Jim Harbaugh to be named Head Football Coach at U. of Michigan per multiple reports

**bailey** · December-29-14, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cliffy

First take a deep breath and relax. You sound like someone burned your house down... Not really sure why this is such a touchy subject with you.

its not even remotely in the area code of touchy... its a topic of conversation. It is literally front page news on every local news outlet, its "breaking news" on national sports news outlets, and its all over the interwebs.

Hoke had a below .500 record before Michigan with small schools. Harbaugh took Stanford to new heights

New heights? Stanford had some success before St. Jim arrived. I mean, shit...Ty Willingham ring any bells? Look he was there for 4 years and had Andrew Luck as his QB.... I think that helps. and his successor isn't' a slouch either.

and then he took the SF 49ers to 3 straight NFC Championships and a loss to his brother in the Super Bowl.

...and the team he took there just unceremoniously fired him. Shouldn't that raise some questions? I think that if this were any other school beside UM, there'd be some head scratching about the pay and the cloud under which he's leaving a team where he had enormous success. Heck they didn't even have a losing record this year. are the 49ers that f'ed up as an organization or is Harbaugh that difficult to work with?

To compare Hoke to Harbaugh is like comparing a Ford Focus to a BMW.

I'm not doing that, I'm noting the the hype that Hoke received upon arrival in AA was pretty similar in "this is MEEEchigan fergodsakes"/Get your Indy hotel rooms now for 2015 chest thumping.

I didn't want to bring this up but it sounds like you're a MSU fan. Just can't explain your behavior in this thread. Its bizarre.

and everyone having a collective orgasm over the hire is an impartial observer? Look, how is it "bizarre" to be somewhat perplexed at the money and the hype for Harbaugh here? This would make sense at a school that is committed to doing what it takes to win football championships like OSU or other top tier programs. Seems like money wasted if UM isn't going to turn a blind eye to what needs to be done to get those Dr. Pepper Trophies.

Look I'm beyond relaxed. We're talking about a football coach after all. I find this entertaining after watching the last two hires light the dumpster fire that is football in AA after both of them came in with similar hype about how they were going to right the ship and restore UM to it's rightful place among the pantheon of Half national championship holders in the modern era of football. I'm interested to see, now that UM fanbase has the coach they claim is the living embodiment of Bo, what the excuse will be when UM isn't winning NCs every year. [[something that Bo didn't do either...but is just bizarre to point out)

DetroitBoy · December-29-14, 05:50 PM

It is really tragic that this story gets so much air time and is found to be so important. This is an example of how the mindset of this area will never be on a par or competitive with other parts of the country.

Channel 7 has a live shot showing the plane this guy just landed in at DTW. Is this really the level of what is considered important to people in this area? Very sad.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-29-14, 05:55 PM

I agree with Bailey. This media hype is just ridiculous. I think he's a good coach, albeit he's quirky, and there are internal reasons we don't know, why SF was so eager to let him walk. I'd be a little concerned about that, but turn off the hype machine please.... Let his feet touch Michigan soil first, before proclaiming him the next Vince Lombardi. It's been noted that he'll be the highest paid coach in football, college or pro, so he'll start earning that money soon, as he has a LOT of work to do, as the Michigan program is in shambles. Kinda stupid to pay him all that money IMO, then he decides to bolt and go back to the NFL.

**ABetterDetroit** · December-29-14, 10:05 PM

Huge money in college football, salary justified if he wins. They don't split any of that block M money with anyone, a few years ago they were in the top 5 in merchandise in the country but not lately I doubt. Huge hire and worth every dime if it works, you don't dump 100s of millions in a stadium then hire a cheap coach when the program tanks, you go big or go home.

**artds** · December-30-14, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

I don't get why Harbaugh would join the Wolverines. Professional sports is the pinnacle of success

And I thought coaching at a top collegiate football program > coaching in the NFL. Looks like one of us was wrong.

**bailey** · December-30-14, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by artds

And I thought coaching at a top collegiate football program > coaching in the NFL. Looks like one of us was wrong.

assuming of course, UM = "top program". They're more than a decade removed from national relevance. Personally, I think UM is the only school Harbaugh would return for. I mean the guy couldn't get out of Stanford fast enough... and this isn't a Saban like situation. He had success at the pro level, Saban flamed out. I would suspect the 8 million surely helped him get over any qualms about a career regression.

Let me be clear...lest I be accused of being a grumpy Sparty again... I think it's a solid hire for UM and all the hype is a rising tide that will raise all the boats in the big ten. The thing is, the UMfan base doesn't want a solid coach they want a messiah.... and a time machine. Harbaugh is just this year's savior and the hype machine is all about what is going to happen once he gets here. Which is the same stuff we all heard when RR got here...and when he brought Barwis in...and when they were handing out all those september heismans to Forcier, Shoelaces, and Gardner...all the way up to last year's "coup" in getting Nussmeyer from Alabama to run the offense. How about before deciding on where to place the statue, we give him a few years to actually do something?

I do think our little regional kerfuffles in the MSU and OSU rivalries will get much more fun with an outright unabashed asshole at the helm at UM instead of a genial guy like Hoke and the a sort of outsider that RR was. I expect there to be a season's worth of bulletin board material at the BBall game intro this week.

**Cliffy** · December-30-14, 11:45 AM

Well he took the same contract as he had in SF, he's getting $5 mil per year so he clearly didn't run to Michigan for the money.

**emu steve** · December-30-14, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

None of these links support your claim. There are some commentators who are betting that he will join the Wolverines, but no one claims that he has signed, or is definitely coming.

I don't get why Harbaugh would join the Wolverines. Professional sports is the pinnacle of success, his wife prefers California, his home is California, the money is the same or more in the NFL, his ego is huge yet he would be in the minor leagues, you don't have to spend most of the year recruiting, you have an almost impossible task due to Midwest demographics [[the population and talent is mostly in the South nowadays), and pro coaches are not responsible for their men as college coaches are in the NCAA.

But if it happens, it happens. There will be nothing happening until after today's game, and until Harbaugh reviews the probable NFL offers from Oakland, Chicago, Miami and the NY Jets.

Doubting Thomas of the 21st century...

**Hermod** · December-30-14, 12:57 PM

Harbaugh is a good coach. He will be good for UM. Based on his track record, the question is "how long will he stay?" Harbaugh is a "job-hopper".

Advantage of coaching in the NFL: No recruiting and no baby-sitting.

Advantage of coaching big-time college ball: No GM, no salary cap, no prima donnas.

Willi · December-30-14, 03:16 PM

Is Ann Arbor in Detroit, move thread....

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-30-14, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by Willi

Is Ann Arbor in Detroit, move thread....

That's not a concern of yours, the administrator will decide that.

**Towne Cluber** · December-30-14, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Willi

Is Ann Arbor in Detroit, move thread....

Willi doesn't like any school nor topic that has "USA football".

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-30-14, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by Towne Cluber

Willi doesn't like any school nor topic that has "USA football".

I've noticed. He's all in if it involves the "Big 3" though.

Willi · December-30-14, 06:13 PM

Yeah, it's a Detroit Forum - and not an Ann Arbor Forum - so I'm picky that way.

Who said ? : [[clue post # 28) This media hype is just ridiculous ?

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/forumdisplay.php?8-Non-Detroit-Issues

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-30-14, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by Willi

Yeah, it's a Detroit Forum - and not an Ann Arbor Forum - so I'm picky that way.

Who said ? : [[clue post # 28) This media hype is just ridiculous ?

I sure did, which it is, they're still talking about it and he's been hired. Still...Michigan sports whether it's the Lions, Wings, Tigers, Spartans, etc.. have been allowed by the staff to be commented on here. And again, It's not your call, so why worry about it? I don't make the rules, I just abide by them.

Willi · December-30-14, 06:26 PM

I like Water - Detroit has Water - how about the Ann Arbor rowing team ? -

http://www.a2crew.com/

http://www.a2crew.com/content.aspx?p...8&sl=346877302

Michigan Sports -- yeah

**old guy** · December-30-14, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Willi

I like Water - Detroit has Water - how about the Ann Arbor rowing team ? -

http://www.a2crew.com/

http://www.a2crew.com/content.aspx?p...8&sl=346877302

Michigan Sports -- yeah

...........

Attachment 25384

**DTWflyer** · December-30-14, 08:58 PM

As someone who grew-up in Metro Detroit, but attended another school out-of-state I find the infatuation with Harbaugh, the obsession of the local/national/sports media, and the second-coming-of-Christ mentality to be all completely over the top.

I agree he was the perfect hire, but the obsession is perplexing. They haven't played a game yet, let alone assemble a staff, or even finish the recruiting process.

The TV news, radio, and everywhere for the past few weeks has been Harbaugh, Harbaugh, Harbaugh.... Heck, someone bought billboard space around Metro Detroit comparing him to Bo already.

I do not understand the obsession with Bo in these parts, even after all these years. Heck, today you would think that being a former Michigan football coach was the equivalent of being a former POTUS.

One of the local sports radio stations made reference today that it was the more hype and publicity than when the President comes to down.

**rb336** · December-30-14, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by Willi

Yeah, it's a Detroit Forum - and not an Ann Arbor Forum - so I'm picky that way.

A mayor of Ann Arbor was asked about Ann Arbor's relationship to Detroit and said they had a higher percentage of the population that works in Detroit than Southfield, and that, functionally, they were part of suburban Detroit.

So enough of that

Harbaugh looked absolutely overjoyed to be here.

**emu steve** · December-31-14, 03:38 AM

Originally Posted by Willi

Yeah, it's a Detroit Forum - and not an Ann Arbor Forum - so I'm picky that way.

Who said ? : [[clue post # 28) This media hype is just ridiculous ?

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/forumdisplay.php?8-Non-Detroit-Issues

Oakland County Pistons?

Willi · December-31-14, 08:56 AM

For general discussion of subjects NOT Detroit-related.

-- you know, for those topics that relate to cities 40 miles away

http://www.travelmath.com/drive-dist...to/Detroit,+MI

**401don** · December-31-14, 09:13 AM

While it's definitely a little overkill, the Harbaugh signing is basically one giant sigh of relief for Michigan supporters. The program had dropped from perennial national powerhouse to a team with a losing record in 10 short years. Harbaugh is the one coach who can return the team to instant respectability.

**Danny** · December-31-14, 10:17 AM

Whoop de doo!!! Let's hope harbaugh! can win bowl games rather than the Super Bowl.

**Midnight Rambler** · December-31-14, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitBoy

It is really tragic that this story gets so much air time and is found to be so important. This is an example of how the mindset of this area will never be on a par or competitive with other parts of the country.

Channel 7 has a live shot showing the plane this guy just landed in at DTW. Is this really the level of what is considered important to people in this area? Very sad.

^^^
This. I get that people are excited about hope and change at U of M, but enough is enough. That city wide billboard campaign is way over the top. This hiring does appease the alumni, but long term success requires that he can move the needle in the right direction when it comes to recruiting. I don't think he can because when you get right down to it he's a jerk.

**Midnight Rambler** · December-31-14, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by DTWflyer

I do not understand the obsession with Bo in these parts, even after all these years.

I think most people appreciated Bo's forthright, ethical, honest approach to the college game and the abiding sense of pride he took in work. They identified with his frustrations such that his losses became their losses. However, his tenure with the Tigers did diminish his popularity.