Harbaugh comments on the 4 players who skipped the Peach Bowl
From Pardon My Take
“I think it hurts somebody’s actual legacy, too, just what they’re about,” Harbaugh said. "A competitor is going to compete. They’re going to go out there and compete. Everybody talks about it. They’re a competitor, I’m a competitor, ‘I’ll compete at everything. I’ll compete at golf or I’ll compete at Tiddlywinks.’ You hear people say that all the time, but then they don’t go actually play in a football game. To me, now you have a problem with who you are as a competitor and your legacy.
“I’m not demeaning anybody or saying I don’t respect anybody. Everybody’s got the right to make their own decision. You asked me what I think of it; that’s what I think of it.”
Not surprised he feels that way. A little surprised he actually came out and said it.
Really? Have you ever followed Jim Harbaugh in any capacity? I mean that as nicely as possible, but he literally does not care what anyone thinks. He is going to say how he feels. He also competes at literally everything.
He did care what people thought when he at first said Kaepernick picked an inappropriate song & setting to protest (paraphrased). When Jourdan Lewis let him know what a hot-button topic this was, he backed off & re-phrased his original statement. Was probably a pretty smart thing to do.
August 5th, 2019 at 11:26 PM ^
The only thing that surprises me? It's that someone who makes $9M a year is unable to identify with other people who make football decisions as if it were some kind of business.
He is also speaking as someone who was a player/competitor first (before the money came) and worked his way up. He knows what he's saying.
Well sure, but that was decades ago. Marie Callenders was awesome but it's not coming. back.
Interesting segue
August 6th, 2019 at 12:30 PM ^
I think it's possible to understand the cold calculus underlying the decision and still very much regret it. Especially a coach who isn't going to be able to field his best team.
Colin Kaepernick started his "protests" because he regressed as a player and was relegated to third string, and needed to find a way to stay relevant as a public persona. Notice that he never did any of these "look-at-me" shenanigans until he was no longer a starter.
Back on topic: Harbaugh's right, and that fact that people have to make comments wondering whether or not he should be speaking his mind shows us how "glass house" of a people we are. So what if he "offends" somebody in what he said? You and I do not have the right to not be offended at what other people say. Freedom of speech means freedom for everybody, and it's a bit pathetic that hard truths are seen by some as something that should not be talked about in public
(Addendum: this isn't directed at anybody in particular. I'm just tired of people who agree that something should be said and then shirk back or act shocked that anybody would actually say it. A little frankness and politically incorrect speech would do our world a bit of good now).
Last year he was pretty quiet—and the year before—I am hoping he continues to be the more openly constructively critical 49ers Harbaugh we have had the last month as opposed to the overly nice Harbaugh who holds it all in on the sideline.
Last year he was pretty quiet—and the year before—I am hoping he continues to be the more openly constructively critical 49ers Harbaugh we have had the last month as opposed to the overly nice Harbaugh who holds it all in on the sideline.
I'm not surprised that he said it, and I'm glad he said it. If you are a player, and you choose to sit out of a game in order to not risk losing out on at least a year of being paid to play football professionally then that is your decision. But don't talk after the fact about how much of a competitor you are.
Tell that to Jake Butt and the millions he cost himself by playing a completely meaningless game right before being able to cash in on his talent instead of UofM doing it....these takes are unrealistic and easy for the armchair QB to make.
August 5th, 2019 at 10:23 PM ^
You could get hit by a bus or tear an ACL working out. Look at Charles Matthews. I get it, you don't want to sacrifice your payday, but at the end of the day football is about guys that want to hit somebody. You skip out on a chance to hit somebody and it tells you something about them. Either they're listening to the people around them (which could be a problem) , or their the type of guy who misses an opportunity to hit someone. I think Bush and Gary are going to be great pros and would put them in the first category. (and I think Gary was hurt.) Plus I believe most of those guys get insurance policies don't they?
August 5th, 2019 at 10:43 PM ^
Pretty sure Bush and Gary were both hurt. Higdon on the other hand? Not a Harbaugh fan.
August 6th, 2019 at 12:48 AM ^
Didn’t Butt have an ACL injury earlier in his college career?
The main problem with your argument is that Jake Butt even said that, had he the choice again he would still play that game - clearly it meant something to him (as I'm sure it did to most of the players). The other problem with your arguement is that Jake Butt still made millions of dollars - the injury did not ruin his career (and the career ending type of injuries are statistically rare).
Jake Butt cost himself millions by being hurt just before the draft where he went in the 5th rd after 7 other TE's despite the fact he won the Mackey award his senior season a year after winning the Ozzie Newsome award for best TE.....he should have gone in the 1st rd.....what the hell are you talking about, man? That injury cost him MILLIONS!!!
OJ Howard (#1 drafted TE) got $11mm contract with $6mm signing bonus.
Evan Egram (#2 drafted TE) got $10mm contract with $6mm guaranteed.
Jake Butt (#7 drafted TE) got a $2.7 mm contract with a $350k signing bonus. He's never made more than $670,000 in any year he's been a pro.
August 6th, 2019 at 11:24 AM ^
except the Orange Bowl and a game against a very good FSU team was in no way "meaningless." I was there. I watched the way their fans rejoiced after the win. Sure as hell wasn't meaningless to their players, fans, students or school.
Good for Harbaugh. Higdon, Gary, et al showed who they really are.
August 6th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
Meaningless to who? Jake Butt? You? All the other players who played that game? It was the Orange bowl, a New Year's 6 bowl. Butt stated he would do it all over again. If anything, you sound like the real armchair QB
Meaningless to an increasing amount of kids who realize how stupid it is to risk their payday for a game that probably has no impact on their draft stock.
I hope playing in a non playoff bowl game was worth the $4-$6mm he cost himself....
August 6th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
You mean Jake Butt that plays for the Denver Broncos who has been paid millions, and suffered an another ACL injury during a non contact practice? Did anyone force him to play in the Orange bowl? As far as I've heard from the man it was his choice. It sounds like you are the one who don't want these guy's playing.
No, I mean the Jake Butt that went in the 5th RD as the 7th TE taken after winning the best TE award two years running because he blew his ACL in a bowl game that would have had ZERO impact on his draft status .... except for when he blew his ACL in the game.
I don't know the Jake Butt you're talking about (who was paid millions apparently?) but the one I followed from Michigan to the Denver Broncos signed a $2.7mm contract with $300k signing bonus and $300k in guarantees (the signing bonus) and has made, in total, $1,067,066 while the guys who went #1 & #2 made $6,000,000 in guaranteed money on $10mm+ contracts.
I'm sure when he's out of the league he'll look back at the fond memories of that bowl game....instead of the $4,000,000 sized hole in his bank account.
Both Jakes, Butt and Ryan, suffered ACL tears during the off season, Jake Butt during winter conditioning drills and Jake Ryan during spring football practice. Is it also your contention that players shouldn't participate in conditioning drills and spring football practices?
Calls it like he sees it and I completely agree wth him
Well, in fairness the OP is a little misleading. He didn't single out our 4 guys specifically. He was asked a general question about the practice of skipping bowl games and he gave his honest assessment.
He didn't mention them by name but I think this illustrates his thoughts on their choice to skip since they did skip.
I also think his statements illustrate that he respects a player’s decision to play or not.
You can respect something and still disagree with it - not mutually exclusive.
Agreed.
Very true. Just look at politics in America today.
August 5th, 2019 at 11:39 PM ^
Ha ha!
No, they really don't. He pays the obligatory lips service, but it's pretty clear that a player lowers themselves in his eyes by skipping a bowl game.
So what? Harbaugh allowed them to do it; that doesn’t mean he has to like it or agree with it.
Harbaugh said:
You hear people say that all the time, but then they don’t go actually play in a football game. To me, now you have a problem with who you are as a competitor and your legacy.
If that is respecting someone, I'd hate to be on Harbaugh's bad side. It flies in the face of Bo and what a team represents. I suspect Bo was turning over in his grave last year when players put themselves before the team.
August 5th, 2019 at 11:31 PM ^
It would be hard for me to look at the guys on my team who have supported me and worked with me and walk out on them for a game. I struggle with this one. You are are talking about huge money that can take care of your family for life.
Where does it stop. Six games in? An entire season three?
The NCAA has enough money to make this issue go away. They could and should pay full coverage on a players value and any differential on an injury. It could be coverage to start season three with a new evaluation and coverage to start the before league Championship and Bowl games.
August 6th, 2019 at 12:03 AM ^
I agree with this. How meaningless is a Purdue game in the middle of the season? Should players just play only the “meaningful” games? A player can be hurt in any game, practice or elsewhere (ie. forklift injury). Any injury jeopardizes their payday, but games are how they showcase their abilities and “interview” for the NFL.
I haven't listened to the podcast, but I doubt he groups all 4 players in the same category. Bush and Gary were in much different situations than Higdon and Bushell-Beatty. Bush and Gary were both guaranteed 1st-Round picks who were also nursing injuries. I personally don't have an issue with either sitting out the bowl game.
I personally would have liked to see Higdon and Bushell-Beatty play in the bowl game. I think they had less to lose and more to gain with their draft stock. And I somewhat agree with Harbaugh's take on a player's legacy. I respect their right to sit out, but their legacy and how they are viewed at Michigan is affected by how fans, teammates, and coaches remember them. Your professional career may never materialize when you are borderline draft prospect, and I don't understand why borderline professional football prospects would tarnish part of their collegiate legacy by sitting out their final game.
Yeah you have to listen to it he 100% groups them all together. His Ted Williams story cements his thoughts
August 6th, 2019 at 12:52 AM ^
Didn't Higdon and JBB go undrafted?
Anyway, this is saving face for losing to Florida... it disses those four slightly, but the benefit to the team, outweighs it.
I still think it's an indictment of the bowl system, not the players who choose to leave early. If it were a playoff game, I'm sure they'd be out there.
Harbaugh has to maintain that the game is important. I'm sure the players don't view this as criticism. He didn't single anyone out and if he were unhappy, he'd say so in person.
Why do players play on meaningless conference games then? Honest question, if this was about the bowl system, then you are fine with guys sitting out the OSU game if we can’t make the B10 championship game?
I never understand why those Pop Warner kids grind year in and year out. Players can quit college football whenever they want. Might hurt their legacy though.
I mean considering most players aren’t in a situation like Nick Bosa where their draft stock is pretty solidified at the beginning of the season, conference games are a legitimate opportunity for players to help their stock. More importantly, players want to play football. Bowl games are a unique circumstance where a game occurs a month after the regular season, and most players have solidified their draft stock. In Michigan’s particular case, Higdon was really the only player that could have arguably improved their draft stock and even that is a stretch. Regarding the OSU game and rivalry games in general... Come on dude, I think those are a little different than bowl games from a player perspective...
Playing against Ohio State, not Florida, is part of the draw of playing for Michigan.
Then let's just cancel all of our creampuff games both within and outside the B1G. A handful of games a year should be enough.
You are either part of the team for the duration or just fuck the whole thing, because that's the direction we are heading.
Kill the sport entirely. There is no genuine fan support and players hate the game. We're all just slaves to dystopian overlords. Good on those who get out early.
It's more of an indictment of players not really caring much about the team they are on, and only care about getting to the next level. And that is fine. I'm happy that they were able to realize their dream of getting the chance to play professionally. That doesn't mean that I'm going to feel peachy about our best players sitting out of a bowl game kneecapping the team leading to an embarrassing loss. Because we live with that loss. They stopped caring about whether they win or lose with the team once they get a draft analysis that puts them in the first or second round.
Somebody better make more copies of the hurt feelings report, after this comment.
Glad he said it the way he did. Means no disrespect, but just disagrees with the lack of competitiveness.