Link: Jim Harbaugh's Antics Could Wear Thin at Michigan If Team Keeps Coming Up Short

RTR91

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We are living in the Golden Age of Harbaugh Infallibility, an era devoid of media skepticism, lauded through self-promotion and defined by the inevitability of Michigan football domination. Jim Harbaugh can say whatever he wants, wear whatever he wants and act however he’d like with complete impunity, feeding his relentless attention addiction one tweet at a time.

That, of course, is not the reality surrounding Michigan football heading into 2017. Just the feel. The reality is that Michigan projects for a third consecutive third-place finish in the Big Ten East, Harbaugh’s third consecutive loss to Ohio State and another season spent futilely chasing what Michigan feels is its rightful place atop the Big Ten. The reality of the Michigan program is that the Wolverines have lost three of their past four games, need to replace 17 starters and lost a program-record 11 picks to the NFL draft.

Harbaugh can hang out with Judge Judy, sleep at a recruit’s house and call out opposing programs and athletic directors for NCAA misdeeds. He can attend WWE events, coach first base for the Tigers and take his team on an overseas field trip to Rome. We know all that. We’ve seen him tweet about it, heard about it on his YouTube channel and been subjected to breathless 24-hour coverage of his every move.
 

4Q Basket Case

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Nov 8, 2004
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I don't often root for Florida, but I will certainly be hoping Coach M can put a whipping on Harbaugh's team.
Interesting.

I grew up in an era when Florida was a perinneal under-achiever. So Florida didn't mean much one way or the other.

Spurrier was such a pompous jerk, I didn't like him personally. But now that he's gone, I bear no ill will toward Florida unless and until Alabama plays them, or benefits by their loss.

Against Michigan, led by Harbaugh? Go Gators!
 

rolltide7854

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Aug 20, 2007
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I'm way past tired of his crap. Go Gators and I can't stand Urban Meyer but unless we need Michigan to beat the Buckeyes to get in the playoffs I will be pulling for OSU.
 

Power Eye

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I do not care for Jim Harbaugh, and I think his antics are pretty childish. However, and where I disagree with the article, you can't deny that he has turned that program around in short order. Granted they have no Big Ten title, CFP appearance, or even a win over Ohio State, but from where they were a few years ago to be extremely relevant on the national stage is remarkable. You can question his behavior but I don't think you can question his coaching ability.
 

Intl.Aperture

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I do not care for Jim Harbaugh, and I think his antics are pretty childish. However, and where I disagree with the article, you can't deny that he has turned that program around in short order. Granted they have no Big Ten title, CFP appearance, or even a win over Ohio State, but from where they were a few years ago to be extremely relevant on the national stage is remarkable. You can question his behavior but I don't think you can question his coaching ability.
I think you make a salient point. If this were any other coach, we'd be applauding lightly and saying "Not too shabby new guy!" but because of the way in which Harbaugh comports himself the results just don't match the bluster and the outlandish behavior.
 

AlexanderFan

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I think you make a salient point. If this were any other coach, we'd be applauding lightly and saying "Not too shabby new guy!" but because of the way in which Harbaugh comports himself the results just don't match the bluster and the outlandish behavior.
They were an average team before, and now they're an average team with a mutant dancing carnival monkey as their head coach. He's done wonders with their program for sure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

TiderMan

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They were an average team before, and now they're an average team with a mutant dancing carnival monkey as their head coach. He's done wonders with their program for sure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Well he took over a team that went 5-7 in 2014 and took them to back to back 10-3 seasons. They were very close last season to making the 4 team playoff. One point loss at Iowa, 3 point loss in OT to Ohio St, and a 1 point loss to FSU in the Orange Bowl. He has made them relevant again. If you don't like him personally... that is fine, but the guy can flat out coach.
 

Intl.Aperture

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They were an average team before, and now they're an average team with a mutant dancing carnival monkey as their head coach. He's done wonders with their program for sure.
Nah, I'd say their above average. They remind me of LSU. A good team forced to play a gold standard team every year with maybe a brain-fart or 2 mixed in there. They've had stout defenses with at least serviceable offense since Harbaugh came on board. I think he'll be able to maintain that for another few years at least. Posting 10 wins in both of his first 2 seasons is good work. Jim Mcelwain at Florida only has 1, 10-win season and most of us would consider him to be a pretty good coach who fields some pretty decent teams overall.
 

TideEngineer08

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Well he took over a team that went 5-7 in 2014 and took them to back to back 10-3 seasons. They were very close last season to making the 4 team playoff. One point loss at Iowa, 3 point loss in OT to Ohio St, and a 1 point loss to FSU in the Orange Bowl. He has made them relevant again. If you don't like him personally... that is fine, but the guy can flat out coach.
He's definitely better than anyone they've had since Loyd Carr. But the one point losses to teams like Iowa will always be there with this guy. There is something about him, that's difficult to describe, but obvious to observe, that keeps him from ever breaking through to the top.

It's a lot like Mark Richt. Or Les Miles as someone else said. He will never win a Big Ten or national championship without some weird circumstances going on elsewhere. Like several key players for Ohio State go down to injury. I don't think he will ever beat Urban Meyer without Ohio State having some kind of bad luck season going on. He's improved Michigan's lot in life for sure. But he's not elite, IMO, and Michigan won't ever be with him. And when you start researching Michigan's history, that's probably ok for them.
 

UntouchableCrew

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Well he took over a team that went 5-7 in 2014 and took them to back to back 10-3 seasons. They were very close last season to making the 4 team playoff. One point loss at Iowa, 3 point loss in OT to Ohio St, and a 1 point loss to FSU in the Orange Bowl. He has made them relevant again. If you don't like him personally... that is fine, but the guy can flat out coach.
+1. He's made them a factor nationally almost immediately.

I get that he's a jerk and people don't like him but he's probably a top 5 coach in CFB, certainly a top 10 one. The big question for him is can he beat Meyer/OSU, which has been the thorn in UM's side for 15 years, even when they've been good.

As far as "his antics running thin?" Get real. Zero chance Michigan even considers moving on any time soon.
 

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