One Last Try

This will be last ever post on this subject. Quite frankly, I'm tired. I've made my point of view well-known over the past three years. Yet, people continue to find a way to spin everything in a negative fashion. The people opposing Rich Rodriguez have seemingly unlimited energy. At this point, I'm running on fumes.

The thing that irritates me the most is the idea that Michigan deserves better. I got into an argument this Saturday, and the opposition always seemed to resort to getting a Michigan Man in, or "get rid of that hillbilly."

The Future is the Key

What Michigan really deserves is the decision that is best for its future. You may not like what has happened over the past three years (I sure as hell haven't), but a huge decision like this should not be based on emotion. It should be based on sound logic and reason. If Michigan fires Rich Rodriguez, it should be because Michigan's future is best without him. If that is true, then I have no problem with firing him. I do have a problem firing Rich Rodriguez if Michigan is doing it simply because the last three years aren't "acceptable."

What does this mean?

You better have a damn good replacement that you know is going to take the job. Firing Rich Rodriguez without having a good replacement in mind would be an absolute disaster. Now, of course, we have a pretty good idea who that replacement might be.

Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh is apparently the next big thing. It's natural for his name to come up, I guess. He was a hero at Michigan for beating Ohio State and he's won a lot of games in 2010. He's won a lot of games in his fourth year as head coach at Stanford. His record in his first three years?

2007: 4-8
2008: 5-7
2009: 8-5

Man, those numbers look familiar. Now, in 2010, with a highly regarded (and recruited) upperclassman at quarterback, Stanford is 11-1. Now, I realize that Harbaugh inherited Walt Harris's mess. But, Rich Rodriguez inherited a situation that was equally messy. Ryan Mallett was never staying so he was stuck with Nick Sheridan and virtually no returning starters on offense.

Maybe Jim Harbaugh is the answer. Maybe he's not. If we've learned anything in the past three years, it's that no new head coach is guaranteed success, especially when dramatically changing the style of the current team.

Michigan in 2011

What I do know is that Michigan will be worse off in 2011 if Rich Rodriguez is fired. For the first time in the Rich Rod era, he will have two things at quarterback: a returning starter and an upperclassman. If Rich Rodriguez is fired, Devin Gardner is probably the guy. It's a vicious cycle.

The offense will be returning every significant starter and adding the #1 running back in the country.

The defense gets rid of its weak link (Obi Ezeh) and adds depth. It's sucked watching the true freshmen in the secondary learning on the job, but these guys are getting quality playing time that will provide great depth in 2011. These guys are starting now and will be back-ups next year. That difference can't be overstated.

At linebacker, Obi is finally gone! Kenny Demens has looked great in the middle, and guys like Thomas Gordon and Cam Gordon are getting lots of playing time at linebacker. Projected starter Mike Jones (who?) will be healthy and starting in 2011, and big-time prospect Marvin Robinson will have had plenty of time to learn his new position.

The defensive line will be a year older and healthier. Mike Martin, RVB, Craig Roh, and Jibreel Black provide an excellent starting group.

The defense will get better just by getting a year of experience and getting starters back from injury. The offense will be one of the best in the country. Michigan has every opportunity to win a bunch of games in 2011. It's not like they're getting worse. From 3 to 5 to 7 wins... 9-10 seems like a realistic goal in 2011. They have the potential to win even more.

So, What To Do?

You can sacrifice 2011, risk 20+ defections, and kill recruiting to hire a coach who may or may not have more long-term success than Rich Rodriguez. Or, you can take your chances with Rich Rodriguez, and fire him if he doesn't win 9 or 10 games in 2011.

Me? I'll take my chances with the latter. I respect a guy who sits out his Heisman Trophy candidate who exhibits concussion symptoms in a game that could get him fired. I respect a guy who does the same with his starting left tackle, outside linebacker, and wide receiver a couple games later. I respect a guy who suspended his only punter before the Ohio State game with his job on the line. I'm willing to take a chance on that guy. I'm not willing to sacrifice the future for someone who may or may not have long term success at Michigan. You can have the guy who sold out his alma mater a couple years ago and showed the same improvement that Rich Rodriguez has in his first three years. Frankly, it shows where your priorities are.

Youth Sports: What It's All About

I trust in God. I love my country and will respect its laws. I will play fair and strive to win. But win or lose I will always do my best.

Eleven years removed from my last Little League game, I still remember this pledge. It's the pledge that you will find on the back of a Little League rulebook. It's the pledge that is often recited before Little League All-Star games by its participants.

Often, people downgrade Little League baseball because of its lower competition level. It's true. There are travel leagues all across the country that have deeper fences, longer base lines, and better competition. I'm confident that I could have played in a travel league when I was growing up. It probably would have advanced my baseball skills at a faster rate, but I'm glad that my parents made the decision to put me in Little League. Little League baseball and youth sports in general are, or should be, about so much more than just winning and becoming the next superstar.

See, youth sports are where the foundations of sportsmanship are laid. The lessons learned on a baseball field should be about more than freezing on a line drive, using two hands, and keeping your eye on the ball. For the first time, you are learning how to interact with others in a competitive setting. You learn how to win and you learn how to lose. Winning means more when you've experienced defeat. At the same time, you learn that winning isn't everything. Even after losing a game, you get your juice box, snack, and you go home to a family that loves you. Sure, it sounds corny, but too often that perspective is lost.

People forget that youth sports are meant to be fun. Sure, winning is great. But, you can have fun without winning. I was an extremely competitive person, but I never had a compulsive desire to win. I just loved to play baseball. I enjoyed practicing as much as I enjoyed playing in games. In fact, I often had more fun practicing than playing. Why? Because parents often ruined the games. Too often the biggest problem in sports is the parents who "participate" in them.

My dad has said it to me for years, "Parents ruin youth sports." Jackson residents see (or don't see) the unfortunate effects of it every year. If it weren't for the parents, coaches, and athletic directors preventing it, you would see Jackson High and Lumen Christi play annually in football. But, because of the behind-the-doors bureaucracy, it doesn't happen. All students and players of both schools would love to play each other every year. Quite frankly, there's no excuse for the game not happening. It saddens me that adults refuse to set aside their personal pride, petty arguments, and unfounded beliefs for the happiness of kids.

Now, not all adults fall into this category. I know numerous adults who have dedicated countless hours to supporting youth sports for the right reasons. Unfortunately, it only takes a few adults to counteract the hard work of many. These people should be ashamed of themselves. When did the focus of youth sports fail to be the youth? Whenever it happened, society took a turn for the worse.

Sports have always been an effective way of teaching children the value of sportsmanship and the importance of having fun. Somewhere along the line, we forgot that. This blog is my plea. Restore the true meaning behind youth sports. The next time you're at a game and you see someone who has forgotten that meaning, remind them. Nike said it best. Sportsmanship and fun: just do it.

Looking at MSU and Looking Forward

Yesterday was somewhat of a reality check for Michigan fans. You just don't go from 3-9 to 12-0. It's a game that I had a bad feeling for all week. The first major road game for a true freshman and a still very young team is never easy. Add to the fact that Michigan was playing a coach who is absolutely obsessed with beating them, and they were in for a long day.


The Defense

The defensive line finally showed up. Brandon Graham was near unblockable all game. His hit on Glenn Winston was the type of play Michigan fans have been expecting from the preseason All-American all year long. Mike Martin got a great push in the middle, and Craig Roh was all over the field all game.

The linebackers not named Stevie Brown continue to kill the Michigan defense. Brown was making plays all game, but he wasn't getting much help. Obi Ezeh had a lot of tackles, but they were all 8 yards downfield because he was out of position. Jonas Mouton simply looked lost. Ezeh and Mouton could not find proper depth all day, and are a large reason that Kirk Cousins, he of the 5.4 40 speed, ran wild. To Cousins's credit, he did a great job of recognizing the positioning of the Michigan linebackers, and made quick decisions to take advantage of them.

The secondary outside of Donovan Warren needs work. JT Floyd is an improvement over Cissoko, but I would be as well. Mike Williams looked uncomfortable, but it was his first game back from injury, so I'll give him a break. I'm not sure if Troy Woolfolk was suffering from his early game injury, but he continues to be out of position and tackle poorly as he has all year. He brings speed to the safety position that Michigan hasn't seen in a while, but that speed is useless if he can't learn basic positioning and play recognition.

Lastly, the defensive playcalling has been bad and continued to be bad yesterday. How many third and longs did MSU convert yesterday? Now, give Cousins credit, he made some good throws, but everyone is making these throws against this Michigan defense.

My suggestions to Greg Robinson:

• It's third and long, BLITZ please. Your secondary is not good enough to cover any quality of receivers for 5+ seconds. On the rare occasions that you put pressure on Cousins, he rushed his throws and managed to throw two interceptions.
  

• Get out of the weak zone coverage. MSU's offensive coordinator did a great job of recognizing this all game. Whenever MSU had two receivers on one side of the field, Michigan played one defender about three yards from the LOS and another at least ten yards away. Whenever this happened, the inside MSU receiver ran a little bubble screen where the outside receiver blocked the near Michigan defender and the play gained ten yards. THIS HAPPENS EVERY WEEK, Greg.

• Consider this formation:

Graham Martin VanBergen/Roh
Kovacs Mouton Ezeh Brown
Warren Woolfolk Williams Floyd

Right now, Kovacs is one of your most valuable defenders in run support. He should not be used in coverage, ever. He's just too slow. Have him defending the run, blitzing, whatever. He's very good around the LOS. At the same time, if he's rushing Brandon Graham's side, you free up Graham from all the double teams he's seen all year. Blitz from there, and keep Donovan Warren on that side of the field, so they have to throw the ball towards him and not the bad half of your secondary. If you do this, you do a better job controlling what the offense has to do. As it stands now, the opposing offense is controlling everything and you are sitting on your heels the entire game.


The Offense

Michigan State had a great gameplan yesterday defensively. They really did a great job moving around defenders to confuse the Michigan running game. It definitely worked. The cues on the zone read were screwed up for pretty much the whole game.

Where it starts and ends is the Michigan offensive line. They just got abused yesterday. I confess ignorance in that I don't know much about Michigan State's defensive line, but they played very well yesterday. They beat Michigan's offensive line at the point of attack on nearly every play. There were just no holes for Carlos Brown to run through all day.

In that respect, I have to question why Brandon Minor wasn't in the game more. Yes, I realize he's hurt. But, he's been held out for the most part for two weeks. He touched the ball about twice all game. I know everyone falls in love with Brown's speed, but Minor is just a much better running back. He hits the hole ten times harder. So, when the holes are minimal and/or fast closing, it seems like Minor would naturally be getting more carries. Alas, it might not have mattered.

The receivers and tight ends were disappointing. How many drops did Michigan have yesterday? I've been harping for weeks that Kevin Koger needs to see the football more. Yesterday, he really disappointed. He finally got thrown the ball 4 or 5 times, and came up with at least 3 drops. Just about everyone in the receiving corps had a drop, it seems. Darryl Stonum might be the one bright spot, but he fumbled the ball twice. The talent is clearly there with Stonum though, and he's slowly bringing it together.

Tate Forcier... what can you say about this kid? He's just a special, special football player. He just has "it," whatever that means. I heard a lot of people say after the game that people are overreacting and that he played poorly in the first three quarters, but that just isn't true. First, he was pressured all day. For a large portion of plays, he literally had no chance to make a play. Second, people seem to forget the afore mentioned drops when discussing Forcier's game. Forcier was 17/32 (53%). You add in a minimum of 4 drops (and I think I'm being extremely generous there), and that would give Forcier a completion percentage of 65.6 percent. That's an insanely good number for a true freshman in his first road game against an in-state rival.

Ignoring that, what he did in the final drive was remarkable. He was clearly exhausted, but he led the team down the field 92 yards like a 4 year starter. It was Elway-esque. Maybe the most impressive part about his late game heroics have been his ability to have a short memory. At Notre Dame, it was forgetting the previous play's drop by Savoy and then hitting Matthews with a strike for the game winning touchdown. Yesterday, Forcier missed a WIDE OPEN Matthews in the endzone. Just a few plays later, he delivered a strike to Roy Roundtree (please play this kid more) for the game-tying touchdown. Sure, he threw an interception in overtime, but if you watch that replay, Odoms inexplicably runs behind the defender. Odoms had inside position when Forcier threw that ball.

What does all of this mean?

Not a whole lot. It means Michigan isn't as good as some thought and Michigan State isn't as bad as some thought. But really, Michigan played lackluster football for 43 minutes. Michigan State dominated in both execution and gameplanning for 43 minutes. Yet, still, Michigan found a way to send it into overtime. I don't want to make it seem like I am discrediting Michigan State, because I'm not. They deserved to win that game. But, please don't pretend like Michigan State is going to begin dominating the state of Michigan in football. It just ain't true.

We found out that Michigan's defense is still pretty bad. Yet, they always seem to find a way to play tough in the red zone to prevent a ton of scoring.

We found out that Tate Forcier is the real deal. His performance in his first five games as a true freshman has to be among the best in college football history. If I'm missing someone, please enlighten me. Having Tate means that Michigan is never out of games, because... well... the kid's a winner. We had been told how important the QB position is in Rich Rod's system, and we're really starting to see how true that is.


Perspective

Lastly, I would just like to point out to Michigan fans that the University of Michigan football team is 4-1 as of today. Before this season, I was asked a lot what I felt like Michigan would do this year. My response was consistent and unequivocable: 8 wins minimum. And, then I was always laughed at. Well, who's laughing now? Maybe they get to 8, maybe they fall just short. But, Michigan football is clearly on the right track. Rich Rodriguez will continue to get the guys to fit his system, and the Big Ten will continue to be in big trouble for years to come. If you don't believe now, you never will. If you're still on the outside, jump off the bandwagon and put on some green and white. The train is leaving the station.

The Impact of Sports

September 11th conjures up a lot of memories to people. Everyone you talk to who was old enough to appreciate the day remembers where they were when they heard the news. You probably remember most details of the entire day. I was in my 4th hour German class when I heard. We had soccer practice after school, and inexplicably, a plane flew overhead when all planes were supposed to be grounded.

In the days and weeks after September 11th, the country saw displays of patriotism that will never be topped. Nowhere were those displays more powerful than in the sports world. Some of the very first memories I recall when I think about September 11th are the events on the New York baseball fields just ten days after the attacks.

Shea Stadium (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu4_96gXWgs) was home to a Mets/Braves game in which both teams were more concerned about returning to normalcy than winning a baseball game. The embraces between teammates, opponents, and the NYPD faithful are memories etched in the minds of Mets and Braves fans forever. The sight of Rudy Guiliani provided a calmness to a city and a country who desperately needed it.

At Yankee Stadium (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=631knZM9Uiw) President Bush threw a strike in the ceremonial first pitch. The leaders of the country were visible in the sports world.

Though September 11th was the reason for unity in those cases, sports was the arena in which it took place. The 1991 NHL All-Star game (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvpxVE_kQXg&feature=related) served a similar purpose. Just days after the United States officially entered the Gulf War, NHL fans showed their support.

Normally, however, sports plays the opposite role.

Seven Saturdays each fall, you see an extremely unique event. One hundred ten thousand people unite for a common cause. These 110,000 people come from many different backgrounds. Many believe in one god, many believe in multiple gods, many believe in no gods. You will find people from a hundred different countries speaking twenty different languages. Half voted for Barack Obama. Forty percent voted for John McCain. Ten percent are still campaigning for Ron Paul. But, every Saturday, every one of those people can agree on one thing. That one thing is Michigan football. You'd be hard pressed to find 110,000 Americans to agree on any one thing non-sports related.

When I visited Ann Arbor last week, I was told a great story that typifies this idea of unity. One of my good friends' dads had an on-field pass for the Michigan vs. Western Michigan football game on top of his regular ticket. As he walked through the tailgates on his way to the stadium, he stopped and handed that field pass to a random Michigan fan. He continued to walk to the stadium, and one of his family members asked him why he just gave a field pass to a random stranger. His response was simple. "He was wearing the right colors."

See, that's all that matters in sports. No one cares who you voted for or where you came from. Ernie Harwell puts this much more eloquently than I ever could in his poem about baseball. He says, "In baseball democracy shines its clearest. The only race that matters is the race to the bag. The creed is the rulebook. Color merely something to distinguish one team's uniform from another."

Think about your favorite player. Do you know his religious affiliation? His political ideals? Probably not. If you do and your beliefs don't align with his, do you care? No, all you care about is that he produces on the field. If he's wearing a Winged Helmet, I don't care what he believes should happen with the death penalty. After all, everyone kills people. All I care about is that he plays hard every Saturday. If he does, he can be white, black, liberal, conservative, Muslim, Christian... doesn't matter. I'll support him all the same. Through all our differences, sports still unites us. And it always will.

Week One Analysis: Western Michigan

After a few days in Ann Arbor and a few days to think about Saturday's game, here's what I've got...

The Offense

The Quarterbacks

As I have harped on all offseason, having competent quarterbacks makes a huge difference in this offense. Tate Forcier played as well as you can expect a true freshman quarterback to play. He made the correct reads, he hit most of his open receivers, and most importantly, he did not turn the ball over. He protected the ball properly when he was running, and he didn't try to force many throws. He managed the game, which is all Michigan needs him to do this year. Tate's most impressive play came on his first career touchdown pass. He escaped with his feet, kept his head up field, showed awareness in staying behind the line of scrimmage, and fired a strike to JR Hemingway.

Denard Robinson is fast, folks. We've been hearing practice reports for weeks. He did not disappoint. I woke up early Saturday morning, laid in bed, and pictured a long Denard TD run. My morning dream proved prophetic. Denard turned a broken play into a Sportscenter Top 10 play. There is no denying his speed after that run. The other observation I had with Denard is that he is a very patient runner. Many times he could have tried to cut the ball outside of the tackles, but he stayed within himself and followed his blockers. Very mature runner for a true freshman with his speed.

Nick Sheridan, start learning to become a coach a year early.

There has also been some talk from Michigan fans worrying that if Denard Robinson plays well, Tate might become upset and eventually transfer. Those people probably forget that, at one point, Tate Forcier was the odd QB out in the recruiting process at Michigan. Kevin Newsome and Shav Beaver were committed, and it appeared Tate would have to look elsewhere for a scholarship. He stayed patient, and eventually got that offer. He's a true Michigan man as far as I'm concerned. As for any tension from Tate Forcier because of Denard Robinson's success, please refer to the below picture taken after Denard's touchdown run and right before a subsequent chest bump.

Grade: A

The Running Backs

The offensive group that I was most confident in coming into the year was the hardest to judge on Saturday. Carlos Brown got the start for an injured Brandon Minor. Brown looked decent, but he didn't show much explosiveness. Carlos did however pass protect well, including an excellent block in which he flipped the defender, taking him out of the play completely. Michael Shaw saw the second most action, and I thought looked the best. Shaw continues to impress every time he gets playing time, and very well might be Michigan's most complete running back. Vincent Smith looked solid, but it came against reserves largely.

Grade: Incomplete

The Catchers of the Ball

JR Hemingway stepped up in a big way. He got behind his defender twice for two easy touchdowns. The most impressive play of the game offensively, I thought, was a catch in which Tate threw the ball behind JR, so Hemingway stopped dead in his tracks, tipped the ball, caught it, and ran in the opposite direction. Kevin Koger was great at TE, and made as fine a catch as you will see a college tight end make. Kelvin Grady dropped an early pass but provided a great option at the slot position. Odoms and Greg Matthews were conspicuous with their lack of action.

Grade: B

The Offensive Line

This group will undoubtedly be important the whole year. The left side of the line looked as expected-- great. Schilling is noticeably more comfortable at guard, and Molk is becoming a very good center. The right side didn't make many mistakes, but they didn't impress me either. Pass blocking was considerably better than run blocking. The offensive line will need to create a lot more holes against Notre Dame if Michigan wants to win.

Grade: B

The Defense

The Defensive Line

Brandon Graham was unblockable when left one-on-one. Graham lived in the Western backfield. He got a lot of pressure, but never seemed to get the sack in time. Mike Martin provided a great push in the middle, and also was in the backfield a few times. But, the story of the day on the DLine was Craig Roh. Roh is another true freshman, and he sure was impressive. He played the hybrid DE/OLB position and DC Greg Robinson had him lining up in all sorts of places. Roh was in Tim Hiller's face all day. When Roh puts on a little more weight, he is going to be an all-time great at the defensive end position in Michigan history. Yes, I made that claim, write it down now.

Grade: A-

The Linebackers

This group was my biggest concern coming into the season. They were the story of Saturday for me. Jonas Mouton and Obi Ezeh were miles better than what they showed in 2008. They were always in the right position, and both were around the ball all day. The linebackers filled holes in the line beautifully all day. Wherever the ball went, the linebackers seemed to also be there. The gang tackling witnessed on Saturday is a huge credit to the play of the linebackers. Oh, and did I mention? STEVIE ****ing BROWN. Player of the game by a mile. He was everywhere, and has obviously taken to his new position. Brown was good in coverage and great in running down ball carriers. I was thoroughly impressed.

Grade: A+

The Secondary

Donovan Warren looked like a healthy Donovan Warren. Cissoko played in the first half and didn't make any mistakes. He even had a few pass breakups. The safeties played well for the most part, but made the one big mistake in the second half allowing a long touchdown pass across the middle. I had to mention it somewhere, so I'll say it here, because Warren and Cissoko deserve a lot of the credit. The tackling was phenomenal, particularly in the open field. The Michigan defense tackled better than I have seen in 5 years. Warren and Cissoko kept everything in front of them, and then made a controlled tackle. It was great to see. Warren needs to turn his head a little quicker, but that will probably improve as the season progresses.

Grade: B+

Special Teams

Solid in all aspects. Zoltan Mesko was the man as per usual. He averaged 47 yards per punt and hung the ball high enough that a coverage team of Justin Boren, Alex Mitchell, and Kurt Wermers could have forced a fair catch. Olesnavage kicked a long field goal and had enough leg from 55+. Kickoff coverage was also much better, and Western's KR/PR is among the best. Very nice to see a solid performance from the special teams.

Grade: A-

The Atmosphere

Simply put: awesome. The fans were rowdy for Western Michigan, and the stadium renovations pretty clearly improved the acoustics. You can actually hear an echo in Michigan Stadium now. The fans were 100% behind Rich Rodriguez as can be seen in this Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKcr62I-0Bg. The Rich Rodriguez chant could be heard throughout the stadium. And, if you watch the video closely, you can tell that he appreciated the chant.

Aside from the fans, the team was considerably more intense than last year. The defensive line made it a point to consistently pump the crowd up. Greg Robinson was even joining in on the encouragement of the crowd. The intensity of Michigan football was at an all-time high. I've been going to games for my whole life. I've never been more proud of the fans, coaches, and players collectively. A truly great experience.

Open Letter to Coach Rod

Coach Rodriguez,

A little more than two years ago, your predecessor went through a similarly difficult time in his coaching career. Michigan had just lost their fourth consecutive game. The final two losses, to Appalachian State and Oregon, were embarrassing. Here's what Coach Carr said at the post-game press conference following the Oregon game:

"I'm doing great. Because I have great kids here. And you don't know me. But those who do know me, both friend and foe, would agree that I'm a tough-minded, competitive guy. And there isn't anything that comes my way that I can't handle...professionally. And there is NOTHING.. there is NOTHING that can keep me down. Not a loss to Appalachian State. Not a loss to Oregon. Not a hundred losses... and not the loss of my job."

Two years later, you are probably feeling similar emotions. You have poured your heart and soul into the Michigan football program. You have experienced defeat. You have experienced large and vocal criticism for that defeat.

Today, you stood at that same podium that Coach Carr stood at over two years ago. And you showed emotion reminiscent of Coach Carr. You will not find a Michigan fan that was a bigger fan and supporter of Coach Carr than I. Even in the tough years, with criticism thrown his way, I stood behind him. More than being a great football coach, I knew that Coach Carr was a great person who cared deeply for his players and their success, both on the football field and in the classroom. I felt extreme pride watching Coach Carr defend his players week after week in his press conferences during those difficult times.

Today, I feel that same sense of pride. Never have I felt more proud of a Michigan football coach, more confident in his abilities as a leader both on the field and off. One day, you will lead this program to heights that its supporters could never have dreamed of on August 31, 2009. We will proudly use your name in the same conversation as Bo, Lloyd, Fritz, and Fielding. All great leaders have a turning point... today is yours.

It won't be easy. It wasn't easy for Bo, either. He used many more four letter expletives. He had many more players quit. He pissed off many more media members. The Michael Rosenbergs and Jim Cartys of the world will always be there. To combat their negativity and, in recent cases, outright false claims, I suggest again the advice of your predecessor. Coach Carr is well-known around these parts for his love for poetry. During his retirement press conference, he offered this poem by Pakenham Beatty as advice for his successor:

By your own soul learn to live.

If some men thwart you, take no heed.

If some men hate you, have no care.

Sing your song, dream your dream.

Hope your hope and pray your prayer.

Every coach has its critics. You will always have more because, well, some people will never consider you a true Michigan Man. I have always believed you to be one, and today you proved me correct.

You should know, that regardless of how vocal your critics are, you are not alone. The true Michigan fans, the ones that count, the 110,000+ that will be in Michigan Stadium cheering for you on Saturday when your name is callled, those are the ones you should be listening to. The timing of your "All In" campaign could not be more appropriate. In the coming days, weeks, and months, you will find out who your true supporters are. They are the same people who showed up in record numbers to your Spring Game despite a 3-9 season. They are the same people who will be positively vocal in both your successes and failures as head coach at Michigan. They are the people who, win or lose, appreciate all that you do to continue the tradition of doing things the right way at Michigan. Lastly, they are the people who, when you begin winning games, Big Ten Championships, and National Championships, they are the people who will point to the Michael Rosenbergs of the world and say, "I told you so."

Coach Rod, I can't wait for that day. Rest assured, I will be first in line writing e-mails of "I told you so" to Michael Rosenberg and Jim Carty. You will be successful at Michigan. Your passion for Michigan football and your genuine care for your players will carry you through these difficult times. A wise man once said that:

"Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant."

Your adversity, and the way you have handled it, will carry Michigan football successfully into the 2009 season and beyond. Winning will take care of everything. And those of us who know what you are truly about, also know that the winning is just around the corner. No one will be happier for you than I when you start getting the credit you are due. Go Blue!

In Rod We Trust.

Michigan Football Allegations, the Free Press, and its Agenda

Remember when you heard Santa Claus was fake? Maybe you were a big professional wrestling fan and you found out that it too was fake. Think back to those moments and how you felt. It was probably more than disappointment. You felt lied to. You reassessed how you viewed things in the world. Well, at age 22, I still feel that way today.

Growing up, I always felt strongly that someday I would pursue a career in journalism. I grew up with a love for reading. Quickly, that turned into a love for writing. As I grew old enough, I began reading more sophisticated writing. I loved reading sports articles in the Detroit papers by Mitch Albom. Nationally, I loved reading Gene Wojciechowski. I watched ESPN and grew to love TV journalism as told by guys like Peter Gammons. These three men are some of the most successful in their respective fields. They have more in common than that, though. They are guys who write passionately, and write passionately not simply to get a response, but to seek some sort of a truth in and through their writing. The concept of seeking the truth reminds me of one of my all-time favorite movies-- A Time To Kill. Matthew McConaughey says in his closing argument:

"You see, in all this legal maneuvering, something has gotten lost. That something is the truth. Now it is incumbent upon us lawyers not to just talk about the truth, but to actually seek it, to find it, to live it."

That truth has been lost today, and it has shaken my confidence in the journalism field. The idea of shock journalism has become too popular. You can replace the word shock with bad, and it does not lose its context. Journalism with the sole purpose of eliciting a response is not legitimate journalism. It is about time for journalists to take on a Hippocratic Oath. The Internet is often used as an excuse for why newspapers are failing. While that may be true, it is not the only reason. The quality of journalism has fallen dramatically in only the past ten years. The editors who approve the shock journalism articles are the same ones who will be looking for jobs in five years because their profession has become obsolete. And, the more I read from these people, the less sorry I feel about their future.

The motivation for this article comes from yesterday's Detroit Free Press article: http://www.freep.com/article/20090829/SPORTS06/90829023

The Facts

This article alleges NCAA violations by the Michigan football coaching staff. Specifically (a term I would use loosely), the allegations are that Rodriguez and his staff has broken time limit rules by forcing players to practice for more time than is allowed by NCAA regulations. I'm sure most people's initial reactions reading this article was something similar to, "Duh." Let's face it, almost every school bends the time regulations, and all of them cover their butts because... well... it's easy to do.

Here's what the Free Press failed to tell you:

1. There is no rule prohibiting a coach from "punishing" a player for missing a voluntary workout. This is commonplace at every legitimate high school program in the country. You miss workouts, you make up for it during practice.

2. Time spent watching video is not considered mandatory practice time, and therefore does not fall under the 8 and 20 hour restrictions.

3. Time spent in the trainer's room is not considered mandatory practice time, and therefore does not fall under the 8 and 20 hour restrictions.

This is how teams "get around" the time restrictions. Watching video is a huge part of college football today, and takes up as much time as field practice in most cases.

The Evidence

Probably the biggest issue I have with this article in general is the lack of evidence supporting the claims made by the Free Press writers. Bolded are the pieces of evidence used in the article.

Two players called Michigan’s off-season requirements “ridiculous.” The players described the coaches’ expectations as an ongoing concern among many teammates. Parents of several players agreed.

Commentary: Okay, so the program is tough. It might not be what you thought you had signed up for. But, nothing in that statement supports the notion that Michigan is breaking rules. Michigan finally has tough workouts and high expectations. Deal with it.

“It was mandatory,” one player said. “They’d tell you it wasn’t, but it really was. If you didn’t show up, there was punishment. I just felt for the guys that did miss a workout and had to go through the personal hell they would go through.”

Commentary: "They'd tell you it wasn't, but it really was." This is your evidence, Detroit Free Press?? There was punishment?? Of course there was. If you don't put in the time working out like the rest of your teammates do, you're going to be out of shape. So, you're going to run to get into shape. There's nothing in the NCAA rules against doing so.

• Players spent at least nine hours on football activities on Sundays after games last fall. NCAA rules mandate a daily 4-hour limit. The Wolverines also exceeded the weekly limit of 20 hours, the athletes said.

Commentary: And how many of those hours were required by the coaching staff? Since games occur on Saturday, it would seem likely that players might want to watch film on Sunday, the next day. They are more than entitled to. The NCAA can't restrict the free will of student-athletes. If you want to prove something, show that those nine hour sessions were required. I bet you'll have a difficult time doing so.

• Players said members of Rodriguez’s quality-control staff often watched seven-on-seven off-season scrimmages. The noncontact drills, in which an offense runs plays against a defense, are supposed to be voluntary and player-run. They are held at U-M’s football facilities. NCAA rules allow only training staff — not quality-control staffers — to attend as a safety precaution. Quality-control staffers provide administrative and other support for the coaches but are not allowed to interact directly with players during games, practices or workouts.

Commentary: So quality control staff aren't allowed direct contact with players during scrimmages. But, the players said that the staff watched the scrimmages. How does that conflict with the scrimmages having to be "voluntary" and "player-run"? The fact is, it doesn't. Michigan addressed this specific issue. Quality control staff is there specifically to ensure that the NCAA regulations are being followed. So, they're verifying that only the trainers were there. In other words, they were doing their job.

There is a lot more "evidence" written in the article, all equally poorly researched with numerous fallacies contained within the statements. What is not clear are who the sources are. The Free Press claims to have as many as ten current or former players who relate similar stories to what they claim in the article. The only one named is Terrence Taylor who said that Sundays required a lot of time. Nowhere did he actually make a claim with evidence supporting a breach of NCAA rules. Funny enough, Taylor is one former player who has been supportive of Rich Rodriguez and the direction the Michigan football program is taking. So, who are your other sources, Free Press? I wonder if they include Justin Boren, Alex Mitchell, Jeremy Ciulla, Dann O'Neil and Kurt Wermers. All of these fat, out-of-shape offensive linemen have complained about how much time was required in workouts. One of them (Wermers) even made these complaints before revealing that he was academically ineligible for the upcoming season.

All of the transfers were more than entitled to transfer when they didn't approve of the program. But, once they opened their mouth to the media, they eliminate any objectivity in future statements they give. Former players who were unhappy with the coaching staff have agendas, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. I know several rocket scientists, all of whom would agree.

The Counter-Argument

So, we have the facts. We have the evidence. The Free Press made their argument based on those two factors. Now, any good piece of writing will provide at least one potential counter-argument and address that argument. Any decent high school English teacher will tell you that. So, where is that in the article? It is non-existent. It would have been fairly simple to ask the rest of the football team if they felt that the rules were being violated. If they don't know the specific rules, tell the players what they are and THEN ask if they are being violated. The Free Press makes no attempt to do anything resembling this process.

Perhaps players did not understand what constituted voluntary and mandatory in both the eyes of the coaches and the NCAA. After all, it really is the coaches and quality control staff's responsibility to know the practice rules and ensure they are enforced. The players have a lot on their minds between practice, school, and their family who is often 1000+ miles away from them. They shouldn't be expected to know what practice time as regulated by the NCAA is. Michigan is paying people plenty of money to do that. So, maybe the whole thing is a misunderstanding. It might not be... but what if it is? Sure would make for a compelling counter-argument. Too bad the Free Press didn't address it.

An Agenda?

To those who have followed the Free Press's coverage of Michigan football since Rich Rodriguez took over, it is not surprising to see a one-sided argument. Every article the Free Press and News have written, for the most part, have been talking about how the Michigan football program is falling apart in one aspect or another. Michael Rosenberg's previous Michigan football article about the Justin Feagin situation is a great example. At a certain point, it begs the question... what is the fascination?

Rich Rodriguez wasn't a Bo disciple. He's not as media friendly as Lloyd Carr, even though he's always much more willing to explain himself to the media. You know who was a Bo disciple? A media friendly head coach? Les Miles. The guy who didn't get the job is ultimately still the story in Ann Arbor. People hate change and the Detroit media is no different. The stories coming out of Ann Arbor would be dramatically different if Les Miles was head coach, even though he is notorious for running a similarly strict program. Detroit media members and the old time Michigan contingent has never recovered from the Les Miles saga. Some of them never will.

You know what else would sell papers? Writing about how great of a family man Rich Rodriguez really is. Write about how, in his first year, Rich Rodriguez led the football team to its highest GPA ever. When you don't do this, when you only write about the negative aspects of the Rich Rodriguez regime, it's clear you have an agenda.

The timing of this article also causes one to question the motivation of the Detroit Free Press. Players have been transferring and making these claims for over a year. Why did you choose the week before the 2009 season starts to publish this article? It just screams of having an agenda.

The Truth

In my sophomore year at the University of Michigan, I took an Argumentative Writing class. That's essentially what an article like this is: an argument to prove a particular point. Had I turned this article in, I probably would have received a response similar to this:

Evidence-- One-sided and not interpreted correctly. How can you expect someone to believe this argument if you misrepresent the facts? Poor use of logos.

Counter-argument-- Where is it!?!? We talked about this in class, it's a necessary part of your argument. The lack of one makes you seem unreasonable and your ethos suffers as a result.

F. Please see me after class, it's clear you don't understand the concepts we have gone over all semester. You're going to need to improve drastically to receive a respectable grade this semester!

So, congratulations Detroit Free Press. You just failed English 225 at the University of Michigan. Maybe you shouldn't write your first draft the night before it's due.