Well, I would like to say that after LSU's blistering defeat of OSU in the National Title Game, the season has come to a close...As messy and quirky as it was, it would be nice to let 2007 go and bring on the New Regime with a Fresh Start in 2008.
LSU - OSU: If you stayed up for the entire game, some things were fairly obvious. Tressel is NOT a Big Game Coach. I am still trying to figure out how he managed to beat Miami in 2001. My thoughts at this point are that Miami just wasn't that good, either. But my memory gets worse every year. One thing I noticed during this game was that as much as they tried, OSU simply wasn't able to adjust. LSU just kept coming after the Suckeyes, and the Suckeyes let 'em come. It was a game that was eerily similar to last year for the Suckeyes, scoring and taking an early lead only to watch as another SEC team took them to task. Now, I am not saying Michigan would have fared any better, but I do believe, that the team we watched on New Year's day play Florida in the Citrus Bowl would have beat OSU handily and may have been in a lot closer game against LSU...Dare I say, in fact, that our offense may have found some weaknesses in the LSU defense and exploited them, similar to what we did to Florida? Anyway, you have to beat the App States, Oregons, Wisconsins, and OSU's of the world to have a shot at the title....
So, why the late post? Because I have been so intrigued with Rodrigues and Michigan Football in the news on an almost daily basis. And I am not talking about local Detroit news. I am talking about ESPN first 15 minutes-half hour lead story type news. Let's run this down in case you haven't been keeping track.
Michigan Players Leave
First, Michigan loses Manningham, Arrington, and in what I think may be a blessing in disguise, Mallet. The first two hurt. I always hate to see receivers leave. I don't know why. I miss them more than I miss the running backs, Quarterbacks, o-line guys....I do miss Defensive stars, also...but receivers are different. I guess it has something to do with the fact that I can always remember some big play they made to beat somebody and when we're losing to that opponent, I remember back and think, "If we only had Braylon out there right now...." My comments to them are go forward and enjoy your Sundays. Thanks for everything you did for us and all the memories.
As far as Mallet goes, I am starting to think, "Good Riddance." Any moron who was at Michigan and got a new coach that was willing to come in and work with him in this offense, but decides instead to transfer to Arkansas with a new coach and an unknown system is
A. Not Too Bright
B. Listening to the wrong People
C. Has questionable decision making skills
D. Was never someone I wanted as a QB in the first place
E. All of the above.
The correct answer, in my opinion, is E. Mallet would have been a head case under Rich Rod and probably would have floundered in the Spread Option system. So, don't look at Mallet leaving, given the new coaching staff, as a great loss. I think we avoided another run of John Navarre like years. I could be wrong. The kid could go down to Arkansa and light up the SEC in 2009...But my guess is he gets lost in the shuffle down there. Time will tell.
Terelle Pryror
When, if ever, did Michigan care so much about a recruit that has NEVER played a down of Collegiate Football? I can't remember a time of seeing a high school kids name in the paper more than I have seen this kids. Maybe Henson's name was out there a bunch, again, my memory fades as I get older. But really. I expect this kid to ride the pine for a year, unless he can come in like Henne and show me that he has the talent to play. Let's maintain some semblance of Michigan here, people. We know that the latest flash in high school can sometimes come to Michigan and get eaten alive by the big show....
On to the Rich Rod Saga.
So far, the WVU elite and not so elite has accused Rodrigues of (in no particular order):
1. Shredding Top Secret, National Championship formula documents that included all of his "illegal" NCCA violations that were committed while at WVU.
2. Making "illegal" phone calls from his WVU cell phone to potential Michigan recruits after he quit WVU.
3. Making 112 calls to one specific number in Pennsylvania. (Turns out this was his message service.)
4. Not making good on the $4 million buy out that was in his contract.
5. Telling his WVU players via an assistant coach that he was leaving for Michigan.
6. Countless other crimes against humanity.....
Now, I could address these charges 1 by 1, and determine whether or not they are newsworthy at all. However, the news agencies have determined that they are becuase WVU officials are seeing to it and telling the news agencies that they are "Big ISSUES".
Look, I think we all know how we would feel, and by "we" I mean Michigan Fans, If Lloyd Carr at the end of last year after the Rose Bowl announced that instead of retiring, he was leaving to coach at, for lack of a better example, USC. We would have at first been shocked, then angry, then we would have talked about it on talk radio, on blogs, and in e-mail incessantly until there wasn't anything left to say, unless the University threw something new out there to talk about. "Lloyd Carr and Michigan Playbook Covers disappear on same weekend. Conincidence?" Or, "Lloyd made suspicious phone calls at his desk."
We would all be hopping mad, and spewing venom every time we saw him wearing the Maroon and Gold Colors on some news conference - which would be quite often, given the shock factor of Lloyd leaving for another Univeristy. So, I give the WVU people some slack...But come on, enough is enough already. It's been a month. You have a new coach. He won a big Bowl Game for you. Let it go, people....Let it go. OR start turning that venom towards the AD and the President of WVU who didn't do a better job of trying to keep Rich Rod from leaving.
That being said, it makes me wonder if Michigan is a permanent part of this rotating coaching show that takes place every December as part of the Collegiate Football Experience. I mean, Rich Rod left his alma mater for more money. Now there are schools in the SEC that now know that he will leave for a better offer. Don't think for a minute that some school like Tennessee or Kentucky wouldn't come after Rich Rod with another $1 million and tell him how great it would be to coach in the SEC....It's warm, nice climate, better athletes...We all know the drill and rhetoric by heart. And my guess is that South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee will all be looking for coachese in 1 to 3 years. Don't think they won't hesitate to make a phone call to Rich Rod if he hasn't won here or even if he has won here...They won't care and neither will he...If the opportunity looks better, than you can believe that he will look at it...And we'll be saying all the same stuff about him that WVU is saying now.
So, keep the headlines and info handy....We might need it some day. But, only for 1 month. That's the limit on how long you get to bitch about someone leaving your school. Then it's time to get behind the new guy.
Newer readers to this post: Usually, between January and July, things are pretty slow. Last year, I did a write up on the NCAA tournament at the end, and I may give you my usualy satirish take on the results this year. But I hope to remain silent until that first pre-season issue of whatever rag comes out and has the pre-season rankings in it...That's when we'll get it going again. So, until then:
Adieu. (That's for the Cajun fans of LSU out there....)
The MMQ
Monday, January 21, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
LSU - OSU: Arsenic or Cyanide?
The National Title Game
Here we are. It's the end of what can only be described as a "head scratching" season. Upsets were not the unusual - they were the norm. Was there any game this season that included a top 5 team where you didn't think, "Yeah, the underdog has a real shot in that game." I am not talking about just a wouldn't it be nice thought....No, these were more like "the favorite better look out because the dogs are coming home."
It's frustrating that the NFL playoffs have started and I am still going to be watching college football. Traditionally, my college hat is usually put away for the Pros at this time of year and I can get into the build-up to the Super Bowl. But it's Janauary 7th, the Christmas decorations are put away, and I am going to turn on a college football game tonight....No, something just isn't right.
If we're going to be stuck with the BCS, please turn back the clock to pre-2000 and at least let me gorge myself on football on January 1. Wednesday and Thursday were good games, but couldn't we mix those in with what we had on the 1st? Speaking of which, I would be remiss if I didn't get my Hokie and Later digs in here:
HOKIES vs. Kansas: Hokie fan, you must know how it feels to lose the last game of the season quite regularly right now. You clowns really let me down in my Bowl Pool...No longer am I a Hokie believer. You're frauds until you prove otherwise. What's your record in the last game? Without looking it up, I can't think of one you have won in the last 5 tries...I know Georgia spanked you and Auburn had a piece of you, also. What's the deal with the ACC, anyway? I don't see you guys winning a lot of bowl games, and if Sparty had not given BC the game, well, it would have looked really bad for your conference....
WVU vs. Oklahoma: IF Bob Stoops isn't campaigning to get the Big 12 out of the Fiesta Bowl alliance, he's insane. Is there anyplace - stadium - on earth that Oklahoma would rather NOT play in than in Tempe, Arizona? To say they have had some bad games there would be an understatement. Stoops and Oklahoma have not fared well at all post season since the injustice game with Jason White and the loss in the title game to KSU. It just goes to show that there is Karma and USC should have been in that National Title game against LSU in 2004.
Which brings us to tonight. OSU vs. LSU
Arsenic or Cyanide?
Personally, I literally needed to write down the pros and cons of this game to get a feel for who I wanted to win. Ideally, I want this game to last forever in an infinite tie, but that won't happen, so we need to figure out who we should root for.
LSU
Pros: I like Les Miles. How can a Michigan Fan not like him? Regardless of some of the things he's said and done, I believe he is a great coach in the mold of Schembechler and he will historically have an important place in the collegiate game. I would rather see Les win than the "Vest" take another title. Les deserves it and he will always root for Michigan, so I have to be loyal to him.
Cons: The SEC wins another title. This grinds me to the core, but I can't let my hate for the SEC overide my like for Miles. So, even though he coaches in THAT conference, I believe he deserves the win, even though it further supports the SEC supremacy argument. This is the only really bad con I can come up with...With the exception that the coach that could have been Michigan's next head man will have won a national title and we missed on the opportunity to hire him because of it.
OSU
Pros: They are the Big Ten. This was a much easier team to root for when they were playing against the crooks of Miami in 2001. However, it's never easy for a Michigan Fan to say "Go OSU" - Hell, it's even difficult to type it. But the Big Ten is the Big Ten, and we need to stick together. And if they win, the SEC gets knocked down to the level of everyone else.
CONS: What does the Big 10 winning this game REALLY accomplish? The SEC Press will say that LSU was not a great team and overall, top to bottom, the SEC is still a superior conference to everyone else....So 3 months from now, you will have both OSU AND the SEC elitist in our ear who claim that they will be back next year for vengance and victory over all...It doesn't shut Herbstriet up, it doesn't shut up Corso....No, OSU winning suddenly puts them right there in the "MAJOR NATIONAL PROGRAM" discussion in bold letters...And that really turns my stomach...In fact, I am getting a headache right now as I write this.
So, where does that leave this fan? Again, it's arsenic or cyanide, and it's tough. But I am going to stick with the Maize and Blue and turn the tint on my TV up so it looks like LSU's purple is Blue and root like hell against OSU...Sorry if I am letting the Big 10 down and going against everything I have preached up to this point, but I just can't root for the Suckeyes anymore...It's too painful and it's getting to be too much with these clowns....
If I am offending any OSU fans out there, well, blow me. But I need you knocked down a peg a whole lot more than I need the SEC knocked down a peg...that's how I feel right now.
GO LSU! Beat OSU!
Which means that the Suckeyes probably win as they are the dog and it will somehow put a fitting end on this whacky season...
Here we are. It's the end of what can only be described as a "head scratching" season. Upsets were not the unusual - they were the norm. Was there any game this season that included a top 5 team where you didn't think, "Yeah, the underdog has a real shot in that game." I am not talking about just a wouldn't it be nice thought....No, these were more like "the favorite better look out because the dogs are coming home."
It's frustrating that the NFL playoffs have started and I am still going to be watching college football. Traditionally, my college hat is usually put away for the Pros at this time of year and I can get into the build-up to the Super Bowl. But it's Janauary 7th, the Christmas decorations are put away, and I am going to turn on a college football game tonight....No, something just isn't right.
If we're going to be stuck with the BCS, please turn back the clock to pre-2000 and at least let me gorge myself on football on January 1. Wednesday and Thursday were good games, but couldn't we mix those in with what we had on the 1st? Speaking of which, I would be remiss if I didn't get my Hokie and Later digs in here:
HOKIES vs. Kansas: Hokie fan, you must know how it feels to lose the last game of the season quite regularly right now. You clowns really let me down in my Bowl Pool...No longer am I a Hokie believer. You're frauds until you prove otherwise. What's your record in the last game? Without looking it up, I can't think of one you have won in the last 5 tries...I know Georgia spanked you and Auburn had a piece of you, also. What's the deal with the ACC, anyway? I don't see you guys winning a lot of bowl games, and if Sparty had not given BC the game, well, it would have looked really bad for your conference....
WVU vs. Oklahoma: IF Bob Stoops isn't campaigning to get the Big 12 out of the Fiesta Bowl alliance, he's insane. Is there anyplace - stadium - on earth that Oklahoma would rather NOT play in than in Tempe, Arizona? To say they have had some bad games there would be an understatement. Stoops and Oklahoma have not fared well at all post season since the injustice game with Jason White and the loss in the title game to KSU. It just goes to show that there is Karma and USC should have been in that National Title game against LSU in 2004.
Which brings us to tonight. OSU vs. LSU
Arsenic or Cyanide?
Personally, I literally needed to write down the pros and cons of this game to get a feel for who I wanted to win. Ideally, I want this game to last forever in an infinite tie, but that won't happen, so we need to figure out who we should root for.
LSU
Pros: I like Les Miles. How can a Michigan Fan not like him? Regardless of some of the things he's said and done, I believe he is a great coach in the mold of Schembechler and he will historically have an important place in the collegiate game. I would rather see Les win than the "Vest" take another title. Les deserves it and he will always root for Michigan, so I have to be loyal to him.
Cons: The SEC wins another title. This grinds me to the core, but I can't let my hate for the SEC overide my like for Miles. So, even though he coaches in THAT conference, I believe he deserves the win, even though it further supports the SEC supremacy argument. This is the only really bad con I can come up with...With the exception that the coach that could have been Michigan's next head man will have won a national title and we missed on the opportunity to hire him because of it.
OSU
Pros: They are the Big Ten. This was a much easier team to root for when they were playing against the crooks of Miami in 2001. However, it's never easy for a Michigan Fan to say "Go OSU" - Hell, it's even difficult to type it. But the Big Ten is the Big Ten, and we need to stick together. And if they win, the SEC gets knocked down to the level of everyone else.
CONS: What does the Big 10 winning this game REALLY accomplish? The SEC Press will say that LSU was not a great team and overall, top to bottom, the SEC is still a superior conference to everyone else....So 3 months from now, you will have both OSU AND the SEC elitist in our ear who claim that they will be back next year for vengance and victory over all...It doesn't shut Herbstriet up, it doesn't shut up Corso....No, OSU winning suddenly puts them right there in the "MAJOR NATIONAL PROGRAM" discussion in bold letters...And that really turns my stomach...In fact, I am getting a headache right now as I write this.
So, where does that leave this fan? Again, it's arsenic or cyanide, and it's tough. But I am going to stick with the Maize and Blue and turn the tint on my TV up so it looks like LSU's purple is Blue and root like hell against OSU...Sorry if I am letting the Big 10 down and going against everything I have preached up to this point, but I just can't root for the Suckeyes anymore...It's too painful and it's getting to be too much with these clowns....
If I am offending any OSU fans out there, well, blow me. But I need you knocked down a peg a whole lot more than I need the SEC knocked down a peg...that's how I feel right now.
GO LSU! Beat OSU!
Which means that the Suckeyes probably win as they are the dog and it will somehow put a fitting end on this whacky season...
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Gator Got Run OVER By a PISSED OFF WOLVERINE!
No more "The SEC Is the DOMINANT CONFERENCE"
No More "Mr. Heismann Tim Tebow is unbeatable"
No More "Urban Legend Oscar Mayer Whiner" is the Best Coach...
Ain't Victory Sweet?
Oh, and that thing I said in an earlier blog about the SEC being a better conference?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
Yes, just when you thought it was unsafe to turn on the TV and watch the Maize and Blue, look what they do to you...They leave you wondering "What If???...."
1. What if we manage to kick that field goal against App State?
2. What if the Defense figures out a way to stop Dixon and Oregon?
3. What if the Injury bug hadn't plagued the team and Wisconsin hadn't played their best game of the season against us?
4. What if Chad Henne and Hart would have been healthy for OSU?
Yes, the what if's will abound after that game and, having watched it, whether they would have won or lost, I think it has a lot of people asking more questions, including:
1. Whose offense was that, anyway??? Now, I know Lloyd is capable of doing some things that will "trick" the opposing coaches and defenses as to what they are reading on the field..But folks, I watched this team all season and I can't recall 1 game where we ran Mike Hart out of the Spread....In addition, when did we start running very simple pass routes where it was "throw it up and let the receiver beat the defender?" When you go from 92 yards in the last game against OSU and pile up over 550 against what is supposed to be a pretty good SEC defense - with an average secondary, it kind of makes you wonder....Did RichRod already work some of his magic into the gameplan in order to keep Mallet around? Could be....Because I don't think Mike DeBord had those kind of plays in his book.....
2. Where was that attacking Defense all year? Yeah, I thought we could get to Tebow....Other teams had all year. But I didn't think we could get to him THAT EFFECTIVELY....Yes, Tim had his moments, but when it came down to game time, he is just not a QB that can drive a team down the field on his arm...He needs to be able to run and throw, and without time outs, well, he was forced to be 1 dimensional, clearly having to go to the weaker dimension -his arm....But hats off to the D...They kept us in it and that was a big question mark going into the game.....
3. Nuts, nuts, nuts....Even with a play-off, Michigan isn't in the mix. But given how we looked yesterday, I think we were a pretty good team at the end of the year...USC good - not yet...I am starting to hate those guys.... So next year, look out...Yes, I know that is the rallying cry for every Wolverine fan out there..but still, we should be okay with RichRod at the helm...
On to other Games
Did anyone have that Less than Satisfied Feeling yesterday? I think I am really starting to hate the BCS for more than just the obvious reasons. With the exception of the Outback Bowl and Capital One Bowls, there wasn't a watchable game on yesterday...The Cotton Bowl showed us (again) that the SEC isn't that great and Missouri got hosed....The Gator Bowl was good at the end, but everyone had turned it off by that time. Can't we move some of the New Year's Eve Bowls to New Year's day and overlap the two "Simply Awful" games - The Rose and the Sugar - in order to have something else to click to? NO!!!!
WHY?
Because the BCS wants you to watch ONLY THOSE BOWLS.....I am really starting to hate those guys....The Rose got stinky in the 1st quarter and the Sugar was ugly from the first 2 plays Hawaii made on offense for 10 yards - negative 10 yards....Yep, after the Capital One Bowl, you could pretty much turn off the TV and do anything else....They have ruined New Year's day for the Football Fanatic.....And that's sad...
Sparty - How on earth to you let that game slip away? Well, 6 turnovers don't help, but that was an easily winnable game for you....Maybe Dantonio isn't everything he's cracked up to be, or maybe with some better personell, you make a big statement next year....By the Way, Sparty, I think you cost me 1st place in my Bowl Pool, so Thanks again....
Purdue over Central - This game was bad, then got really good if you stayed with it...But the Spoilermakers found a way to suck out at the end for the victory over Central....
Mizzou over Arkansas - You know, the Cotton Bowl usually sucks, and I can't think of the last good game that was played there....I guess the Auburn Nebraska game last year was okay, but man, it always seems like two unmatched teams meet up with one getting their butts kicked....
Chick-Fil-A Bowl (Peach): Somehow, and don't ask me how they do it, but this bowl manages to put together a game that is not only worth watching, but it usually goes down to the wire...And it's the ACC against the SEC...Auburn comes out on top in OT, but who saw it on New Year's Eve? Well, I did, because I sat at home with my family, but wouldn't that game have been a whole lot better on New Year's day???
Rose - I am tired of Pete Carrol winning...Can Michigan replace this guy and the dominance that USC seems to enjoy?
Sugar - I am tired of WAC Teams getting the nod to a BCS bowl just because they are undefeated....It isn't fair to everyone else. Bust up the WAC, make the PAC 10 twelve teams strong, and enough of this already...
Tonight: The Sooners destroy a wannabe WVU team still trying to figure out how they lost to Pitt and how they lost their coach all within less than a month of looking at a National Title....
Tomorrow: Va Tech goes nuts on Kansas...This should have been Mizzou's game...
Monday: LSU probably runs roughshod over OSU....But this one could go either way...
MMQ
No More "Mr. Heismann Tim Tebow is unbeatable"
No More "Urban Legend Oscar Mayer Whiner" is the Best Coach...
Ain't Victory Sweet?
Oh, and that thing I said in an earlier blog about the SEC being a better conference?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
Yes, just when you thought it was unsafe to turn on the TV and watch the Maize and Blue, look what they do to you...They leave you wondering "What If???...."
1. What if we manage to kick that field goal against App State?
2. What if the Defense figures out a way to stop Dixon and Oregon?
3. What if the Injury bug hadn't plagued the team and Wisconsin hadn't played their best game of the season against us?
4. What if Chad Henne and Hart would have been healthy for OSU?
Yes, the what if's will abound after that game and, having watched it, whether they would have won or lost, I think it has a lot of people asking more questions, including:
1. Whose offense was that, anyway??? Now, I know Lloyd is capable of doing some things that will "trick" the opposing coaches and defenses as to what they are reading on the field..But folks, I watched this team all season and I can't recall 1 game where we ran Mike Hart out of the Spread....In addition, when did we start running very simple pass routes where it was "throw it up and let the receiver beat the defender?" When you go from 92 yards in the last game against OSU and pile up over 550 against what is supposed to be a pretty good SEC defense - with an average secondary, it kind of makes you wonder....Did RichRod already work some of his magic into the gameplan in order to keep Mallet around? Could be....Because I don't think Mike DeBord had those kind of plays in his book.....
2. Where was that attacking Defense all year? Yeah, I thought we could get to Tebow....Other teams had all year. But I didn't think we could get to him THAT EFFECTIVELY....Yes, Tim had his moments, but when it came down to game time, he is just not a QB that can drive a team down the field on his arm...He needs to be able to run and throw, and without time outs, well, he was forced to be 1 dimensional, clearly having to go to the weaker dimension -his arm....But hats off to the D...They kept us in it and that was a big question mark going into the game.....
3. Nuts, nuts, nuts....Even with a play-off, Michigan isn't in the mix. But given how we looked yesterday, I think we were a pretty good team at the end of the year...USC good - not yet...I am starting to hate those guys.... So next year, look out...Yes, I know that is the rallying cry for every Wolverine fan out there..but still, we should be okay with RichRod at the helm...
On to other Games
Did anyone have that Less than Satisfied Feeling yesterday? I think I am really starting to hate the BCS for more than just the obvious reasons. With the exception of the Outback Bowl and Capital One Bowls, there wasn't a watchable game on yesterday...The Cotton Bowl showed us (again) that the SEC isn't that great and Missouri got hosed....The Gator Bowl was good at the end, but everyone had turned it off by that time. Can't we move some of the New Year's Eve Bowls to New Year's day and overlap the two "Simply Awful" games - The Rose and the Sugar - in order to have something else to click to? NO!!!!
WHY?
Because the BCS wants you to watch ONLY THOSE BOWLS.....I am really starting to hate those guys....The Rose got stinky in the 1st quarter and the Sugar was ugly from the first 2 plays Hawaii made on offense for 10 yards - negative 10 yards....Yep, after the Capital One Bowl, you could pretty much turn off the TV and do anything else....They have ruined New Year's day for the Football Fanatic.....And that's sad...
Sparty - How on earth to you let that game slip away? Well, 6 turnovers don't help, but that was an easily winnable game for you....Maybe Dantonio isn't everything he's cracked up to be, or maybe with some better personell, you make a big statement next year....By the Way, Sparty, I think you cost me 1st place in my Bowl Pool, so Thanks again....
Purdue over Central - This game was bad, then got really good if you stayed with it...But the Spoilermakers found a way to suck out at the end for the victory over Central....
Mizzou over Arkansas - You know, the Cotton Bowl usually sucks, and I can't think of the last good game that was played there....I guess the Auburn Nebraska game last year was okay, but man, it always seems like two unmatched teams meet up with one getting their butts kicked....
Chick-Fil-A Bowl (Peach): Somehow, and don't ask me how they do it, but this bowl manages to put together a game that is not only worth watching, but it usually goes down to the wire...And it's the ACC against the SEC...Auburn comes out on top in OT, but who saw it on New Year's Eve? Well, I did, because I sat at home with my family, but wouldn't that game have been a whole lot better on New Year's day???
Rose - I am tired of Pete Carrol winning...Can Michigan replace this guy and the dominance that USC seems to enjoy?
Sugar - I am tired of WAC Teams getting the nod to a BCS bowl just because they are undefeated....It isn't fair to everyone else. Bust up the WAC, make the PAC 10 twelve teams strong, and enough of this already...
Tonight: The Sooners destroy a wannabe WVU team still trying to figure out how they lost to Pitt and how they lost their coach all within less than a month of looking at a National Title....
Tomorrow: Va Tech goes nuts on Kansas...This should have been Mizzou's game...
Monday: LSU probably runs roughshod over OSU....But this one could go either way...
MMQ
Monday, December 17, 2007
Coach Rodriguez
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!!!!
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!!!!
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
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