With the delayed suspension, the NCAA does it again. I really wish the NCAA wouldn't be so transparent with regards to their existence as a money-grabbing organization.
For those who are saying the rules that the OSU players broke show that players should be paid, I have to ask one question: WHY IS IT A RIGHT TO GET A TATOO?!?!?!?!
So, I caught portions of College Football Live on ESPNU (I think) a couple days the past week and they were talking about Maryland possibly hiring Mike Leach. With all of the discussion about how great a coach he is and how he would be a good fit with the Terps, nothing was mentioned about why he is not coaching Texas Tech anymore. I'm not saying he did anything wrong, because I have no idea, but how can that not be part of the discussion? ESPN is as bad as the NCAA.
I have a lot of ideas of this whole Michigan Man issue regarding RR, but it would be a very long post. Nobody wants to read that. But, for those who say Bo wasn't a Michigan Man when he came here, I have two responses: 1) The high standards (on and off the field) may or may not have been part of the culture at M when Bo was hired, but M alums and the uni, as far as what I know, embrace what Bo stood for. If he wasn't a fit for the culture at the U, then he certainly helped to create the culture as we know as The University of Michigan. 2) RR did not, and has not, embraced the U traditions/culture. He came in knowing it was a great football job. But, anyone who cares about M doesn't care that it is a great football job. We care that it is a great place to be. This is not an SEC job, where you win and make alums happy. Winning is only part of it. Being a good Michigan Man is the other.
I saw a story on WBKB-TV (channel 11, Alpena) about the MSU-Alabama bowl game and they had three quick soundbites from Alabama players talking about the MSU team. All three said that MSU is like an SEC team. It was clear they were doing this as if to say it as a compliment. I really want the Big Ten to beat the SEC this year . Ugh
I can see why players are prohibited from selling their "gifts". But at the same time, the rings, pants etc. are theirs. It seems like a stretch that they unable to sell things for a fair market value. I have a game used hockey jersey that I could sell for a profit, I guess I don't see why the athlete can't.
ReplyDeleteBo didn't come from the Michigan family, but he knew a lot of it. The stories of him telling the assistant coaches that Yost or Crisler may have used the same nail to hang up their coat etc. He knew of "Kramer of Michigan."
But some of the things RR failed at knowing he should have been helped on. How did Big Jon not tell him the "rules" for assigning the #1? I'm ready for Harbaugh to come in and unite the fanbase, oh and beat teams we used to beat regularly. And keep the program off probation....
If the players sell the gifts, then they are being paid something more than tuition. Also, the rules are there, and are clear, and they certainly should have known about them.
ReplyDeleteRR probably should have been helped at understanding Michigan, but clearly there are/were people in the athletic department that weren't going to do that. The person who could have helped the most is Lloyd Carr. If what we read is correct, he didn't do that. Whoever was in RR's corner didn't do what was needed, or maybe he was stubborn and didn't care what he was being told. In any case, I think it is a good example of how he was not a good fit to begin with.
I don't expect Harbaugh to unite the fanbase. The split is permanent. The only way he unites it is if he does something remarkable like win the BCS Championship. Otherwise, he will be criticized the way Carr was, regardless of how many shared Big Ten championships he wins, or BCS bowl games he goes to (and loses).