UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[iam416]

I've always thought VT is the team to beat.

[Jeff Buchanan]

.......... I still have my doubts about the staying power of the urban legend.

Sunday sports editorial.............

Are there significant differences between No Titles Hoke and the flagship's captain urban meyer?

In short, yes, huge differences.

I've watched meyer since he first appeared on the national CFB radar at Utah. He's driven. I'd compare that drive to Lance Armstrong 's. Armstrong is consumed by winning. In the opinion of most observers he has sold his sole to do that.

I've tried to put this kind of desire to win in perspective. I can't say I have not admired Armstrong. At the height of his cycling career and as a sports figure, he was a big deal ...... admired is an understatement regarding what the world thought of him.

In retrospect, he is clearly flawed having let that inner desire compromise his ethics. He cheated and has admitted it. But, let me see. Does he think it might have been worth it? I think so. To him and others like him, winning and the accolades and adulation that go with it, are food for his soul. Like water is to life. This despite the enormous penalties he has suffered both financial and with regard to his reputation.

I think meyer has that Armstrong gene. I think osu has a tendency to seek out people like that to run their revenue sports. Because, after all, winning is everything to them and to a number of other college programs. We see it all the time. It's not just osu. They just happen to be our target in this particular forum. For better or for worse. If you went to a Bama forum, it would be Auburn. And Bama fans would be right about Auburn.

So yeah, I agree with you Rob, but perhaps for different reasons. Given my belief that meyer has the Armstrong gene, it's just a matter of time before suspicion mounts about his recruiting, his on field success, all of it. Success usually does breed suspicion and rightfully so. Armstrong was finally unmasked as a cheater.

......... And this gets us back to the question at hand. For me, I pretty sure there are huge differences between No Titles Hoke and ufm and I'm real glad there are.

[Pasadena Blue]

it's a good point, and probably a fair one.
I think DSL is correct in his one line synopsis that Ohio is consumed with winning and M is consumed with making money. To the extent that winning helps make money, M will do what it takes.

Having your athletic programs on probation is not a positive for fundraising and MSC will not be tolerant of it. Winning enough to be in the national conversation, even if it means getting beaten more often than not by Ohio, probably will still keep the donors engaged, and is good enough for M.

There are some M fans (OP as a Prime example), however, who are not tolerant of this and have higher expectations --- unfortunately, they are not the loudest voices.

I think the cultural gap between M and Ohio is going to continue to grow. When you think about it, Ohio really is a misfit in the B1G, and really should be playing in the SEC.

[Hannibal]

The difference between cycling and college football is that if you are caught cheating in cycling, people take the common sense approach of assuming that your victories are invalid. People have reasonably concluded that Armstrong was a fraud. This is in stark contrast to college football, where the NCAA and the schools that get caught cheating bend over backwards to minimize punishments. If cycling were like the NCAA, Lance Armstrong would have been forced to "vacate" one victory, and he would still be allowed to compete and eligible for the Hall of Fame. And anyone who chalked up his victories to cheating would be accused of "sour grapes".

[lineygoblue]

I pretty sure there are huge differences between No Titles Hoke and ufm and I'm real glad there are.

And HS coaches throughout the midwest, including Ohio, are taking note of that as well. The fact that he refuses to negatively recruit is one huge difference, and its a good one that is panning out.

The urban myth doesn't have the stranglehold on ohio that his predecessor did.

[Da Geezer]

Jeff: it is "sold his soul . . .", not his sole, although UFM may as well throw his sole into the equation. Good point PB. Ohio should be in the SEC.

[The Oracle]

Fits geographically.

[iam416]

Do you guys really want me to respond to this nonsense in the recruiting thread? Seriously?

I think UFM has the Vince Lombardi gene. Perhaps the Abraham Lincoln gene. Brilliant, driven leaders who achieve massive success and earn admiration from contemporaries and historians alike.

What a nonsense discussion.

[iam416]

UFM doesn't negatively recruit. In that limited regard, he's like Coach No-Titles.

In terms of recruiting and on-the-field success, not so much.

[lineygoblue]

Do you guys really want me to respond to this nonsense in the recruiting thread? Seriously?

Why do you feel compelled to respond? Is someone holding a gun to your head demanding that you weigh in on the issue?

What could possibly be wrong with totally ignoring it?

What a nonsense discussion.

Again, why respond? If this is total nonsense to you, I'd think a man of your superior intelligence would simply choose to ignore it. Especially when you know what the "truth" is.

And you're already comparing the Urban Myth with Vince Lombardi and Abraham Lincoln?

[Optimus Prime]

I hope they catch Urban Meyer with some underaged girls. Then we can add the Jerry Lee Lewis gene to that list.

[Rocky Bleier]

Do you guys really want me to respond to this nonsense in the recruiting thread? Seriously?

No. Believe it or not we don't come here for your opinion. You offer it unsolicited.


Listening to comments from recruits, it seems like Urban sells himself. Both John Reschke and Drake Harris mentioned Meyer showing them his rings. Reschke said he thought Meyer came off as arrogant. Some kids like that. He has the name and his past success to sell. I believe Hoke sells Michigan, and comes off as a regular guy. I can see myself drinking beer and eating potato chips with him while watching a game on television. As Jabril Peppers said, "Real recognizes real." The next few years of the rivalry are going to be interesting. Thank heaven RichRod is gone.

[Pasadena Blue]

Do you guys really want me to respond to this nonsense in the recruiting thread? Seriously?

What a nonsense discussion.

Was a question asked of you?

[lineygoblue]

Well said, Rocky. That is the same thing I've been reading from a lot of recruits. Brady may well be "no titles", but he's building a solid recruiting base, and gaining a lot of good will in the process. And HS coaches like him a lot.

[The Oracle]

And it is cute when all(or most) of the recruiting success goes to Mattison.