family, and everyone eles connected with him through the scrutiny that is going to come after accepting a job where you were the Fan's #2 candidate? That will be tough, and it's going to either take an EXTREMELY confident individual that knows he can come in and win immediately - and that's not going to be easy to find....Maybe Harbaugh, 'cause he doesn't care what anyone thinks....
6. He better have Michigan Ties. The Fans will go easier on a Michigan Man and give him more time...Anyone else will certainly be the target of pitchfork and axes type rallies for blood if he should go 0.500 in his first 6 or 8 games....We were ready to take Lloyd's head after an 0-2 start...Think a new guy could weather that storm any better? Especially if he wasn't Michigan Maize and Blue???
So, it's getting easier to see that The Boob will probably look towards an interim solution and let the program continue to slip into disparity rather than making the move he needed to make quickly and decisively....
MMQ
Here's a scenario: Once the Bumbling Boob (Come Sail Away With Me Bill Martin) finally does name a permanent or temporary head coach, is there any way the individual can survive?
What do I mean by that? Well let's look at what the "new" guy is going to be faced with:
1. Replacing Lloyd Carr. Yeah, we all know what we "think" now, but history will say that he won 75% of his games. First one he loses, we will all be talking about how Lloyd maintained the record at Michigan...
2. He won't be Les Miles. This one might, just might, be bigger and get more run than #1. If Les Miles continues to win down at LSU, I mean, he stays on top for 5 years or more, this will end up being the hardest thing for the new guy to live down....He will FOREVER BE IN THE MILES Shadow and Miles didn't even coach here....But we will believe that all the victories Les rolls up would have been Michigan victories...His record will FOREVER be compared to Miles. Yep, that one's going to be tough and Michigan will only have itself to blame.
3. No one is going to give him a chance...This one is also very much a reality. Think about it: Michigan Fan's have been abused in this process. So, whoever gets the nod, we are going to know what could have been - and we'll be pissed and who better to vent against than the guy that the Head Boob (DD, I might add) hired to be on the sideline...When it's the Head Boob's Head that we really want on the platter...Not the coach who's busting his hump trying to please the masses...
4. Is Michigan more like Florida, or are they more like Notre Dame? This goes into the "I know what you're thinking, but before you answer" category... Let's go back 6 years ago and look at what was happening. Florida was getting ready to can Zooky...They knew he was gone in September. He just didn't fit there and couldn't successfully replace Spurrier. Notre Dame was also considering dumping Bob Davie - and they knew it. Urban Mayer at Utah had a buyout clause for Notre Dame and Michigan in his contract....Notre Dame figures, "Well, I don't need to talk to this guy - he wants to come here!" So, when they fire Bob, they THEN pick up the phone and say "Hey, Urb, how about coaching the Domers?" Urban, hand over his mouth, with the other hand behind his back and his fingers crossed says he is committed to Utah and a week later goes to Florida...Florida had ALREADY CALLED AND MADE A QUIET DEAL with Urb before they canned Zooky. DomerLand hires and fires O-Leary in the same week and then finally settles on Losingham....Who is canned 3 years later and again the Domers don't have a guy lined up and they settle for the Weasel.....So, which are we more like? Well, from the cheap seats, we're starting to look a lot like the Domers...AND THAT, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE REALLY PISSES ME OFF!!!!! So the new guy will be stepping into a situation that he didn't create but will need to do a whole lot of winning right away to stay out of the 3 years and out scenario...
5. Who, after completely reviewing the facts, would take this Job now? This is probably the most interesting question. Bear with me while I ramble...Everyone who was thinking that Michigan was a dream job was probably thinking, like everyone else, that Miles was the Man. So, now that he's not, anyone who is considering it is probably making a list JUST LIKE THIS ONE and deciding does he want to put himself, his family, and everyone eles connected with him through the scrutiny that is going to come after accepting a job where you were the Fan's #2 candidate? That will be tough, and it's going to either take an EXTREMELY confident individual that knows he can come in and win immediately - and that's not going to be easy to find....Maybe Harbaugh, 'cause he doesn't care what anyone thinks....
6. He better have Michigan Ties. The Fans will go easier on a Michigan Man and give him more time...Anyone else will certainly be the target of pitchfork and axes type rallies for blood if he should go 0.500 in his first 6 or 8 games....We were ready to take Lloyd's head after an 0-2 start...Think a new guy could weather that storm any better? Especially if he wasn't Michigan Maize and Blue???
So, it's getting easier to see that The Boob will probably look towards an interim solution and let the program continue to slip into disparity rather than making the move he needed to make quickly and decisively....
MMQ
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Is Bill Martin an Idiot - Or Genius?
As I write this, Michigan still does not have a head coach.
Rumors, speculation, bungled PR, non-communication and accusations - that stuff, Michigan has - in abundance.
If you believe half of what is being written about what happened between last Friday afternoon and the Les Miles Press conference on Saturday, I am really starting to get concerned that the powers in charge of handling the most important hire of this University since Lloyd Carr are not able to figure out how to deal with press, media, agents, and don't know how simple communications work.
A rundown in case you haven't followed it:
LSU played hardball on Friday Night - Saturday Morning with Les Miles and threw a contract at him 3 different amounts, depending on when he accepted. Before, after the game, and after the game with a win, and after the game with a loss. Now, being a Michigan Man and a Man of his word, he had not spoken directly with anyone at Michigan. However, he did tell his agent to get Martin on the phone and find out what the status was and how interested Michigan was.
Here's the confounding part: Martin couldn't be reached. Gone Fishing - Or Sailing...Whatever. Down in Key Largo while events were unfolding that would forever brandish the University he represents...on vacation. Ho Humm......
I'm not going to sit here and say that Martin should have picked up the phone and said, "Yeah, were going to hire Les on the spot and we are going to match any offer LSU makes." On the contrary, I think they could have paid Les a little less than what LSU was offering because they were offering Michigan. All Martin had to do was say to the agent, "Per my discussion with the AD at LSU, I have asked for permission to speak to Les after the game and Michigan's interest in Les has not changed."
How hard would that have been? A non-committal statement that would have at least told Les - Yes, we want to talk to you, but we are keeping our word and promise to the AD. Les' agent could have explained the situation with LSU to Martin, how aggressively they were trying to get Les to agree to a deal before the game with huge incentives and Martin could have simply said, "That's a decision that Les needs to make or address with LSU - I won't go back on my word to the AD at LSU." And then, Bill Martin, could address the press and state that he was available to discuss with Les per the AD's request, after the game. And then, Les would have made his decision at least armed with information that Michigan was still interested.
That, in my humble MMQ opinion, would have been a WHOLE HELLUVA LOT BETTER than being a man that who is supposed to be at the forefront of the most important coaching search in the country and would have at least shown that Michigan was aware of the situation. Instead, the University of Michigan looks like a bunch of bumbling idiots that don't know how to answer a cell phone...
I am not saying Les was the guy. I am still wondering about that...But I can't argue with his track record, 500 former players and associates saying he's the man, and the fact that he was a Michigan Man- they are all hard to ignore....And it's also worth speculating that LSU was not, I repeat, NOT going to let Les go no matter what....They may have decided that with Pellini going to Nebraska and with so many other open positions that they didn't want to hop on the Merry Go Round this year and said, "You know what? He's our guy...Who else could be possibly get?"
But, that still doesn't explain Martin's actions....He is supposed to be a great businessman...well, in business, you can say one thing and honor it, but do everything within the letter of the law that gets information passed back and forth...
I read somewhere that Les refused to "Dance for Lloyd" and kneel down and kiss the Championship Ring...Honestly, from what we know about him - that doesn't sound like Lloyd...It just doesn't pass the MMQ sniff test again...Lloyd is all about redemption, second chances, and facing adversity....No, this one has someone else's fingerprints all over it...And if it's NOT Bill Martin, than who???
Is he being manipulated by Mary Sue Coleman, that wants her boy Ferentz from Iowa to come to Michigan? If that's the case, and it could very well be, because she has been awfully quiet throughout this ordeal...Maybe she is letting Martin twist in the wind and it's all on him anyway should Ferentz come in and fail, he will be the guy that DIDN'T get Miles...
Or is Bill Martin just a babbling buffoon that decided to go down to the Key Largo Coral Reef Yacht Club Classic Regatta Weekend and leave his blackberry, cell phone, computer, and somehow managed to not even turn on ESPN on Saturday morning and think, "Gee, this is the guy I really want and they are saying things about him and Michigan...I wonder what's going on - maybe I should call into the office.." Frankly, Beeline hasn't produced, to date anyway, results that make me feel very confident in that hire...I'm sorry, but in case you haven't heard, Michigan Men's Basketball lost to HARVARD - and 1st year coach Tommy Amaker...Yeah, irony....
Either way, I am a concerned fan that is beginning to get VERY concerned over how this whole thing is unfolding...Whatever the outcome, I won't feel confident that Michigan "Got their Man", I will feel like we finally got someone that is as inept at public relations, background manuevering and manipulation as Martin is...Or maybe as inept as Mary Sue is making him out to be....
Rumors, speculation, bungled PR, non-communication and accusations - that stuff, Michigan has - in abundance.
If you believe half of what is being written about what happened between last Friday afternoon and the Les Miles Press conference on Saturday, I am really starting to get concerned that the powers in charge of handling the most important hire of this University since Lloyd Carr are not able to figure out how to deal with press, media, agents, and don't know how simple communications work.
A rundown in case you haven't followed it:
LSU played hardball on Friday Night - Saturday Morning with Les Miles and threw a contract at him 3 different amounts, depending on when he accepted. Before, after the game, and after the game with a win, and after the game with a loss. Now, being a Michigan Man and a Man of his word, he had not spoken directly with anyone at Michigan. However, he did tell his agent to get Martin on the phone and find out what the status was and how interested Michigan was.
Here's the confounding part: Martin couldn't be reached. Gone Fishing - Or Sailing...Whatever. Down in Key Largo while events were unfolding that would forever brandish the University he represents...on vacation. Ho Humm......
I'm not going to sit here and say that Martin should have picked up the phone and said, "Yeah, were going to hire Les on the spot and we are going to match any offer LSU makes." On the contrary, I think they could have paid Les a little less than what LSU was offering because they were offering Michigan. All Martin had to do was say to the agent, "Per my discussion with the AD at LSU, I have asked for permission to speak to Les after the game and Michigan's interest in Les has not changed."
How hard would that have been? A non-committal statement that would have at least told Les - Yes, we want to talk to you, but we are keeping our word and promise to the AD. Les' agent could have explained the situation with LSU to Martin, how aggressively they were trying to get Les to agree to a deal before the game with huge incentives and Martin could have simply said, "That's a decision that Les needs to make or address with LSU - I won't go back on my word to the AD at LSU." And then, Bill Martin, could address the press and state that he was available to discuss with Les per the AD's request, after the game. And then, Les would have made his decision at least armed with information that Michigan was still interested.
That, in my humble MMQ opinion, would have been a WHOLE HELLUVA LOT BETTER than being a man that who is supposed to be at the forefront of the most important coaching search in the country and would have at least shown that Michigan was aware of the situation. Instead, the University of Michigan looks like a bunch of bumbling idiots that don't know how to answer a cell phone...
I am not saying Les was the guy. I am still wondering about that...But I can't argue with his track record, 500 former players and associates saying he's the man, and the fact that he was a Michigan Man- they are all hard to ignore....And it's also worth speculating that LSU was not, I repeat, NOT going to let Les go no matter what....They may have decided that with Pellini going to Nebraska and with so many other open positions that they didn't want to hop on the Merry Go Round this year and said, "You know what? He's our guy...Who else could be possibly get?"
But, that still doesn't explain Martin's actions....He is supposed to be a great businessman...well, in business, you can say one thing and honor it, but do everything within the letter of the law that gets information passed back and forth...
I read somewhere that Les refused to "Dance for Lloyd" and kneel down and kiss the Championship Ring...Honestly, from what we know about him - that doesn't sound like Lloyd...It just doesn't pass the MMQ sniff test again...Lloyd is all about redemption, second chances, and facing adversity....No, this one has someone else's fingerprints all over it...And if it's NOT Bill Martin, than who???
Is he being manipulated by Mary Sue Coleman, that wants her boy Ferentz from Iowa to come to Michigan? If that's the case, and it could very well be, because she has been awfully quiet throughout this ordeal...Maybe she is letting Martin twist in the wind and it's all on him anyway should Ferentz come in and fail, he will be the guy that DIDN'T get Miles...
Or is Bill Martin just a babbling buffoon that decided to go down to the Key Largo Coral Reef Yacht Club Classic Regatta Weekend and leave his blackberry, cell phone, computer, and somehow managed to not even turn on ESPN on Saturday morning and think, "Gee, this is the guy I really want and they are saying things about him and Michigan...I wonder what's going on - maybe I should call into the office.." Frankly, Beeline hasn't produced, to date anyway, results that make me feel very confident in that hire...I'm sorry, but in case you haven't heard, Michigan Men's Basketball lost to HARVARD - and 1st year coach Tommy Amaker...Yeah, irony....
Either way, I am a concerned fan that is beginning to get VERY concerned over how this whole thing is unfolding...Whatever the outcome, I won't feel confident that Michigan "Got their Man", I will feel like we finally got someone that is as inept at public relations, background manuevering and manipulation as Martin is...Or maybe as inept as Mary Sue is making him out to be....
Monday, December 3, 2007
How Many Disasters Can You Have in 1 Season?
I really didn't know how to title this week's issue....but what I finally put there seems fitting...
If you were going to list them all, it would be an issue on it's own, but a shorter version would be:
1. Michigan - App State...This was the hole in the dike...
2. Stanford - USC - Monumental - USC isn't in the Championship game due to it...
3. Unprecedented number of #2 teams losing (7 out of 9 weeks)
4. Unprecedented number of #1 teams losing....
5. Pittsburgh v. West Virgina -
6. Coaching Carousel....
7. Les Miles Debacle...
8. And so on...
This Weekend:
Mountain Boys vs. the Pitt Panthers: Normally, I wouldn't even write this game up...I, wrongly, assumed that as bad as Pitt was and due to how well WVU was playing - they had put 50+ on a very good U-Conn team the week earlier, that they would win this game walking away. This was a choke of epic proportions...Everything on the line and you lost it to your rival that was having a 4-7 year...To say that this is the worst of all the events is probably an understatement, as WVU probably will never be as close to the BCS titl game as they just were...It's too bad, but in a way, I am GLAD the Big East won't be there...It wouldn't have been right.
LATERS vs. MIZZOU: Well, I told you that Stupor would find a way to win this game, I just didn't realize how convincing it would be...And Mizzou has paid the price, getting knocked out of the BCS for a 1 loss Kansas team. That, in my humble opinion, is a load of garbage. If I am a coach in a BCS conference with a playoff, and I am pushing for a rule that says if you are in the title game, you are automatically your conferences 2nd option for a BCS berth - See Pinkell and Fullmer....More on that in a minute..
LMU vs. Cremesicles: UT kept it close and if it hadn't been for a couple of Ainge brain farts late in the game, this outcome may have been different, given LMU's track record in OT games...
The Les Miles Debacle
Now, I wrote last Friday, based on some information I had seen on some other, more reliable blogs that Les Miles was probably going to be the Michigan Coach...I have learned that until the situation is actually final, in other words, he is standing on the sideline wearing Maize and Blue, that nothing is 100%. However, Saturday morning seemed to confirm the earlier indication that Les was "locked up". In case you missed it, Kirk Herbstreit, A SUCKEYE, reported from internal sources at Michigan that Les was all but signed to a contract and he was bringing a Defensive Coach from Georgia Tech with him to Michigan. While I was willing to believe it, I was a little concerned about the timing and the whole thing didn't pass the MMQ "sniff test".
1. Why let it leak Saturday Morning? What point was someone in the Michigan camp trying to make? And if it's going to leak, why not through Desmond Howard, also on Game Day and HE IS PART OF THE SEARCH COMMITTEE FOR THE NEXT COACH? Unless Howard asked Herbie to leak it, which if he did, he's a moron - OR - he did it as a "favor" to someone else....(Lloyd Carr????)
2. Why would Les, if he is a man of his word, spoken at all to Michigan? That I believe, at least right now, didn't happen. Les himself never spoke to Michigan....
3. Why would a Michigan insider want to hinkey the deal, unless that's exactly what they WANTED to happen...knowing that Les would go off....
My take on this: The money Michigan was willing to put on the table leaked out. Bill Martin is no idiot, and he wanted to make sure there was a deal in place before the perfunctory interview took place. There were some 2nd and 3rd party phone calls, and Les' agent probably said, "That amount will work." His agent then went to LSU and said, "Look, we have a deal with Michigan and Les is going. What do you want to do?"
The Following is FACT (In case you haven't heard or read it): On Friday night - Early Saturday Morning, LSU hammered out a contract that paid Les different amoungs for three different scenarios:
1. If he accepted the contract before the game
2. If he accepted after the game and LMU won
3. If he accpeted after the game and LMU lost...
My guess is there was a $1 Million dollar sliding window in those 3 offers...That's just how the SEC does things...Now, Les probably couldn't walk away from offer number 1. It was probably just too sweet, and when it all comes out, we will probably say, yeah, he did the right thing...But, according the the Coach himself, this was never about money...Or was it?
And maybe someone wiser in the Michigan Camp knew we were getting used..hence the leak. Let's say Lloyd, trying to test the subject, may have called Herbie and said - "Kirk, we have a deal with Les. It's all but done. You can go ahead and report that on Game Day." Lloyd would get the opportunity to see how the new guy would perform under pressure and the "punch in the stomach" and see if he was really the right man for the job, especially when LSU came with their gold....
So, maybe Michigan knew that this was the only way to get out of the Les deal and do it somewhat gracefully - yet it still looks bad - without having to explain their actions to all the fans...
The Detroit Spin Doctors are already trying to say that Les was a jerk for his news conference on Saturday, he wasn't the right guy for Michigan, etc...Right now, I am torn. I would have liked to see someone with that kind of fire come in here and see what could happen...But clearly, Les more or less "used" Michigan to get himself Satan Money - and that's it at the end of the day. Les can try to spin it any way he wants - if I could be in two places at once, I really hate making the decision I made, etc....But at the end of the day, the Maize and Blue got used...Plain and Simple.
I don't know, but there is probably a lot more on this story still to come. I love to put the pieces of something like this together in the aftermath and figure out who was thinking what and when...But my guess is that each side got exactly what they wanted, even though each side is looking embarrassed and upset after the outcome....
So, Who's Left?
Ferentz - OUT
Miles - OUT
Kelly - OUT (He is also someone, and I don't know how, that pissed off Michigan, so forget about this one....)
Schiano - I still say this guy wants the PSU job
Tedford - (California) - Do I really want a guy that lost the last 6 games of the regular season, including one to Stanford?
Grobe - (Wake Forest) - I just don't know much about this guy...
Pinkell - Mizzou -His named surfaced, but how does Michigan think it can get anyone that is on top of their program right now to leave? Have they checked the Ego's of Division 1 coaches lately?
The Bowls (Not all of them, just the relevant ones....)
For a list of all, the Bowls, click here.
Capital One: MICHIGAN vs. GATORLAND....Well, here we are..... Michigan will meet it's evil nemesis from the South...And Lloyd will get a chance to shut up Urban Oscar Mayer Whiner Legend once and for all...This game has a TON of intrigue nationally, not only if you are a reader of the MMQ...(If Michigan STILL doesn't have a head coach, my guess is Lloyd interviews Urban at halftime)
BCS Championship: LSU vs. OSU - Satisfied? Me either....A week ago I was looking at the Mizzou Tigers vs. West Virginia...Now, the Suckeyes, who haven't played since November 17th, slide sideways into this game along with another sideways team, LMU..The Michigan Man that isn't vs. the Vest..I hope they remember the 41-14 thing because it might be a repeat.....Interesting game, but the whole BCS thing sucks...I don't know who the two best teams are, but one of them might be playing in...
The Rose Bowl: USC vs. Illinois I like USC here...Zook is going to find out exactly how hard it is to win out there...but if he can pull if off, great!!
Fiesta Bowl: LATERS vs. West Virginia: Can the Moutain Men Rebound...I doubt it...The largest point spread of any of the BCS games...
Orange Bowl: HOKIES vs. Kansas - Hokie Nation, consider this a gift....You wouldn't have wanted to play Mizzou, but I really can't figure out how Mizzou got bumped out of this game for Kansas...
Sugar: Gergia vs. Hawaii - The Rainbows almost lost Saturday, and that would have been fitting...Instead, we have another evening where we can all go to bed early and get some sleep...
Outback: Cheeseheads vs. Cremesicles - Wisconsin is gonna have their hands full with the Cremesicles...
Chick-fil-a: Tommy vs. Tommy: Twotone vs. Bowden's Boy....Should be a good game - look out for Clemson here. Auburn will be pissed they didn't get a better bid...
Independence: Crimson Satan vs. Colorado - Satan could lose his bowl game, too....
Champ Sports: SPARTY vs. BC - Hey Sparty! You made it to Florida! I know you were dreading having to make that drive to Ford Field...but things are looking up when you make the sunshine state in the Big 10...I even like your draw. You can beat BC....
Cotton: Mizzou vs. Arkansas...so, get this...By only losing twice to the same team that is better than their ranking (Oklahoma) the Mizzou Tigers get to play in the coldest Bowl Game on New Year's day in Dallas...If I am Mizzou fan, I am pissed...and rightly so...I should be eating Oranges not Cow Pies....
Coaching Carousel
Pellini in at Nebraska...Maybe he can restore the Pride...
Dorrel (UCLA) - Gone.....
So, that's it for this week....Next week, maybe Michigan has a new head coach to talk about...
MMQ
If you were going to list them all, it would be an issue on it's own, but a shorter version would be:
1. Michigan - App State...This was the hole in the dike...
2. Stanford - USC - Monumental - USC isn't in the Championship game due to it...
3. Unprecedented number of #2 teams losing (7 out of 9 weeks)
4. Unprecedented number of #1 teams losing....
5. Pittsburgh v. West Virgina -
6. Coaching Carousel....
7. Les Miles Debacle...
8. And so on...
This Weekend:
Mountain Boys vs. the Pitt Panthers: Normally, I wouldn't even write this game up...I, wrongly, assumed that as bad as Pitt was and due to how well WVU was playing - they had put 50+ on a very good U-Conn team the week earlier, that they would win this game walking away. This was a choke of epic proportions...Everything on the line and you lost it to your rival that was having a 4-7 year...To say that this is the worst of all the events is probably an understatement, as WVU probably will never be as close to the BCS titl game as they just were...It's too bad, but in a way, I am GLAD the Big East won't be there...It wouldn't have been right.
LATERS vs. MIZZOU: Well, I told you that Stupor would find a way to win this game, I just didn't realize how convincing it would be...And Mizzou has paid the price, getting knocked out of the BCS for a 1 loss Kansas team. That, in my humble opinion, is a load of garbage. If I am a coach in a BCS conference with a playoff, and I am pushing for a rule that says if you are in the title game, you are automatically your conferences 2nd option for a BCS berth - See Pinkell and Fullmer....More on that in a minute..
LMU vs. Cremesicles: UT kept it close and if it hadn't been for a couple of Ainge brain farts late in the game, this outcome may have been different, given LMU's track record in OT games...
The Les Miles Debacle
Now, I wrote last Friday, based on some information I had seen on some other, more reliable blogs that Les Miles was probably going to be the Michigan Coach...I have learned that until the situation is actually final, in other words, he is standing on the sideline wearing Maize and Blue, that nothing is 100%. However, Saturday morning seemed to confirm the earlier indication that Les was "locked up". In case you missed it, Kirk Herbstreit, A SUCKEYE, reported from internal sources at Michigan that Les was all but signed to a contract and he was bringing a Defensive Coach from Georgia Tech with him to Michigan. While I was willing to believe it, I was a little concerned about the timing and the whole thing didn't pass the MMQ "sniff test".
1. Why let it leak Saturday Morning? What point was someone in the Michigan camp trying to make? And if it's going to leak, why not through Desmond Howard, also on Game Day and HE IS PART OF THE SEARCH COMMITTEE FOR THE NEXT COACH? Unless Howard asked Herbie to leak it, which if he did, he's a moron - OR - he did it as a "favor" to someone else....(Lloyd Carr????)
2. Why would Les, if he is a man of his word, spoken at all to Michigan? That I believe, at least right now, didn't happen. Les himself never spoke to Michigan....
3. Why would a Michigan insider want to hinkey the deal, unless that's exactly what they WANTED to happen...knowing that Les would go off....
My take on this: The money Michigan was willing to put on the table leaked out. Bill Martin is no idiot, and he wanted to make sure there was a deal in place before the perfunctory interview took place. There were some 2nd and 3rd party phone calls, and Les' agent probably said, "That amount will work." His agent then went to LSU and said, "Look, we have a deal with Michigan and Les is going. What do you want to do?"
The Following is FACT (In case you haven't heard or read it): On Friday night - Early Saturday Morning, LSU hammered out a contract that paid Les different amoungs for three different scenarios:
1. If he accepted the contract before the game
2. If he accepted after the game and LMU won
3. If he accpeted after the game and LMU lost...
My guess is there was a $1 Million dollar sliding window in those 3 offers...That's just how the SEC does things...Now, Les probably couldn't walk away from offer number 1. It was probably just too sweet, and when it all comes out, we will probably say, yeah, he did the right thing...But, according the the Coach himself, this was never about money...Or was it?
And maybe someone wiser in the Michigan Camp knew we were getting used..hence the leak. Let's say Lloyd, trying to test the subject, may have called Herbie and said - "Kirk, we have a deal with Les. It's all but done. You can go ahead and report that on Game Day." Lloyd would get the opportunity to see how the new guy would perform under pressure and the "punch in the stomach" and see if he was really the right man for the job, especially when LSU came with their gold....
So, maybe Michigan knew that this was the only way to get out of the Les deal and do it somewhat gracefully - yet it still looks bad - without having to explain their actions to all the fans...
The Detroit Spin Doctors are already trying to say that Les was a jerk for his news conference on Saturday, he wasn't the right guy for Michigan, etc...Right now, I am torn. I would have liked to see someone with that kind of fire come in here and see what could happen...But clearly, Les more or less "used" Michigan to get himself Satan Money - and that's it at the end of the day. Les can try to spin it any way he wants - if I could be in two places at once, I really hate making the decision I made, etc....But at the end of the day, the Maize and Blue got used...Plain and Simple.
I don't know, but there is probably a lot more on this story still to come. I love to put the pieces of something like this together in the aftermath and figure out who was thinking what and when...But my guess is that each side got exactly what they wanted, even though each side is looking embarrassed and upset after the outcome....
So, Who's Left?
Ferentz - OUT
Miles - OUT
Kelly - OUT (He is also someone, and I don't know how, that pissed off Michigan, so forget about this one....)
Schiano - I still say this guy wants the PSU job
Tedford - (California) - Do I really want a guy that lost the last 6 games of the regular season, including one to Stanford?
Grobe - (Wake Forest) - I just don't know much about this guy...
Pinkell - Mizzou -His named surfaced, but how does Michigan think it can get anyone that is on top of their program right now to leave? Have they checked the Ego's of Division 1 coaches lately?
The Bowls (Not all of them, just the relevant ones....)
For a list of all, the Bowls, click here.
Capital One: MICHIGAN vs. GATORLAND....Well, here we are..... Michigan will meet it's evil nemesis from the South...And Lloyd will get a chance to shut up Urban Oscar Mayer Whiner Legend once and for all...This game has a TON of intrigue nationally, not only if you are a reader of the MMQ...(If Michigan STILL doesn't have a head coach, my guess is Lloyd interviews Urban at halftime)
BCS Championship: LSU vs. OSU - Satisfied? Me either....A week ago I was looking at the Mizzou Tigers vs. West Virginia...Now, the Suckeyes, who haven't played since November 17th, slide sideways into this game along with another sideways team, LMU..The Michigan Man that isn't vs. the Vest..I hope they remember the 41-14 thing because it might be a repeat.....Interesting game, but the whole BCS thing sucks...I don't know who the two best teams are, but one of them might be playing in...
The Rose Bowl: USC vs. Illinois I like USC here...Zook is going to find out exactly how hard it is to win out there...but if he can pull if off, great!!
Fiesta Bowl: LATERS vs. West Virginia: Can the Moutain Men Rebound...I doubt it...The largest point spread of any of the BCS games...
Orange Bowl: HOKIES vs. Kansas - Hokie Nation, consider this a gift....You wouldn't have wanted to play Mizzou, but I really can't figure out how Mizzou got bumped out of this game for Kansas...
Sugar: Gergia vs. Hawaii - The Rainbows almost lost Saturday, and that would have been fitting...Instead, we have another evening where we can all go to bed early and get some sleep...
Outback: Cheeseheads vs. Cremesicles - Wisconsin is gonna have their hands full with the Cremesicles...
Chick-fil-a: Tommy vs. Tommy: Twotone vs. Bowden's Boy....Should be a good game - look out for Clemson here. Auburn will be pissed they didn't get a better bid...
Independence: Crimson Satan vs. Colorado - Satan could lose his bowl game, too....
Champ Sports: SPARTY vs. BC - Hey Sparty! You made it to Florida! I know you were dreading having to make that drive to Ford Field...but things are looking up when you make the sunshine state in the Big 10...I even like your draw. You can beat BC....
Cotton: Mizzou vs. Arkansas...so, get this...By only losing twice to the same team that is better than their ranking (Oklahoma) the Mizzou Tigers get to play in the coldest Bowl Game on New Year's day in Dallas...If I am Mizzou fan, I am pissed...and rightly so...I should be eating Oranges not Cow Pies....
Coaching Carousel
Pellini in at Nebraska...Maybe he can restore the Pride...
Dorrel (UCLA) - Gone.....
So, that's it for this week....Next week, maybe Michigan has a new head coach to talk about...
MMQ