Harbaugh to Michigan

Can we please, now, finally, fully, and at long last, dismiss the whole "a-pro-coach-would-never-take-a-college-job" as the baseless and stupid-assed nonsense that it is?

And particularly, even despite the loudest possible protestations of our local sports media, who have so long clung to and spewed forth the sheer and laughable impossibility of such an idea?

And not only those coaches who are washed-up or washed out in the pros, those with few remaining prospects in the professional ranks, those who otherwise accept a college job out of desperation, or only in those exceedingly rare cases involving a cosmic combination of perfect timing and home-cooked opportunity.

If Saban's journey to Tuscaloosa didn't kill the myth, then surely, Harbaugh joining Michigan must.

Michigan simply decided to forego the oft-used and rarely successful "diamond in the rough / up and commer" strategy, a delusional sham at its absolute finest, where you hope that someone might turn out to be who you need, someday, or perhaps at some point, in the future. Instead, they were honest in assessing the state of their program, admitted to themselves that dozens of candidates with "potential" to be the guy were no suitable substitute for actually being that guy, and just went and got him.

And in so doing, they must have also realized the very real dangers of both continuing to challenge the passion and patience of their fans with lesser hires (however hopeful), and in further delaying the necessary and immediate correction which their once mighty, but now floundering, program not only demands, but deserves.

Simply, they knew who they wanted, and did what it took to get him. It's no more complicated than that.

They paid him what it took, and as importantly, they gave him the necessary incentives, protections, securities and reasonable control(s) that a coach of his blockbuster stature would want, and that the job itself required.

What will happen during this time in Michigan? I have no idea.

But if the difference between paying an "up and coming" coach $3M/yr, and a blockbuster coach at $6M - is $3M/yr - then the risk involved is not only smart, but unimportantly small. How small? Well, if they sell an additional 3,000 season tickets with Harbaugh at the helm - at a very conservatively estimated $2K/ea - that's $3M/yr, right there.

Perhaps its not all about dollars and sense. And that's ok, too.

How much is immediate relevance, worth? How much would you be willing to pay for that? What's reasonable?

What was it worth to hear a collectively thunderous "OH SHIT!" out of Columbus, OH, State College, PA and Lansing, MI this morning?

Are you a recruitnik? How much would you pay to have your school jump up onto the radar of every 4-5 star player within a 5 state radius - and beyond - the second your coach is simply announced? What's that worth?

Are you a technical X's and O's type guy? Do you think that Jim Harbaugh is worried about breaking down Urban Meyer's spread? Do you think he's concerned about how he's going to move the ball on Dantonio's Spartan D? Do you think he's afraid of being ourschemed by Nick Saban, Jimbo Fischer, Kevin Sumlin or anyone else? Yeah, me neither. What's that worth?

Looking long-term? Ok, let's suppose that Harbaugh completely flames out in 5 years, in the worst case scenario - what do you think their next list of candidates would look like? Is there anyone that you could be certain as to be beyond their reach to get? Here's a painful hint: no less than 7 of the Top 10 candidates on their next list will be coaches who Tennessee would be too worried to even contact, for fear that they wouldn't take our call.

Or, how about this: from this day forward, only a fool would entertain the notion that Michigan is not serious about winning, and in doing whatever it takes to protect and promote the legacy of their program, its school, and in a very real sense, its entire state.

Well, Michigan just did all of these things, and more, in hiring Harbaugh - and that guy is 9 months from coaching his first game.

The sad reality is that some programs are smart enough to see these things, and some are not.

The trick is knowing which you are.

 

They were fortunate that he was available but they kicked down the door and got him

 

It starts with a commitment by students and fans to rid themselves of key administrators.

 

It indeed takes pressure from the vast majority of the fan base, in addition to boosters who get fed up, for this to happen. Unfortunately, we have a fan base who is too stupid to realize how badly we are being run or how badly we are underachieving.

 

Here's a handy thing to help this along:

Top 10 facilities, tradition, winning %, money, fan base, stadium, conference, etc.

= Top ____ Coach

Fill in the blank.

 

He'd still be in the NFL if there was an owner willing to pay him 8 million and give total control of the franchise.

 

Gosh, IP, the problem is just that nobody wanted the job.*


*With our offered terms.

 

Perfectly stated, and possibly true.

But while sitting free on the market, with a bevy of NFL jobs available to him (he could have picked one), Michigan landed him.

Could they have been beaten out? Sure.

Were they? No.

And that's my whole point.

 

This is the biggest problem that people, organizations and all of humanity have. Everyone thinks they have above average intelligence, their kids are all great athletes, and they would be rich and successful if outside agencies were not conspiring against them.

Until you sit down, and really look inward, you will live with this delusion. Tennessee has yet to do this.

Michigan, however, has followed the Alabama route and done a long, hard inward look. And they are about to reap the rewards if this introspection.

 

So what? They got their once in a generation coach and we hired a [dadgum] flute player. They win, we lose. To hell with how we do business.

 

I cannot describe to you how sick it makes me to hear all of these callers calling in to talk radio here in MI about Harbaugh. It's hard to explain the incredible sense of loss I feel. I think it's because I know we were about to feel like that and them we got Lyle. Jesus.

 

Roman as OC and Durkin as DC. Jesus.

 

I legitimately hate our administration. Michigan and Alabama have shown how you rejuvenate a program. We've shown how you hire to fight for 6-6. It will save me money. VASF can keep their invoice this year. Never paying for another ticket as long as flute player is the coach. I hope we go 0-12 next year.

 

Coaching staff will be amazing

 

Urban Meyer is having chest pains right now.

 

Today is definitely the lowest I've felt about UT football since that Thursday night the deal fell apart (or whichever night it was). Not sure why this is f-ing me up so much.

 

These guys feel like they just hit the lottery.

Because they did.

 

I quit. If the people running the show don't care, why should I?

 

Because UT is ok with being terrible, and other traditional powers are not

 

he wasn't even Jethro Tull's flute player