What Dave Brandon Changes Do You Want to Get Rid of After He Is Gone?
October 16th, 2014 at 11:16 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 11:21 PM ^
on the door to his office
October 16th, 2014 at 11:23 PM ^
-The return of booster clubs being able to fundraiser (The Dekers, the Diamond Club)
-removal of dynamic pricing.
-bringing in sealed water
-removal of corporate sponsors in the big house, Crisler, and Yost
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October 16th, 2014 at 11:24 PM ^
Great point about the neutering of the Dekers.
October 17th, 2014 at 3:33 PM ^
From my understanding the Dekers 50/50 raffles were stopped b/c of an issue with the state lottery, not DB. That being said, I miss the days of the raffles and of course the very friendly Dekers club members.
October 16th, 2014 at 11:23 PM ^
October 17th, 2014 at 12:10 AM ^
Absopure is not doing security at airports yet.
October 16th, 2014 at 11:25 PM ^
Get rid of the piped music completely. Stop trying to fill every second of downtime in football and basketball games with piped music, t-shirt canons,etc.
I also dislike the gigantic scoreboards, that mostly serve as huge distractions, but I'm sure they're here to stay.
October 16th, 2014 at 11:40 PM ^
have to have some sound and entertainment value? Why can't there be some downtime? The constant barrage of sound from the 30 minutes before the game until the final whistle was sound...sound...sound. And of course it has to be so loud too.
I miss the days when the band was the only entertainment between plays. This is not the NBA of NFL.
I think bringing in seal water bottle should be allowed again. I understand the opportunity to capitalize on thirsty fans, but come on, this is college.
And don't EVER change the home uniform again. Blue jersey, maize pants, no piping, no stripes. That isn't going to get more 5-stars to come here. Start developing players for the NFL and they will come on their own. You don't Bama ever change their uniforms for anything and they gbet all the talent in the world.
October 16th, 2014 at 11:48 PM ^
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October 17th, 2014 at 8:19 AM ^
Come to think of it, I can't name Alabama's AD either. And yet somehow, some way, without the AD jumping into every spotlight he sees, the Alabama "brand" is as strong as ever.
October 17th, 2014 at 5:20 PM ^
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October 16th, 2014 at 11:50 PM ^
- Advertising in the stadium. Don't desecrate sacred ground. I realize there was some minimal advertising before Brandon's arrival, but we need to roll it back to acceptable levels.
- Advertisements (such as Arby's) on the scoreboard at Crisler. So annoying to see Arby's in your face every time you want to check on the score.
- Douchebag personality
October 17th, 2014 at 12:09 AM ^
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October 17th, 2014 at 12:26 AM ^
Darrell Funk
+
John U Bacon's press room ban.
October 17th, 2014 at 12:31 AM ^
October 17th, 2014 at 12:45 AM ^
October 17th, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^
I know it was not DB's deal, but the new guy (please, please, let there be a new guy) will get to decide who to go with when the deal is up.
You just know that DB would just drop it in the lap of the highest bidder. I want the new guy to evaluate the whole package for what is best for Michigan and involve some players and coaches and *gulp* maybe some fans. Don't just mindlessly chase the dollars.
October 17th, 2014 at 12:45 AM ^
I know there are a lot of you who like this Brandonnovation, but buh-bye to the legacy jerseys. Once a number is retired, it stays retired. Tom Harmon should have been the last one to wear 98, not Devin. So we re-retire all the numbers. And then we retire a few more: 1 (Anthony Carter), 2 (Charles Woodson), 21 (Desmond Howard) and 61 (Willis Ward - look it up if you haven't heard the story).
October 17th, 2014 at 12:55 AM ^
How about the goal horn for hockey? Don't hate it with a burning passion and not sure it's Brandon's doing (although it started during his tenure, so will be attributed to him) but man what was wrong with just playing The Victors and having the crowd go nuts?
October 17th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
I didn't mind it for the Big Chill but it just sounds so cheesy in what is supposed to be the best hockey venue.
October 17th, 2014 at 2:08 AM ^
I’ve been dreaming of the day when we could realistically consider a post-Brandon athletic department.
1. Stop treating the University of Michigan like a cheap commodity. As a marketing guy, I’m appalled that Brandon calls his cheap stunts and short-term thinking “branding”.
2. Stop using every space, surface, form of communication as an opportunity to sell ads. Michigan is a public, not-for-profit university. We are not “the Chobani/Coca-Cola/Arby’s University of Michigan”. Sheesh.
3. No more bumblebee uniformz. One alternate uni was fun; now it’s just stupid.
4. Stop gouging students, alumni and supporters. The goal should not be to maximize profits. Charge enough to break even with an efficiently run athletic department.
5. Improve the in-game environment. More band, less rawk, fewer ridiculous flyovers, etc. No advertisements, even for selling UM facilities.
6. Cater to fans by providing plenty of free water and allow sealed bottles into the stadium. Lower concession prices and improve quality.
7. Work hard to book a schedule full of interesting, competitive match-ups. Real opponents.
8. Treat students, alumni and supporters with respect. Ask, and listen. Make sure the best interest of students is always considered.
This is a long list, but I could go on and on…
October 17th, 2014 at 8:36 AM ^
"Stop treating the University of Michigan like a cheap commodity." That statement says everything you need to know about what a craptastic job he's been doing.
Brandon's "marketing" skills are strictly bush-league and many of us who work in and around the marketing profession have noted it. He is the equivalent of the genius who gave the world New Coke without the subsequent humility to eat some crow and walk back the changes. Instead, he doubles down. At least Roberto Goizueta admitted the mistake. I'm wondering if Brandon will ever do the same.
October 17th, 2014 at 2:22 AM ^
I just want to go back to winning on saturdays. Everything else will work itself out.
October 17th, 2014 at 7:44 AM ^
The argument is that Dave Brandon has to go irrespective of wins and losses on the football field.
October 17th, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^
Yes, if Hoke wins out big from here, maybe he can stay. Brandon has to go regardless.
He is poison.
October 17th, 2014 at 3:09 AM ^
October 17th, 2014 at 5:31 AM ^
October 17th, 2014 at 6:48 AM ^
People wouldn't be bitching about anything in this thread if the football team were winning consistently.
October 17th, 2014 at 7:30 AM ^
October 17th, 2014 at 8:41 AM ^
that Brandon was so impatient to try out his minor league hockey gimmicks that fans were'nt too distracted by consistent big win seasons.
It's just that sort of complacency that would have enabled you to wake up to this some day.
If DB's list of shitty decisions looks bad with losing seasons, they wouldn't look any better with winning ones either.
October 17th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
Sparty went to a lot of trouble on that one. Now that's some good rivalry trolling.
#97. Nice touch.
October 17th, 2014 at 7:47 AM ^
October 17th, 2014 at 8:01 AM ^
Your "Joined" date goes back longer than this season, so maybe you've been in a cave. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
The "bitching" about the changes Dave Brandon has been implementing go back at least two years. Search the site for Brian's previous Mailbag and UV entries.
Sure, they reached a crescendo this year, but it's more like "the last straw" than something that just came out of the blue.
October 17th, 2014 at 9:25 AM ^
... or at least consistently competitive (with crap teams).
Also, the bitching well pre-dates the implosion of the past several weeks.
Besides, what's your point? Sure, it's common sense: if you're going to risk alienating fans on multiple fronts, you'd better make sure you at least win the wars on the field. That's the bet Brandon made. He failed. Boo hoo for him.
October 17th, 2014 at 9:48 AM ^
of those who can't fathom how shallow and transparent it is announcing you are going to lower ticket prices on the day the regents meet to discuss the athletic department and its relationship with the students.
When something bad did happen, Dave Brandon vaporized and let his head coach twist in the wind for 3 damn days before finally making an announcement at 1 in the morning. That is not leadership, that is not the Michigan way, maybe someday you'll get it.
October 17th, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
... Ann Arbor". Can't you see? As in turning around in order to belatedly try and cover his ass with an ignored constituency.
October 17th, 2014 at 7:25 AM ^
Legends Jerseys. Put them back in the case.
If you MUST have them, bring them out (players must be worthy) for the Homecoming game every season.
If there are no studs that have earned the jersey, then no jerseys will be issued for that particular season's game.
October 17th, 2014 at 7:28 AM ^
Use of "Leaders and Best" as a corporate core values statement. It is an annoying cheapening of Louis Elbel's lyrics.
Use of "the Team" times 3 as a commercial multiiple times at every football game.
October 17th, 2014 at 7:35 AM ^
He's not gone yet. Show some respect and support your program including your AD!
October 17th, 2014 at 7:40 AM ^
I pretty much agree with everything but the uniforms. The alternate uniform is what the recruits like. I think they should keep wearing them.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:17 AM ^
October 17th, 2014 at 12:38 PM ^
But the thing is, even if they like them they will never see them again. Because it's not about what the players like. It's about having new merchandise to sell.
If there are some Alt's that are generally popular like the home blue-on-blues and the Outback bowl ones with actual visiable numbers, then let the players wear them again.
October 17th, 2014 at 9:49 AM ^
I never again want to hear an AD referring to alumni, students, and long-time fans as "customers." Never again.
October 17th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^
I never again want to hear an AD referring to alumni, students, and long-time fans as "wallets." Never again.
Fixed it.
If they treated us like "customers" it would be an actual improvement.
October 17th, 2014 at 10:26 AM ^
get Rich Rod back...
October 17th, 2014 at 10:59 AM ^
Get the best football coach out there - before anyone else realizes that person is the best. Kind of like John Beilein bringing in unrecognized basketball recruits. How famous were Yost, Crisler, and Schembechler as coaches before they became the head coach at Michigan?
October 17th, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^
Crisler was pretty much a rock star, actually.
October 17th, 2014 at 5:45 PM ^
..and that his coaching reached its apex at Michigan. To me, it is most interesting that Yost and Crisler did not follow 'tradition'. They were both innovative and created new ways of thinking and playing college football that were very successful. Some of those concepts then became 'traditions'. I saw similarities in RR and his read option offense. I thought that RR's approach, coupled with an opportunity to recruit truly elite athletes, would usher in a new era of football at Michigan. Very saddened it didn't work out.
October 17th, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^
I'm definitely against games in Jerry World. I know we have another coming against Florida, but that shit needs to stop. I cannot stand watching NCAA games being played in NFL stadiums. Part of what separates NCAA from the shitty NFL is the atmosphere and playing a college game in a professional stadium takes that aspect away.