Kirby Smart acknowledges obvious things with Spring Break in Florida
February 23rd, 2016 at 11:49 AM ^
February 23rd, 2016 at 11:49 AM ^
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:00 PM ^
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February 23rd, 2016 at 12:01 PM ^
Michigan wants a recruiting advantage ... by being visible in the South.
Therefore, the South has a recruiting advantage by being visible in the South
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:10 PM ^
I've read a couple of comments on Twitter and whatever about how at least Kirby Smart is a straight shooter and not beating around the bush, or whatever.
Reading this article, that's nonsense.
No, he's not following the company line of respecting spring break, but everything else here, all of the other concerns he presents are just as petty and inane.
"Is it an advantage, disadvantage?"
Seriously? You don't even know if it's advantageous? We really don't even need to go any further. If you can't identify a discernible advantage, what the **** are you even compaining about?
"Are they gonna let other coaches come to it, are they gonna hold open practices? Do we all come in there and watch them and scout them? If they're all open practices why don't we go and watch them?"
Let's just say 'No', they're not open. Just like they wouldn't be open in Ann Arbor. You can't watch, just like you couldn't scout last year's Michigan spring practice. How does this change anything?
And that's it? That's the extent of his "Pandora's Box" of concerns? That's really one question phrased 7 different ways.
Just like Sankey, Smart is trying to paint this as some larger issue - in this case, about competition. But when you get into his actual concerns, there's absolutely nothing there. He's grasping for some type of debatable point that just doesn't hold up if you turn a skeptical eye to what he's saying.
Anyway, TL;DR: I don't respect this any more or less than Sankey's crap.
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:29 PM ^
All coaches across the entire country were invited to Ann Arbor to participate in Harbaugh's coaching clinic. If he wants to come watch a practice, wouldn't be a logical first step? I read his comments last night and thought there was nothing there. Yeah, someone in the south finally admits that Harbaugh is trying to get a "competitive advantage". No shit!! What do you think every other coach in the world - in any sport - is trying to do with every single practice?
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:10 PM ^
I think it's becoming obvious that Michigan pretty much stands alone here and our only true sympathizers are probably Notre Dame and Ohio State (and maybe Penn State)
Clearly it's an advantage for a school of Michigan's prestige and resources to do something like this. The south hates it for obvious reasons and I think the rest of the Big Ten is reluctant to speak up on it because, while they like the idea, they know they can't do the same thing and that means it's net-bad for them.
Thus the only schools that I'd really expect to side 100% with Michigan are Notre Dame and Ohio State. Three schools from the rust belt who are hamstrung by NCAA rules and amateurism. As Brian noted, those three should be pulling hard for amateurism to die frankly because we could thus buy out many of the players that first and second rate schools in the south rely on.
February 23rd, 2016 at 1:15 PM ^
I'm not sure about that. I think there are plenty of schools up north with the financial wherewithal to have practices further south. Nebraska, Wisconsin, Syracuse, Michigan State, really all of the Big 10, the Ivy League, maybe up in Washington, all would benefit by going south.
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:14 PM ^
this could be a huge opportunity for Harbaugh to highlight some of the hypocrisy and contradictions if he cares to.
February 23rd, 2016 at 1:31 PM ^
That is an interesting point. I wonder if UM would allow other coaches to come watch their practice or even "recruit" kids during it.
February 23rd, 2016 at 1:39 PM ^
February 23rd, 2016 at 1:36 PM ^
I guess the NCAA could say they are just banning it for football? Or just for spring practice? But that makes their real motives extremely obvious.
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February 23rd, 2016 at 3:54 PM ^
February 23rd, 2016 at 1:43 PM ^
February 23rd, 2016 at 3:12 PM ^
I tell them that he's actually giving a free trip to Florida because they only have to do something for 20 hours total, plus that is frees them from any obligation during finals. The response is "yeah but you're forcing them to go whether they want to or not." What the hell??
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February 23rd, 2016 at 4:09 PM ^
A free trip. And getting an excellent opportunity to practice football, which the player's love to do. It's twenty hour's of practice and probably more fun than the total twenty hour's of practice.
February 24th, 2016 at 12:09 AM ^
By merely harboring the thought, they are aware of something you are not. They are idiots. But when they voice an opinion, one so at odds with common sense, just what would you expect to gain from saying anything?
Let's face it, genius is sometimes difficult to grasp because its rare. Stupid is easily recognizable by the simple fact it exists in abundance and in some cases, depending upon your location, it might outnumber those in the middle like us, average intelligence with no problem understanding when something stupid has just been uttered. When you are outnumbered, believe me, it's best to walk to the other side of the room and odds are almost guaranteed you are joining smarter company than you just left. I will admit, however, if stupid follow you, then it might be time to let them know why you walked away.
February 23rd, 2016 at 3:38 PM ^
February 23rd, 2016 at 3:46 PM ^
The first question he got was about Harbaugh? That is just too funny. Jim is living inside their heads rent free.
February 24th, 2016 at 1:31 AM ^
the benchmark for ethical practices in college sports, I think it might be time for that flashlight to turn in the other direction.
I am guessing there is something far deeper behind the motives of the SEC to keep us out of their backyard, and we all know it has nothing to do with ethical practices toward student-athletes. Absolutely nothing. The fact they asked for the light to be shined on them is bewildering at best. To do it continuously suggests they are, like all good magicians, having us turn our eyes elsewhere, busy as hell at trying to cover up what it is afraid we will find,