Unusually relatable Harbaugh on McCarthy: "Stone cold Killer," perfect Jim & Megan McCarthy cross, could handle NY market
Quick 3 min clip
Harbaugh when asked how JJ would do in NY: JJ's a perfect cross between Jim and Megan McCarthy, has those positive, big-smile great-teammate vibes, but inside a quiet stone-cold killer if you cross him. No problem surviving in NY market.
Love this clip:
1. Harbaugh usually stiff, Aspergers-ish, speaks with quirky cliche's. Here, he seems unusually "normal"-- frank and relatable. Instead of an awkward, intense stare, eye contact is more "normal" with glances and breaks. A different side we rarely see with the press. He seems relaxed, not overflowing with intensity.
2. Unusual way to describe JJ's personality and character: By using the parents' names and describing their personalities, he shows how well he knows the family. My opinion...unique and great way to answer the question. I haven't heard draft pundits or coaches cite parents when promoting QB prospects.
3. I feel JJ rarely described as competitive and as a "killer"
4. He's wearing a classic plaid suit. Probably no cleats. We used to sweatshirts and caps, with no regard for appearance. So unlike what we've seen the last 5 years.
March 25th, 2024 at 11:44 AM ^
JJ and Harbaugh are eternal Michigan legends
March 25th, 2024 at 12:25 PM ^
Here’s the link:
"[P]ositive, big-smile great-teammate vibes, but inside a quiet stone-cold killer if you cross him" is also an apt description of another Michigan legend: Clarence Boddicker from the classic Paul Verhoeven sci fi film, Robocop. Boddicker is tight with his boys, all sunshine and laughs, until you fuck something up, like Bobby did. And we all know what happened to Bobby. Clarence Boddicker could definitely make it in the New York market!
March 25th, 2024 at 11:44 AM ^
I love the fact that he just kinda expects us to know Jim and Megan McCarthy the way he does.
"What, like, how do you not know them"
March 25th, 2024 at 11:46 AM ^
No matter how normal he seemed in this interview compared to typical Harbaugh - this is not a normal human being. And I mean that in the best way possible.
March 25th, 2024 at 11:54 PM ^
So Jim says McCarthy is the best quarterback at playing quarterback. I think Jim’s first love is coaching quarterbacks. And by his definition of the entirety of what a quarterback should be JJ is the best he’s ever seen at the collegiate level.
And Jim and JJ won a national championship together. What a ride.
March 25th, 2024 at 11:44 AM ^
Did anyone else read OP to imply that Jim Harbaugh is actually JJ's father?
March 25th, 2024 at 11:47 AM ^
No, I think you have been watching too much Star Wars
no such thing*
*as long as we're only talking about episodes IV-VI
...
ok just V
March 25th, 2024 at 12:01 PM ^
I also read it as a combo of harbaugh and Megan and first thought who is Megan McCarthy? Not enough coffee this am.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:25 PM ^
I read it that way as well, and then my brain swapped out Megan for Melissa. So I was like “JJ is a cross between Jim Harbaugh and Melissa McCarthy? That’s a really odd pairing.” But this was Jim Harbaugh speaking, so I accepted it as just another thing that came out of his mouth.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:31 PM ^
A love child of Jim Harbaugh and Melissa McCarthy's character in Bridesmaids would be something else.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:06 PM ^
J.J. Harbaugh? No.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:15 PM ^
The way I wrote it, definitely could be interpreted that way.
Would certainly put a different perspective on the last few years....
March 25th, 2024 at 11:47 AM ^
Our little Jimbo is all grown up now.
I said it in the other thread and I'll say again here. I dearly miss that goofy fuck. He's nutty than hell but he was OUR goofy fuck.
March 25th, 2024 at 11:52 AM ^
a once in a lifetime kind of coach
March 25th, 2024 at 12:18 PM ^
He's nutty than hell but he was OUR goofy fuck
After all of the confetti fell and from the shine of the 2023 trophy and soon to be Championship Rings I ask you replace "nutty" and "goofy" with perspicacious and idiosyncratic.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:40 PM ^
I say no. 'nutty' and 'goofy' fit Harbaugh perfectly in ways that the big words do not.
March 25th, 2024 at 11:56 AM ^
I wonder if he is no a new medication?
Can we please not open that stupid book again? It was wildly inappropriate the first time, and not any better now.
I think he exaggerated his aloofness for college audiences. He was always more direct with the Niners.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:02 PM ^
the link didn't come through in the OP, at least not on my set up. here it is for those so inclinded:
March 25th, 2024 at 12:41 PM ^
Dial-up is hard...
March 25th, 2024 at 12:03 PM ^
I wanted him gone in 2020, but even then I always really liked him, a lot. Just like I like Juwan a lot. And stuff like this is great.
Don't cry that it's over. Be happy that it happened.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:43 PM ^
Same... Same... And for those who were mad at him for flirting with the NFL, and then outright angry that he took another job - these quotes make up for it. Especially the 3rd base dagger he shived OSU with. So beautiful, and so typically Jim MF' Harbaugh.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:48 PM ^
You weren't alone in 2020. Many on here wanted the same. You're one of the few that admits to their mistake though. The replacement options listed were no where close to Jim IMO. He was going to deliver. It just took a little longer than many anticipated. He's one of the best coaches out there at any level. If he couldn't get it rolling, it would probably be a sign that M football was permanently broken.
I’m willing to admit that I knew firing Harbaugh would’ve been one of the biggest mistakes the athletic program ever made. The man is a winner, and always will be. The obstacles he faced at Michigan were significant, so it just took time. I’m also willing to admit that although I knew he would succeed in the end, I didn’t see him winning it all, only because I didn’t think it could be done at Michigan in this era. He proved everyone wrong.
I get it, it's just tough to swallow that our savior coach would rather chase a super bowl than be a legend here. It's no different than a breakup, it just hurts...
Do you think he isn't a legend here as it is?
March 25th, 2024 at 12:12 PM ^
I long for the BEARS to trade down and take JJ surrounded by a draft day haul as this is > Caleb Williams and minimal picks. *sigh* as it would take incredible stones and indifference to the politics by the GM but I have a dream.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:18 PM ^
The trade down doesn't work for the Bears. It was only an option if they were going to commit to Fields. You can't trade down to Washington or New England. Why would either team give up all their draft capital to take Williams when they are going to get a prospect they like?
Maybe you could trade down to #6 if the Giants wanted one of the top choice QBs but then you risk 4 QBs going in the top 5 if either Arizona or, more likely, LA trades back. Now you're sitting at #6 looking at, what, Penix?
March 25th, 2024 at 12:23 PM ^
Bears take Williams and trade him for JJ and a haul with whatever team JJ falls too. YES a long shot but much more practical and possible then giving up multiple picks to pass on Deshaun Watson and move up 1 spot to take Tributsky.
There was a lot of discussion about the Commanders trying to get Williams as he is from DC and their new OC (Kingsbury) worked with him in college...it could happen.
That would be a Dan Snyder move but he's gone. They'll take Daniels.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:21 PM ^
You! Shut yo' mouth! As a Lions fan, I REALLY don't want him with the Bears. Both because I (we) know how good he is, and because I don't want to root against him twice a year!
Someplace in the AFC would be best.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:34 PM ^
That's the big thing -- no Bears, no Vikes, because I don't want to root against him.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:13 PM ^
He's an odd bird, and he's a Michigan legend forever.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:41 PM ^
Harbaugh will go back to universally liked (non rival fans) and UM will go back to mostly tolerable (non rival fans). Something about the JIM/UM combo just had people frothing at the mouth (ESPN, SEC, NCAA all the acronyms actually). I remember him being pretty well liked at Stanford and San Fran.
March 25th, 2024 at 12:57 PM ^
NFL apple carts don't care so much about regional biases, 'tradition', and maintaining monopolies on recruiting grounds. And nobody cares about Stanford football. I mean, even when they were New Years Bowl Game good, they were still a feel-good story rather than a legit contender.
I still gets hives thinking of JJ starting his career in the NY media market. Comparable situation: Kurt Warner. Good guy, grounded, and already played most of his HOF career. He was a vet, but his time in NY was a disaster, while his next gig in Arizona was a triumph.
Not comparable at all. When you started your comparison, I thought you we're going to say JJ would be in a similar spot as Eli Manning, a first round pick sitting on the bench behind an established veteran. A stretch to compare Daniel Jones and Kurt Warner, but at least an apples to apples situation. Suggesting that JJ will struggle with the NY media market because an aged super bowl champion brought in to chaperone a top draft pick didn't play more than one season however is simply not apt.
BTW - Warner started the season 5-2 and was only benched because of a terrible fumbling problem (I think he had an issue with his thumb) and because they wanted Eli to get at least a little seasoning in his first year.
Giants fan here.
I'd absolutely love to get JJ (and get rid of Daniel Jones).
I would never wish the Giants, the NY market, or NY in general upon JJ. He deserves much better.
I bet the loosey goosey Harbaugh has quite a bit to do with a 100% focus on football (less whatever time he's spending on the chickens). I don't think he misses NIL/portal/recruiting etc. Maybe he misses recruiting a little bit, because he likes meeting the players' folks, but there's a lot of crap that comes along with running an elite NCAAF program that you just don't deal with in the NFL.