Broken Brilliance

May 20th, 2020 at 2:35 PM ^

Sorry to semi-thread jack but did anyone see the 11w headline on OSU opening facilities with players on June 8? I'm all for it if all B1G schools can, but that's obviously not the case right now. Is this new commissioner already bending over backwards for Ohio St?

Navy Wolverine

May 20th, 2020 at 3:33 PM ^

How is this bending pandemic rules? DeWine had authorized gyms to reopen on 26 May and the Lake County Court of Common Pleas just issued a preliminary injunction which effectively permits Ohio gyms to reopen immediately. In fact, there will probably be no safer place to work out in the entire state of Ohio than the OSU football facilities where everything is certain to be tightly controlled, clean and sanitized. 

Don

May 20th, 2020 at 4:16 PM ^

"In fact, there will probably be no safer place to work out in the entire state of Ohio than the OSU football facilities"

Given the conditions that are most conducive to the transmission of COVID-19, there are many places far safer to work out than indoor facilities filled with grunting, exhaling, shouting, and spittle-throwing people in close physical proximity for extended periods of time, especially if those people are not observing strict stay-at-home measures themselves to boot.

Broken Brilliance

May 20th, 2020 at 3:48 PM ^

This was my other thought on it. For the football team's purposes, the stay home order would have to expire at the end of May, or the supreme court would have to override it for the whole state.

Either way, I would like to see Commissioner Kevin keep a blanket order over the whole conference even if it means waiting for the Illinois and Michigan teams to get the green light

BlockM

May 20th, 2020 at 2:39 PM ^

Duh. Anyone that thinks he wouldn't cut off at least one of his own fingers to have notched a win against OSU is a moron.

DonBrownsMustache

May 20th, 2020 at 3:07 PM ^

I would like to see more animosity out of Harbaugh.  I like the angry and stern Harbaugh.  Would also like to see the players shut their mouths for a season and back it up in the field.

SecretAgentMayne

May 20th, 2020 at 3:13 PM ^

Also, what exactly happened to Jim Harbaugh? I’ve been thinking about it recently. Seriously, go watch his press conferences from 2015 and 2016 compared to now. He was so animated and full of energy back then, and now it’s seems as though he’s a shell of his old self whose lost his competitive fire. It makes me sad.

Perkis-Size Me

May 20th, 2020 at 3:25 PM ^

There's a couple of theories, but I believe it goes back to the 2016 OSU game. 

1) After the 2016 OSU game where his outbursts on the sideline (whether justified or not) spotted OSU a crucial 15 yards that helped them punch in a TD. He may have decided after that to tone it down so as not to cost his team going forward. I'm sure he feels he was justified in his anger that day, as do many of us, but I'm sure he also feels awful that it cost his team so dearly. 

2) Some folks around here, and somedays I feel this as well, think the 2016 game "broke" Harbaugh. If he wins that game, the entire narrative of his time at Michigan is different. He beats Meyer in Columbus in his second year, probably makes the playoff, and while he probably doesn't beat Clemson, a huge weight is lifted off of Michigan's shoulders. They finally know they can beat those guys. Recruiting skyrockets, and I truly believe the series starts to even out, because so much of OSU's advantage over Michigan is mental. You beat them in their own house that day, the mental advantage goes completely out the window. 

But that didn't happen. Michigan lost in horrible, controversial fashion. Some of it was self-inflicted, but a lot was a result of god-awful calls that helped OSU in the most crucial moments of the game. Harbaugh may truly feel his team was robbed of a win, and feels less passionate about a game where the deck is intentionally stacked against his team. 

FrankMurphy

May 20th, 2020 at 4:57 PM ^

I don't buy the theory that the 2016 Ohio State game broke him. He lost a Super Bowl in agonizing fashion to a team coached by his older brother. The stakes don't get any higher than that. And there was a similarly controversial ending in that game (defensive holding non-call on a 4th down potential game-winning TD pass). If Harbaugh was the type to be broken by one bad ending (and anyone who is that type doesn't belong on the big stage), that would have done it.

I think the disappointments have just worn on him over time to the point that he's become subdued, frustrated, and embarrassed at having failed to live up to the hype he generated at the outset. The 2017 season as a whole probably did a number on his psyche. I also think he's past the point of being able to turn it around. The gulf between Michigan and Ohio State has widened to the point that OSU is a well-oiled juggernaut whose momentum builds upon itself. We can't compete for the type of elite recruits that Ohio State regularly lands. And without elite players, you can't beat the elite teams.

It just is what it is. It would be foolish to fire Harbaugh because then we're back at square one. We just have to content ourselves with achieving at the level of an Iowa or a Wisconsin (in a good year), marking The Game as an automatic L, and forget about winning the division (let alone the conference) anytime soon. Maybe, when Harbaugh decides to move on, we hit it out of the park and hire the next Nick Saban.

Until then... Basketball, anyone?

umGrad1981

May 20th, 2020 at 4:00 PM ^

Jimmy just needs a few more years to get the players that he desires. As long as he continues to recruit Massachusetts hard we will beat Ohio soon. 

Blue_by_U

May 20th, 2020 at 4:04 PM ^

at this point I understand beating OSU at the peak of their program history is a tall order. Is it possible, I'd call that 50/50 if they spend every day of practice with that focus in mind. Otherwise I'll settle for winning the games they should, winning games that will be tough, and winning a bowl game. We need momentum. I've written off the part demanding wins over a team two leagues ahead right now. Would it be great? absolutely. Will it define the season for me? No. We need to punish MSU, we need to beat Wisky and Penn St. we need to play out of conference to win. Even in our best years OSU was a battle...right now recruiting etc and honestly use of our coveted recruits is iffy. STOP buying up qb leftovers...we have McCaffery, Milton, etc...time to groom the future.

pkatz

May 20th, 2020 at 4:32 PM ^

Really, Jim???  No shit...

Highly doubt this is the year, and not sure if you’ll be UM’s coach by the time we do eventually beat OSU.