MGoBlog Roundtable with JUB as special guest: Harbaugh's contract discussion
John U Bacon and Sam Webb update on Harbaugh's contract from their sources. Starts at around 30min mark. Here's a quick summary:
- Heard it from every level at Michigan that Jim made it very very clear this is where he wants to be and will not pursue the NFL. However, if they come knocking on his door, he'll listen.
- This situation is not about the NFL, the NCAA or even the BIG Ten, it's about Michigan. If Michigan shows love and they want Harbaugh, he stays. It's not about the number. He wants the bear hug. He's getting it from Ono, but not Warde.
- They confirm the 5yr/55M contract extension on the table with two major sticking points:
NFL clause and for cause clause: Boils down to two questions: Who defines them and who decides if you've cross that line? If it's between Jim and Warde, that's a sticking point as there's not a lot of goodwill to draw on. But if Santa were making the decisions, Jim would be ok.
- Warde did not attend the Football Banquett on Sunday.
December 21st, 2023 at 9:40 PM ^
Jim is Warde’s subordinate on paper, but in practical terms Jim has much more clout than Warde does. Warde would probably prefer a mediocre coach over whom Warde could wield real power. The program would be inferior to what it is now, but Warde’s compensation would be the same and his power would be greater. Warde is incentivized to lord over a middling athletic department.
December 21st, 2023 at 10:34 PM ^
Warde did come from UConn so....
December 21st, 2023 at 10:45 PM ^
Hmmm... that sounds an awful like the previous guy.
December 21st, 2023 at 11:16 PM ^
December 21st, 2023 at 8:38 PM ^
Why is the AD not at your cash cows award ceremony?? Unless he was asked NOT to be there 🤔🤔🤔
December 21st, 2023 at 8:45 PM ^
It was for MEN only
obviously
December 22nd, 2023 at 7:15 AM ^
It was for MEN only
Or was is Just for Men...in which case, why wasn't Ryan "Karen" Day present?
December 21st, 2023 at 9:51 PM ^
That's mindblowing. No matter how he felt about Harbaugh, he should have attended out of respect for the program (for which he played!) and its players.
December 21st, 2023 at 8:42 PM ^
I wish I knew what it was between Warde and Jim. It has to be more than just Stapleton in Warde's ear, right? Fergodsakes, the football program is the engine of the AD. Bury anything personal, guys. Good God.
December 21st, 2023 at 8:50 PM ^
Warde doesn’t really strike me as an ego maniac or power hungry. Which really leaves 2 options. Jim really is just being ridiculous to the point that just makes Warde look like a fall guy for not completely bending over at every turn ( which is contradicted by support from Ono and the board ) or Warde is in the pocket or under far to much influence of guys like Stapleton , frankly enemies of the program who are only concerned with there own sphere of influence and ego
December 21st, 2023 at 10:35 PM ^
Or Bacon has bad info.
December 21st, 2023 at 8:55 PM ^
If Stapleton and Warde are buds, and UM fires Warde, the result will be bad.
December 21st, 2023 at 8:47 PM ^
Warde and Jim are both in their dream jobs. One dream will end badly.
If Warde’s dream ends badly, it’ a nightmare for Warde.
If Jim’s dream ends badly it’s a nightmare for Warde.
December 21st, 2023 at 8:55 PM ^
You know something is REALLY wrong if Warde skipped the banquet. It’s a banquet after all.
December 21st, 2023 at 8:57 PM ^
I’d say it’s also as important that Sam and JUB have both said Chargers is a real threat followed by Raiders. Could be a tumultuous off season again. I think they kind of alluded to the fact that Warde is hindering Harbaugh to stay as well.
December 21st, 2023 at 9:52 PM ^
Does anyone scratch their head at this line:
"Jim made it very very clear this is where he wants to be and will not pursue the NFL. However, if they come knocking on his door, he'll listen."
This is a contradiction.
December 21st, 2023 at 10:17 PM ^
I assume that it just means that Harbaugh will not make the first contact but he will make himself available if an NFL team pursues him. He wants to be at Michigan...unless he gets a better offer.
Seems to me like he is trying to delay things to see what happens this NFL coaching cycle.
December 21st, 2023 at 10:50 PM ^
Like JUB said, Harbaugh isn't stupid. If there is some uncertainty with your current employment, you'd be a fool not to hear potential offers.
December 21st, 2023 at 11:39 PM ^
Exactly. No contradiction.
Jim's showing good faith by not proactively pursuing the NFL, but at the same time not passing on any potential opportunities that knock on his door....just in case.
December 22nd, 2023 at 7:46 AM ^
“And I told him, ‘Warde, this will not be a reoccurring theme every year. This was a one-time thing.”
December 22nd, 2023 at 12:12 PM ^
To be fair, I don't think he actively pursued any jobs last winter. A couple of NFL teams came to him (and he turned them down).
December 22nd, 2023 at 1:00 PM ^
Jim wants to win a super bowl.
Now, he may sacrifice that dream for the dream of staying at Michigan, but my interpretation is that Harbaugh, like most men, has conflicting desires.
Personally, I think it all comes down to the the contract stating that harbaugh can't interview for NFL jobs... and its all that simple. In this scenario Warde's actions make much more sense... and so due Jims....
but what do I know? Im just an anonymous anarchist snoopy on the internet.
December 21st, 2023 at 8:59 PM ^
Looks like Warde is back on the menu, boys!!!
December 21st, 2023 at 9:09 PM ^
I know we made fun of Gene Smith saying that he hoped Urban doesn’t fire him, but if Jim wants Warde gone, Ono should swing the axe.
December 21st, 2023 at 10:06 PM ^
Did that happen or are your confusing this with E. Gordon Gee saying he hope Tressel doesn't fire him?
December 21st, 2023 at 10:14 PM ^
That wasn’t Gene Smith’s quote. That was OSU President Gee. Even worse.
and I don’t foresee Ono saying that.
December 21st, 2023 at 9:13 PM ^
With the obvious disclaimer that I know about as much as anyone here (i.e., nothing), what Sam and Bacon said about Harbaugh wanting appreciation more than renumeration passes the smell test about what we know in terms of how Harbaugh has presented himself, as does the apparent disconnect between him and Warde.
I'll state that I'm not favorably inclined towards Warde, but... this may not be entirely his fault. The thing is that Harbaugh is likely not an easy person to get along with. It's the price of admission. It might even be that he has a need to pick out an enemy because of how he's wired and here it's Warde. I've worked with at least one project manager who had that M.O. and I'm willing to bet that many of you have as well. All of which is to say that Warde might not be capable of getting along with Harbaugh even if he really committed to that because Harbaugh might have already burned the bridge a long time ago and is merely tolerating Warde's presence. And to a non-zero extent that is on Harbaugh.
All that said, if ultimately is you have to choose only one, it's an easy choice for me, based on what I know, because Harbaugh is far far less replaceable than Warde. We all knew going in he has an asshole streak. I don't love it either, but the on and off field results thus far have justified it.
December 21st, 2023 at 9:21 PM ^
This. Harbaugh is a renowned dick which is part of the reason why I kind of doubt the Chargers/Panthers would seriously make a play for him. Billionaires tend to be autocratic megalomaniacs and I don’t see Harbaugh mixing well with the ownership of either team.
Michigan should probably create an AD for football and let that person be Harbaugh immediate superior. He and Warde then wouldn’t have to interact with each other. That or move Warde to another position at the university. It’s critical to keep Harbaugh if you can.
December 21st, 2023 at 9:55 PM ^
Harbaugh is a renowned dick
I wouldn't doubt that he's a complex guy to deal with, but if he's truly been awful to work with at Michigan, we'd know about it. There are certainly people within or close to the athletic department willing to leak things out.
December 21st, 2023 at 10:00 PM ^
Ono needs to hire Stalions to ferret out and identify the leakers.
December 22nd, 2023 at 1:29 AM ^
It’s certainly possible that he could be widely beloved by his players and those in his circle of trust and coldly indifferent to various management types. Phil Jackson adopted that kind of mindset with the 90’s Bulls where he got buy-in from his players while he was antagonizing Jerry Krause. It was definitely dickish towards Krause (who was imperfect in his own way) but at the end of the day, I think Bulls fans were ok with the end result.
And again, I’m not Team Warde - far from it, but it’s likely more complex than simply ‘Harbs good, Warde bad’
December 21st, 2023 at 10:47 PM ^
If he’s such a schlong, explain why his players spontaneously come up to him during press conferences, give him a bro’ hug, and tell him they love him.
he’s unique, but a man’s man.
December 22nd, 2023 at 7:50 AM ^
Because they aren't his boss, charged with making him adhere to university and NCAA policy, and who suffers the questions and consequences from other AD staff and coaches when Harbaugh fails to do the right thing.
December 21st, 2023 at 10:51 PM ^
Harbaugh is … dick
Your credibility is -1000 compared to all the players, coaches, and many more, who actually know him and would vehemently disagree with you. On the other hand there is your reputation on MGoBlog…
December 21st, 2023 at 11:04 PM ^
I am going by what is widely reported in the media. It takes a dick to take a personal shot over a comment on a message.
December 22nd, 2023 at 12:51 AM ^
Let’s see here:
You called Harbaugh a dick based on media personalities and others that have an axe to grind. These sources have zero credibility. Yet you continue to ignore the many sources, all of them, that know Harbaugh personally, and love him.
Like many on here, I am going to defend Harbaugh because the facts, based on who actually knows him, speak for themselves.
And so I absolutely questioned your credibility. It seemed flawed and now it clearly is. I further raised the issue, based on a lot of comments from MGoBloggers, that your own personal credibility is suspect. Really, those bloggers have more interaction with you than you with Harbaugh. And your only response is to call me a dick.
Coming from you that’s a compliment, especially given the company I now keep.
December 22nd, 2023 at 7:52 AM ^
"You called Harbaugh a dick based on media personalities and others that have an axe to grind."
Nah - I call Harbaugh a dick based on his own comments.
He's a very good football coach... but like MOST football coaches, kind of a ballsack. It isn't a profession known for being populated by modern social thought.
December 22nd, 2023 at 8:34 AM ^
I work with a guy who went to high school with Harbaugh and he referred to him as a bit of a dick. I have also seen this reported by people who did/do know him and who think him “hard to work with”. Dick could be a term used here.
You called me a dick and then attempt to frame yourself as a sorta of victim when I returned the favor. You made it personal yet you are tying to capture an imaginery moral high ground in your head.
There really was no reason to make it personal. All of the opinions expressed on Harbaugh are based on biased interactions people we largely do not know have had with the man. All of our credibility is dubious when it comes to the accuracy of evaluating Harbaugh’s personality.
You for whatever reason decided to make it personal. I don’t know why, but you did.
December 22nd, 2023 at 11:28 AM ^
You called me a dick and then attempt to frame yourself as a sorta of victim when I returned the favor. You made it personal yet you are tying to capture an imaginery moral high ground in your head.
Now you are making stuff up. The facts are all online.
I never called you anything. I only ever “questioned your credibility” and added to it by mentioning you have a “ reputation on MGoblog”. I didn’t even say what your reputation is on MGoblog. Look, if you were going to act like Finebaum and make callous shallow comments like calling Harbaugh a dick, your credibility is going to be on the line.
On the other hand, you immediately took my mention of your reputation as an insult. Hmm. And your only response to me was the same juvenile name calling. That’s not me. Thats all you. You are like a modern day Horshack.
At this point, it’s hard to believe anything you say. Your first response was to say that Harbaugh is dick because the media says he is. Now it’s because you work with a guy who went to high school with him and says he was a “bit of a”.
December 21st, 2023 at 10:57 PM ^
Billionaires tend to be autocratic megalomaniacs and I don’t see Harbaugh mixing well with the ownership of either team.
Billionaires can also be desperate. The Charger situation is similar to the 49ers when Harbaugh started there: a talented team in search of a coach to put it all together to get wins. I could seen an owner being willing to put up with Harbaugh a couple years if it might get them a shot at the superbowl.
December 22nd, 2023 at 12:57 AM ^
Harbaugh doesn’t suffer fools like the former GM of the niners, the owner, and media that ask stupid or manipulative questions.
By the way, did anyone else notice Finebaum’s interview in a Detroit newspaper this week. He basically admitted that ESPN asked him to go after Harbaugh on sign gate when he held back. Many of us remember Finebaum’s first response was that sign-gate was nothing but then he quickly changed into an attack dog because, as we now learn, ESPN wanted ratings.
December 21st, 2023 at 9:28 PM ^
What really is his rep for being unlikable? The on off streak as you say? Seems to me (and not just at Michigan) it’s mostly the country club folks, the people who want to show they’re friends how important they are, who want to show up and have the red carpet rolled out for them for no other reason than there wealth. These are the people Harbaugh continuously has a beef with. Because he refuses to treat them any different than the guy holding the door ( actually he probably shows that guy more respect) He doesn’t drop everything he has planned for the day because some pencil neck with a sticker on his shirt that says ncaa drops by. It’s people who want respect for the authority they haven’t earned nore deserve that Jim rubs the wrong way. Because he doesn’t play along with delusional charade
December 22nd, 2023 at 1:01 AM ^
He is not a kiss up and I respect that. He also does not try to deliver polished media interviews and instead tells it like it is (with limits set by the AD, competitive information, and common sense).
December 21st, 2023 at 9:16 PM ^
If Harbaugh leaves I’d have to imagine Manual would be run out of town. Harbaugh is immensely popular right now among the fans and that means everything. Surely Manual knows this. Ono certainly does too.
Stapleton can fuck off. Michigan has many other, wealthier boosters than this clown who has been a blight on Washtenaw County universities for far too long. He is deeply unpopular at EMU and UM.
December 21st, 2023 at 9:20 PM ^
Please give Warde a golden parachute and pay him to go away. Hire either a pro-Harbaugh guy or someone who's willing to learn to be who has morals, ethics, and some experience as an AD/leader going forward. If Warde doesn't take the golden parachute, fire him into the sun as he won't have a golden parachute to slow his trajectory.
This isn't an anti-Warde post per se. I don't know the guy, have never met him, he might be good at 90 percent of what an AD at Michigan does. However, BY FAR the most important thing an AD at Michigan does is support the football program and coach, and at that Warde is at best less than average. Jim Brandstatter has some free time....
A successful football program at a school like Michigan adds a huge degree of value to all aspects of the school. You get a far higher number of applications, which allows you to be even more selective and boosts your academic profile. Your donors are excited, and they give not only to football and athletics, but also to the University at large.
I think I've posted this before in comments, but our University of Alabama rep says they figure Saban has been worth well over $100 million a year since they hired him because of everything I mentioned above, possibly up to $250 million. So yeah, he's making 10-but he's vastly underpaid.
December 21st, 2023 at 9:24 PM ^
I don’t know what Warde does that dozens or hundreds of people couldnt do considerably better. He mingles with Jim Stapleton and has (in my opinion) badly mismanaged all 3 revenue sports at various points in time. We can do much better
December 21st, 2023 at 9:32 PM ^
Heather Lyke. UM alum/player for Hutchins. Terrific AD at EMU and Pitt. She is the one who hired Chris Creighton at EMU.
Move Warde, hire Lyke, and boom goes the dynamite.
December 21st, 2023 at 9:53 PM ^
Just looked her up...OSU is rumored to be considering her when Gene Smith retires since she worked there as Assoc AD for 15 years