UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[hack]

We don't want him to be Gordon Gee. That guy's not an embarrassment to OSU only ecause essentially on these matters that crowd amounts to a pig in shit. At Michigan we have to tolerate the tension between academics and athletics, and if it weren't there that would truly be a perversion of the concept. The university's core goal should be to educate young people. When raising funds and sports become too important the core goal suffers. The reason why Michigan athletics has been great in the past and can be in the future is because, at an institutional level, the core goal hasn't been forgotten about. Michigan needs to get back to that. One of the ways is to remember that football is a way to get money indirectly. Not directly. Very important distinction. The money will come when the football program is as cute, quaint and ferocious as it can and should be. That helps make people believe and adhere themselves and their identities to the entire university.

[iam416]

Since Tressel got a show-cause, I don't see how OSU could have retained him.

Yeah, I'm not sure, Hanni. I think there is a way to do it and OSU would have considered it. Five years. He still can't coach. Heh. And the NCAA even got the NFL to pitch in and sanction both him and TP. Unreal. I was really happy to see him end up back at YSU.

But, I digress. UFM is the HC now. And M is about to either (a) hit a grand slam with JH or (b) fumble through a search that will drive you (and other M fans) insane.

If the past is a predictor of the future, I know where my money is! Though, there'd be a really cool kinda "Bo/Woody" symmetry to a Dan Mullen hire.

[hack]

He's the president of a university now? In particular one of the ones he was forced out at for breaking rules? Seriously, and beyond the confines of trashtalk, what the fuck is wrong with you people?

[iam416]

Not that it matters to you, Hack, but Ohio State has significantly upped its academic reputation over the past 15 years by every metric I can think of. And, oh by the way, that's coincided with tremendous success in both football and basketball and an expansion of varsity sports to a staggering 37 (gads more than any B10 school) -- an those represent true student-athlete opportunities.

So, yeah, it'd be a real shame if M lost sight of its "core" goal like Ohio State has. And boy, do I sincerely mean that.

[iam416]

In particular one of the ones he was forced out at for breaking rules?

Interesting. And here I thought he left YSU to take the OSU job. Thanks for the take. As entirely non-factual as ever.

[hack]

Sorry I had my history wrong -- he didn't leave because of sanctions. It seems the university was fine with it all along. Which, well, again -- seriously. What the fuck is wrong with people?

In 1998, Tressel's reputation was blemished when it emerged that Ray Isaac, quarterback on his first national championship team, admitted to accepting massive benefits from [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Monus"]Michael I. Monus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame], the founder of Phar-Mor and former chairman of the Youngstown State board of trustees. The NCAA had been tipped off about the violations in 1994, but dropped its inquiry after a cursory internal investigation by Youngstown State. The nature of the violations only came to light when Isaac admitted to tampering with a juror in Monus' first corporate fraud trial. It later emerged that Tressel had never met with Isaac during the initial 1994 investigation. Monus subsequently testified that when Isaac initially came to Youngstown State in 1988, Tressel called Monus and asked him to work out a job for Isaac. Youngstown State subsequently admitted to a lack of institutional control and docked itself scholarships. The NCAA ultimately faulted Tressel and Youngstown State for their cursory 1994 investigation, but did not cite them for wrongdoing.[13] Youngstown State was also allowed to keep its 1991 title since the NCAA's statute of limitations had run out.[14]

OSU's a fine academic institution, talent. Wouldn't dispute that. You've had some very good and capable administrators in recent times. There's also been some head-scratchers, obviously. My point stands and is in fact reinforced. If there's no tension between academics and athletics, you're not doing it right. Time to break out my old trashtalk line, which now rings truer than ever: you people are morally inferior. WHEN we win, we do so clean and savour the true taste of victory. You will never know what that's like.

Your fault that it's not actually bullshit.

[iam416]

Hanni:

Re show-cause -- that prevents a coach from being hired from a different institution (more or less). So, a guy can't "escape" his penalties. I would not have prevented JT from staying at OSU.

Hack:

Whatever. Your schtick is so played out. But, thanks for the "The NCAA...did not cite [Tressel] for wrongdoing" line.

[hack]

It's not schtick. It's higher education. It's something that should be taken seriously. It should not be a trough at which animals can feed.

[Hannibal]

I don't think that Tressel could have feasibly stayed at OSU. Dumping him was necessary for OSU to execute the standard "amputate and cauterize" strategy that got them out of severe punishment.

[Hannibal]

The next HC should hang on to Cole and Weber. Clark is gone, IMO. I don't see anyone who has left coming back.

Depends on who the next coach is. I think that Harbaugh would make an immediate an significant impact. Similar to Urban. One guy said explicitly that he decommitted because we have done such a shitty job developing players. A new hire could change his mind immediately.

[lineygoblue]

Michigan's top QB recruit, Alex Malzone, was named Michigan's "Mr. Football" on Thursday.

Not as big a deal as it used to be, but still quite an accomplishment for the young fellow. He's one recruit whose commitment has remained solid thru all the coaching drama.

[iam416]

Mike Weber is visiting Columbus this weekend. I would be surprised if he didn't end up at OSU. It seems Damien Harris is either UK or Bama (I wouldn't sleep on Bama). OSU manages to get one of the 3 RBs it wanted after whiffing on LJ Scott and losing on Harris. Thank you, M dumpster fire.

I reckon that could change if Harbaugh rides into town.

[Rocky Bleier]

He should go to MSU. He'd get some playing time there. OSU will have much better RBs than him.

[iam416]

LJ Scott is going to MSU. So he'd have someone in his class that he'd have to beat out for snaps. At OSU, Elliot will be a junior next season and Curtis Samuel will be a sophomore and he's the only RB inthis class. If Weber is good -- and everything I've read basically has LJ Scott, Harris and Weber in the same cluster -- then he'll see the field.

The difference between OSU and MSU, perhaps, isn't the existing roster....it's the future roster. OSU is more likely to bring in really good backs to compete for carries than MSU. I guess that may be your point. So, heh, you're right!

[Rocky Bleier]

That was my point. I don't think he's as good as he thinks he is. Most kids aren't.