Not a gentlemanIt's been a couple of days since Tressel's "only between gentlemen" comment about whether there was a gentleman's agreement in the conference when it comes to recruiting. I personally think it was the Vest just trying to be clever and not really a dig at Rodriguez, and those in the Wolverine community seem to agree for the most part.
Well, the comment finally made its way back to Ann Arbor:
"Huh well, maybe I'm not a gentleman," Rodriguez said. "I never heard of that (gentlemen's agreement). In that regard, I would be guilty as charged. I know as soon as I took the job, there was a commitment to the University of Michigan who changed his commit and went to another Big Ten school. I didn't blame the coach for doing that. Until the guy signs, he's out there, particularly if he visits.
"If the young man is committed to your school, yet he's still visiting other schools, he's not truly committed; he's just very, very interested. You have to understand the difference in that. I've been doing this a long time, (and) I never heard of such a thing. I don't get caught up in all the he said, she said. One thing I've had to learn to develop, thick skin over the years as head coach. I'm proud of the way we recruit. We certainly aren't going to break any NCAA rules when we recruit. As far as a gentlemen's agreement, I've never heard of such a thing."
As I mentioned when the whole Tiller/Rodriguez issue first blew up, there might have been a gentlemen's agreement back in the day, but not in this era of text messages and bulk email applications.
At any rate, it's good to see that The Rivalry won't miss a beat -- even in this transition season. As much as I hate to admit it, I like the way Rodriguez handled that. Could you imagine Carr saying anything other than "I'm not going to get into that," and declaring the interview over before storming out of the room?
News out of camp has Eugene Clifford making the switch to safety. Clifford, you may recall, may have or may not have run into a little trouble with the tree last season and was subsequently suspended for the LSU game. Here's to fresh starts.
In other secondary news, linebackers Jermale Hines and Tyler Moeller are getting looks at strong safety as the staff experiments with ways to stop the spread. The thought of putting a little more size at the position is intriguing and it put a smile on my face knowing that Tressel was game-planning for Michigan in April.
Continuing their excellent series, Better Know a Buckeye, Vico and the guys at Our Honor Defend present the complete Mike Adams story. I have to check Wikipedia for the parting of the Red Sea story, but I'm pretty sure it's true.
Comments
I hate Rich Rod
site back up www.dottingthei.com
Except that Carr had more class and was a gentleman. Since when did mock turtle necks and sport coats start to become the dress of choice? Sweet Jesus Dick Rod you are now the coach of a major program time to get a new freaking wardrobe. Clip-on ties need to be left in the drawer.
I hate him but I have to agree with him on the topic.
Tressel is doing it now with Melvin Fellows.
Recruiting is never over until they sign on the dotted line.
Just to paint the whole story on Fellows: he is every bit looking and perusing what's available as much as Tressel is requiting the interest. So long as kids are going to pick up the phone, coaches will answer it. The same holds for RichRod or Tressel.
I think Tressel was just being a smart-ass like he always is, and I don't think that comment was directed at Rodriguez. Since when does Jim Tressel have to make "thinly-veiled" comments at or about anyone? Exactly - he is well-respected and well-liked in the coaching community, and Rodriguez, well, isn't. More and more people are seeing him for the scUMbag that he is every day.
I see someone beat me to it. I was going to make the same point about Fellows. And that's why I really don't think Tressel was referring to RichRod with his "gentleman" comment.
I agree with Rod, this is just Tressel's dry sense of humor and nothing was meant by it. Regardless, Rich Rod doesn't need any help in making himself look like an arrogant SOB, him, his wife and his lawyers have done a tremendous job at that.
I love the venom...
Listen, I would hate RR too if I was you, he’s going to kick the hell out of a sleeping giant! Look at this article below from USA Today. Michigan has HISTORICLY underachieved in the Lllllllloyd Car era. RR has done nothing but overachieve in his time at WVU.
This transition is only going to hurt OSU. You will crush us for the next few years, but the tide is turning!
Lazy, fat, outdated Michigan is getting an overhaul and any SANE osu fan must admit this is not good for your future.
GO BLUE!
http://www.usatoday.com/sports...
Under former coach Rich Rodriguez, WVU's classes were generally rated from the mid-30s to the mid-50s. But the Mountaineers have won two BCS bowls in the past three seasons, have consistently been highly ranked and came within one win of playing for last year's national title.
"They've done a good job identifying kids from around the country that may get overlooked," says Bobby Burton of Rivals.com. "And they've done a very strong job of going into the South and getting speed guys, historically."
I don't see anything wrong with what RichRod did. I agree with CL, recruiting is not over till they sign.....when losing a major recruit to an in-conference foe can make or break your next 3-4 years, you don't give up because they have the edge (verbal commit). I personally would not want a coach that would give up that easily!
TesseLL-
I have no reason to hate RR and I hope he brings Michigan back, we all know OSU and the Big Ten conference need that to happen. I am not questioning his ability to coach or get the most out of his players, but I also would hesitate to compare talent in the Big Ten vs. the Big East and assume his "success" is going to carry over. Check his Big East stats and records before BC, Miami and VT left for the ACC.
With that being said, I also think he has done nothing to help his image or for that matter, Michigan's. Since he lost a chance to play for a National Title, by losing to Pitt at home as a 20+ point favorite, this is what has happened:
1. He leaves WVU later that week before the season is over, tells high school recruits before telling the team or the school, has a GA hand in a three sentence resignation letter.
2. He then tells WVU he is not paying the buyout in his signed contract, complaining that he was forced to sign it under false pretenses. Meanwhile WVU sends him a check in full for the bonuses he earned last year.
3. The trial starts and his lawyers compare the buyout to slaves trying to buy their freedom.
4. All along him and his wife beg for West Virginia natives to "be proud" that RR is now the coach at Michigan. With all do respect, why would they root for a guy that coaches some where else and left his alma mater in the above terms?
It amazes me as an outside observer that UM fans are so quick to throw Llyod under the bus and claim RR as a savior of the program. There is no hatred here, just a wonderment at what Rich has done thus far to show he has class. What happens if he doesn't succeed?
I'm not quite sure how RichRod's WVU teams "overachieved". They choked at home to an unranked team to cost themselves a shot at the national title last year.
"the Mountaineers have won two BCS bowls in the past three seasons"......yeah, after all the good football programs left for the ACC. OSU has been to 3 straight BCS bowl games and 5 of the last 6. But a big reason for that is that OSU has had more talent than anyone else in the Big Ten over that stretch....just like WVU in the Big East. The difference is OSU didn't choke away their shots at the title game like WVU did.
Anyway, I think RichRod is a decent coach, and I do hope he helps Michigan out because them being mediocre just isn't good for OSU or the Big Ten. But OSU fans are hardly shaking in our boots just yet. I'll believe he can make Michigan more successful than Tressel has made OSU when I see it.
Do you really consider yourself an outside observer COREY, you have no feeling towards UM that would help sway judgment one way or the other?
No mention of the strained relationship that RRod had with administration at WVU, or that the big financial boosters blaming WVU for his leaving.
Do I want him to just pay it and get it over with? Hell yes, but I understand why he is fighting it with all the emails back and forth that were disclosed through the Freedom of Information Act it was pretty clear RRod was on his way out of WVU.
As for the "gentlemen" comment, it seems that you guys believe it was not aimed at RRod? So instead it is referring to coaches who recruit players after verbals are given (as the question was stated) to other Big Ten Schools?
Ugh. You have to understand Jim Tressel's dry sense of humor. It was just a bad joke.
Wolverines-
An outside observer with deep rooted partial feelings towards Michigan, perhaps. However, I do try to take off my scarlet and gray glasses for arguments on this blog.
I didn't mention any emails, because I have not read any emails from RR's days at WVU, but would love a link to any article or site that has them. I don't think I need to read them though, I believe RR was on his way out of WV when he tried to renegotiate his contract 3 times in 18 months. Whether his relationship was strained with WVU, I don't know, IMO though, he has done nothing to help his or Michigan's image in the last four months and therefore makes the "gentlemen" statement a bit true, intentionally aimed at him or not.
So far he has completely overhauled our training from practices to the actual weight room. Pulled a decent recruit class in a time of turmoil for the school. Welcomed former team (1969 Bo's first year) in to talk to the players about change, visited alumni around the country. Began the settlement process by making a good faith payment of 1.5 million to WVU.
Could he have handled his departure from WVU better, maybe, would it have changed the backlash from WVU probably not. False stories of document shredding would have most likely still surfaced from the hurt WVU.
What has he done in the last 4 months that have hurt Michigan specifically? Boren quit because he couldn't take the conditioning, Mallett was gone as soon as RichRod was signed, gas prices continue to go up. You can't blame him for everything and not give credit for anything. Is he the answer to beating OSU? Not sure, but I am excited to find out.
I think Tressel meant it.
The media didn't release the photo of Tressel saying that, staring into the camera, the flipping the bird.
Good for him.
uh yeah? I won't say Michigan doesn't matter anymore but this coming year they are the 3rd maybe 4th most important game we play....5th if you count the bowl game(ncg). If they got pryor it would have been a horse race. Damn isnt it sweet that we got that guy after dickrod tried ever low down dirty south trick in the book. Even pryor will tell you he was on the phone giving him "all the lines". It makes sense that he is from wv didn't that state produce randy "aka piece of shit im in it for me" moss. Well the wizard selling snake skin lost that battle to coach tressel and will lose many more in the future.
Michigan fans will tell us we should be scared because he's making the players run lol are you fucking kidding me. You can make a mule run all day its still a mule. OSU horses will fuck your mule in the ass all day long!
As long as Tressel keeps the talent in ohio you are fucked. What? You got owned .
Tampa Buckeye, has it been that long since our heads got that big and we got worked by Florida?
My advice, respect every team you play....especially the one's that live to beat you.
Tampa Buckeye-
"they are the 3rd maybe 4th most important game we play….5th if you count the bowl game"
If Michigan wins that game It wont be the 4th or 5th on your list anymore. Keep that attitude up and we'll end up losing to Michigan in a heart beat. I'm glad Tressel doesn't have the same attitude.
I would listen to Wil
Tampa
"OSU horses will fuck your mule in the ass all day long!"
You sir have a pig face..
- Eddie Murphy (Beverly Hills Cop)
[...] for the MNC game for likely the same offense. A tremendous talent, we were hoping a move to safety would be the fresh start he needed to get his groove-on. His loss would suck, but it’s not like he’s Beanie, you [...]