Joel Klatt says there is tension with Jim Harbaugh
Cherish Harbaugh while we have him. How do we get Warde to walk out the door? Sounds like he’s going to lose us another coach walk.
October 4th, 2023 at 10:57 PM ^
Joel Klatt when he faps on UM football = he is so knowledgbale, amazeballs, the only guy you can trust in the media, has his sources and close to the team.
Joel Klatt when he casts a shred of doubt on anything at UM Football = I doubt Joel Klatt knows anything about Michigan football aside what is speculated publicly.
October 5th, 2023 at 8:56 AM ^
Why would Klatt have insider knowledge?
October 5th, 2023 at 9:20 AM ^
There are 140 (now 141) comments on this thread and about 80% of them are people acting like they actually know what is happening when they don't. It's human nature to have a thought, and then want to tell people in case you might be right.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:02 PM ^
I’m going to go ahead and say that this works out somehow and we get to keep him. Positive energy
October 4th, 2023 at 8:06 PM ^
I've never been among the "Fire Warde" crowd and still am not (when was the last time we had a *better* AD than him, really - not to say we *couldn't* do better, but it seems *unlikely* considering our track record). Obviously Harbaugh is the most important single employee under Warde's direction and Warde should keep him happy, and as long as Santa keeps Warde in that vein then everything should be fine.
October 5th, 2023 at 10:20 AM ^
How or what would a better AD look like? Does the AD have to keep both fans and student-athletes happy? Seems like the student-athletes are getting better facilities, winning more, and overall happy I suppose. Is that enough?
Curious.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:09 PM ^
Isn't that old news?
October 4th, 2023 at 9:54 PM ^
Old news that was somewhat debunked too.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:32 PM ^
Longtime Bears fan, longtime Michigan fan…Harbaugh to the Bears would be too perfect…that’s why the Bears won’t do it. They will overthink the room and hire some numbnutts D coordinator from an 8-8 team.
They have a family running a 6 BILLION dollar franchise with their only qualification being they spawned from a man who invested a few nickels into a team over 100 years ago.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:18 PM ^
You're talking about a franchise that has won Super Bowls on a board filled with Lions fans. Dude, get some time dealing with bad owners and failed seasons...
October 5th, 2023 at 9:09 AM ^
Harbaugh would probably kill it with the Bears. Cold weather, passionate fans, team identity around running the ball and tough defense, plus a bit of history. Better fit than the Raiders, Chargers, or Falcons.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:36 PM ^
I'm going to enjoy the season and worry about the future when it gets here.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:08 PM ^
'Cause when you worry your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy now
October 4th, 2023 at 8:39 PM ^
Don't we know this? Horse shit season is starting early this year. Great
October 4th, 2023 at 9:01 PM ^
I sent President Ono an email the other day urging him to get a deal done with Jim Harbaugh. No response of course, but maybe if more people bombard him with similar emails? I am not comfortable with the idea of Jim leaving. I don't think I could take another Rodriguez or Hoke fiasco. Harbaugh fell into our laps because Trent Baalke was too stupid to leave him alone. Now Warde is making the same mistake. There are no coaches out there who bleed maize and blue and recently took their team to the Super Bowl. He'll probably be the last great coach at Michigan, and my 50 + yrs. of fandom will be over.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:06 PM ^
Awesome. Your 50+ years of fandom will be over, if Harbaugh leaves, regardless of how we do? Nice.
Or only if ... he's the last great coach at Michigan. How long will we have to wait to know if that's true? Two years? 20?
Damn, when we hired Bo, for God's sake, people were up in arms because he was an unknown, with no connection to Michigan, and it was clear Michigan was doomed. Look how that turned out.
Calm down, people.
October 5th, 2023 at 8:39 AM ^
From your name I'm guessing that you, like me, were around when Bo was hired. My recollection is much different. There was a lot of Bo who? because people didn't know him, but there was no "up in arms, we're doomed" talk- not at all.
I don't know if Jim is the best coach we've had since Bo, or the best since Crisler or Yost, but he's clearly in the discussion considering the time and the competitive environment, and in my book you make keeping him the top priority.
October 5th, 2023 at 11:31 PM ^
I was around (although very young) when they hired Bo. I do remember my Dad cursing because he was from ohio and no one from ohio should be coaching Michigan. A rather narrow view of the world, I know but my Dad was a red-neck as they come.
Then when we won against ohio that year, I do not remember the game because Tonka truck were more interesting. But that was one of the first times I heard my Day say "son of a biatch" as in "that Red Neck Son of a Biach did it. He beat them ohio Red Necks"
October 5th, 2023 at 12:15 AM ^
Colt- you are soft
October 4th, 2023 at 8:47 PM ^
If someone’s got to go, peace out Warde!
October 4th, 2023 at 8:54 PM ^
Is this supposed to be news? Klatt is usually on top of things, but good lord, man... We knew there was tension between Harbaugh and Manuel back in 2019. How the hell is Klatt just figuring this out?
October 4th, 2023 at 9:57 PM ^
Klatt's a guest on a national talk show where Cowherd talks about all kinds of shit day after day. It's not like he was breaking news. They were just having a conversation about Michigan.
October 5th, 2023 at 4:13 AM ^
And....
Generating income, ahem clicks, off the back of one of the largest, most active fanbases.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:57 PM ^
He will stay forever and crush Ohio every year. This is the reality I choose to live in.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:57 PM ^
this is so dumb, he's talking about stuff that's many months old now. it's not breaking news everytime joel klatt reheats some leftover 6 month old talking points.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:00 PM ^
I have zero interest in speculating on JH's future. I hope he stays until he is on the sidelines in a wheelchair, but that's just personal opinion.
What I find humorous in the news today is MSU fans thinking they are going to get Meyer. If (please may it not happen, but if) JH leaves at some point, I doubt Meyer would take the job here if asked. I wouldn't want him, but I have no illusion that he would jump at the job. The idea that Meyer would ever consider the job at MSU, and the high percentage of their fan base (well, those dumb enough to post online like I am doing now) who think he would seriously consider it is insane.
He wouldn't take the job here, which means he wouldn't move to EL for <$100 million a year guaranteed until 15 years after he dies even if he commits murder and treason.
October 4th, 2023 at 10:44 PM ^
I think he'd take a job here if offered. That's moot, though, since he won't have it offered to him.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:02 PM ^
Klatt is pretty plugged in. How do you piss of your number one sport (football) coach? I guess there is something to Beilein, Bakich, Hutchins, Steinberg, Rosen, Bottom etc. all leaving despite people saying these are coincidences.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:04 PM ^
It's natural to have tension between the head coach and the AD.
There was with Bo and Don, and that worked out well.
There wasn't with Brandon and Hoke, and didn't work out well.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:05 PM ^
I fully expect him to be gone next year anyway. After a natty. And I’ll tip my cap , cherish it all, and say “keep us going coach [insert current staff name here] “
October 4th, 2023 at 9:07 PM ^
You all realize Harbaugh will stop being the coach at Michigan, at some point, right? It won't necessarily be Warde's fault. It's how being a head coach works.
Breathe. Life will go on, I promise.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:08 PM ^
I’m choosing to believe that if Harbaugh leaves, it’s because he in his heart of hearts believes he can still win a Super Bowl, always had a plan to go back, and there was not anything Michigan could’ve done to change that.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:42 PM ^
Agreed. Does anyone really think that someone like Harbaugh could be driven from a job that he loves because of one guy (who doesn't have the power to unilaterally fire him) he may not be simpatico with? If he leaves, it's because he has an itch that needs to be scratched.
October 5th, 2023 at 4:17 AM ^
Unfortunately, the answer is "yes" a lot of people believe just that...
October 5th, 2023 at 9:25 AM ^
Well, he was driven from a job in San Francisco, so yes I do believe that is not out of the question.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:23 PM ^
How long before the Urban Meyer to UofM rumors start? ***just kidding***
October 4th, 2023 at 10:10 PM ^
Actually when Urban was the big winning coach at Utah, he said his dream jobs were ND, Michigan, and Ohio State. So, at one time he coveted being the HC here. Though, after his actions at Florida and OSU, I would never want him here as our HC.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:32 PM ^
This is hilarious all the people freaking out.
There are literally multiple insiders saying that they expect a contract signed and that it's gonna be done asap.
October 5th, 2023 at 5:29 AM ^
Playing devils advocate, weren’t we told this back in the spring/summer that the contract was being signed shortly? I thought there were “insiders” as well saying it was happening?
October 4th, 2023 at 9:45 PM ^
Why is this even coming out right now? All I know is Harbaugh loves this team and this team has a chance to do something special. I will worry about Harbaugh and this supposed tension after this season is over. Go Blue!
October 4th, 2023 at 9:57 PM ^
Widen the door?
October 4th, 2023 at 10:00 PM ^
You guys are crazy. Harbaugh could have left last year and didn’t. The new contract has likely been agreed to for awhile now. Harbaugh is staying.
October 4th, 2023 at 10:08 PM ^
For all the people who are positive this is all Warde's fault:
1) As long as Harbaugh has a direct line to Ono who apparently got the contract done last time, then who really cares?
2) Before he got here, everybody said Harbaugh was a chore and wore people out and couldn't get along with management and burned out everywhere. The pattern is with Harbaugh, not Warde.
I'm not saying that it is Harbaugh's fault, I'm just saying it wouldn't be that surprising if he has some culpability in this, too.
For all the people who are positive he's going to the NFL:
Doesn't he need, like, a contract offer from the NFL in order to go? Because to me it seems he's tried to do that the past couple years but the delicate geniuses who run NFL teams think they're too smart and too good for Harbaugh. They just like to kick the tires on him for some reason.
October 4th, 2023 at 10:43 PM ^
“Harbaugh” wears people out is a false narrative. He was loved at Stanford and San Diego. He clashed egos with the spoiled brat owner’s son who runs the niners because the kid knew nothing about football and is a joke.
October 4th, 2023 at 11:32 PM ^
I shouldn't have leaned so much on the idea that he wears out management or even that he burns out. Going from San Diego to Stanford to San Francisco is a very natural career progression that anyone with ambition would make. The one "step back" was going from the NFL back to college, and he's stayed here way longer than his critics said he would in 2015.
But I think it's fair to say he earned his reputation as being a bit difficult or grating to deal with, even if that's in part because he doesn't suffer assholes well. It's not like he's a sweet peach who everyone loves to chill with. I still think if there's tension between Warde and Harbaugh, they're both playing a part in that.
October 5th, 2023 at 12:07 AM ^
”He doesn’t suffer fools well” is a good way to put it. And York is a fool. But that was the one situation. And, yes he is not going to play politics and kiss up which would be what it takes to “get along” in that situation. He also didn’t earn a reputation, more likely is was planted here in SF.
It is certainly possible with Warde that Harbaugh rightfully believes he has the high moral ground with respect to the NCAA and believes he shouldn’t have to do anything that suggests he was at all guilty of doing any wrong. And, he believes he didn’t do anything wrong. Where Warde, with self imposed sanctions and possibly more, is going to want to play politics with the NCAA.
In the past the NCAA has acted like a dictatorship and if you don’t bow down to their whims you will end up having to bend over. Warde and Michigan want to avoid the worse case scenario and are not ready to play a game of chicken. Harbaugh, instead, was brought up to stick to what is right and wrong. That seems like a definite conflict that could boil over.
October 4th, 2023 at 11:16 PM ^
You're dreaming if you think that Harbaugh/Ono dynamic is going to work. Harbaugh may have a direct line to Ono, but if Harbaugh/Warde tension is that high where he constantly has to go over Warde's head and undermining his authority, that is not a sustainable relationship. I certainly wouldn't allow it if I were Warde. And he shouldn't. If the situation continues, they can't coexist- It's either Harbaugh or Warde.
October 4th, 2023 at 11:19 PM ^
If that became the ultimatum, exactly who is taking Warde over Harbaugh? Still not a reason to worry unless your name is Warde Manuel.
October 5th, 2023 at 12:09 AM ^
Well, if there's real tension, Harbaugh just may be more motivated to walk and take another shot at the NFL. And that would be a concern.
Personally, if your employee is 25-3, 2x Big Ten Champ and 2X CFP in the past two seasons, you make things work, not disrespect him by sitting on his 8M salary (12th highest), 2M less than Tucker.