Monday, January 31, 2022

Michigan Monday: As Jimmy Turns and The GOAT

Let's jump to the Harbaugh saga before we address Tommy retiring. 

Harbaugh:

Raiders hired Josh McDaniels.  The expected landing spot for Jimmy never materialized.

Jimmy interviewed with the Vikings (remotely) on Saturday night, some called it discussion others are saying it was a full interview.  Either way, Jim is a candidate for the job.   So, is he a finalist?  NFL Reporters are saying that these guys Kevin O’Connell, Raheem Morris, and DeMeco Ryans are expected in Minneapolis this week for round 2 interviews. New Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah known as a well-educated analytics guy worked with Jimmy in San Fransisco.  I wonder if he has some metrics that make Kurt Cousins look like a great NFL QB?

Wild Card - We know Ross loves Jimmy and if he is heading to the NFL anyways, why not Miami?  

The Michigan offer is still a good offer and is not holding up any negotiation.   Harbaugh's buyout is tiny at $1.5M and part of the get healthy contract he signed last year.  

My thoughts:

  • Neither team is a great situation.   You know what you have and don't have in Cousins and Tua continues to be a question mark with a Marcus Mariota trajectory.  
  • Hard Rock Stadium is a house of horrors for Jimmy 
  • Is Ross paying Jimmy's salary already?  (Through donations)
  • Does Ross want the PR hit from the Michigan faithful, saying he wouldn't hire Jimmy and then hiring him?
  • Does Jimmy want to compete against the Bills and Patriots for the next 5 years?  Those 2 teams are much closer to the Super Bowl.  
  • Does a new young GM want to bet his future on a guy whose style is hard nose football that wants $100M?
  • I always thought Miami would be a threat but Minnesota surprises me that there is interest on both sides.   If Rodgers moves on, that division is up for grabs.   
  • I don't believe Jimmy is trying to leverage contracts here, I think he really wants to go to the NFL and that feeling is not going away with a new Michigan contract.   
  • Not having a DC in place already is a clear sign he is serious about the NFL and any offer.  

Reports from ESPN are that Tom Brady is retiring.  Tom's dad and agent, says he has not made a decision yet.   ESPN believes its report is accurate and continues to run with the story.   If true, this is the greatest NFL career ever and I will miss watching him every Sunday.   With a smile on my face, I have always pedaled the narrative that Michigan was under a Brady curse while he was active in the NFL.  Which clearly explains why Michigan beat Ohio State and made the CFP this season. 😀 Congrats Tommy! 

  • CBS Halftime show was pure comedy.  Also, is it a problem that a TV network with an "old" demographic has a show called "Ghosts"? 
  • DPJ has created a new digital game to support Mott.  What a great gesture!
  • Former Wolverine Adam Stenavich has been named the Packers OC
  • We can support Joe Burrow because he left OSU right?  That guy has ice in his veins.   Good football again last night, I thought KC was going to run away and win by 30 and lost.   Former Detroit Lions Matt Stafford makes it to a Super Bowl.   I also thought for one minute, Ambry Thomas was going to make all the tackles for SF.  
  • Congrats to David Long and Chris Evans making the Super Bowl.  We consider a Blake Countess a Wolverine, right?  He got signed late by the Rams and will also make the big dance.  

7 comments:

ScottyDoggs said...

What's Harbaugh going to do, reminds me of a soap opera "As the world turns".... whatever way Harbaugh chooses is okay with me. As top (armchair general). I hope he lands in the pros, college football is more like quick sand, you do not know where you stand (too many variables)....If Brady retires, it's because his "significant other", got inside his head. but what a significant other!!!

Goblu said...

Why would Blake not be a wolverine?

I'm super happy for Stafford - and I hope the Lions voice some support for their former colleague. He was a great part of the team and it's nothing but great that he's made the promise land!

Renegade said...

When Brady retires (he hasn't announced yet regardless of what ESPN says) it will be a once in a lifetime HOF career.

If Harbaugh jumps then congratulations coach. As much as people bitch about him he improved greatly on his predecessors.

And super congratulations to Matt Stafford. The man endured years on a historically poor team. Hope he gets his ring.

Chowman said...

I don't see any NFL team bringing on Jim as their next coach. Harbaugh is a prickly and hard to work with. His 7 years in AA has been his longest stint coaching anywhere. Now some will argue that's because his time in AA has been MEH at best and hasn't made him attractive to the league, which is true. But I'd argue there's no better spot for him than Michigan cause he doesn't really have a boss. You think Warde Manual goes into Jim's office and tells Harbaugh what he's going to do? It's not going to be that way in the NFL. He's going to work for a GM and that's where Jim gets into trouble. Harbaugh is the geeky teenage girl, that got contacts, lost the braces and grew some boobs over the summer and now is the new hot girl in school. He's enjoying all the attention and making the most of it. But at the end of the day, I really don't see any NFL franchise serious about winning hiring Jim to coach their team!

Unknown said...

And there it is!!! Beautiful! Chowman…. Exactly right…no NFL team that is SERIOUS about winning , would choose Harbaugh…. But many teams are not… Dolphins are perfect….. can you imagine what Josh Allen would do to a Harbaugh run team… Bill in Boston would just chuckle and start cutting up sweater shirts arms…. For the sheer bliss of seeing him falter like the bum he is … please Jimmy, go south to Miami

szanreno said...

Yeah Chowman I hope you're right...

Chowman said...

I don't know what to make of the Miami angle. I know Ross is the owner, but he publicly came out and said he wouldn't poach Jim. I know in reality that means little. But you'd think they'd have a plan after dumping Flores. I don't think Flores was the problem in Miami. The way they fired Flores, the thought was they already had his successor in play and just had to navigate the Rooney Rule. Now I don't know! I'm MEH on Harbaugh leaving AA. The only issue I have is this is getting so late in the process that its definitely going screw the recruiting as I'm sure if Harbs leaves a few of this years recruits will opt out as well as some players from last years roster. Michigan would almost have to go with an interim coach for the 2022 season as well.