pardawg45

Mon, Nov 30, 2009 : 5:02 p.m.

...Ha...average to good coaches in a weak conference...that doesn't even make sense. You are saying the Big 10 has been a weak conference for the past 40 years? BWAHAHAHAHA! I suppose you think the SEC has been a power this whole time? I think you may want to get your facts straight, and maybe look at the big 10's record versus the other conferences over that time period.

PortageLkBlu

Mon, Nov 30, 2009 : 2:52 p.m.

You pinheads talk smoke and mirrors. Bo, Larry and Curly were average to good coaches in a generally weak conference proven weak every year in bowl games. Get it into your whinny pinheads,Michigan is reloading whether you like it or not and I think it's great that they give you a site to vent,(whine) on or you boys and girls might do something stupid like continuously whine. Read my writing, RR is here to stay, he is here to stay becuase they, (the powers that be) are going to give him two more yrs anyway and in those 2yrs he's going to start winning he can't help but start winning he's coaching in the weak big 10. RR will start winning even it he doesn't want to. The big 10 including "The Ohio State Bucs" are average at best. USC had the worst team with a freshman QB and still beat the bucs in Columbus. USC was not a good team this year. So here it is boys and girls whinny babies from the great state of Michigan you are going to start winning with rr in the next couple of yrs whether you like it or not, you can support your team it is Michigan isn't it, or you can come on these sites and whine on it really doesn't matter but I suspect you'll climb on the wagon shortly.

briskin14

Sun, Nov 29, 2009 : 2:46 p.m.

I know this is a tough period for Michigan, considering that we're used to winning, but Rodriguez is a good coach. He just doesn't have the players he wants. But, please, FIRE GREG ROBINSON. PLEASE, our defense was supposed to be decent with Ozeh, Warren, Graham, and Brown. Remember against Purdue when Michigan could have kicked a field goal before the end of the half, but kneed it to go into the locker room. If they would have kicked it, and made it, we would have won by 1 and gotten our 6th win. We still should have won, but that kick would have changed the entire season.

annarbor28

Sat, Nov 28, 2009 : 9:06 p.m.

I am not someone who follows football plays from minute to minute, but members of my family have been going to U-M for about 90 years, and I know the meaning of U-M football spirit. This coach is not a Michigan person. He is a U-M misfit. Sorry, but he does not inspire the fans, whether he wins or loses. He is about money and ego. He is not about Michigan. He blames the players and everyone else except himself. He has no grace, no Michigan class. He does not make me proud of U-M football. They need to ax him. Mary Sue Coleman has little idea what she is doing in so many ways, but this really shows that she does not follow in the tradition of some of our greater former U presidents. Go Blue. Get rid of Rodriguez and get someone who "gets" Michigan. Anyone have suggestions for his replacement?? Good cbs article above, BTW, thanks much.

johnnya2

Sat, Nov 28, 2009 : 7:46 p.m.

Lou, You must be missing something about Lloyd. What is it? Oh thats right HIS RECORD. The numbers indicate Lloyd was a good "halftime adjustments" coach. Actually, the team played well this year in thye first half and failed miserably in the second half, proving that RR is the one unable to adjust his coaching.

johnnya2

Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 8:06 p.m.

Everybody complains about freshman this and too young that, but the QB before RR started as a true freshman (and did not enroll early). The running back on that team also started as a freshman (and did ok for himself). A guy who wore number 2 and won a few games started a freshman. The recruiting classes were not that bad, they do not fit RR style. A great coach can alter his style and win with what he has. Urban Meyer uses Tim Tebow effectively and he used Alex Smith effectively. Two completely different styles, and he won at both places. If you honestly think Purdue and Illinois beat Michigan because they have better talent then you know nothing about football. Juice williams would win a heisman if he could play RR every game.

rightmind250

Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 6:31 p.m.

Lou, You are wrong. RR has one year left. 2010 will be his last year. Nobody except you and your little buddy Tater will be giving him that 4th year. UM will pay him to leave after next year. RR can then go back to his double wide and life as he knows it.

Lou

Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 10:48 a.m.

Wow, what a bunch of whiney little girls! Somebody actualy said that they missed Lloyd Carr? You mean the coach that lost the first road game of the year 6 years in a row? You mean the coach that couldn't beat Tressell even though he had a better squad than Tress on many accasions? You mean the coach that didn't have a clue about what the phase "halftime adjustments" meant? I can see Carr in the locker room right now. Carr "No men were not going to make any adjustments, we've been practicing these plays all week. If we change what we're doing that is a sign of weakness and the other team will have already won" Player to coach " Yeah coach but they're already stoping us on all the plays that we practied, can't we try something different?" Carr "Son, if you keep thinking like that then they've already won. This is Michigan so we'll keep running the same 4 plays until the game is over, if they make us change our game plan then we've already lost. Which is the greater tragedy losing the game, or changing course because of your opponent? I'll never let someone dictate what plays I call" Player to other player "Does coach realize that we're down 17 points and only have 3 first downs running these same plays?" Other players response "Man did you see that freshman light it up in practice all week? Too bad Coach thinks freshman are only good for carrying luggage" Carr was stuck in the 1970's, good riddeance to a underacheiver of shocking magnitude. RR has 2 more years, get that through your thick skulls.

NoBowl4Blue

Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 9:42 a.m.

I remember before the season reading Taters optimistic forcast for the football team and laughing. His bold predictions were for 8 or more wins and his denfense of RR unwavering and apparently still is. U of M will never win with RR as they will always hover around 5 or 6 wins at best and the likely bowl game if any might be down the road, can anyone say pizza pizza? That's not good enough. The vest in Columbus has 5 straight B10 titles and Mich should be on par. My Spartys are surpassing the Maize and Blue as Michigans best team. If the AD was smart, this is the year to go after Harbaugh or Miles. Now that will revive the interest of the ND, MSU and especially the OSU games.

Furious in MI

Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 1:50 a.m.

I wonder if RR had come in a year earlier and had a chance to coach those seniors of 2007, if he would have benched them since they did not fit into his "system". He is just a selfish coach who is not a good fit for UM. I never realized what a good thing we had in Carr until he was gone. This team will struggle with the same issues next year, run the same 5 ineffective offensive plays, get burned frequently on defense, and RR will be fired. Maybe the next AD will understand what needs to be done and actually do it.

BlueInBama

Fri, Nov 27, 2009 : 1:06 a.m.

Bassman88wr, you insist of making points based on the performance of single players, and then you try and stretch it to be inclusive to reflect the entire program. Ex: Your Calvin Johnson statement. Who else did GT have outside of this guy? No, I have not seen Clemson or GT "in person," yet I've seen them enough on TV, with other ACC teams. You stated, "you don't need as much talent when you spread em out with the triple option." What are you smoking? What data do you have to differentiate talent levels versus offensive schemes? Let me put it to you this way, it's not enough to justify the success of Johnson and the failure of RR! As far as recruiting is concerned, while it's not an exact science, it has very little to do with "gut feeling." Variable data is collected over time, and it's the coaches job to analyze this data and make the best decisions. Rivals, scout, espn, etc make a side business of this aspect of college football alone. It's not a lottery! You stated, " Do not forget that Saban inherited a seasoned QB, Two strong running backs and mostly Junior and Senior skill position players after a lot of youth played in 06'." That statement is debatable. You're implying that Saban's success was due in large part to Shula. The records speak for themselves, you have ZERO measurable data to support your opinion. You are desperately trying to defend RR here, yet you fail miserably. This is due to a combination of 2 things : Your basic lack of understanding of football and statistics. Seriously, you just don't get it. Second, you're a typical Kool-Aid consumer in love with RR. Your desperation in trying to justify a poor RR performance is easily dismantled... not just because you're ignorant, but more so because the facts speak for themselves. RR's system is not "special," and his situation is not unique BEYOND HIS CONTROL. Bottom line - While Saban did have more to work with than RR (but not to the exaggerated extent you believe), Bama is in a MUCH STRONGER conference. The same applies to Meyer in Florida. And as far as Paul Johnson is concerned, yes, the ACC is weaker, but his offense is by no means "easier" to implement than RRod's. That's just a piss poor excuse, especially since many of this team's setbacks are based on POOR FUNDAMENTALS - lack of adequate coaching. 8-16 in 2 years is pathetic at Michigan. Superior coaches possess the ability to adapt their philosophy to the talent / abilities of their players. RR is NOT capable of this. He's only capable of blaming it on youth, inexperience, or issues from the past 3 or 4 Februaries. The man is a fraud, and he will be out of AA no later than the end of the 2010 season. IN MICHIGAN WE TRUST

raddes

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 11:28 p.m.

It's only fitting the haters latch on to some lame blogger from CBS who is just as negative as they are! Be careful who you align yourselves with haters--here's another beauty from your boy Greg Doyel: "Justin Boren is the man. He left Michigan, ripped Rich Rodriguez and then had the gonads to transfer to Ohio State? I love it. And that's not sarcasm. I sincerely love it. For one thing, I don't love R-Rod. Not after the way he left West Virginia, shredding documents and relationships along the way, and then arrived at Michigan and in one month on the recruiting trail was shadier than Lloyd Carr had been in decades." Thats's classy! By the way, he DOESN'T even know RR. He's just some random guy stating opinion--sort of like all of us here on AA. So why would a blogger's rant go to MSC or be considered FACT??? Remember, I/we do not care if some of you personally do not like RR--or I guess now if Greg Doyel "loves" (boy, that's credible) RR. It's amazing how misery loves company....tissue anyone?

rightmind250

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 10:21 p.m.

tomhagan, I hate when people point out the facts like that. It really exposes RR. I take it you are not in the delusional Tater camp.

tomhagan

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 8:26 p.m.

"Zook is an awful coach...." Cough cough... OK...but Zook has crushed RR's Michigan teams 2 years in a row by 25 pts each year. 25 pts each year for lessor talented Illinois squads crushing Rich Rod's Michigan teams. That alone, is embarrassing enough....so if "Zook is an awful coach" and he owns Rich Rod...what does that make Rich Rod?

Bassman88wr

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 8:14 p.m.

one more comment. urban myers is one of the most etically challenged guys out there so very little merrit to the uf commentary. his own player up'd his own rediculous suspension because the press called the program out and he scap goated to make his player look good and save face. he should have been suspended equal or more than blount of oregon. plus 2 plus arrests from his recruits is as bad as it gets. pick a side, but know your facts. the sec and all its glory has more violations than any two conferences in an 8 year run and you wonder why they are the top conference. can't have it all so give him a 3rsd year. last but not least, he may have won in a lessened conference but he beat the team that started the following season at 1 and outside of texas he wins more games on average than anyone. he did that with lesser talent than he will get in the a2.

BlueInBama

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 7:14 p.m.

Zook did NOTHING with those recruiting classes. Carr did more developing / utilizing talent than Zook did. Florida will attract recruits no matter what, they're in the Big 5 of hotbed recruiting states... doesn't matter who the coach is, they'll get top players! Let's take a look at what Zookster did in comparison to Carr over 3 years '02 Rivals Class Ranking : Florida #5, Michigan #14 '02 Record : Florida 8-5, Michigan 10-3 '03 Rivals Class Ranking : Florida #2, Michigan #17 '03 Record : Florida 8-5, Michigan 10-3 '04 Rivals Class Ranking : Florida #7, Michigan #5 '04 Record : Florida 7-5, Michigan 9-3 Looks like Zookster had 3 full years of "his" boys, but he couldn't develop them. Urban Meyer stepped in and UTILIZED that talent. He worked them, Zook didn't. Saying that "GT has talent year in and year out" is ridiculous and completely ignores what Paul Johnson has done in comparison to Chan Gailey or George O'Leary. From '05 to '08, GT had ONE top 25 recruiting class ('07). Paul Johnson had VERY LITTLE to work with, yet he installed the triple-option-run, and look at him now. The guy is a fantastic coach. He tailors his system around his talent, and he stresses GOOD FUNDAMENTALS. (Something RR doesn't understand) Finally, you claim that Saban did NOT inherit a failing program. You even went so far to say they were "on their way up" when Saban took over... laughable. Shula took them 4-9 in '03, 6-6 in '04, 10-2 in '05, and 6-7 in '06. The drop-off from '05 to '06 alone was bad enough, yet Shula's earlier history was worse. Saban took Bama to a bowl game in his first year (which they won), and his record speaks for itself in '08 and '09. Bassman88wr, I don't know if you formulate your opinions based on what you hear, or if you're another delusional RR Kool-Aid consumer. It would behoove you to did a little research before posting and making yourself look like a fool.

Bassman88wr

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 5:14 p.m.

One other thing. Whoever cited that Ron Zook did Florida no favors when he handed it over to Meyer is wrong. They had three top 3 recruiting classes in a row. Believe it or not, Georgia Tech has talent year in a out. Ga is loaded with top talent and his record was built on the eliment of suprise. You also said Saban inherited a failing program? Dude, you need to watch some football. If Prothro had no broken that leg they win the SEC and he has a job. Yeah, I know, 1 player don't make the team in a real program. Sure did when Mike Hart was hurt didn't it? We looked like driftwood in a stream. Imagine the Rose Bowl years had Braylon Edwards not been there..we would have been throttled by USC by 4 tds instead of two and Texas would have woodshed us. You don't have to respect what I am saying but Tebow, Harvin, Spikes, were all recruited by Zook. The ACC is catching up with GT and the entire conference is full of Mediocre teams. Saban walked into a program on its way up after probation where momentum and scholarship numbers prevailed in one of the most talent rich states in the Union. And in final, when we beat Florida in the last bowl, their D was young and gave up bigs plays too but they had depth on that line with size. The coach cannot sit and say it is all his fault if he wishes to get the chance at the next season. He has to buy time and if that is a lack of character then go tell yor boss tomorrow everything that happened on your watch was your fault and see what happens. You don't have to like it but for now, we all have to live with it so try somehow to resemble people who support the program or just light your torches and march on A2 with your witch hunt. Ironically, you say his lack of accountabilty is a lack of character yet you say you are "a huge supporter" with your resume of UM yet you are looking to blame this one person so the program doesn't look tarnished while airing dirty laundry. Where is your accountability? So you hate him. Just say that each week without challenging the character of the AD for hiring him which cuts to the core of UM decision makers who spend their lives doing this while boosting millions.

GoblueinNE_PA

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 12:47 a.m.

RR is getting a 3rd year. That's a given. No one at the University will make such an important decision, at least not until the new AD is installed. Whomever that is, they will use 2010 to evaluate RR job performance. Personally, I think he'll hang himself, because 2010 will be another tough year, IMO, but if he does some how win 9 or 10 games then he'll get to finish his contract. Az, Tom, et.al., I think we just need to get our heads around the fact that we'll see RR on the side lines next year. On a final note, can anyone name another coach that put up losing records his first 2 seasons only to turn it around and become a consistent winner? That's what RR needs to do and I can't think of another time its happened. It doesn't bode well, IMO.

heartbreakM

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 12:23 a.m.

Hey Tater: I think I figured out this year. You never base your opinions on facts. You base them on optimism, on hope, on aspirations. I hope you are right, though all the predictions you have had all year have not turned out quite right. A number of others, myself included, have based our opinions on facts on the field (and off), including the worst D in B10 play, the 9th worst O in B10 play, on poor fundamentals on both sides of the ball, etc--in other words, on real stats and records. It is Ok to disagree, and we will never agree. But until we can find some final ground (i.e. we become more optimistic or you start dealing with real facts), we will continue to go round and round. But by no means are those critical of Rod automatically "Michigan haters" or "trolls". That is just silly language.

tomhagan

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 : 12:03 a.m.

Tater... stop kidding yourself. This team is a LONG way away from being a good team. You cite the OSU game...the fact is that Tressel played Tressel-ball to its finest...with an ultra-conservative scheme designed to score when they needed to and not make mistakes. It was almost as if OSU was toying with Michigan... You know Tressel told his staff "Let's just play this close to my Vest...and sooner or later, Michigan's shoddy D will give up a couple of TDs on breakdowns and we will win" and he was correct about that philosophy. This is a team that lost to Purdue and Illinois 2 years in a row. They finished last in the Big Ten. Last place for this Michigan/RR team. They scored 23 pts per game (barely) in the Big Ten and gave up well over 30 in conference play. They stunk it up and with this over-matched staff, they will be poor again next year as well. Time to scrap it and bring in a coach who can teach these guys fundamentals, and a scheme that they can play in without getting their limitations exposed. Once that happens, Michigan will rebuild with athletes....but until that happens...Michigan will be a joke under Rich Rod. He has done nothing well at Michigan. Nothing.

GOBLUE

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 11:14 p.m.

Here are my two cents. During the season, I also had doubts on how good of Coach that RR is. Especially, the ability to make adjustments on the second half of the games where the other team made changes. All true Michigan Fans want to see Michigan dominating the College football like Florida do now. As fans or Michigan grads, we have the right to demand or hope that kind of results from our beloved team. I think that we can do it because Michigan has the tradition and brand name. But, we need to make some changes from the ways that Carr was running the program. I am not saying that Carr was doing a bad job. But, Medicority should not be acceptable to the Michigan Program. We must be able to beat teams like Florida, Texas, Ohio State consistently. To do that, we have to make changes. I also appreciate what Bo did at Michigan and the character/integrity that he brought to the program. But, Bo never brought the dominance like what Florida is doing now days. As an avid fan of Michigan, I would like to see that. I think that we may have to be patient with RR and give RR a couple more years (at least one more year)before we pass the final judgement on him.

Point_Given

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 9:41 p.m.

aarox, good article. Now, everyone that loves this University and the football program should PRINT IT OUT AND MAIL IT TO: Mary Sue Coleman President 2074 Flemming Administration Building 503 Thompson Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340 Maybe 20,000-30,000 envelopes with this piece might make the point that everyone except her and Bill Martin seem to get. Send 'em to the Board of Regents too.

BlueInBama

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 9:06 p.m.

Don't know, razz... it makes no sense. I would like the RR fans to address the following : Why has RR gone 8-16 in his first 2 years while Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, and Paul Johnson were able to find almost instant success? Shula left Alabama is worse shape than Carr left Michigan... Ron Zook did no favors for Florida when Meyer took over... and Paul Johnson has implemented a triple-option that GT has NEVER used before, and he's doing it with Chan Gailey's players. Remember, unsubstantiated rhetoric such as, "Go be a fan of that team then," is NOT an answer.

Lemansblue

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 8:59 p.m.

The problem with giving him one more year. It is not fair to the kids he is recruiting what is he going to say to them if we do not win 9 games I will be fired? It was his decision to dismantle the winningest college football program of all time. What I do not get is why some people thing he is a good coach he had a losing record against top 25 teams while he was at WV. He never had a undeafeted season even after the 3 best teams in the Big East left for the ACC. He never coached in a NC game...Yet people think he was hired to do that at MI...What? Are you kidding me? People open your eyes this was the wrong hire. What good prospect will want to play here he is a lame duck coach. No need to prolong this he needs to go. What I always admired about BO and Carr they never used excuses they just coached.

razzberry

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 8:42 p.m.

Why are so many of you nom-rod lovers so willing to be patient with this idiot? You people act like he took over struggling never has won program and is trying to turn it around. HE TOOK OVER MICHIGAN!!8 or 9 wins and a Jan. 1 game were a birth right before this idiot showed up and now we are supposed to be patient while he tries to make his system work. Our only hope is that the new AD has some sort of wisdom and his first act is to fire this idiot.

tomhagan

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 8:12 p.m.

aarox, azwolve, heartbreak and others... I was just thinking about this RR character issue this morning...and how he it may have rubbed off on this team. As you all detailed, they play undisciplined, sloppy football, missing assigments and often quit when they are down. Is that a reflection on the coaching...or the coach's level of personal integrity or both? Id say mostly the former but a little of the latter thrown in as well. For example, when a player reads about how his head coach is being sued for defaulting on a $3 million dollar real estate loan that he signed for and secured....well I know that Id be a little suspect of my head coach's values if I read about that news story during our season. Yeah, its a personal issue of RRs'...but how do you lead young men and coach them in to discipline when your own personal life lacks such discipline and intergrity? weird fit...

11GOBLUE11

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 8:02 p.m.

To those who dislike Rich Rodriguez, I have a feeling he wishes he could turn back the clock as well and still be the head coach at WVU. I'm perplexed on the matter - one more year seems to make sense, and I'm sure it will happen...but on the flip side, it's one more year of hoping freshman recruits come through (coupled with hopes that maturing players come of age in ways that have not yet been fully shown). I listened to a guy argue that RR's had two recruiting seasons because was after Pryor. I don't really thing you can count the first year because it was transition disarray...so in my thoughts, he's really only had one recruiting season. Although with the UofM, one ought to be enough, I think one more year is in order.

azwolverine

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 7:43 p.m.

marine, I don't say he's going to fail. I say at best he will be mediocre and that regardless, I don't think he fits at Michigan. I didn't go full blown on his character until after OSU, even saying right after the game that I didn't want to pile on him and talk about him getting fired. Then...he had his press conference and blamed everyone...AGAIN. That goes against what I feel Michigan is about. I'm an alum, my brother and sister are alums. I was born and raised in A2 and have strong feelings about Michigan and it's teams, especially football. If you don't like what I write, then don't read it. No one is shoving your face into the screen and making you read it. I respect your opinion to disagree and/or completely disregard what I say. But guess what? I'm going to continue saying it. Many of RR's backers say the same things over and over as well, some I'm sure you know by name. While I disagree with them, I fully respect their right to their opinion and their right to voice that opinion. In some cases, when it comes to things not RR related, I actually agree with them at times. Thanks for voicing your opinion.

amaizenman

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 7:39 p.m.

HeartbreakM Check out other major programs schedules (Fla is a good ex). All teams are watering down their non-conference schedules due to the BCS influence. Nobody wants to risk losing a non-conference game due to the pressure to get into one of the BCS bowls if not the NC game. RR referred to the last 3 or 4 Feb's. That included the 2 Feb's he has been here. It is not breaking news that the talent level had been slipping the past few years on D. If you look at the scores and D stats you would know that was the case.

amaizenman

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 7:33 p.m.

azwoleverin and aarox Please become sparty fans or buckeye fans or fans of anyteam except MI, then we won't have to ready your crap on this site any longer. Jump on Dantonio's wagon and support the guy that apparently has some real class players on his team, that go around attacking other students.

BornInA2

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 7:30 p.m.

I agree with the others: This coach has shown a consistent lack of integrity from his second day on campus to now. He has shown little, if any, accountability for *his* results, choosing instead to not-so-subtly blame Carr, young players, injuries, etc. I've never once heard him say or seen him quoted as saying "I let the team down" like Les Miles was last week. Instead we get "We'll win when we have a better team". Geez, coach, how about "We'll win when I do a better job making this team better"??? You RR fanboys might get tired of hearing it, but that doesn't change how we feel: This coach does not embody much, if any, of what it means to be a "Michigan Man". For what it's worth, I haven't like him since he fired the entire staff on his second day, and I wouldn't like him if the team had gone 12-0 this year. He isn't an effective, inspiring leader and his results (win/loss, recruiting, NCAA issues, CARA report issues, etc) directly reflect that. If you think that a few more years will change any of that you are in for (more) big disappointments.

marineblue

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 6:59 p.m.

yes, i wasn't selected by the university to coach. yes, i DO RESPECT the decision that the university has made. it is one thing to express your opinion, but it's another thing to state over and over and over and over your dislike for the coach. WE GET IT ALREADY! every single article that is posted AZ feels that he needs to vent and tell us how RR is going to fail. great. that is the way he feels, but does he have to trash every article w/ the same blah blah blah???? how many times do we have to hear the same complaints by a select few? it gets really old. you would think that some of these posters aren't really wrapped to tight....

heartbreakM

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 6:15 p.m.

Funny, marine, they didn't ask you to be coach either. Why don't you respect other people's views and discuss, rather than tell us to get lost? You're right, I am not coach, but do you think they listen to you either? According to the US Constitution, we all have a right to assemble and demonstrate free speech. I follow the quotes pretty well, and I can't remember RR more than once pointing the finger at himself. And his comment about the last 3-4 Februaries totally pointed at the players and the old coaches, and not himself. What player would want to play hard for a coach who basically hung them out to dry publicly? Coach does not have their back. That's just not cool. And yes, I do have a certain vision of what I want my alma mater to look like--academically, athletically, etc. I don't like a weak schedule like we had this year--I publicly complained about the Del State game before it was played. I also think playing EMU and WMU in the same year takes the easy way out. I want a coach with accountability and respectability, which so far, I don't see. What did I say? Well, that you don't learn anything by playing non-competition, and occasionally you lose. Tell me I was wrong. It is those expectations which connect us to our university, like it or not.

marineblue

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 5:53 p.m.

RR has stated many times this year that he and his staff have to do a better job of coaching. you choose to ignore that though. when he made the comments about the last 3 - 4 febs, he has been here for two. w/ out explaining it fully to people like you, he missed out on several players as well as pryor. he included himself you just want to make an issue of it. lastly we all know that you hate RR because he doesn't support your vision of MICHIGAN football. well, i hate to break it too you but: THEY DIDN"T ASK YOU TO BE THE COACH! so why don't you give us all a break and find another place to vent. sounding like a broken record really does nothing but turn people off to your whining. if you can't deal w/ what is going on in the program( that you weren't asked to coach in ) go root for another team.....

heartbreakM

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 5:47 p.m.

Well, put, AZ. And Aarox. Winning obviously helps any coach, but you can't win "character". That is why Bo is so beloved, even though he never won Bowl games or Natl Championship. And if anyone thinks his teams didn't take on his character, they would be mistaken IMO. I think the sloppiness of the last 2 years reflects poorly on the character of head coach--there's a certain lack of exactness and lack of accountability. Lack of leadership, in part to no captains and in part to, well, pointing???

azwolverine

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 5:34 p.m.

aarox, You hit the nail directly on the head! That article sums up my feelings on RR almost perfectly. He is, imo, a sniveling coward who demands accountability from his players yet displays zero accountability himself. His comments about the last 3 or 4 February's was the last straw for me. Win or lose (and all he has done here is lose), I want him out, gone, bye bye. He can't win enough games for me to support him. It's one thing to change offensive systems, it's another to change the whole culture from one of class and integrity to one of sniveling and cowardly excuse making.

aarox

Wed, Nov 25, 2009 : 4:31 p.m.

I am sorry - there is a fourth issue that dominates everything in this story. As much as it pains me, the character and core values of the head coach will drive this team, or any team, more than any individual player. I've been pretty vocal in my opinion that the current regime does not reflect my UM values. Here's an article that says it better than I have. ugh again. http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/12559911/rodriguez-spoils-image-with-spoiled-display-in-defeat