Jim Harbaugh to return to MI

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Cartman
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So take this for what it's worth. But I trust this guy's opinion. He was a local sports radio personality for YEARS in the Detroit area. He has a rock solid "in" with U of M. He's predicted everything that happened with Harbaugh so far (when everyone said he wouldn't leave the NFL for the NCAA, he said repeatedly said U of M was Harbaugh's dream job and would be hired. When everyone under the sun said he'd go back to the NFL, he correctly said Harbaugh had no interest). Now he's saying there are 2 major sticking points for him staying at U of M. If these don't happen, he's gone.

1) A bigger salary. He took a pay cut last year when he resigned and now wants to be compensate accordingly.
and the biggie...
2) An official NIL program at U of M
Harbaugh Attempting To Save Michigan Football From The University Of Michigan

I talked to a couple of well placed sources and yes, Jim Harbaugh has reached out to multiple NFL teams about potentially making the move back to the league. No, he does not want to leave Michigan, he loves the school but HATES the administration. He’s doing it because the University of Michigan doesn’t want to be involved in the NIL game. No, they can’t stop players from profiting off their name, image or likeness but they also don’t have to be a willing partner in the University like Texas A & M and even Sparty up the road in E. Lansing.

That is the problem. The University of Michigan is a socialist institution who believes it’s only an “institution of higher learning” NOT a football team. This is what I have told you for a long time. Whenever the NIL situation comes up there is violent push back from Provosts and Professors who believe they should also be allowed to recruit the top students in the world, it’s the age old argument on steroids. Trust me when I say “capitalism” is a dirty word in Ann Arbor.

Michigan has a weak Athletic Director, he’s a politician who has zero pull with his bosses, that is why Harbaugh is being forced to play hard ball to get a serious NIL program in place like they have at Texas A & M. The sources tell me Harbaugh just wants to win football games, he isn’t interested in jerking around with transfer requirement or a subpar NIL program. The lack of an NIL program is a deal breaker and Harbaugh will leave if Michigan declines to play with the big boys.

Harbaugh is being very strategic here, he knows his salary was an issue based on his record against Ohio State, Warde used that opportunity to cut his pay in half, Harbaugh took it like a man because he really isn’t driven by salary, he is driven by football and family. It was smart of Harbaugh to donate his $2 million in bonus money because he knew this fight was coming and didn’t want ANYBODY at The University of Michigan to claim he was only looking for a raise. He knew he would get the typical leftist complaints about the Head Coach making more than President. Harbaugh is the bulwark against CFB death for Michigan, this simply has to get done and Harbaugh will never have more leverage to get a coherent NIL program for The University of Michigan.

Let me explain the difference in Michigan’s NIL and a real NIL. Some Michigan players have NIL deals, “Valiant” has a deal with some players, Tom Brady signed Cade McNamara to his clothing line and M-Den has a deal with the program. However, some teams have deals that are facilitated by their Universities like Texas A & M, Georgia and even Sparty. The University needs to hire a Director of NIL and let him secure sponsorship deals for all team, mostly football and basketball.

My sources also told me Harbaugh would require full control of any NFL team, not just as Head Coach. He had a bad situation in San Francisco and doesn’t want a repeat of the mess with the 49ers. There is a chance he won’t get full control with any team, but there might be a few who would listen to that offer….like the Raiders should they make a change. The Raiders currently have an HC and may not make a change if they make the playoffs. Make no mistake, Harbaugh is the one reaching out, he is attempting to create a market for his services to use as leverage against the nuts in Ann Arbor and he will take a gig if NIL fails.

I’m told Jim has had discussions with Warde about NIL and Manuel seemed to believe it would be a tough putt to drag Michigan into a new era of CFB.

So, if NIL dies, so does Michigan Athletics, there will be no funding for secondary men’s sports or lame women’s sports. The stadium will be empty and it will wither and fall by the wayside.

If Harbaugh leaves, you know NIL is dead and so are the Wolverines. I believe we have reached code red status.


https://gregghenson.com/harbaugh-attemp ... f-michigan
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George: Hey Jim, it is George, how are you?

Jim: George who?

George: McCaskey, you know, you played here and I hung out around the lockerroom.

Jim: Oh, OK.

George: Would you be interested in having an interview for our open HC job?

JIm: Do I get full control over the team?

George: Well, well, uh, I ...... well, you know........uh, I.......I mean we,....well, you know, uh we are interviewing GM candidates as we speak.

Jim: Can I bring in my guy?

George: Well.....Jim I have Polian here with me and we........I.....I mean we would like to hire a GM we think will work for my, I mean, our organization.

Jim: Nice talking to you George. Say hi to Virginia. Buh bye.
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@Cartman His track record aside, when a guy starts to interject his political beliefs into a sports piece, it's kind of hard to take it seriously.

That said, even with the talk of "brief" calls, I think it's slim that Harbaugh will be our next HC, let alone be a HC anywhere in the NFL this year.
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Xee wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 12:07 pm@Cartman His track record aside, when a guy starts to interject his political beliefs into a sports piece, it's kind of hard to take it seriously.

That said, even with the talk of "brief" calls, I think it's slim that Harbaugh will be our next HC, let alone be a HC anywhere in the NFL this year.
I get the discomfort with the political beliefs but when you're talking this type of money, literally millions and millions of dollars, there will always be political considerations. (I could have done without the "Leftist" "Socialist" labels tho -- those didn't add any value or weight to his arguments.)

I could see the Raiders giving him that kind of (Full-Control) deal but I DEFINITELY don't see the McCaskeys doing it. Not with the Family Business. If I were them, I wouldn't do it either -- way too much power in the hands of one man whose name is NOT McCaskey.
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Personally I think he’s still in the mix. I’ve flip-flopped on this but I think Harbaugh is still on the list
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Ditka’s dictaphone wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:43 pm Personally I think he’s still in the mix. I’ve flip-flopped on this but I think Harbaugh is still on the list
I'm still flopping around on it too, but why not hire Harbaugh if he agrees to a GM who is agreeable to George? Does Jim absolutely have to have full control over everything? Can't they agree on a mutually satisfactory GM and make it work.

If I was George, and Harbaugh wanted to coach the Bears, I would probably let him pick his GM. But he should not be both the HC and GM, by himself.
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pus wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:58 pm
Ditka’s dictaphone wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:43 pm Personally I think he’s still in the mix. I’ve flip-flopped on this but I think Harbaugh is still on the list
I'm still flopping around on it too, but why not hire Harbaugh if he agrees to a GM who is agreeable to George? Does Jim absolutely have to have full control over everything? Can't they agree on a mutually satisfactory GM and make it work.

If I was George, and Harbaugh wanted to coach the Bears, I would probably let him pick his GM. But he should not be both the HC and GM, by himself.

Even the Pats/Belicheck have a guy with the title GM.
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pus wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:58 pm
Ditka’s dictaphone wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:43 pm Personally I think he’s still in the mix. I’ve flip-flopped on this but I think Harbaugh is still on the list
I'm still flopping around on it too, but why not hire Harbaugh if he agrees to a GM who is agreeable to George? Does Jim absolutely have to have full control over everything? Can't they agree on a mutually satisfactory GM and make it work.

If I was George, and Harbaugh wanted to coach the Bears, I would probably let him pick his GM. But he should not be both the HC and GM, by himself.
I don’t think George would just hire Harbaugh and not interview anyone else.
He’s brought Polian in to advise.
He’s drawn up a list of eleven I think we’re up to.

In my opinion, George wants to lend credibility to the hiring process purely from a supporters PR standpoint. So if it flops then no-one can accuse him of not at least trying his best to get it right.

But I think Harbaugh is still in consideration and both sides want to keep things quiet until the process is done.
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From an article in the Athletic:
He (Mark Davis) appears to be going back to what worked when the Raiders went 12-4 and made the playoffs in 2016 — a general manager (Reggie McKenzie) in charge of the roster, a coach (Jack Del Rio) to run it. People love to compare Harbaugh to Gruden, but maybe, for as much as he loved Gruden, Davis realizes he gave him too much power.
One has to figure if Davis was sold on the progress made this season, he would have rolled it over with Mayock and Bisaccia. But he didn’t, and despite the players calling for Bisaccia to be brought back, Davis is looking for the new face of the organization.

Just not, it seems, all the way to Michigan.
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Cartman wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:56 am So take this for what it's worth. But I trust this guy's opinion. He was a local sports radio personality for YEARS in the Detroit area. He has a rock solid "in" with U of M. He's predicted everything that happened with Harbaugh so far (when everyone said he wouldn't leave the NFL for the NCAA, he said repeatedly said U of M was Harbaugh's dream job and would be hired. When everyone under the sun said he'd go back to the NFL, he correctly said Harbaugh had no interest). Now he's saying there are 2 major sticking points for him staying at U of M. If these don't happen, he's gone.

1) A bigger salary. He took a pay cut last year when he resigned and now wants to be compensate accordingly.
and the biggie...
2) An official NIL program at U of M
I've read this elsewhere (The Athletic). I believe both points are in play. Meanwhile, Michigan State has launched an NIL program which pays all college athletes $500 per month, Michigan will have to at least match it.
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Grizzled wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 5:48 pm
Cartman wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:56 am So take this for what it's worth. But I trust this guy's opinion. He was a local sports radio personality for YEARS in the Detroit area. He has a rock solid "in" with U of M. He's predicted everything that happened with Harbaugh so far (when everyone said he wouldn't leave the NFL for the NCAA, he said repeatedly said U of M was Harbaugh's dream job and would be hired. When everyone under the sun said he'd go back to the NFL, he correctly said Harbaugh had no interest). Now he's saying there are 2 major sticking points for him staying at U of M. If these don't happen, he's gone.

1) A bigger salary. He took a pay cut last year when he resigned and now wants to be compensate accordingly.
and the biggie...
2) An official NIL program at U of M
I've read this elsewhere (The Athletic). I believe both points are in play. Meanwhile, Michigan State has launched an NIL program which pays all college athletes $500 per month, Michigan will have to at least match it.
Michigan is not exactly rolling in dough right about now - maybe he is going to follow the money.
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Grizzled wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 5:48 pm … Meanwhile, Michigan State has launched an NIL program which pays all college athletes $500 per month …
Not quite all. Just football and mens and women's basketball.

Even so, that’s very significant.
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Yep, those are the only “funded” programs at any university. I could only sell stuff to pro’s or these 3 sports in D1 college - that was it. Maybe a rare Rick LAX program, but very few of them out there. No one else had any money at all, I mean they couldn’t scare up two thousand dollars of discretionary spend. It’s nuts.
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dplank wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 8:12 pm
The Cooler King wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 5:41 pm
I think 10M would do if, but probably needs to be like 7 years. NFL head coach contracts apparently are generally fully guaranteed whereas NCAA aren't necessarily.

75/7 + control of operations I bet would get it done.
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What would it cost for a "WE WANT HARBAUGH, signed - the fans" Billboard that could get some media attention ?

I'd kick in $100.
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Xee wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:14 am
Otis Day wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 12:02 pm George: Hey Jim, it is George, how are you?

Jim: George who?

George: McCaskey, you know, you played here and I hung out around the lockerroom.

Jim: Oh, OK.

George: Would you be interested in having an interview for our open HC job?

JIm: Do I get full control over the team?

George: Well, well, uh, I ...... well, you know........uh, I.......I mean we,....well, you know, uh we are interviewing GM candidates as we speak.

Jim: Can I bring in my guy?

George: Well.....Jim I have Polian here with me and we........I.....I mean we would like to hire a GM we think will work for my, I mean, our organization.

Jim: Nice talking to you George. Say hi to Virginia. Buh bye.
I think you're being too generous there Otis! The 'brief' conversation was probably more like:

Jim: Hello?

George: Hi Jim, it's George McCask... Jim? Jim? Are you there Jim?
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Xee wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:14 am
Well, looks like Greenberg got it wrong again:

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Everyone wants to be the one breaking the big story. Ignore all the shit out there and just wait.

Wake me up when we have a HC and GM.
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Otis Day wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:15 pm Everyone wants to be the one breaking the big story. Ignore all the shit out there and just wait.

Wake me up when we have a HC and GM.
^^^^^ This

The only problem is that isn't any fun.
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dplank wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 4:23 pm Image
Calm down lol. While I don't doubt DBB has some sources that is such an obvious attention post from him.
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Okay, this afternoon my book leans towards Jim Harbaugh moving to the NFL - I was skeptical he would leave, but now I strongly suspect the UM won't be able to cough up enough dough to keep him around that nice college town.

The biggest fish is indeed hungry and Bears are still fishing - that's good reason to be hopeful.

:shocked:
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pus wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 4:45 pm Okay, this afternoon my book leans towards Jim Harbaugh moving to the NFL - I was skeptical he would leave, but now I strongly suspect the UM won't be able to cough up enough dough to keep him around that nice college town.

The biggest fish is indeed hungry and Bears are still fishing - that's good reason to be hopeful.

:shocked:
Don’t tease me like this.
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Come on! MAKE. IT. HAPPEN!
I haven't been this fired up for a move since I wanted the Bears to land Cutler.
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Me checking the interwebs every 5 seconds for Harbaugh news…

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LOL @ dplank… I thought I was the only one 🤣
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If, and it’s a big IF, they land Harbaugh…I’d be perfectly fine with the Bears promoting Champ to GM.
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wab wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:46 pm If, and it’s a big IF, they land Harbaugh…I’d be perfectly fine with the Bears promoting Champ to GM.
It makes a lot of sense
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wab wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:46 pm If, and it’s a big IF, they land Harbaugh…I’d be perfectly fine with the Bears promoting Champ to GM.
I was thinking the same... Satisfy the majority of the fan base and also the players with this combo.
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