If you've been following this or other Michigan blogs during The Great Coaching Search of 2011, you know that many U-M fans have been scouring flight tracking websites in order try to figure out where AD Dave Brandon's travels are taking him and, thus, who he's talking to about Michigan's vacant head coaching position.
Much of the tracking chatter has centered on a wealthy alum's so-called "Michigan plane" that has been spending a lot of time in Baton Rouge, home of LSU and potential coaching candidate Les Miles.
But the MZone has learned that's not even close to the most interesting stop for this private jet.
When Dave Brandon said he was conducting a national search, he wasn't kidding. The MZone has obtained the exclusive video below of an until-now secret stop on Brandon's far reaching quest to replace the fired Rich Rodriguez.
Folks, after you watch, we think you'll agree that Michigan's AD is leaving no stone unturned to find the best coach.
Showing posts with label coaching search. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coaching search. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
In Plane Sight
As Michigan's coaching search enters its make-or-break week, in a desperate need to fill the information vacuum, I love all the folks using flight data like a Ouija board. I've gotten a few good laughs reading all the chatter about some dude (it's always a dude) going to PeopleWhoUsedToListenToPoliceScannersButNowTrackFlights.org, finding any flight leaving any airport within 60 miles of Ann Arbor, then using the flight's ultimate destination to make a prediction about about who Michigan is talking to with about as much accuracy as Kirk Herbstreit.
My favorite Flight Tracker story thus far the one on Friday about this plane...
...being spotted in Baton Rouge, home of LSU, before departing the same day.
The plane is owned by Richard H. Rogel, a financially well-endowed Michigan alum who personally donated $22 million to the school in 2004. According to the SportsByBrooks link above, Rogel is also a member of the U-M’s “Director’s Cabinet in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.”
Naturally, this meant the flight had something to do with Michigan pursuing Tiger coach Les Miles for its coaching vacancy. Just one little problem with that conclusion: Miles - along with probably anybody else in the LSU athletic department one would reasonably expect to discuss the matter with if it was true - was in Dallas for LSU's Cotton Bowl game that day.
But I'm more skeptical for a totally different reason.
I think we can all agree that Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon is playing this so close to the vest that his lips probably won't know the choice until the name of the new coach leaves his mouth. That's why I can't imagine anything close to this conversation taking place:
RICHARD H. ROGEL: Scout's honor, Dave. I'll have the jet ready.
BREAKING NEWS: In addition to Les Miles and Jim Harbaguh, third generation wheat farmer Bill Simmowitz has also rejected an offer to coach at Michigan.
(HT: WH)
From GoBlueNbyNWfan: A small crop duster piloted by man wearing an "M" hat left Willow Run airport yesterday then flew real low over a farm outside Monroe. Pretty sure this means UM interested in 3rd generation wheat farmer Bill Simmowitz or the ghost of Cary Grant.
My favorite Flight Tracker story thus far the one on Friday about this plane...
...being spotted in Baton Rouge, home of LSU, before departing the same day.
The plane is owned by Richard H. Rogel, a financially well-endowed Michigan alum who personally donated $22 million to the school in 2004. According to the SportsByBrooks link above, Rogel is also a member of the U-M’s “Director’s Cabinet in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.”
Naturally, this meant the flight had something to do with Michigan pursuing Tiger coach Les Miles for its coaching vacancy. Just one little problem with that conclusion: Miles - along with probably anybody else in the LSU athletic department one would reasonably expect to discuss the matter with if it was true - was in Dallas for LSU's Cotton Bowl game that day.
But I'm more skeptical for a totally different reason.
I think we can all agree that Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon is playing this so close to the vest that his lips probably won't know the choice until the name of the new coach leaves his mouth. That's why I can't imagine anything close to this conversation taking place:
DAVE BRANDON: I'm thinking about Les Miles to fill our coaching vacancy so I'm going to Baton Rouge tomorrow. But if I fly commercial, everybody will see me on the plane, and in the airport, and it will spread like wildfire. I was able to keep it a secret for 40 days that I was firing Rich Rod, but I wouldn't be able to keep this a secret for 40 minutes if I did that. Any suggestions?
RICHARD H. ROGEL: You can borrow my private jet.
DAVE BRANDON: You mean the bright maize and blue painted Gulfstream that looks like a giant flying Michigan football helmet?
RICHARD H. ROGEL: Yep, that's the one. And it plays The Victors out of huge speakers on the bottom of the plane and shoots maize and blue streamers out of the nosecone as it descends.
DAVE BRANDON: Perfect. I'll be like a NAVY Seal - in and out before anybody even notices.
RICHARD H. ROGEL: Absolutely. One problem Dave - Les and the entire Tiger athletic department are in Dallas for LSU's Cotton Bowl game tomorrow.
DAVE BRANDON: Oh, I know. I'm going down there to feel it out first with Frank Tibbeleux who heads up the stadium janitorial staff. Do my due diligence. Just don't tell anyone.
BREAKING NEWS: In addition to Les Miles and Jim Harbaguh, third generation wheat farmer Bill Simmowitz has also rejected an offer to coach at Michigan.
(HT: WH)
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Coaching Conclave Continues in Ann Arbor
(from MZone wire reports) Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan fans remained gathered outside Schembechler Hall on Wednesday still waiting for a sign that athletic director Dave Brandon had made a decision regarding the Wolverine head coaching situation.
But the black smoke pouring out of the smoke stack atop Schembechler Hall indicated that Brandon's coaching conclave was continuing. Wednesday marks the 40th day of Brandon's so-called "evaluation" of current coach Rich Rodriguez making it the longest known job review in recorded history.
According to tradition, black smoke above Schembechler Hall indicates a coaching decision has not yet been made; white smoke indicates Rich Rodriguez has been fired; and maize and blue smoke along with streamers and lollipops shooting out of the piping would indicate that Jim Harbaugh is the new Michigan coach.
UPDATE: The smoke is now white as Rich Rod has
Meanwhile, after every news outlet in Detroit erroneously announced that he had been fired on Tuesday, Rich Rodriguez celebrated at least one more day on the job by showing off the errant Free Press headline announcing his axing.
(HT to Mikoyan for the idea and RR 'Shop, HT to DC for the smoke pic. Thanks!)
Football Gods Decide to F*ck With Michigan Fans
(from MZone wire reports) MT. OLYMPUS - The college football gods wrapped up an epic 24 hour period Tuesday night of completely fucking with Michigan fans. Observers note they haven't seen this kind of cruel wrath directed at a fan base since the gods initially tricked Colorado fans into believing Dan Hawkins was a good hire.
The day started for Michigan with breaking news out of Ann Arbor that head coach Rich Rodriguez - who in three short years had turned the winningest program in college football history into the 38-point bitch of the 5th place SEC West team - had been fired by AD Dave Brandon. Then, rather than the gods allowing the news to be instantly corrected, they instead let it spread like a venereal disease at the Theta house via news outlets and the Internet.
Only after hopes of Harbaugh riding in to save the teetering program reached a fever pitch did the football gods crush U-M spirits with the knowledge that Rodriguez had actually not been fired and was still the head coach. Apparently after waiting some six weeks while working on his "evaluation" of Rich Rod and his future, the actual meeting to decide the outcome was, like the last Harry Potter film, a two-parter and was to be continued tomorrow. This marked the first time in recorded history that it's taken an AD longer than a Donald Trump divorce proceeding to make up his mind to remove or retain a football coach.
The suffering continued that night during the Sugar Bowl game between Michigan's hated rival Ohio State and Arkansas. First, all of the so-called Tat 5, played the entire game, their only punishment being forced to miss a minute of some pre-game stretching exercise. Then the game started and it looked like a Buckeye blowout as they led the Hogs 28-10 at the half. But following a furious comeback in the second half, Arkansas found themselves only down 31-26 with a minute left and about to get the ball back. Unfortunately, they had no timeouts left and it looked like they were going to have to go the length of the field.
That's when the Razorback special teams blocked Tosu's punt giving QB Ryan Mallet and his offense a minute to score from deep inside Ohio State territory. After the block, Michigan fans across the country let out a scream usually reserved for drug-induced sexual experiences.
It looked as if the day for the Maize and Blue Faithful was going to at least end on a high note.
Instead, that's when the football gods dropped the hammer and made Mallet throw an INT on the very next play, clinching the victory for the Buckeyes. The number of "motherf*cker!" shouts floating up into the heavens was still being tabulated at the time this column was written.
And the suffering for Michigan fans might not be over.
When reached for by the MZone at Mt. Olympus, Zeus Lombardi initially had no comment on what he and his fellow football gods had put Wolverine fans through on Tuesday. But then he laughed and cryptically added, "Wait until they see what happens next." Zeus Lombardi then excused himself saying he had to hurry down to Austin to keep fucking with Texas fans.
The day started for Michigan with breaking news out of Ann Arbor that head coach Rich Rodriguez - who in three short years had turned the winningest program in college football history into the 38-point bitch of the 5th place SEC West team - had been fired by AD Dave Brandon. Then, rather than the gods allowing the news to be instantly corrected, they instead let it spread like a venereal disease at the Theta house via news outlets and the Internet.
The suffering continued that night during the Sugar Bowl game between Michigan's hated rival Ohio State and Arkansas. First, all of the so-called Tat 5, played the entire game, their only punishment being forced to miss a minute of some pre-game stretching exercise. Then the game started and it looked like a Buckeye blowout as they led the Hogs 28-10 at the half. But following a furious comeback in the second half, Arkansas found themselves only down 31-26 with a minute left and about to get the ball back. Unfortunately, they had no timeouts left and it looked like they were going to have to go the length of the field.
That's when the Razorback special teams blocked Tosu's punt giving QB Ryan Mallet and his offense a minute to score from deep inside Ohio State territory. After the block, Michigan fans across the country let out a scream usually reserved for drug-induced sexual experiences.
It looked as if the day for the Maize and Blue Faithful was going to at least end on a high note.
Instead, that's when the football gods dropped the hammer and made Mallet throw an INT on the very next play, clinching the victory for the Buckeyes. The number of "motherf*cker!" shouts floating up into the heavens was still being tabulated at the time this column was written.
And the suffering for Michigan fans might not be over.
When reached for by the MZone at Mt. Olympus, Zeus Lombardi initially had no comment on what he and his fellow football gods had put Wolverine fans through on Tuesday. But then he laughed and cryptically added, "Wait until they see what happens next." Zeus Lombardi then excused himself saying he had to hurry down to Austin to keep fucking with Texas fans.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Just a little daydreaming....
January 3rd, 2011: "First of all, I would like to thank Dave Brandon for the giving me the opportunity to coach the Michigan Football program..."
ED. NOTE: In case you hadn't heard.
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