U of M thread (in the Lions Forum) :)

[chemiclord]

Presuming this is true (which at this point, who the fuck really knows), I wouldn't be surprised that Harbaugh got the message from some of the old guard of U-M that they would not welcome him and would make his life a living hell.

But again, that is 100% speculation. I don't know shit about what is really going on right now in Ann Arbor.

[nhwbrooklyn]

The last thing Brandon Needs is to pull an Ed Martin and be all but publicly turned down repeatedly. Looks bad and leaves the new coach, who ever he is, as the left over guy who doesn't ever get close to 100% backing.

Basically since its accepted Harbaugh is their man they want, they need to offer this guy what ever it takes to avoid that scenario again.

[jaadam4]

old guard at U of M not welcoming the hottest coach in the nation back after the Rich Rod bomb.. Please. I hope you're kidding.

[jaadam4]

lol.. i heard that if Harbaugh turns us down Miles could be a possibility!!

[Cody_Russell]

Mike Tirico is a "Michigan man" & Tirico said he believes Harbaugh will go to the NFL...
But yeah I agree ... who knows what is going to happen.

[Cody_Russell]

A breakdown of the Jim Harbaugh situation at Michigan

As speculation mounts about Jim Harbaugh’s future, here is a brief primer to help fans understand what they’re reading and why.
1. Don’t believe reports that Harbaugh-to-Michigan broke down during the weekend. It isn’t true.
2. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported over the weekend that new Broncos executive John Elway has targeted Harbaugh to be his coach. But I highly doubt Harbaugh will end up in Denver.
He would be working for an inexperienced football executive (Elway) who is way more popular with ownership and the fan base than Harbaugh is. That would limit Harbaugh’s power, and nobody knows whether Elway knows what he is doing.
Plus, Harbaugh is a molder of quarterbacks. Denver has Tim Tebow, but that makes it LESS likely Harbaugh goes to Denver -- he wouldn’t get to choose his own guy, and many NFL people are skeptical about Tebow’s viability as an NFL quarterback. So I would be shocked if he ends up in Denver. This means ...
3. It almost certainly will come down to Michigan and the San Francisco 49ers. I think Harbaugh would have some interest in the Carolina Panthers -- he could take his Stanford quarterback, Andrew Luck, with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. But Carolina has not shown much interest in hiring Harbaugh.
The 49ers, meanwhile, have made it clear Harbaugh is their guy. They see him not only as a great coach but a guy who can change the image of the team and help the franchise get a new stadium.
4. This is really important: You will hear reports that Harbaugh “really wants to coach in the NFL” or “has his heart set on Michigan.” These reports aren’t inaccurate. They are incomplete.
Harbaugh wants to do both, and he always has, going back to when he was a kid.
He is choosing between two dreams right now, and there are a lot of factors at play. Naturally, when he talks to NFL people, they may get the impression he wants the NFL; and when he talks to Michigan folks, they will get the impression he wants Michigan. He wants both, but he can’t have both. At least not right now.
5. Michigan has one big advantage. Thirty-two franchises hold the lure of coaching in the NFL. A few of those jobs are open every year. There is only one job at Michigan, and Harbaugh might never get another shot at it. If he turns down U-M, Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon could plausibly hire a guy who will stay 20 years.
That is why I won’t count out Michigan until I see Harbaugh put on a 49ers hat at a news conference.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was on ESPN Radio’s "Mike and Mike" show today, discussing Harbaugh:
“The 49ers really want him," said Schefter, a U-M alumnus. Broncos executive "John Elway is there at the Orange Bowl as an honorary captain for Stanford. He’s going to speak to Jim Harbaugh about his interest in going to Denver. So if Jim Harbaugh wants, he can go to work in San Francisco, and he can be the Niners’ No. 1 choice. He would have a chance to go to work in Denver. I’m told the University of Michigan wants Jim Harbaugh, and he knows that they want him. But I think the bottom line to this is, Jim Harbaugh, I would be really surprised if he’s back at Stanford in any way. I think he’s leaving. Tonight’s his last game at Stanford; I think the way he’s played it tells you he’s leaving. Ultimately he’s got a decision to make. He can make more money at San Francisco than he could with the University of Michigan, maybe more money with Denver. But with Michigan, he’d be there for a very long time, a lot of stability.”
Free Press sports writer Mark Snyder contribu


Read more: A breakdown of the Jim Harbaugh situation at Michigan | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/2011010...#ixzz1A31dchO8

[chemiclord]

old guard at U of M not welcoming the hottest coach in the nation back after the Rich Rod bomb.. Please. I hope you're kidding.

The U-M of six to seven years ago when I actually was in the web of information? Oh yeah, they would. The arrogance that seeped from that administration was so thick you could eat it.

Right now? I couldn't tell you. The fact that they are (allegedly) willing to talk to Harbaugh at all implies there has been considerable change. But I do know that members of that old guard are still in the board of regents and administration of the university.

If they haven't softened their stance by now, I would not be at all surprised that they would do everything in their power to deep-six Harbaugh at every turn.

[Drew]

This is pretty intense. I hope it's resolved soon....like today.

[gjdodger]

The Freep quotes an unnamed source saying Harbaugh is extremely unlikely to come to Michigan. If he doesn't go pro, he'll stay at Stanford.

[Drew]

The article said that the only reason is because RR hadn't been fired. There wasn't any other backing to the position that JH is EXTREMELY unlikely to come to Michigan.

I do acknowledge he may not come, but that piece won't convince me.

[Mainevent]

The Freep quotes an unnamed source saying Harbaugh is extremely unlikely to come to Michigan. If he doesn't go pro, he'll stay at Stanford.

That's some insight there.

[Rocky Bleier]

I'm just going to accept that Brandon is an idiot and that Hoke is the new coach.

[Drew]

Why?

[Rocky Bleier]

To start dealing with the disappointment sooner than later.

[gjdodger]

If Harbaugh doesn't want to come, he doesn't want to come. What are you going to do, hold a gun to his head? RichRod has gotta go, so that would eliminate two of Brandon's options if he can't get Harbaugh. He can't keep RichRod.