Harbaugh rumors/updates Wednesday 1/26: Bears appear out, nothing else new
TL;DR: Nothing really new but the Bears appear to be out of play and Bacon is getting a little more confident he stays.
Quick Internet hits:
- Bears insider or know-nothing blogger Jeff Hughes, depending on your perspective, claims things never progressed with Harbaugh because he asked for too much (10 yrs/$100m or more). I have no opinion on the validity of this rumor or the reliability of the source. Dave Wannstedt claims the Bears never formally interviewed him.
https://twitter.com/dabearsblog/status/1486103988936364035 - Bacon's Daily Update is still nothing new, but his confidence Harbaugh stays is now over 75-25.
https://twitter.com/Johnubacon/status/1486344233141293059 - A couple links floating around that the Vikings may be in play, but everything I've clicked on just points back to Bacon's tweet saying, "Don't count the Vikings out." Nothing with any further information than that from what I'm seeing.
My thoughts:
- I am a fan of Jim Caldwell and rooting for him to get the Bears gig
- I wish it were tenable for Warde to put a deadline on the Harbaugh salary offer and tell Jim he can explore his options, but if he doesn't sign with UM by Feb 1, he'll be stuck on his old contract for another year. Don't shoot me for saying this; I understand Warde probably doesn't have the leverage to do this, but I still wish it could be so.
Idea: Consider leaving top reply spots to the first comment on this post open for others who come up with any additional info today.
OK Back to work everybody!
January 26th, 2022 at 11:25 AM ^
Maybe save replies to this comment for additional info so it will stay at the top. For other stuff, post a new comment and reply to that one.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:33 AM ^
"Maybe save replies to this comment for additional info so it will stay at the top. For other stuff, post a new comment and reply to that one."
Dude. You've been here over three years and you honestly think anybody with actual, real news on the Harbaugh front is going to post it here and not create their own thread to announce it?????
Take it from an old-timer - if there is actual, genuine, bonifide news on Harbaugh there will be a minimum on five, maybe six, new threads on it within one minute of it breaking.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:47 PM ^
I’ll take the over. I predict we’ll I to the second digit.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:17 PM ^
I predict that there will be many within minutes then at least one, several hours late, completely oblivious of the 300 comment thread two topics below with the very same information.
January 26th, 2022 at 8:30 PM ^
Depends on what the news is. Harbaugh goes to the Chicago Bears/the Las Vegas Raiders/the Hamilton Tiger-Cats? The mods will be playing whack-a-mole with the threads. If we could capture the hot takes we could heat the entire country in winter for a generation.
Harbaugh is staying/signs a new contract? Probably half a dozen.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:21 PM ^
For real. I mean, the gravy thread alone had like 5 or 6 the first night. I had more gravy recipes than Betty Crocker.
January 26th, 2022 at 9:25 PM ^
FWIW, I think you're right, but on the other hand I was dropping Harbaugh crumbs deep into threads for almost 3 weeks after I started getting real info but before I elevated to a new post.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:49 PM ^
We can just refer to it as "6 degrees of John U Bacon"
January 26th, 2022 at 2:52 PM ^
But this is where we have to put jokes to maximize upvotes no matter how late to the thread we may be…
January 26th, 2022 at 11:29 AM ^
Let's not make a daily habit of monitoring how many inches John Bacon is adding.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:31 AM ^
Speak for yourself. I love having so much bacon that I have to measure in inches.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:38 AM ^
Tony’s has all the bacon you want
January 26th, 2022 at 11:40 AM ^
Still not enough.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:03 PM ^
Phrasing?
January 26th, 2022 at 2:57 PM ^
No, I carefully considered and meant every word and associated implication in my post.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:31 AM ^
I think his comment was more about the direction than the length
January 26th, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^
Girth.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:32 AM ^
Depending on how much bacon he eats, Bacon may be adding a bunch of inches.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:16 PM ^
Does bacon come in a blue pill now?
January 26th, 2022 at 11:53 AM ^
That's what she said...?
January 26th, 2022 at 12:27 PM ^
3. So with inflation, 7. Or that's what I tell myself.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:31 AM ^
Idea: Consider leaving top reply spots to the first comment on this post open for others who find any unsubstantiated rumors, gossip, made-up bullshit, etc.
FIFY
January 26th, 2022 at 12:51 PM ^
I'm not going back to work, contrary to the OP's instructions. I will consider adding snarky comments on this thread. Would this qualify as "etc." in your comment formatting suggestion?
January 26th, 2022 at 11:33 AM ^
I wish it were tenable for Warde to put a deadline on the Harbaugh salary offer and tell Jim he can explore his options, but if he doesn't sign with UM by Feb 1, he'll be stuck on his old contract for another year.
What would be the point?
Jim Harbaugh is almost certainly the best coach we can have right now. It's not worth playing mind games with him. Besides, there is no salary cap that we have to worry about.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:46 AM ^
Totally agree. The only reason to give him an ultimatum is because the mgoblogosphere is getting annoyed. JH has all the leverage here, and it is earned. We have to be patient.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:56 AM ^
Fair question but I think the main point is to settle the issue on the recruiting front. I also think it kind of makes UM look bad to have the coach openly courting every possible NFL suitor and obviously looking to leave.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:31 PM ^
So because the OP thinks it looks bad, Warde needs to issue an idle threat? Stacking bad proposals on top of self-indulgent opinion is a good look.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:46 PM ^
I mean...it's not just the OP. The media narrative is out there, and it hasn't been refuted - there's no doubt this is being used to negatively recruit. This should be the time that the program is selling the BIG Championship and a lot of returning talent - instead, the only news is about whether Harbaugh will stay or go. Objectively, that's not ideal.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:58 PM ^
wait till you hear about what goes on on the Internet.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:34 AM ^
Harbaugh is still crootin'. He ain't going anywhere.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:48 AM ^
So was Brian Kelly, so was Lincoln Riley, so was Mario Cristobol... still recruiting doesn't mean anything. Harbaugh, and any other head football coach, is going to continue to do their job because if something falls through, they don't want to be affected for the next year and the next opportunity.
Who is hiring someone that quits on a job before they get the next job? And these coaches all have macho egos at this level so not doing a job is not an option.
January 26th, 2022 at 4:39 PM ^
But Mike MacDonald isn't recruiting so he's gone.....
January 26th, 2022 at 11:34 AM ^
Vikings hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as GM, who was manager and director of football research and development for the 49ers from 2013-2019 (overlapping with Harbaugh there). However, the name most linked to the Vikings head coach position is current 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:41 AM ^
What exactly is "football research & development"?
January 26th, 2022 at 11:52 AM ^
an analytics department with a bay area name
January 26th, 2022 at 12:17 PM ^
"Gentlemen, this is a football."
January 26th, 2022 at 11:40 AM ^
Maybe save the replies to this comment if you are tired of the daily Harbaugh non-updates.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:44 AM ^
I read this quickly, but my takeaway is:
In the year 725, Vikings liked bacon (it travels well on their longboats) and they killed bears when the need arose.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:45 PM ^
Some things never change. A good bear is a good meal, and bacon is a super food, along with pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:48 PM ^
Those muffins....... they were some damn good muffins, as long as they lasted.
January 26th, 2022 at 11:44 AM ^
I know lots of Colts fans and they would strongly question why you’re a fan of Caldwell. As a lions fan…whatever
January 26th, 2022 at 11:57 AM ^
As a Colts fan, Caldwell took the fall for awful team management that was being held up by Peyton Manning.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:05 PM ^
Since he's the only Lion's coach in the last 50 years (not counting interim coach Gary Moeller's 4-3 record) to post a winning percentage above .500, I'd say he's pretty good.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:12 PM ^
that's how i mostly know him (as a colts fan from days gone by). He took the team to the super bowl in his first season, won the AFC south in his second season, and got fired after the Suck for Luck campaign the following season.
He then went to the Ravens, moved up from QBs to OC and was the Ravens' OC when they won the Harbowl against the 49ers.
good coach, widely regarded as a good human, good track record, even probably outperformed his station at detroit.
count me a part of team caldwell
January 26th, 2022 at 12:59 PM ^
Bears fan here. I'd rather steer clear of a 67 year old HC. Whether it's a QB or a HC, the goal is to someday find sustainability. Although it's unlikely to find a Sean Payton or Mike Tomlin length tenure, Caldwell basically takes that option away from the start. I'm rooting for Brian Daboll, but it looks like he's headed to NY.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:45 PM ^
IIRC, Caldwell was not the best in-game manager. He did not use his timeouts effectively among some other questionable 4th quarter decisions.
That's the only knock I know. I think he was a good coach and better than what the franchise deserved.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:55 PM ^
And to that point, if you Google image search "bad at using timeouts" the first hit is a picture of Andy Reid, but almost every franchise in the league would take him as head coach in a heartbeat if starting from scratch.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:01 PM ^
There was a game in Indy between Caldwell and pagano a few years ago where the clock management skills of both coaches was on full display. It was a thing of comic beauty. I’d love to see him coaching in Chicago so we’d have two chances every year to benefit from his clock mastery
