AP Photo
-
-
Coach, Mention The Jug
The original Little Brown (White?) Jug, from Historic Michigan Football Photos. Surely Coach Rod has a lot on his mind and the history of the Little Brown Jug is likely not one of those things. Just after the hire last December I wrote the following: Count me as a one who will be disappointed if during his Monday press conference on November 3, 2008, Coach Rodriguez fails to recount the history of the Little Brown Jug, as Coach Carr did each year during his tenure Here’s to hoping we’ll get some mention of the Jug today. Update: Here’s today’s press conference broken down into clips thanks to MLive. Mention of the jug? Yes but barely. Rodriguez mentioned the jug as something that they have to play for this week and said that it’s “neat”. It’s really NEAT man!: Video: “11/3 Monday Press Conference Rich Rodriguez from MLive”
-
Take a Slice: Michigan fans, where do you stand?
I spoke to Power Index pollster Lew a little bit during the Purdue game and suggested that at this point in the season, Michigan fans had pretty much settled on their opinion of Rodriguez and his staff at this point (no matter what happens the balance of the season). Well, if that point wasn’t hit before or during the Purdue game, we’ve definitely hit it now. Win or lose to Minnesota, Northwestern and Ohio State, I think the fickle Michigan base has settled in with their opinion of Rich Rod and staff for the rest of the season and into the longest off-season we’ve had in 33 years. I think it breaks down into about six categories, and here’s my toss of turf in the air at where the Michigan football fan population fall: A few notes:* The strongest group of Michigan fans (30%), are that loyal group that are on board no matter what. They would have been fine with a DeBord hire, for instance. You won’t hear from them too often on blogs, on the radio, message boards.* I think there’s a lot of people out there (20%) that wouldn’t fall into that loyal no matter what category, but are fully on board with Rodriguez and allowing him to do what’s he’s got to do (the ‘In Rod…
-
Rodriguez Contract and Tax neutralization: Shand was right
Thanks for the comments, emails and the feedback on the Dave Shand interview. The Blog that Yost Built called it “one of the best things I’ve read on the blogosphere. Ever.” And there’s been all kinds of discussion on various parts of the interviews on blogs and on all the major message boards. It’s always fun to see how people react to things you post, this was a thrill. Anyway, with Coach Rodriguez signing his contract last week we’ve got some specifics on the deal and at least part of what Shand revealed in the interview is confirmed. Recall that Shand said he heard that Rodriguez didn’t realize that the buy-out portion that Michigan paid to West Virginia was taxable, here’s part of the interview: So it cost Michigan, they say $2.5 million. But I’ve heard, through back sources, that Rich Rodriguez did not realize that the $2.5 million that Michigan is paying on his behalf is taxable, so Rodriquez is going to have to pay taxes on that. Michigan… has paid taxes on the [buy-out funds] it paid on his behalf which is all taxable income… Thanks to the contract being available via FOIA, we know that this is true (here’s the full contract), see section 3.02, part (g): Shand also said he heard that the University paid all…
-
Shand Uncensored: Part IV, The Rodriguez hire
The final segment of my four-part interview with former WTKA morning show host Dave Shand. In Part I, we discussed what Shand is up to these days, his lawsuit with Bill Martin, and his thoughts on the current morning crew at WTKA. In Part II, we looked at Jim Carty and the Ann Arbors News series on academics and athletics. Part III discussed Red Berenson, the future of the hockey program, and we got some of Shand’s candid feelings on how the University handled the Ed Martin mess. Wrapping things up, we turn to the Rodriguez hire. We talk about the hiring process, the deal that was allegedly struck in Toledo, the ensuing lawsuit, and finally, we get Shand’s thoughts on what Rodriguez’s system will bring on the field. Achtung! Shand uses some spicy language in this one (again). FWIW. MVictors: Michigan landed a big-name football coach in Rich Rodriguez. You’ve got a lawsuit with Bill Martin right now and of course, it was Martin who spearheaded the coaching search. What were your thoughts as you watched the coaching search unfold?: Shand: [laughing]It was a complete clusterfuck. It was an absolute disaster. And Bill Martin’s excuses, ‘I was at sea’ or whatever, I have no idea, he couldn’t contact Les Miles because he didn’t get permission from the athletic…
-
Interview with Michael Rosenberg: Part II
Detroit Free Press sports columnist Michael Rosenberg’s first book, War as They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a time of unrest, will be released September 10. I sat with Rosenberg this weekend after the Utah game. In Part I, the focus of the conversation was on the book. In Part II, we talk about his recent column where he sharply criticized Rodriguez, some of this thoughts on the Utah game and the rest of the season and close with a few more thoughts on the book. In a column earlier this year you went after Rich Rod pretty hard, you called Rodriguez ‘bullheaded’, you characterized him as a ‘serial job shopper’. Has your view of Rodriguez changed at all since you wrote the column? Rosenberg: No. But let me clarify a few things here. I do think he’s bullheaded. I think in some ways I think that’s helped him in his career, but I think he’s bullheaded. My issue is not that he was looking at other jobs. My issue is that this is his alma mater, he’s telling them publicly and privately how much he loved it there, and he’s going to be there, he made a big thing about turning down Alabama, and he’s going to stay there and show you can win national…
-
A-Rittz Drops Factoids
Another post-worthy mention coming out of Adam Rittenberg’s ESPN Big Ten Blog: Dan from Minneapolis writes: Adam, you pointed out the unique nature of first time coaches in the UM – MSU rivalry. I also wanted to point out uniqueness about first time coaches in the UM – OSU rivalry. Aside from Cooper, going back to WW Hayes, first time coaches have WON their first meeting in the series. Correct me if I am wrong but that is quite impressive Adam Rittenberg writes: You’re correct, first-time coaches have fared well in the Michigan-Ohio State series, perhaps because the games typically are played later in the season when coaches have a better feel for their teams. Woody Hayes lost his first meeting with Michigan, 7-0, in 1951, but Earle Bruce beat the Wolverines in 1979 and Jim Tressel did the same in 2001. The Buckeyes went through four coaches during the 1940s who went 1-2-1 against Michigan. Michigan hasn’t had a coach lose his first game against Ohio State since Harry Kipke in 1929. Kipke’s first game, interestingly enough, was played midway through the season on Oct. 19. Rich Rodriguez will have a tough task to keep Michigan’s run alive, but it helps that the game is at the end of the season. Next, Dave Dye of the Detroit News drops…
-
Foote to MSU: “y’all always gonna suck” (audio)
Continuing the roll of Michigan athletes, coaches and beat writers on the WDFN 1130AM Stoney and Wojo radiothon is former Wolverine Larry Foote. As usual, Foote came hard and came raw. He hit on a variety of topics including what it’s like working out with Mike Barwis, his Steelers, and like Jalen Rose yesterday, took time to blast MSU. Notes:– Thinks this team will “shock a lot of people” based on the conditioning they are going through.– He confirmed Barwis is “a psycho”, “a freak”, is “nutso”, and has “some screws missing.”– Said Tyrone Wheatley’s been working out just “testing it out.”– Said he “had a dream” about the Detroit Lions’ season. “9-7 and they make the playoffs.”– When asked the obligatory Brett Favre question: “he’s definitely being selfish.” For your ringtones and tailgate mixtapes, here’s just Foote’s message to the Spartans as he signed off, “Go Blue and Michigan State, y’all always gonna suck.”
