KingRJ

January 19th, 2024 at 12:24 AM ^

He’s already a GM with all the control, AT MICHIGAN!!! I get the whole NFL ambitions he has, and he deserves to chase his NFL dreams but just don’t drag it out forever.  It just hurts Michigan, it doesn’t help. It’ll be hard to get full control of everything in the NFL.  But he led us to the mountain top and because of that all I can say to him is good luck JH.  

Joined: 04/30/2015

MGoPoints: 2302

RobM_24

January 19th, 2024 at 12:39 AM ^

I think it's the opposite. No matter what he does or wants to do, it always seems to be stopped, blocked, shot down, or interfered with by the NCAA, the Big Ten, academic policies, the Regents, the President, or the AD. 

It has to be tough for Harbaugh to look across the field at Georgia or Alabama and think that he's on a level playing field in terms of support, resources, and leeway. That would wear me out more than anything, and I think that's a large part of what took Beilein's heart out of coaching in college.

Joined: 01/27/2014

MGoPoints: 64446

Perkis-Size Me

January 19th, 2024 at 8:10 AM ^

I do think the job will have to be offered under his terms, but otherwise, I agree. 

This year is his perfect window to do so. Just won the national title, and you have the ability to "go out on top" and ride off into the sunset as a hero in Ann Arbor forever. If he sticks around, he can certainly win more titles down the road, but this team is undoubtedly taking a step back next year (only fourth team ever to go 15-0 so there's almost no way they weren't taking a step back), and the offense is going through an almost complete rebuild. Options at QB next year, as of this moment, are pretty scary between either handing it to a true freshman, a wildcat QB, or playing "wait and see" for who becomes available in the Spring. 

If he goes 8-4 or 9-3 next year and leaves after that, do the thoughts of "I can't go out like that" come creeping back for him? 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 106043

SFBlue

January 19th, 2024 at 1:15 AM ^

It is hard for NFL guys to cede control. These guys are alpha macho meathead control freaks. And the owners have people whose job it is to report on the coach and staff. There are execs (President, GM) who like in corporations have livelihoods that depend on outlasting the coaching and the talent. Jim should see through whatever it is the Chargers offer him. It is so much less than what he already has. Jim does not thrive in c-level corporate jobs. You would think by age 60 he would know that about himself. 

Joined: 11/02/2009

MGoPoints: 15699

Freaky Reaky

January 19th, 2024 at 1:58 AM ^

"Jim does not thrive in c-level corporate jobs. You would think by age 60 he would know that about himself."

Such a good point, but I imagine Jim as being someone who can't/won't acknowledge his own limitations. He's always going to bet on himself, for better or worse. I would have thought his time in SF would have been instructive in terms of how the dynamics between a head coach and the GM/ownership of an NFL team can play out, but he probably believes he can overcome that if given the chance again.

Joined: 11/21/2015

MGoPoints: 264

bluesparkhitsy…

January 19th, 2024 at 11:06 AM ^

I agree, and to the point that he effectively turned this "limitation" into one of his greatest strengths.  It would be hard for any of us to have our salary halved, very publicly, for perceived performance-related reasons.  Most of us would express anger, leave, or become less productive.  Harbaugh did the opposite.  He accepted the pay cut (and implicit insult) without complaint, worked his hardest, and delivered everything that anyone could have wanted.  Whatever limitations he may have had in this regard earlier in his career, it's hard to say he can't or won't overcome bad management at this point in his career.

Or to put it differently, if he can wildly succeed despite Warde, it's hard to imagine a GM that could hold him down.

Joined: 10/16/2010

MGoPoints: 2442

TickerTape

January 19th, 2024 at 7:09 AM ^

These people are all idiots. The Chargers aren't even done interviewing candidates yet. For example, they have an interview set up with Ben Johnson on Saturday which would be an outstanding chose for the Chargers.

Joined: 07/20/2011

MGoPoints: 1130

NCBlue22

January 19th, 2024 at 8:23 AM ^

Quoting Albert Breer on anything with a hint of Michigan (OSU slappy) is akin to posting about barstool sports, yoder, chatsports, ace williams, etc....

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 967

UMChick77

January 19th, 2024 at 9:02 AM ^

The longer the Chargers take to make a decision and the more people they interview, the less likely they're going to hire him. Interviewing Vrabel after Harbaugh is pretty telling, at least to me. 

Joined: 12/16/2014

MGoPoints: 7699

djmagic

January 19th, 2024 at 9:59 AM ^

It tells me that Ownership isn't quite clear on what it is that they want.   That they don't have a GM yet is interesting, but i'm not sure it's the kind of interesting that make them any more or less likely to hire Harbaugh.  The chatter that ownership might not be eager to give harbaugh the control he wants is probably the most encouraging thing for those of us who are hoping Harbaugh remains at Michigan.

Joined: 09/06/2010

MGoPoints: 2348

Qseverus

January 19th, 2024 at 1:30 PM ^

If Jim wants to circumvent the Chargers’ owners ability to fire him “for cause” and put the decision into the hands of a 3-member panel, I don’t think it will fly.

Joined: 09/13/2012

MGoPoints: 448