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So, some players that went 3-9 last year are complaining that they practice too much....Hmm..I initially thought the opposite was true and maybe they weren't practicing ENOUGH, but let's put things in perspective:
As a student manager with first hand experience I can tell you that what constitutes "Practice Time" is what is recorded after everyone is on the field, captains warmed up the team and the Coaches would show up and you were technically "practicing".
Once practice was over, coaches left - and there was a WHISTLE and HORN so the coaches knew when they had to end practice. HOWEVER, as a student manager, you continued to work with your unit if they stayed after to get something right. And with QB's and receivers, the term you're looking for here is "often", as in, "they often stayed after to work on the route, timing, etc." and the student managers would stay with them. Then, you might get asked by the coach, in my case, receivers coach Moeller, how they looked, etc. Not that anything I said made a lick of difference in the grand scheme of things. As a student manager, I was there from 2:30-3:00 ish until 7:00-7:30. Players were there from 3:30 to 6:00 and TT (Training Table) was 6:30. Study Table immediately followed. If you needed additional trainers time for injuries, etc, you could head back down to the facility and get treatment. But usually only after your tutor released you.
All that being said, players were also encouraged to hit the weight room and run on their own. This was not part of practice time, but was highly encouraged if you wanted to play and beat out the guy in front of you. Or you wanted to keep your starting spot, etc.
Student managers rotated a 5:30 to 7:30 A.M. weight room rotation (weekly) to set out towels and clean the room up during pre-class lift sessions - all of which are VOLUNTARY and you didn't have to attend.
Is the Rish Rod Regimen that much more difficult and different? Not by what I saw, but you can review and decide for yourself by
clicking here.
However, I am willing to let Michigan and the NCAA investigate this and see what comes of it.
OTOH (on the other hand)
Wouldn't this be a great foundation to get rid of the Rod - violation of NCAA rules - and not have to pay his contract or buy him out? What, dear readers, you ask, is going on behind the scenes?
My guess is the Rod has really pissed somebody off at this point. And he's pissed off somebody that is probably pretty hard to piss off. And that individual in turn has started to create a history of rules abuse in the event that the Rod has another sub par (bowl less) season and needs to be rememdied in the future. Wouldn't it be great if you could cite a contract violation by the Rod and kick him out - no buy out, no future payments and that in turn would give you the freedom to bring in whoever?
Oh, the tangled web of intrigue that could be at work here, my dear conspiracy theorists...In addition to that, what if we find that some of the team at some point were "missing classes", "attending social functions outside of school related activities", or "are involved in campus melees" and are otherwise unbecoming student athletes? Think that might all be fodder for the machine to can the Rod?
You betcha'.
MO (My Opinion)
Anyone that plays D-1 Football and wants to win and be a Champion at that level had better come in with the understanding that a lot is going to be expected of you as an individual in addition to what you contribute to the team. In addition, anyone that comes to an organzation like Michigan has higher aspirations then finishing their career at that level. Meaning, they want to get to Sunday. Plain and simple.
In order to achieve those goals, it's going to take a WHOLE LOT MORE than 20 hours per week. And my guess is anyone that has won a National Title or is in the NFL is going to tell you that.
Why on earth the FREEP editors - the midget (Albom) included in that comment, thinks otherwise is naive and for the most part, ignorant of what college football has become. Therefore, while I am not dismissing what they uncovered, I question why they think it's Sunday Front Page Material a week before kick-off.
So, Mark and Mike found some malcontents that were unhappy with how much time they had to put in...I would ask these two (M&M) to find out "EXACTLY" how much time other players at major division 1 schools are putting in and compare the two vs. what is reported to the NCAA. So, if you ask me what I "think" about these allegations, I "think" the FREEP is trying to sell newspapers and get some national attention. I think any other local newspapers at any other big time schools probably wouldn't have to dig to far to find some of the same allegations.
What's it all mean? My guess is this becomes a "major" non-issue or Michigan is found to be in some minor violation with respect to stregth and conditioning. Whether or not there will be sanctions, reduction in scholarships, etc, remains to be seen.
In a way, as much as I have disliked the Rod for his on field performance and seeming ignorance of Michigan Traditions, I find myself strangely in his camp 100% on this one. Discipline and hard work are what make Champions. Whether it's directed by someone else or self directed remains a question, but any individual that has won something or found it within themselves to over achieve has CERTAINLY HAD OUTSIDE HELP, meaning, a great coach along the way helping them, supporting them, but also forcing them to TEST THEIR OWN PHYSICAL AND MENTAL limits. And that is not always an easy test. It's easy for the individual to quit. It's a lot harder when the coach is standing there or the team is standing there with you.
No, I think Rod deserves our utmost support on this. No one ever said it was going to be easy.
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