IT'S HERE!!!! (BLL)

is Bacon's way of documenting the endpoint of a Michigan football era that began with Bo's Lasting Lessons, which still stands as a remarkable primer for doing things the right way. If only those in places of authority at Michigan had read Bo's words and taken his lessons to heart. Then maybe, replacing him as a leader, not looking at him as a demigod, wouldn't have resulted in the big mess that has followed his death.

This is the overarching theme of Bacon's book series. He launches anew with a return to the past because past is always prologue, and those who fail to acknowledge this, always get trapped in the consequences of that failure. Bo was no conquering hero when hired for $21K by Don Canham who got out of his way and let him run one of the most successful football programs in college football history. What a tandem these two created. What a partnership.

Understand that most of the key players who have played roles in the recent history of Michigan football were introduced as characters in the first book, from the coaches to the AD's.

I find it so remarkable that Bo mentioned a story about Jim Hackett as a player, and related it to his business background and success as a Steelcase executive, to illustrate a point about being accessible and a good listener as an executive. It was a tale about leadership and it incorporates a mention of Dave Brandon in the same chapter. And then they were in charge.

Bo was also an AD at Michigan, maybe not the best, either. But he did coin the Michigan Man phrase that led to Michigan's last NC in basketball when he replaced Bill Frieder with Steve Fisher, and that Michigan Man saga becomes as much a part of an ongoing debate and conundrum teetering on the precipice of loyalty and competence, when the actual term is always open to interpretation by whomever is using it.

Take Devin Gardner. And then imagiine having your entire Michigan career documented by Bacon in book form from the highs and lows to being connected with three different Michigan regimes. Which is the point of not getting Bo's Lasting Lessons.

Bo celebrated those who did things the right way. He wanted his players to understand that you don't succeed without toughness, because that governs how you respond to adversity. And when you recognize adversity, and rise above it, you are a champion in anyone's book. That is what a real Michigan Man is all about.

 

 

 

 

I'm up to the start of last year's Minnesota game...and I feel emotionally drained. And the Shane Morris drama hasn't even started yet.

I had no idea the insane number of coaches and other folks in the athletic department that had either resigned or been fired during Brandon's four years.

And I never knew Brandon liked to step outside the tunnel after games giving autographs alongside Denard like he was a super star.

Just eye opening stuff all around. And the two cokes for two tickets ploy, while already well known, is still so cringeworthy to read.

When Schembechler Hall was redone in 2013-14, Brandon had all the donor plaques that funded the original building removed and asked each person if they wanted their plaque back.

If they didn't respond quickly enough, they were thrown away.

Such a shithead.

Amazon says mine won't be here until Monday.

Eff Dave Brandon. He crafted his own legacy, and made sure everyone in the AD knew that it was priority one. Brandon's Lasting Lessons indeed.

All I've done so far is read the chapter titles, but, based on that, it looks like there's an entire chapter devoted to WD!

Role Call for John U Bacon's talk. I'm here

Was waiting for me on the table when I got home from work.  Quickly read the Preface and started Chapter 1 ...

Only about an hour flight to/from SLC but I am definitely throwing this in my backpack with my toothbrush and change of underwear. 

 

I can't believe the Season and Book are here!

Got mine via Kindle; snuck in a few pages at work today. So far so good; nothing new or revealing yet (other than the Intro, which was excerpted already prior to release)

For the few that haven't purchased the book yet, don't forget you can help out this awesome blog by purchasing through Amazon!

Academia has filled my shelves with copious uninteresting reading material. But I'm actually pretty excited about the e-book because it is searchable so I can refer back to it later.

It fun to be part of the cool kids.

What's here?!? The new phone book?!?

But in all seriousness, I got my copy today too. Pretty excited.

I screeched like a giddy schoolgirl when I opened up my Kindle and the first item listed in the store as a recommendation for me was Endzone!!!

So sorry if this is redundant, but I didn't want to read too many spoilers.
I'm 1/16ish, by bookmark guessing. Very nice about DB so far.
I'm still in the first section. Just starting chapter 6.
I like knowing it's just marinating the steak before it goes on the grill, but, baby, I'm ready to cook!

For those reading this quickly, "Mike Burger" in the latter half of the book has to be a certain OL who transferred during the offseason, right?

I got my copy last night and have read around 200 pages so far. Overall I am far more sympathetic to Brandon than I was before reading the book. He seems like a good (albeit arrogant) man who was just not the right fit. He loves Michigan but was just too corporate.

Horseshoe kidney. So that explains it.