Member for

10 years 6 months
Points
2046.00

Recent Comments

Date Title Body
I wonder if he is no a new…

I wonder if he is no a new medication?  

No.  It's perfect.  So the…

No.  It's perfect.  So the Harbaugh entourage arrives in San Diego and heads to the stadium but there's no one there to greet them except a security guard who informs him that the team moved to Los Angeles years ago.  To which Harbaugh exclaims,  "There's been a horrible mistake!"  

It's a fig leaf for…

It's a fig leaf for management.  

As a former management type, I don't know how you evaluate culture in these circumstances.  More than likely the current culture is a product of the fact that you just completed a dismal season.  Or is the dismal season a product of the culture?  Who knows.  I do know that if you start winning games a lot of this stuff fixes itself.  

I think this is true.  And…

I think this is true.  And viewed through this prism, Harbaugh's departure at the end of the season was inevitable and really the denouement.  The final exclamation point.   It added dramatic complexity to our play.  

He's forever dead to me.  

He's forever dead to me.  

I took "nt" to mean "nose…

I took "nt" to mean "nose tackle" which would be truly damn fast.  

Man.  You got more staying…

Man.  You got more staying power than me.  One shot of Corum's run in the OSU game or his run to the end zone in OT in the national championship and I'm shot.  

I am always surprised at…

I am always surprised at these guys who ascend within the football ranks and who have apparently never played a snap of college or pro ball.  Although with Jay, he has obviously had some damn good mentors/teachers.  Mike Riley at Oregon for 4 years, John at the Ravens for 4 years and his Dad for the last 9.  But still.  Although, I suspect, that through osmosis you could pick up some incredible tips at the Harbaugh Thanksgiving table.  

Exactly.  And to have the…

Exactly.  And to have the presence of mind to do that tells me how engaged they were.

What a refreshing and…

What a refreshing and positive piece of writing.  Perfect antidote to BPONE.  

If the yardstick is playing…

If the yardstick is playing experience neither Jay nor Jessie have much of a pedigree either.

Exactly.  And how do Herbert…

Exactly.  And how do Herbert's demands compare with what other what other assistant coaches want/need? 

Personally, when Hoke got…

Personally, when Hoke got all apologetic about that and became Dantonio's suppliant, that was the dead cat bounce of the Hoke era for me.  Disgusting fealty.  

I’m so happy for him and the…

I’m so happy for him and the University.  What a great choice and we support you 100%.

I am not convinced that the…

I am not convinced that the pay-cut was even performance related.  The Department was looking at a potential $30 million deficit and belts needed to be tightened all around.  Warde and Howard also took cuts..  This from a University press release at the time. 

"As part of the expense reduction initiatives, Manuel, senior-level administrators, and many head coaches, including football coach and men's basketball coach , will accept 10 percent salary reductions from Aug. 1, 2020, through the end of the fiscal year. Full-time staff members earning between $50,000-$100,000 will have salaries reduced by five percent, and employees earning between $100,001-$150,000 will have wages reduced by 7.5 percent during the same period. Staff earning less than $50,000 will not see any reduction in pay."

"For the fiscal year 2020 operating budget, the Athletic Department projects an operating surplus of $1 million based on operating revenues of $187.4 million and operating expenses of $186.4 million. The operating surplus is a result of reduced operations and team activities. Looking ahead to fiscal year 2021, the department projects a deficit, based on operating revenues of $135.8 million and projected expenses of $161.9 million."

Agreed.  And if Minter wasn…

Agreed.  And if Minter wasn't coming with him would he have done that?

Or, just maybe, it's been…

Or, just maybe, it's been applied for and granted and what's going on behind the scenes is getting the fine print on his contract just right.

 

We will not know if we have a new head coach until the fumata bianca comes from the "Vatican's" chimney.     

Bear with me now for just a…

Bear with me now for just a moment.  Do think it's remotely possible that Warde may know more about the NCAA investigations and the University's internal investigations concerning Burgergate and Spygate than JUB or the folks on this Board?  Maybe he knows some things that the rest of us don't and yet through a sense of professionalism discretion is unwilling to disclose?    And yet many are ready to show him the door. Fact is that we don't really know the full circumstances and we never will.       

I really like JUB but this …

I really like JUB but this "too late" business makes no sense.  If Harbaugh was inclined to stay, it's never too late.  You can always walk back from the ledge.  That he was finally offered what he supposedly wanted and rejected it because it was "too late", tells me he had previously concluded that he really wanted to go to the NFL.   Until Michigan had been provided with a deadline, how would they even know where he was in his discussions with LA?  There's a difference between dithering and being cautious.        

Rumor at the time was that…

Rumor at the time was that Scott Mitchell posted the lowest Wonderlic score ever seen.   I believed it then and do now.  

Doesn't seem to be a lot of…

Doesn't seem to be a lot of new information here.

One of the hitches seems to be Harbaugh's desire that if the NCAA comes down with further penalties related to the two matters under investigation, that the school not use these as a basis to terminate his contract.  Two thoughts on this:

 

1.  Harbaugh asserts that he is innocent and has been candid with both the School and the NCAA.  And the School indicates that they believe his version of the facts.  (e.g. he was candid with the NCAA and knew nothing of Stallion's activities.)  That being the case, why can't the School agree that should there be further disciplinary action from the NCAA concerning the matters disclosed that they will not use this as a basis for termination.  However, if new facts are revealed and it is determined that Harbaugh has been less than truthful, then this could be a basis for termination.

2.  Even if the School did terminate Harbaugh, is there any real doubt that he wouldn't land on his feet with the NFL in a matter of days?  He might be unemployed but I doubt that it would for long.  It's not like these NFL options are a once in a lifetime opportunity. In fact, they seem to happen every year about this time.   

Finally, when you hire talented people this is part of what you have to live with.  They are by nature, ambitious and because they are very good at what they do, they are also in demand.  That's the nature of the beast.  

What I thought you were…

What I thought you were going to say is that he wanted to know the license plate of the  truck which hit him a week ago Monday.  

Candidly, this all seems …

Candidly, this all seems  reasonable to me.  The immunity from firing for matters related to current matters before the NCAA, obviously will be conditioned upon the facts as disclosed by Harbaugh to the University.  If the facts as ultimately determined are different than disclosed (e.g. Harbaugh did have knowledge of Stallion's activities) then no immunity applies.  That's customary and I'm sure that's in the fine print.  In addition, as we all know, Harbaugh has been somewhat occupied elsewhere since the OSU game until just last week and given his one track mind, most likely has not really looked at many NFL offers.  Keeping that window open for another 30 days seems reasonable.  Closing it now seems to make him a victim of his own success.  And arbitrating his discharge makes sense too and I think the University might embrace.  It is relatively quick, relatively inexpensive, avoids protracted litigation, is typically non-appealable and will get Warde or his successor off the hot seat. 

Let's get'er done.     

Perhaps an alternative…

Perhaps an alternative approach would be for the University to define "just cause" and not simply default to NCAA and Big10 rules.  I understand that the NCAA rules employ the "captain of the ship" standard which essentially holds the head coach responsible for everything that goes on within the program regardless of whether or not they were aware of the transgressions.  The University does not need to adopt that standard for its definition of "just cause" and could instead provide that it would be required that coach had actual knowledge or should have have had knowledge.   

The two dragons which have…

The two dragons which have not been slayed are the NCAA and the Big Ten commissioner.  

I think the notion that the…

I think the notion that the University, as a public entity, may be limited or constrained by State of Federal law as to contractual assurances it can provide, is a very real possibility.  It's difficult for me to comprehend that Ono or the Board of Regents is not doing everything humanly possible to sign JMFH to a new contract.  However, the lawyers may have told them there are certain contractual provisions which they simply cannot consent to.  Hope this is not the case or if it is, someone real smart is looking at a work-around.   

This "stubborn and…

This "stubborn and delightful man."  Ain't that the truth.  He's a bubble off center but in a good way and he's our guy.   He is unique and I hope that he recognizes that U of M, unlike the NFL which homogenizes everything and everyone, cherishes and will embrace that uniqueness.  .  

I wouldn't blame him in the…

I wouldn't blame him in the least and would be mildly and pleasantly surprised if he stayed.   I am concerned, however, how is shitck holds up in the NFL.  As the recent WSJ article pointed out, the guy is a bit of a throw back and of course there were reports that he was becoming somewhat tiresome in SF before he left.  I think we all acknowledge, that he is a bit of an acquired taste.  In any event, I think his goofy persona plays very well with a bunch of 18-22 year olds.  Hopefully, he is self-reflective enough to recognize this.   

If you were like me, until…

If you were like me, until we vanquished Alabama, I didn't really know what we had.  Our "quality" wins...PSU and OSU...turned in embarrassing bowl losses.  Iowa too. Was Team 144 really a good, or was the Big Ten overrated?  Which was the case often in the past.    For me, the Alabama win confirmed, on a national stage that this team was legit and deserved its ranking.  I was overjoyed.  But, winning against Washington was simply taking care of business.    

Thank you.  What we…

Thank you.  What we sometimes forget, is that the Biggest Rivalry in college football, ( or perhaps in sports,) is always at its best when both teams are doing well.  Both teams benefit when both programs are doing well.   

That Minter lad has some…

That Minter lad has some fire in his belly.  I love how McGregor blocks his guy into the turf and then stares at him.  Like daring him to get up.

Minter said the same thing…

Minter said the same thing in his post game interview.  Rushing four allowed them to cover better and also disguise coverages.

Exactly.  It would deflect…

Exactly.  It would deflect attention away from the moment and the players.

Do you also think, given his…

Do you also think, given his time in the Big Ten that Michigan is in his head?

Thanks for sharing.  My Dad …

Thanks for sharing.  My Dad (and Mom) were Michigan alums too.  Dad worked on the Michigan Daily where he covered hockey tennis and baseball.  He graduated in 1935 and died in 2013 at the age of 99.  He was a big Michigan fan such that he couldn't watch the games.  Near the end of his life, when I would visit him in assisted living on Sundays, he would ask for a recount of the game.    

You've got clothes that are…

You've got clothes that are 21 years old that still fit?  I'm impressed.  

I have a workmate who has a…

I have a workmate who has a close relative who has been affiliated with the football program for many years.  He is is some sort of training/medical position.  I think his tenure dates back to Carr.  In any event, each week during the football season he sends out his pregame summary and prediction.  So far this year, he is 14-0 on the win/loss although he has missed the spread several times. 

He's calling this one Michigan 38 and Washington 34. 

Much closer than I'd like, but I'll go with that.     

1993 Penn State is right up…

1993 Penn State is right up there.  Didn’t Jo Pa try to pound it in like 3 times from the three yard line?

The lesson here, for…

The lesson here, for Washington or whatever, is you can’t tackle Blake high.  

She picked a good year to…

She picked a good year to join our cult.

Nice sentiment.   I’m a…

Nice sentiment.   I’m a daily follower but infrequent poster.  I’m just about 70 so I have the large passage of time to put all this stuff in perspective.  My recollections are post Elliot pre Bo and as such I’ve seen quite a bit.  We are experiencing quite a Renaissance.  Enjoy it because before you know it, it will be gone.  This is a great blog and very informative.  Brian and Seth are my heroes.  I’ve learned a lot and am perpetually entertained by the comments posted here.  Especially the game threads which run the gamut.  

Bliss.  It feels like I’ve…

Bliss.  It feels like I’ve entered the Orgasmatron.

I think what we’re all…

I think what we’re all grappling with, at least I am, is how it is possible for a team which has such an abysmal offense to have such a remarkable defense.  Our natural inclination is to conclude that Michigan’s offense was ineffective.  I’m not convinced that was the case.

Jenkins ragged dolled that…

Jenkins ragged dolled that tight end.

I thought that both…

I thought that both Washington and Oregon looked a step slower than Michigan, Ohio State et al.  I also thought that there was a lack of physicality compared to a Big Ten match.  

Totally off the wall, but…

Totally off the wall, but what is Josh Gattis paid as OC at Maryland versus what he was paid at Michigan.  I suspect it’s substantially less.  

I’m with you.  I remember…

I’m with you.  I remember thinking, if not Harbaugh, then who?  And coming up blank.  The secret seemed to lower expectations.  As Patches O’Houllihan was fond of saying, “aim low boys”

Thanks for posting.

Thanks for posting.

Hat tip to Jaylen Harrell. …

Hat tip to Jaylen Harrell.  Taking nothing away from Rod Moore’s interception, if McCord hadn’t heaved it when he did he was going to be sacked by Harrell.  Game over.

Lesser men would have a full…

Lesser men would have a full blown aneurysm.