Dick Rod and Michigan: Any Way This Ends Well?
by whiskey OFD on May 25, 2010 5:43 PM EDT
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PrintI don't think so. Rodriguez got off on the wrong foot with a coaching change that went about as well as the average Jerry Springer episode.
Shortly thereafter he had players jumping ship left and right. Then he went 8-16 over the course of his first two seasons with a few more smatterings of controversy thrown in there. Today brought us the latest installment in which Michigan announced self imposed sanctions due to violations that happened on his watch. When Michigan Athletic Director David Brandon has to make comments like the one below things are not good.
"I don't think this is a black eye," he said. "This is a bruise."
It seems like every time you turn around there is some new sort of controversy around Rodriguez and the Michigan program. It has been a strained and seemingly unnatural marriage for both parties from the beginning. Rodriguez never embraced or became a part of the Michigan culture. Instead he seems to be operating in opposition to it and living on the defensive. This most recent incident appears to be no exception. Note the comments from his personal Defense Attorney as reported by the Detroit Free Press.
"Coach Rodriguez is surprised and disappointed that violations occurred in his program. He has strived throughout his career to follow the rules. Rodriguez recognizes that as a head coach, he has a heightened responsibility to monitor his program and promote an atmosphere of compliance. Rodriguez embraces that responsibility. He regrets that he did not adequately monitor certain aspects of his program in this case. Rodriguez has learned from his mistakes and will be a better coach and compliance leader going forward."
"However, ensuring compliance with complex NCAA bylaws is not a one-man job. It requires a diligent commitment from everyone with responsibility for compliance oversight. It also requires clear and open lines of communication. In this case, there was not adequate compliance oversight nor open communication concerning important compliance matters."
"Every activity that resulted in a violation in this case was done openly, transparently and under the watch of not only Rodriguez, but also other Michigan coaches and administrators. Violations went undetected because several Michigan staff members, including Rodriguez, were not paying close enough attention. In short, there was a collective failure that resulted in the violations in this case. That is not to deflect blame away from Rodriguez, it is simply stating a fact and putting Rodriguez’s culpability in the proper context."
Those comments are very telling. Are you the Head Coach or not? My general rule is that if you always seem to be shrouded in controversy chances are that the culprit is you not a never ending series of unfortunate circumstances.
I just don't see this working out in any way that results in Michigan fans ever referring to Rodriguez as a "Michigan Man." You know Dave Wannstedt is really to blame for all of this. Had he not knocked off Rodriguez and WVU in the 2007 Backyard Brawl Rodriguez would have likely played for a title and perhaps wised up to the fact that he could stay at WVU for eternity. He was all set up to be their 30 year guy. Oh well.
Rodriguez will enter 2010 with his job on the line, a quarterback controversy, several other roster uncertainties and a fan base that is rapidly running out of patience. Those are not the ingredients that great seasons are typically made of.
I can't help but think that by the end of the season Rodriguez might be aimlessly driving around Ann Arbor with an 8 X 10 glossy of Pat White in his lap, and a half empty bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 while executing an emotional singalong to Cinderella's Don't Know What You've Got...Til It's Gone.
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What does he think a black eye is?
I’m of the opinion that he should have adapted to Mallet’s strengths while stockpiling talent for a smoother transition to his offense of choice. Maybe it prolongs his overall offensive scheme from taking shape, but surely his W/L would have been much better, which would have gone a long way to ingratiating himself to the alumni and fanbase.
Maybe he doesn’t have the coaching chops to pull that off though.
by magnusbleuveigner on May 26, 2010 8:27 AM EDT reply actions
I’m not sure if that would have helped him too much or not. He just never seemed to fit there. I can see Michigan looking for a new coach come December. Their boy Les Miles might be available which could start an interesting ripple effect.
by Whiskey on May 26, 2010 9:01 PM EDT reply actions
I dunno if you’ve ever been to Stillwater but what do you have against Mad Dog?
and its really not a hiring fuck up until he ends up strapped to a bed in Utah for drug addiction. Utah, because they don’t have laws against tying people down.
by Ibas water bottle on May 27, 2010 12:57 AM EDT reply actions
Whiskey,
Per Miles: that’s assuming he has a good year. In my opinion he’s a pretty crappy coach, and might prove to not be a viable hire for Michigan after this year. By ripple effect, do you mean Miles to Michigan, Muschamp to LSU? Yeah, I’m fearful of that, so….Geaux Tigers.
by magnusbleuveigner on May 27, 2010 8:36 AM EDT reply actions
Ibas Stillwater is a good time from what I remember. I hit the beer drinking scene there a time or two in my younger days. That story about the Basketball coach is wild. Thanks for sharing, I managed to miss that somehow.
Magnus, I totally agree about Miles being a crappy coach. He is one of the worst game managers of all time and is completely coordinator dependent. I am not in any way a fan. I still think Michigan might hire him simply because post Dick Rod they will lean heavily towards a guy with some kind of ties to the program to take them back to doing things “The Michigan Way.” I see that situation as being very similar to Nebraska going from Callahan to Pelini.
By ripple I just meant that LSU is a big job and they would likely go after an ‘A’ list type guy which would in turn create another relatively high profile vacancy etc. I personally don’t see Muschamp leaving that setup in Austin for any place other than Georgia but I definitely default to you and the rest of the BK crew on that as I’m sure you guys have a better feel for that than I do. Would he really leave Austin for Red Stick?
by Whiskey on May 27, 2010 11:25 PM EDT reply actions
I’m amazed that Michigan, “MICHIGAN!!!”, has to settle for these characters that walk the line that even Jake Spoon would have resisted. How the mighty have fallen. After the cunt punch Harbough(sp) gave them, would they approach him, skirt in the air, and apologize for being a sleazy Acuna whore and beg him to come home?
by uncle teardrop on May 28, 2010 7:07 AM EDT reply actions
By “BK” do you mean ‘British Knights?’
LSU is the only school other than Georgia that scares many of us. Obviously schools like Bama and Fla would scare us, but those vacancies are no where near being open, unless Urban goes full bitch again.
Reasons: He was rumored to be really thinking about the Tenn. job, but apparently the powers that be were worried that they would get Kiffin’d once again if Mack stepped down. LSU is just a good program that recruits itself in state, and also has the ability to go OOS. UT would have it’s hands full recruiting East Texas if he left.
I know he says he loves Austin, but if Ali is willing to go to the Phillipines to prove he’s the best, I’m pretty sure a guy like Muschamp would be willing to do even worse, and go to Baton Rouge. Sorry to any Filipino’s I might have offended.
Anybody know why it’s ‘Phillipines’ when discussing the country, but ‘Filipino’ when discussing the people? Somebody get Manny Pacquiao, or Efren Reyes on the phone.
by magnusbleuveigner on May 28, 2010 9:50 AM EDT reply actions
Dick Rod followed up by Miles in Ann Arbor?
Notre Dames should never lose to Michigan with either of those two coaching.
Kelly might be starting to a nice win streak soon…
by Rocket89 on May 28, 2010 11:25 AM EDT reply actions
Who is Notre Dame(s)??
Haha, but yeah….neither of those two coaches scare me. Michigan has to do better.
by Rocket89 on May 28, 2010 11:26 AM EDT reply actions
Uncle T talking Jake Spoon and Acuna in the same 4 lines. Hat tip and a shot of Jameson for you on that one. Michigan SHOULD go after Harbaugh but I think he might be a little too crazy to reconcile. As an ND fan I’m hoping Dick Rod gets followed by the Hat. “4th & 20 and we can kick for the tie…..Screw It, run all streaks to X.”
Magnus nice British Knights reference. I meant to type BC and punted it. I really hope Muschamp doesn’t head to Red Stick. I like rooting for the guy and that would be cause for me to have to stop.
by Whiskey on May 28, 2010 3:48 PM EDT reply actions
I don’t think Harbaugh said anything that wasn’t essentially true. Now, whether that means he’s no longer interested in coaching there is an entirely different question.
If I had a choice between the SF Bay Area and Michigan and figured I could stay as long as I wanted at either place, it would take a heck of an offer.
Oh, and FWIW, Rodriguez was a terrible hire who appears to be a one-trick pony as an offensive coach.
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