Scathing article by Michael Spath on program culture

It seems like one problem with a 5 star QB transfer that you really need is that there is a tendency to pamper him once he gets here.

I'm not saying what is wrote is true or untrue, but there isnt a program out there that gets more attention (mostly negative) than Michigan and Harbaugh. How many articles have been written just in the last few weeks about the culture of the program, recruiting issues, staff problems, etc? Its been this way since Harbaugh got here. He came in with a great enthusiasm towards the college game and instead of embracing it, there were new rules and bylaws enacted and the media jumps on him at every turn. They cant remember jack shit about 50 other coaches but they can spit out (insert record under Harbaugh here) without even looking at notes. I'm not an apologist and I've not been happy with everything in his time here, but damn this shit gets old hearing it all season and offseason. 

Idk man, this might be a story with an agenda but I'll be damned if there isn't at least an element of truth to it. Pure speculation, but I think Shea was not at all where he should've been starting the season performance-wise, but there was something that kept Harbaugh from pulling him until the absolute shit-show that was the Wisconsin game.

I still hold that DCaff would've taken over as starter had he not been hurt against Wisconsin. Let's hope the staff gets their shit together and doesn't play the favorites game, that's how you lose a team and flounder as a program no matter how much talent you have.

I do not trust Spath or his news. I do not think he has much insider info. There may be some truth here but it is undoubtedly a stretch. I used to follow him on Twitter but he would get suicidal after losses. If you listen to his show you can learn about real estate from Alex or his workout at Orangetheory. Zach Shaw is much better.

STARTING QB GETS SPECIAL TREATMENT.

Click bait, after the fact narrative garbage. Stick to clothing and memorabilia posts.

I think the only thing that really speaks to a culture issue here is the part about Shea. Clearly not well liked by his teammates and I had heard the same things around campus while he was here. 

As far as coaches leaving, nfl draft declaring, transfers, I think that’s just kind of the game now. At a certain level I think that it speaks to general program disfunction which I’m sure there is. 

Take for example the DPJ bullet, he talks about how the staff didn’t utilize Jabrill Peppers and Rashan Gary appropriately. Peppers had an entire shitty wildcat package and was drafted in the first round. Gary was a defensive end I’m not sure what the staff could’ve done to “showcase” him. He was drafted sixth overall. 

As far as coaches leaving and not playing in bowls that just comes down to money and I’ll never blame anyone for that. 

Overall the program is certainly disorganized but I don’t think it’s in a death spiral by any stretch. Teams in a death spiral don’t sign top ten classes or shit stomp Notre Dame or start figuring out their offense after a heartbreaking loss. 

Harbaugh needs to reprioritize within his program and decide if he wants to play with the big boys. He’s been good but not good enough. I just think this article does a lot of editorializing and piling on. 

Soooo scathing...doesn’t sound like a full on culture problem to me, anyway if Patterson was the problem he’s gone

I'm just here for the vomit 

Let's do this.  Go to any locker room in the country, for any sport with more than 10 people, and see if you can find someone who thinks the coach(es) favor some people over other people.  You will find this in every one. Ex-athletes who felt they were wronged by coaches is as old as team sport itself, followed only by some on the team thinking others on the team should have / should not have been voted captain. Homer probably talks about it in the Iliad. 

This is just the bullshit that people talk about when a team loses.  This attempt by Spath is just the latest and laziest. 

Fuck that Spath hit piece.

I did wish we stuck with Speight, and did think at the time....but if Patterson won, the move would have been viewed as meritous move...  Speight I think would have been a good option as a senior.  Even McCaffrey...I think the team really rallies around him.  Am enthused to hear Ambrys words.  

DPJ skills may have been underutilized but I feel that fell on Patterson's tunneling Bell...  And after seeing Burrow play, and knowing his astounding work in offseason, the golf thing has teeth. It was a risk to bring Patterson in, and it didn't work out..but it was a plausible try to get better.  As Vonnegut says....so it goes.  

And I do think Patterson was benched and was gonna ride with Mccaffrey but got hurt, so the meritocracy claim seems nonsense.  

Spath is a dolt.

I actually hope this is true, it would make me feel better about the QB situation.

His first bullet is ridiculous when he includes Devin Bush. That guy cared and loved his teammates and coaches.

He presents the second bullet as a negative, that they are trying to get rid of entitled, non-team first guys? Is that really a negative? 

Third bullet is blown out of proportion. OSU hiring a guy from Colombus is a huge coup apparently. 

PSU took 41 guys in those 2 classes, OSU took 45. Michigan took 56. Those extra guys tend to transfer. Look at it conversely, Michigan held onto 32 players from those 2 classes, PSU only held on to 28 guys from those classes, and OSU held onto 33 guys. So what I take from that is that no matter how many kids you bring in, you're never going to keep more than 17/ class.

Then he brings up entitlement, a program in Harbaughs own image and a Schembechler model...is he implying all three of those things are the same in his mind? That Schembechler ran a program of entitlement?

Oh no our coaches are coveted by NFL programs! Also somehow "willing to give (assistants) a pay raise"  =  "will severly limit the program's ability to sign another top assistant"

Well that article was complete nonsense to anyone who attempts to apply reason to his points. I bet it gets people fired up though.